Cong has genuine care and clarity for Nagas: Khera

All India Congress Committee (AICC) media and publicity department chairperson, Pawan Khera said Congress party since the time of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, has always had genuine concern and clarity for Nagas and continues even till today.
Addressing media at Hotel Shunammite Inn here Tuesday, Khera reminded that it was late Rajiv Gandhi who had promised to fulfil the demand to hold talks at the highest level which he announced in Dimapur two days before his assassination in 1991. Khera also pointed out that Congress party fulfilled the demand that Naga talks be held at the highest level when prime minister PV Narsimha Rao initiated the talks in Paris.
Khera said Congress party was ready to resume the Naga talks “to achieve fruition unlike the procrastinators of the day-DAN government.”
He said prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1995 again reiterated the position of the Congress on June 12, when he had said in Paris that “I believe in a Political Solution, we must solve the problem through political dialogue. We should be patient enough and tolerant in tackling the problem”.
Khera said Congress-led governments were the only ones to had first agreed to hold talks at the highest level (Prime Minister’s level) as “demanded by rebel brothers with the NSCN and other Naga Rebels.”
Khera however alleged that chief minister Neiphiu Rio has always acted with a mala fide intention, by “conveniently constituting and chairing a consultative committee for peace” during the rule of UPA led by Congress during 2004-2014, and then disbanding it at his own convenience.
He demanded that chief minister Rio should declare to the people of Nagaland as to what his real intention has always been about.
“The gambit of six-month deadline started in 2003 with Rio’s election slogan and here we are with PM Modi at the center echoing the eternally corrupt Chief Minister’s conduct,” Khera said.
He also reaffirmed that the priority of the Congress party would be safeguarding the interests of Nagaland on all fronts.
Khera said the “real intention” of Rio had been to mislead the trusting people of Nagaland “because he couldn’t have possibly solved the Naga Political issue within six months as per his party’s slogan in 2003” because he always wanted to buy time to remain in power.
He said that Congress had always had an open heart and a transparent approach of strategic resolution towards the peace-loving people of Nagaland. Khera said it was “impossible” to look away from the “procrastination and dilatory tactics” that have ever been at the core of modus operandi of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN).
He said that Rio-led government has worked in tandem with BJP government at the centre to “widen the rift between the seven sisters especially with respect to Nagaland” adding that it would be Congress’ priority to mend that.
Khera said that the honest people of Nagaland were “all set to oust dishonesty” and bring in transparency with the Congress.
He said people were ready for change and expressed confidence that Congress would win the election, form government and deliver good governance to the state of Nagaland.
Also speaking at the press conference, NPCC president K Therie said that Naga intellectuals have lost an independent mind to decide the future as they were rather, “Slaves of money and power”.
Therie noted how candidates were rushing to join other political parties such as Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which he said, had no presence at all in Nagaland and have no stand on any issue or word.
Claiming that LJP was part of NDA and close to prime minister Modi , Therie said that the intent of LJP-BJP was to eliminate NDPP.
Theire said people of Nagaland would decide whom to vote for. He said that the Congress was confident that even the weakest candidate will be able to win through the party’s manifesto. Therie said the source of power behind Congress was that it has confidence of returning to power in 2024 at the Centre.