SENIOR BJP leader LK Advani asked the central Government to make it clear what steps it has taken to use the Unique Identification Authority of India for launching an effective drive for detection, deletion (of names from the voters’ list) and deportation of illegal migrants. He said every care should be taken to ensure that foreigners are not enumerated in the ongoing 2011 census. Shri Advani was speaking at a function organised in New Delhi on August 23 to launch North-East India Sampark Cell of BJP.
Shri Advani said the north-east is facing ‘external aggression’ in the form of massive infiltration from Bangladesh. “The problem has not only endangered the very survival of Assam, but is also threatening other north-eastern states. Like previous Congress governments, UPA I and II have also chosen to be silent spectators to this aggression. Rather, they have aided and abetted this ‘external aggression’ for myopic vote bank considerations,” he said. He further said that by forming the cell at the central office, the BJP has demonstrated the importance it attaches to the challenges of development, security and national integration that the north-east faces.
BJP national president Nitin Gadkari said strong will-power, team spirit, development oriented approach and sensitiveness are required to resolve the problems of North East. “The North East region has the scope for investment for Rs 2,80,000 crore in hydro power and other sectors. We can generate over 55,000 MW hydro power in the region. Similarly, the visit of a tourist gives employment to 86 people and there is much scope for tourism also there. But we failed to draw benefit from it due to lack of vision,” he said. He said the BJP would develop a Vision Document-2025 for North-East and it would implement it when its gets the chance. He appealed to the students studying in different parts of the country or visiting anywhere in the country to take the help of BJP workers if they are in any trouble or face difficulty.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said the north-east region has been neglected on the part of the Central Government. He cited the examples of negligence to the construction of National Highways and milking of hydro power in the region. “There is a need of ‘emotional integration’ of North-East today. The new Cell created by the BJP should strengthen it,” he said, stressing the need to take all MPs to a tour of north-east so that they can realise the problems of those areas and the conditions in which the people live there. He said the attention should have been paid to the problems of north-east was not paid by the successive governments. What we need today is to devote more ‘mind space’ for North-East. Talking about the ‘physical distance’ that has developed after the creation of Bangladesh in the region, he said Bangladesh should provide a corridor to India and it may charge for it, which will financial benefit it also.
National convener of the Cell Sunil Deodhar said the Cell is an initiative to strengthen the emotional integration of other parts of the country and the north-east India. He said the Cell would try to provide active assistance to North-East people spread across the country for admissions, accommodations and city related information and employment counseling. “The Cell will also try to conduct various programmes to sensitise various audience about north-east and its people.
Earlier, Shri Tapir Gao, national secretary of BJP, said the gap between the national life and the North-East region is not good for the nation. He stressed the need to give more space to the life and contribution of some of the great personalities of north-east in school and college curriculum. Smt Bijoya Chakravarty, MP from Guwahati, proposed a vote of thanks.
(By Pramod Kumar)
