February 6, 2019

Page 1

Nagaland Post This issue 12 + 4 = 16 Pages @ ` 5.00

www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXIX No. 60

DIMAPUR, WEDNESDAY, FEBUARY 6, 2019 Pages 16 ` 5.0

TMC not in touch with us: Patnaik

Liverpool held 1-1 by West Ham

Russia, Turkey reaffirm support for Maduro

national, Page 11

sports, Page 16

international, Page 13

Mamata vs Centre: SC restrains CBI

Vows to fight against Modi govt to finish; says SC verdict moral victory

Mamata Banerjee after calling-off her ‘Save Constitution’ dharna (sit-in) in Kolkata, Tuesday. (PTI)

effort to cobble together an anti-BJP alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, drew support from over 20 opposition parties as she claimed the Centre was plotting a “coup” to topple her government. Asser ting that opposition parties will take the fight against the Modi government to a “logical conclusion”, Naidu said their leaders will meet in the national capital on February 13-14 to chalk out an agitational programme. “Democracy is in danger. Everybody is under threat. If anybody raises his voice, you throw them in jail. Is it Emergency? It is worse than Emergency,” he said. The Banerjee-Centre face-off resonated in Parliament for the second day running, with proceedings getting disrupted amid protests by opposition parties, including the TMC, SP and Congress, over alleged misuse of the CBI in West Bengal. Banerjee said the court direction that no coercive steps, including arrest of Kumar, will take place during the course of investigation, is “our moral victory and boost the morale of civil servants”.

Myanmar army launches offensive Go to Shillong: SC against NE rebels U WA H AT I , F E B 5 to CBI, Kolkata CP G(AGENCIES): Myanmar

“Go to Shillong. It is a cool place. Both sides will remain cool there,” observed the Supreme Court in a lighter vein while accepting the request of CBI that Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar be directed to join investigation at a neutral place. The remark was made by CJI Ranjan Gogoi after passing the order in which a bench headed by him said that Kumar has to make himself available before the CBI for investigation. After the bench had almost completed the dictation of the order, Attorney General K.K. Venugopal raised the issue of neutral place. “To avoid unnecessary controversy, we direct the Commissioner of Police to appear before the investigating agency in Shillong, Meghalaya, on such date(s) as may be fixed,” the bench said in its order. The apex court directed that Kumar will appear before the CBI for investigation in Shillong, and no coercive steps, including his arrest, will take place during the course of the probe.

KOLKATA, FEB 5 (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called off her sit-in protest Tuesday evening after the Supreme Court forbid the CBI from taking coercive action against Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar, but vowed to wage a relentless battle against the Narendra Modi government till it was ousted from power. Banerjee, who dramatically began the dharna on Sunday evening over CBI’s bid to question Kumar, said she was ending the protest

following a “favourable” Supreme Court order after consulting leaders of likeminded political parties. “I will not give up... Modi hatao, desh bachao (oust Modi, save the country. The dharna is a victory of the people, of the country, of democracy. I will now take the fight to Delhi,” she told a gathering of her supporters with TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by her side. Banerjee, one of the prime movers behind the

ECI begins preparations for LS polls in NE

Can’t compromise on quality of road: Patton

AGARTALA/AIZAWL, FEB 5 (IANS): With weeks to go for the announcement of the 17th Lok Sabha election dates, the Election Commission has begun preparations in the Northeastern states, a top election official said on Tuesday. “The Election Commission has been holding regular interactions with chief electoral officers (CEOs) and other concerned officials through video conferencing. But it is yet to inform us about its possible visit to the region,” Tripura CEO Sriram Taranikanti told IANS. “On Monday, Deputy Election Commissioner (incharge of the Northeastern states) Sudeep Jain interacted with the CEOs, District Magistrates and superintendents of police of all districts of Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur and Nagaland through video conferencing and took an overview of the preparations,” he said. Another Election Commission official said that except Mizoram and Assam, the photo-affixed electoral rolls with January 1, 2019 as the qualifying date of age, had already been published in Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

This is it!

“I don’t know whether this dharna is to save the constitution or her government.” K Y M C

Patton pointing to the loose asphalt over a portion of the road.

DIMAPUR, FEB 5 (NPN): State deputy chief minister (Dy CM) Y Patton expressed his disappointment at the poor repair work of National Highway-702 in Mon district and asserted that quality workmanship in public sector cannot be compromised at any cost.

