Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh celebrate Statehood Day

Aizawl, Feb 20 (IANS) The northeastern states Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday observed their Statehood Day with numerous cultural events and sports meets.

Wednesday marks the 32nd and 47th Statehood Day of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh respectively.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi greeted people of the two states on this ocassion.

Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan, while addressing the day's main function here said that it was to the credit of the civil society out here that Mizoram had transitioned from years of militancy to become one of the most peaceful states in the country.

"When we talk about two decades of hardship and suffering, we must also note that we have now had more than three decades of peace and tranquility as a state," Rajasekharan said.

He praised Mizoram's national achievements in sports, specially in football.

Special emphasis was now being given to the bamboo sector, he said.

"Mizoram has one of the largest bamboo cover in the country. It is now recognised, developed and promoted in a manner ensuring ecological security for all round sustainable development of the state and well- being of the people," the Governor said.

Like several other northeastern states of India, Mizoram (with current population of around 11 lakh) was previously part of Assam until 1972 when it was carved out as a union territory. It became the 23rd state of India on February 20, 1987.

In 1972, the North East Frontier Agency was named Arunachal Pradesh and granted union territory status. It took 15 more years before Arunachal Pradesh attained its statehood.