As part of its mass contact tour to revive the party, Congress tore into the NPF-led DAN government over issues of corruption, favouritism, nepotism and tribalism. This was the tone and tenor when NPCC office bearers and MLAs addressed a meeting held in Mon town on Saturday.
The Congress team, led by NPCC president S.I.Jamir accused the ruling DAN under chief minister Neiphiu Rio of spreading tentacles of tribalism through dominance by one particular tribe in various segments of society even in matters of allotment of contract works. Congress MLAs from Eastern Nagaland, on the other hand, accused the DAN government of providing lip service to the four districts of Eastern Nagaland(Tuensang, Mon, Longleng and Kiphire).They said all the claims and achievements were impressive on paper but regretted that there was no evidence on the ground.
NPCC vice president and former minister Sedem Khaming accused DAN ministers from Eastern Nagaland of not being responsive to the needs of the Eastern Nagas.
Instead, he said, chief minister Neiphiu Rio was giving more attention to Southern Nagas as in the affiliation issue and allowing students from Naga districts of Manipur to appear in the NBSE examination. He alleged, on the other hand, Rio did not accord as much concern for the Eastern Nagas. Sedem claimed that under special provision 50% of the budget supposed to be provided for erstwhile Tuensang Area was not being implemented.
Congress MLA Konngam accused the DAN government of denying the rights of the Eastern Nagas by “offering” Autonomous Council status to the four districts of Eastern Nagaland. He said the status of the four districts under erstwhile Tuensang area was above the status of Autonomous Council. Konngam also cited a biblical verse where it stated that no parent would give stone when a child asked for bread or give snake when the child asked for fish.
He said the DAN government was doing the opposite by offering Autonomous Council status.
H. Chuba Chang MLA claimed that Congress members were not merely politicians but “workers of the nation” and urged party workers to work for the welfare of the general public at their respective village, area, district and state levels. He encouraged party workers to work harder during the one and half year before elections as the DAN government, like an over ripe fruit, was going to fall.
S.I Jamir, announced a three-point agenda for the party which it would implement as soon as it returned to power.
These included:
1. Youth Employment: a transparent system where all youths would get equal opportunities and where no consideration would be given to recommendations from VIPs for backdoor selection. Special projects for youths of Nagaland, so that they can be gainfully employed by starting new industries
2. All Centrally Sponsored Schemes will be implemented at the grassroots level and party functionaries will be made responsible to supervise implementation;
3. The Congress will ask for a special economic packages from the centre for the development of the underdeveloped areas of the State.
Others who also spoke in the meeting included- Tarie Zeliang MLA, Lanpha MLA, Mughato general secretary NPCC, Vaprumu Demo general secretary NPCC and Bendang general secretary NPCC. The programme was chaired byTakyong, president DCC Mon, Invocation prayer by Rev. Tenwang, District Chaplain and welcome address by Mrs. Ngunlem president District Mahila Congress and vote of thanks by Shangkem.
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