Centre to settle Naga issue within a few months: PM Narendra Modi
, ET Bureau|
Feb 23, 2018, 07.48 AM IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said within a few months the government would settle the Naga problem in a respectable way, “honouring the political rights of the Nagas”.
“This will strengthen democracy. We are having parleys with different groups and organisations,” Modi said, addressing an election rally at Tuensang in Nagaland on Thursday.
In 2015, the central government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM had inked a framework agreement to settle the issue. Discussions with various stakeholders have been going on since.
The Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations, which was leading the movement for a solution to the Naga problem before the assembly election, had asked political parties in the state to boycott the February 27 polls. But most parties have ignored its call.
In the rally, Modi took a swipe at the Naga People’s Front (NPF) for causing frequent changes in the government in the state. “In the last four years, (the state) cabinet took oath as many as four times. This is not good for stability and development,” he said, while asking people to support the formation of a stable government with absolute majority.
BJP, in fact, was part the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland until recently, but dumped its 15-year-old ally and stitched up an alliance with the newly formed National Democratic Political Party for next week’s election to the 60-member assembly. BJP is contesting 20 seats, while NDPP has put up candidates in 40 constituencies.
Tuensang is in Eastern Nagaland, where there is a demand for the creation of a separate state of Eastern Nagaland.
Modi said the government would ensure special focus to develop the backward Eastern Nagaland. “Our government has come with an Act East policy and for speedy development of infrastructure in Northeast India, a new central sector scheme, North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme, with an outlay of Rs 5,300 crore is launched,” he said.
Connectivity is a big problem in Nagaland, he said. “There were just 1,000 km of national highways in Nagaland. We have added 500 km. Currently, Rs 6,000 crore worth of projects are underway; for roadways we are investing close to Rs 10,000 crore.”
Modi said a new railway line with an outlay of `5,500 crore was being executed. “Under the Udan Scheme, there will be flights between Dimapur and Shillong,” he said.
“We are spending close to Rs 800 crore for electrification. There are around 1 lakh families which do not have electricity connection. This shows how the state and Centre functioned in the past,” Modi said.
“This will strengthen democracy. We are having parleys with different groups and organisations,” Modi said, addressing an election rally at Tuensang in Nagaland on Thursday.
In 2015, the central government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM had inked a framework agreement to settle the issue. Discussions with various stakeholders have been going on since.
The Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations, which was leading the movement for a solution to the Naga problem before the assembly election, had asked political parties in the state to boycott the February 27 polls. But most parties have ignored its call.
In the rally, Modi took a swipe at the Naga People’s Front (NPF) for causing frequent changes in the government in the state. “In the last four years, (the state) cabinet took oath as many as four times. This is not good for stability and development,” he said, while asking people to support the formation of a stable government with absolute majority.
BJP, in fact, was part the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland until recently, but dumped its 15-year-old ally and stitched up an alliance with the newly formed National Democratic Political Party for next week’s election to the 60-member assembly. BJP is contesting 20 seats, while NDPP has put up candidates in 40 constituencies.
Tuensang is in Eastern Nagaland, where there is a demand for the creation of a separate state of Eastern Nagaland.
Modi said the government would ensure special focus to develop the backward Eastern Nagaland. “Our government has come with an Act East policy and for speedy development of infrastructure in Northeast India, a new central sector scheme, North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme, with an outlay of Rs 5,300 crore is launched,” he said.
Connectivity is a big problem in Nagaland, he said. “There were just 1,000 km of national highways in Nagaland. We have added 500 km. Currently, Rs 6,000 crore worth of projects are underway; for roadways we are investing close to Rs 10,000 crore.”
Modi said a new railway line with an outlay of `5,500 crore was being executed. “Under the Udan Scheme, there will be flights between Dimapur and Shillong,” he said.
“We are spending close to Rs 800 crore for electrification. There are around 1 lakh families which do not have electricity connection. This shows how the state and Centre functioned in the past,” Modi said.
