New Delhi, Feb 20, 2025, Special Correspondent

NEW Delhi, Feb 20: Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a fresh appeal to insurgents in the Northeast to lay down their arms and join the mainstream.

Participating in the 'Unity Utsav - One Voice, One Nation' organised by the Assam Rifles here on Thursday, Shah said their participation in India's development journey is most welcome.

He also said everyone knows that the Northeast wants peace and development and the region wants to work as an integral part of the country.

"I appeal to all those insurgents who have not surrendered yet to lay down the arms and join the mainstream. Your participation in India's development journey is welcome," he said.

Shah said there has been 70 per cent drop in violence in the Northeast in the last five years, 70 per cent less casualties in security forces and 85 per cent less deaths among civilians. Over 10,000 insurgents have surrendered in the last five years, 12 peace accords were signed with different outfits and two border agreements were also signed among the states.

"The Northeast wants peace, Northeast wants development, Northeast wants to work as an integral part of India," he said,

adding, "Every part of the country has a special place for the Northeast in their hearts,"

Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a new dimension to the identity of the Northeast by naming the region, comprising eight states -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim -- as 'Ashtalakshmi'.