Rahul Gandhi castigated by NE CMs for excluding NE in tweet

Guwahati, Feb 12: The pain of losing the citadel in Northeast India where Congress has been thrown out of power in all the states in the last ten years, may have been so tormenting for him that Rahul Gandhi apparently wants to forget the fact that the region exists in the country’s map.

His latest tweet on India’s strength and diversity has limited the country’s eastern boundary at West Bengal and it has evoked very sharp reactions from some if the Chief Ministers of the NE states, who have slammed the Congress leader for showing audacity to exclude Northeast in his tweet.
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday tweeted, “There is strength in our Union. Our Union of Cultures. Our Union of Diversity. Our Union of Languages. Our Union of People. Our Union of States. From Kashmir to Kerala. From Gujarat to West Bengal. India is beautiful in all its colours. Don’t insult the spirit of India.”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, criticising Gandhi, tweeted: “India is far beyond just a union. We are a proud Nation. Bharat cannot be held hostage to your tukde philosophy. What is your problem with Nation, Nationality and Nationalism? And hello- beyond Bengal, we Northeast exist.”

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, in his tweet, said: “It baffles me when a senior INC India leader ignores the existence of North East India in statements. When the existence of this region is not even acknowledged, how is Congress asking for votes to the people of Manipur for the upcoming election?”

The elections to the 60-seat Manipur Assembly would be held in two phases on February 28 and March 5.

Criticising the Congress leader, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in his tweet said: “In order to preach, Mr. Rahul Gandhi has forgotten our beautiful North Eastern states. Just like his great grandfather, he excluded our region? We are also a proud part of India. Your ignorance is the reason of your party’s total wipe out from Northeast.”

Of the eight northeastern states, the BJP is in power in Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura while the NDA allies of the BJP in the seat of power in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Sikkim. It is too much a hard reality to digest for the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family and he wants to forget the Northeast region.