KOHIMA — Congress candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat of Nagaland, S Supongmeren Jamir, on Monday urged the electorate to vote for ‘secularism’ in the upcoming general elections.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Kohima, Jamir, who is also the president of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), claimed that the Bhartiya Janata party (BJP) government at the Centre is attempting to, “remove secularism from the Indian Constitution”.
To protect secularism, equality, and the interest of the people, there has to be representation in the Parliament, he said, asserting that the Congress is fully committed to advocating for the rights of the state.
He went on to urge the voters to support the Congress party, saying that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has directed the NPCC to convey and deliver justice, peace and equality to the people of the state.
Critiquing the politics of the Narendra Modi-led government, Jamir alleged that a systematic plan has been set to ‘trap’ the people of the state, and unless citizens voice out and vote against such policies, the state is going to face problems like the rest of the north-eastern states.
He also claimed that the ‘BJP-RSS led government’ has put the 60 MLAs of Nagaland in a ‘difficult situation’ under an opposition-less government.
Jamir also expressed concern over the ‘overloaded boat’ of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who he claimed is constrained by the opposition-less government and BJP rules.
‘In a party system, the high command is the highest authority and they (60 MLAs) are all bound by the RSS-BJP government authority. Even our leaders are bound by the BJP rules, and we cannot expect our public to receive any deliverance from that,’ he added.
He questioned the BJP government’s handling of the Naga political issue, accusing it of putting the issue on hold with two agreements, and ‘playing in such a way that there is an opposition-less government’.
The 60 elected members may feel for the Nagas but they are not in a position to project the problem of the state because they are under the high command of the BJP which is ruled by RSS, he reiterated.
On demand for FNT
Further, the Congress candidate alleged that the government of India is intentionally delaying the creation of Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) to divide the Nagas.
Stating that the grievances and demands brought out by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) are ‘very genuine,’ he claimed the Centre is imposing a ‘divide and rule’ policy and making one commitment after the other, without actually having a solution at hand.
Jamir said that the ENPO’s decision to abstain from state and central elections was justified, and their genuine demand must be supported. While their non-participation will surely affect the electioneering process, “when they have reasons, we have to support them,” he added.
Calling upon the Naga people to come forward and show the BJP government that they are citizens who stand for truth and unity, he urged the voters to give the Congress a chance to stand for the people in the Parliament.
Meanwhile, it was informed that the ticket distribution ceremony along with the official launch of campaign is likely to be held on March 26.