KOHIMA, OCT 20 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) made it clear that the two-day Nagaland visit by the Union Minister Oscar Fernandes along with his lady wife was a private one and had no connection whatsoever with the ongoing peace process nor were there any State official activities.
Clarifying to complaints raised by ruling NPF and BJP parties that the Union Minister’s latest visit to Nagaland would send wrong signals to various sections as he did meet the State cabinet and civil societies, the NPCC said the Union Minister, being a CWC Member and also in-charge of North East Congress Committee had come to Nagaland to address the PCC members’ meet on October 19, 2005 at Congress Bhavan, Kohima.
Expressing surprise on the hue and cry made by the ruling NPF and BJP parties in the State for the Union Minister’s not meeting the State Cabinet and civil society, the NPCC asserted that Fernandes, being the Union Minister had been accorded as a State Guest. At the same time, he being a convener of the Parliamentary Forum for HIV/AIDS also took the opportunity of meeting the State Chief Minister to discuss about the upcoming HIV programs in the State in particular and northeast in general, besides common interests. “Otherwise his two-day visit to Nagaland has no connection at all with the ongoing peace process or any other official activities in the State, although he is the chief negotiator of the Government of India in the ongoing peace process with the NSCN (IM),” it stated.
The Union Minister however expressed his happiness on the fruitful dialogues they had in their latest round of political talks with the NSCN (IM) leadership when media persons caught him in the airport and after the PCC meeting in Kohima.
Ridiculing the statements of NPF President Dr Shurhozelie and BJP leader Mozamo Ngullie, the NPCC informed that they should not blame the Union Minister for their failures to meet him as whoever made an effort to contact or meet him during his stay in the State were given the opportunity to meet him. “They should also not be confused on the accord given to the visiting Union Minister as these are the established rules in parliamentary form of Government like ours,” the NPCC statement pointed out.
