PM’s address during Bagurumba Dwhou, a traditional Bodo cultural programme in Guwahati

Namaskar! Khulumbai!

What is the news? Heartfelt greetings and love for Magh Bihu and Magh Domashi.

​Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya Ji, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Ji, my colleagues in the Center Sarbananda Sonowal Ji, Pabitra Margherita Ji, Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly Biswajit Daimary Ji, Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council Hagrama Mohilary Ji, Ministers of the State Government, all distinguished citizen brothers and sisters, and my brothers and sisters of Assam.

​It is my good fortune that I have been getting the opportunity to closely observe the culture of Assam and the Bodo traditions here. As Prime Minister, as much as I have come to Assam, no PM has come before. It is always my desire that the art and culture of Assam get a big stage. Through grand events, its identity should be established in the country and the world. Continuous efforts have been made for this even before. Whether it be Bihu-related events on a large scale, the expression of Jhumair Binodini, the grand Bodoland Festival held in Delhi a year and a quarter ago, or other cultural programs, I do not miss any opportunity to receive the wonderful joy that is in the art and culture of Assam. Today, once again, this event of Bagurumba is going to take place. This event is a living celebration of Bodo identity. This is also a respect for the Bodo society and the heritage of Assam. I give my best wishes and many congratulations to all the people associated with the event, and especially to all the artists.

​Friends,

​'Bagurumba Dahou' is not just a festival. It is a medium - to honor our great Bodo tradition, it is a medium - to remember the great personalities of Bodo society. Bodofa Upendranath Brahma, Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma, Rupnath Brahma, Satish Chandra Basumatary, Moradam Brahma, Kankeshwar Narzary, there have been many such great personalities who have given strength to social reform, cultural renaissance, and political consciousness. On this occasion, I respectfully bow to all the great personalities of the Bodo society.

​Friends,

​The BJP considers the culture of Assam as the pride of all India. India's history is complete only with the past of Assam, the history of Assam. And that is why, in the BJP government, such big grand festivals like Bagurumba Dahou happen, Bihu is given national identity, through our efforts Charaideo Moidam gets a place in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the Assamese language is given the status of a classical language.

​Brothers and sisters,

​We have also given the Bodo language the status of an associate official language of Assam. We have also established a separate directorate to strengthen education in the Bodo language. Because of this commitment of ours, the Bathou religion has received recognition with full respect, and a state holiday has been declared on Bathou Puja. It is the BJP only in whose government, on one hand, a grand statue of the great warrior Lachit Borphukan is established, and at the same time, the statue of Bodofa Upendranath Brahma is also unveiled. Similarly, the tradition of devotion and social harmony of Srimanta Sankardev, the art and consciousness of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala Ji-the BJP government considers the respect of every heritage and every pride of Assam as its good fortune. Coincidentally, today is also the death anniversary of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala Ji. I offer my tributes to him.

​Friends,

​Today when I have come here, so much is going on in my mind! I am also becoming emotional thinking that my Assam is moving so far ahead. A time when there was bloodshed every other day, today the wonderful colors of culture are being decorated there! A time where there was the echo of bullets, today there is the sweet sound of Kham and Sifung. Where there was earlier the silence of curfew, today the tunes of music are echoing there. Where there was earlier unrest and instability, today such attractive performances of Bagurumba are going to happen. Such a grand event is not just an achievement of Assam. This achievement belongs to the whole of India. Every countryman is proud of this change in Assam.

​Friends,

​I am satisfied that my Assamese people, my Bodo brothers and sisters, placed their trust in me for this. The responsibility of peace and development that you gave to the double-engine government, we have shown it by fulfilling it with your blessings. The 2020 Bodo Peace Accord put a stop to the conflict that had been going on for years. After this agreement, trust returned and thousands of youths left the path of violence and adopted the mainstream. After the agreement, new opportunities for education and development were created in the Bodo region; peace did not remain limited only to law and order, but became a part of everyday life, and your efforts played the biggest role in this.

​Friends,

​If there is anyone at the center of Assam's peace, Assam's development, and Assam's pride, it is the youth of Assam. The path that the youth of Assam have chosen for the establishment of peace, I and all of us have to take it to a bright future. Ever since the peace agreement, our government has been working continuously for the development of Bodoland. The government has carried forward the process of rehabilitation at a fast pace; thousands of youths were given financial assistance of crores of rupees so that they could make a new beginning!

