The Congress wanted to celebrate India’s diversities while the BJP-led government at the centre wants to impose “artificial uniform” across the country,
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, and in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh has said that while prime minister Narendra Modi has been talking about “one nation, one election, and one tax”, but the Congress cannot stoop to another long-term plan (s) of the BJP which is “one nation, one language” which is detrimental to the society.
Addressing media persons at Congress Bhavan in Dimapur on Tuesday, Jairam termed that the 18th Lok Sabha elections would be a battle between “unity & uniformity” where it was informed that the Congress wanted to celebrate India’s diversities while the BJP-led government at the centre wants to impose “artificial uniform” across the country.
Alleging that the BJP has removed Article 370 from the very Constitution of India, while the Article 371 (A) which was included in the year 1963, the year when Nagaland became the 16th state of India, Jairam said that the same Article 371 (A) protects the culture and tradition, languages, religion, ownership and transfer of lands which according to him is now under threat.
He went on to add that the Article 371 (B) for the state of Assam, Article 371 (C) for Manipur, Article 371 (F) for Sikkim, Article 371 (G), for Mizoram, and Article 371 (H) for the state of Arunachal Pradesh are also under threat but at the same time added that Nagaland under para 4 of the Article 371 (A) has a distinction that the parliament of India will not have any jurisdiction on the transfer, and ownership of land and its resources, which accordingly will be the responsibility of the NLA which earlier has provided special provisions for the state but now at present is under attack.
On the protracted Naga political issue, Jairam Ramesh mentioned that after more than 25 years of negotiations, it was in the year 2015 wherein Narendra Modi made a public announcement about the “Framework Agreement” with the NSCN (IM) and the government of India. He lamented that till date, the Nagas doesn’t know the content and the details about the agreement.
“Nine years have gone by, promises have been made but Modi’s say of election for solution is yet to be pondered upon”, said Jairam while mentioning that Modi was creating a space for “confusion” amongst the Nagas.
He also questioned on why details of the framework agreement have not reached in the Naga public domain.
Later, Jairam attacked on the BJP led NDA government at the Centre while also mentioning that the NDPP is not a political party but a “washing machine” of the BJP and for which the Congress is strengthening the very “unity in diversity”.
Envisioning that very soon outcome of the mandate of the people of the country would be known on June 4, the AICC general secretary also highlighted some genuine grievances faced by common people for which INDIA Bloc was formed to address the many grievances including injustice faced by the women, youths, farmers, and also the social injustice meted out to many.
He further supplemented that the Congress or the 28 parties of INDIA Bloc are clear in its directions in order to save the “sacred documents”, the Constitution of India, and also saving the democracy of the country.
The visiting AICC general secretary, and in-charge of communications, was accompanied by AICC secretary in-charge, Nagaland, Ranajit Mukherjee, and INC spokesperson and media coordinator, NER, Mathew Antony, at the press conference.
Another press conference has been convened on April 10 (Wednesday) at the Congress Bhavan, Kohima.