New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the people of the Bodo community for eschewing violence and taking up the path of peace after the historic Peace Accord of 2020, saying that forests in parts of Assam which once served as "hideouts" are now becoming medium to fulfil the "high ambitions" of the youth.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the first Bodoland Mahotsav here, the prime minister also said that after the Bodo Peace Accord, the Bodoland region has witnessed a "new wave of growth".

After witnessing long years of violence with many generations getting consumed in the bloodshed, the Bodo community is celebrating a festival after so many decades, Modi said.

"You have scripted new history," the prime minister told the large gathering of people from the Bodo community at the event held at the SAI Indira Gandhi Sports Complex here.

Modi also was treated to a folk dance performed by a large number of artistes.