Imphal: BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday said the death of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Taniam in Delhi is a matter of national shame and asked the Centre and the Delhi Government to shun their blame game on the issue and ensure justice for him.
He said such incidents further alienate the people of the northeastern states, which due to the “unfortunate policies” of the Congress have been neglected and have not developed in the last 60 years.
“It (the death of Nido Taniam in Delhi) is a shameful incident for the nation. I offer my prayers for the boy and his family…There is lack of governance there. There are cases of atrocities on women. “I hope the Government of India and the Government of Delhi come out of the blame game and works towards ensuring justice for the young boy and his family,” Modi said.
19-year-old Taniam, an Arunachal Pradesh MLA’s son, was found dead last month after he was allegedly beaten up by a group of 5-6 men in Lajpat Nagar market in South Delhi following an altercation sparked by their taunts on his hairstyle.
Modi attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for failing to ensure the development of the North East region despite representing it for the last 23 years in the Rajya Sabha.
“The Congress chief ministers invite the Prime Minister for laying foundation stone or cutting ribbons for projects but it ends there and nothing happens afterwards,” he said.
The BJP leader said the NDA Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had taken the initiative of creating a separate ministry for the northeastern region and taken steps to develop it but the Congress governments in the state and the Centre “have been indulging in corruption only”.
The BJP leader listed the issues of insurgency and the drug-trafficking as the ones impacting northeast and accused the Congress government in the state of failing in its efforts to control the menace.
He said insurgency was also leading to “fake encounters” which is going to further spoil the situation. Modi said the BJP will work towards developing the potential of herbal industry, horticulture and agro-processing industries when it comes to power. (PTI)
Nido’s parents vow to fight against discrimination
Itanagar: The parents of Nido Tania, the Arunachal Pradesh student allegedly beaten to death in New Delhi, have said they will continue their fight against discrimination against the Northeast community in other parts of the country. “Our son would never come back again from his heavenly abode but his sacrifice should never go in vain,” Parliamentary Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) Nido Pavitra and his wife Marina Nido told reporters here on Friday.
“We’ll be going to Delhi along with a team of lawmakers led by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki soon to press for enactment of an anti-racial law, installing his statue in the national capital as a symbol of anti-racism and initiating all possible measures to prevent recurrence of such incident in any part of the country,” they said. (PTI)
Modi blames Centre for lack of development in NE
Imphal: BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday blamed the Centre for lack of development in the northeast since Independence and said a proper policy for the purpose had not been framed by it.
Modi, who addressed a public rally attended by a large crowd despite a general strike called by a militant outfit, also took on the state governments in the region, saying lack of policies by them and the Centre had made northeast face extremism, insurgency and militancy problems.
Minutes before he landed here, a militant outfit ambushed a posse of Assam Rifles personnel and killed one of them and injured three others at Lambisa in Manipur’s Ukhrul district.
During his hour-long speech, Modi said it was due to the lack of development in the region that its people could not take part in the development work in the national mainstream and stressed on the need for peace to usher in progress and development.
It was former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had initiated steps for the all-round development of the region by ordering all Central government departments to spend 10 per cent of their budget on it, he said. “If BJP comes to power (in the next general election), we will frame proper policy and solve all these problems so that people of the region enjoy the fruits of development.”
“People from the northeast are being looked down on in Delhi because of the Central government’s lack of attention for them. We will do everything possible to put all the people of the country — whether they are from the northeast or elsewhere– on par,” he said.
BJP, he said, condemned the killing of the Arunchal Pradesh student in the national capital last week.
Blaming both Centre and the Manipur government for “rampant corruption” in the state, Modi said Rs 500 crore meant for development of Loktak lake, the only fresh water lake in the north east, had been misappropriated by those in the ruling party.
He said China was exporting herbal medicines and plants to the rest of the world, while northeast, endowed with a wealth of flora and fauna, lagged far behind. If the natural resource was utilised for developing proper medicines, the youth of the region would find employment and need not go to other states to look for jobs, he said. Modi later flew to Guwahati to attend another public meeting there. (PTI)