​Friends,

​The result of the efforts of the BJP government is before all of us today. My talented Bodo youth are becoming cultural ambassadors of Assam today. In the field of sports too, the sons and daughters of Bodo society are bringing glory. Today, with new confidence, they are openly seeing new dreams, fulfilling their dreams, and also giving speed to the development of Assam.

​Friends,

​When we respect the art, culture, and identity of Assam, there are some people who get troubled. You all know people of which party do not like the respect of Assam? The answer is only one-the Congress Party! Which is that party that opposed giving Bharat Ratna to Bhupen Hazarika Ji? The Congress Party! Which party opposed the semiconductor unit in Assam? A minister of the Karnataka government of Congress itself, who is also the son of the national president of Congress. He opposed why the semiconductor unit is being set up in Assam.

​Friends,

​Even today when I wear anything related to the culture of Assam, if the Gamosa, if the Gamosa is with me, then which party mocks Assam? The Congress party.

​Brothers and sisters,

​For so many decades the Assam and Bodoland region remained cut off from the mainstream, only and only Congress is responsible for this. Congress created instability in Assam for its political benefit, Congress pushed Assam into the fire of violence; after independence, Assam also had its challenges! But what did Congress do? Instead of finding solutions to those problems, Congress cooked its political bread on them. Trust was needed but Congress increased division. Dialogue was needed, but Congress neglected and closed the paths of conversation! Especially, the voice of the Bodoland region, the people of Bodoland was never heard properly. When there was a need to heal the wounds of its people, when there was a need to serve the people of Assam, Congress was then busy welcoming the infiltrators by opening the doors of Assam for them.

​Friends,

​Congress does not consider the people of Assam as its own. Congress people like foreign infiltrators more. Because they come here and become the staunch votebank of Congress. That is why during the rule of Congress, foreign infiltrators kept coming, kept occupying lakhs of bighas of land of Assam, and the Congress government kept helping them. I am happy that today the government of Himanta Ji is freeing lakhs of bighas of land belonging to the people of Assam from infiltrators.

​Friends,

​Congress has always seen Assam and the entire Northeast with an eye of neglect. Those Congress people who did not consider the development of the Northeast itself necessary, how would their attention have gone to the development of Assam? Where would they have had the leisure to think about the hopes and expectations of the Bodo region? That is why, Congress governments deliberately pushed this region into troubles.

​Brothers and sisters,

​Our double-engine government is also doing the work of cleaning those sins of Congress. The pace at which development is happening here today is before you. You see, we formed the Bodo-Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council. A special development package of 1500 crore rupees was given for better development in the Bodoland region. The Medical College and Hospital started in Kokrajhar. The construction of the Medical College in Tamulpur also gained momentum. New opportunities were created for the youth through nursing colleges and para-medical institutions. Polytechnic and training institutes were also built in areas like Gobardhana, Parbatjhora, and Horisinga.

​Friends,

​A separate Welfare Department and Bodoland Administrative Staff College were also established for Bodoland. This is helping in making better policies for the welfare of the Bodo community.

​Friends,

​The BJP government has removed the distances of hearts, has finished the distance between Assam and Delhi, and through better infrastructure, is also reducing the distances from one area to another in Assam. In areas where it was difficult to reach earlier, today highways are being built. Such roads are being made so that new opportunities open up in this region. For the Bishmuri-Saralpara road project connecting Kokrajhar to the Bhutan border, an arrangement of crores of rupees has been made. The proposed rail project from Kokrajhar to Gelephu in Bhutan is also another important step. We have declared it a special railway project. We have made it an important part of the Act East Policy. After its completion, both trade and tourism will get a boost.

​Friends,

​When a society stays connected to its roots, when dialogue and trust are strong, and when equal opportunities reach every section, then positive changes are visible. The journey of Assam and Bodoland is moving in that direction. From the self-confidence of Assam, the potential of Assam, and the progress of Assam, India's growth story is getting new strength. Today Assam is making its identity among the fast-growing states. The economy of Assam is gaining speed. In this development, in this change, Bodoland and the people here are playing an important role. I once again give many best wishes to all of you for today's event. Thank you very much.