The whirlwind visit of Congress president Sonia Gandhi to Nagaland, where she spent just a few hours in the two districts of Dimapur and Mokokchung and the manner in which she addressed the people speaks volumes of the difference between the NPF and the Congress. The contents of Sonia Gandhi’s speech are also shocking to all sections of the people.
Sonia Gandhi is considered as one of the most influential women in politics not just in India but throughout the world. Well known agencies and publications consider her to be one of the most powerful women in Asia and in international politics. Her stature and position are known throughout the world and even visiting heads of states call on her. It is in this context that the Naga people, cutting across party lines, were looking forward to her visit, hoping that she would enlighten the people with her vision for not just Nagaland but for the whole country. We expected to hear the roadmap of the country’s future endeavors and also the position of the north east and Nagaland in the country’s future plans.
But as we have seen and heard, she came and spoke about a cricket stadium with inaccurate facts and figures and joined the Nagaland Congress bandwagon of firing lies at the State government. The people never expected that a person of the stature of Sonia Gandhi would be brought down to such a low level of firing false allegations at a State government and dedicating much of her time to a cricket stadium project that is funded within the state’s plan funds. We though she was above such petty politics. There was neither vision nor any inspiration for any section of the people in her speeches. Rather, it manifested the Congress manifesto, which is devoid of any vision or roadmap and is filled with vagueness and non-committal language.
Sonia Gandhi’s statement on the Indo-Naga peace process has also come as a huge disappointment to the Naga people. She has not given any roadmap or clear commitment on the possibility of the Naga people realizing a political solution. Her assurance of a political solution coming soon is not convincing at all. The question we want to ask is what does she mean by soon? The ceasefire is already 16 years old and the Congress has been in power for almost 10 consecutive years. Is this not enough time? Just saying that the Congress will bring political solution soon during election season will not convince the people and the Congress should not undermine the intellect of the Nagas.
Since Sonia Gandhi seems to be very concerned for the cricket stadium and since she has got her facts and figures all wrong, we would like to bring out the truth and enlighten her and her party. Unlike Sonia Gandhi’s statement, the cricket stadium did not cost 72 crores and there were four different contractors for different components of the project. Some of the components and highlights of the stadium are as follows:-
1. Rs. 37.88 crores have been released and not 72 crores as claimed by Sonia Gandhi
2. Rs. 72 crores is the estimate of the projects if all components of the present project report are implemented.
3. The 37.88 crores spent so far includes completed components like:-
a) A separate Cricket Academy that is so far the best in the entire region
b) Installation of international quality floodlights which is the first in the state and the first in the region
c) A state of the art underground drainage system that is the first in the north east
d) Installation of generators and sheds with 1200 KVA capacity
e) Completion of public toilet block outside the stadium’s complex
f) Construction of security wall, traditional gates, periphery road and parking facility for hundreds of vehicles
g) Completion of indoor cricket pitch facilities for all weather training
h) Underground water tanks with 16 lakh litres capacity
i) Constriction of galleries, press boxes, media centers, state of the art pavilions and player facilities are already underway
The above are just some of the dozens of components under the cricket stadium. It also needs to be highlighted that the project is monitored by third party monitoring under the Government of India. The monitoring agency has observed that the facility is a genuine achievement and an excellent facility, especially in a deprived state like Nagaland. The Government of India’s monitoring agency has lauded the project and given a positive feedback on all aspects of the project and considered it as an example for other states to follow. It was observed that nowhere else in the country would a cricket complex with so many components be brought to such a standard at the cost of just 38 crores when even a single directorate building being funded by central schemes is costing 35 to 50 crores. This is the factual position of the cricket complex, which has opened new vistas for youngsters from all over the state to pursue their dreams and aspirations. Indeed the cricket complex at Sovima is a magnificent achievement of the DAN Government and a visionary project for the youth of the State for generations to come. Obviously the Congress is barking at the wrong tree. They are barking at one of our biggest achievements and contributing towards more publicity for the project. How many of them have seen the complex? Or is it a case of personalized attacks and jealousy? The people are the best judge.
(Issued by NPF Press & Media Bureau)
