Assam has overcome insurgency through development: Gogoi

London, June 28: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has credited economic development for the success in containing insurgency in the restive northeastern state.

"Today I am happy to say that we have been able to contain insurgency and it has been done through development work. Development must come first, then automatically peace will follow," the Chief Minister and Congress leader said at a reception hosted by Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Jaimini Bhagwati at the India House here last evening.

Earlier speaking to newsmen, Gogoi who has completed his second year as Chief Minister for the third consecutive term, said, "We provided employment to youths under several schemes and undertook development work in a systematic way. Without people's support, no insurgency can work. Even today where there is insurgency, it is only because of backwardness of the area."

He also said that better relations with India's neighbours in the region including Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar had helped to contain the insurgency.

"Today tourism is picking up in the state," he said adding that more needs to be done to promote tourism in the state.

"Kerala is best in promoting tourism. I am shy of promoting it," he admitted.

Gogoi said his government has been able to stop Maoists from expanding their bases in the state. Among those who attended the reception were leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul and several NRI and British industrialists.

PTI