IMPHAL, July 14: Congress leader Rajesh Kumar Sethi, National Coordinator of the AICC Minority Department and in charge of Manipur, on Sunday strongly criticised Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s recent remarks suggesting that the people of the Northeastern region should be “grateful” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for basic development and job appointments.
Terming the statement “deeply problematic,” Sethi said it exposes the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “patronising mindset” toward the region. He asserted that fundamental services such as roads, jobs, connectivity, drinking water, and security are not acts of generosity but the Constitutional duty of the Prime Minister and the central government.
“Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s statement asking the people of the Northeastern region to be ‘grateful’ to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for basic development and job appointments is deeply problematic and exposes the BJP’s patronising mindset toward the region,” Sethi said. “To set the record straight, the Prime Minister of India is not doing a favour to the Northeast; he is simply performing his Constitutional duty. These are entitlements of every citizen in a democracy, not gifts from the ruling party.”
Sethi also took aim at the unresolved Naga Peace Accord, recalling PM Modi’s 2015 declaration that a final resolution would be concluded within a few months when only three or four groups were engaged in talks. “Today, nearly a decade later, the situation has only worsened,” he said. “Instead of peace, we now have 28 groups in the fray—a dramatic escalation of complexity, confusion, and division. Is this the ‘development’ the people of Nagaland are expected to be grateful for?”
On the continuing crisis in Manipur, Sethi expressed deep disappointment over the Prime Minister’s silence. “Despite over 200 deaths, thousands displaced, and countless homes and churches burnt, PM Modi has not set foot in Manipur since the outbreak of violence. Can a region truly feel supported when its cries are met with calculated silence?” he asked. “Leadership is not about social media statements; it is about standing with your people in their darkest hours.”
He also raised concern over the deteriorating situation in Dimapur, Nagaland’s key commercial hub, which he said is grappling with severe flooding and the complete collapse of basic infrastructure. “The city is at present reeling under the devastating effects of severe flooding and a complete collapse of basic infrastructure. Where is the gratitude supposed to come from when even basic governance is missing?”
Reinforcing the Congress Party’s commitment to public service, Sethi remarked, “The Congress Party has always believed in serving people, not seeking applause. We do not expect citizens to thank us for doing our job.”
He concluded his statement with a call to reject what he described as the BJP’s “culture of manufactured gratitude” and instead demand “accountable, inclusive, and effective governance.”
“We want people to question more, demand better, and receive what they deserve—not crumbs handed out with a photo opportunity,” he said. “Let us reject this culture of manufactured gratitude. Let us demand accountable, inclusive, and effective governance instead.”
Rijiju’s controversial remarks were made in Dimapur, Nagaland, during a Rozgar Mela event on Friday, where Prime Minister Modi distributed 51,000 appointment letters via video conferencing across 47 locations nationwide on Saturday.
