Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted that the NDPP-BJP coalition will retain power in Nagaland and it will solve all problems of the state.
Addressing an election rally at local ground Mon Town, Shah also assured the people of expeditiously bringing the Naga peace talks to a successful end and also addressing the issues of the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), which has been demanding a separate state.
“The NDPP-BJP coalition will form government in Nagaland after polls. We will solve all problems of the state,” Shah said, addressing an election rally here.
“It is my first visit to Mon town and I will be halting for the night with the people and go back,” Shah said to a rousing cheer from the gathering.
Reiterating the BJP’s commitment towards the Naga peace talks, Shah said, “Our aim is to make peace talks successful and solve Naga political problem quickly.” Stating that the issues raised by ENPO were legitimate’, the veteran BJP leader said, “We discussed and understood their problems and assured them that the new government that will be formed under (chief minister Neiphiu) Rio ji will resolve these after the Assembly elections.”
“Whatever is needed, like extra budgetary allocations, more power to council, equal development, the NDPP-BJP govt will work on it,” Shah added.
“Our aim is to make peace talks successful and solve the Naga political problem quickly,” Shah said at the rally.
Shah said Prime Minister Modi has taken the initiative to usher in peace and development in the North Eastern region and pointed out that the BJP government had resolved several issues faced by the North Eastern states like the Bru, Reang issue, decades old Bodo issue, Karbi Anglong agreement etc. Shah, therefore, assured that he along with Prime Minister Modi have been pursuing to resolve the Naga issue at the earliest.
He maintained that under the Modi-led government, the North Eastern region has witnessed a reduction in insurgency related issues by over 70%.
So also, he said the Centre had removed AFSPA from 15 police stations areas in seven districts of Nagaland.
Further taking a swipe at the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, Shah said, “After 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress won’t be visible even through a telescope.”
Shah alleged that the tendency of the Congress leaders to indulge in mud-slinging against Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased since Rahul Gandhi became its leader.
Shah strongly condemned a Congress spokesperson’s choice of words for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said the standard of opposition party’s members is falling by the day since Rahul Gandhi became its leader.
“The kind of language the Congress spokesperson has used (for PM) and the sort of reaction it has drawn from people from across the country… you will see Rahul Gandhi that the Congress will not be visible even through telescope after the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. People will respond through the ballot box,” Shah said.
Addressing the gathering, chief minister Neiphiu Rio thanked union home minister Amit Shah for his taking his time to address the joint election campaign rally of the NDPP-BJP in Mon Town.
He also acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for their keen interest in resolving the decades old Naga political issue. Rio hoped that with Modi and Shah in power at the Centre, the Naga issue would be resolved.
He also noted that it was through Amit Shah’s initiative that the issue of ENPO’s demand for separate statehood was taken up and accordingly ENPO had agreed to revoke their decision to abstain from taking part in the ensuing election. Rio hoped that the issued would be resolved after the assembly election.
“The State government will give full cooperation for the development of ENPO areas. And whatever government of India decides, we will be a partner and see that they catch up with the rest of the State and the country,” Rio assured.
Rio expressed gratitude to the Central leadership for respecting the Nagas to be a major partner by deciding to let NDPP contest in 40 seats and BJP-20.
Though the UDA government had done a lot during the past five years in power, Rio said there were still more to do and was hopeful that in the next term they would achieve the goals and take the people forward.
Rio was confident that the alliance would win at least 45-50 seats.
Host of BJP leaders including party’s North East in-charge Rituraj Sinha, national spokesperson (i/c Nagaland) Nalin Kohli, Rajya Sabha MP S. Phangnon Konyak, who also translated Shah’s speech in Hindi to Nagamese.
Earlier, Shah was accorded a warm welcomed by Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, Konyak Union, Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khung, Konyak Students’ Union and the citizens of Mon.
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