WION interviewed Kiren Rijiju in Nagaland on the eve of elections in the Northeast. He spoke on the issues ranging from Naga Accord to separate time zone for the Northeast. Kiren Rijiju, in an exclusive interview, said that talks with the Naga leaders are in the last stage and could be announced soon. However, he did not give a timeline.

Q: How important is the Northeast for BJP?

A: Any election is important but NE is important because PM has set the agenda of Act East policy which can only be implemented by an honest government. Many governments in this region in past indulged in corruption. This time BJP has gone full steam to rest the power from the Congress. We are not giving a token fight. We have made an arrangement with the newly formed NDDP. We have a seat-sharing arrangement with them. I&rsquo;m overseeing the entire election and response has been tremendous.

Q: Earlier there was an impression that BJP was primarily focused on Tripura?

A: Tripura came into focus by the national media because it has been ruled by the Left party for decades and BJP unexpectedly took CPM head on. When BJP picked up, it became a big news. In Nagaland, the talks are also going on and it is a 70-year-old political problem. We need to tell the people that we are committed to solving the Naga problem. As a minister from NE, I&rsquo;m right now concentrating on Nagaland.

Q: In NE BJP did not show a leap of faith which it showed in Maharashtra and Haryana

A: In the context of Nagaland, we could have gone alone but we took sensitivities into account. We wanted a regional party to be part of &lsquo;us&rsquo; to implement the Naga Accord as and when it is signed which we are expecting soon. If we had gone alone, it would have given the impression that we are only interested in wresting away power. In Meghalaya, we are going alone. We only have an understanding.

Q: When do you intend to announce the Naga Accord? The term of the government would expire next year?

A: It is not a question of tenure. It is a question of commitment. PM from the day one has said that he wants to solve the issue. The talks are progressing smoothly and nearing the agreement which we are looking forward too. I feel that it should not take too much time. Some critical issues remain and they need to be settled and once they get resolved, we can implement it.

Q: There is lot anxiety about the details of the draft agreement or what would the accord look like

A: It was not an agreement. It was a framework agreement on which the talk would progress. It was a confidence-building measure. It is on that basis the talks have progressed. Some political parties like Congress tried to give a spin but did not work.

Q: Are you saying that by this year it could be announced?

A: If you give a timeline, the problem starts. It is not the question of how soon. It is a question of commitment and we are committed to it?

Q: NBCC wrote a letter to various political parties referring to BJP and Hindutva. Your response on it?

A: Nagaland would be governed by the Nagas. It is a Christian state. The CM, elected representatives and ministers are all Christians, so where is the question of imposition? The Constitution would guide us. No one can be discriminated on the basis of identity. Everyone is an Indian. Bringing religion into politics is not at all appreciated. If you target BJP, then someone benefits. I have said that we are a&nbsp;secular party functioning under a constitution which is secular in nature and there is no question of imposing faith on other people. Nagaland would be ruled by Naga people and there would not be any bearing on adverse impact on faith.

Q: Are you saying that church has become a political player in Nagaland?

A: We do not blame the church as not all the churches are of the same opinion. Maybe one or two people have raked up the issue to benefit a political party but we have effectively communicated to people that politics is about governance and has nothing to do with faith which is about an individual choice. No one should interfere with people&rsquo;s faith.

Q: Lot of people would say that BJP becomes another person when in the Northeast unlike what it is in the mainland

A: Obviously, India is a large country and every community has its own say in its domain area. If someone from J&amp;K goes to Tamil Nadu to say that their customs should be followed, the people will not listen. People in Nagaland have different food habits and lifestyle and they are entitled to it.

Q: Is Congress still a force in the Northeast?

A; Congress is paying a price for its misrule. They have been in Meghalaya for a long time. In Nagaland, Congress was strong but today they are not at all in the fight.

Q: Is your Mission the Northeast in line?

A: Yes, it is. One day we will be there in all the states.

Q: Elections in the Northeast are about everything but development why? It takes 3 hours to reach Kohima from Dimapur which is only 70 km away

A: Yes, I know. It is pathetic. Development has never been the agenda in an election and it was always about identity, regionalism and emotions. We are bringing back the agenda of good governance.

Q: Should Northeast have a separate time zone? What are you doing on this front?

A: This is an issue which has been raised many times. There is a concern that 1.5-hour difference leads to daytime loss. I handle a ministry which looks into this issue, so I would not like to comment on it but as a member from NE, I would say that if all the CMs from NE come forward with a coherent plan then we can think about it. But it needs to be discussed. It will have to be managed. Bhutan is half&nbsp;an hour ahead of the Indian time and Arunachal Pradesh is on the east of Bhutan still goes with the Lucknow time.

