Himanta urges exiled ULFA(I) leader to desist from activities that endanger the future of Assam’s youth – Times of India

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday appealed to banned ULFA(I) leader Paresh Barua to refrain from any activities that could jeopardize the future of the youth when the state is poised to “become a superpower” in the next decade. Planting bombs in the state on August 15 is a “matter of deep concern which may affect the continued growth and development of the state”, Sarma said here at ‘The Assam Tribune’s Dialogue 2024’.
“We are marching strong and determined. I am sure that if the state remains peaceful, the ecosystem remains the same and there is cooperation and enthusiasm among the youth, we will become a powerhouse in the Indian landscape in the next decade,” the Prime Minister said.
However, there is grave concern over planting of explosives in the state, he said, adding, “I am taking this platform to urge the ULFA(I) leader not to indulge in any activities that will endanger the future of the youth of the state.”
Police have recovered ‘bomb-like substances’ from at least eight places, including two in Guwahati, after the banned ULFA(I) claimed to have planted bombs at 24 places to trigger a series of explosions across Assam on Independence Day.
In a democracy, there would be “conflicts and clashes of ideas, but it must be ensured that Assam remains safe and peaceful,” the Prime Minister said.
There may be differences, but they can be resolved through negotiations and in many other ways, but not by “creating terror in our motherland,” he added.
“We have to secure our motherland first, then we can find a solution to every problem. A state cannot flourish if more problems are created in the name of solving a crisis,” Sarma said.
The recent outburst by organisations against non-Assamese communities has sent a wrong message outside the state, the Chief Minister said.
”We must realise that many ambitious and brilliant Assamese youth are living outside the state to earn a living. I encourage them to do so because the land is ours and we can go anywhere,” he said.
”If Assam wages a war against the non-Assamese here, the same can happen against the Assamese living outside the state. Where will our youth go then?” he asked.
There is a group of intellectuals and some people who “sometimes directly or indirectly indulge in chauvinism”, but the future of Assam does not lie in this, Sarma said.
“We need the support of the Centre and various industrial houses. If we express our anger against the non-Assamese, it will hurt them too. They will think that Assam is an unsafe place and will not come here. We cannot encourage such a scenario,” the Prime Minister said.
This should not be the fate or destiny of Assam, but ‘once we get our share of prosperity, we should make people across the country enjoy the same thing that Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and other states are doing for the youth of our state,’ he said.
At a time when the state is “moving towards development and prosperity”, “we need to focus the energies of our youth on education and entrepreneurship to build a rich human resource” that will contribute to the growth of the state and the country, Sarma said.
It is also a fact that no society can live without its own culture and heritage. ”We must raise our voices and come up with our own ways to protect our language, culture and heritage,” he said.
Sarma said the state has opened its doors for investment and development, but the state cannot compromise on culture and language.
The state was “previously known for unrest, floods and insurgency, but now it is one of the fastest growing and investment-friendly states” in the country, he said.
“We have taken time to change the perception but nobody wants Assam as a dependent state but as a contributing state to the economy of the country. We will emerge in 10 years as a state that influences the economy, growth and development of the country,” he said.
Stating that big industrial companies like Tatas, Reliance, Adani, Dassault and others have chosen Assam as an investment city, he said, “We want the youth of Assam to turn from job seekers to job creators.”
Referring to his dream for Guwahati, the Prime Minister said the city is not only seen as the gateway to the Northeast but also as the ”gateway to South-East Asia. With several initiatives in the pipeline, the landscape will change dramatically”.
Speaking at the dialogue, DONER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the Northeast region is the foundation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat’.
An investment of Rs 81,000 crore in various projects in the region has ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity, he said.
The region has emerged as a gateway for trade, culture and connectivity for Southeast Asia, “catapulting India’s remote northeast region into the country’s growth engine,” Scindia said.