Congress dubs Rijiju’s remarkas ‘deeply problematic’

Congress party has strongly reacted to the Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s remark that people of North Eastern Region must be grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the unprecedented attention and support given to the region over the past decade.
In a press release, AICC minority department national coordinator and in-charge of Manipur Rajesh Kumar Sethi described Rijiju’s remark as “deeply problematic”, saying it exposed the BJP’s patronizing mindset toward the region.
Sethi maintained that the Prime Minister of India was not doing a favour to the Northeast, but he was “simply performing” his constitutional duty. “Roads, jobs, connectivity, drinking water, and security are not gifts from the ruling party, they are entitlements of every citizen in a democracy,” Sethi said.
He questioned whether people should express gratitude for being given what was already their right? “Or should we hold our elected leaders accountable for failing to deliver on promises, especially when they come to power by making grand declarations?” Sethi asked.
He recalled that in 2015, Prime Minister Modi “pompously declared” that a final Naga Peace Accord would be concluded within just a few months. However, Sethi said that even after nearly a decade, the situation has only worsened.
Sethi questioned whether this was the “development” the people of Nagaland or the region were expected to be grateful for? “Or do we deserve a candid explanation of how a hastily promised solution has devolved into a prolonged and deepening crisis?” he further asked.
Describing the ground situation of Dimapur, widely regarded as one of the key economic engines not just of Nagaland but the region at large, as “deeply troubling”, the Congress leader said the city was at present reeling under the devastating effects of severe flooding and a complete collapse of basic infrastructure. “Where is the gratitude supposed to come from, when even basic governance is missing?” Sethi asserted.
He said Congress party always believed in serving people, not seeking applause. Sethi said the party wanted people to question more, demand better, and receive what they deserve, not crumbs handed out with a photo opportunity.
Meanwhile, AICC in-charge also stated that the Prime Minister has remained “a silent spectator” even as Manipur continued to bleed. “Despite over 200 deaths, thousands displaced, and countless homes and churches burnt, PM Modi has not set foot in Manipur since the outbreak of violence,” he maintained.