Itanagar, May 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today disclosed that insurgency, violence, rebellion in North East India has declined by 89 percent over the last eight years after the Narendra Modi-led government came to power at the Centre.
"In secure Northeast, the rate of rebellion and terrorism has been decreased by 89 percent – a feat done by the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government," the Home Minister said in his address at a public meeting in Namsai on second and final day of his two-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
Stating that the entire North East was known for disputes and militancy before 2014, he said, under Modi's leadership, the Naga peace talks are going on, problem of Bodoland resolved, Tripura's all rebel groups as well Assam's Karbi groups laid weapons, while adding that during last three years, 9,600 cadres of different militant groups of NE surrendered alongwith arms and joined the mainstream.
"The Northeast which used to capture headlines due to militancy, terror, bullets and bomb blasts, deaths in those days, today the whole country has come to know the Northeast because of its tourism, infrastructure development, its unique cultural diversity, etc", Shah said.
The Home Minister, who along Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju and others, launched more than 50 projects/schemes worth Rs 1180 crore, including 22 developmental projects (completed) worth Rs 436 crore, laid foundation for 25 other projects worth Rs 350 crore and started four different beneficiary-oriented schemes worth Rs 244 benefiting a total of 33,466 families and 800 SHGs/NGOs, said these schemes will definitely help bring 'light' in most of the people's lives.
While stating that lots of developments came in Arunachal Pradesh (which is celebrating its Golden Jubilee year) in last 8 years under Modi regime and "friends in opposition Congress used to question what development did Modi government bring in", Shah quipped, "The one who wakes up with his eyes closed does he see development?...Rahul Baba, ankh khol do, Italian sasma nikal do, Bharatiya sasma pehen lo, to malum padega ki aath saal ke undar kya hua (Rahul Gandhi, open your eyes and throw away your Italian glasses and wear the Indian ones then you would see what development did Modi bring in Arunachal and Northeast)," he said.
During these 8 years, Pema Khandu and Narendra Modi's double engine government had done a lot to boost Arunachal tourism, improve its law and order, and augment its infrastructure, which the successive Congress governments could not do in 50 years, he claimed.
For Modiji, the country starts with Arunachal Pradesh and that development should start from the 'Land of Rising Sun', he added.
Shah, who has been a witness to exchange of Memorandum of Understanding between Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) and State Government, and digitally inaugurated the transit campus of RRU at Pasighat, said the RRU, apart from producing technicians for country's defence sector, will give trained manpower for military and paramilitary forces. It will open a floodgate for the Arunachal youths to serve in other parts of the country, he said.
The Home Minister, who has gone to the holy land Parshuram Kund on Saturday and laid the foundation of 51-feet statue of sage Parshuram, said eastern Arunachal has immense potential to attract tourists and within next 5-10 years Parshuram Kund will become a major pilgrimage center which will give a major fillip to hospitality sector in the region. As stated by Pema Khandu that the Itanagar airport will be completed soon, days are not far when train will reach Parshuram Kund, he said.
Earlier in the morning, the Union Home Minister, accompanied by Rijiju, Khandu and Dy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, performed pooja at Golden Pagoda – a Buddhist temple at Namsai.
Later, Shah attended a security and development review meeting at Namsai and interacted with the personnel of Army, ITBP, SSB, Assam Rifles, Border Roads Organization (BRO) and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) before leaving for Delhi.
