Central Government signed peace agreement with tribals and tea garden workers in Assam

To end the decade-old crisis of tribals and tea garden workers, a tripartite peace agreement was signed between the Centre, Assam Government, and eight tribal groups of Assam. The agreement was signed between Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Home Minister Amit Shah on September 15, 2022. 

The tribal groups that signed the agreement include Birsa Commando Force,  Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam, Santhal Tiger Force, Adivasi People's Army, and All Adivasi National Liberation Army. Since 2016, they have been in a ceasefire with the government of India.

A tripartite peace agreement has been signed between Centre, #Assam Govt and 8 tribal groups of Assam in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.

Home Minister says, this is an important milestone in the process to ensure peace in the #NorthEast region. pic.twitter.com/AubLFaXVJv

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) September 15, 2022

Who all were present at the peace agreement occasion?

 Rameswar Teli, MoS, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister, Assam, Pallab Lochan Das, Member of Parliament (LS), Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MP (RS), Sanjoy Kishan, Minister, Govt. of Assam, representatives of eight Adivasi Groups along with the Govt. of Assam and senior officers from Union Ministry of Home Affairs were present on the occasion.

What are the constituents of the agreement?

1. The agreement was signed to end the decades-old crisis of tea garden workers and Adivasis in Assam.
2. According to the agreement, it is the responsibility of the government of India and Assam to fulfill the economic, political, and educational aspirations of the Adivasi groups.
3. Provisions have been made to protect and strengthen the social, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic identity of Adivasi groups in the agreement.
4. The agreement also provides for the establishment of an Adivasi Welfare and Development Council with a view to ensuring speedy and focused development of Tea Gardens. It also provides measures for resettlement and rehabilitation of armed cadres and the welfare of Tea Garden workers.
5.  Over a period of five years for infrastructure development in villages/areas with an Adivasi population, a special development package of Rs.1,000 crore (Rs.500 crore each by the Government of India and the Assam Government) will be provided.
6. The agreement is another significant milestone in the direction of making north-east insurgency free by 2025, as per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of peaceful and prosperous North East.

Peace agreement: What did the Home Minister say?

The agreement will prove to be another important milestone in the direction of making North-East extremism free by 2025, in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a peaceful and prosperous North East, said the Home Minister.  He also said that many efforts have been made in the direction of making the Northeast peaceful and developed after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. He also stated that 1182 cadres of tribal groups of Assam have joined the mainstream by laying down arms.

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