Development journey changed in the northeast under Modi, says Law Minister Kiren Rijiju

New Delhi: Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the development journey in the northeast changed dramatically under the NDA regime led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“It may be a cabinet meeting or an important government function, the Prime Minister (Modi) first asks for suggestions to develop the northeastern states. All villages in Arunachal Pradesh are now connected by roads, electricity and water supply. These were something like a distant dream a decade ago,” the Minister said.

Mr Rijiju, who represents Arunachal Pradesh’s West parliamentary constituency in Lok Sabha, also said that the successive Congress governments at the Centre did not want to build proper roads in the Arunachal Pradesh villages along the India-China border as they feared that the initiative could facilitate the passage of army personnel from China.

Addressing a public rally at Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday (May 22), Rijiju said the scenario changed after the NDA came to power at the Centre.

“Former defence minister A K Anthony had openly disclosed in Parliament that the governments, since Independence, stuck to the policy of avoiding road construction along the China border out of fear that Chinese army and people would move into the Indian territory and disturb peace. It is with this mindset, the successive governments at the Centre ruled the country for decades without thinking about the development of people,” he said.

Rijiju noted that the Prime Minister entrusted him with the responsibility to ensure that every development scheme reaches the last mile and the last person.

“We did not want to distort the relations with our neighbouring country, while also ensuring that steps were taken to protect every inch of our territory. With this thought process, the Prime Minister started making plans, and today we are witnessing the light of development,” he added.