VP calls for change in attitude towards NE

October 11, 2021 41 Views No Comment

Proposes friendship formula to strengthen the unity of the nation

NEW DELHI, OCT 11 (PTI/AGENCIES) :Mesmerised by the beauty and “positive stories” emerging in the once militancy-hit Northeast during his week-long visit, Vice-President, M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday urged students from the rest of the country to make at least one friend from the region to know it better and fight the stereotyping of its people.

Stressing the need to include lessons about the history and culture of the Northeast in the curriculum, Naidu said, “In addition to correcting the imbalance in curriculum, more student exchange programs should be conducted with the North Eastern states… I would urge students from across India to make at least one friend from the North-East and learn about their rich linguistic and cultural heritage. This is the way forward to strengthen the unity of the nation.”

Lamenting that despite being such a wonderful place, the general attitude toward the North East to this day is largely characterised by ignorance, lack of appreciation and stereotyping in the rest of India, Naidu urged people to visit the region to appreciate its beauty and cultural richness, DH report stated.

In a long Facebook post, Naidu highlighted the positive developments taking place in the Northeast despite the “single biggest” challenge of road communication and stressed that many of them could be emulated by other states.

“After my seven-day trip, I have returned assured that the North Eastern Region is witnessing a new era of resurgence…A welcome development is a decline in the insurgency in the region. The fact is that seven of the eight states of the region performed better than the country’s Human Development Index (HDI) in 2019. But how many of us are aware of this?” Naidu asked in his post on Sunday.

Not many outside the region would know that the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report finds Nagaland as the safest state for women in India, he pointed out. Naidu also said that Assam is world renowned for its tea and silk, while Manipur, a state with just 0.24 per cent of the country’s population, produces a good number of international sportspersons.

“I have a better understanding of the men, matters, aspirations, challenges and opportunities of the region. A welcome development is the decline in insurgency in the region. I am confident that the North Eastern region would become totally free of insurgency in the near future in view of the various developmental initiatives and the strong desire of the people for peace and progress,” he said.

Naidu urged people from other parts of the country to visit the North-East to appreciate the natural beauty and cultural richness of the region.
“We have a lot to learn from the North Eastern states. Some time back, I saw a video of a road in Aizawl, Mizoram and was amazed to see motorists observing strict traffic discipline even though no traffic cop is in sight. This is a rare sight in other big Indian cities,” he said to drive home his point.

Naidu said he had to cut short his visit to Mizoram to enable the state administration focus more on dealing with an upsurge in COVID-19 cases.
Later this month, he will undertake a three-day visit to Sikkim and Darjeeling from October 20, he said.