BJP promises priority to development of Mizoram

Aizawl, Nov 16 (UNI) BJP national president Rajnath Singh, on his maiden visit to Mizoram, has promised top priority to the development of all the people of the state if his party is elected to power.

Addressing a public rally at Sakawrdai in the Hmar-dominated Mizoram northeastern region yesterday, Mr Singh promised the Hmar community an autonomous district council. Mizoram goes to the polls on December 2.

''Sinlung Hills Development Council does not meet the requirement of the people of the area and their need is an autonomous district council,'' Mr Singh said in his address aired on local TV channels today.

''The party will accord high priority for the development of all the people of Mizoram including the Chakmas, Hmar and Reang communities to ensure that they become part of the national mainstream and also feel secure against any threat,'' Mr Singh said.

He rejected the ''false propaganda'' being spread by political adversaries that the BJP was a communal force on a divisive agenda.

''A party whose ideology is deeply rooted in integral humanism cannot ever be a divisive force. The BJP has always believed in the principle of justice for all and appeasement of none and therefore never tries to treat any community as mere vote banks as other political parties like the Congress have always done,'' he said.

''The fact that BJP is part of successful coalition governments in Christian states of Nagaland and Meghalaya proves that the people accept that the BJP has always accorded equal respect to all religions without any bias,'' he said.

Mr Singh also highlighted a role he had played as Union Surface Transport Minister in implementing former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's vision of four-laning of national highways due to which the Northeastern states, Mizoram in particular, greatly benefitted in terms of improved and expanded road connectivity.

''However, today under the UPA government at the Centre and the inefficient MNF government in the state, the conditions of roads in Mizoram have deteriorated and also expansion of the network has virtually come to a standstill,'' he said.

Accompanied by BJP secretary in charge of North East Chandra Shekhar, Mr Singh proceeded by helicopter to Kanchanpur in neighbouring Tripura to address a meeting of the refugees in the remote Gachhirampara refugee camp and appeal for their votes in the Mizoram polls.

BJP's Tripura observer Darshan Balwally has been camping in Tripura, touring different camps of Kanchanpur subdivsion to ensure a decent turnout for the national president's meeting.

He said the BJP president would also visit the interior camps to see the condition of the inmates and raise the issue of repatriation of the refugees to Mizoram at the national level.

UNI ZS DPM/src1624