Q: Has PNB bank scam affected BJP&rsquo;s election campaign?

A: These are the scams which have genesis in Congress&#39;&nbsp;regime. If something stumbles out from our tenure then we would be responsible. It is having a positive impact on us as it did not happen during our tenure.

 
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Kiren Rijiju spoke to WION on issues ranging from the Naga Accord to separate time zone for Northeast

WION interviewed Kiren Rijiju in Nagaland on the eve of elections in the Northeast. He spoke on the issues ranging from Naga Accord to separate time zone for the Northeast. Kiren Rijiju, in an exclusive interview, said that talks with the Naga leaders are in the last stage and could be announced soon. However, he did not give a timeline. Q: How important is the Northeast for BJP? A: Any election is important but NE is important because PM has set the agenda of Act East policy which can only be implemented by an honest government. Many governments in this region in past indulged in corruption. This time BJP has gone full steam to rest the power from the Congress. We are not giving a token fight. We have made an arrangement with the newly formed NDDP. We have a seat-sharing arrangement with them. I’m overseeing the entire election and response has been tremendous. Q: Earlier there was an impression that BJP was primarily focused on Tripura? A: Tripura came into focus by the national media because it has been ruled by the Left party for decades and BJP unexpectedly took CPM head on. When BJP picked up, it became a big news. In Nagaland, the talks are also going on and it is a 70-year-old political problem. We need to tell the people that we are committed to solving the Naga problem. As a minister from NE, I’m right now concentrating on Nagaland. Q: In NE BJP did not show a leap of faith which it showed in Maharashtra and Haryana A: In the context of Nagaland, we could have gone alone but we took sensitivities into account. We wanted a regional party to be part of ‘us’ to implement the Naga Accord as and when it is signed which we are expecting soon. If we had gone alone, it would have given the impression that we are only interested in wresting away power. In Meghalaya, we are going alone. We only have an understanding. Q: When do you intend to announce the Naga Accord? The term of the government would expire next year? A: It is not a question of tenure. It is a question of commitment. PM from the day one has said that he wants to solve the issue. The talks are progressing smoothly and nearing the agreement which we are looking forward too. I feel that it should not take too much time. Some critical issues remain and they need to be settled and once they get resolved, we can implement it. Q: There is lot anxiety about the details of the draft agreement or what would the accord look like A: It was not an agreement. It was a framework agreement on which the talk would progress. It was a confidence-building measure. It is on that basis the talks have progressed. Some political parties like Congress tried to give a spin but did not work. Q: Are you saying that by this year it could be announced? A: If you give a timeline, the problem starts. It is not the question of how soon. It is a question of commitment and we are committed to it? Q: NBCC wrote a letter to various political parties referring to BJP and Hindutva. Your response on it? A: Nagaland would be governed by the Nagas. It is a Christian state. The CM, elected representatives and ministers are all Christians, so where is the question of imposition? The Constitution would guide us. No one can be discriminated on the basis of identity. Everyone is an Indian. Bringing religion into politics is not at all appreciated. If you target BJP, then someone benefits. I have said that we are a secular party functioning under a constitution which is secular in nature and there is no question of imposing faith on other people. Nagaland would be ruled by Naga people and there would not be any bearing on adverse impact on faith. Q: Are you saying that church has become a political player in Nagaland? A: We do not blame the church as not all the churches are of the same opinion. Maybe one or two people have raked up the issue to benefit a political party but we have effectively communicated to people that politics is about governance and has nothing to do with faith which is about an individual choice. No one should interfere with people’s faith. Q: Lot of people would say that BJP becomes another person when in the Northeast unlike what it is in the mainland A: Obviously, India is a large country and every community has its own say in its domain area. If someone from J&K goes to Tamil Nadu to say that their customs should be followed, the people will not listen. People in Nagaland have different food habits and lifestyle and they are entitled to it. Q: Is Congress still a force in the Northeast? A; Congress is paying a price for its misrule. They have been in Meghalaya for a long time. In Nagaland, Congress was strong but today they are not at all in the fight. Q: Is your Mission the Northeast in line? A: Yes, it is. One day we will be there in all the states. Q: Elections in the Northeast are about everything but development why? It takes 3 hours to reach Kohima from Dimapur which is only 70 km away A: Yes, I know. It is pathetic. Development has never been the agenda in an election and it was always about identity, regionalism and emotions. We are bringing back the agenda of good governance. Q: Should Northeast have a separate time zone? What are you doing on this front? A: This is an issue which has been raised many times. There is a concern that 1.5-hour difference leads to daytime loss. I handle a ministry which looks into this issue, so I would not like to comment on it but as a member from NE, I would say that if all the CMs from NE come forward with a coherent plan then we can think about it. But it needs to be discussed. It will have to be managed. Bhutan is half an hour ahead of the Indian time and Arunachal Pradesh is on the east of Bhutan still goes with the Lucknow time. Q: Has PNB bank scam affected BJP’s election campaign? A: These are the scams which have genesis in Congress' regime. If something stumbles out from our tenure then we would be responsible. It is having a positive impact on us as it did not happen during our tenure.

