Prime Minister Modi rallies for peace, harmony, togetherness and development in Kokrajhar

GUWAHATI: Bodo accord marks a new dawn of peace, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a rally in Kokrajhar on February 7.

PM Modi who was here to participate in the celebrations of the signing of the Bodo Peace Agreement spoke about peace and development in the region.

Under the Accord, a commission will be created to demarcate the area falling within BTAD. This area will get special development package of Rs 1,500 crore, said PM Modi.

He said that the status of the North East has improved from a recipient state to a growth engine.

He touched on the fact that a lot of states in the region are not under AFSPA anymore.

He also assured the gathering that anti-Assam and anti-national mentality will not be tolerated and forgiven by the country, and that CAA poses no threat to the North East.

“Today is the day to remember the thousands of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country on their duty path. Today is the day to welcome a new beginning, a new dawn and a new inspiration in the 21st century for the entire North East including Assam,” Modi said during the rally.

It is important to note that the historic Bodo agreement signed between the Centre, the Assam government and Bodo stakeholders (NDFB and its factions) recently saw the announcement of various measures to ensure the territorial and cultural integrity of the region. Several institutes will be set up to bring growth and development to the region.The pact provides political and economic bonanza to the tribals, sans the outfit’s key demand of a separate Bodoland state or union territory.

Post this, 1500 rebels from National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) faction surrendered in Arms Laying Down Ceremony held at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) Auditorium.

This is the third Bodo accord to be signed in the last 27 years when the violent movement for a separate Bodoland State claimed hundreds of lives, destruction of public and private properties.

The first Bodo accord was signed with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in 1993, leading to the creation of a Bodoland Autonomous Council with limited political powers.

In 2003, the second Bodo accord was signed with the militant group Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to the formation of a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with four districts of Assam — Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri — called the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD).

Also Read: Historic Bodo Peace Accord: Several packages announced to boost development of the region

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