Oppn party claims that ex-CMs were not even consulted before the pact was announced
New Delhi : Even while maintaining that the Congress fully supports the attempt to find a lasting peaceful solution to the Naga problem within the ”constitutional framework” the main opposition party has launched an all-out attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi had charged that the chief ministers were not consulted before the accord was announced by the PM, the party has listed several infirmities in the process. “Nobody has even bothered to brief them, perhaps not in detail, but even in a wide sense. After all, the CMs are directly
affected, be it Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh or Assam. So, what do I take from this? From this I take that this government is arrogant,” she had said.
At a media briefing in the presence of three chief ministers- Tarun Gogoi ( (Assam), Okram Ibobi Sigh ( Manipur) and Nbam Tuki ( Arunachal Pradesh) party spokesperson Randeep Surjwala accused the minister of state (independent charge) for corporate affairs Nirmala Sitharman had misled the nation by stating that the Congress chief ministers did not respond to the Prime Minister”s invite for a consultation meeting. ”The meeting was related to the Niti Aayog, and the consultation was for the Land Acquisition bill 2015.
The Congress chief ministers had conveyed their decision to boycott this meeting well in advance, but neither the Prime Minister nor the Modi Government state or circulate orally or in writing any agenda regarding the Naga peace accord for the meeting,” he added.
Surjewala added that the prime minister has violated the principles of cooperative federalism by not consulting the chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur over the matter. “Congress fully supports the attempt to find a lasting peaceful solution of Naga problem within our constitutional framework. It is with this view in mind we have welcomed this initiative of the government for a peace agreement with NSCN (IM), but we also deprecate in strongest possible terms, attempt by certain elements within ruling establishment to politicise the peace agreement in interest of the country,” he observed.
In a strong criticism of the Prime Minister”s conduct, Surjewala said that although the accord has been signed on August 3rd, there has been no statement in Parliament on the subject. ”The political parties also have not been taken into confidence, and briefed about the contours of the accord,” he added.
On his part, Gogoi also accused Modi of violating the principles of democracy by not consulting the north-eastern states over the accord. Questioning as to how the interlocutor RN Ravi could sign the agreement, as there could
only be an agreement signed between NSCM (IM) and the government of India, he said: “Why is the government keeping such an agreement as secret. To keep such an important document under wraps raises doubts about its veracity. It also raises doubts that the peace deal might affect the interests of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
