BJP National Vice President and a prominent Naga leader, M Chuba Ao, has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visionary decision to bring a mega international event involving around 60 countries at the very doorsteps in Nagaland.
The successful hosting of the G20 Business Summit in Nagaland on April 5 is a unique achievement of the NDPP-BJP Government in the State, but the “full scale” credit should go to the Prime Minister, he said.
“When we in the BJP say, ‘Modi Hae toh Mumkin Hae’ and that the Prime Minister is a different material as a team captain and administrator, our detractors know only to dismiss this without applying mind. But we mean it. The G20 event in Kohima is a clear proof of that,” he said.
On this backdrop, he referred to the mega controversy of 2012 when during the UPA regime when some envoys from European countries had visited Nagaland.
“If you recall, in 2012, Ambassadors of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia visited Nagaland to explore investment opportunities and the Union Home Ministry then raised questions about it… Well, that was the Congress era when everything was supposed to have been tolerant and democratic,” M Chuba Ao said in a sarcastic tone.
In contrast, he said the BJP-led Government headed by PM Modi allowed delegates from as many as 60 countries to visit Nagaland and deliberate on economic and business opportunities openly.
“Look at the contrast….there is administrative cohesiveness. All ministries work in coordination with each other under the supervision of PMO under PM Modi. This is what we need in the 21st century….The governance should be open and also reflect faith in our own people. Under Congress, there was a suspicion as if five ambassadors will come and encourage insurgency,” M Chuba Ao stated.
“I hope the Naga leaders and intellectuals will also apply their mind on these”.
“We firmly believe PM Modi means business….This fact was proved at Kohima on April 5 and it has been proved in the past as well. Those who try to spend time only finding faults with BJP and PM Modi should reflect on certain facts of life and administration,” he said.
Referring to reports in a section of media as the BJP’s regional partner NDPP has lauded the State Government for hosting the G20 meet, M Chuba Ao said, “I am not against that….please do not misunderstand my point. What I am trying to say is that the insurgency as a political issue is still there as it was in 2012. Neiphiu Rio was the Chief Minister and see the embarrassment everyone faced when it was reported that the Union Home Ministry was not happy over the visit of the European delegation”.
In 2012, national media reported that the Ministry of External Affairs, which had given clearance to the visit, was ‘questioned’ by the Union Home Ministry why the delegation met state politicians without ‘mandatory security clearance’.
It may be noted that the episode in April-May 2012 had possible links to the Congress party’s internal bickering as P Chidambaram was Home Minister while S M Krishna was External Affairs Minister.
Salman Khurshid, a trusted aide of Sonia Gandhi, later replaced the aging Krishna from October 28, 2012.
Officials in Kohima claimed that Nagaland received various investment proposals worth Rs 4,510 crore in a range of sectors during the 3-day B2B and B2G meets under India’s G20 presidency.
It is high time to open international borders for enhanced trade and commerce between northeastern states and neighbouring countries, stated Union Minister of State for External Affairs Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh at Nagaland capital, Kohima, on April 5. He said the Central Government is committed to deliver development to the last-mile villages.
About 100 Business to Business (B2B) interests have been generated during the G20 business meet at Kohima.