During a surprise visit to the work site in Tapi area of Mon district on Tuesday, Patton, who holds the portfolio of National Highways, expressed his anguish at the poor repair work and blacktopping of the highway by the agency concerned. The deputy chief minister urged the agencies involved to take stock of their work and ensure quality and good road for the public. Patton said the contractors should maintain and follow the guidelines of government orders, while also urging engineers and other department officials to be watchful and closely monitor the whole process in order to deliver good quality road to the people. Mentioning that NH702 was one of the major highways and economic lifeline, particularly for Eastern Nagas, Patton claimed that his concern for the eastern

Nagas had made him pay a surprise visit to check the ongoing works. Meanwhile, interacting with representatives of Konyak Union, Konyak Students’ Union and Tapi Area Students’ Union, Patton sought full support and cooperation of the public for development of roads and also to monitor quality of work. He urged the locals to report to the government any incidence of contractors not following the guidelines and specifications. Mon district administration officials and NGO representatives expressed gratitude to Patton for showing his concern and visiting the ongoing construction work site. Patton was accompanied by superintending engineer (SE)- I (NH) Yanbemo Humtsoe, SE-II (NH) Tia, executive engineer (NH) Mon district and IGP, Z. Mero.

Army carried out an offensive against North East insurgent groups in Myanmar’s Sagaing division killing one ULFA (I) cadre on February 2. The offensive was launched to flush out NE rebel groups–ULFA-I, NSCN-K, NDFB-S and KLO, a North East Now report stated. According to reports, six members of the NSCN (K) were also arrested by Myanmar Army during the operations. Sources said senior leaders of NSCN (K) approached Myanmar to resolve the issue. On Januar y 29, the Myanmar army had launched an operation against NSCN (K) and took control of its headquarters in Taga village in Nanyun Township. According to reports, the Myanmar Army also seized various documents and video footage that reportedly shows Assambased militants staying in the NSCN (K) land besides recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition during the operation.

(L&R) Mukul Roy and Himanta Biswa Sarma (File)

ment of Sen’s driver, which alleged that Mukul Roy aided Sen in fleeing Kolkata. It was Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kunal Ghosh who had blown the whistle on Roy and 12 others for their role in the Saradha scam after being arrested in 2013 for criminal conspiracy. Meanwhile, the report points out that Roy had started negotiations with the BJP in 2015, which culminated with him joining the saffron party on

November 3, 2017. As for Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the CBI had brought him in for questioning on November 26, 2014, two months after the investigation agency raided his house and a news channel owned by his wife in Guwahati. Sarma was accused of receiving Rs 20 lakh per month from Sudipta Sen for running Saradha’s operations in Assam, The Indian Express report stated. Ye t , S a r m a w a s

GUWAHATI/AIZAWL/ S H I L LO N G, F E B 5 (AGENCIES): Rattled by protests across the North East and opposition from its allies and friendly parties, the ruling BJP is now seeking to find a “middle ground” to go forward on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha during the Parliament session. BJP general secretary and in-charge of North East, Ram Madhav said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will likely be placed in Rajya Sabha for approval in the ongoing session as a supplementary bill. Speaking to UNI, Madhav said that the Home Ministry is talking to all the stakeholders and are hopeful that a middle ground will soon be paved for passing of the bill in the upper house. “The bill was not listed in the business list of the Rajya Sabha, it could be introduced in the upper house as supplementary bill anytime during the session”, Ram Madhav added. “From the party’s side we are talking to all of them, also from the government side, the Home Minister

SC accuses MHA of trying to ‘destroy the NRC process’ NEW DELHI, FEB 5 (AGENCIES): Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down Centre’s application to withdraw 167 companies of security forces currently involved in National Registry of Citizens work in Assam for forthcoming General Elections. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogogi was livid over Union Home ministry’s request to withdraw central forces deployed in Assam for NRC work to use them in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. The court was scathing in its criticism. It said it seemed “MHA doesn’t want NRC work to go on and entire effort from MHA is to destroy the process”. “Government of India is not cooperating,” the Bench, which also included Justice Rohinton Nariman, said. “If you want, there are 1001 ways to get it done,” CJI Ranjan Gogogi said. “Do you want us to summon the Home Secretary?” asks the Bench.

‘CBI softened probe on Mukul, Sarma after duo joined BJP’ NEW DELHI, FEB 5 (AGENCIES): With the battle between Kolkata Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) gaining heat over investigations carried out in the Saradha scam, a report in The Indian Express has pointed out that the former went soft on its probe against ministers Mukul Roy and Himanta Biswa Sarma after they joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The CBI had taken over the investigation of the Saradha scam in 2014 on the orders of the Supreme Court. T h e i nve s t i g a t i o n agency questioned former railway minister and exTrinamool Congress vicepresident Mukul Roy on January 30, 2015 over his alleged role in Saradha’s news operations and his association with Saradha chairman Sudipta Sen. The CBI had a state-

