Manipur (Imphal) [India], July 13 : Congress leader Rajesh Kumar Sethi, National Coordinator of the AICC Minority Department and in charge of Manipur, on Sunday, criticised Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's remarks urging the people of the Northeastern region to be "grateful" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for basic development and job appointments.
In his statement, Sethi termed the statement "deeply problematic" and reflective of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "patronising mindset" toward the Northeast. Sethi emphasised that providing roads, jobs, connectivity, drinking water, and security is not a favour but a Constitutional duty of the Prime Minister.
"Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's statement asking the people of the Northeastern region to be "grateful" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for basic development and job appointments is deeply problematic and exposes the BJP's patronising mindset toward the region. To set the record straight, the Prime Minister of India is not doing a favour to the Northeast; he is simply performing his Constitutional duty. Roads, jobs, connectivity, drinking water, and security are not gifts from the ruling party; they are entitlements of every citizen in a democracy," he said.
Highlighting the unresolved Naga Peace Accord, Sethi recalled Prime Minister Modi's 2015 announcement promising a resolution within months and his "calculated silence."
"If the Minister would care to recollect, in 2015, Prime Minister Modi pompously declared that a final Naga Peace Accord would be concluded within just a few months, at a time when only 3 or 4 groups were involved in talks. Today, nearly a decade later, the situation has only worsened. Instead of peace, we now have 28 groups in the fray, a dramatic escalation of complexity, confusion, and division. Is this the "development" that the people of Nagaland or the region are expected to be grateful for? Or do we deserve a candid explanation of how a hastily promised solution has devolved into a prolonged and deepening crisis?" he questioned.
"At the same time, Manipur continues to bleed, and the Prime Minister has remained a silent spectator. Despite over 200 deaths, thousands displaced, and countless homes and churches burnt, PM Modi has not set foot in Manipur since the outbreak of violence. Can a region truly feel supported when its cries are met with calculated silence? Leadership is not about social media statements; it is about standing with your people in their darkest hours. Where was the PM when Manipur needed him the most?" he added in the statement.
Drawing attention to Dimapur, a key economic hub in Nagaland, Sethi highlighted its current state of distress due to severe flooding and a "complete collapse of basic infrastructure."
"Meanwhile, in Dimapur, widely regarded as one of the key economic engines not just of Nagaland but the (Northeastern) region at large, the situation on the ground is deeply troubling. The city is at present reeling under the devastating effects of severe flooding and a complete collapse of basic infrastructure. Where is the gratitude supposed to come from when even basic governance is missing? The Congress Party has always believed in serving people, not seeking applause. We do not expect citizens to thank us for doing our job."
He called for rejecting the "culture of manufactured gratitude" and demanded accountable, inclusive, and effective governance for the Northeast.
"We want people to question more, demand better, and receive what they deserve, not crumbs handed out with a photo opportunity. Let us reject this culture of manufactured gratitude. Let us demand accountable, inclusive, and effective governance instead," he said.
On Friday, Kiren Rijiju made remarks in Dimapur, Nagaland, during the Rozgar Mela event, where PM Modi distributed 51,000 appointment letters via video conferencing at 47 locations nationwide on Saturday.