Reports say Advocate General Singh convoy was attacked in Ukhrul district on Saturday evening. Singh was hit by two bullets in the chest and three in the right arm
The 50-year-old top law officer of the state is currently undergoing treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital in Imphal.
On this occasion she expressed hope that it will give an opportunity to the young talent from Northeast in Sports arena.
The 12th Finance Commission had granted Rs 25 crore for this first full-fledged stadium in the hilly state of Mizoram.
The central government is giving special attention to boosting sports in northeast India, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi said here Saturday.
"There is huge sports potentiality in Mizoram and other northeastern states. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is making all-out efforts to tap these talents," Gandhi said in her address after laying the foundation stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium at Mualpui, on the outskirts of Mizoram capital Aizawl.
She said: "If we develop the talents of sportspersons in the northeast, India's performance in the national and international meets would be further improved."
The stadium, the first full-fledged sports arena in the border state, is to be constructed inside the headquarters complex of the third battalion of the Mizoram Armed Police (MAP).
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is constructing the 20,000-seat stadium. The 12th Finance Commission had granted Rs.250 million for the Rs.1.32-billion project.
Sonia said the central government would extend all help to implement the Mizoram government's flagship programme - the New Land Use Policy (NULP).
The Congress president added that as per the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission, Mizoram would get Rs.8,835 crore for the next five years.
Addressing the inaugural function, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said: "If Mizoram gets all-out support from the centre, we would produce world class players."
"With the laying of the foundation of the sports stadium, one of the visions of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi for the land-locked state has been fulfilled," he said.
The chief minister thanked the UPA chairperson for her support to the NLUP.
"The NLUP would be implemented for coordinated, balanced and inclusive development of farmers and poor people. It would help in economic empowerment of all sections of people," he said.
"The NLUP would also help in afforestation and protect the environment.
"The Mizoram government has taken a series of steps for women empowerment and also supports the women's reservation bill," he added.
"The Congress, particularly Rajivji, had played a great role in bringing back peace to Mizoram, shattered by two decades of militant violence," the chief minister said.
"We do not want to don the robe of a beggar with a begging bowl for all time to come. We want to be self-reliant as quickly as possible. But there are countless hurdles on our way forward," Lal Thanhawla stated.
By Raghvendra Rao
“They deserve greater autonomy in running their own affairs. Greater autonomy is something which ought to be considered as part of the honourable negotiated settlement,” the Government’s Interlocutor R.S Pandey told The Indian Express. He added that the modalities of autonomy need to be negotiated. “There is a will on both sides to solve the issue. We have to be a little patient. I am optimistic.”
Pandey, a 1972-batch Nagaland cadre IAS officer who also served as Chief Secretary in Nagaland, has already held a few rounds of formal and informal talks with the representatives of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak -Muivah) and is learnt to have succeeded in breaking some ice with NSCN-IM General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah. In fact, in one of his recent parleys with with NSCN-IM leaders, Pandey started conversing in Nagamese, even cracking a few jokes in the language, and managed to strike a rapport with the Naga leaders.
Having already conveyed to the Naga leaders that it acknowledges their “uniqueness”, the Centre has brought to the table the idea of transferring some subjects from the Concurrent List (a list of 47 subjects on which both the Centre and the State can make laws) to the State List. If agreed to by both the side, the move will be made following a constitutional amendment.
The concept of ‘sovereignty’, too, is being discussed threadbare in the talks. While the Naga leaders, in the run-up to the talks, said that they were not ready to compromise on their demand for sovereignty, the Centre is now trying to explain and underline that the “states are also sovereign in certain matters” and that India has a concept of “shared sovereignty”.
“Like certain issues which are in the exclusive domain of the Central government and Parliament, there are matters which are in the exclusive domain of the state governments and the state legislative assemblies and in those matters the states are sovereign. This is what is being explained and emphasised to them. Also, if you ask them whether they don’t want anything to do with India, their answer is: No,” a source said.
