Kohima Jan 27 (NEPS): Nagaland Home Minister Dr TM Lotha said they had met various Central leaderships, Ministers including President of the BJP, Venkaya Naidu and submitted to them a representation with regard to the new Anti-defection Law that would downsize the Ministries of both Center and State to 15 percent.

�The Central leaderships were receptive to the views expressed by us that such laws would not be possible especially in a State like Nagaland where various tribes and sub-tribes were squarely responsible for the wellbeing of their respective tribes,� the Home Minister told NEPS here today.

Dr Lotha further explained that equal representations of each tribe and sub-tribe in the Council of Ministers were essential for the all round developments in the State, the explained.

Therefore this new Anti-defection Law would have a serious implication on tribal societies� lives.

�The Central leaderships were not rejecting to views reasoned in our representation,� he Home Minister pointed out and further added that they (Central leaderships) had agreed to look into the matter after the forthcoming Parliamentary election was over.

Dr Lotha was, however, surprised on the silence of not only Nagaland�s two MPs (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) but also MPs of the north eastern region when such sensitive Bill, which would have far-reaching implications in not only Naga society but also other tribal societies in the region, was introduced in Parliament for debate. �They should have raised against those Clauses and Sections of the Bill that would create ramification in otherwise peaceful tribal societies of the region including Nagaland when it was introduced in Parliament,� the Home Minister lamented.

Because north eastern region has a very peculiar and traditionally bound multi-ethnicity tribal life styles unlike others in different part of the country.

Dr Lotha also described as �totally baseless� the Congress� continued and more frequent tirades against the BJP as �communal� party.

Rather BJP was more secular than them (Congress) because as per party�s (BJP) Constitution, �we believe in positive secularism and we are committed to it,� the Home Minister stated.

The Home Minister, who is a BJP, said that earlier their political opponents gave lot of disinformation of the BJP coming to Nagaland.

�They said Nagaland is Christian State and BJP as a Hindu and communal party would destroy the Naga society,� he stated.

�Today people could judge whether such rhetoric of our political detractors hold water.� Dr Lotha further explained that his association with BJP had nothing to do with Christian faith.

�I go to Church while keeping associated with BJP,� he added. �They (Congress) have no any other political agenda except painting BJP as communal.� Most of the BJP Ministers and legislators were committed Christians and they had joined the party (BJP) with convictions for the developments under the able and dynamic leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of the country.

�You can see how overwhelming mandate was given to us in the last election to run the affairs of the State,� the Home Minister reminded and further recalled the shower of loves and affections exhibited by the Naga people when the Prime Minister visited Kohima recently and his (Prime Minister) unprecedented economic package for the State that had never happened in the past.

�I think people are wise enough and such cheap propaganda of the Congress will not have any taker at the present society,� he pointed out.

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