Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a mammoth gathering at the Bodo Accord celebration function in Assam’s Kokrajhar town on Friday that there was an attempt to mislead the people of Assam and the Northeast over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but this would not be tolerated.

He said rumours were being spread that outsiders would be allowed to settle in Assam and other parts of the Northeast but this was not correct.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and governor Jagdish Mukhi accompanied Modi, who flew to the lower Assam town, 216km from the state capital, in helicopter amid tight security.

“Rumours are being spread by anti-Assam elements over the CAA. I am here to assure all in Assam that anti-Assam and anti-national mentality will not be tolerated and forgiven by country. Those who are spreading rumours in the Northeast that people from outside will come and settle because of CAA, I want to assure that no such thing will happen,” the Prime Minister said.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister had said in Parliament that the CAA will not affect any religious community.

Modi said he expects that the suspicions of the people will be over soon and the trust between the Northeast and the Centre will lead to development. “Today, the Northeast is not as far from Delhi as it was before and, with the government’s initiatives, the region and Assam will emerge as the new growth engine of the country. Our government has been giving special attention to the Northeast and that is why I have come to Assam today to communicate with the people directly,” he said.

Opposition parties and apolitical groups had said on Thursday that they want Modi to clear his stand on the CAA. The ruling BJP had also hoped that he would clear the doubts.

People at the event (AP)

This was Modi’s first visit to Assam since the anti-CAA movement gripped the state in December. His last two scheduled visits in December and January were cancelled in the backdrop of the protests. While his visit slated for the India-Japan summit on December 15 was “postponed”, he did not come for the inauguration ceremony of the Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati on January 10.

Ahead of the Games, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) had vowed to hold protests against Modi's visit. However, this time, the AASU has decided not to protest in solidarity with the Bodo people who will be celebrating the signing of the Accord. Also, Kokrajhar falls under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), which is exempted from the purview of the CAA.

Modi also said his government’s implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord would protect the constitutional safety of the culture, language, land rights, identity and political aspirations of the indigenous people of Assam.

“Our government has already set up a high-power committee to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and I want to reassure (the people) that immediately after the committee submits its final report, our government will expedite the process to fulfil the recommendations.”

On the Bodo and Bru issues, Modi said thousands of people became refugees in their own country due to violence but now they were being given new facilities to settle here with full respect and dignity. He said thousands of people would now get houses and a permanent address. There will also be a special package for the Brus, he said.