Before Bengal Trip for Parakram Diwas, PM Modi Distributes Land Papers to Assam's Indigenous Families
23-January-2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday distributed land allotment papers to people in Assam, ahead of the elections this year. Modi said Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was committed to protecting the land, language and culture of indigenous people.

"The BJP-led government in the state is committed to ensuring that the indigenous people have legal rights over their land," Modi said, after launching a drive to give ownership certificates to over one lakh families. Marking its launch, the prime minister distributed 'pattas' to 10 people at the historic 'Jerenga Pathar' here.

"When the Sarbananda Sonowal government took over the reins in Assam, more than six lakh indigenous families had no legal rights over their land. In the last few years more than two lakh such families have been allotted ownership certificates. "With more than one lakh families added today, the government has shown its commitment to protecting the rights of the indigenous people," Modi said.

"The previous governments in Assam never cared for the rights of those who loved this sacred land," he said. "The land ownership certificates (pattas) will guarantee their 'Swabhiman' (pride), Swadheenta (freedom) and Suraksha (protection)," he added.

He asserted that the BJP-led government is committed protecting the land, language and culture of the indigenous people. Referring to the celebration of 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as 'Parakram Divas', the prime minister said the day "inspires hope and national pride".

He also lauded the state government for having freed the world famous Kaziranga National Park from encroachers.

The PM is now set to visit Kolkata ahead of the 2021 West Bengal elections, to inaugurate a museum dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the freedom fighter's 125th birth anniversary.

Meanwhile, the Congress in Assam on Thursday had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 24 questions on issues such as enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the governments "failure" to deport Bangladeshis illegally living in the state and "creating hurdles" in development of industry. State Congress president Ripun Bora posed these questions in a press conference ahead of the prime ministers visit to the poll-bound state on Saturday.

"The prime minister has endangered the existence of the indigenous Assamese people by imposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on them," Bora had alleged. The CAA says that members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 facing religious persecution in those countries will not be treated as illegal immigrants but will be given Indian citizenship.