Modi reaches out to indigenous Assamese bestowing on them land rights amid anti-CAA clamour

Reaching out to the indigenouspeople of election-bound Assam amid frequent anti-CAAprotests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday distributedland ownership certificates to over one lakh such families,insisting the move will guarantee them pride, freedom andprotection.On his first physical visit outside the nationalcapital this year, Modi reaffirmed the state and the centralgovernments commitment to protecting the land rights and theunique cultural traditions of the indigenous people.He also castigated the previous governments fordepriving them of their land rights for years sinceIndependence.When the Sarbananda Sonowal government took over thereins in Assam, more than six lakh indigenous families had nolegal rights over their land.

Reaching out to the indigenouspeople of election-bound Assam amid frequent anti-CAAprotests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday distributedland ownership certificates to over one lakh such families,insisting the move will guarantee them ''pride, freedom andprotection''.

On his first physical visit outside the nationalcapital this year, Modi reaffirmed the state and the centralgovernment's commitment to protecting the land rights and theunique cultural traditions of the indigenous people.

He also castigated the previous governments fordepriving them of their land rights for years sinceIndependence.

''When the Sarbananda Sonowal government took over thereins in Assam, more than six lakh indigenous families had nolegal rights over their land. In the last few years more thantwo lakh such families have been allotted ownershipcertificates.

''With more than one lakh families added today, thegovernment has shown its commitment to protecting the rightsof the indigenous people,'' Modi said.

The previous governments in Assam never cared for therights of those who ''loved this sacred land'', he alleged.

''The land ownership certificates (pattas) willguarantee their 'Swabhiman' (pride), Swadheenta (freedom) andSuraksha (protection),'' the prime minister asserted.

As Modi spoke at the function in Sivasagar, thehistorical capital of the Asom kings, anti-CAA and anti-NRCprotests were staged at several places in Assam. The primeminister, however, steered clear of the controversiessurrounding the two and made no mention of these in hisspeech.

Seeking to impart nationalistic fervour to the event,Modi said Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whose 125th birthanniversary was being celebrated on Saturday across thecountry by his government as 'Parakram Diwas' (The Day ofValour), ''inspires hope and national pride''.

''Netaji is loved and respected for the sense of pridehe instilled in all Indians and his spirit of freedom willguide as we celebrate the day across the country to realiseour national goals,'' he said.

He asserted that the BJP-led government is committedprotecting the land, language and culture of the indigenouspeople of Assam.

Modi said the state's BJP-led government hadintroduced a new land policy in 2019 to give land ownershiprights to them.

''They can now improve their living standards byavailing of the benefits of a host of central governmentschemes like PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, crop insurance scheme, andalso easily secure farm loans from banks,'' he said.

About 70 tribal communities in Assam were providedsocial security under BJP-led governments at the Centre and inthe state, he said.

Modi said, in the last four-years-and-half, hisgovernment took steps to honour and promote Assamese literary,cultural and spiritual heritage.

''It should have been the responsibility of allgovernments to preserve, protect and spread Assam's culturalheritage. But what happened to the sattras, includingBatdarva, the birth place of saint Srimanta Sankardeva, is nothidden from the people of Assam,'' he said, apparentlyreferring to alleged encroachment of its land by illegalimmigrants.

The sattras are hallowed Vaishnavite monastries inAssam.

The prime minister said the development of Assam andthe North East was fundamental to his government's'Atmanirbhar Bharat' mission.

He said the 1.75 crore Jan Dhan accounts opened by hisgovernment proved a boon during the COVID-19 pandemic asrelief funds could be directly transferred to the bankaccounts of the beneficiaries without any leakage.

Over 50 lakh cooking gas cylinders were distributed to35 lakh households under the Ujjwala scheme during thepandemic, he said.

Reaffirming his commitment to restoring peace in theNorth East, Modi said the historic Bodo accord signed lastyear, and the subsequent Bodoland Territorial Council electiongave a fresh impetus to the state's development.

Noting that Assam and other states of the North Eastformed the cornerstone of his government's 'Act East Policy',Modi said improved surface, water and air connectivity hasopened new vistas of development in the region.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)