Regional support crucial to implement Naga Accord: BJP leader Kiren Rijiju to WION

It doesn&rsquo;t take long to understand that the elections in India&#39;s northeast Manipur state is being fought solely on the issue of territorial integrity of the state. Instead of development being the salient&nbsp;talking point, politics in Manipur is revolving around the Naga Accord which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed in 2015.

Though basic issues like corruption, lack of development, extra judicial killings, ecological issues and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)&nbsp;remain alive but it is the more than three-month-long blockade organised by the Naga community in Manipur that continues to remain the biggest issue.

Senior BJP leaders are quick to blame Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh of 15 years for carving out seven new districts right before the state elections. They point out this is the reason for the intense violence that has gripped the state.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The message went out that the decision was political in nature. He had earlier claimed that he would carve the districts till consensus evolves and then he took the decision suo motto,&rdquo; said Kiren Rejiju minister of state for home affairs.

Though Congress defended the decision as a routine administrative matter but the message which went out was that the state government undermined the concept of Nagalim (Greater Nagaland), leading to unrest in Naga-dominated Manipuri areas.&nbsp;

The result of the decision was a massive blockade which threw life out of gear in Manipur. While Manipur chief minister blamed the BJP-led federal government for inadequate support, the BJP blamed the Congress for fishing in troubled waters.

&ldquo;The decision to carve out the district was an administrative matter but the Centre must show us the Naga draft. It is the silence on this issue which has created so much anxiety in the state,&rdquo; said senior Congress leader Imran ul Kidwai in Imphal.&nbsp;

The accord which was signed in 2015 has not been made public owing to security issues. It is this opaqueness that has vexed the average Manipuri though BJP claims that not an iota of land would be ceded and territorial compromise is a political jumla.

&ldquo;There is no mention of Manipur in the accord. I can vouch for it. There is no compromise on territory,&rdquo; said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in-charge of India&#39;s northeast.

The gravity of the situation has even coerced&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publically assert that territorial integrity of Manipur would not be tampered with.

The campaign acoustics of the two national parties have varied as well.

Congress&#39; Ibobi Singh is overseeing a low-profile campaign whereas BJP has gone in the opposite direction.

BJP&rsquo;s campaign is high-pitched,&nbsp;with senior leaders campaigning in Imphal. BJP also doesn&rsquo;t have a chief ministerial face. It feels content in projecting Modi as the face of its campaign.

It has also taken up the sensitive issue of extrajudicial killings in the restive state.&nbsp;The party has promised that people responsible would be brought to book.

&ldquo;We have made blockade an issue because it is being used politically by the Congress,&rdquo; said Jitendra Singh, minister of state in Prime Minister&rsquo;s office. &nbsp;

BJP wants to build this narrative of blockades and lack of development without getting into the Naga issue directly. Congress differs. Imran Kidwai says that Manipur has witness an&nbsp;all-round development in the state under their tenure.

Though what is surprising is that Iron Sharmila who fought several federal governments&nbsp;on AFSPA and became a prominent public figure from Manipur has not been able to leverage her reputation in the political domain. Her cash-strapped campaign has remained subdued even though the draconian army law continues to remain in place in several parts of the state.

AFSPA is special powers granted by the Indian parliament to the armed forces to maintain or restore normalcy in &quot;troubled areas&quot;.

Certain issues which are ecological in nature like health of Loktak lake -- India&rsquo;s biggest fresh water lake -- has come into prominence like a metaphor. &ldquo;More money we sent to clean the river, the dirtier it became,&rdquo; said federal government&#39;s&nbsp;Jitendra Singh.&nbsp;

But why so much of Manipur in public discourse?

It is because of the importance the RSS, or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- the parent organisation of BJP -- puts on the frontier regions of the country.

It is this reason why both Kashmir and the Northeast are&nbsp;being personally handled by Ram Madhav, who was inducted into BJP from RSS before Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Poll victories in Kashmir and Assam gave legitimacy to BJP&#39;s status of being a pan-India party.

