Modi committed to solve Naga issue: Dr Singh

Correspondent Kohima, AUG 18 (NPN): Union minister of state for Education & External Affairs, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to solving the Naga issue.

Addressing a press conference at Hotel Japfü here on Tuesday, he said that prior to Modi government, talks on Naga issue were held like “tea parties” where the two sides would come to roundtable discussions and leave without any positive outcome. However, he said after Modi became the Prime Minister, he showed seriousness on the issue by signing the Framework Agreement, which was targeted at bringing peace to Nagaland and subsequently to the whole region.

On the reason behind his induction into the ministry during the recent reshuffle and allotting him two prestigious portfolios, Singh said it showed that the Prime Minister was especially interested in the development of the Northeast.

He pointed out that Modi had frequently described the Northeast as aspirational and had also stressed that without development and connectivity of the region, the country would not develop. He changed the region from being a landlocked to a land-linked area, he claimed.

He said the Prime Minister had advised him to come to the region, meet its people, seek their blessings and understand their opinions in order to come up with good and suitable policies for the region for development.

Singh mentioned that he chose to start the “Ashirwaad Yatra” with Nagaland as his first stop instead of Assam, although the latter would be easier for him to visit since he could have taken a flight from there to his home State Manipur.

Singh clarified that his real interest in Nagaland was to see the level of progress and development.

He disclosed that after landing in Dimapur, he went to a church seeking blessings and was also scheduled to visit the cathedral at the State Capital before leaving for Manipur.

With this visit, he hoped that a strong bond and confidence would develop between the two neighbouring States of Manipur and Nagaland,which he stressed was very essential.

Singh further claimed that Modi had envisioned developing respective mothertongues of the region, which was evident since he had allotted education portfolio to him despite hailing from non-Hindi-speaking community.

Asserting that the Prime Minister wanted to develop minor languages alongside national and international languages for future generationsthrough the New Education policy, the minister remarked that the Northeast had plenty of natural resources, including hydrocarbons, though the States could not fully harness it.

However, through the newly-formed “North Eastern Dialogue”, he said the Centre had conceptually built a programme.

Under this programme, resident commissioners from all the eight North-eastern States who are at New Delhi have been instructed to explore the natural resources of their respective States in consultation with the governments.

They would then linkup the States with foreign investors and subsequently provide direct funding, the minister explained.

He mentioned that if the States were alert enough and thoughtful to generate economic growth, then they would have access to unlimited opportunities through their link with foreign States.

He said the region was located strategically as it was surrounded by four foreign countries – China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

According to the minister, regional economic blocs like ASEAN were booming with economic activities, which would directly affect the Northeast.

The minister assured that the Act East Policy would soon be activated after the pandemic was over and political turmoil in Myanmar subsided.“Therefore, the region has to be ready in order to benefit from this policy,” he added.

He suggested that educational institutions of the region too could tie up with institutions in foreign countries.

Answering to a query on the opposition-less government in Nagaland, Singh remarked that ideally in a democracy, opposition was the watchdog and therefore essential. However, if the elected representatives focussed on speedy development, then such a government could also exist, he added.

Sharing details of his meetings with various civil society organisations on Monday evening, he remarked that each and every individual aspired for a solution to the Naga political issue. Singh assured them of conveyingtheir message to the higher-ups.

On influx of illegal immigrants into the North-eastern States, the minister commented that it had become a critical issue post India’s independence and the country’s Partition. He urged the indigenous citizens to remain alert on this issue and not accept the immigrants. He regretted that most people raised their voice on the issue only when someone or some group made some noises.

He stressed that governments should also remain vigilant and have laws to protect the citizens against such illegal immigrants.

Earlier, State’s higher education and tribal affairs minister TemjenImna Along expressed happiness at Singh’s decision to begin his “Ashirwaad Yatra” from Nagaland.

Later, asked about allotting portfolios to the new members in the PDA, Along explained that the decision by the parties would be taken by their respective high commands. He claimed that his party had always welcomed an early solution and that party workers were in Delhi now only to meet their leaders.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/modi-committed-to-solve-naga-issue-dr-singh/238435.html