Congress slams PM Narendra Modi for silence on Naga issue

KOHIMA: A senior Congress leader today expressed dismay over the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Naga peace process during his two-day visit to the state and said it amounted to "disregard" of the political issue.

"The Prime Minister has disregarded our political issue. It is the desire of Naga people to have an early solution to the problem but the silence of the Prime Minister has reflected the actual motive of the NDA government at the Centre," former President of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee K V Pusa said in a statement here.

At a time when Naga people were expecting something from Modi on resolution of the Naga issue, his silence spoke volumes about the attitude of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, he said.

Criticising Modi for not meeting NSCN leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Thiungaleng Muivah despite their request to for the same, he said refusing to meet them would be held that the Prime Minister is taking no notice of Naga political issue.

He said it was imperative to meet and understand each other and give impetus to the peace process. "He should not belittle our political issue," Pusa said.

Pusa also expressed regretted that Modi did not announce a special package for the state especially when the people were longing for progress and development.

He said the Prime Minister's development package for the north-east was nothing new, as it had been programmed by the UPA government.

Meanwhile, Pusa also urged the Centre to bring to task those responsible for setting fire to a Church in Delhi yesterday.

The Prime Minister was on a two-day visit to the state starting Saturday.