Mizoram Land Policy Extended

Jhum cultivation in Mizoram

Aizawl, July 30: The Centre has agreed to extend Mizoram’s flagship economic development project, the New Land Use Policy.

The scheme aims to replace the traditional slash and burn cyclical jhum cultivation with horticulture and terrace farming. It also opens up new avenues of livelihood for the rural masses by promoting export of handicrafts and by inviting unemployed rural youths to branch out into unconventional business opportunities like mobile phone trade and opening computer training centres.

Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla said in Aizawl today that the NLUP scheme had already started making waves in the state by registering a large numbers of Mizo villagers.

At the same time, he spelt out a cautionary note saying that political leaders and officials should not yet bask in the glory of the benefits of the scheme and should not become smug in self-satisfaction at its progress in the state. He said he had noticed a slack in efforts and lack of seriousness among the rural panchayat leaders and officials while implementing the third and fourth phases of the NLUP programmes.

The NLUP was started in January 11, 2011. In the past three years, the state recorded several achievements in the economic progress of its rural population by inducting 45,099 beneficiaries in the first phase and 45,070 beneficiaries in the second phase of development, particularly in agriculture.

The vice-chairman of the NLUP implementing board, P.L. Thanga, has recently said in a review meeting that the flagship programme had so far received central grant of Rs 1,524.92 crore.

NLUP nodal minister R. Lalzarliana, who is also the state’s home minister, said the “one crop one village” scheme under this project, which has formed a major development plank for Mizo villagers, should be toned up from time to time.

He said under the scheme, pre-selected villages would be persuaded to concentrate on tilling and raising a single crop, such as the summer and autumn rice, maize and other horticultural items. This scheme would be implemented in the state in phases.

Bacterial Contamination Found in Fermented Soyabean

Aizawl, Jul 31 : Bacterial contamination was the cause of food poisoning in fermented soyabean which was eaten by over 30 people in Aizawl recently and then taken ill, Mizoram health department sources today said.

'Non-lactose fermenting bacteria' was found in the samples of fermented soyabean, a delicacy of the north east.

A number of people working in the SCERT office in Aizawl purchased fermented soyabean from an employee on July 18.

Of them at least 30 were taken ill and 14 were hospitalised till date, the sources said.

The same bacteria was found in the fermented soyabean eaten in south Mizoram's Bungtlang south village in May where 90 people were taken ill, the sources added.

The bacteria could be created by unclean and unhealthy processing of the soybean while preparing for fermentation, said Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, Nodal Officer of the Integrated State Disease Surveillance Programme.

The sources said the bacteria could cause diarrhoea and other complications.

There is no escaping racism in India

A strange mix of prejudice, ignorance and centuries-old discriminatory practices make communities stick to regional taboos

By Archisman Dinda

It is an ugly, inexorable truth that Indians are guilty of racism. Though providentially not all of them, but sadly far too many of them — who distressingly reveal such traits more often than one had thought.

Racism, prejudice and xenophobia are rampant in India. It is a strange mixture of prejudice, ignorance and centuries-old discriminatory practices, when communities kept to themselves based on regional taboos. India never misses an opportunity to publicise its rich diversity, but the truth is that Indians are parochial: A large segment of people feel secure to live in their little worlds and protect its borders from any ‘external influence’. Their likes and dislikes for individuals too often have a direct correlation with their attitude towards skin colour and physical features, where even Indian citizens have to bear the brunt of such racist attitude. It extends to cover their language, culture, food, clothes and behaviour. They stereotype each other mercilessly and there are jokes galore about their food, clothes and accents. Colour consciousness permeates the way North Indians treat South Indians.

Indians contemptuously categorise all South Indians as “Madrasis”. Their attitude to their own citizens from the Northeast is no less racist. There, more than colour, it is the Mongoloid physical features of people from that region that attract the ridicule and disdain of those who love to consider themselves as part of the “mainstream”. Casual racism is commonplace. People from the Northeast are derided as “bahadurs” (a common term for Nepalese male servants in India). People ask them whether they are Japanese, Chinese or Korean. For most Indians, the Northeast is another country only accidentally and peripherally Indian. There is total ignorance in most parts of India about the culture and indeed about anything Northeastern. It may be geographically at an arm’s length from the mainland; connected to it by just a narrow strip of land known as the Siliguri Corridor. In terms of acceptance and integration, it may as well be another continent!

It is not just physical differences that make people from India’s Northeast stand out in a big city like the national capital of New Delhi. The fact that they hail from societies that are culturally more permissive than “mainstream” India highlights their “otherness” in the eyes of other Indians. A series of separatist insurgencies being waged by the indigenous people of the Northeast also exacerbates tensions.

As migration takes place, across state borders — with young people looking for better education and work opportunities — a kind of xenophobia begins, which sadly is not restricted to the North Indian heartland only. In Maharashtra, many poor, migrant labourers from Bihar are attacked, beaten up and threatened as they go about their daily grind, often working for a pittance. Last year, when two women of Chinese descent from Singapore were molested in Goa, the police delayed the registration of their complaint with the excuse that they thought the women were from the Northeast. Two years ago — triggered by an SMS hate campaign — many residents from Northeast were forced out of Karnataka and back to their home states fearing racist attacks. Only when the Rapid Action Force was deployed in Bangalore did the exodus stop. By then 30,000 people had already left the city.

Indians rarely perceive beauty in dark skin. In fact, most Indians look for pale-skinned brides for their sons. Bridal ads ask for “fair skinned” girls. So skin colour is important and you cannot be beautiful if you are not fair. There are very few countries, where skin whitening creams can do such roaring business, with such impunity. Yet, our celebrities have no compunction advertising the same.

However, racism outside the country elicits an altogether different response. When actor Shah Rukh Khan is frisked by American immigration authorities and detained for questioning, it is racial profiling at its worst and causes a diplomatic row. Four years ago, when Indian students were the targets of racist attacks in Australia, incensed and outraged protests were staged against Australians, both in India and abroad. Calls were made for diplomatic ostracism and proscribing of Australian universities.

As potential victims, Indians are very mindful of it. But as perpetrators, they are reluctant to accept it.

There is another side to Indians, though. The country has always been a haven for persecuted people all around its neighbourhood. India has given shelter to Jews, Parsis, Armenians, Chinese who ran away from the Revolution and Tibetans who fled the Chinese. These people kept their distinct, separate identities and yet they prospered and loved India. Indians in return provided them with physical and economic security to carry on with their lives. Psychologists would argue that an average Indian’s deep-seated inferiority is rooted in a past of subjugation — the colonial desolation of feeling like a second-class citizen in one’s own country. But a deeper resentment now emerges in the form of bipolar urbanism, where protection of self and the turf is paramount and always guarded against any invasion.

This new form of interstate urbanisation creates social tension, as it proposes a fear of cultural and ethnic contamination, giving rise to the fear of losing traditional customs that the society adheres to the core.

Unless, purity of the heart and intent is accepted as the dominant premise of Indian identity, enforcement of such stereotypes will continue as the society oscillates between modernity, tradition and barbarism.

Archisman Dinda is based in Kolkata, India.

