Tripura Governor praises samaritan role of Assam Rifles

Agartala : A 12-day National Integration Tour and a cycle rally to spread the message of cleanliness under the 'Swatch Bharat' drive were flagged off by Tripura Governor Tathagatha Roy.

Both events have been organized by the 4 battalion Assam Rifles (AR) under 21 Sector AR on the eve of 181 rising day of AR, the oldest paramilitary force of the world, to be celebrated on March 23.

Twenty five special children (deaf and dumb) from the Ferrando School for Speech and Hearing (FSSH) along with four teachers and a team of 4 AR, will be visiting Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Shillong as part of the Civic Action Project undertaken by Assam Rifles.

The members of the tour, who for the first time are visiting outside the state, were very excited getting an opportunity for the first time of travelling by flight and train.

"They all want to experience the places outside our state and this will be their first experience of flying by air and travelling by train. They are visiting places outside our state and meeting people and taken this as a great chance that Assam Riffles is proving them. This will bring them great learning in their mind and on return shall share it with others students who are at Ferrando," said Sister Seni, Principal of FSSH.

She added the tour will help in national integration as youth from the north-eastern region shall be able to know their nation better by visiting places and interaction with people outside the region.

"Of course, it is going to bring a new change in the minds of our students and as well as parents of our students because they never got a chance so far and this tour they are going to make outside the state is going to unite them in one way or another by interacting with the people outside. That will bring them wider knowledge of themselves and outside the world," she added.

During their visit to Delhi, the students will get an opportunity to interact with President Pranab Mukherjee and meet high ranking Army officials.

Governor Roy, after interacting with the students, appreciated the efforts taken by Assam Rifles for promoting such a noble cause.

He expressed that before coming here he like most of the people was not aware that the security forces and army other than protecting people and guarding the border from foreign invasion is involved in such civic action and which needs to be propagated to counter misconception spread against forces by a section of people and with vested interest.

"In fact, I had no idea that the Assam Rifles carries out social interaction with the people of the Northeast. ... But right after coming here I saw that they are bringing school children, showing them around the Raj Bhavan, they are getting the Governor to address them and this is news to me and this is wonderful one," said Roy.

"What I find missing is that this thing is not finding adequate publicity to the rest of India.today this is the age of information; this is the age when you need publicity and simply doing will not do. You also need to tell people you are doing what," he added.

The tour is aimed at providing the students with an exposure to the rich cultural heritage of our country and an opportunity to visit various places as also interact with dignitaries.

Nishant Sharma, Commandant, 4 battalion of AR, said, "Focus of the tour which has been organized by the Assam Rifles is an attempt for national integration. We take these children of Tripura and show them the development and cultural heritage of India and also educate and aware them. Apart from that for these children we are organizing computer certified course so that tomorrow as adults they are not deaf and mute as they are so called today, they are capable and equipped young people of the nation who can generate their own employment."

As a grand finale to the tour, the children on return to Shillong will be given an opportunity to attend the Assam Rifles Day Celebrations at HQ DG AR amidst numerous dignitaries of the Army, Assam Rifles, Civil Administration and the State of Meghalaya.