73% dip in violence, last 10 years golden for North-East: Home Minister Amit Shah

New Delhi, January 19

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the last 10 years have been a “golden period” for the North-East region under the central leadership, while addressing the 71st plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong.

In his address, Shah said the region is walking on the path of peace and prosperity by leaving violence under the Centre’s guidance.

“Under the leadership of Modi ji, the role and scope of NEC increased under the Act East Policy… development happens only when peace and prosperity come together, and for this, the Centre has made many peace agreements which has led to 73 per cent reduction in violent incidents in the North-East during the tenure of the NDA government,” he added.

Shah said that from 2004 to 2014, a total of 11,121 violent incidents took place in the North-East. These declined by 73 per cent to 3,114 from 2014 to 2023.

“Deaths among security forces dropped by 71 per cent from 458 to 132, while civilian deaths declined by 86 per cent,” he added, further informing that the incidents of insurgency have come down because in the last five years more than 8,900 cadres of militant groups have surrendered and joined the mainstream and this has given a message to the entire country that peace and prosperity are interconnected and without them the states cannot develop.

Shah added that to bring peace and stability in the northeast, the Centre has signed nine agreements and through these, many pending issues related to law and order have been successfully resolved.

He further noted that except some parts of Assam and Manipur, 75 per cent of the areas covered under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in 2018 have been removed from it.

The Union Home Minister said construction of infrastructure had reduced not only the distance between the North-East and Delhi and the rest of India but also the difference of hearts.

He said in the 50 years of its establishment, the NEC has increased the pace of development of the region by providing a policy-related platform to all the states and simplifying the solutions to their problems.

He said that in these 50 years, more than 12,000 kilometres of roads have been constructed in this region, 700 MW power plants have been established and many institutes of national excellence have also been established under the guidance of NEC.

Earlier Shah, who is on a three-day visit to the North-East, visited the headquarters of the Directorate General of Assam Rifles at Laitkor, Shillong. He laid a wreath at the War Memorial at Assam Rifles headquarters and paid homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives in the line of duty.