Northeastern states not consulted by NDA government on security issues: Jairam Ramesh

GUWAHATI: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the NDA government is not taking Northeastern states on board on security related issues and taking decisions unilaterally.

Ramesh, who was in Guwahati on Thursday, said the BJP is out to topple the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh and put Union minister of state for Home affairs, Kiren Rijiju as the chief minister. BJP's national secretary in charge of Arunachal, Ramen Deka, however, told ET, “The Congress must keep their house in order. It is their government; they must look after it. Why is the Congress blaming others for it.“

Congress alleged that the NDA government is out to destabilize the Congress government in Northeastern states. Barring Tripura and Nagaland, which is ruled by Left Front and Regional party led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland respectively, other states including Assam Arunachal, Manipur, Mizoram and Meghalaya are ruled by the grand old party.

“Northeastern governments are not consulted on security related matters by NDA government,“ Ramesh said.

Union minister of state for sports Sarbananda Sonowal, however, refused to comment on Jairam's remark.

BJP's secretary in charge of Assam, Mahendra Singh said, “Congress is all about `lies and loot'.

As Congress has already looted the country, now they are spreading lies.Congress does not have any issue so they are spreading lies. Congress could not digest Narendra Modi's commitment to Northeast India's development.“

Ramesh alleged that there is an attempt to retard the economic development of Northeast India as NDA government has done away with the special category state status of the region.

The former union minister informed that on June 9 during the meeting of the Congress chief ministers in New Delhi it was decided that five chief ministers of Congress ruled states from Northeast India will meet the Prime Minister. “Congress will continue to raise this issue. Even former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raised the issue of special category states. Special category status is in place since 1970's. Finance of region will get severely affected. It is not a political issue but will hit the economy of the region. Several BJP MPs have voiced concern over this,“ he said.

Ramesh said, “Fiscal package of North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, 2007 (NEIIPP 2007) has been put in abeyance. Whoever they (people) voted with an expectation of Acche Din (Good Days) is now belied. Northeastern people must create pressure on the Centre for continuation of NEIIPP.“