Congress is State enemy: Zhaleo

EMN DIMAPUR, APRIL 3 THE Congress party does not want Nagas to develop or to have peace and is against the Naga culture, customs and tradition and thus it is the enemy of the State, said Zhaleo Rio, Parliamentary Secretary for Urban Development. Addressing a political rally at Molvom village this morning, Zhaleo brought to the notice of the crowd the drastic reduction of the State’s Plan allocation over the years under Congress-led UPA rule at the Centre through the insistence of the State Congress leaders and how developmental activities and the common men have been adversely affected.“The Congress party leaders both at the Centre and in the State will go down the annals of Naga history as having done the greatest disservice to the Naga people by drastically reducing the flow of funds to the State when funds for other Congress-ruled states have been hiked,” he said. “Congress leaders in the State must be gloating over the fact that they have managed to reduce the Annual Plan outlay of Nagaland for the financial year 2013-14 to Rs 2000 crore compared to 2012-13’s 2300 crore,” Zhaleo said adding that normally a 10% increase was expected. “If the Congress party thinks that this is an achievement on their part, the Naga people should come out to vote overwhelmingly on April 9 for the DAN consensus candidate and show the Congress party in no uncertain manner a befitting reply,” he said. “Also by going against the Government’s efforts to preserve our culture, customs and traditions by way of holding tribal festivals in the State, the Congress party has shown its true colour of being against our customary practices,” he said. “With friends like Congress leaders around, Nagas do not need enemies,” He quipped. “It is most unfortunate for the Naga people that the Congress leaders have been successful in convincing their High Command at the Centre to neglect Nagaland for over a decade now and it is a sad chapter in the history of Parliamentary democracy when a mature political party, professing to be playing a role of constructive opposition, has been able to do so much damage to a State as the Congress party has done,” he lamented. Echoing Zhaleo’s contention, senior NPF leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Khekiho Zhimomi who also addressed the gathering, blamed State Congress leaders of blocking funds and projects for Nagaland from the Centre. “Congress leaders do not want to bring funds for development. Rather, they take it as their bounden duty to convince their High Command to withhold sanctions for projects in Nagaland and restrict the flow of funds to the State,” Zhimomi said. Reminding the gathering which was predominantly Kuki community, that Kukis were also signatory to the historic Memorandum submitted to the Simon Commission in 1929 by members of the Naga Club, Zhimomi appealed to the voters to remain united with the majority Nagas under the dynamic leadership of DAN consensus candidate. “We need a friendly Government at the Centre to solve the protracted Naga political issue and at the same time, develop Nagaland at par with the other States of the country,” he said. “And this time, we are very sure that Congress will be voted out and that NDA will return to power. That is why we have aligned with the NDA and Neiphiu Rio, who is the Convenor of the Northeast Regional Parties’ Forum, will be the leader of not only Nagaland but the entire Northeast including Sikkim which altogether, have 25 parliamentary constituencies.” Rosy Lotha, BJP State unit Vice President blamed the Congress-led UPA Government for price rise due to its wrong economic policies thereby making the lives of the common men miserable. “The country has gone through 54 years of hardship, violence and hatred under Congress rule,” she rued. Endorsing Rosy’s views, JD (U) State unit president Mhonjan Lotha termed UPA I & II as Ten Years of Scams, Corruption and Price Rise. “While UPA leaders are flush with funds and resources through various scams and blatant corruption, States like Nagaland are given meagre funds for bare subsistence living,” Mhonjan lamented. He reiterated that AICC General Secretary and former Goa Chief Minister Luizhinho Faleiro has never come to Nagaland with plans for developing the State but comes only to make wild and unrealistic allegations and accusations against the DAN Government. “With the charity shown by the UPA I & II regimes, Nagaland would not have been able to survive and come thus far if not for the astute and visionary leadership of Neiphiu Rio who is the Political Genius of the Nagas today,” he said. NCP State unit General Secretary Miathou Krose, who had also contested unsuccessfully in the 2008 Assembly elections from Ghaspani II constituency in which Molvom village falls, termed today’s rally as a solemn and rare occasion. “This is a solemn and rare occasion when erstwhile conflicting political parties who have fought tooth and nail against each other, have come together to share the same dais in support of a consensus candidate,” Krose said. “We have been drawn together irrespective of diverse political party affiliations by the towering personality and immense capability of Neiphiu Rio,” he said. “We know for a fact that Rio, with his experience, qualities and renown will stand out prominently in the Parliament. He will be respected by all parliamentarians; his voice will be heard loud and clear in the corridors of power; his views and opinions will be held in high esteem,” Krose said and appealed to the Congress party workers and supporters to come to the mainstream of Naga politics and cast their votes for Neiphiu Rio.