Amit Shah opens Brahmaputra wing of Raj Bhawan, unveils NE's first Cyber Forensic Lab

Guwahati, Aug 29: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the newly constructed Brahmaputra Wing of the Raj Bhawan in Guwahati, marking a significant addition to Assam’s constitutional and administrative infrastructure. The inauguration took place on the second day of his two-day visit to the state, where he was received by Governor Laxmi Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Before the ceremony, Shah offered prayers at a temple inside the Raj Bhawan, performed gau pujan (cow worship), and planted a Sindur tree amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns.

From the Raj Bhawan premises, the Union Minister also virtually inaugurated the National Cyber Forensic Laboratory–North East (NCFL-NE) at the Lachit Borphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, built at a cost of Rs 45 crore.

The state-of-the-art facility is equipped to handle network, mobile, media and disk forensics, damaged media data recovery, OSINT, and cryptocurrency investigations. It will house police officials from all eight northeastern states and provide advanced training in digital forensics and cybercrime investigations.

“Cybersecurity is a crucial pillar of Digital India. To strengthen efforts against cyber fraud, the first National Cyber Forensic Laboratory was established in 2019 in Delhi. The second NCFL has now been set up in Assam, making it a hub for advanced digital investigations in the Northeast,” Shah said during the ceremony.

In addition, Shah inaugurated and laid foundation stones for multiple infrastructure projects of the paramilitary forces, including the SSB headquarters housing quarters, a 350-jawan barrack, official mess, and a 10-bedded hospital for ITBP personnel at Sonapur, and new facilities for the Assam Rifles.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in his address, reflected on the history of the Raj Bhawan.

“The first Raj Bhawan in Guwahati was inaugurated on October 19, 1980, by Governor L.P. Singh, but it functioned more as a camp office. It was only in 1989 that it was converted into a Raj Bhawan. However, the facilities required for the Governor’s proper functioning were lacking. On January 5, 2023, we laid the foundation stone for the new Raj Bhawan. Today, near the Brahmaputra riverside, we inaugurate one of the most beautiful Raj Bhawans in the country,” he said.

Sarma also highlighted that the Lachit Borphukan Academy has now been upgraded to a national-level training institution under the guidance of Amit Shah. “Recently, we trained Manipur Police personnel at the academy, and requests from other states have already started coming in. This shows its potential as a centre of excellence for policing and digital forensics in the region,” the Chief Minister added.

Shah, echoing the sentiment, said, “Inaugurating the Brahmaputra Wing of the Raj Bhawan is a proud moment. I am confident this Raj Bhawan will rank among the most beautiful in the country. I extend my best wishes to the Governor for the new facility.”

The Chief Minister concluded by noting that this was only the first phase of the new Raj Bhawan’s development. “In the coming phases, we will add a grand Durbar Hall and several other facilities,” he said.