Manipur To Have Tallest Rail Bridge

Imphal, Jul 30 : The proposed bridge near Noney with pillar height up to 141 metres is slated to become the tallest in the world from the point of pillar height surpassing the existing tallest of Mala-Rijeka viaduct on Belgrade-Bar railway line in Europe where the height of pillars is 139 metre, said an N-F Railway spokesman.
  
The bridge in Manipur is part of the 111 km-long Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal railway line to connect the capital of Manipur with the broad gauge network of the country, the spokesman said.
  
The alignment of the railway line passes through steep rolling hills of Patkai region, eastern trail of the Himalayas, he said.
   
While Jiribam, a small town of Manipur near Assam-Manipur border, is situated 37 metres above mean sea level (MSL), Imphal is situated at 780 metres above MSL.
  
The alignment has to traverse through not only a number of deep gorges but over several rivers flowing at low ground levels necessitating construction of 46 tunnels measuring a total 54.5 km in length and tall bridges to maintain a suitable gradient for efficient operation of railway, he said.
  
The longest tunnel will be 4.9 km long between Jiribam-Tupul and 10.75 km between Tupul-Imphal section.

Northeast States Boundary Issues To Be Resolved

Aizawl, Jul 30 : The Modi Government has taken the initiative to resolve the long pending boundary disputes between the Northeastern States, officials said.

“Survey of India (SoI) officials at the behest of the Union Government has started talks with the officials of the Northeastern States to solve the border disputes among the Northeastern States,” an SoI official said.

The official, refusing to disclose his identity, said: “Based on our toposheet, we would talk to the officials of Northeastern States. Our officials accompanied by concerned officials of these States, if necessary, would conduct a joint survey along the disputed borders.”

‘Toposheet’ or ‘Topographic sheet’ essentially contains information about an area like roads, railways, settlements, canals, rivers, electric poles, various offices and installations.

Survey of India (SoI), India’s national survey and mapping organisation under the department of Science and Technology, maintains the toposheet.

Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur share disputed borders with one another and occasionally villagers, officials and security forces have engaged in skirmishes over this long pending issue.

Officials of Tripura and Mizoram in the presence of SoI officials met in Silchar, the main town of southern Assam, last week and discussed the border issues between the two States.

“The Mizoram Government has been claiming the Bethling hill at Fulldangsai village (along Tripura-Mizoram border) is their territory under the 1933 Assam Government gazette notification. We strongly rejected the claim,” Tripura revenue department secretary Swapan Saha said.

Saha, who led the Tripura delegation in the Silchar meeting, said: “In the toposheet of SoI, the strategically located hill falls in the Tripura territory. Around 50 Mizo families, residing in the hill, are not only Tripura residents, their names have been enrolled in various Tripura Government documents, including electoral lists, for many decades.”

SoI director SK Singh told the officials of Mizoram and Tripura that they would again meet after a few months and, if necessary, a joint visit would be conducted in the disputed site.

Tripura shares 109 km borders with Mizoram and 53 km borders with Assam.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has also sought Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s intervention to resolve the Assam-Mizoram boundary dispute.

“The Chief Minister recently met the Union Home Minister in New Delhi and requested him to intervene in the long pending boundary dispute with Assam,” said an official of the Mizoram Government, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Rajnath Singh (who was president of the Bharatiya Janata Party during an election campaign before the 2013 Assembly poll in Mizoram) said the border dispute would be resolved if the BJP came to power at the Centre.”

Occasionally, the border disputes between northern Mizoram and southern Assam have flared up among the people of the two Northeastern States, forcing the authorities and security forces to intervene.

Tripura Get Rice Via Bangladesh From Tomorrow

Agartala, Jul 30 : Rice from southern India to Tripura via Bangladesh is likely to reach here on Thursday, bringing to fruition a three-year-long diplomatic and strategical endeavour between New Delhi and Dhaka.

“The first consignment of 5,000 tonnes of rice in small ships from Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh reached on Saturday at Ashuganj river port in (eastern) Bangladesh via Kolkata port,” Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bhanulal Saha told IANS here.

He said, “The rice, meant for Public Distribution System, would now be loaded on trucks from Wednesday or Thursday to take it at the FCI (Food Corporation of India) depots in Agartala.”

“Around 20 trucks are expected to arrive Agartala everyday for the next 12 to 13 days from Thursday.”

Ashuganj river port in eastern Bangladesh is around 40 km from here. The rice-loaded trucks would reach Agartala from Ashuganj (under Brahmanbaria district of Chittagong division of Bangladesh) within two hours.

Due to the Idd-ul Fitr festival in Bangladesh, unloading and loading of the rice from vessels to trucks was delayed for a few days.

Saha said in the next phase, another 5,000 tonnes of rice would be ferried to Tripura in the same manner and through the same route.

“In view of conversion of railway lines from metre gauge to broad gauge, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) would stop train services in Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and southern Assam from this year’s October to June next year,” the minister said.

“In view of this, carrying of food grain and other essentials from different parts of the country to Northeastern States of India via Bangladesh is very vital,” he added.

Saha said, “I had telephonic talks with Mizoram’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister John Rotluangliana a few days back and discussed about the possible problems of carrying food grain from different parts of the country after the closer of the train services to the region.”

The minister said after holding talks with the food and civil supplies ministers of other Northeastern States, he would approach the railway and Union Food and Civil Supply ministers to hold a meeting in Guwahati to ferry food grain and essentials via Bangladesh on a regular basis or as and when the situation arises.

The eight Northeastern States, including Sikkim, are largely dependent on the bigger States, especially northern Indian States, for food grain and essential commodities.

The Bangladesh Government following three-year-long diplomatic and strategic parleys has, under a special transit facility, agreed to transport 10,000 tonnes of food grain for Tripura across its territory.

“After getting a positive gesture from the Bangladesh Government, the FCI started the process three years back to transport food grain and essentials from southern India using the Ashuganj river port and the roadways connected to the Northeastern States,” FCI’s area manager Benugopal Bhuiya told IANS.

“The FCI had earlier floated tenders to select Bangladeshi transporters. After a series of diplomatic and administrative parleys involving various Bangladeshi ministries and India’s food, finance, shipping and external affairs ministries, the long-pending matter was settled recently,” Tripura’s Principal Secretary (Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs) BK Roy told IANS.

Earlier, in 2012, Bangladesh had allowed India’s state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to ferry heavy machinery, turbines and cargo through Ashuganj port for the 726 MW Palatana mega power project in southern Tripura.

The Indian Government had spent several millions of rupees to develop the port and related infrastructure.

“After Tripura, food grain would likely be ferried through Bangladesh for other Northeastern States, including Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam, to save time and costs, besides ensuring certainty,” the FCI official said.

“Due to shortage of rail wagons, inadequate storage facilities and various other bottlenecks, the Northeastern States have been suffering from poor supply of food grain for most part of the year, especially during the monsoon (June to September),” Tripura’s Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bhanulal Saha said.

Manipur May Miss Out on 'Mary Kom' Movie Screening

By Prasanta Mazumdar

Casting of Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom triggered protests as there were demands that only a girl from the region should essay the role Mary Kom is a legend in Manipur and India. Yet a movie made on her life is unlikely to be screened in her home state where the militants gave banned the use of Hindi, specifically Hindi movies.

The makers of the film "Mary Kom" are optimistic about its screening in the state and learnt to have been in touch with the state government.

