AICC general secretary and in-charge of North East, Luizinho Faleiro said the five years under BJP rule has taken India back to 50 years with terrible setback and degradation in many areas.
Addressing media persons at Hotel Saramati here today, Faleiro went on to cite how the economy has been degraded, farmers in distress and committing suicide, unemployment rising among youth while industrial growth has stagnated and most importantly, north east states aflame with burning issues.
Faleiro said north east states were experiencing a difficult period as BJP and its “master” the RSS, were on a mission to incite a culture of communal hatred and vendetta among minorities especially Christians, Muslims and tribal people.
He also accused BJP and RSS of trying to destroy the unique identity, culture and faith of the people of the north east. He also said the region suffered as a consequence of the BJP abolishing the Special Industrial Policy, Special Category Status and Planning Commission.
The AICC general secretary said the biggest threat to the region was the BJP’s decision to legislate the Citizenship Amendment Bill which would destroy indigenous people.
Faleiro said when North East Students including Naga Students Union, NGOs and social organisations met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi over the CAB issue, he (Rahul) assured them that the Congress opposed the Act in the Rajya Sabha and eventually it was not tabled.
He however warned that the CAB issue was not over even though BJP had to scuttle the proposal in the Rajya Sabha since the BJP president Amit Shah had promised to table it again once the party returned to power. Faleiro said the CAB is an example of how BJP was trying to destroy the unique identity of the north east.
On the NDPP’s belated opposition to CAB, Faleiro said the ruling party shed crocodile tears but is part and parcel of NDA and NEDA and did not oppose it in the Lok Sabha.
He said the people should condemn the NDPP for its act of betrayal of the state, its people and those who voted for the party. Faleiro also hit out at Neiphiu Rio and the NDPP for refusing to acknowledge the BJP’s agenda by continuing to be with NDA where the BJP and RSS were dictating and setting the agenda through communal divide and hatred against secularism.
Faleiro said he only hoped and prayed that wiser counsel prevailed among people to realise the great danger posed by NDPP in supporting the NDA and the latter’s agenda. He said those who support NDA cannot be representative of Nagaland and read out a passage from the Bible that warned against “false prophets”.
Faleiro also said that despite ideological differences with Congress, the NPF understood the reality and has decided to save the country by ensuring to protest secularism and to see that Nagaland marched ahead towards progress and prosperity.
He also assured that if Congress wins the Lok Sabha, it will support NPF to ensure that the Naga political problem was solved.
He also expressed optimism that against the winds of change blowing across India, the people were for secular forces and against BJP. If Congress was voted back to power, Faleiro said it will bring back all special assistance for the north east which were withdrawn by the NDA.
He also appealed to people in Nagaland to attend Rahul Gandhi’s public meeting and support Congress candidate K.L. Chishi for the Lok Sabha poll and Alemjongshi in the by-poll for the 26 Aonglenden constituency.
Faleiro appealed to voters in Nagaland that money for buying votes came from ill gotten sources and that it was not only unethical but also unconstitutional and illegal and should be stopped.
He appealed to civil society and NGOs to prevent the role of money power in the election. On the issue of NPF giving issue-based support to Congress, Faleiro said NPF understood the national issue where Congress was trying to protect secularism and minorities against the policies of BJP.He also said NPF being a regional party, it has its own ideology but that it decided to join hands with Congress in order to defeat the designs of the BJP/RSS.
Responding to some queries, Congress Lok Sabha candidate K.L. Chishi said his first priority was for solution to the Naga political issue which had been kept pending by the BJP which promised to bring solution before election. Chishi asked how many elections will it take for BJP to bring solution ?
Asked about switching back from BJP, Chishi said he was pressurised to join BJP to contest election but after being in the party for one year, he realised that it was anti-secular and therefore returned to Congress.
In a lighter vein, KL Chishi said BJP gave more importance to cows and having a minister in-charge of cows. Faleiro joined saying Chishi joined BJP an realised it has a culture of hatred and vendetta against other religious minorities.He added that the best person who could describe BJP and its ideology was Chishi.
Faleiro also informed that Congress will be releasing its manifesto on Tuesday which would include much of the AICC manifesto inclusive of all parts of India including a special chapter dedicated to the North East states.