New Delhi: March 21, 2012

The debate on the President’s Address saw MPs from North East India bring out their share of grievance and anger against the injustice by the center, long claimed as the Step Mother of the Region. China’s suspected plan of diversion of the lifeline of the region Brahmaputra River, continued infiltration from Bangladesh, Land Transfer deal between India and Bangladesh which resulted in huge outcry, delay in solution to the peace talks with the Armed Outfits engaged in talks, – everything came out like venom from the words of the NE Leaders, most of them who are usually known for their silence rather than furious debates. Quite understandably though, all of those who spoke with vigor were members of opposition and not from the Congress or UPA.

Biren Baishya of AGP, also the general secretary of North East MPs’ Forum lamented that the Presidential Address did not even mention the two most important issues faced by North East recently,- those of China’s diversion of Brahmaputra and the Chinese claim on Arunachal Pradesh. BJP MP Bijoya Chakrabarty too concerned about the possible Chinese aggression and also pointed out that infiltration from Bangladesh is still going on and that the Border forces and CRPF have completely failed to control this infiltration of Bangladeshis.

Regarding corruption, she mentioned that the out of the 148 recently signed MoUs pertaining to power projects, as many as 120 of them were awarded to private players. She also expressed concern on the fact the Harijans who worked in solid waste management work have become jobless due to the work now being allocated to private contractors. It was also alleged that Hospitals are facing shortage of doctors and medicines in the State as the funds allocated under NRHM have been utilized for procurement of bamboos instead!

The matter of Mega dams which has been one of the biggest matters of outcry in the region was highly discussed and it was proposed that the center should stop construction of the big dams immediately so as to protect the environment and lives of millions of people of the region.

Joseph Topno of AGP stated there has been no development, either economic or social, of the backward and tribal people living in the north eastern region and that no importance has been given to the same. Kumar Deepak Das pointed out that although high 41,813 families of the region have been rendered homeless due to erosion from 44 rivers in the Brahmaputra Valley and 11 rivers in the Barak Valley, no solution has been found to resolve flood and erosion.

In Rajya Sabha, Biswajeet Daimary pointed out that although there are several groups holding ceasefire with the centre, the law and order situation is still grim as the solution to the problems have not been solved, nor has been any agreement reached with majority of the outfits.

(timesofassam.com)

 

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