My raksha kavach: Modi to Bodos We took steps to bring peace: PM

Pranjal Baruah, TT, 8 February 2020, Kokrajhar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Friday that the Bodo Peace Accord was “a victory of humanity over violence” while highlighting his government’s efforts to solve problems of the Northeast which previous governments “ignored”.

Modi was greeted by a sea of humanity in this town, around 216km west of Guwahati, as he attended a massive rally to celebrate the signing of the accord on January 27.

While the accord remained the main focus of his speech, he also took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He said blessings of “mothers and sisters of the state (Assam) will shield” him from all bashings of the Opposition, indirectly referring to Rahul’s remark at a poll rally in Delhi that “after six months, the youth will beat Modi with sticks over lack of jobs”. “You are my suraksha kavach (security cover),” referring to the gathering which “showered” blessings and love “on him” by turning up in huge numbers.

Modi started his hour-long speech with “khulumbai (greetings in Bodo)”, before a joyous and colourful gathering which he said could be the biggest in independent India.

“It is a happy coincidence that we have signed the Bodo peace accord at a time we are celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This accord has become an inspiration and an example of how the values of non-violence have again defeated violence. Today, the people of Bodoland have created history,” he said. He said Maoists, militants in Kashmir and rest of the Northeast should follow the NDFB cadres in Assam, who decided to quit the path of violence and join the mainstream by signing an accord with the government.

Modi then targeted previous governments. “The Northeast has suffered a lot. It was virtually ‘untouchable’ for previous governments and political parties who ignored the people’s sentiments and their demands. It’s our government which took firm steps to address the pending crisis.”

Modi said though attempts were made in 1993 and 2003 by signing two Bodo accords but peace was not completely gained. The Congress was in power in the state when these two accords were signed.

“The involvement of all the militant factions, the civil society and student groups, who were spearheading the Bodoland movement, in the fresh accord has opened the door for a prosperous future for the people of the region. Not only Bodos but everyone living in the area will be benefited. Today the mothers, whose children have returned from the wilderness, are blessing me. So many families have been reconciled by this accord. I assure that all those who have shunned violence will be given proper rehabilitation to live a dignified life,” he said.

Modi also said how insurgency in the region had gone down after the BJP came to power and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act had been lifted from most areas in Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said: “Bodos are brave and efficient and the new accord will enable all of them to prosper.”

His cabinet colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma said the accord had fulfilled the aspirations of Bodos and non-Bodos living in Bodoland Territorial Region and reaffirmed the territorial integrity of Assam.