Congress leader Sethi slams BJP-NDPP over call drop crisis in Nagaland

Rajesh Kumar Sethi, National Coordinator of the AICC Minority Department and Congress leader, has strongly criticized the BJP-led central government and the NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland for failing to address the persistent issue of call drops and poor network connectivity in the state.

“The people of Nagaland are fed up—and rightly so,” Sethi stated. “For years, they have endured incessant call drops, patchy networks, and broken promises from telecom giants like Jio, Airtel, BSNL, and Vodafone Idea. This is not just a technical failure; it is a betrayal of trust, a denial of basic rights in a digital age, and a glaring example of neglect by the BJP-led central government and the NDPP-BJP alliance in the state.”

Highlighting the daily struggles caused by poor network connectivity, Sethi said, “The call drop crisis is a daily torment—disrupting education, healthcare, businesses, and even emergency calls in our hilly terrain. Yet, the ruling parties at the Centre and state have turned a blind eye, leaving our citizens to fend for themselves while telecom companies rake in profits.”

Sethi questioned the accountability of both the government and the telecom operators. “Where is the accountability? Where is the promised Digital India for Nagaland? The BJP and NDPP have failed miserably to hold these telecom operators to task. Despite grand announcements like the 4G Saturation Project in 2024, rural areas like Mon, Phek, and Tuensang remain telecom wastelands. Towers remain unbuilt, signals remain weak, and the people remain unheard. Is this the ‘development’ the BJP boasts of? Or is it a deliberate ploy to keep the Northeast on the margins?”

Expressing concerns over potential financial exploitation, Sethi remarked, “Prepaid and postpaid customers in Nagaland are charged full rates—yet they receive half a service. Call drops plague every conversation, but the bills keep coming, uninterrupted. Are Jio, Airtel, BSNL, and Vodafone Idea pocketing money for services they don’t deliver? And are the BJP and NDPP governments complicit, perhaps turning a blind eye for political or financial favors?”

Calling for transparency, Sethi demanded, “The people deserve transparency—show us the billing audits, show us the compliance reports, show us where our money is going! I call out these telecom giants directly: Jio, your 4G dominance means nothing if Nagaland is left behind. Airtel, your ads promise connectivity, but our villages get silence. BSNL, as a public entity, your neglect is a disgrace to your mandate. Vodafone Idea, your merger hasn’t merged Nagaland into your priorities.”

Sethi issued a warning to both telecom companies and the government, saying, “Enough is enough—invest in our state, fix the towers, stop the call drops, or face the wrath of a united people backed by the Congress party. To the BJP at the Centre and NDPP in Kohima, your inaction is indefensible. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia can attend flashy events like the India Mobile Congress, but where is he when Nagaland’s calls fail? Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s NDPP can cozy up to the BJP, but where is the pressure on telecoms to deliver?”

Vowing that the Congress party will take action, Sethi declared, “The Congress party will not sit idle while you abandon our people. We will raise this if needed, in Parliament, and on the streets until justice is done.”

He further announced a Congress-led initiative to address the issue, stating, “The Congress commits to a ‘Nagaland Telecom Equity Plan’—more towers, better oversight, and a grievance cell to ensure telecoms serve the people, not exploit them. We will fight for subsidies to bring connectivity to every corner of our state, unlike the BJP-NDPP’s empty promises. Nagaland deserves better, and we will deliver it.”

Urging the people to take a stand, Sethi appealed, “To the residents of Nagaland: your voice matters. Join us in this fight. To the telecom companies: your time to act is now. And to the BJP and NDPP: your days of neglect are numbered.”

MT