Why Northeast CMs feel Modi is ignoring them

The eight Northeastern states have always accused the Centre of alienating them. But the charge has become sharper and shriller ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power more than a year ago. That the protest against the Centre’s lack of concern for the Northeastern region has become louder because seven of the eight states are ruled by the Congress, Left or regional parties, is just one of the reasons. But there are five other reasons why the Northeastern states are feeling alienated under the Modi government:

1. Move to revoke special category status: All the eight states are up in arms against the Centre for its move to revoke the "special category status" to them. At present, 11 states enjoy this status. Besides the eight Northeastern states, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand have been accorded this tag. Under this, there is a 90:10 ratio of contribution for the centrally-funded schemes, where 90 per cent of the expenditure is borne by the Centre while ten per cent is borne by the states. The Centre and the states will have to bear expenditures in a 50:50 ratio for the centrally-funded schemes if the special category tag is removed. All the eight states have adopted a resolution urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to retain the special status to the mountainous region.

2. No appointment with the prime minister: The chief ministers of the eight Northeastern states had sought an appointment with the prime minister 45 days ago to discuss the "special category status" issue. However, they have been waiting till now. Modi only met Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang on June 2 in the national capital. But that was a one-on-one meeting. Interestingly, Zeliang’s Nagaland People’s Front is supported by the BJP in the state. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on June 10 said his Tripura counterpart Manik Sarkar had sought an appointment with the prime minister on behalf of the eight chief ministers of the region. "It has been 45 days but an appointment has not been given yet. The prime minister and his cabinet colleagues talk very nicely. They are nicer than our (UPA) ministers. But they only talk nicely and do nothing. They are not serious," he said.

3. Non-inclusion in prime minister’s Bangladesh entourage: The chief ministers of the Northeastern states are peeved with Modi for excluding them in his entourage during his Bangladesh trip. The chief ministers of the Northeastern states wanted to accompany the prime minister because of the signing of Land Boundary Agreement (LBA). Even though Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura share international boundaries with Bangladesh, only West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was included in Modi’s entourage. The chief ministers said even they have a role to play in the improvement of relations with Bangladesh. Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar called it Modi’s "political opportunism". Four chief ministers of the Northeastern states — Tarun Gogoi of Assam, Manik Sarkar of Tripura, Mukul Sangma of Meghalaya and Lal Thanhawla of Mizoram — had accompanied former prime minister Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh in 2011. Mamata had opted out of the tour then.

4. Extension of AFSPA: Arunachal Pradesh has registered a strong protest with the Centre for the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in April to 12 more districts of the state – all bordering Assam. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki asked the Union home ministry to urgently review the decision, which, he said, was taken "unilaterally" without consulting the state government. Tuki called on Union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi in April to express his concerns at the Centre’s decision. He clarified that the 12 districts brought under the AFSPA’s purview were "peaceful".

5. No consultation with chief ministers before prime minister’s China and Bangladesh trips: The Arunachal Pradesh chief minister rued that the prime minister did not consult him before leaving for a three-day visit to China in May. Tuki regretted that Modi did not raise the Arunachal Pradesh stapled visa issue when he visited China nor did he talk about the issue of construction of a dam by China on the Brahmaputra. Similarly, Gogoi complained that Modi did not take up the issue of illegal influx of Bangladeshi nationals with his Dhaka counterpart Sheikh Hasina. He said over 38,000 people declared as "infiltrators" by courts have to be sent back to Bangladesh though the neighbouring country refuses that its citizens have infiltrated Assam or any other state of India in large numbers.