Aizawl: With state assembly elections just around the corner, a verbal promise that Congress star campaigner Rahul Gandhi made in Saitual reverberated on the streets of the small eastern Mizoram town.
People in large number from Saitual sub-divisional town and its neighbouring villages took to the streets on Monday demanding implementation of Saitual district headquarters approved by previous Mizo National Front government a few months before the 2008 elections.
As their repeated pleas to the state home minister R Lalzirliana, who is also the local legislator, proved futile, the Saitual Town Youth Organisation sent a reminder to AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi of the promise he had made during an election rally at Saitual on November 21, 2008.
Gandhi, then AICC general secretary, went on record saying, “The stillborn district headquarters announced by the MNF government shall be made fully functional by the Congress government.”
Video clips of the public meeting where Rahul made this promise was enclosed in the STYO’s letter to the Nehru-Gandhi scion.
The STYO implored Rahul Gandhi to ensure that his promise, which the people had received as a promise of Nehru-Gandhi family member, is not a vague and cheap politician’s words. In what was perceived as election-oriented move, the Zoramthanga-led MNF ministry created three new districts – Khawzawl and Hnahlan besides Saitual, a few weeks after it made very clear that creation of new districts was not feasible given the financial implications.
The three sub-divisional towns had long history of demand for a district status and the demand was being intensified ahead of the 2008 elections.
The rally at Saitual on Monday held under the banner of Saitual district implementation demand committee, passed a resolution demanding the government to make the district headquarters function before this year’s elections. (UNI)