Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Congress used the Northeast as an ATM, while the BJP considers the eight states of the region as 'Ashtalakshmi' (eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi) and is working for its peace and development.
Addressing an election rally in Dimapur, he said the NDA is striving to bring permanent peace in Nagaland so that Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is completely lifted from the state.
"The country can't be run by distrusting your own people but by respecting and solving their problems. Earlier, the Northeast had politics of divide, we have now transformed it into divine governance. The BJP does not discriminate people on the basis of religion or region and religion," Modi said.
Noting that there was political instability in Nagaland during Congress rule, he claimed that the grand old party remote-controlled Northeast from Delhi, and siphoned off money meant for its development, while giving primacy to "dynasty politics, from Delhi to Dimapur".