NEW DELHI: With the Congress party accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not taking the Chief Ministers of the party-ruled NorthEast states into confidence on the Naga accord, the BJP on Saturday hit out at the main Opposition party saying it had forced its CMs to retract their statements.
The BJP even reminded the Congress of the past accords, where the then Prime Ministers, belonging to the Congress, had not kept the state Chief Ministers in the loop over the key accords.
Union Minister and BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman targeted the Congress on a day when Manipur and Nagaland Chief Ministers called on the Prime Minister. The Congress had alleged that its party CMs from Nagaland, Manipur and Assam were kept in the dark about the Naga deal.
The Congress party should introspect rather than criticise the government on a measure like this which has been long awaited and engaged by several governments to make it a reality. It is not good for the country, particularly for the NorthEast. I think national interests should guide the Congress party’s approach,” Sitharaman said at the BJP head quarters here.
“To muffle their voice and make them speak against their own opinion does not speak much about any freedom of speech, freedom of expression or democracy within the Congress party,” the minister added.
She, further, asked the Congress to introspect and reminded Sonia Gandhi of the Shillong Accord signed in 1975 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did not brief or consult the Chief Ministers of the NorthEast.
The minister said that the Prime Minister had held detailed discussions with the Chief Minister, the Speaker and the members of the Nagaland Assembly, besides working in close coordination with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
The BJP alleged that the Congress CMs were forced to change their stand by Sonia Gandhi.
Sitharaman cited examples of Assam CM Tarun Gogoi and Arunachal CM Nabam Tuki, who reportedly had to delete their tweets and change their stand.