Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh and Temjen Imna Along with others during the press conference in Kohima on August 17. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 17
Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Education Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Tuesday said that ‘Act East’ policy will be activated soon after the improvement of COVID-19 situation as well as the current issue in Myanmar.
Addressing a press conference here at Hotel Japfu, he asserted that when the Act East policy is activated, the people of the north eastern region should equip, train and empower themselves to involve as direct participation and direct benefit to the region.
His visit to Nagaland from August 16 and 17 was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative of ‘Ashirwad Yatra’ for all the newly inducted union Cabinet Ministers and Minister of State (MoS) to seek the blessings of the people.
It may be mentioned that Look East policy was changed into Act East Policy in 2014 – thereby providing the region with a unique opportunity to reinvent itself as the hub of the country’s emerging relations with her eastern neighbours.
Prime Minister Modi has not only designated ‘Act East’ Policy as a key component of his Government’s Foreign Policy, but also explicitly mentioned that North-East India would play an important role in the Policy.
‘Modi eager to conclude Framework Agreement’
Touching on the Naga political issue, Dr Singh said that after taking oath as Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi targeted the Naga political issue, for which he initiated the Framework Agreement.
“When Modi government came, he directly initiated to bring an amicable solution through the Naga political negotiation. That is why he started the Framework Agreement. Perhaps, this will bring peace to the region and particularly to Nagaland,” he said.
Dr Singh said that Modi is still eager to conclude this Agreement with a positive result “so that the region will be peaceful.”
On his meeting with civil society organisations in Kohima on August 16, he said that all the groups of people who came to bless him, had expressed the same opinion of its aspiration for solving the Naga political issue as early as possible.
“I will also convey this message to the higher ups,” he added.
Nagaland state unit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Temjen Imna Along and other BJP party officials were also present at the press conference.
After the press conference, Dr Singh visited the Cathedral of Kohima (Mary Help of Christians Church) and left for Imphal.
