Aizawl, Apr 9: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai visited Siaha district on Wednesday, marking his first official tour to the region. He arrived at the Siaha helipad at around 8:30 AM and was received by district officials.

During his visit, the Minister held a meeting with District MLAs, Members of the District Council, officials from the State Government and the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), as well as representatives from various NGOs. A felicitation programme was later held at the Chief Executive Member’s (CEM) Bungalow.

Chief Executive Member of MADC, M Laikaw, welcomed the Minister and described the visit as a step forward in addressing the political aspirations of the council, particularly concerning the proposed amendments to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

In his address, Rai expressed regret over the cancellation of his earlier scheduled visit due to bad weather. He assured that the issues raised by the local leaders and organisations would be taken up seriously. Highlighting the government’s commitment to the Northeast, he said that the development of the region remains a top priority under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

The Minister called for public cooperation with the border security forces to maintain peace and security in the region. On the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, he clarified that the policy aims to promote regional languages and not to impose Hindi, as claimed in some quarters.

He also spoke about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), stating that it is intended to provide protection to religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, while reaffirming India’s secular character.

Rai urged the gathering to recognise and support the development initiatives undertaken by the Prime Minister and contribute towards spreading awareness of government efforts.

He was accompanied by Bihar MLA and Mizoram State Prabhari Devesh Kumar, Mizoram BJP President Vanlalhmuaka, and CRPF Inspector (PA) Arjun Singh.