< Previous 99Chapter 15 Bodoland has developed a strong higher education system with universities, a Central Institute of Technology, and Industrial Training Institutes providing higher and vocational education. Collaboration in human resources development and skilling the new generation can enhance future capabilities. The Indo-Bhutan partnership also presents opportunities for joint initiatives in start- ups, renewable energy, and industrial development. Strengthening border trade mechanisms can ensure smoother exchanges of goods, benefiting local economies. Bhutan’s training in organic farming and sustainable practices can enhance employment opportunities for Indian youth. International student programs in Bodoland’s Industrial Training Institutes can position the region as a center for vocational excellence. Further, establishing a Bhutan-India tourist circuit can attract international visitors, leveraging Bhutan’s sustainability reputation. A tourism facilitation center in Bodoland can cater to Indian tourists, promoting cross-border tourism. Economic cooperation extends to trade facilitation, skill development, and industrial growth. Cultural and spiritual connections between India and Bhutan offer avenues for deeper engagement. Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness model provides insights into holistic well-being, an aspect India can integrate into its development policies. Bhutan’s approach to peace and happiness can serve as a learning model for the world. Bhutan’s diplomatic approach to peacebuilding can offer valuable lessons, promoting dialogue and resolution of conflict. The Act East Policy will benefit from incorporating Bhutan’s principles of peace and sustainability, fostering regional stability and cooperation, also along the other international borders. Thus, by prioritizing human-to-human partnerships over mere economic transactions, the Indo-Bhutan relationship serves as a model for global diplomatic engagement. Leveraging mutual strengths in agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, environmental 100Chapter 15 sustainability, and skill development, both nations can achieve shared prosperity. The leadership of both countries has demonstrated a commitment to peace and development, and their continued cooperation is a beacon of regional harmony and economic growth. As India and Bhutan move forward, fostering inclusive and sustainable development will be the key to ensuring long-term prosperity for the people of both nations. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient economic corridor that connects our people, our businesses, and our dreams. The Advantage Assam 2.0 has offered us this opportunity on a platter. Let us all join hands and translate this into a reality!It was on the 10 th of May 2021 that the formation of the present BJP-AGP-UPPL Government of Assam, under the leadership of Chief Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma took place. It is embedded in our collective memories that Assam, along with the rest of India and the world, had the arduous task of reversing the deleterious effects of the COVID-19 then. I remember very well that the new Government wasted no time: the new Chief Minister announced that the first Cabinet Meeting of the newly- formed government would chalk out the strategy and measures for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and its multi-dimensional ill-effects head on. The new government surely meant business. The tide had turned! It is for all to see that today’s Assam is steadily voyaging in Amrit Kaal— the auspicious time for all to hope, build and prosper— towards a bright future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unparalleled vision and Home Minister Amit Shah’s definitive decisions and actions have given the people of Assam much to hope for. Towards this end, the vision, strategy and activities of the Government have been now well-calibrated to reach Assam to the top five developed states in India as promised by the hon’ble Chief Minister. Peace building, social and economic development have received greater focus more than ever before. In fact, Assam has seen the doubling of efforts for realizing the promises of last mile service delivery, good governance and economic growth ever 16 the tide has turned Assam is now voyaging in Amrit Kaal 102Chapter 16 since the new government took over. Thus, the brief two-year time period has seen Assam steering steadily towards the promises of Amrit Kaal India! With Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma at the helm of affairs, our Government has carried out corrective measures as well as placed Assam in its rightful place in various regional, national and international forums. For instance, on the 6 th of September 2022, in the midst of a Cabinet session at Kokrajhar, the entire Cabinet of Assam led by hon’ble Chief Minister paid a visit to the house of Bodofa UN Brahma. This was an unprecedented gesture of goodwill and humanistic zeal in the context of Bodoland Movement. This visit followed by the Chief Ministerial Declaration that the 31st of March, would henceforth be observed as the Chaatra Divas (Students’ Day) in the official calendar of Assam was a moment of healing. This was an unparalleled expression and validation of our collective veneration towards Bodofa and his universal ideals of unity, peace, love and justice. This step has bridged the gap, suspicion and mistrust that existed in our state for many years! The 400 th Birth Anniversary of Lachit Barphukan observed in New Delhi rightfully brought his sacrifice, love for motherland and bravery in the face of adversity within the national purview. It has reversed the years of historical neglect and