PM Modi steers clear of Naga political issue

February 25, 2023 24 Views No Comment

• Says BJP does not discriminate
• Regards NE as ‘Astalaxmi’
• To act strongly on extortion

Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 24

With only three days to go for the elections to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the NDPP-BJP combine finally produced its trump card, capping off a month of campaigning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Nagaland on February 24 to address an election rally of the NDPP-BJP combine.

Claimed to be his 57th time setting foot in the northeast, it also happened to be his third visit to the state as Prime Minister and the second during elections. His first visit was in December 2014 to the Hornbill Festival as the state guest and the second was during the 2018 Assembly elections when he addressed a rally in Tuensang.

He steered clear of the unresolved Indo-Naga political issue and making tall promises in his around 23-24 minutes speech to a massive crowd assembled at the Agri Expo field, 4th Mile in Chümoukedima. Speaking extempore unlike his televised addresses, Modi stuck to a script that centred on the inroads made by the BJP in the northeast through its development-oriented vision and also a good dose of Congress-bashing.

He said that the foothold gained by the NDPP-BJP combine in Nagaland was a result of the people acknowledging the works delivered by the alliance towards progress of Nagaland. According to him, the Congress and its UPA team only takes vote to forget about the region after elections. “They would not even look at Nagaland, they didn’t care about Nagaland’s prosperity. Under Congress, Nagaland was always politically unstable and used to be run by remote control by a family from Delhi,” he said, but did not take names.

While stating that the Congress’ concern was for that one unnamed family, he said that the Congress regarded Nagaland and the northeast only as “ATM” for siphoning development funds meant for the region. As a result, he said that people of Nagaland and the northeast are punishing the Congress for its deeds.

In contrast, he claimed that the BJP has focused on attacking corruption, by using technology, to ensure that governmental assistance reaches the targeted beneficiaries “without any cut or commission.” According to him, his government ensured that monetary assistance for women during the COVID-19 pandemic directly reached the accounts of the beneficiaries. Unlike the Congress, he added that the BJP treats the NE states as “Astalaxmi” (the eight forms of Goddess Laxmi) and is committed to the region’s peace, progress, and prosperity. The BJP, he added, does not discriminate based on region or religion and ensured that vaccines were provided to all without discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The result of the BJP policy can be seen in violence reducing by 75 percent in the region in the last 9 years, he said, while making mention of the partial revoking of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Nagaland. While stating that the changes affected overall has been on account of having governments allied to the BJP, he claimed that it has also helped resolve inter-state border issues in the region.

He added that he is intent on coming down strongly on extortion that has been plaguing Nagaland, once the election results are declared on March 2 and the NDPP-BJP alliance returns to power. Nagaland having seen its second rail station in a hundred years, he said, “We are working to connect Kohima with railway.”

He concluded with, “Help me in serving the people of Nagaland better and realise my promises to the people. It will be possible if you elect our representatives.”

DNSU demonstrates
Meanwhile, the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) demonstrated outside the Agri Expo questioning the Government of India’s commitment to resolve the Indo-Naga political issue. The demonstration occurred as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s motorcade was being escorted to the airport after his address at the combined NDPP-BJP election rally. DNSU executives told The Morung Express that banners containing messages demanding the GoI to honour the Indo-Naga conflict and third party intervention were displayed. They maintained that it was a brief demonstration, timed to coincide with the PM leaving the venue and also to avoid intervention from security personnel.