Kohima, June 12 (IANS) Union Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said the people of Nagaland were weary of insurgency and their resolve for peace remains unshaken.
Singh, who was in Nagaland on a day-long visit, met Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang. The two later attended a joint meeting of the state cabinet and senior officers, according to an official statement.
The union minister also met different social and political groups and civil society representatives including from the Naga Mothers’ Association, the Naga Hoho, the Eastern Naga Peoples’ Organization, the Eastern Naga Women’s Organization, Nagaland GB Federation, Naga Students Federation and Eastern Naga Students Federation.
In his meetings, Singh sought to dispel the impression there was any change in the central government’s policy for the state.
He said the government appreciates the common aspiration of the people to progress with “mainstream India” in an atmosphere of peace and it was responsibility of all the stakeholders to convince “different operating groups” about merits of such a course and being part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mission of development.
People of Nagaland deserve peace by all means and said all sections of the Naga society should be engaged in this mission.
Referring to attack on an army convoy in Manipur earlier this month, Singh said it was eveyone’s duty to ensure that such incidents do not take place again.
“It not only disrupts the atmosphere but also proves to be a setback for the Naga peace process,” he said.
Singh assured the various groups that the pending projects of Nagaland falling under his ministry will be looked into.
Singh had visited Manipur on Thursday and had said that violence will not be allowed to hamper the government’s mission to develop the northeast region.