Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday recalled being detained and beaten during the tenure of former Assam Chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia, a period which he marked as political unrest and widespread agitation against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Reflecting on his days of incarceration, Shah said: “I have also been beaten up by the Congress government in Assam. Hiteshwar Saikia was the Chief Minister of Assam, and we used to raise slogans against former PM Indira Gandhi that ‘Assam ki gaaliyan suni hai, Indira Gandhi khooni hai’. I too had jail food for seven days in Assam. Today, Assam is moving ahead on the path of development.”

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Shah’s remarks came as he inaugurated the first phase of the revamped police academy named after Lachit Barphukan, the legendary Ahom general known for his valor against Mughal forces at Dergaon in Assam.

The Home Minister emphasized that the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy would emerge as the top training institute in the country within five years, crediting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for honoring the warrior’s legacy.

Shah lauded the progress made in Assam’s law enforcement, noting that the conviction rate had risen from 5 per cent to 25 per cent in just three years, with projections to soon surpass the national average.

He also highlighted the central government’s commitment to Assam’s infrastructure, announcing an infusion of Rs 3 lakh crore in addition to the Rs 5 lakh crore proposed during a recent business summit.

Chief Minister Sarma outlined how the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of SMART policing. A state-of-the-art weapon simulator at the academy aims to train personnel for real-world combat scenarios, minimizing risks and costs.

Amit Shah’s visit to Assam is part of a three-day tour of the northeastern states, including Mizoram. On March 16, he will attend the final session of the 57th Annual Conference of the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in Kokrajhar.

The event, taking place from March 13 to 16 at Bodofa Fwthar, is expected to draw significant attention to issues concerning the Bodo community.