Guwahati:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated the new premises of Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Assam’s Dergaon. Spread over 340 acres, the police academy is being refurbished at an estimated cost of Rs 1,024 crore in two phases.
The first phase worth Rs 167.4 crore includes a five-storey building housing smart classrooms, weapon stimulator, research labs and administrative offices, among other facilities, besides a museum and a modern parade ground.
“Lachit Barphukan was a great warrior who defeated the Mughals and drove them back to Delhi. Today, in his name, the Assam police academy was inaugurated at Dergaon with all modern technologies,” Mr Shah said.
“I was 7 years old when I got to know about Lachit Barphukan for the first time in my school, but till my graduation we never read anywhere about the great General. He was kept confined to Assam. But now in 23 languages his life story is printed and taught in the country, people are knowing about this great General,” Mr Shah said.
On the new facility, he said the three phases of work will entail a budget of Rs 1,050 crore.
“This police academy will turn into the best in the country. I had been coming to Assam as a youth activist. I have been beaten here by the Congress, and during their rule I spent seven days in jail in Assam,” Mr Shah said.
Assam took the path to peace after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came.
“We have several peace accords during this time and over 10,000 young people have left the insurgency and joined the mainstream. Assam was once known for unrest and insurgency, but today it would be known as the place which will have India’s first semi-conductor unit,” Mr Shah said.
He said the Modi government will spend Rs 3 lakh crore on infrastructure development in Assam since many people from other parts of the country along with Assamese youths would need jobs.
The Union Home Minister criticised Congress over what he said was the party throwing Assam into the fire of unrest and insurgency and not bringing peace and development.
“The Modi government in the last 10 years brought peace, development and infrastructure development in Assam… The Assam Police were fighting insurgency, and now they are busy in public service. The way you have supported BJP in every election, whenever we contested you have given us big victories,” Mr Shah said. “We thank you for this.”