Government sources also point out that a look at the past utterances of the Naga leaders and the stance taken by the Centre (which is even recorded in Parliament speeches) makes the differences appear to be irreconcilable. “But the fact that both sides are still willing to talk and are now actually talking means that there is room for settlement,” a source close to the deliberations said.
“The Nagas are people who are entitled to respect and dignity. There has to be mutual respect. They are straight forward people and the approach has to be very right. Only then one can think of a solution,” he said.
This strong reaction came in the wake of the ‘Greater Nagalim’ demand made by the NSCN(IM), which is presently engaged in peace talks with the Centre. “The State Government is not going to bow down to any pressure. It will not give an inch of its terrain,” said the Home Minister.
The territory of ‘Greater Nagalim’ claims Arunachal’s twin district of Tirap and Changlang, which have been at the receiving end due to the decades-old insurgency problem.
Addressing a well-attended press conference here today, Dabi focused on the on-going peace talks between the Centre and NSCN(IM) saying it will help find a long lasting solution to the long-standing impasse.
Through talks only insurgency problems can be solved, he felt. “Bring the ultras to the table as this is the only way to solve the issue.”
While welcoming the present round of talks between the Central Government and the NSCN(IM), the Minister made it clear that Arunachal has got no business to poke in the issues not concerning the State and said the discussions figure problems excluding Arunachal. But, if the talks raise issues concerning Arunachal, the State Government will intensely counter the moves, he added.
Recalling the firm resolution adopted by the successive State Governments in the past including that of 1999 by Mithi Government, 2006 by Apang Government, and the present one under Dorjee Khandu, Dabi affirmed the government will not ‘part with an inch of Arunachal territory’ to any force.
Once the Naga issue is solved, Dabi, said the Northeast will heave a sigh of relief while emphasizing that the onus is on the Centre to bring ‘long-desired’ peace in the region.
On the frontier issue, he pitched for effective manning of Indo-Myanmar border.
The State Government, in this regard, has written to the Centre to convene a meeting involving the Chief Ministers, Home Ministers, Chief Secretaries and Home Commissioners of five States – Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya.
Imphal Correspondent adds: Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh is reportedly monitoring the ongoing Centre-NSCN(IM) talk in New Delhi, sources said. Ibobi, had been camping in New Delhi from February 28 last ahead of the Naga peace talks which had resumed on March 2.
The Manipur Government believe that the Central leaders will not do anything against the interest of the State, a senior Minister in the Ibobi cabinet told a group of reporters when asked about his reaction to the ongoing Naga talks in Delhi.
via The Assam Tribune
The Prime Minister’s statement that came while replying to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, assumes significance in face of the ongoing peace dialogue with several militant outfits including NSCN (I-M), which are demanding sovereignty.
The Naga militant outfit has come under attack of rival militant outfits for allegedly dropping the prime demand. Interestingly, in the President’s debate a Congress MP from Manipur opposed the demand of the I-M for integration of Naga inhabited areas.
“The security forces have achieved several notable successes of late. While we are determined to take firm action, we are ready to talk to any group that abjures violence unconditionally and agrees to abide by the due constitutional process,” said Dr Singh.
The reiteration of the known stand of the Centre that it was willing to talk to any group that abjures violence may also be a signal to a section of ULFA leaders, who are currently in government custody. Dr Singh though did not name any outfit but merely stated Centre’s position.
Significantly the Prime Minister praised Dhaka’s action to end the activities of the militants. “The Government of Bangladesh has reassured us that they will not allow their territory to be used for activities inimical to India. We have welcomed some of the steps they have recently taken in this direction,” he said.
On Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said India has taken several steps to diversify and broad base its relations with Dhaka.
A major milestone was the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in January. “During that visit we put in place a comprehensive framework of cooperation for development of our ties, which includes a renewed commitment by both sides to actively cooperate on security issues,” he said.
“We have provided a line of credit of US dollars 1 billion for a range of projects in Bangladesh, which we intend to follow up vigorously.
Without referring to the controversies surrounding China, Dr Singh said the country is an important neighbor, with whom India has a comprehensive and multi-sectoral relationship. But Dr Singh observed that resolution of the boundary issue might take time.
