IANS

GUWAHATI UNITED Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress party president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday appealed to hardline militant outfits in Assam to respond to the government’s peace overtures and join hands in putting the state on a high growth path.

“I’m very happy to see the changed picture of the state,” she told a large rally that was celebrating the completion of the first year in office of the third term of the Congress government led by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Gandhi arrived here despite a dawn-to-dusk shutdown call given by the anti-peace talk faction of the militant group ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) led by Paresh Baruah to oppose the visit. The group also triggered a bomb blast in Tinsukia district Friday night killing one person.

Amid tight security, Gandhi addressed a huge gathering at Sarusojai stadium in Guwahati. The stadium was the venue for the celebrations of the first anniversary of the Congress government’s third consecutive term in the state.

“I’m very happy to be here today. It’s a very happy occasion as the Congress led-government has completed one year of its third consecutive term,” Gandhi said.

This indicates that the policies of the government have been able to win confidence of the people of the state,” she said, adding that peoples’ confidence had increased the government’s responsibilities.

“Most of the militant outfits have already realised that violence is not going to solve their problems. I hope those who are still outside the peace agreement will also join the peace initiative of the central government very soon,” she said.

“You all are aware that when the Congress government under the leadership of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi took over in 2001, the condition of the state was very pathetic — the government employees were not getting their salaries; there were no roads, no rural development programme, there was no industry and businessmen had left the state due to the law and order problem.

Today, I’m very happy to see the changed picture,” she said.

“About 27 years back, former prime minister of India late Rajiv Gandhi had signed the historic Assam Accord for the development of the state.

The present government in the state has been working relentlessly as per the direction of the Assam Accord to take the state towards development,” she said.

She said the state had achieved “several milestones of development”. Assam had created history in the country this year by producing record food grains and the tea industry had got a new lease of life during the last 11 years.

“Assam is the first state to give free computers to high school students,” she said.

“People of the state have supported the government in all possible manner and the Congress government in the state will never disappoint the people in making the state one of the developed and peaceful states in the country,” she said.