Home Minister Amit Shah Inaugurates Batadrava Than Redevelopment
Home Minister hails restoration of Srimanta Shankar Dev’s birthplace in Assam
- Amit Shah inaugurates redevelopment of Batadrava Than in Nagaon
- Site freed from encroachment, transformed into major pilgrimage centre
- Project spread over 162 bighas, built at a cost of over ₹222 crore
- Shah links cultural revival with Assam’s peace and development
GG News Bureau
Nagaon, 29th Dec: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday inaugurated the redevelopment project of Batadrava Than, the birthplace of Mahapurush Srimanta Shankar Dev Ji, in Nagaon district of Assam, calling it a major step towards restoring the state’s cultural heritage and strengthening social harmony.
Addressing the gathering, Shah said Batadrava Than, which had remained under encroachment for years, has now been fully cleared and redeveloped into a world-class pilgrimage site. Spread over 162 bighas and developed at a cost of more than ₹222 crore in three phases, the project recreates key traditions and symbols of the Neo-Vaishnavite faith established by Srimanta Shankar Dev across the Northeast over five centuries ago.
He said Batadrava Than has now become a sacred centre connecting present generations with 500 years of India’s spiritual and cultural heritage. Shah recalled that the foundation stone of the project was laid in December 2020 and expressed satisfaction at inaugurating the completed site.
Praising Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Home Minister said more than 1.29 lakh bighas of land in the state have been freed from encroachment. He asserted that efforts are underway to identify and evict illegal infiltrators not only from Assam but from across the country, adding that such steps are vital to protect the state’s culture and social fabric.
Shah also highlighted the Modi government’s initiatives to promote Assam’s cultural icons, including taking the legacy of Lachit Borphukan to the national and global stage, securing GI tag for the Gamosa and boosting tourism through heritage recognition and infrastructure development.
Referring to peace initiatives, he said that of the five major peace accords signed in Assam under the Modi government, over 92 per cent of the issues have already been resolved. He expressed confidence that all remaining matters would be settled soon, marking a new era of peace and development for Assam.
