Congress policy was to create distractions from main issues: Amit Shah

ASSAM: While Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is in Assam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack at the Congress saying that the party's policy in Assam's Bodoland has been to create distractions from main issues and stay immersed in power as thousands of youths lost their lives.

"The Bodo movement has had its history. To protect their culture, the Bodos had a massive struggle. Due to Congress' policy to create distractions from the main issues and stay immersed in power, thousands of youths lost their lives. While some lost their brothers, some lost their fathers, some lost their wives," Shah said.

The Union Home Minister was speaking at the 13th Triennial Conference of the All Bathou Mahasabha in Tezpur.

Shah mentioned that the Bodo Peace Accord was signed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and not a single incident of violence has been registered in Bodoloand in the last three years.

"But today, under the leadership of PM Modi, Bodo Peace Accord was signed and there is peace and harmony in the entire Bodoland. It gives me great pride to say that not even one incident of violence occurred in Bodoland in the last three years. It is on the path to development now," Shah said.

Lauding the Prime Minister for peace in the Northeast, Shah said, "We have started a new path of development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to take development forward and establish peace in the northeast has become successful today."

Giving figures on diminishing incidents of violence in the north-east, Shah said, "Incidents of violence in the north-east have come down by 73 per cent, deaths of security forces have come down by 71 per cent and deaths of citizens have come down by 86 per cent."

Amit Shah said that in the nine years of Modi government, nine peace treaties were signed and around 9000 youths left the path of violence and joined the mainstream.

"We have signed nine peace treaties in the last nine years and around 9000 youths have left their weapons and come to the mainstream. I would like to especially thank Pramod Boro (Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council) for this," he said.

The Union Minister urged the people of Bodoland to go into the depths of their religious practices, follow their traditions and take steps to take them forward.

"The central government and the Assam government work to give strength to every religion. I would urge you to go into the depths of your religious practices, follow your tradition and strive to take your cultural practices ahead," Shah said.

Shah also assured that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government will strive to protect religions that worship nature at any cost.

"Nothing is greater than nature. The Narendra Modi government will leave no stone unturned for the protection and uplifting of religions that worship nature, particularly those within the Northeast. We will do whatever is required to protect them," he said.