(REOPENS DEL105)

The BJP president also accused the UPA government of failing to safeguard India's interests while dealing with China and referred to reported construction of a huge dam on Brahmaputra river saying it can jeopardise the economic life of the North-East. "The BJP is concerned over UPA's inability to safeguard India's strategic and economic interests while dealing with China. As we all know China has encircled India from all directions. Recently, it has managed to get operational rights of Gwadar port in Pakistan. China has also made deep inroads in countries like Myanmar (which is just 50 km from Nagaland)," he said. "It is building huge dams on Brahmaputra which can jeopardise the economic life of the North-East. The UPA needs to build diplomatic pressure on China to safeguard India�s interests," said Singh. He said the government should take diplomatic initiative for a trilateral international water treaty involving India, China and Bangladesh to resolve the water sharing issue. Singh also mentioned that it was during the NDA regime that a state debt of Rs 365 crore was waived off in 2003 and a new loan worth Rs 1,053 crore was given to Nagaland. Assuring that Nagaland's "sense of alienation" will be addressed, Singh said, "as a coalition partner in the DAN we will ensure that the people of Nagaland join the national mainstream and their sense of alienation is gradually reduced." Asking the Centre to give importance to Nagaland's "unique strategic position" and use it as a "gateway" for trade with eastern neighbours, Singh said, "the Centre needs to appreciate Nagaland's unique strategic positioning in the North- East." "The state could serve as the gateway for trade and commerce with our eastern neighbours like Myanmar and South-East Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos," he said seeking effective implementation of the Look East Policy.