But, so far, there has been no official word on the matter. Calls made to Manipur chief secretary PC Lawmkunga's mobile went unattended.

"We are planning to screen it in Manipur. So, we are in touch with the Manipur government," Neerav Tomar, chief executive officer and managing director of IOS Sports and Entertainment, told dna. The company manages Mary.

The film is set in Manipur and highlights the rise of the five-time women's world boxing champion and Olympic bronze medalist. The biopic, produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and directed by Omung Kumar, is set for countrywide release on September 5.

The film stars actress Priyanka Chopra, who spent a lot of time with Mary to understand her and style of boxing. When she was cast, it triggered protests on the social networking sites with demands being raised that only a girl from the region should play the role.

The uncertainty on the screening of the movie in Manipur has saddened Mary and her family among others. "I will feel bad if the movie is not released in my state," Mary said. Her husband, Onler Kom, expressed a similar sentiment. "We will be very sad if it is not screened in Manipur. One must understand that the film is about Mary's life, family etc," he said.

Asked if the family will make an appeal to the militants, Onler said, "They have already learnt that we want the movie to be screened in Manipur".

The Manipur film industry is equally upset. "The people in Manipur are passionate about the film. They want to see it. But Hindi is the problem," said Epu, general secretary of Manipur Film Forum. "Why is the ban on the screening of Hindi movies in theatres when the satellite channels are beaming them in the state?" he argued.

"Whether it is screened in Manipur or not, I am sure copies of the movie will go viral in Manipur," said N Ibungochoubi, a writer.

Extremist group Revolutionary Peoples Front, fighting for the sovereignty of Manipur, had in 2000 issued a notice banning the use of Hindi and screening of Hindi movies for allegedly destroying Manipuri culture and language. Ever since then, movie theaters in the state have stopped screening Hindi movies.

Source: DNA

70 of the Most Useful Websites on the Internet

By Johnny Webber







1. netflixroulette.net — Find something random to watch on Netflix.
2. pintsinthesun.co.uk — Find somewhere to drink a pint in the sun.
3. gfycat.com — Upload your gifs.
4. youconvertit.com — Convert documents.
5. ninite.com — Download all the free software you want at the same time.
6. squirt.io — Speed read the web one word at a time.
7. shouldiremoveit.com — Find out which applications you should remove from your computer.
8. avoidhumans.com — Find places to go in public that are not crowded.
9. keybr.com — Practice your touch typing.
10. oldversion.com — Get old versions of software.
11. readability-score.com — Find out how readable text is.
12. deadmansswitch.net — Have emails sent when you die.
13. mint.com — Budget your money.
14. roadtrippers.com — Plan your route with the best lodging and attractions.
15. duckduckgo.com — A search engine that is not following you.
16. padmapper.com — Maps out possible apartments/homes that fit your criteria.
17. zillow.com — Another great source for finding your next home.
18. printfriendly.com — Make any webpage print friendly.
19. printwhatyoulike.com — Print precisely what you want from any webpage.
20. privnote.com — Write a note to someone that will self-destruct after they read it.
21. freecycle.org — A network of people giving away free stuff in their towns.
22. couchsurfing.org — Crash on someone’s couch anywhere in the world.
23. recipepuppy.com — Search for recipes based on the ingredients you have.
24. pipl.com — A search engine for finding people.
25. charitynavigator.org — Evaluates various charities.
26. newsmap.jp — Popular news headlines.
27. radioreference.com — Listen to radio channels across the nation.
28. jimmyr.com — Link aggregator.
29. wolframalpha.com — A computational knowledge engine.
30. heavens-above.com — Follow satellites and constellations.
31. whatismyip.com — Figure out you I.P. address.
32. spreeder.com — Improve reading speed and comprehension.
33. simplynoise.com — Listen to white noise.
34. camelcamelcamel.com — Tracks prices for any product.
35. ptable.com — An interactive periodic table.
36. retailmenot.com — Find coupons for just about anything.
37. searchtempest.com — Search all of craigslist with one search.
38. join.me — Peek in on somebody’s computer screen.
39. thistothat.com — Find out the best way to glue this to that.
40. woorank.com — Find out what your website is missing, how you can improve it, and how to make Google recognize it better.
41. scribblemaps.com — Draw on maps then share them with friends.
42. mailvu.com — Video email.
43. rhymer.com — Online rhyming dictionary.
44. homestyler.com — Design your dream home.
45. wetransfer.com — An easy way to send big files.
46. pastebin.com — A place to paste text.
47. idlekeyboard.com — Make it sound like you are hard at work.
48. dropbox.com — Backup your sensitive document online.
49. seatguru.com — Find out where the best seats are on your plane flight.
50. unlistmy.info — Find out which websites store data about you, and tell them to unlist your info.
51. twofoods.com — Compare two foods..
52. gasbuddy.com — Find local gas prices.
53. sleepyti.me — Plan out your sleep schedule better.
54. ripetrack.com — Find out when certain fruits are ripe .
55. compassionpit.com — Talk out your problems with others, or help others yourself.
56. paperbackswap.com — Swap books with others.
57. swole.me — Plan out your meals better.
58. weatherspark.com — A graphical look at the weather.
59. network-tools.com — Various network tools.
60. amazon.com — The best place to buy things online.
61. writecheck.com — Correct grammar and check for plagiarism.
62. wakerupper.com — Send yourself a wake-up call.
63. pcpartpicker.com — Plan out your next PC build.
64. nophonetrees.com — Talk to an actual person instead of a machine when you call customer service.
65. loads.in — Find out how long it takes websites to load.
66. calorieking.com — Find nutrition information on various foods.
67. manualslib.com — A database of PDF manuals for various products.
68. eatthismuch.com — Create meal plans to meet your nutrition targets.
69. keepmeout.com — Lock yourself out of time wasting websites.
70. glassdoor.com — Research what it is like to work with certain companies.

UPF Team To Arrive in Delhi on July 30

New Delhi, Jul 29 : A team of United Peoples Front (UPF), the umbrella Chin-Kuki-Mizo underground organisation, will be arriving here in New Delhi on Wednesday, July 30 for a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.

The UPF team will be headed by Araon Kipgen who is the convenor of UPF's representative for 'political dialogue' with the Government, according to a well placed source.

With just 25 days left for the expiry of the present one year term of Suspension of Operation (SoO) with both the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United Peoples' Front (UPF) there have been hectic consultations going on among the leaders of KNO and UPF. The current one year SoO term for both UPF and KNO ends on August 22.

Meanwhile, both UPF and KNO are not sure whether they will extend the SoO for another term. "Our team will arrive here in New Delhi on Wednesday and a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India will be held within this week," said the source, adding, The source further said only after the August 12 meeting the UPF will only know whether to extend the Suspension of Operation with the Government or not after the current term expires on August 22. The source however, did not disclose the venue of the August 12 UPF meeting.

Source: Newmai News Network

67.2% of Mizoram Population Use Tobacco

Aizawl, Jul 29 : As per latest Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2009 – 2010, 67.2% of Mizoram population is using tobacco. Mizoram Chief Secretary L. Tochhong, the Chairman of State Level Coordination Committee (Tobacco Control), disclosed this today in the first meeting of State Level Coordination Committee (Tobacco Control), here at Secretariat Conference Hall.

