'People of Assam thank PM Modi, Shah for solving long-standing Bodo issue': Himanta Sarma

After the Central Government signed the third Bodo accord on Monday, the BJP has decided to celebrate the resolution of the Bodo issue by conducting a mega rally which will is likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, in Assam's Kokrajhar.

While interacting with a news agency, Assam's Deputy Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said that the party's state unit would want to thank the Centre 'for preserving the territorial integrity of Assam'.

"Moreover, the Bodoland community will have the highest level of autonomous model of governance in their jurisdiction. This is a historic day for Assam. We have invited PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to address a rally in Kokrajhar to celebrate this historic decision on February 7," Sarma said. 

Biswa also called the accord signed under PM Modi's and Home Minister Amit Shah's leadership "historic". "Four factions of NDFB and other civil society organization of Bodoland community have signed an agreement with the Government of India and Assam reaffirming territorial integrity of Assam. More power to both linguistic and academic, cultural to the Bodoland people," he said.

Adding further, Assam's Deputy Chief Minister also informed that Home Minister Shah had been working on the Accord since his last visit to Assam. "He had created an agenda for himself and recently signed an agreement with Brus ending decade long problem and today Bodo accord. There will be more two-three agreements which will ensure complete peace in the North East region," he said. 

He also stated that no other Central government before the Modi government had taken an initiative in the North-Eastern states of India. "Only the Modi government had shown extra love for North East region," he said.

READ | PM Modi hails inking of Bodo Accord, says it will protect the culture of the Bodo people

'Won't tolerate Shaheen Bagh in North East' 

While talking about the controversial statements made by Sharjeel Imam, Deputy CM Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that Imam would be soon arrested by the Assam Police. 

"We will arrest him. In the North East region, we will not tolerate Shaheen Bagh. Even Delhi's Shaheen Bagh is patronized by fundamental and communal forces. I believe people of India are looking at the design and people will protest Shaheen Bagh's kind of protests because you can't allow a particular fundamentalist people to hijack this country," he said.

READ | Govt signs accord with NDFB, ABSU to resolve Bodo issue

Government signs third Bodo Accord

The NDA government inked a third Bodo Accord in the last 27 years on Monday. The violent movement for a separate Bodoland State has so far claimed hundreds of lives, destruction of public and private properties. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was also present during the signing of the accord.

Reacting to the signing of the agreement Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Today Centre, Assam Govt and Bodo representatives have signed an important agreement. This agreement will ensure a golden future for Assam and the Bodo people."

"1,550 cadres along with 130 weapons will surrender on 30th January. As the Home Minister, I want to assure all representatives that all promises will be fulfilled in a time-bound manner," he added. 

The first Bodo accord was signed with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in 1993. The signing of the first accord resulted in the creation of a Bodoland Autonomous Council with limited political powers.

The second Bodo accord was signed in 2003 with the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to the formation of a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The BTC was formed under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution. The demand for a separate Bodoland has been going on in Assam for more than five decades and several Bodo overground and militant groups have been protesting, engaging in violence, and has also lead to many deaths.

READ | Non-Bodo outfits observe 12-hour bandh in Assam over Bodo accord

READ | Take all stakeholders into confidence before signing Bodo peace pact: Cong to Sonowal

(With inputs from ANI)