has duly placed the hero on a national pedestal. It has greatly enhanced the pride and esteem of the people of Assam. Again, the largest Bihu dance performance with 11,298 participants entered the Guinness Book of World Records on 14 April 2023. This most-cherished dance performance during our harvest festival is truly captivating. It is a matter of pride for the people of Assam that under the leadership of Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, this glorious dance form has found its rightful place in the world! Closer home, the people of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), along with those of other Councils have also witnessed 103Chapter 16 unprecedented epoch of peace, good governance, and all-round development in the last two-good-and-favorable-years of Assam Government. It has helped the people of BTR to further consolidate the collective vision of building a “Peaceful, Smart and Green Bodoland”. There was a need to eradicate the gun culture forever in the Bodoland region, and plant a new sapling of peace which would bear rich fruits for all the people of Bodoland and the whole of Assam. Decades of conflict and violence in our region have taught us a lesson that without peace nothing productive was possible. The Government of India and Assam have taken steps to reverse the ill-effects of our yesteryears by signing the Bodo Peace Accord 2020. In the last two years of the Assam Government, we were given the opportunity to focus on rebuilding our lives, revitalizing our communities and rejuvenating our institutions. We have been provided with a conducive environment to focus on delivery of quality education, employment and sustainable incomes, social security, skill education, child and youth development, and good governance for all-round progress of the society. While there is peace, we have been creating an ecosystem where people could dream and work for the fulfilment of those dreams. The two years of Assam Government has brought governance to the very doorsteps of people of all regions of the state. It has ensured access and inclusion at all times. It has bridged social, spatial, temporal and psychological distances that existed among peoples and communities in Assam. For instance, two Assam Cabinet Meetings were held in BTR- one at Kokrajhar and the other at Dimakuchi, Udalguri, within the span of a year. This is unprecedented in the annals of the BTR Council. The cabinet meetings of the government also being held across all the districts have ensured the physical presence of the cabinet in remote areas of the state. The fruitful decisions thereof for the welfare of the people of Assam have surely moved our state ahead towards sustainable peace, equitable development and all-round progress. 104Chapter 16 People of Assam’s first-steps in Amrit Kaal have been to establish peace and ensure development in every sector. It can be seen that the government has taken a firm stand to root out all social, economic and political evils besetting the state. There have been drives and mobilizations against illegal drugs, illicit arms, and all forms of crime and criminals. The government has also been dealing firmly with deep-seated social evils like the child marriage, child-trafficking and witch-hunting. Welfare measures for the poor and the disadvantaged sections of the society, and infrastructural development have been carried out most expeditiously. In summary, our BJP-AGP- UPPL Government led by a Karmayogi Chief Minister has worked tirelessly and whole- heartedly for the development of each and every community in Assam. Our Government has remained steadfast in its focus to improve every aspect of peoples’ lives for ensuring respect and dignity of all. Thus, the 2-years Completion Celebration of our BJP-AGP- UPPL Government presents a timely opportunity to consolidate and strengthen the good work that has begun and, even more importantly, to look ahead at the exciting prospect of fully realizing our collective vision in the years to follow.Sound of Gunshots is not a rhythm of the flute, it is a signal of gloomy days ahead…. one step back by meiteis and another step back by Kukis may change the entire uncertainty in the conflict-ridden state of manipur and people can live without fear and return to their normal life and once again move ahead with the development agenda in the state. Peace in manipur is dependent on the hands and legs of the meiteis and Kukis. If they move their legs towards each other in a spirit of brotherhood and move their hands away from the trigger of the guns, Peace will become an inevitable reality. and the State and Union leaders can get rid of sleepless nights just to listen about a day when there would not be a single gunshot fired and not a single death in manipur. This one step back will save the innocent lives and property of the state and individuals and help focus more on development and the resolution of important Regional issues. Students can go back to schools, farmers can go to their fields, and daily wagerers and small vendors can start their daily earnings. Killings and counter-killings, burning, determining who is in the right and who is in the wrong, land rights, political rights, and cultural rights dominate public discourse in the aftermath of any 17 Let the Manipur Violence be the last one We Love Manipur 106Chapter 17 conflict. However, before a conflict or in normal times, no one examines all these factors, except for a small number of conflict resolution scholars. When a situation arises, politicians seek political advantage, social organizations experiment, and businesspeople take advantage of abrupt price increases, economic blockades, etc. After a certain point, everyone must