|
Nagaland BJP President Dr N Rhetso said
it was he who first took up the issue of Naga peace
talks to the knowledge of the Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee when the latter was Opposition leader
in Parliament in 1993. He said he met Vajpayee on July
23, 1994 in Parliament Chamber and urged upon him
(Vajpayee) to raise the Naga issue in the House
(Parliament) for Government to have initiated peace
talks with Naga undergrounds without any
pre-condition.
The State BJP Chief was however critical of the stand
of the Nagaland Chief Minister SC Jamir on the ongoing
peace process in the state. “He (Jamir) talks
something and acts something. This is what everybody
knows”, the Nagaland BJP leader stated.
Dr Rhesto also disclosed that his party would fight
for the coming general election in Nagaland. “We are
definitely going to unseat Congress in the State and
form a non-Congress coalition Government this time”,
the State BJP Chief added. “We will go to the
grassroots people and highlight the mismanagement of
the whole developmental funds by the Congress
Government in the State”.
The BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre has been
fulfilling various demands made by the people of the
State. “We demanded that 10 per cent be deducted from
all the budget allocations of the Central Ministries
for the developments of the North East region, it has
been fulfilled. We have demanded for a separate Tribal
Ministry, it has been given. We have demanded a
separate Ministry to look after for North East region,
it has been created. We have demanded that ceasefire
be declared with Naga underground groups in the State,
it has been fulfilled”, Dr Rhetso said. “Now who is
objecting to it—it is the Congress”, the Nagaland BJP
leader alleged.
Dr Rhetso also said they had already discussed with
Union Home Minister, LK Advani to set up a Board to
closely monitor into the various allegations of NGOs
having nexus with several underground organizations in
the North East, so the demands of genuine NGOs are not
ignored by the Centre. The Government of India has
been withholding releasing of funds to NGOs of the
North East particularly Manipur under various
Centrally sponsored schemes on the ground that they
had nexus with various underground elements.
Dr Rhetso said Jamir always talked of “new Nagaland”.
“But where is the new Nagaland when over 51 thousand
educated unemployed youths are there in the state and
it keeps increasing; besides closing down of state’s
only Sugar Mill and Tuli Paper Mill”, he said and
questioned , “Is it new Nagaland”.
He however said there was no problem for the Centre in
funding to revive these sick industries and other
sectors where funding required but the “false lies
with us”. “What is the problem of Centre in giving 100
to 200 crore to the State. But they (Centre) don’t
have confidence on us”.
Central Government has been providing funds for
various developmental activities in the state. But
where is the development, Dr Rhetso asked. “How can we
go on like this? Unless we change the mindset and
become sincere in utilizing the funds judiciously and
restore the lost confidence the Centre had on us, how
can we ask fund repeatedly from the Centre”, Dr Rhesto
pointed out.
Had the State Government spent 50 per cent from the
total allocation of Central funds, “we would have seen
wonderful development in the State. When Assam could
run its Paper Mill successfully, why not Nagaland. “We
have so many raw materials than Assam” he said
charging all these collapsing of Mills, industries,
increasing of educated unemployed youths in Nagaland
are all because of the mismanagement of funds by the
State Government.
|
