New Delhi || 16-11-2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 1st Bodoland Mohotsav on Friday. The Mahostav is a two day mega event on language, literature, and culture to sustain peace and build a Vibrant Bodo Society.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi greeted the citizens of India on the auspicious occasion of Kartik Purnima and Dev Deepavali. He greeted all the Sikh brothers and sisters from across the globe on the 555th Prakash Parva of Sri Gurunanak Dev ji being celebrated on Friday.
He also added that the citizens of India were celebrating the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, marking the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. He was pleased to inaugurate the 1st Bodoland Mohotsav and congratulated the Bodo people from across the country who had come to celebrate a new future of prosperity, culture and peace.
Terming the occasion as an emotional moment for him, PM Modi remarked it was a highly opportune moment as it had ended 50 long years of violence and Bodoland was celebrating its first festival of unity. He added that the Ranachandi dance in itself displayed the strength of Bodoland. Shri Modi lauded the Bodos for creating a new history after years of struggle and mediation efforts.
Recalling his opportunity to visit Kokrajhar after the 2020 Bodo Peace accord, Narendra Modi remarked that the warmth and love showered on him made him feel one amongst the Bodos. He said he was pleased to feel the same warmth and love today even after four years of his visit.
Prime Minister Modi recalled his words to the Bodos that there was a new dawn of peace and prosperity in Bodoland, after witnessing the people choosing the path of peace by giving up arms.
He added that it was truly an emotional moment for him. After witnessing the happy people and bright celebrations today, the Prime Minister underlined that a strong foundation has been laid for the bright future of the Bodo people.
PM Modi remarked that the development undertaken in the last 4 years in Bodoland was extremely important. “Bodoland has witnessed a new wave of development after the peace agreement”, he added.
He further said that he felt satisfied today to see the benefits of the Bodo Peace Accord and its impact on the lives of Bodos and the Bodo Peace Accord had opened new paths for many other agreements.
PM Modi emphasized that more than 10 thousand youths in Assam alone have given up weapons, deserted the path of violence to return to the mainstream of development as a result of the accord.
He added that it was beyond the imagination of anyone that the Karbi Anglong Accord, the Bru-Reang Accord and the NLFT-Tripura Accord would become a reality some day.
PM remarked that the mutual trust between the people and Government was respected by both and now the Central Government and the Assam Government is leaving no stone unturned in the development of Bodoland and its people.
Highlighting the priority accorded by the Central and State Governments to the needs and aspirations of the Bodo community in the Bodo Territorial Region, PM
Modi noted that the Central Government has given a special package of Rs 1500 crore for the development of Bodoland while the Assam government had granted a special development package.
He added that more than Rs 700 crore had been spent to develop the infrastructure related to education, health and culture in Bodoland. The Prime Minister remarked that the Government had taken decisions with utmost sensitivity towards the people who have given up violence and returned to the mainstream. He added that more than 4 thousand former cadres of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland had been rehabilitated while many youths had been given jobs in Assam Police.
He further added that the Assam government had given assistance of Rs 5 lakh to each family affected by the Bodo conflict. The Prime Minister also noted that the Assam government was spending more than Rs 800 crore every year for the development of Bodoland.
Emphasizing the importance of skill development and availability of opportunities for the youth and women for the development of any region, PM Modi underlined that SEED Mission was started. Explaining the SEED, he further said it meant welfare of youth through skilling, entrepreneurship, employment and development and expressed confidence that the Bodo youth were getting huge benefit from this.
PM Modi said he was pleased to see the gun wielding youth in the past were now moving ahead in the field of sports. He noted the two editions of Durand Cup being held in Kokrajhar along with participation of teams from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan was historic. The Prime Minister underlined that after the peace agreement, the Bodoland Literary Festival had also been held continuously in Kokrajhar for the last three years, denoting a great service to Bodo literature. He also greeted the people on the occasion of the 73rd foundation day of Bodo Sahitya Sabha being observed on Friday.