“We are both committed at the highest level to maintain peace and tranquility on the border, pending the resolution of the border question. This is a complex matter, which will take time to resolve,” he opined.
“We wish to build upon the achievements so far so as to create a partnership that is mutually beneficial. We are convinced that good relations with China are in the interests of both countries and will contribute to the peace, security and stability not only of the Asia-Pacific region but also of the world,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Thokchom Meinya MP representing Inner Manipur participating in the discussion in Lok Sabha said that while they encourage the on-going effort of the Union Government to find a negotiated settlement of the vexed Naga issues, at the earliest. But it should not be at the cost of the territorial integrity of Manipur and other States.
By Timothy Z. Zote
Tuithaphai, Mar 6 : The Hmar Mizo Community in Manipur held the a one-day ‘Seminar on Hmar Political Re-Conciliation’ here at Hmarveng in Tuithaphai on February 27, 2010.
Organised by Hmar Peopple’s Human Right Forum, eminent personalities including Pu Daineikung and Dr Lal Dena attended the event as resource persons. Pu Daineikung spoke on the Present Political Situation of the Hmar Mizo community and Dr Lal Dena dwelt on the past and present political situation of the community.
Addressing the seminar Forum chairman Pu Changthahlei said that the organisation had submitted a memorandum highlighting the aspirations of the Hmar community to the Prime Minister of India and the Centre has forwarded its reply to the Chief Secretary, Govt. of Manipur and later to Churachandpur District Commissioner. However, no action has been taken by the Govt of Manipur, the forum chairman said.
The forum resolved to take up their Five Charter of Demands with appropriate authorities, he added.
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By Pratik Kanjilal
They had learned to respect caste when they began to rule India and then they had learned to use it, dividing their sepoys on religious and caste lines to prevent a reprise of 1857. Now they have learned to despise it, like everyone else. And so Westminster has commissioned a needle-sharp probe into the morass of caste. On the basis of its findings, it plans to wipe out caste discrimination in Albion.
What a hope! We Asians, who invented caste, have been fighting it for over half a century, armed with a Constitution drafted by a Dalit, and we are still baffled by its cockroach-like endurance. Caste discrimination is alive and well and meanwhile its doppelganger, lower caste assertion, is raising steam. Uttar Pradesh is ruled by a caste-based party which is righting historical wrongs through monumental statuary.
The upper castes are richly represented in national imagery while Dalits have had to make do with the rustic statues of Ambedkar you see from the train window, pink-faced and clad in a piercingly blue jacket. Now, one caste imagery is competing with the other, though Ambedkar would have wanted neither to exist.
Pursuing our commitment to erasing caste, we have banned the very utterance of caste names, which are sometimes used as obscenities. But it’s no use. People of the abused castes freely use those very names as a badge of identity. Caste is the obscenity that dares to speak its name. And it speaks it so casually and familiarly that you forget it’s illegal.
I can’t get over the embarrassment I once suffered while covering an election in Haryana. For days I had wandered far from the highways, and then I had filed a story from a one-fax, two-dog, three-lathel village. The only reason I didn’t get busted to rookie reporter when I returned to Delhi was that my editor of that time was a hard-bitten veteran, not easily rattled. All he asked me was: “Did you want to get me arrested, then?”
I had written that Clan Devi Lal would face surprise reversals in its strongholds because it was being opposed by the community of cha… There I go again. Now, I’m trying to get the editor of this paper arrested. My only excuse for having spelled out a derogatory caste name in a newspaper was that for days on end in the villages, I had heard the word being used by everyone. Not as a term of abuse, as city people use it, but as a commonplace descriptive, like ‘Darjeeling’, or ‘banana’.
Action against caste in Britain will put the heat on India by intensifying the 2001 UN initiative to equate caste discrimination with racism. But the English, I fear, will discover that caste is like the human appendix. No one knows what it’s for any more but it remains deeply embedded in our psyche. Its nuisance value is easily remedied by surgery. But patients usually resist treatment, for it would mean cutting away a part of their selves.
**The author is publisher of The Little Magazine
