Rio trust on Modi govt will not solve Nagaland issues

KOHIMA: The Congress on Monday claimed that the people of Nagaland had trusted the Narendra Modi government at the Center to solve their problems, but their hopes have been dashed as there has been no move in that direction in the last eight years.
Addressing a press meet, All India Congress Committee media and publicity department chairperson Pawan Khera also said that Chief Minister and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) chief Neiphiu Rio “has given the BJP had brought to the state”, and together, the two parties are responsible for the “disorder” in Nagaland.
The NDPP has entered into a seat-sharing deal with the BJP for the Nagaland assembly elections to be held on February 27. Counting of votes will take place on March 2.

“It is sad that Nagaland trusted someone in Delhi to remove AFSPA and solve other problems, but nothing happened in the last eight and a half years. People believed his words, but his Hopes are dashed,” Khera said in reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cover-up.
Khera noted that Modi had announced in 2019 that a final settlement of the Naga peace talks would be reached in a few months, but years have passed since then and no resolution is in sight.

He appealed to people to vote sensibly considering the “unfulfilled promises” of Rio, PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“All these are fake assurances… BJP and RSS are famous for making such false promises,” he said, adding that Modi and Shah “thrived on divisive policies, fault lines and conflicts”.
The Congress leader urged people to vote for their candidates, as “our party’s manifesto is very constructive and it will fulfill every word of it”.

Out of 60 seats in the state, Grand Pranai Party is contesting in 27 seats.

He asserted that the time had come to “end the Rio-led government” in the state.
Asked if the Congress was planning to collaborate with other parties, Khera asserted that the final decision on such matters would be left to its local leaders.

The Congress currently lacks any MLA in the 60-member House. He last won eight seats in 2013, but later joined the MLA Naga People’s Front.