Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the ‘1st Bodoland Mahotsav,’ a two-day mega event on language, literature and culture to sustain peace and build a vibrant Bodo society, in New Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi while expressing his pleasure at inaugurating the mahotsav, congratulated the Bodo people from across the country for coming together to celebrate a new future of prosperity, culture and peace.
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PM Modi said the occasion was a highly opportune moment as it had ended the 50-long-years of violence, with Bodoland celebrating its first festival of unity.
He praised the Bodo people for creating a new chapter in history after years of struggle and mediation efforts, adding that the Ranachandi dance itself exemplified the strength of Bodoland.
Recalling his opportunity to visit Kokrajhar after the 2020 Bodo Peace accord, he said the warmth and love showered on him made him feel one amongst the Bodo people.
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The Prime Minister said he was pleased to feel the same warmth and love today even after four years of his visit.
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He recalled his words to the Bodo people 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, adding it was truly an emotional moment for him.
After witnessing the happy people and colourful celebrations, the Prime Minister underlined that a strong foundation has been laid for the bright future of the Bodo people.
“I feel satisfied today to see the benefits of the Bodo Peace Accord and its impact on the lives of the Bodo people. The peace accord had opened new paths for many other agreements,” he said.
PM Modi emphasised that more than 10 thousand youths in Assam alone have given up weapons and deserted the path of violence to return to the mainstream of development as a result of the accord.
“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,” he added.
PM Modi expressed his pleasure in seeing the youth, who once wielded guns, were now making progress in the field of sports.
He said that holding two editions of the Durand Cup in Kokrajhar, with teams from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan participating, was a historic achievement.