Published 12:42 IST, February 7th 2020
Kapil Sibal miffed with PM Modi's Assam visit for Bodo accords;says 'patting his own back'
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday questioned PM Modi's visit amid the unrest caused in the state due to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday questioned PM Modi's visit to Assam amid the unrest caused in the state due to the Citizenship Amendment Act. Pointing at the current situation in Assam, Sibal said that the state is burning and a peaceful environment is required in the North East. Sibal also mentioned that PM has earlier cancelled his visit to Assam, but now just to pat his own back he has decided to visit the state.
PM Modi's visit comes days after the state government signed a tripartite agreement with representatives of all factions of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi. This will be the first visit of Prime Minister Modi since the state has been witnessing anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
Speaking to the media Sibal said, "We want a peaceful environment in the North East and matters to be resolved. Such a thing happened in Nagaland also, but no much difference can be seen. Things happening in NE these days are not good. Even PM and Japan PM couldn't visit that time. Assam is burning, and even their CM is being asked to come out from BJP."
"PM celebrated DeMo also. PM wants to pat his own back. If someone wants to pat their back why we interfere. I wish the PM best. We just want peace and tranquility. But the question is why Assam is at unrest, why PM cancelled his trip to Guwahati?" he added.
PM's visit to Assam
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kokrajhar to participate in the celebrations of the signing of the Bodo agreement on Friday. The Prime Minister will address a rally in Bodo-dominated Kokrajhar town of Assam.
In a tweet yesterday, Modi had said that the accord marks the start of "a new era of peace and progress".
The signing of the Bodo agreement led to the surrender of over 1,500 militants of the major insurgent group NDFB. The Bodo groups have been demanding a separate state of Bodoland for the last 50 years. The movement has resulted in extensive violence and loss of hundreds of lives over the years.
Updated 12:42 IST, February 7th 2020