Narayanasamy slams Modi Govt for ‘neglecting’ region
SHILLONG: While accusing the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre of being non-committal to the growth and development of the North East, AICC general secretary in charge Meghalaya, V Narayanasamy said that the intention to remove the special category status of the North Eastern States is a reflection of the BJP-led NDA government’s indifferent attitude towards the people of the region.
According to him, the Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled States in the region will meet the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and Finance Minister to impress on the need to retain the special category status in the interest of the people of the area.
“We will continue to fight for the special category status for NE both inside and outside the Parliament. We will not allow the BJP to remove the special category status at any cost,” he said while addressing newsmen here on Saturday.
“Once the special category status is removed, the North Eastern States will get only 30 per cent grant from the Centre and 70 per cent will have to be borne from the State funds. This will have a huge impact (in the developmental activities) since there will be shortage of funds and infrastructure cannot be created. The North Eastern States will ultimately become backward,” Narayansamy said.
Accusing the NDA of neglecting the NE states Narayansamy said, “The Central Ministers are visiting Meghalaya frequently. The Ministers come here and conduct meetings but the result is zero. No schemes are sanctioned and funds are not provided. Ultimately, they say they have visited the North Eastern States.”
He also pointed out that the funds which were flowing to the North Eastern States from various Ministries and NEC and State budget under centrally sponsored schemes have now been curtailed.
“The NDA is trying to pounce on the Congress ruled states in the region. The BJP cannot claim that they will give the best to the region especially Meghalaya because of the religious fundamentalism and apathy towards NE,” Narayanasamy said adding that the BJP’s only mission is Hindutva.
He further said that the move to ban cow slaughter is another attack on the religious sentiments of the people.
“Banning beef shows the mindset of the BJP. They say that they will not implement it in Meghalaya. But this is not the issue. Why do they have to ban beef in Maharashtra where minorities including Christians live,” the AICC general secretary in charge of Meghalaya asked.
‘BJP responsible for extended ban on rat hole mining’
Meanwhile, the AICC general secretary in charge Meghalaya has blamed the BJP-led Government at the Centre for the continued ban on rat hole mining in the State.
“The BJP Government chose to remain silent on the ban even after Shillong MP Vincent Pala it of the points related to the exemption of Meghalaya from the ban as per the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” Narayanasamy told a gathering of party workers in Nongstoin on Friday.
The Congress leader said that the BJP did not take any steps to follow up the matter.