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DIMAPUR — Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has hit out at the performance of the Nagaland Government on infrastructure development and said the disruptive power supply, lack of clean drinking water, lack of good government schools and hospitals are a matter of concern.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday here at Hotel Shunammite Inn, Tharoor, said infrastructure has been promised but not delivered and cited the “incomplete mausoleums” like Dimapur State Stadium, High Court building, IISER and medical college.
“The money allegedly was allocated but people have not seen the results on the ground”, he said and added “the money that should be going to the people is going into the pockets of people who want to live like kings for the next five years after living like kings some years and developed their own properties extremely well.”
The star campaigner of the INC also ridiculed the manifesto of BJP saying the manifesto meant little as the “hollow promises” made in the previous state assembly election have not been fulfilled.
“Their manifesto does not even mention the political solution they have been announcing since 2015 but which has never materialised,” he said.
Shashi Tharoor said after having interacted with young Nagas in Kohima and Dimapur, he was of the opinion that the youths are seriously concerned about their future, and in particular about unemployment and corruption, which are undermining their dreams.
He also stated that the BJP had earlier asked the Congress party to debate on the BJP manifesto and Congress had accepted the challenge, demanding that the BJP explain its stand on three issues - the solution to the Nagaland political issue when the BJP had said it was going to be 'Election For Solution' in 2018, protection of Article 371 A, and to condemn and take action against Janjaati Dharma Sanskriti Suraksha Manch (JDSSM) operating from Guwahati, Assam, calling for delisting of Christian tribals.
But with the Clean Election Movement (CEM) of Nagaland Baptist Church Council asking candidates to a debate and after the NPCC president K Therie publicly announced that he was ready for a debate, the BJP had reportedly sent a text message to a well known Nagaland daily that they will not be debating, Shashi Tharoor said.
“What is making them frightened of a debate? Why are candidates running from Common Platform events? If they have been in power for 20 long years, they need to answer people's questions,” the Congress leader said.
Stating that the citizens of India are gravely concerned about the increasing attacks on Christian churches in many states since last Christmas, including neighbouring Assam, Tharoor assured that he would raise the issue of attacks on Christian in the Parliament.
“It is not enough for the BJP to distance itself from such incidents. When will the Prime Minister openly condemn them? The BJP cannot be allowed to deceive the public by encouraging one kind of behaviour in the Hindi belt and speaking a different language in Nagaland,” Shashi Tharoor added.