Amit Shah in Arunachal: N-E special status will stay

Modi govt has resolved many problems in North East that had been persisting for decades to bring lasting peace and development in the region.

Be it India-Bangladesh land boundary agreement, Manipur blockade, solution to Bru-Reang ethnic crisis or the historic Bodo Peace Accord. pic.twitter.com/e6EUmgmbDg

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 20, 2020

Apart from Arunachal, the states in the region covered under the provision include Nagaland, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur and Sikkim.

“Without the cultural prosperity of the North-East tribes, Indian culture is not only incomplete but also handicapped. Before 2014, the North-East was connected to India only administratively and geographically. But now, it is also integrated with India culturally. Now, there is no difference between the North-East and India,” he said.

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“All Indians believe that the progress of the North-East and the welfare of its people is the responsibility of the entire country. And the entire North-East today believes that security of the borders and acknowledgement of Indianness is the responsibility of the North-East,” he said.

Shah went on to attack previous governments for failing to reach out to the region.

Earlier North-east used to be identified with issues such as insurgency, extremism, drugs etc but now the region is known for its connectivity, infrastructure, sports and organic farming.

It is all due to PM @NarendraModi‘s vision and his resolve for a prosperous North-east. pic.twitter.com/DJb4rzfK4K

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 20, 2020

“The region was just used to take MPs to Delhi to help form governments. Under the Narendra Modi government, initiatives have been taken to rid the North-East of its problems, to develop it, to make it an impenetrable wall of the border and to make its culture a beautiful part of Indian culture,” he said.

“In just five years, this process of integration has surged ahead. When PM Narendra Modi took charge, he decided that a Union minister will visit the North-East every 15 days. Before I arrived here, as many as 200 ministers have visited Arunachal. The PM himself has toured 30 times…” he said.

Celebrated the 34th Statehood Day in Itanagar. Humbled by the love and affection of people of Arunachal Pradesh.

Also inaugurated various development projects and schemes for the state, including Arunachal Pradesh Industrial & Investment Policy-2020. pic.twitter.com/OlPbJGt8WV

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 20, 2020

The Home Minister said that through the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, the Bru-Reang agreement and the Bodo Accord, the government had solved many problems. He announced that by 2020-21, all North-East capitals would be connected by road and air.

Shah also inaugurated a slew of projects and schemes for the state, including the launch of the Arunachal Pradesh Industrial and Investment Policy 2020 and laying of foundation stone for the police headquarters at Itanagar, among others.

Talking about the government’s efforts to bring a lasting solution to the problems of the North-East, he said that before the Modi government came to power, the region was identified by insurgency, extremism, separatism, blockades, corruption, ethnical tensions, drugs and arms trafficking.

“The region is now famous in the whole world for its infrastructure development, connectivity, boost to sports, Act East policy and organic farming,” he said.

The Home Minister said that under the Modi government, the developmental budget allocation for the North-East in the latest Finance Commission (FC) saw a sharp rise of over 200 per cent from the previous panel.