Prime Minister Narendra Modi today thanked the people of the Bodo region, saying that it was because of people's support that the Bodo peace accord was signed, heralding a new dawn of peace in Assam. Addressing a massive public rally to celebrate the signing of the accord on January 27 that is expected to bring lasting peace to the troubled state, PM Modi said now the time was to work together for peace and development of the Northeast.
"All of India is thanking you (Bodo tribes) and celebrating with you. It is because you all agreed to living in peace and contribute towards a stronger India," PM Modi said at a mega rally in Assam's Kokrajhar, a Bodo-dominated town.
This is prime minister's first visit to the Northeast since protests erupted against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act last December in which three people were killed.
The Bodo accord was signed on January 27 by the government with four factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), All Bodo Students'' Union and a civil society group for bringing a lasting peace in Bodo-dominated areas in Assam. The prime minister had termed the day "a very special day for India" and said that it "will lead to a transformative results for Bodo people, ushering in a new dawn of peace, harmony and togetherness".
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.
