Aizawl : Union Minister for Earth Science Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the Centre will “never scrap” Article 371 of the Indian Constitution that is applicable in the Northeastern states, even as he slammed the Congress party for neglecting the region during their 60 years rule.
“Union Home Minister Amit Shah clearly said on the floor of the Parliament that article 370 of the Constitution created a barrier between the people of Kashmir and the rest of the country. So article 370 was removed for better integrity of the nation” he said.
Rijiju said that the Union Home Minister had informed the Parliament that the provisions of Article 371, for Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and others are to be protected, rather than removed.
“Article 371 is for protecting our tribal customs, practices, traditions, our dialects, our identities, which has to be protected, if necessary to be strengthened,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who was campaigning for his party candidates in poll-bound Mizoram, had said that Article 371G of the Indian Constitution, which protects the Mizo way of life, was “under threat today”.
“A government and a party that removed Article 370 can also remove 371G,” Ramesh had said.
“Those people who are saying that Article 371 is in danger have been saying it for many years. These people who are making these kinds of bogus issues are insulting the people of the northeast region, Rijiju, BJP’s election in-charge for Mizoram, said
Stating that BJP is the only party that could ensure security and prosperity of the people of Mizoram and North East, the BJP leader said, if voted to power in the state we will fulfill all the promises that has been reflected in the ‘Vision Document’.
“Mizoram will become one of the most prosperous states under BJP,” Rijiju said.
