Kohima: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has accused the DAN Government, headed by Nagaland’s chief minister Neiphiu Rio, of having chosen the ‘weakest and most corrupt’ minister of Roads & Bridges to be the Home Minister of Nagaland.
The NPCC in a statement circulated to the press from its vice presidents, Nillo Rengma and Khusatho said due to the inefficient and inapt handling of the situation by the Home Minister, the existing territories of Nagaland in the borders of Assam are being systematically encroached and occupied by Assam.
It alleged that while public in border areas with Assam continue to suffer at the hands of Assam Police, be it in Dikhoi or Aoyimkum and other parts of Dimapur district, Merapani, Ladoigarh, the Home Minister is campaigning to succeed Neiphiu Rio as the Chief Minister.’ Not only are the border areas suffering due to the inefficiency of the Home Minister, stated the NPCC, but incidents like the one at Mukalimi have not been avoided.
The NPCC remarked that the ‘Mukalimi situation could have been prevented and averted but due to delayed response by the Home Minister it led to loss of precious lives and a standoff between Sumi Hoho and NSCN-IM.’
Taking up the issue of roads, the NPCC informed that ‘thousands of crores of Rupees’ have been sanctioned by the Government of India in the last tenure of five years under various road schemes such as the PMGSY, NLCPR, National Highway, E&I, NEC, SARDP-NE etc. ‘All this money has been used up without any improvement in the road conditions,’ said the State Congress, as also that even pliable roads have been reduced to non pliable roads such as Kohima – Zunheboto road and Changtonia – Longleng road.
The NPCC gave a detailed breakdown of funds sanctioned for roads like the Zhekiye to Satoi road (under NLCPR) and the Dimapur to Niuland road (NLCPR), the condition of which do not reflect the money ‘spent’ on these roads.
It also alleged that annual funds received by the Roads & Bridges Department for periodical repairs and maintenance of National Highways, as well as the 13th Finance Commission’s road maintenance fund, were drawn by supporters of the former minister of Roads & Bridges without any corresponding work. (UNI)