The State Level Coordination Committee declared September 11 as ‘State Anti-Tobacco Day’ which is to be observed every year from this year on, as a day of re-orienting the people on the ill-effects of tobacco.

The main objective of the state level committee is to come up with an effective plan to strengthen the fight against tobacco and to better ensure enforcement of the different sections under COTPA by government offices in the State, L. Tochhong said that it is necessary to decide over how to take steps for the forthcoming Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2014 -15.

The chief secretary said that besides the members of the committee, various government departments as well as NGOs need to put coercive efforts so that the next survey may show improvement from the present position of being the State with highest percentage in using tobacco.

President of Indian Society on Tobacco & Health (Mizoram Chapter) Lal Riliani graced the State Level Coordination Committee (Tobacco Control)’ first meeting today and speaking, she calls on the members to act more boldly in the many steps to be taken yet.  She in the meantime expressed thankfulness over the progresses that have been made so far.

The President of Indian Society on Tobacco & Health (Mizoram Chapter) added that re-awareness is necessary on no-smoking in restricted places violation of which is punishable as per law.

The State Level Coordination Committee (Tobacco Control), in its first meeting today resolved to take greater steps towards preventing the non-smoking people, especially children. It also decided to finds ways for including writings on anti-tobacco in school text books.

Sub-Committee under the guidance of Chief Secretary which shall do the needful for the observance of State Anti-Tobacco Day has also been appointed in the meeting today.  On the day of the first State Anti-Tobacco Day this year, felicitation of more progressing Districts may be held, the meeting also decided.

Besides the committee members and heads of various departments, Indian Society on Tobacco & Health (Mizoram Chapter), MHIP, MZP and MJA representatives also attended the first meeting of State Level Coordination Committee (Tobacco Control), today.

Edinburgh Tattoo to Drum up Viewers with TV Deals

By BRIAN FERGUSON

Organisers of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo aim to increase the global TV audience of the event to more than a billion – with lucrative new agreements in China and India.

Brigadier David Allfrey, chief executive and producer of the event, has unveiled ambitious plans to secure long-running broadcast deals with the two countries. The move – expected to coincide with the appearance of more Indian and Chinese performers in the event – would see the number of viewers rise tenfold from its present level.

Plans to greatly expand the global reach of the event were announced as it emerged the Tattoo is set to sell out in advance for the first time in five years – despite its opening weekend clashing with the Commonwealth Games.

Organisers have revealed sales are running around 8,000 ahead of last year, with 97 per cent of seats already snapped up ahead of yesterday’s official launch, when details of the programme were announced.

Last year’s event did not sell out until around two weeks into the run at the Castle Esplanade.

The Tattoo opens on Thursday night, with its dress rehearsal, with another three performances due to be held before the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow draw to a close on Sunday.

The event – which is being held for the 65th year – has sold out for the last 15 years in a row, but is viewed by a further 100 million people in around 45 countries thanks to coverage filmed by the BBC.
Brigadier Allfrey said: “We are one of four really big offerings that BBC Music record every year, along with the Proms season, the Glastonbury Festival and Radio One’s Big Weekend, and our programme is already licensed out to a huge number of territories around the world.

“I have a real interest in the developing markets, particularly in India and China, where there is an enormous number of people who are tremendously interested in our offering.

“We think there is a real opportunity to reach a stronger audience by working with the two state broadcasters in each of these countries.

“The real interest is in the years to come, where Scotland’s relationship with these great economies is set to grow. I want to make sure the Tattoo is presented to both Indian and Chinese audiences in much the same way as it is in Australia, where the Tattoo is shown every year on New Year’s Day.

“We want to ensure that they take the programme every year, and in years to come we are talking about acts from India and China. We are setting the conditions for proper broadcast of those programmes, which we think will capture the public imagination in those countries.”

Acts from South Africa, the Caribbean, New Zealand, India and Singapore appear in this year’s Tattoo, which runs until 23 August.

Highlights are expected to include appearances from the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra, the iNgobamakhosi Zulu Dance Troupe, from South Africa, the Nagaland Folkloric Group, from north-east India, and a group of Shetland Fiddlers.

Just 3,000 tickets remain on sale for this year’s event, but Brigadier Allfrey warned these were expected to be quickly snapped up, despite the huge 
interest in the Games.

Now Assam Asks ONGC, Oil India for Higher Royalties

By Siddhartha P Saikia

ONGC and the Gujarat government are embroiled in a legal battle following the latter’s demand for additional royalty.

SummaryState-run hydrocarbon explorers ONGC and Oil India face the grim prospect of having to pay additional royalties to states.

State-run hydrocarbon explorers ONGC and Oil India face the grim prospect of having to pay additional royalties to states. Assam, taking a cue from Gujarat, has sought royalty on the pre-discount price of crude oil produced in the state, rather than the actual price the fuel is sold by the two firms, effective February 1.

ONGC and the Gujarat government are embroiled in a legal battle following the latter’s demand for additional royalty of R10,000 crore from the PSU for crude production in the state since 2003.

Gujarat’s rationale for the move is that royalty needed to be paid not on the subsidised price crude oil is sold by ONGC to oil marketing companies, but the pre-discount price.

Sources said Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to direct the oil PSUs to change the royalty payment mechanism, as demanded by Gujarat.

Thankfully for ONGC and OIL, the northeastern state hasn’t demanded that the new norm be applied from an earlier date. This is despite the fact that Assam had an estimated cumulative loss of revenue to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore since 2008-09 because of the current system of determining royalty.

The apex court had directed ONGC to start paying royalty to the Gujarat government on the pre-discount price from February this year, while the state’s demand for arrears since 2004-05 is yet to be decided on.

Sources added that Gogoi urged Modi to “advise the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to give appropriate instructions to ONGC and OIL to pay royalty, VAT and other state taxes to the government of Assam also at pre-discounted price of crude oil with effect from February 1 2014 as ordered by Supreme Court in case of Gujarat”.

This comes as a dampener for ONGC as its bottom line is expected to be impacted by more than Rs 2,000 crore (for Gujarat and Assam alone) every year (see chart). Gogoi has pointed out that ONGC and OIL are liable to pay royalty on crude oil at 20% of the well-head price, in addition to VAT at 5% and other state taxes.

Other states that could potentially follow suit include Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

I’m ready to Kermit to this relationship: Desperate villagers in Indian region hit by droughts hold wedding ceremony for frogs in bid to appease rain gods

The ritual took place in Dibrugarh in the north eastern Indian state of Assam

Villagers perform the ceremony to try and bring rainfall during dry spells

Ritual began by catching a male and a female frog from two different villages

The two frogs were dressed up and adorned with traditional colour

After ceremony the frogs were taken to a small pond nearby and let go

By Tara Brady

Desperate villagers in an Indian region hit by droughts have held a wedding ceremony for

frogs in a bid to appease rain gods. 

The amphibian ritual took place in the village of Dibrugarh in the north eastern Indian state of Assam.

Villagers perform the ceremony to try and bring rainfall during dry spells.

Villagers perform a wedding ceremony between two frogs to pray for rain and good harvest

Ranjan Das, one of village leaders who attended the wedding, said: 'Our region had not witnessed much rain this year so far. 

'So we arranged the wedding of two frogs to please the rain Gods.' 

