Staff Reporter
Dimapur, June 12
Minister for the Development of North East Region (DoNER), Jitendra Singh, has said that the adverse political situation in Nagaland – particularly in the wake of the recent attacks by insurgents– will adversely affect the state’s economic development and spread it to the entire northeast region.
To this, Singh has said that the central government was committed to ensuring peace and ‘tranquility’ in the state and that no force would be allowed to undermine that objective.
The minister for DoNER was addressing the media during a press conference that was conducted in the Rhododendron conference hall in Chumukedima, near Dimapur, on June 12. Also, present during the conference was RN Ravi, the Interlocutor to the Indo-Naga peace talks.
“In the context of the unfortunate incident of the last one week, we thought we should be among our people and build out trust and confidence and make them realize that the government of India stands by them particularly at the time when the GOI keeps NE on the high priority,” Singh told the media persons.
“Any incident or happening which tends to interfere with the peace and tranquility will have adverse effect on the economic development of state of Nagaland and also for the entire NE region”.
He said that the ways to achieving ‘maximum benefit’ there ought to be “conductive atmosphere of peace and tranquility” to push ‘optimum growth’. The growth could be in education, economy and even prosperity-indices such as emolument.
In that context, he said in one good length: “Violence has a vicious circle and it cannot end without taking its toll. But I can assure on the behalf of the GOI that the development of the development will not be allowed to suffer on account of violence, GOI desire for peace and look forward to an era of development where all the groups of society live with amity and co existence with the common objective of enabling this region to grow at par with mainstream of other parts of the country”.
While refusing to comment on the currently sensitive security situation, he said that the center is sincere to the cause of the north east region. “Therefore, any situational incident that happened there is no reason for apprehension or misgiving,” he said. Some time, he added, one must understand that the ‘disruptor of peace have to be checked to maintain peace’.
Iterating against falling to any apprehension and misgiving, the DoNER minister said, “This is the best time for the NE region because under Modi. I don’t think NE got the kind of importance and priority.
The intention of India is very clear and positive”, he said.
The GOI is more than eager and there is no laxity complacence of the part of the government of India, he added.
Also, while not engaging in a full interaction with the media, Interlocutor RN Ravi also offered some passing comments about the Indo-Naga peace talks. ‘My part is to take the Indo-Naga peace talks forward to a logical conclusion which would acceptable and gainful for the Nagas,’ he said in one comment.
