New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Bodoland Territorial Region Accord (BTR), inked a year ago, has started the process of ending insurgency in the northeast.

“I have come here to iterate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP are committed to fulfil all clauses of the BTR Accord, which will pave the way for peace and development in the region. It marks the beginning of the end of insurgency in the region,” Shah said while addressing the people of Assam in Kokrajhar on the occasion of BTR Accord Day.

Attacking the Congress, Shah said that the grand old party had signed many agreements with different militant outfits in the past, but failed to keep the promises it made.

Political rights, culture and language of all communities of Assam are secure under the BJP government, he said, during his address.

“The prime minister was in Assam on Saturday, and he distributed land pattas (certificates) to more than one lakh indigenous people. The state government has already made Bodo the associate language of Assam.

“Several measures have been taken to protect, preserve and promote the rich culture, language and heritage of all communities of the state,” the Union minister said.

Only the BJP, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, can make Assam corruption-free, terrorism-free and pollution- free, Shah added.

The BTR Accord, designed to usher in peace in the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD), was signed on January 27 last year by the Centre, the Assam government, all four factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland and the then Bodoland Territorial Council chief Hagrama Mohilary.

‘Congress-AIUDF Will Open All Gates to Welcome Infiltrators’

Addressing a public rally later in Nalbari, Shah alleged that if the Congress-AIUDF combine come to power in Assam they will open “all gates” to welcome infiltrators.

Shah said the Congress rule in the state gave only bloodshed, in which thousands of youths lost their lives. “Can Congress and Badrudding Ajmal keep Assam free from infiltration? If they come to power, they will open all gates to welcome them, because it is their vote bank,” he said.

Only the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi can protect the state from infiltration from the neighbouring country, Shah said in his first election rally in poll-bound Assam.

The Congress has formed Grand Alliance with AIUDF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) and Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) to fight the upcoming Assembly election, likely to be held in March-April.

Attacking the Congress, Shah said, “Congress continued the British policy of divide and rule. They created a divide between Adivasis and non-Adivasis, Assamese people and hill peoples, Bodos and non-Bodos. In 20 years there was only bloodshed and 10,000 Assamese youths were killed by bullets fired by the Congress.”

Appealing to the people to vote for the BJP, Shah said if the party comes to power again, Assam will be “bullet-free, agitation-free and flood-free”.

Shah also slammed the Congress for its constant criticism that the BJP is a communal front and said,” Congress alleges us to be communal, but it has allied with Muslim League in Kerala and AIUDF in Assam”.

“One thing is sure, Assam is not safe in the hands of Congress and AIUDF,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)