Modi’s Assam rally on February 7, first after citizenship law protests

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in Assam on February 7 in what will be his first visit to the northeast state after it was rocked by a series of protests over the contentious citizenship law. This comes days after Assam’s dreaded Bodo militant groups signed a peace treaty with the Centre.

The prime minister will address the rally in Bodo-dominated Kokrajhar town of Assam, an official said. Modi was invited for the inauguration of the recently-concluded ‘Khelo India’ games in Guwahati but he did not attend it. A summit meeting between Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, scheduled in Guwahati in December, was also cancelled due to the protests.

At least three people were killed during the anti-CAA protests in Assam. Modi’s visit comes a week after the central government signed a peace pact with several Bodo militant groups and a student body. The signing of the Bodo agreement led to surrender of over 1,500 militants of the major insurgent group National Democratic Front of Bodoland.

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The agreement will keep Assam’s territorial integrity intact, while ensuring all-round development of the Bodo people with Rs 1,500 crore financial package. The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), which has been spearheading a movement for a Bodoland state since 1972, and United Bodo People’s Organisation were also signatories to the accord.

In the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the tripartite agreement was signed by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, top leadership of the four factions of the NDFB, ABSU, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry Satyendra Garg and Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna.

(With inputs from agencies)

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