Advisor for Information and Public Relations (IPR) and Soil & Water Conservation, Imkong L Imchen, on Monday backed the Central government’s decision to end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) at the India-Myanmar border. Imchen said this while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of the “Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra” programme at Khensa village. Imchen asserted that a sovereign nation should have a clear-cut boundary along its borders.
To buttress his stand, the advisor pointed out that drug trafficking continued unabated through the porous border with Myanamar which posed a grave threat on Naga society. He also said that open border was one of the factors sustaining the insurgency problem in the North East region..
Naga integration with consent
Commenting on Naga integration, an issue that has been ongoing for several decades, Imchen reiterated that it was not the sole responsibility of the Nagas of Nagaland.
He explained that if the demand for integration was a spontaneous demand from Nagas outside Nagaland, then it could be a necessity or obligation.
However, Imchen said when the people from the other side did not care, why should only the Nagas of Nagaland go on talking about integration?
Also, he asserted that the word ‘Naga’ was difficult to define because till now as there was no definite definition of the word ‘Naga’.
In view of this, Imchen therefore, said Naga people cannot go on accumulating all other races throughout South East Asia and “calling them as brothers/sisters”.
Rather, he said that one should be realistic and not idealistic.
“Let us talk of our own domestic problem,” Imchen said and reiterated that Naga integration was not the sole responsibility of the Nagas of Nagaland.
Imchen also disclosed that he gained a profound understanding of the Prime Minister’s vision and mission for the country after joining the BJP in 2023 during the 13th house.
He acknowledged prime minister Modi’s commitment to uplift India and transforming it into a developed economy by 2047 through innovative centrally sponsored programmes. Imchen also described Centre’s initiatives as “down-to-earth research schemes”.
He said that while the PM sets the direction, the success of those flagship programme relied heavily on the effective implementation by the state government, departments, and the people of the state.
Imchen asked the village councils attending the programme to come forward with how different departments in the district were implementing the Central Schemes in their respective villages.
The participants led by the advisor, later took a joint pledge of “Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra”.
The programme also included testimonies of success stories by beneficiaries under various schemes, cultural performance, felicitation of achievers by various departments, awareness on various schemes, screening of recorded message of Prime Minister on VBSY, photo session and quiz.
There was also on-spot registration of beneficiaries: Aadhar, PM-UJJWALA, PMMVY and various schemes, health camp and TB Screening.
The programme was chaired by EAC Seyievilie Pfukri, while vote of thanks was proposed by assistant commissioner Mokokchung, Ajit Kumar.