abandon the plans they had at the time of the conflict, alter their mindset, and resolve to live together once more. In times of conflict, if one pledges that he or she will never live together again, we later realize that the world is our home, which is referred to as Vasudeva Kutumbakam, and that we must reconcile as human beings with the highest value of humanity which is the immunity against inhuman acts. There are instances in which nature itself repairs human society and fosters an environment conducive to reconciliation. India fought against British imperialism, but within the second generation of the freedom movement, an individual of Indian descent became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Racism existed in the world, but Martin Luther King Jr.’s hopes and desires were realized in the United States. Many countries that fought in the previous century have become allies in this century building strong economic and cultural ties with each other. Humans are social organisms and cannot survive without society. So, anger, antagonism, violence, killing, and hatred are short-term companions in human instinct; arising in a particular situation and persists for a brief period, like a flood, and then it recedes; it never persists for an extended period, and the basic instinct of mankind to love and understand the suffering of others heals it at a particular time. As constituent elements of humanity, we must adhere to the natural order and not the vested interests of individuals or groups at this time. Currently, life is difficult not only in Manipur or in some communities but also in the region and nation, as this conflict poses a threat to peaceful coexistence and national sovereignty. 107Chapter 17 If we examine the entirety of human history, we have failed to avoid violence and strife. In every century, there have been wars or conflicts in some part of the globe, people endure a great deal in the hope of the return of peace and normalcy and successive generations read about it in the history books. After taking a deep breath and struggling for the rest of their lives, the history of bloodbaths, the snatching away of humanity, and immeasurable suffering are forgotten. It is not in government policy to ensure that the next generation is never again victimised by these senseless conflicts in which we lose our loved ones. as soon as normalcy is restored, social organisations and many stakeholders forget, and so do the people who read about these incidents. In the political and policy-making ecosystem, there are competent leaders and civil servants who are well versed in history and deliver engaging lectures and pass the most difficult civil service examinations. In addition, they do not sense the need to focus on such issues once they are on the job. Some other political leaders or bureaucrats who are content with their routine duties do not entertain any long-term discussion on conflict resolution even after insistence from some of their peers. If the Constitution contained a clause on conflict resolution, officers and leaders may have been required to take these incidents seriously as part of their duties. during many periods of conflict, the discussions in the Indian Parliament on such conflicts have been overshadowed by the tug-of-war between the ruling and opposition parties and other partisan considerations. In normal circumstances, however, it may be an item on the Parliamentary Business agenda to develop a policy to address the recurrence of these types of incidents in various parts of the country at different times. We have learned from recent events in Manipur that there may be conflict between communities that have lived together for centuries. Therefore, we cannot foresee where and when conflict 108Chapter 17 and violence will occur between communities. Like, the Flood Control Department officials believe that there will be no floods in the upcoming year, so they do not manage the embankments and river dykes in a timely manner. However, when the floods come and destroy the houses and silt the thousands of acres of farming land, turning the rich into the poor overnight, we believe that the floods would not have caused any damage if the embankment had been timely and properly constructed. This is precisely what occurs during times of community violence and conflict. It is because we lack both long-term flood mitigation and conflict resolution policies. Our great Guru of Nonviolence MK Gandhi said the immediate result of violence is destruction. But still, we do that, why? Why? Why? if it is for our survival why do we kill others, if we fight for right why we ceased other right, if it is for our security why do we make others insecure by killing and burning them? In any conflict situation, one side engages in violence while the other side discusses security measures; one side murders innocents while the other discusses peace. But everyone knows that when there is violence and murder, neither security nor tranquilly can exist. The same individuals who provoke violence also complain about insecurity. If those who provoke violence were to strive for peace, there would be no loss of life. In my opinion, the situation can be resolved by the Meiteis taking one step back and the Kukis taking another stride back. And this is feasible since Meiteis love Meiteis and Kukis love Kukis. And both communities cherish humankind. If both communities declare the cessation of violence and control their own people to save each other, which we cannot do during violence using sophisticated weapons, we do not require paramilitary, army, or spending crores of rupees on security arrangements that could be used for other development and welfare programmes.Next >