IMPHAL, Sept 3: BJP MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon, Parliamentary Secretary (Labor & Employment, Skill Development and Border Affairs), Government of Nagaland has expressed shock on the statement of Manipur`™s Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh appeared in Nagaland Post and other daily dailies in Nagaland and Manipur on August 30 wherein he accused the BJP of `politicizing Gaidinliu` in a meeting held at Imphal on `Haipou Jadonang`™.
According to the MLA, the statement of CM Ibobi came in the midst of the din surrounding the commemoration of the Birth Centenary of Rani Gaidinliu. Ibobi had said that the BJP led NDA Government`s decision to sanction the construction of Rani Gaidinliu`s museum-cum-library at Kohima, and not in Manipur where she was born is an `exposition` of the BJP`s policy of politicization of freedom fighters.
The CM also argued that this museum should have been constructed in Tamenglong district in Manipur, where Rani Gaidinliu was born.
“Firstly, as someone who was present in the Centenary Celebrations in Delhi, Ibobi`s statement is definitely a contradiction of what he said at the event hosted at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. He was full of praise for the Prime Minister for honouring Rani Gaidinliu, a “Naga” from Manipur, as a freedom fighter of India and also as a daughter of the Northeast,`™`™ the Nagaland MLA pointed out.
The MLA said, “™Ibobi was lavished in his praise of the Prime Minister for giving a long overdue recognition to Rani Gaidinliu and expressed his gratitude for the wonderful initiative of the Prime Minister of India. He also proudly posed along with the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Nagaland for the shutterbugs at the release of the commemorative postage stamp and coins,`™`™.
“Secondly, the construction of the museum-cum-library at Kohima was sanctioned in the year 2011-12 by the Congress led-UPA Government. The BJP had only continued in the same vein as the proposal came from the Government of Nagaland. However, if the Chief Minister of Manipur wanted a memorial of either Jadonang or Gaidinliu in Manipur, he could have proposed under his leadership even at the time of UPA or later as per normal government procedures,`™`™ he said.
He also said that there are memorials of Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters of India at different places and cities of India far away from their birthplaces and this is a common practice all over the world.
“The `politicization`™ of a memorial which the Congress led UPA Government started cannot be blamed on others when it is politically expedient. In a living, vibrant democracy we are free to share our opinions, but as leaders we must reason and base our rationales on facts and figures and not desist from inflammation of issues for the sake of political benefits,`™`™ the BJP MLA from Nagaland asserted.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/09/ibobis-remark-bjp-politicizing-gaidinliu-irks-nagaland-mla/