The ritual began by catching hold of a male and a female frog from two different villages.

'We have to make sure that the frogs have been brought from two different villages. Only then will the rain Gods accept our plea,' said Das. 

Bizarre: Villagers who took part in a wedding ceremony of frogs in the village of Dibrugarh, India

Villagers said there had not been rain in the area this year so they arranged a wedding ceremony for frogs

Pukka up: The male frog during the wedding ceremony in India where there has not been any rain

The two frogs were dressed up and adorned with traditional colour. The female frog was even gifted a chain

'After that, we sit for the ritual and perform the wedding just like we do our own.'

People from around four villages attended the bizarre marriage ceremony on Sunday, 27 June, which

lasted six hours.

Das said more than thousand people were present at the wedding, which was held in the local park.

The two frogs were dressed up and adorned with traditional colour. The female frog was even gifted a

gold chain by the villagers. 

More than s thousand people were present at the wedding, which was held in the local park

People from around four villages attended the bizarre marriage ceremony yesterday

After the ceremony was over, the frogs were taken to a small pond nearby and let go

'Traditional prayers were recited by the saints who conducted the wedding. It was a joyful affair,' said attendee Paromita Gogoi.

After the ceremony was over, the frogs were taken to a small pond nearby and let go.

Villagers then proceeded to eat dinner, where more than 900 plates of food were served.

'We let the frogs go, so that they can live their life and convey our message to the rain Gods,' added Gogoi

'This ritual is performed as a last resort measure. And thanks to God, our wishes come true,' said Gogoi.

It seems the prayers of the villagers were answered - it began raining across Dibrugarh this morning.

Man from Manipur Beaten Up by Two People in Gurgaon, Admitted to Hospital

Gurgaon, Jul 28 :  Just a few days after a man from Manipur was beaten to death in Delhi, another person from the state has been beaten up in the national capital's suburb Gurgaon.

The 35-year-old victim was reportedly attacked near his house by two men and has been admitted to hospital. The motive of the attack is still not clear.

Last week, Salouni - a former call centre employee from Manipur - was severely beaten up by five men in a road rage case. The police took a badly injured Salouni to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS, where he was declared dead.

Activists from the North East have alleged that his death was a "hate crime" and another in a long list of cases of racial discrimination in the capital.

Earlier this year, Nido Tania, a 20-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh died after being beaten with iron rods and sticks by a group of men in a market in Delhi's Lajpat Nagar, not far from where Shaloni died.

Nido's death had led to street protests and a national debate on discrimination against Indians from the North East.

YMA To Conduct Headcount of Chakmas

Aizawl, Jul 28 : Young Mizo Association (YMA) will soon conduct a census of the Chakma community living in Mizoram.

Vanlalruata, general secretary of the central committee of the YMA, said the census would be conducted in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) areas and also in other parts of the state.

He said efforts would be made to ensure that Mizos were able to own land inside the CADC. "It is extremely unfair that the sons of the soil are barred from owning land in CADC," the YMA leader said.

Earlier a study on the Chakmas was conducted to find out about the growth of the Chakma population in the state.

Their rise in population in Mizoram has been attributed to the displacement of a large number of people from the community after construction of the Kaptai Dam in Chittagong Hill Tracts in the erstwhile East Pakistan between 1957 and 1962. A large number of Chakma refugees were also sent to Arunachal Pradesh. More Chakmas came to the state after the Centre created the CADC in 1972 without consulting the people or leaders of Mizoram.

Dhaka Lets FCI Ship Food To Northeast Using its Key Port

By Zia Haq

New Delhi, Jul 28 : India has begun using a new trade route via a Bangladeshi port as well as land terrain to ship foodgrains to the Northeast India, as the NDA government steps up ties with the neighbour on the back of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj’s recent successful visit.

In a trial run, the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the country’s main grain agency, has successfully shipped 10,000 tonnes of rice to Tripura from its Vishakhapatnam silo via the Ashuganj port in the neighbouring country under the “Indo-Bangladesh protocol route”.

The new sea route reduces distance between some south Indian states and the Northeast by about 900 km, potentially cutting down transporters’ operating costs and opening up possibilities of greater commercial traffic.

Food minister Ram Vilas Paswan told Hindustan Times that after the trial run, the FCI would now scale up rice quantities transported using this route to the Northeast to 35,000 tonnes. “Since North-East is a rice-consuming region, this new route will help us reach rice from major southern states faster and more economically. Moreover, this route holds a lot of potential for commerce.”

With the India-friendly Awami League Party’s Sheikh Hasina in power in Dhaka, India and Bangladesh have enjoyed closer ties, although trickier issues, such as the Teesta water sharing pact, are stuck.

The route using the Ashuganj port holds strategic importance to India in reaching all kinds of equipment to the Northeast - including heavy equipment needed to construct border infrastructure. The Northeast, where several militant groups are active, is linked to the rest of India by a single highway running through a corridor known as the “Chicken’s Neck”.

For the food ministry, the new route has come in handy, as railways are about to shut down a major rail route used by the FCI in Assam for conversion to broad gauge. This would have sharply increased time and costs for the food agency.

Under the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route, inland vessels of one country can transit through the specified routes of the other country.

Delhi is Northeasterners' Favourite Job Destination

By Natalia Ningthoujam

New Delhi, Jul 28 : Abhijit K. Borah moved here from Guwahati in search of a better future. He says Delhi has a lot to offer and he has no plans to leave the capital, despite it being tagged as the country's "most racist city".

"I won't mind shifting base to another city, provided there are good opportunities. But Delhi always offers opportunities; so till now that thought has not crossed my mind," Borah told IANS.

Sagarika Dutta from Tinsukia, Assam, too calls the national capital her dream destination.

"After completing my 12th grade, I knew I would study here as the northeast isn't good for higher education. My cousins are also here, so I was excited," said the 25-year-old.

A study by the North East Support Centre & Helpline (NESCH) has revealed that 78 out of every 100 people from northeastern India living in Delhi face some sort of racial discrimination, with crimes against women, discrimination, verbal slurs and assault against people from the community emerging as major concerns.

Ever since a 30-year-old man from Manipur was thrashed to death during a brawl with a group of locals in the Kotla area of south Delhi, concerns have once again been raised about the safety of people from the region.

But there are always two sides to every story - if on one hand the capital spells fear and unease, on the other it offers hope and prosperity, northeasterners say.

Luckily for Dutta, she hasn't faced "any discrimination" so far and has no plans of turning her back on the city.

"It depends on your friends circle and the environment you are in. I am a career-oriented person and always wanted to settle down outside my hometown as there is less scope in the northeast for public relations professionals," she said.

Borah says the capital has worked as a magnet for people from the northeast as it offers a plethora of options for them.

If in the beginning BPO jobs worked as the biggest draw, now people from the northeast - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim - are getting opportunities in industries like media, hospitality and advertising, among others because of their education, ability to speak in English, smart appearances and willingness to work hard.

"Gone are the days when it was believed that the BPO industry drove northeasterners to the metros. Nowadays, in most of the creative fields like media, advertising, marketing or entertainment, you can see people from the northeast," said Borah.

Over 200,000 people, of whom around 50 percent are females, from the eight northeastern states are in the capital, another NESCH report said.

