Mokokchung, Oct 31 (NEPS): Nagaland Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr TM Lotha challenged Congress leaders and its 16 MLAs in Nagaland to ‘show their love and concern for the people of Nagaland.’ They should prove to the people of Nagaland by deeds and actions and not by mere lip services.
Addressing a Mokokchung district BJP executive meet held here at the Tourist Lodge on Monday, the Minister, who is also senior leader of the BJP, said no Prime Minister of the country had so much love and concern for the people of Nagaland as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then NDA Prime Minister, did. It will be recorded in the annals of Nagaland’s history that Vajpayee was the only PM of India who had given a huge economic package of Rs 1050 crore to Nagaland when he visited the State in October 2003. “His decision to come from Dimapur to Kohima by route is the living testimony as to how a head of this country was so concerned for the people of the State,” the Minister told party workers.
Dr Lotha said the 7 Nagaland BJP MLAs, which is less than half of the present Congress legislators’ strength, could play crucial role in impacting the then NDA Prime Minister’s economic package amounting to Rs 1050 crore to Nagaland. “I challenge the 16 Congress MLAs in Nagaland to convince their Central leadership, which is now at the helms of affairs at the Center, to give some PM’s economic packages to the State for development,” the Minister challenged.
“Let them give even Rs 100 (one hundred) PM’s package to Nagaland, I don’t mind,” the Nagaland BJP leader said. “But where is the reality that they are concerned for the State.” Political leaders could speak sweet words and their rhetoric would be intensified since “elections are approaching but this will not work as actions speak louder than words,” he asserted.
Seeing two and half years Congress-led UPA rule at the Center, Dr Lotha observed that “It is either the State Congress leaders and their MLAs have lost the confidence of their Central leadership or their leaders who are reigning the power at the Center are not interested in the people of Nagaland.”
He said the Naga people had suffered enough due to unresolved political issues. The Naga people have given sufficient time to the Congress party in the State for 20-30 years but they failed terribly to make any headway in the political issue he said. “I think their (Congress) era is over,” he added.
The Government of India’s genuine seriousness on the Naga issue started when Vajpayee as PM invited for the first time the collective leadership of the NSCN-IM to India. The former PM even allowed the collective leadership of the group to have wide range of discussions with all the opposition political leaders including Congress President Sonia Gandhi. “Because Vajpayee told the duo that a time would come when he would be requiring supports of all political leaders irrespective of their affiliations,” Dr Lotha said, adding, “This shows the sincerity of BJP-led NDA Government and the BJP leadership toward finding a permanent solution to the protracted Naga political issue.”
Had the BJP-led NDA Government remained in power the next term, by now the people would be seeing ‘some tangible solution to the Naga political issue,’ he pointed out.“Unfortunately, we lost power at the Center” he said however, urging that the people should not to be discouraged by this ‘as the party was still the largest in the country and any time it might come back to power at the Center.’
Dr Lotha also blasted the Congress-led UPA Government at the Center for total disregard to the Naga issue. He said the Center should be held responsible for the present turmoil and chaos prevailing in the State due to continued factional clashes and killings. “Nagaland Ministerial team including myself went to Delhi and urged them the urgency to rectify the defective ground rules in the ceasefires they are maintaining with the two NSCN factions,” the Minister stated.
Interestingly, even Union Minister Oscar Fernandez and members of the Army’s top brass had even admitted the flawed ground rules in the ceasefires. They had even assured rectification of the grey areas in the ground rules. “But whenever we enquired if they have taken any steps to rectify, their answer is: ‘it is under review,’” Dr Lotha said. “How long they would keep these faulty ground rules under review, when dozens of cadres belonging to both NSCN factions are killing each other, disturbing the peaceful environment in the State. Who is responsible for the prevailing situation in the State if not the Center?” he questioned.
Clarifying on the Anti-Conversion Bill of Rajasthan, the Minister said this had got nothing to do with Nagaland because it was ‘local issue.’ “Supposing if we pass our Naga Costmary Law in Nagaland, can we impose it on Rajasthan?” he queried. “All these are local issues and have got nothing to do with us or vice versa. In fact, the BJP is a political party with a difference and there is no discrimination in the party. All are treated equal,” he pointed out.
Later, the Minister also addressed a huge public meeting at Mongsenyimti Village and donated Rs 80,000 (eighty thousand) to the Mongseyimti Village Council. V Satish, Northeast BJP In-charge, Mokokchung BJP in-charge Aosanen, Mokokchung district BJP leaders Temjen and Arenla also spoke on the occasion. State BJP leader Ato Yepthomi and Dimapur District BJP Leader James Vizo were among others who were present in the function.
