PM Modi removed mann ki doori of Northeast: Amit Shah ahead of assembly polls

As campaigning for upcoming assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland gains momentum, Union home minister Amit Shah highlited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government's developmental drives that focused on de-alienating the people of the Northeast region. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the area around 51 times over the last eight years. In an exclusive interview with the news agency ANI, Shah said the PM Modi government has done a lot to change the region, including the strengthening of local languages and identities.

Prime Minister himself has visited the Northeast 51 times during the last eight years. Since Independence, no prime minister has come here so frequently. It has been made compulsory for at least one union minister to visit the region every 15 days. Besides this, the distribution of free rice has been done since the COVID times. If any region has benefitted the most in terms of percentage of the population, it is the Northeast, the Home Minister said.

Tripura goes to polls on February 16 and Amit Shah expressed his confidence that BJP will cross the majority mark on counting day before noon. BJP's focus will be high on this state to maintain its grip after ousting the Left in 2018 election that led Tripura for 25 years.

He also laid out initiatives taken by the government to maintain peace in the region by finanlising agreements with several militant ogranisations. Over 8,000 armed cadres joined the mainstream after agreements were singed with the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). The northeast was earlier known for blockades, bandhs, bomb explosions and insurgency. Today roads are being built there, a railway network is about to reach all the states and airports have been built in all the states of the region, he added.

On the development of Tripura, Shah said that there were around 40,000 families from the tribal Bru and Reang communities for over 25 years that were only allowed to settle after the BJP came to power. The state is getting its second airport where it had only one till now, he added.

He responded to questions about Manik Saha replacing Biplab Deb as Tripura chief minister and the BJP's central leadership controlling the state-level leadership decisions. Shah said changes could be made based on the requirement of leaders from state level to national parties. I feel this is promotion, it should not be looked at from any other angle, he added.

The Home Minister further stressed on the BJP's endeavour to protect the local identity and language. He said primary education has started in local languages in different parts of the region including Bodoland.

The biggest thing that the Prime Minister has done is Mann ki doori ko samapt kar diya put an end to the feeling of alienation between the people of the Northeast and the rest of India. People of the Northeast today truly feel that they are respected in the rest of India and the people of India should be respected, he said.

Also read: Tripura elections: Before 12 pm on counting day… - Shah's bold prediction

He further talked about the campaign against election in parts of Nagaland and said with the withdrawal of the Naga Public Organisation, trust on PM Modi is visible. On Naga Peace Accord, he said, What is an accord for? Accord is for putting an end to violence and violence has ended. There is a ceasefire. A discussion on it is in the process.

Meghalaya and Nagaland will vote for new governments on February 27. In Meghalaya, both CM Conrad Sangma's National People's Party and BJP will fight together despite their fissures in recent months. With no significant opposition in Nagaland, the scale seemingly pans towards the United Democratic Alliance that is made of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), BJP and Naga People's Front.

(With ANI inputs)