Worthing Kasar from Nagaland, a partner in a law firm, shifted to the capital to study law. The fact that part of her family was in the city made things smoother for her, but she wouldn't mind living on her own.

"I got through law college and then started working. Even if my family were not here, I would've moved to the city as it has a lot of opportunities," said Kasar.

Kasar added that the preference for people from the northeast is greater in her field.

"I've heard many lawyers saying that they prefer people from the northeast as associates because they feel we are hardworking and honest. In my profession, people run away with clients. So, these qualities are required to avoid this from happening," said the 36-year-old.

Despite disturbing news from the capital, Jenny Thingshung, now a radio jockey and a travel writer, left Manipur and joined a private media institute in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, around five years back.

"Delhi gives great exposure and my sister was already here. But even if I didn't have anyone here, I would've chosen Delhi as it is the best for media," said Thingshung, who worked with a channel as a reporter and then joined a radio station.

For the time being, she wants to earn and build a successful career; so she has no plans of returning to Manipur. But she hasn't completely shut the door.

"There will be a time when I would like to go home, but not right now. When I retire or get settled I would love to go back," she said.

(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)

Northeast Village Buys Burari Plot To House its Own in Comfort, Safety

By Shreya Roy Chowdhury

New Delhi, Jul 28 : The village of Yaikongpao, in Senapati district, Manipur, has acquired 100 square yards at Burari. When the village chief manages to raise enough funds, a hostel-cum-guesthouse will be constructed for students and families coming to Delhi from the state.

Dzukou House too was built this way—villagers on the Manipur-Nagaland border clubbed together to invest in infrastructure here. Villages, communities and groups from the northeast are pooling resources to set up cheap accommodations for students and families coming to the city. Though an unlikely choice, this north Delhi area is perhaps the only one where they can have landlords from their region.

Rocky Angumei, a youth pastor from Yaikongpao, says, "When I learnt about this place in 2007, I convinced the villagers to invest here. The village used its own development funds. The elders are here but they've entrusted me with the project." That land was bought, he says, in 2008-09.

"All educated young people are leaving Manipur and going to other states, mainly Delhi," says Angumei. "They work wherever they can—at beauty parlours or call centres—and pay exorbitant rents. The elders create a sense of security."

A single lane with about a dozen houses owned by people from the northeast offers the comfort of familiarity. Peichun Kadimna's family—her father's a pastor too—was the first to put down roots in 2010. "We were the only ones from the northeast here then," says the Miranda House student. Around that time, Ramo Chothe, a physics teacher at SGTB Khalsa College, was building his home. Chothe is now constructing more floors. "I can accommodate 10-15 students. Two will share a room, there'll be a common room with a television, and I'll serve meals. It'll be like home," he says.

The Kadimnas are ready to open their hostel—for 15—in August. "We're asking our friends to also chip in and set up hostels or guesthouses. Four to five families can together buy a 100 square-yard plot and build on it," says Chothe.

The interiors of Burari hardly inspire the confidence Chothe shows—there are virtually no roads leading to their lane, lanes aren't paved properly, streetlights come on well after it's dark and venturing out of the colony can invite racist comments. When Chothe moved in, "it was like a jungle". But this little throng is trying to make Burari home with a few light touches.

Last year, they had a badminton tournament in an empty parking lot. Angumei started the Church of Hope and is now working on "a barbecue culture". "The dream is there'll be a properly colony here with shopping complex, gymnasium and open area," explains Chothe. He convinced homeowners on his row to contribute "one foot from their plots for a few shops". These are yet to come up.

The community has the option of staying in Dhaka village or Gandhi Vihar in accommodations sublet to them. But, despite the inconvenient location, all the rooms available in Burari are taken. "Students started coming about two years ago," says Chothe, "About 15 came last year. Another 15 joined this time." It takes Kadamlung Gonmei two hours to get from Burari to Dyal Singh College on Lodhi Road but he decided to shift.

"Local landlords charged us more and we'd never get our security deposits back," says DU graduate Joseph Phaomei, who's preparing for competitive exams.

They can eat fermented fish in peace, there's no curfew and the elders to manage the kids. Having other migrant families as immediate neighbours also helps. "It's a mixed group here," says Angumei, "There are several families from Uttarakhand. They are simple. Like us."

The Onus To Integrate

India’s capital city has been deeply disturbed by several violent attacks on young men and women from the North-East

By Dipankar De Sarkar

In most cases of violence against people from NorthEastern states, police have come up with an “anything but racism” explanation.

On Boxing Day 2011, a student from Pune was shot and killed in the suburbs of Manchester for no apparent reason. Anuj Bidve, along with a group of friends—all Indians, visible minorities—happened to be in a housing estate known for its lawlessness. A man who called himself Psycho Stapleton walked up to the group, asked the time, and then took out a gun, placed it on Bidve’s left temple and shot him dead with a single bullet.

It was a numbing act of violence that led to an outpouring of shock and outrage in both India and the UK. After complaints from the grieving family, Manchester Police dispatched an officer to Pune to try and explain and apologise for delays in informing them of the tragedy. The unrepentant killer was found, arrested, tried and sentenced to life imprisonment.

It was a blot on Britain, a nation that to my mind has grown up embracing people of other races, religions and cultures. There was the determination not to allow such things to happen. In New Delhi this week, a former call centre worker called Shaloni, like Bidve in his 20s, was beaten to death by five men.

The man was from Manipur, one of eight states that are lumped as the North-East. Ignored for years by central governments and punished for rebellious insurgencies, the people of the North-East—visible minorities in most parts of India—have long complained of racism, especially in Delhi.

“Why don’t you people learn to integrate with your host communities?” ask some residents of Delhi in sentiments that are often heard in settings of conscious and unconscious racism, almost always from majority communities. I wondered what integration meant here: would they have to stop speaking English, stop listening to and playing Western rock music, swap skirts for saris?

India’s capital city has been deeply disturbed by several violent attacks on young men and women from the North-East. A 19-year-old student named Nido Taniam from Arunachal Pradesh got into an argument with some men in a South Delhi shop last year and they beat him to death.

A young woman was raped for four hours, another man was stabbed. Years ago in Delhi University, I discovered some fine musicians among students from the North-East—Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

I never thought to ask them about their experiences of Delhi—this after all was nobody’s town and it was everybody’s. No one gave a second glance. Or maybe they did. Things have changed now. Young men and women from the North-Eastern states are a much more abundant presence in Delhi.

They are university students, as well as workers in the service industry—call centres (partly because of their better English), shopping malls, hotels and restaurants. Forced by the poverty of their homeland to try and seek a living in the city, they have contributed to the economy and diversity of Delhi.

Puzzling about this spike in violence, I turned to Tungshang Ningreichon, a human rights activist from Manipur who has been a long-time resident of Delhi, to ask for her experiences. “This has always been there,” she said.

“But the trend is changing. Earlier we had regular abuse and harassment. Now it is much more violent. The record of the past few months shows people are being randomly attacked. Every day is a struggle for us.

“The daily racism comes out in small and subtle things people say. You feel disturbed. But you don’t want to pick a fight because you don’t want to spoil your day. “A lot of boys and girls live in rented houses.

Getting a gas connection is so difficult. If you go to Munirka, or Kotla where the killing (of Shaloni) took place, you will find variations in house rents within the same building. It’s Rs.12,000-15,000 for us but a little cheaper for the others.

