Category: north-east

A day after he was stopped by a huge Manipur Police contingent, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday visited relief camps in Moirang, Bishnupur district, where he met people affected by the ethnic violence.

"Rahul Gandhi ji’s visit must be seen in that context, where he is reaching out to people yearning for a leader who listens to them and shares their pain. Across communities, we have received warmth and affection, because they see Rahul ji as a ray of hope".

Police fired in the air and used tear gas shells late on Thursday to disperse a mob who gathered at Khwairanband Bazaar in the heart of Imphal city as the body of a man, killed earlier in the day in a gunfight in Kangpokpi district, was brought and placed in a traditional coffin.

Sharing some details of the incident, the Army tweeted : “Unprovoked firing by armed rioters towards village Haraothel commenced at 5.30 a.m. Own troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent escalation of the situation.

The Congress has been demanding imposition of the President’s Rule in Manipur to control the law and order situation as the party claims that the state's BJP government has completely failed to deal with the violence.

After the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), another influential tribal organisation, the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) on Tuesday reiterated that the tribal Kuki-Zo community would not hold any talk with the state government under Chief Minister N.Biren Singh.

On Monday, a combined team of Manipur police and JAT Regiment of Army apprehended a gang of arms smugglers. Three arms, 21 ammunition, two vehicles and cash were recovered from their possession.

The Manipur government will introduce a ‘no work, no pay’ rule for  government employees who are not attending office without authorised leave due to various reasons arising out of the ethnic violence.

The Chief Minister on Tuesday visited the relief camps at Youth Hostel, Khuman Lampak in Imphal East district and at Lamphel in Imphal West District and started distribution of the financial assistance.

The security forces intercepted a vehicle in Kohima, which was headed to violence-hit Manipur, and recovered huge arms, ammunition, explosives and other war-like stores on Tuesday, defence sources said.

“Such unwarranted interference is detrimental to the timely response by security forces during critical situations to save lives and property. The Indian Army appeals to all sections of the population to support our endeavours in restoring peace,” a source said. 

Amidst the long pending demand of a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ state, a consultative meeting on the Centre's proposal for constitution of an Autonomous Council with six eastern districts of Nagaland would be held here on June 30, officials said on Monday.

Returning from New Delhi, where he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the prevailing situation in the state, Singh on Sunday evening said that efforts to restore peace would be further intensified involving all.

In a petition filed by the Assam Wrestling Association (AWA) before the Gauhati High Court, AWA has accused the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) of not giving the state body affiliation even after a recommendation from the executive committee of WFI nine years ago.

Returning from New Delhi, where he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the prevailing situation in the state, Singh said that efforts to restore peace would be further intensified involving all. 

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said: "Every single minute Biren Singh continues as CM is a minute wasted towards efforts to bring peace and begin the reconciliation process in Manipur. His continuation as CM is untenable beyond doubt." 

In its petition, the Assam Wrestling Association claimed that despite recommendations made by the then WFI Executive Committee at the association's General Council meeting in UP's Gonda on November 15, 2014, it had been denied membership despite being entitled to it. 

After meeting Shah in New Delhi, he said that the Home Minister has advised him to strengthen the work towards achieving everlasting peace and also sought the cooperation of every stakeholder in Manipur to ensure that peace prevails in the state.

Security forces in Manipur's Imphal East district apprehended a dozen of militants of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) outfit on Saturday, but had to hand over all of them to local leaders after a mob, led by women, surrounded the forces and prevented them from going ahead, an official said.

Speaking at a public function, he said, "We have planned to build an underwater tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh through Brahmaputra. The estimated cost of the tunnel will be around Rs 6,000 crores."

However, Manipur and Mizoram were described as rain deficit by the Met department officials. The other four states in this region -- Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Sikkim -- witnessed normal rainfall.

Security forces on Saturday busted 10 militant bunkers in Manipur's Kangpokpl district and recovered 1,100 arms and 13,702 pieces of ammunition, which were looted by the attackers after ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3.

He said that the new rail project would boost relations between India and Bangladesh which would help growth of small scale industries in the border area and boost tourism of the northeastern region.

The speakers from each of these civil society groups conveyed their heartfelt condolences and sorrow over the ethnic violence that has so far killed 120 people, injured over 400 others and displaced some 50,650 men, women and children since it first broke out on May 3.

The 19 flood-affected districts are Bajali, Chirang, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Kamrup, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Udalguri, according to the ASDMA.