Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with induction of new members at Congress Bhavan here on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, NPCC president K Therie said world history had shown that despite years of conflicts, negotiations were the ultimate means for solution, adding this was where Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence was relevant till today.
He stated that after reading the 213th report of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, NPCC’s Political Affairs Committee appreciated the difficulties and realities of ongoing Naga peace process. He, however, termed 21 years of negotiation with no solution as unreasonable.
Therie remarked that a political solution was the first and foremost prerequisite for opening the gates to peace, freedom, development and economic growth. He claimed that Congress’ endeavour was to resolve the political issue through peaceful and constitutional means and that the time had come for elected leaders to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring the solution.
Therie explained that the “noble” Naga political movement began out of fear that the identity, religion, culture, customs and social practices of Nagas would be submerged “in the ocean of Hindus and Muslims”. He claimed Congress had secured Article 371 (A) and the 10-Point Modalities giving full protection, adding no other political party had done anything similar.
He alleged that all parties were now under the diktat of BJP that professed Hindutva, with NDPP even going to the extent of sharing seats in the Assembly.
On the occasion the NPCC president welcomed former AAP members who joined Congress on Tuesday and those who had joined recently like advocate Maong Ozukum, Shanglaw Konyak, Akong Phom, Temjen Yanger, all from Dimapur, and former student leader C Ezung.
He remarked that the joining of new members on such an auspicious day as Gandhi Jayanti was a blessing of sorts and set the party on a firmer growth trajectory.
Others who spoke at the programme included former AAP candidate from Ghaspani-I, Akavi N Zhimomi who joined Congress recently, NPCC general secretary Capt GK Zhimomi, NPCC secretary W Akum Yimchunger and Dimapur Congress Committee (DCC) president A Bendangyanger Ao. The programme was chaired by DCC vice-president Kikhevi Achumi. Invocation was pronounced by NPCC secretary L Chuba Yim.