Agartala, March 8 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the northeastern region was once known for insurgency, infiltration, blockades, drugs menace and corruption, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi with ambitious development missions turned the eight states of the region into "Ashtalakshmi".
Shah said that the Prime Minister with his growth mission for the northeastern region developed infrastructure, connectivity and boosted organic farming besides investing crores of rupees.
Addressing a public meeting in Agartala on the completion of four years of the BJP led government in Tripura, the Home Minister without naming the previous Left Front government said that earlier there was militancy, infiltration, bandhs and corruption and today, Modi Ji has taken Tripura on the path of a new development era.
He said: "For 25 years, Tripura had suffered a lot under communist rule. Today under PM Modi and Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Tripura is known for peace and progress. Tripura, which was earlier plagued by violence, corruption and illegal drug trade, is today moving towards becoming self-reliant."
Shah said that the government after several years of uncertainty has been providing a settlement to 37,000 Reang tribal migrants from Mizoram in Tripura. Also, after an agreement all the cadres of the militant outfit, National Liberation Front of Tripura, surrendered and joined the mainstream.
"Under the leadership of Chief Minister Deb, the drug menace was curbed in Tripura and the state will be made a new hub of trade and business making it a drugs free state. The double engine government has increased the per capita income of the people of Tripura to INR 1.30 lakh in just four years and farmers' income reached INR 11,000 per month from INR 6,500."
He claimed that during the erstwhile Left government over 39 BJP workers and functionaries were killed.
To develop the National Highways, INR 7,000 crores are being invested in Tripura and six express trains have linked the state with many big states of the country, he added.
Referring to the surgical strike in Pakistan, the Home Minister said that Prime Minister Modi in a befitting retaliation through this daring action showed the world that India is capable of hitting back at the terrorists.
Mentioning the repeal of Article 370, Shah said that development is not possible where violence, drugs and other adverse activities take place.
He urged the people to give a chance to the BJP to run the government in Tripura for another five years to make the state a model state in the country. Elections to the 60-seat Tripura assembly will be held early next year.
Tripura Chief Minister Deb and other leaders also spoke at the meeting, organised at the Vivekananda stadium here.