Centre won't touch Article 371, no illegal immigrant to be allowed: Amit Shah in Assam

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Centre will "not touch" Article 371 of the Indian Constitution that is applicable to the Northeast and not a single illegal immigrant would be allowed in the region.

Amit Shah said this in his inaugural address at the 68th plenary session of the North East Council (NEC) in Guwahati.

After Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir, there were attempts to "misinform and misguide" the people of the Northeast that Article 371 would be scrapped by the Centre, Amit Shah said.

Most of the states given special provisions under Article 371 are in the Northeast and the special status aims to preserve their culture. However, Article 371B deals with special provision with respect to Assam.

"I have clarified in Parliament that this is not going to happen and I am saying it again today in the presence of eight chief ministers of the Northeast that both the Articles are different and the Centre will not touch Article 371," Amit Shah said.

The Constituent Assembly had framed Article 370 as a temporary provision but Article 371 is about special provisions in the Northeast and there is a vast difference between the two, Amit Shah said.

"I think it is important to clarify the difference between the two. Let me make it clear that the Prime Minister and the BJP government respects Article 371 and 371 (A)," he said.

There was an attempt to give a wrong message that the BJP-led government would scrap Article 371 and this was done by people who did not want peace in the Northeast or the region to become an engine of development, Amit Shah said.

On the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Amit Shah said, "Questions are being raised about the NRC by different sections but today, I just want to say this that the BJP-led government is committed to ensure that not a single illegal immigrant enters the region."

The NRC has also been completed within the stipulated time-frame, he added.

Amit Shah's visit comes just days after the publication of the final NRC in the state on August 31.

Pointing out that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Amit Shah said there has been a "drastic decline" in terrorism and militant activities.

"I do not want to quote statistics but the entire country and the world knows that we have been able to control it," Amit Shah said.

"There are still misguided people who indulge in armed activities but our minds are open and hands stretched for those who want to lay down arms. For those who want to continue, the governments at the Centre and the state will follow a zero-tolerance policy," he said.

The miguided people who take up arms are "our own but are tools in the hands of vested foreign forces," he said.

Amit Shah said the region has to be a part of developmental stories of the country under the leadership of PM Modi. He also said that 30 per cent of the total National Economic Council (NEC) budget will be utilised for lesser developed villages in the Northeast region.

Amit Shah pointed out that border dispute between the different states of the Northeast was a major issue which must end.

"If Indo-Bangla border dispute can be resolved, why not disputes among our states in the region? Rise above border disputes and support each other, so that the region can develop together," Amit Shah added.

"Modi ji has given top priority to the development of the Northeast and he was the first Prime Minister in 40 years to attend a NEC meeting at Shillong," Amit Shah said.

"No Congress Prime Minister had attended a NEC meeting and though I do not want to make a political statement but among all the eight Chief Ministers present at the meeting today, none are from the Congress but all are North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) constituents," Amit Shah said.

Earlier, the Northeast was known for terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, social tensions but now it is known for development, infrastructure, sports, connectivity and Look East Policy, the Home Minister pointed out.