Graft-free Growth is Key for Nagaland: Guv-designate

Padmanabh Acharya, Governor-designate of Nagaland, on Tuesday said tourism and equal development could change the face of the northeastern state. 

MUMBAI : Padmanabh Acharya, Governor-designate of Nagaland, on Tuesday said tourism and equal development could change the face of the northeastern state. 

“I am in favour of corruption-free, equal development and a boost to the tourism sector in this region,” Acharya told Express.

A veteran Mumbaikar, Acharya has worked in northeastern states for several years as a full-timer of the RSS’ student wing, the ABVP. “The people of Nagaland as well as the entire Northeast region are fed up with insurgency. They want development. The problem is corruption. The fruits of development have not reached the ground level in an equal proportion,” Acharya said. The 83-year-old plans to reach Kohima on Saturday and take the oath of the office on Monday.

“There is peace only in Sikkim and Mizoram. I think that a wrong picture of Nagaland has been created in the rest of the country. The people of Nagaland are not responsible for that,” he said. Acharya, who can understand Nagamese, said one could easily learn the language if one  understands the meaning of just 500 words.

“Our universities spend a lot of money on  teaching foreign languages but no one is serious about learning languages of northeastern states. I will take some steps in this regard too,” said Acharya, who is a former member of Mumbai University’s senate.

Acharya said he had asked the Secretary to the Governor to ensure that locals wouldn’t be upset over the timing of his swearing-in.

“We should take the local climate into consideration. The sun rises at 4 am there,” he said. On his list of invitees are some friends from Manipur with whom he has family relations. “They are lovely people,” he said, pointing towards a painting on his wall depicting women from Manipur.

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