Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday defended the activities of BJP in the state, a coalition partner in the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) ministry, saying the leaders of the party should not clubbed together with their counterparts or RSS activists in other parts of the country.
"BJP leaders and workers in Nagaland are our Christian brothers. We should not compare them with the activities of BJP or RSS in elsewhere in the country," the Chief Minister told newsmen when his attention was drawn to NSCN (I-M) allegation against the BJP.
NSCN (I-M), which is in the process of a political negotiation to settle the vexed Naga political problem, cast aspersion on the secular credential of BJP under the grab of India Shinning campaign and charged the state BJP unit of speaking "different languages" on the Naga political issue.
BJP state unit president Chuba Ao said it is not only BJP but the collective responsibility of the DAN to adopt policies and programmes in connection with the Naga political problem, and sought to underplay the activities of RSS in other parts of the country and their direct impact in the Naga society, saying VHP and RSS are socio-cultural organisation which have nothing to do with the BJP's political activities in the hill state.