Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attended the 'Unity Utsav - One Voice, One Nation' event organized by Assam Rifles in New Delhi today as the chief guest. Many dignitaries including the Director General of Assam Rifles were present on the occasion.
In his address, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the word unity is very important for the North-East. For many years after independence, a vast area of North-East was physically and emotionally distant from Delhi.
He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has eliminated the physical and emotional distance between North-East and Delhi through connectivity. Today North-East belongs to the whole of India and the whole of India belongs to the North-East.
Shri Shah said that the Modi government has increased hundreds of budgetary provisions for the North-East and has given 3-4 times more budget to the North-East. He said that by 2027, all the eight states of North-East will be connected to Delhi through rail and air connectivity.
Home Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has popularized North-East across the country as Ashtalakshmi and all 8 states of the region are capable of enriching the country in every aspect. He said that there are immense opportunities for the youth of North-East in the fields of economic, cultural, security, sports and research and development.
He added that the Modi government has opened numerous avenues for North-East in every field, from tourism to technology, sports to space, agriculture to entrepreneurship and banking to business.
Shri Amit Shah said that more than 220 ethnic groups and more than 160 tribes reside in our North-East, more than 200 dialects and languages are spoken, more than 50 unique festivals are celebrated and more than 30 traditional dances and more than 100 cuisines exist in the region.
He said that all this is a treasure of a rich heritage for the whole of India, which is proud of its heritage. Shri Shah said that India without the North-East and the North-East without India is incomplete. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the theme of the North-East Unity Festival is ‘one voice, one nation’.
He said that our country is a wonderful blend of many languages, cultures, cuisines and costumes and this unity in diversity is the specialty and biggest strength of our country. Through the 5-day Unity Utsav, the unity of the North-East has been showcased in Delhi.
Shri Shah said that Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India and this force is identified as a ‘Friend of the North-East’. He said that the Assam Rifles has played a crucial role in rescuing the North-East from numerous crises.
He said that through this event, today Assam Rifles has succeeded in showcasing the unity and cultural strength of the North-East to the entire country and the world. Shri Amit Shah said that 212 teams and 1500 students took part in the sports competitions in this event and more than 150 students also participated in the cultural programs.
He said that today most of the prizes have been bagged by Manipur, which shows the importance of sports in Manipur. Shri Shah said that keeping in mind the popularity of sports in the North-East, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi decided to establish the country's first sports university in Manipur.
He said that Sports for All, Sports for Excellence have become the formula for the development of sports in India. Home Minister expressed confidence that in 2036, India will host the Olympic Games, and the country will be in the top 10, with the North-Eastern states playing a key role in this achievement.
Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in the last 10 years, especially in the last 5 years, there has been a significant change in the law-and-order situation in the North-East.
He said violent incidents and deaths of security personnel have been reduced by 70 per cent and causalities of civilians by 85 per cent in the North-East. Shri Shah said that this reduction in the figures of violence shows that there is now a gradual peace in the North-East and a new era of development and cultural development is beginning.
Shri Amit Shah said that since 2014, more than 10,500 militants have laid down their arms in the North-East and 12 peace accords have been signed in the region between 2019 and 2024. He said that many disputes had been going on here for decades, but the Modi government took two steps forward and made the youth believe that a lot of opportunities are available for them.
Union Home Minister appealed to the youth indulging in violence to join the mainstream by laying down arms. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today, there is no part of India that does not consider the North-East as its own, and where there is no love for the people of this region.
He stated that the people of every state in the country have a special place for the people of the North-East in their hearts, and every state in the North-East should also step forward and contribute to the development of the entire country. Shri Shah said that the North-East now desires peace and development and wants to function as an integral part of India.