We let it go.” Could she have integrated more? “There’s never been the space for us to integrate. It begins with your own teacher, right? ‘Where are you from?’ ‘Nagaland, Manipur.’ ‘Where is that?’

Now people are much more aware of this place called the NorthEast. The onus to integrate is not on us, the onus is on everybody.” Teenager Nido’s killing triggered a committee to “examine the causes behind the attacks/violence and discrimination against people from North-Eastern states” and suggest measures to be taken by the government. Its report has not been made public yet but if it doesn’t tackle the national capital’s notoriously uncaring police, it would have failed in its task. In most cases of violence against people from NorthEastern states, police have come up with an “anything but racism” explanation.

• When Kawilungbou Chawang, a 28-year-old man, was found dead in a drain, police said it was an accident, although locals saw him running before jumping or falling into the drain. • When 21-year-old Reingamphy was found murdered in her flat, a non-government activist said, “We have been told by the station house officer (a police officer)… that these girls from North-East work in spas and that’s why these incidents take place.”

• The explanation for Shaloni’s murder—so far—is road rage. The worst fear: “Maybe there’s a group of people who may think we don’t deserve to be here,” said Ningreichon. “How do I describe you,” I asked. “Oh just say another chinky, someone with a snub nose.”

30 People Ill After Eating Fermented Soya Bean in Mizoram

Aizawl, Jul 25 : At least 30 people were taken ill in Aizawl after eating fermented soya bean, Mizoram health department officials today said.

Dr Lalmalsawma Pachuau, Nodal Officer for the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme said that 35 people had reportedly eaten the fermented soyabean out of which 30 were given medical treatment in different hospitals across the city.

"We suspected bacterial contamination rather than chemical contamination as five people who ate the soya bean after cooking were not taken ill," Lalmalsawma said.

He said that the samples of the fermented soya bean were taken and sent to the microbiological laboratory and also to the state forensic science laboratory of the police department.

Reports said that two persons were treated at ICUs of two hospitals here while the condition of the rest of the victims were described as stable.

The reports said that the fermented soya bean was purchased by officials of the SCERT department from an employee.

This Man From Mizoram Has 39 Wives. Can You Guess How Many Kids He Has?

Most men have trouble handling one wife and two kids. Not this guy - he is happily married to all of his 39 wives, fathering 86 kids and a grandpa to 35 more!

It sounds ludicrous, but it is the raw truth. Ziona is a 70-something patriarch living with his huge family in a four-storey complex in a small village of Mizoram.

When asked, the man says that his big family is a will of god - and not because he wants to keep marrying again and again. He has not applied for the Guinness World Record, because he does not want the fame! The amount of food required to feed this family in one single meal is unbelievable.

This is a story that will punch a hole in all your family-planning schemes. Take a look.

Delhi HC 'pained' by Violence Against Northeast people

New Delhi, Jul 25 : 'Pained' by continuing incidents of violence against people from Northeast despite its orders, the Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a report from the government on the steps taken by it to curb "the menace plaguing the society".

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice RS Endlaw made the observations while referring to the recent fatal assault of a young man from Northeast which was reported to be an incident of road rage.

"We are pained to note that inspite of our being seized of the issue of violence in the city of Delhi against persons hailing from North Eastern part of the country and further inspite of issuance of detailed directions from time to time, such incidents, rather than abating, continue to occur.

"There was a news report recently of a young man of North Eastern origin being fatally assaulted in an incident which was reported to be of road rage," the court said.

"There was a news report recently of a young man of North Eastern origin being fatally assaulted in an incident which was reported to be of road rage," the court said. The bench urged Delhi police to "act with alacrity" while investigating the crime and sought a detailed status report by August 11, the next date of hearing.

The court also accepted the suggestion of Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain that a status report be sought from Station House Officers (SHOs) of certain sensitive localities in the national capital, setting out steps being taken for controlling or preventing such incidents. Kotla Mubarakpur, Lajpat Nagar, Munirka and some areas in and around Delhi University were the sensitive localities that were mentioned before the court.

The court also sought information regarding the measures taken by a Special Police Unit set up for dealing with crimes against people from Northeast and asked why the setting up of the cell "is appearing to be ineffective". It also asked the ASG to place before it the report of a committee constituted to look into the concerns of the persons hailing from the Northeast.

Manipuri Youth Murder: All 5 Suspects Arrested

New Delhi, Jul 24 : The fifth and last suspect in the case relating to the murder of a 29-year-old Manipuri youth was arrested last night from Garhi area here, police said.  Lokesh (25), also a resident of Garhi village, had been absconding after the other four suspects were arrested, a senior police official said.

The victim Akha Salouni was allegedly beaten to death by a group of five men in a suspected case of road rage in Kotla Mubarakpur in the wee hours of July 21.

He was returning to his Munirka flat after a party. The incident had triggered widespread anger among North East community here.

Three suspects in the case—Sanjay Basoya (24), his cousin Shakti Basoya and Rajiv (25) were arrested from Garhi area on July 21, while the fourth suspect Azad Choudhary (24), a driver by profession and a resident of Garhi Village, was arrested yesterday.

Amit Gupta, spokesperson in AIIMS had said Salouni’s autopsy report suggested that death was caused due to multiple internal injuries in the neck, abdomen and brain caused by blunt force.

A Delhi court had remanded Shakti, Sanjay and Rajiv in police custody till July 24 while Azad was remanded today in one-day police custody.

Police said the incident had taken place at around 3 AM when the deceased, along with two friends, Dihe Kazhiihrii (25), who is also a resident of Manipur and Nagendra Sharma (40), a resident of Bihar, were returning after attending a party at their friend’s place at Masoodpur Colony.

Following the party, they had hired an auto to drop Kazhiihrii at his home at Kotla Mubarakpur. When the auto reached near Gurudwara road, a car arrived from behind and started honking indiscriminately, police said.

The car occupants abused the auto driver, following which an argument ensued between Salouni and his friends and the five youths.

The argument soon turned ugly following which five youths, all of whom were apparently in an inebriated state, alighted from the car and attacked the three.

While Kazhiihrii and Sharma managed to flee, Salouni was caught by them, police had said.

Kazhiihrii called the police around 3:30 AM, after which a police team reached the spot and rushed Salouni, who was unconscious, to AIIMS trauma centre where doctors declared him brought dead.

Northeast MPs Want Panel Report Made Public

By Nishit Dholabhai

New Delhi, Jul 24 : Members of Parliament from the Northeast today urged Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju to make the Bezbaruah committee report public.

CPM MP from Tripura, Jitendra Chaudhury, said the MPs also discussed the demand for an anti-racism law and agreed that it would require consultations with a cross-section of people.

The North East MPs’ Forum, a group of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs from the eight northeastern states, had met in Parliament today to discuss its own “restructuring” and a plan of action in the wake of the death of another young man from the region this week.

Akha Salouni, 29, a Naga from Manipur who worked with a BPO here, was beaten to death by six youths in south Delhi’s Kotla Mubarakpur area around 2.15am on Monday. In January, Nido Tania, 19, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, had died after being thrashed by shopkeepers in Lajpat Nagar following a fracas triggered allegedly by their racial taunts.

