Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Assam on Friday to address a public rally in celebration of the Bodo settlement pact recently signed between the Centre, state and nine Bodo organisations, including four rebel factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
It will be Modi’s first visit to Assam since protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) broke out there last December and in which three people lost their lives.
The visit comes days after the state government signed a tripartite agreement with representatives of all four factions of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on January 27. The signatories also include the All Bodo Students’ Union and a civil society group.
Over four lakh people from the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) districts and from all over Assam are expected to attend the programme.
“Tomorrow, I look forward to being in Assam,” Modi said in a tweet on Thursday evening.
Tomorrow, I look forward to being in Assam. I will be in Kokrajhar to address a public meeting. We will mark the successful signing of the Bodo Accord, which brings to an end a problem that had been persisting for decades. It marks the start of a new era of peace and progress.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 6, 2020
A cultural programme of ethnic groups of Assam is being organised to showcase the diversity of the state, said a statement said.
Assam likely to bring up ULFA(I) peace process
The state government is likely to discuss with Modi on Friday the demands of banned rebel group United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I). Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himata Biswa Sarma, who is also convener of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), have informed Modi about possibilities of peace talks with Paresh Baruah-led ULFA-I.
Sarma said they expect Modi to give the state government modalities of the peace process with ULFA-I, adding that they were open to discussions on any topic.
Sarma said discussions with ULFA-I should be held away from television cameras. “We are hopeful that Paresh Baruah will come forward for the peace process,” he said. “For peace talks, both sides should appoint one member for discussion.”
With security arrangements at an all-time high, one suspected ULFA(I) cadre was arrested on Thursday for planting two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the state capital ahead of Modi's day-long visit.
Over 1,615 cadres of different factions of the NDFB surrendered their arms and joined the mainstream within two days of the signing of the agreement.
In his latest ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address, Modi had appealed to all those on the path of violence to return to the mainstream and lay down their arms.
A summit meeting between Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, scheduled to be held in Guwahati in December, was cancelled due to the anti-CAA protests.
Modi was also invited for the inauguration of the recently-concluded 'Khelo India' games in Guwahati but he did not attend it.
(With inputs from Biju Kumar Deka)
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