Dimapur, April 15 (MExN): At a time when cow vigilantes and anti-romeo squads rule the Indian roost, a strong voice has emerged from the margins; that of a political party that was recognized by the Election Commission of India only in February this year.
The Nagaland Congress (NC) has opposed what it termed the BJP’s “politics of anti Christianity” that they apprehend will spread in Nagaland through the “accommodative spirit of NPF and tepid attitude of church bodies.” In this “grave situation,” the party wondered whether “the church should remain silent because consequence of silence may fall upon the church.”
“Nagaland is comparatively a small and maybe seen as insignificant state, yet now seemingly considered a thorn in the body politics of future Hindu Rashtra,” stated a press release from the media cell of the NC. Intoxicated with overwhelming electoral support, it noted, the BJP wants to create a “Hindu Rashtra” by 2021 that entails “one nation, one culture, one diet, one religion.”
“Either we are Indian and not Christian or Christian and not Indian,” claimed the NC about BJP’s agenda soon after a BJP leader declared that the party will form the next government in Nagaland State with absolute majority.
Citing instances of “imposition” of various ‘days’, the NC highlighted the “core issue” to be the BJP’s “declared position to phase out Christianity in a new India” and, as partisan, NPF’s “unconcealed position not to antagonize BJP.”
“We are seeing not a convergence but submerged of regionalism into a new brand of Hindu nationalism,” stated the new political party while hitting out at the NPF which, the NC claimed, has helped BJP grow “larger and bolder” not by “people’s choice” but by the “NPF’s love marriage with BJP.”
To extrapolate their point, the NC pointed out that “at no point of time in the past was Article 371-A questioned and challenged as daringly done during these three consecutive terms of NPF-led DAN Govt.” And, “In so far as religion is concerned NPF might have created a Frankenstein out of BJP.”
Maintaining, however, that it is “not against BJP as a political party,” the NC stated that it will “defend our faith and practices as a matter of conviction as well as constitutional right.”
“Whether NPF should continue the marriage with BJP till swamis and yogis are sufficiently born to saffronize Nagaland is best left to supporting people to decide when they can,” the NC concluded.
BJP yet to be at its peak, says Amit Shah
Bhubaneswar, April 15 (IANS): Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah said on Saturday that despite being in power at centre and in 13 states, the party is yet to achieve its peak and urged workers to devote themselves for the cause.
“Many (people) declared after the 2104 general elections that the BJP reached its peak, but it was not so. They then said in 2017 (after elections to the five states, including Uttar Pradesh) that the BJP has now attained it peak, but it is not the case,” Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad quoted Amit Shah as saying at inaugural session of the party’s two-day National Executive meeting here.
“But the BJP is yet to be at its peak. The BJP will attain its peak when BJP will have Chief Ministers in all the states and it has members everywhere -- from panchayats to Parliament,” Shah added, according to Prasad. “Let’s resolve to make BJP a pan-India party from panchayats to Parliament. BJP’s golden period should be associated with country’s golden period,” Shah said.
Amit Shah said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will complete three years in office on May 26. The BJP Chief also said that earlier there was a perception that BJP was doing well only where there was Congress and not against the regional parties, but the recent election results of Uttar Pradesh has proved this perception wrong. BJP can also perform in the states ruled by regional parties, he noted. Urging party workers “not to be lethargic” after stunning victories in recently-concluded assembly polls, Amit Shah said that all the National Executive members including ministers would visit at least 15 days at booths to know their problems and concerns including to take suggestions for the improvement.
Prasad also told media persons that the BJP chief would tour, for 95 days, different parts of the country till September. The first day of the two-day meet was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 13 Chief Ministers including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