The MPs, however, treaded cautiously while speaking about Salouni’s death. While some felt that raising the issue of racism in what could be a case of road rage might backfire, no one wants to take a chance politically.

In fact, minister for minority affairs in the UPA government Ninong Ering, who had borne the brunt of activists’ ire for saying Tania’s killing was not a racist attack, was among the first to take up Salouni’s case in the Lok Sabha.

The outrage following Tania’s death had forced the UPA government to form a committee, led by North Eastern Council member M.P. Bezbaruah, to recommend comprehensive anti-discrimination measures.

The committee submitted its report to Rijiju on July 11. It has wide-ranging recommendations that include “debating” proposal of an anti-racism law.

The demand for the legislation, raised after Tania’s death, has gained fresh momentum following Salouni’s death.

However, in the short term, the committee says, the government should consider an amendment to the Indian Penal Code. Sources said the government is considering change in Section 153A of the IPC, relating to the crime of promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence or language.

Rijiju is understood to have told the MPs’ forum, which was coordinated by Sikkim MP P.D. Rai, that a joint secretary ranked officer would study the committee’s recommendations after which the government will come out with “action points” to implement the recommendations.

Bezbaruah said the government should quickly go through the report and decide on how it can implement it. “It is not a very lengthy report. It is simple and straightforward, so it can be done,” he told The Telegraph.

He said the committee, which comprises former bureaucrats from the eight northeastern states as well as young people from the region, consulted a cross-section of society. Its members met as many as 800 people and tried their best to prepare a comprehensive report, he added.

There is also mounting pressure on the government from civil society groups to make the committee’s report public.

source: Telegraph India

Mary Kom: Inspirational Youthful & Award Winning Real Story

Mumbai: Mary Kom is an Indian boxer.  Her life is outstanding example for the youth in general and for women specifically.  The legendary boxer from North East Indian state of Manipur took lot of struggle to reach her goal (of winning medal for India).  Born and brought up in a not so rich family, Mary Kom faced lot of financial and psychological hindrances in her journey to her goal.

Starting her boxing career in 2001, Mary Kom was successful in winning medals for India more than once. Some of the medals by Mary Kom include:

Silver medal in 2001, gold medal in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 & 2010 in world amateur boxing championships.  In the Asian Women’s boxing championship Mary Kom won silver in 2008, and gold in 2003, 2005, 2010 & 2012 in various categories like Pinweight & Flyweight.  Marycom improved her tally winning Bronze in 2010 in Guangzhou.   Her other medals include gold medal in 2009 Indoor Asian Games, another gold in 2011 Asian Cup Women’s Boxing Tournment & one more gold in Witch Cup in 2002.  Mary Kom’s popularity attained the highest peak when she won bronze in 2012 summer Olympics in London in 51 kg flyweight category.

After winning the Bronze medal, Mary Kom received around Rs.1.80 crores as gift from various governments in India. This medal she won after she got married and after giving birth to 2 children.  This point is very important as many Indian women feel that once they are married, they have to settle for household jobs only.  Breaking the baseless sentiments, Mary Kom went ahead to clinch more and more medals & popularity.

Seeing the victory, Sanjay Leela Bhansali immediately declared that he would be doing a epic on life of Mary Kom.  Accordingly Priyanka Chopra was roped in to play the role of Mary Kom in the movie having the same title.  The glamorous heroine had to transform herself a lot before shedding the glamour image and entering the role of a boxer who struggled a lot to achieve her goal.

The recently released first look of the movie Mary Kom received lot of appreciation from many sections of the Bollywood.  As there is no high level star cast in the movie, (with exception of story), this movie is releasing on 5^th September 2014 to avoid clash with other big Bollywood projects.

Kolkata Safer Than Delhi, Say Students From Northeast

Kolkata, Jul 24 : Comments on appearance or the usual questions about whether they are Nepalis are common for students from northeast India who study here in the eastern metropolis.

Despite the slurs, the community feels Kolkata is "much safer" than the national capital where attacks on them are on the rise.

A 29-year-old Manipuri BPO employee was beaten to death in south Delhi's Kotla Mubarakpur area by five youths Monday.

The incident comes six months after 19-year-old Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania died after being hit with iron rods and sticks by some men following an altercation with a shopkeeper in a south Delhi market, not far from Kotla Mubarakpur.

Shocked at the escalating violence, heads of student groups have asked members of the community here to "be careful".

"We are not alarmed but we have asked students to be careful. We are definitely shocked with the increasing level of violence in the capital. But Kolkata is much safer that way... it is much more peaceful here," Niangbiaklun Tonsing, vice president of the Manipur Students' Association Kolkata (MASAK), told IANS.

They stay as paying guests or in hostels, primarily in the south and eastern fringes of Kolkata.

Apart from science and humanities courses, they pursue professional degrees like BBA or MBA.

"In 2007, there were around 200 students from Manipur. Now it is over 500. More and more people from other northeastern states are also coming in," Tonsing said.

Most of them are used to words such as "You are chinky" and questions like "Are you from Nepal?"

"We do not react. Words such as 'chinky' or 'Nepali' are repeatedly ascribed to us. There is no physical violence as such... it is mostly teasing that goes on. We just ignore them. Kolkata has also become more tolerant," Alex, a member of the Mizoram Students' Association in Kolkata, told IANS.

Alex said there are not more than 200 Mizos studying here.

Notwithstanding the relatively calm atmosphere that prevails here, security concerns remain.

"We have been told by police that they will provide a helpline number.

"Apart from that, there is no other avenue for help. We keep in touch with others from our community and check up if they need help," Ikotho Yeptho, who hails from Nagaland and acts as an advisor to the Naga Students' Union Kolkata, told IANS.

Yeptho said more than 800 people from Nagaland are enrolled in various colleges or are working in the IT or hospitality sector here.

Aircel 3G Services Launched in Arunachal Pradesh

Aircel has announced launching of its 3G services in Itanagar and Naharlagun which the customers can avail on their mobile phones or via Aircel 3G dongles.

Itanagar, Jul 24 : Aircel, a leading telecom operator, has announced launching of its 3G services in Itanagar and Naharlagun which the customers can avail on their mobile phones or via Aircel 3G dongles.

"Being one of the market leaders, we aim to increase 3G penetration and adoption in the region by re-defining user experience," Nilaj Mahalanavis, circle business head (north east) said yesterday while launching the service.

"As part of its services, Aircel has launched a new offer '3G Good Morning' where customers will get unlimited data free and browse up to 100 MB with 3G data speed daily between 4am to 8 am", Mahalanavis said. He also said that for customers in Itanagar and Naharlagun who have high data usage, the company is offering dongle plan with 4GB data which will be available at just Rs 1,495.

In addition, there are wide ranges of 3G plan starting at Rs 8 to choose from.

"Aircel is one of the market leaders in Northeast and it gives us immense delight to expand our 3G footprint in the region," Mahalanavis said.

He further went to say, " In 3G, Aircel has registered high growth in NE as its 3G subscriber base grew by 37% in 2013 while 3G data revenue increased by 200%. With the launch of 3G services in Itanagar and Naharlagun, we will provide our customers fast and seamless data connectivity at their fingertips 24X7."

Recently, Aircel launched some innovative 3G products in North East like video calling and unified data tariffs, Mahalanvis added.