Sunday, April 2 2006 15:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tezpur (Assam): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Apr 2, 2006) appealed to misguided youths in Assam to eschew violence saying the continuing armed struggle in the state affected the entire North East Region and its development.

"Armed struggle should be avoided by the misguided youths (insurgents) for all round development of the region. They should give up violence and return to the mainstream", Singh said addressing a Congress election rally here.

"If armed strugle continues in Assam, the entire North East is affected", he pointed out.

"Assuring that no genuine Indian citizen would be harassed in the process of detection of illegal migrants," Singh said border fencing work was on to check infiltration in the state.

The Prime Minister also said the Congress under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi had been successful in bringing about progress and development in Assam and other states where the party was in power.

Soliciting votes, he assured the people said schemes under the Bharat Nirman Yojana would help solve the unemployment problem in the state and ensure development of both rural and urban areas.

Under Bharat Nirman Yojana, the Prime Minister said, empahsis would be given to education and health, particularly of women and children.