KOHIMA, Mar 28(NEPS): Senior opposition Congress MLA Chingwang Konyak had informed the House on the ongoing Budget Session today that he as Member of Parliament tried his best for the interest of the people of Nagaland whenever he participated in Parliament sessions or for that matter by meeting various central leaders. He, however, made it very clear that he as MP did not have “executive power.”
Participating in the debate on the Budget today, the veteran Opposition Congress leader denied the charges made by the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio that he as MP in the past did not try for the interest of the Tuensang and Mon. Elucidating his role as MP in the past, Konyak said he had never spoken for the interest of the Mon and Tuensang or for that matter Eastern Nagas but always talked for the State of Nagaland. “I was not MP for Eastern Nagaland,” he said. “I was MP for Nagaland.” So he rubbished the Chief Minister’s attempt to malign his image.
The senior Congress MLA also pointed out that while he was Minister for the Mon and Tuensang Affairs, he had taken up many projects in those areas. He further added that many offices, official quarters, roads, and other various works had been done during his time as Minister. He said all these were in “records.” But unfortunately many were not going in these areas and as such many were unaware of what he had done during his Ministership from 1971 to 1974.
The veteran Konyak politician also informed the House that during their time, the Plan Size was Rs 7 to 8 crore only unlike today where DAN Government in Nagaland had Rs 1500 Plan Money last. “Yet we managed to implement whatever works which were to be done,” he said. “There were no corruptions at all in those days,” he added.
Konyak also charged the DAN Chief Minister who also held Financial Portfolio that they had constructed massive Government official buildings here comparing like that of skyscrapers of New York. “Whereas those buildings in these Eastern Naga areas are in pathetic condition and even school buildings remained without teachers,” he alleged. “You may talk so many things, but check yourself in rural areas what are the actual conditions,” he asked the Chief Minister.
Konyak also reminded that even out of 46 schemes under DONER Ministry recommended by the DAN Government last year, only 2 were recommended for Tuensang and Mon.
“One may say many things, but the real thing is that when money was not given,” he said. “So nothing would come up and further asked where the money, which you received Rs 1500 crore from the Government of India last year, had gone.”
“Today what happen is you are not following systematic way of functioning the affairs of the State,” Konyak charged Rio.
Explaining the economic imbalances that brought huge gap between the Eastern Nagas and the others in the State, Konyak said Government employees from the Eastern Naga areas formed only 3% and this clearly “speaks volumes” why they remained backward till today.
“The cry of the backward people is not their making,” he said. “There is history for it.”
Konyak also said initially they thought creation of DUDA would meet the objective that they would be able to catch up with the advance tribes. But this had not happened, he pointed out.
The opposition Congress also told the Chief Minister to address the current issue of ENPO sincerely, instead of blaming his MP time.
Ridiculing the claim made by the ruling MLA Deo Nukhu that sports infrastructures were there in the state and sports were doing well, Konyak said it was a shame for all of them that Nagaland stood last in the recently held 34th National Games in Jharkhand. He told the House to seek helps and other supports from Manipur who came out first in the recently held National Games for the improvement of sports activities in Nagaland.
