NEW DELHI, May 24 – Resolution of the problem of militancy in the North Eastern Region (NER) is likely to be one of the key focus areas, with Union Ministers from the region advocating meaningful dialogue with the underground outfits. If Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and Department of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) PR Kyndiah set the tone by advocating the need for a sustained dialogue with the underground outfits, his colleagues from the region also underlined the need for early resolution of the problem.
Earlier, it was Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil who soon after joining identified solution of the militancy problem in the North-east and Jammu and Kashmir, as one of the priority areas, underlining the need to hold negotiations with the militant outfits. Replying to a whether Government of India would be willing to hold talks in ‘a third country’ as demanded by some of the outfits, Sri Patil said it was unimportant. “What is important is we hold dialogue— whether it is here or elsewhere. How does it matter?”
Interestingly the Government of India’s chief interlocutor, K.Padmanabhaiah was among the early callers at the new Union Home Minister’s residence. One of the issues the new Government would have to handle soon is tackling the proposed visit of the NSCN (I-M) leaders to India. Given the reservation of the Congress Party to the manner of holding peace talks with only one outfit leaving out the rest, the new Home Minister may have to soon work out a strategy.
Meanwhile, Minister DONER said that development bombardment in the North-east is a must for peace. “I am equally aware of the importance to deal effectively with multiple insurgency groups prevalent in the Region,” he said. “On this score I will lend assistance to the concerned ministries to stress on the importance of having a meaning dialogue, while at the same time dealing firmly with those elements who are still resort to violence.” In this connection, he said that Meghalaya Government’s attempt to bring HNLC for talks has borne fruits while efforts are on to open dialogue with ANVC.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Defence and Parliamentary Affairs, Bijoy Krishna Handique said that healing touch was the need of hour to tackle the problem of militancy. Talking to this newspaper in his South Block Office, soon after joining his new assignment, Sri Handique underlined need for a ‘healing touch’ in Region. “If the policy of healing touch has yielded results in Jammu and Kashmir, it would work in the North-east, as well, he argued.
Meanwhile, the two Union Ministers from the Region today joined their new assignments. Kyndiah and Minister of State for Defence and Parliamentary Affairs, Sri Hendique joined this afternoon. Minister of State with Independent Charge for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise, Santosh Mohan Dev, however, was held up because of a foul up in the official notification. All the three pledged to work for the economic up lift of the North-east.
“I want to serve my Region,” Sri Hendique said, adding that one of his focus areas would be the burgeoning unemployment. Meanwhile, Minister DONER today promised to rationalise the management of Non-Lapsable Pool of Central Resources (NLPCR). He said that a new policy based on area-cum-population, which would provide for adequate funds to all the Eight States, would be formulated. He also spoke on the need to strengthen the North Eastern Council (NEC) maintaining that the Chief Ministers of the Region should have major say. Consent of all must be taken, he added.
The Minister said that it would be his effort to see that NER obtains its fair share of the development funds. “In so far as the NER is concerned I will make efforts not only to see the Region is brought closely to the economic mainland but my emphasis will be on improving connectivity through various forms of communication,” he said.
Asserting that he was committed to bring about acceleration of economic development by working in close harmony with strategists, he said the focus would be on peace and harmony through development. Interacting with newsmen at his Shastri Bhavan Office of the Tribal Affairs Ministry, Kyndiah said that it was his privilege to work for the Ministry. In order to realise the vision of the Tribal Affairs Ministry I intend to make all out effort on a war footing basis to bring them to the level of rest of the country.”