Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Oct. 2: Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton on Wednesday implored upon the people in the state to learn basic Hindi language to avoid uncomfortable situation in mainland India but clarified that it was not a compulsory impulsion. He said “it is not about one nation one language and it is not applicable in our state but at least we need to learn Hindi for our advantage.”
Patton was addressing the gat
hering at the ‘Sankalp Yatra’ on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi cum Sampark Abhiyan and Jan Jagaran Abhiyan (national unity campaign) on Article 370 at Town Hall in Dimapur on Wednesday.
He stated that the contractors of the four-lane road have assured to Governor RN Ravi that at least two lane road will be completed before the Hornbill festival. Describing Dimapur as the ‘face of Nagaland’, he said if there is law and order in the city, the entire state will be peaceful and called upon the citizens to do the same with sanitation as well.
The deputy CM further implored upon the media fraternity to refrain from publishing ‘unauthentic news’ saying that he has become ‘popular in social media’ because of such reports.
Patton reaffirmed the party’s commitment with its pre-poll ally NDPP, saying that the state BJP as a national party functions with the direction from the centre and that they can do nothing without their direction.
“What was the harm in meeting with the Naga political groups? They are above our state politics and why should we take kitchen politics to nation politics when they are working for Naga nation. For the sake of Naga solution, it is our duty to appeal to them for an early solution,” Patton stated.
He said that 12 BJP legislators have adopted 12 villages of Nagaland to be model villages, a first of its kind in the country; and implored the 12 lawmakers along with the party workers to pay a visit to their adopted villages, initiate plantation drive and development activities and commit to their decision. He informed that he has adopted a village in Noklak district.
Abrogation of Article 371 (A) is far-fetched
The idea that abrogation of Article 370 would impact Article 371 (A) is ‘far-fetched’, the BJP state general secretary Jaangsillung Gonmei said on Wednesday. “Article 370 was abrogated as it did not allow the central government to carry out any developmental works without the consent of state government which was creating technical problem; and because of which Jammu and Kashmir became a space of propagandas that reached international level,” he said.
Gonmei said Jammu and Kashmir was a Muslim-majority princely state with Hindu King Hari Singh, who felt forced by Pakistan after the British left, and thus ascended to India. International boundary and Pakistan were also factors, he said. He added that Article 370 was part of a temporary transition and if both Article 370 and Article 371(A) are abrogated, it will be ‘irrational’.
State BJP vice president Hurui Zeliang said that there were lot of rumours after the abrogation of Article 370 and everyone thought that it may also amend the special provision of Article 371(A) which was constituted for Nagaland. He added that Article 370 was abrogated as it was temporary and it could have been removed long time ago but was not done due to ‘lack of leadership and no concern for the country.’
“It should be clear that these two articles are quite different subject and that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has affirmed that the abrogation of Article 370 will not affect the special provision of enshrined Article 371 (A) for the northeast states,” Zeliang said.
He said it is stated in Article 371(A) that no act of parliament shall apply to the state of Nagaland in respect of the religion or social practices of the Nagas, its customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga Customary Law and ownership and transfer of land and its resources.
Article 371(B) deals with special provisions with respect to the state of Assam and Meghalaya; Article 371(C) for Manipur; and Article 371(F) for Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
