Kohima: Close on the heel of Nagaland Governor slamming the “derogatory” statement made by Tamil Nadu DMK leader, the state BJP expressed dismay over the “dog eaters” remark.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, state vice president and advisor, Prison, Printing & Stationery, Er Kropol Vitsu, said that the DMK leader had “enraged the Nagas”.
He said that RS Bharathi made “racist attack” against the Nagas while slamming Tamil Nadu’s Governor RN Ravi who had previously served as the governor of Nagaland.
Vitsu reminded the DMK leader that the ethnicity and race of a community was never defined by their food habits and that Bharathi has no right to insult the identity of the Nagas basing on their food habits.
The BJP legislator said that the BJP Nagaland would leave no stone unturned till Bharathi was punished as per the law for the ‘racial discrimination’.
He observed that the DMK senior leader’s statement was a violation of the fundamental rights of the Nagas.
The MLA praised former Nagaland governor RN Ravi has come to the rescue of the Nagas by boldly stating that “Nagas were brave, honest and dignified people. Thiru RS Bharathi, a senior DMK leader, publicly insulting them as ‘dog eaters’ is scurrilous and unacceptable”.
Vitsu observed that there was no need for the DMK to drag Nagas even if they had unresolved issues with their governor. In this regard, he questioned if Bharathi considers Nagas were weak and gullible people.
He said BJP Nagaland finds it appalling that a senior DMK leader like Bharathi would stoop so low as to pass extreme racist attack against a community that he knows nothing about.
“Nagas are warriors in our own way and will always stand together when the very existence of us as a people is being questioned. We are known for our rich cultural heritage and uniqueness as a Nation under the Union of India, and that can never be erased or brushed off by some crazy and irresponsible leaders like Bharathi,” Vitsu said.
He further pointed out that R S Bharathi “had the nerve” to comment further that he had in no way offended the Nagas but instead, was only praising the Nagas when he passed the racist ‘dog eaters’ remarks.
Vitsu said Bharathi might to have tried to save his own face, however, there was no way that he would be let off free after insulting the dignity and culture of the Nagas and the entire Northeast people in general.
He further said the latest political gimmicks played by DMK leader, a Congress led INDIA. alliance partner, insulting the dignity of the Nagas was demeaning in nature and abusive of Naga identity.
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He said the remark not only tantamount to racial discrimination in its lowest form, but it also questions the very identity of the Nagas under the union of India.
He questioned why Congress had allowed its alliance partner to cast aspersions not only against the Nagas but demean the whole ethnic groups having diverse cultures and practices in India.
This is nothing but racial discrimination in its highest degree and we shall in no way tolerate such racism, Vitsu added.
Also Read | Nagaland Guv condemns DMK leader’s ‘dog-eaters’ remark