Khuzama, February 18 (MExN): The Union Home Minister said the Centre was trying its best for a “workable solution” to the protracted Naga political problem.
Addressing an election rally at Khuzama, 25 km from the state capital, Sushilkumar Sinde said peace in the state was of paramount importance for all round development. He said there has been relative peace in states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Mizoram but Nagaland is still confronting problems.
He said the Centre’s priority is to “stamp out insurgency problem” from the region which will usher in a new era of peace and development. “We have been trying to find solution to the problem and develop Nagaland,” Shinde said. “I assure you that we will bring peace in the state. We don’t want to see issue of insurgency in this part of the region” the home minister said.
Recalling his tenure as the Union Power Minister, he said, “I have been coming to the North East as the power minister to Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal, but Nagaland was missing as nobody tried to take any of the power projects during that period.”
Lashing out at the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF), the Home Minister said ten years of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has done nothing in the state but funds from the Centre pocketed by the people in power. He pointed to the “pathetic” condition of the roads, irregular power supply despite several thousand crores sanctioned in this sector, health and education.
Noting that the projects under the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutikaran Yojana should have been over by 2012 in all the villages of the country, Shinde said money was sent to Nagaland but nothing was done in the state.
If the situation exists like this then Nagaland is not going to prosper, he said, adding that development can be achieved by harnessing power, education and industries.
Shinde said a Congress government alone will be able to give the Naga people “full-fledged development”, and cited that the growth rate of India, when Congress-led UPA government came into power, was barely 2.5 per cent but the party managed to take it to 9 per cent three years back.
While the world economy has gone down, we have been able to able to maintain the growth rate at 6.5 per cent, he said. Maintaining that the Congress wants the states to be strong, he said, “This is the right opportunity for the Naga people to make the change in government. “It is up to you to bring the change and vote for Congress candidates to have better development and brighter future,” he said.
Shinde also lauded the far sighted vision of former President of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee and Congress MLA, K V Pusa and appealed to the people to elect him for speedy development of the area. The veteran congress lawmaker is contesting from Southern Angami-II constituency against Naga People’s Front (NPF) candidate, Kropol Vitsu. The Home Minister who is a close friend of Pusa said the congress candidate was a capable leader who could bring changes not only in the constituency but in the state. He also appealed to the people to elect all congress candidates from Kohima district and see the changes they would bring to the people.
Shinde also addressed a public meeting at Peren town and Tuli in Mokokchung district. Captain Praveen Davar, AICC observer for Nagaland, also accompanied Shinde on the visit.
With inputs from PTI
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