Just like the Karnataka victory in 2008 fanned BJP&#39;s presence&nbsp;in South India, a victory in Manipur would consolidate its footprint in the Northeast.

&ldquo;Northeast is a priority for us and we will take this fight to every state,&rdquo; said Assam&#39;s finance minister Jimanta Biswa Sarma, who played the most crucial role in bringing BJP into power in Assam.&nbsp;

Manipur will go to polls on March 4 and March 8.

(WION)

Besides, the two national parties -- BJP and Congress -- have been tussling over the opaque Naga Accord signed in 2015

It doesn’t take long to understand that the elections in India's northeast Manipur state is being fought solely on the issue of territorial integrity of the state. Instead of development being the salient talking point, politics in Manipur is revolving around the Naga Accord which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed in 2015. Though basic issues like corruption, lack of development, extra judicial killings, ecological issues and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) remain alive but it is the more than three-month-long blockade organised by the Naga community in Manipur that continues to remain the biggest issue. Senior BJP leaders are quick to blame Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh of 15 years for carving out seven new districts right before the state elections. They point out this is the reason for the intense violence that has gripped the state. “The message went out that the decision was political in nature. He had earlier claimed that he would carve the districts till consensus evolves and then he took the decision suo motto,” said Kiren Rejiju minister of state for home affairs. Though Congress defended the decision as a routine administrative matter but the message which went out was that the state government undermined the concept of Nagalim (Greater Nagaland), leading to unrest in Naga-dominated Manipuri areas. The result of the decision was a massive blockade which threw life out of gear in Manipur. While Manipur chief minister blamed the BJP-led federal government for inadequate support, the BJP blamed the Congress for fishing in troubled waters. “The decision to carve out the district was an administrative matter but the Centre must show us the Naga draft. It is the silence on this issue which has created so much anxiety in the state,” said senior Congress leader Imran ul Kidwai in Imphal. The accord which was signed in 2015 has not been made public owing to security issues. It is this opaqueness that has vexed the average Manipuri though BJP claims that not an iota of land would be ceded and territorial compromise is a political jumla. “There is no mention of Manipur in the accord. I can vouch for it. There is no compromise on territory,” said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in-charge of India's northeast. The gravity of the situation has even coerced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publically assert that territorial integrity of Manipur would not be tampered with. The campaign acoustics of the two national parties have varied as well. Congress' Ibobi Singh is overseeing a low-profile campaign whereas BJP has gone in the opposite direction. BJP’s campaign is high-pitched, with senior leaders campaigning in Imphal. BJP also doesn’t have a chief ministerial face. It feels content in projecting Modi as the face of its campaign. It has also taken up the sensitive issue of extrajudicial killings in the restive state. The party has promised that people responsible would be brought to book. “We have made blockade an issue because it is being used politically by the Congress,” said Jitendra Singh, minister of state in Prime Minister’s office. BJP wants to build this narrative of blockades and lack of development without getting into the Naga issue directly. Congress differs. Imran Kidwai says that Manipur has witness an all-round development in the state under their tenure. Though what is surprising is that Iron Sharmila who fought several federal governments on AFSPA and became a prominent public figure from Manipur has not been able to leverage her reputation in the political domain. Her cash-strapped campaign has remained subdued even though the draconian army law continues to remain in place in several parts of the state. AFSPA is special powers granted by the Indian parliament to the armed forces to maintain or restore normalcy in "troubled areas". Certain issues which are ecological in nature like health of Loktak lake -- India’s biggest fresh water lake -- has come into prominence like a metaphor. “More money we sent to clean the river, the dirtier it became,” said federal government's Jitendra Singh. But why so much of Manipur in public discourse? It is because of the importance the RSS, or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- the parent organisation of BJP -- puts on the frontier regions of the country. It is this reason why both Kashmir and the Northeast are being personally handled by Ram Madhav, who was inducted into BJP from RSS before Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Poll victories in Kashmir and Assam gave legitimacy to BJP's status of being a pan-India party. Just like the Karnataka victory in 2008 fanned BJP's presence in South India, a victory in Manipur would consolidate its footprint in the Northeast. “Northeast is a priority for us and we will take this fight to every state,” said Assam's finance minister Jimanta Biswa Sarma, who played the most crucial role in bringing BJP into power in Assam. Manipur will go to polls on March 4 and March 8. (WION)

Manipur's months-long blockade eclipses other woes in election season

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Regional support crucial to implement Naga Accord: BJP leader Kiren Rijiju to WION

Manipur's months-long blockade eclipses other woes in election season