New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday appealed to insurgents in the Northeast to lay down their arms and join the mainstream saying their participation in India's development journey is most welcome.

Participating in the 'Unity Utsav - One Voice, One Nation' organised by the Assam Rifles here, Shah also said everyone knows that the Northeast wants peace and development and the region wants to work as an integral part of the country.

"I appeal to all those insurgents who have not surrendered yet to lay down the arms and join the mainstream. Your participation in India's development journey is welcome," he said.

The home minister said there has been 70 per cent reduction in violence in the Northeast in the last five years, 70 per cent less casualties in security forces and 85 per cent less deaths among civilians.

He said over 10,000 insurgents have surrendered in the last five years, 12 peace accords were signed with different outfits and two border agreements were also signed among the states.

"The Northeast wants peace, Northeast wants development, Northeast wants to work as an integral part of India," he said.

The home minister said if the youth of the Northeast put forward two steps to be part of India's development process, the whole country will put forward four steps with open heart to welcome them.

"Every part of the country has a special place for the Northeast in their hearts," he said.

Shah said the Northeast has rich tradition and rich cultural heritage for which the country is proud of. Without the rich cultural heritage of the Northeast, India is incomplete, he said.

"Unity in diversity is our strength," he said and highlighted that the Northeast has over 220 different communities, over 160 tribes, over 200 languages and dialects, over 50 unique festivals, over 30 classified traditional dance forms and over 100 different cuisines.

Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a new dimension to the identity of the Northeast by naming the region, comprising eight states -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim -- as 'Ashtalakshmi'.

"From economic and cultural fields to sports, education, agriculture and entrepreneurship, works have been done to open the doors of unlimited opportunities for the youth of the Northeast in every field," he said.

The home minister said 212 teams and 1,500 students have participated in the event organised by the Assam Rifles.

"I want to congratulate Manipur as most prizes were bagged by students from that state. That is why Prime Minister Modi has decided that the country's first sports university will come up in Manipur," he said. PTI ACB KVK KVK

Call for insurgent surrender urged to promote reconciliation and expand development and reintegration opportunities in the Northeast. The Home Minister urged Northeast insurgents to surrender and join the mainstream, citing marked reductions in violence and casualties, thousands of surrenders, twelve peace accords, and inter-state border agreements as the basis for reconciliation. He linked these security gains to government development and inclusion initiatives across education, sports, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, highlighting proposals such as a national sports university in Manipur and symbolic recognition of the region to encourage youth participation and reintegration.