State News

Centre signs Karbi Anglong peace accord in Assam

The historic Karbi Anglong Agreement was signed yesterday in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Speaking on the occasion, Amit Shah said, Karbi Anglong Agreement will be written in golden words in the history of Karbi region and Assam. He said, yesterday, around one thousand cadres of more than five organizations have joined the mainstream shunning arms. Amit Shah said, Centre and Assam Government are fully committed to their rehabilitation. He said, Assam Government will spend around one thousand crore rupees for the development of Karbi region in five years.

The Home Minister said, it is the policy of the Narendra Modi Government that it fulfill all the promises made in an agreement during the tenure itself. He said, be it Bodoland agreement, Bru agreement or NLFT agreement, the Government has met more than 80 per cent of the conditions. He added that in Bodoland agreement, almost all the conditions have been met. Amit Shah assured the representatives of the five organizations and Assam Chief Minister that Centre will fulfill all the conditions laid out in the agreement within the designated time frame, paving the way for long-lasting peace and development in Karbi Anglong region. He said, Modi government is committed to resolve the decades-old crisis and ensure the territorial integrity of Assam. The Union Home Minister said, Karbi Agreement is another milestone in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Insurgency free prosperous North East.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, yesterday is a historic day for the people of Assam. He said, the agreement is a very big achievement and it will restore peace in the region. Amit Shah said, for the first time in Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council there will be reservation for Karbi and Scheduled Tribes. He said, one thousand militants will surrender under this agreement and lots of arms will be deposited. He said, Bodo accord and Bru accord have been successful and the Karbi accord signed yesterday will be successful too.

Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal said, the historic step will bring in permanent peace in the region and state. He said, the region will move forward in the path of development.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla hoped that the agreement will help further development of Karbi Anglong region.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, Chief Executive Member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Tuliram Ronghang, representatives of Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front KLNLF, People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri PDCK, United People’s Liberation Army UPLA, Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers KPLT factions along with senior officers from Home Ministry and Government of Assam were present on the occasion.

This Memorandum of Settlement will ensure greater devolution of autonomy to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, protection of identity, language, culture, etc. of Karbi people and focussed development of the Council area, without affecting the territorial and administrative integrity of Assam. The Karbi armed groups have agreed to abjure violence and join the peaceful democratic process as established by law of the land.

The Agreement also provides for the rehabilitation of cadres of the armed groups.
The government of Assam shall set up a Karbi Welfare Council for the focussed development of Karbi people living outside Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council area. The Consolidated Fund of the State will be augmented to supplement the resources of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. Overall, the present settlement proposes to give more legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers to Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.

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