Congress in Nagaland on November 29 joined the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra and asked the people to be careful about the implementation of the UCC in the country.
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The Yatra in Kohima started from Congress Bhavan and hundreds of party activists, leaders of Nationalist Peoples’ Party (NPP) and the public joined it. They walked till the Indoor Stadium holding banners and placards and then travelled in vehicles upto Kigwema village, about 16.5 km away.
The banners and placards carried by the party workers read 'We need action not words', 'We need development', 'We need quality leadership' and 'Save Nagaland Save Nation'.
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Nagaland has an all-party government which seeks to take forward the Naga political issue and the State is due for an Assembly poll by March next year.
Addressing the gathering, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president Khriedi Theunuo said that there is no rule of law in the State and people do not respect the government because it does not work for their welfare.
Government projects had failed in Nagaland as the State Government had wrongly assured the implementing agencies, he alleged.
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Referring to BJP's manifesto for the 2019 general election which promised implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Mr. Theunuo said “Nagas have to be very careful because if the UCC is enforced our [Nagas] rights will be taken away".
"UCC is for one nation, one people. Under it we all have to be Hindus and remain under one law. It will take away the special protection of customary laws and religious rights," he claimed.
“If Nagaland gets a weak government, Nagas will have to succumb to the pressure of the BJP Government to accept UCC,” the Congress leader said.
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On CAA, he said when implemented it will give "full protection" to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants settled in Nagaland and the Nagas themselves will have no right to raise their voice against them.
Asserting that the Congress will fight for secularism and justice "at all cost", Mr. Theunuo said under the Congress regime every person had enjoyed equality and justice.
“Congress is for peace and harmony … It will always stand against corruption and against any government which is not for the welfare of the people,” he said.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra aims to unite the people of India and create awareness about the rights of the people, Mr. Theunuo said and appealed to them to stand together to fight for their rights.
Congress does not have any legislators in the present Nagaland Assembly.