Our Correspondent
Kiphire | April 20
Organizing Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), North East in charge P Chandra Shekar Rao today suggested to the “eastern Nagaland” peoples to either join the BJP or form their own ‘eastern political party’ to strengthen their demand for a separate state. Addressing the meeting Rao said that ‘you have to let 20 legislators and your lone MP into the BJP or form ‘eastern Naga people party’ so that your demand is fulfilled at the earliest.’
The central BJP leader and BJP Nagaland officials today visited Kiphire on their way to Kohima. They are touring the areas ‘to get more input on the statehood demand’ by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) and held a meeting with civil organizations in Kiphire’s Hopongkyu hall today.
Addressing the meeting Rao said that ‘you have to let 20 legislators and your lone MP into the BJP or form ‘eastern Naga people party’ so that your demand is fulfilled at the earliest.’
Sharing his opinions on ‘Frontier Nagaland’ as demanded by the ENPO, the BJP leader said that in other parts, wherever such a demand arises, there is usually an armed group who use violence. However, in the case of “Frontier Nagaland” the demand doesn’t entail taking up arms and this aspect is unique. ‘The BJP is always there to voice your grievances in Parliament,’ Rao told the meeting.
Rao explained further that even the NSCN (IM) has also dropped the issue of sovereignty as have the other militants in the North East. The demand of the ENPO is “genuine”, he claimed but advised that it should be taken up democratically. Maintaining that the BJP government is a “people-friendly government” Rao said many developmental activities were taken up during the National Democratic Alliance government. He also recalled the packages given to Nagaland during the then Prime Minister’s visit to Nagaland.
Nagaland BJP President Chuba Ao also spoke at the interaction. He quoted Article 371 (A) and queried “50 % of budget is for ENPO people but why Nagaland government is not following it?”
