Solution to Nagaland political issue long overdue, Congress is hope for development: Tharoor

Tharoor said the government must provide regular power supply, serviceable roads, quality drinking water and good healthcare and education

Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said the solution to the Naga political issue was long overdue and the grand old party wanted to see it resolved.

Addressing an election rally at Congress Bhavan here, he said Nagaland lacks basis amenities such as water, electricity, health and road infrastructure even 60 years after attaining statehood and that his party is the hope for development and progress of the northeastern state.

"Nagas deserve better than this kind of deception, corruption, dishonesty and inefficiency," he said, adding that some Nagas have prospered in the last decade while the masses have been left behind.

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Noting that the Congress tried but did not succeed in resolving the issue, Tharoor, however, said, "The Narendra Modi government had in 2015 announced that Naga accord was achieved but later backtracked saying it was only a Framework Agreement. They are now saying that talks are underway."

In 2019, the then Nagaland Governor and Centre's interlocutor for Naga peace talks, R N Ravi, had declared that the issue would be resolved in only three months but four years have passed since then, Tharoor said, while blaming the BJP for "deceiving" the people.

On basic amenities, the MP from Kerala said the government must provide regular power supply, serviceable roads, quality drinking water and good healthcare and education.

"Such basic essentials are the core need of any human being in any area but the government of the day has failed to provide these," he said.

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Tharoor wondered where was the promised Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and high court for Nagaland.

The Congress leader alleged that the BJP has been "fooling" Nagas by saying one thing in the northeastern state and something else in other parts of the country.

"The BJP should not be allowed to conceal its basic orientation, that is belief in 'one nation, one religion, one language, one culture and one leader'," he said, citing attacks on religious minorities and wondering why the BJP government remained silent.

Tharoor asserted that Congress celebrates the Constitution of the country and respects diversity of the country.

On how the Congress hoped to form the government by contesting only 23 seats in the 60-member assembly, he said it was an era of coalition and hoped that if his party wins enough seats, other like-minded parties will come together to bring a change.

"Currently, we don't have any MLA in the assembly but Congress is the hope for development and solution to long-pending problems to make a better Nagaland," he added.

Elections to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 27 and votes will be counted on March 2.