The NPCC strongly believes that raising developmental issues of collective interest is in no way a dilution of the Naga political issue and sees no reason why the two issues cannot be addressed simultaneously, it said.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Saturday issued clarifications on a news article published by a regional news agency on former Nagaland minister and former PCC president K Therie’s comment on the remarks made by Congress MP from Nagaland, S. Supongmeren Jamir, during his maiden speech in the Lok Sabha.
According to NPCC communications department, K Therie’s assertion that there was no need for the Congress MP to back the Chiethu Airport, terming it as a “pet project” of Nagaland chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, has no relevance as the MP never never mentioned any particular site for the Airport in his speech.
As expected of an elected representative of the state, Therie said the Member of Parliament had risen above politics and made a bipartisan demand for the development of an Airport in Kohima in the greater public interest, which incidentally is also in line with the Government of India’s goal of achieving cent percent air connectivity of all the state capitals in the Nation.
Moreover, the NPCC strongly believes that raising developmental issues of collective interest is in no way a dilution of the Naga political issue and sees no reason why the two issues cannot be addressed simultaneously, it said.
Secondly, as far as MP, Supongmeren’s statement on the Naga political issue was concerned, NPCC felt that with the amount of time allotted to him, which the NPCC acknowledged the leadership of the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Speaker of the August House, he had clearly and sufficiently spelt out the long cherished cries of the people of Nagaland for a final negotiated settlement between the Government of India and the Naga Political Groups (NPGs).
“We concede that one single speech might not be enough to cover all our pressing issues, but it has clearly reaffirmed and set the tenor of our Hon’ble MP’s unwavering commitment in representing the voice of the people of Nagaland in the coming days”, NPCC added.
In this regard, the NPCC has urged its former leader, K Therie, to refrain from confusing the people on the official stance of the NPCC on important issues including the Naga political peace process and other developmental issues of public interest (s).
Meanwhile, when contacted, K Therie, told this correspondent that the issue about the Chiethu airport at Kohima was raised by some media persons while he was in Delhi asking about the “pet project” however, he told them that the concerned “pet project” is under the constituency of Nagaland chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, which was proposed to link the state capital through air connectivity.
He mentioned that it was proposed in the year 2003 when late T Talinungsang was the transport minister, Nagaland, where he was directed to make a project report of the same.
Therie questioned that when Rio and his party and allies are ruling the state for the last more than 20 year, what was the need of the MP to raise or speak on a project which was already a “pet project” of Rio’s village land or his constituency by citing “It was all unnecessary but what prompted him to speak, I don’t know.”
He went on to add that as a Congressman, he cannot support something which is not at all viable for the people of Nagaland as according to him maximum air passengers are from Dimapur airport and they cannot be expected to travel up to Kohima and fly to their destinations.
Keeping all these in mind the hardship that the people might face, the central government might not have approved or implemented of the Chiethu Airport, Kohima, which was also not put any of the Congress’s election manifestos till date.