KOKRAJHAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday appealed to the youth in Red belt and Kashmir, who still believe in bombs and guns, to take a leaf out of the book of the Bodos and eschew the path of violence.
“I congratulate you as you have taken the right path by shunning bombs and pistols. I will ensure that no thorn pricks you hereafter. I appeal to the youth in Naxal areas and Kashmir, who still believe in bombs and pistols, to learn a lesson from the Bodos,” Modi said at a massive rally organised in Assam’s Kokrajhar to celebrate the recent signing of historic third Bodo peace accord.
Stating that the accord’s signing is a new beginning for Assam in the 21st century as it helped achieve permanent peace in Bodo areas, he said 130 crore Indians were congratulating the Bodos for their peace initiative.
“Given the signing of the Bodo accord, the relevance of countrywide celebration of 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi has got increased. The accord will serve as an inspiration to abjure the path of violence,” Modi said.
“After five decades, the Bodos have got respect. You have created a new history. The two previous accords signed in 1993 and 2003 could not restore peace completely. After the signing of the latest accord, no demands of the Bodos are left. Our first and foremost priority will now be development. Believe me friends, I am yours. I will never retreat without fulfilling your aspirations,” the PM told the crowd.
He continued: “Today is a day to take a resolve on development. We should work to ensure that the darkness of violence does not return to this land again. No blood should spill and no violence should recur,” he said.
Bodo leaders said over five lakh people turned up at the programme and Modi said he had neither attended nor addressed such a massive rally in his life.
“I have seen many rallies and addressed many others in my public life. I had never seen such a huge rally. Post-independence, this is possibly the biggest political rally in the country. I could see only a sea of people from the helicopter,” Modi said.
Raking up Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “danda” (stick) remark, he said, “Sometimes people talk about beating with sticks but it doesn’t matter how many sticks I face. When such a huge number of people, including mothers and sisters, bless me, nothing is going to happen to me”.