KOHIMA, NOV 10 (MExN): The All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Sanjay Babna today said that the Congress party may include the affiliation issue of private schools in Manipur to NBSE in the forthcoming election party manifesto slated to be held December so that the interest of the Naga minority is taken care of. The AICC Secretary in-charge of Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland who made a whistle-stop here in Kohima after visiting Manipur and Tripura said that the will of the people must prevail and asserted that the Congress party will go by the people’s desire so far as the affiliation issue is concerned.
The AICC Secretary also made it clear that education is a State subject as such; it was the State governments which have to take a decision on the issue. However he said that the decision should be in the interest of the people and the student community in particular. Laying blame on the Centre for failure to complete the affiliation process, he said it was shying away from their responsibility. The AICC official also said that the affiliation issue was not as serious as perceived by many. If the State government wants it, they can do it as it was a State subject, he reiterated.
Expressing optimism that the Congress will come back to power with thumping majority in Manipur, Sanjay also played down the possible underground involvement in the forthcoming election especially in the hill districts. He said that even in the last election, in spite of the UGs’ efforts to prevent the party from coming to power, they secured almost half of the seats which led to the formation of the Secular Progressive Front government in Manipur.
Imposition of President Rule (PR) as demanded by the Nagaland Congress will be the last resort, the AICC Secretary disclosed and said that although the Congress is heading the UPA Government at the Centre, there is a constitutional provision whether to impose PR in the State. He also said that the Governor has the prerogative to recommend whether the situation in Nagaland demands imposition of PR. “We believe that Home Ministry will do all the needful to contain law and order problem. If all things fail only then will the Centre consider PR”. However he said that the matter will be discussed with the AICC leadership in Delhi since NPCC has written a memorandum to the Governor.
Portraying the law and order as a political problem is trying to divert the issue he said and that the present DAN government is answerable to the people on the existing law and order situation.
