PM Modi addresses Bagurumba Dwhou 2026 in Guwahati, highlights Bodo heritage and peace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Bagurumba Dwhou 2026, a major cultural event celebrating the rich heritage of the Bodo community, at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati. Calling the festival a tribute to Assam’s cultural pride, the Prime Minister said Bagurumba Dwhou honours the great traditions of the Bodo society and reflects the state’s journey from conflict to cultural resurgence.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said it had been his privilege to witness Assam’s culture closely and observe the traditions of the Bodo community. He remarked that no Prime Minister had visited Assam as frequently as he had, underlining his consistent desire to provide Assam’s art and culture a larger platform and global recognition through grand celebrations. He cited large-scale Bihu festivities, Jhumoir Binondini, the grand Bodo Mahotsav held in New Delhi one and a quarter years ago, and other cultural programmes as part of sustained efforts in this direction.

The Prime Minister said he never misses an opportunity to experience the joy of Assam’s art and culture and described the Bagurumba festival as a vibrant celebration of Bodo identity and a tribute to Assam’s heritage. He extended his best wishes and congratulations to all associated with the event, especially the artists.

PM Modi said Bagurumba Dwhou is not merely a festival but a medium to honour the great Bodo tradition and remember eminent personalities of the Bodo society. He recalled figures such as Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma, Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma, Rupnath Brahma, Satish Chandra Basumatary, Moradam Brahma and Kanakeswar Narzary, highlighting their contributions to social reform, cultural renaissance and political awakening. He paid tribute to all such personalities, stating that Assam’s culture is the pride of the entire nation and that India’s history is incomplete without Assam’s heritage.

Highlighting initiatives taken under his government, the Prime Minister said grand festivals like Bagurumba Dwhou are being organised, Bihu has received national recognition, and Charaideo Moidam has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list. He noted that the Assamese language has been accorded classical status, while the Bodo language has been recognised as an associate official language of Assam, with a separate directorate established to strengthen Bodo education.

Prime Minister Modi said Bathou Dharma has been accorded full respect and recognition, and Bathou Puja has been declared a state holiday. He added that a grand statue of warrior Lachit Borphukan has been installed and the statue of Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma unveiled under his government. He said the traditions of devotion and social harmony of Srimanta Sankardeva and the art and consciousness of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala are honoured as part of Assam’s heritage, noting that Agarwala’s death anniversary was being observed on the day and offering his tributes.

Expressing his emotions, the Prime Minister said he felt deeply moved by Assam’s transformation. He recalled a time when bloodshed was frequent, gunfire echoed, curfews brought silence and instability prevailed. “Today, the colours of culture shine, the melodious sounds of Kham and Sifung prevail, music resonates, and Bagurumba’s captivating performances are held,” he said, adding that this transformation is not only Assam’s achievement but India’s achievement.

The PM said the people of Assam and the Bodo community placed their trust in him and entrusted his governments at the Union and state levels with the responsibility of peace and development. He said that responsibility had been fulfilled with the blessings of the people. Highlighting the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord, the Prime Minister said it ended decades of conflict, restored trust, and enabled thousands of youth to give up violence and join the mainstream.

The PM said that following the accord, new opportunities in education and development emerged in the Bodo region, peace became part of everyday life, and the people’s efforts played the most significant role in sustaining stability. Emphasising that Assam’s peace, development and pride centre around its youth, Modi said it is essential to carry this progress forward to a bright future.

The Prime Minister said the government has been continuously working for Bodoland’s development, accelerating rehabilitation and providing thousands of youth with financial assistance worth crores of rupees to help them restart their lives. He noted that the results of these efforts are visible today, with talented Bodo youth emerging as cultural ambassadors of Assam, excelling in sports, dreaming with renewed confidence and contributing to the state’s progress.

PM Modi remarked that whenever Assam’s art, culture and identity are honoured, some people feel troubled. He said the opposition had opposed conferring the Bharat Ratna on Bhupen Hazarika, opposed the establishment of a semiconductor unit in Assam, and even mocked him when he wore attire connected to Assam’s culture.

The Prime Minister said that Assam and Bodoland remained cut off from the mainstream for decades due to the opposition, which, he said, created instability for political gains and pushed the state into violence. He said that instead of addressing post-Independence challenges, the then ruling dispensation exploited problems for political benefit, sowed division when trust was needed, ignored dialogue, and failed to hear the voice of Bodoland.

The PM added that the opposition prioritised infiltrators as a vote bank, allowing them to occupy lakhs of bighas of land. He expressed satisfaction that under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the state government is reclaiming land from infiltrators and restoring it to rightful owners.

Highlighting development initiatives, the Prime Minister said his government is correcting past neglect through sustained efforts. He cited the formation of the Bodo-Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council, allocation of a ₹1,500-crore special development package for Bodoland, establishment of a medical college and hospital in Kokrajhar, and progress on a medical college in Tamulpur. He added that nursing colleges, paramedical institutions, polytechnics and training institutes have been set up in Gobardhana, Parbatjhora and Horisinga.

PM Modi said a separate Welfare Department and Bodoland Administrative Staff College have been established to enable better policy-making. He added that infrastructure development has bridged distances between hearts, between Assam and Delhi, and within Assam. He cited the Bishmuri–Saralpara road project connecting Kokrajhar to the Bhutan border and the proposed Kokrajhar–Gelephu rail project, declared a special railway project under the Act East Policy, which is expected to boost trade and tourism.

Stressing the importance of staying connected to roots, strengthening dialogue and trust, and ensuring equal opportunities, the Prime Minister said Assam and Bodoland are moving in the right direction. He said Assam’s growing confidence, strength and progress are adding momentum to India’s growth story, with the state emerging among the fastest-growing in the country and Bodoland playing a crucial role in this transformation.

Governor of Assam Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Pabitra Margherita, and other dignitaries were present at the event.