Naga political issue in final stages, PM keen for solution: Nadda

Kohima, Feb 14 (IANS) BJP President J.P. Nadda said on Tuesday that the Naga political issue is now in its final stages and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very keen for an early solution to the matter.

Addressing a joint election rally of the BJP and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Kohima, Nadda said that Home Minister Amit Shah is tirelessly working for a solution to the Naga issue and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton are witnessing this.

"A lot of efforts have been made to resolve the Naga issue. Armed Forces (Special Power) Act has been withdrawn from many police stations in Nagaland," the BJP chief said.

Referring to the demand for a separate 'Frontier Nagaland' state, Nadda said that whatever commitment is made by Amit Shah on this demand will be implemented in letter and spirit.

The influential Naga body, Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO), after getting an assurance from the Home Minister on February 4, withdrew its call to boycott the February 27 Assembly polls in support of its demand for a separate 'Frontier Nagaland' state.

Claiming that six districts -- Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator -- have been neglected for years, the ENPO has been demanding a separate state since 2010.

Nadda also said that BJP is a national party which understands regional aspirations.

"The Congress once ruled several northeastern and southern states, including Tamil Nadu, for many years. But they are nowhere to be seen now because the party failed to understand regional aspirations. Hence many regional parties came up in these states, including in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh," he said.

Nadda said that the BJP understands the national commitments with regional aspirations better than any other political party.

The former Union minister claimed that between 2006 and 2014, over 8,700 violent incidents took place in the northeastern states which have now reduced by 74 per cent.

He also said that the BJP always supports the all-round development of tribals and with this aim, a woman from the tribal community has become the President of India while there are eight tribal ministers in the central cabinet along with three Governors from the tribal community.