Love for North East inseparable part of PM Modi's persona: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Modi @20 Dreams meet Delivery book launched

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: "If we talk about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and do not mention his special attachment towards the North-East region, then the discourse will remain incomplete because it is an inseparable part of his persona," said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while ceremonially launching for the state a book titled 'Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery' at a function held at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra here on Saturday.

"Wherever PM Modi may be located at any given point of time, he remains concerned for Assam and the North-East," Sarma said, adding that the Prime Minister has the conviction that a new India cannot be built without ensuring development of the North-East.

Sarma mentioned in this context that when he met Karnataka Chief Minister BS Bommai at New Delhi yesterday, the latter informed him that while attending a function at a Bangalore-based university recently, Prime Minister Modi enquired about the number of students from the North-East who are studying there. "Bommai asked me why PM Modi is so attached to the North-East," Sarma told the audience.

The Chief Minister requested the publisher of the book, Rupa Publications India, to take the initiative for getting the book translated into Assamese in order to enable readers from all sections of the state to read the book.

Sarma said that the book narrates how development in India has undergone a paradigm shift by becoming more tangible and value-based in the past 20 years under the leadership of PM Modi.

"What brought Modi to power is a matter for relentless pursuit for political analysts. There are many factors. It was because of the message taken to every street by millions of non-political volunteers, besides BJP workers, it was due to the substance of Modi's message," the Chief Minister said.

Sarma said that there were coalition governments in India for 25 years between 1989 and 2014. All the governments had a policy of compromise for political interests. It created disappointment among the common citizens. Moreover, the government's weak stand against terrorism hampered national interest. Such an environment crippled people's hopes and aspirations and their morale was low. Narendra Modi emerged as the symbol of new hope in the national landscape against such a backdrop, Sarma observed.

It may be noted that the book has been compiled to mark completion of 20 years as the head of government by Narendra Modi, from becoming Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 to Prime Minister of India till date. Contributors to the book include eminent personalities like Nandan Nilekani, Sudha Murty, Sadguru, PV Sindhu, Anupam Kher and Amish Tripathi among others.

The guests of honour at the event included BJP State president Bhabesh Kalita, veteran journalist Dhirendranath Chakraborty, CMD of Axis My India Pradeep Gupta, ace badminton player PV Sindhu, Olympian Lovlina Borgohain, Asian Games medalist Hima Das, singer Angarag Mahanta, Padmashree Dr Illias Ali, national sprinter Amlan Borgohain and several ministers of the state.

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