HRD Minister Smriti Irani seeks greater integration of North East with rest of India

Seeking greater socio-cultural and political integration of the north-eastern region with the rest of the country, HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Friday pressed for fostering a "my home India" temperament among all citizens irrespective of which region they belonged to.

"No Indian while talking about our country should use the word mainland," she said, adding the belief should be "this is my home India." The minister also talked about some of the educational initiatives taken by her ministry like the 'Ishan Vikas programme' to facilitate north-east students do their summer internship at IITs, IIMs and other central universities.

General Secretary of RSS Bhaiyyaji Joshi said the present NDA government has shown the courage to take on the external forces fomenting trouble in the region.

"There are external forces creating trouble there. Bangladeshi infiltrators are there. Need of the hour to safeguard the borders," he said.

He said the government is sensitive to the problems in the area and bring the separatists to the mainstream harbouring different set of ideologies.