CAB to be placed in Rajya Sabha as Supplementary Bill: Ram Madhav

never named in any of the chargesheets. He had joined the BJP on August 28, 2015, and since then has not been summoned by the CBI for investigation. Meanwhile, Mukul Roy told the publication, “I joined BJP in 2017 while CBI questioning took place in 2015. How can they say I have taken favours from the BJP?” The CBI had first summoned Rajeev Kumar on October 18, 2017, around one and a half years after he took over as Commissioner of Kolkata Police on January 29, 2016. He has been issued summons four times since then, the last one being on December 8, 2018. Kumar, who headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the West Bengal government in April 2013 to probe the Saradha scam, has declined all the summons.

the interests of the people of Mizoram. If the central leadership decides to legislate the proposed amendment, the state unit would have no option but to dissolve itself,” Hluna told reporters here. He added that as an alternative, the state BJP unit also requested the national leaders that the bill, if not revoked, should at Ram Madhav (File) least keep the North Eastern has been in touch with the states out of its purview. senior leaders of all the front M’laya unit appeals governments in the North After Mizoram, anothEast. We are hopeful that we will find a middle ground er state unit of the BJP in the which will satisfy all of us,” North East has urged the rulMadhav had told The Indian ing party to step back on the Citizenship (Amendment) Express in an interview. Bill, 2016. The Meghalaya BJP has written to the central leadership to exempt all North Eastern states from Mizoram BJP chief the purview of the Bill. John V Hluna on Tuesday While general secretary threatened to dissolve the of Meghalaya BJP Bashailparty’s state unit if the na- ang Khongwir said the party tional leadership goes ahead wishes to pass the Bill on with the passage of the humanitarian grounds, he contentious Bill, “harming also stated that the issue is the interests of northeast sentimental to the people people”. He stressed that of the state and the region people of Mizoram and as a whole. He added that their safety were of “pri- the Bill for a multi-cultural country like India validates mary importance”. “The BJP state unit the phrase, “One man’s food was formed to safeguard is another man’s poison”.

Mizoram BJP threatens to dissolve state unit

Will decide at appropriate time to snap ties with NDA: Conrad Sangma Correspondent

SHILLONG, FEB 5: Meghalaya chief minister and National People’s Party (NPP) president, Conrad Sangma Tuesday said that his party will decide at an appropriate time on snapping ties with the NDA government over the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. “We will decide at an appropriate time if the government goes ahead with the Bill in the Rajya Sabha,” Sangma said when asked on the demand of several groups to snap ties with the BJP over the amendment bill. NPP is supporting the BJP-led government in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. While the BJP is supporting the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.

Petrol, diesel become cheaper NEW DELHI, FEB 5 (AGENCIES): Petrol prices were slashed for the sixth straight day while diesel rates also declined for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in major cities across the country even as crude oil edged up, buoyed by expectations of tightening global supply and production cuts. After today’s price revision, petrol became cheaper by 14-16 paise across major cities of the country while diesel became cheaper by 10-11 paise per litre. In the national capital Delhi, petrol is sold at Rs 70.44 today as against Rs 70.59 yesterday and diesel is sold at Rs 65.51 as compared to Rs 65.61 on Monday. On Tuesday, US oil prices went up boosted by expectations of tightening global supply amid US curbs on Venezuela and production cuts led by OPEC.

Conrad Sangma (File)

In fact, Sangma along with other NE-based regional political parties had sought the support of several political parties not to vote in favour of the Bill if it is tabled in the Rajya Sabha. “We have met several leaders cutting across party lines at the national capital and had sought their support not to vote in favour of the Bill if it is brought in the Rajya Sabha. We are also in touch with leaders of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party on

the matter,” Sangma said. “We at the NPP along with several other political parties are totally against CAB as it will change the demography of the region wherein the identity of ethnic communities in the region will largely affected,” Sangma said. On BJP’s deciding to table the Bill in the Rajya Sabha with the support of BSP and SP, Sangma said, “It is not confirmed yet ...our opposition to the Bill continues and we will continue to ensure that the bill is not passed.” Asked to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi refusing to give him and other regional parties leaders for an audience to discuss the issue, Sangma said, “We have requested for appointment but Prime Minister’s Office has not be able to give dates...”

Heroin worth Rs 1.35 cr seized in Manipur

Heroin seized by Manipur police. (NP)

Correspondent

IMPHAL, FEB 5: Manipur police have seized 650 gram of Heroin powder (No.4) worth Rs.1.30 crores in the international market from an individual. Police commandos at border town Moreh, who were on mobile frisking and checking duties along NH102, arrested one Thongkholal Haokip (30), of Chavangphai village, Moreh ward No. 7 Monday along with the contraband item.

Police said that the accused was arrested at around 6 pm along with 50 packets of Heroin powder, each weighing 13 gram. The consignment was found stashed inside door panels of Maruti Suzuki Brezza (white colour), which the accused was driving. The arrested individual along with the total 650gram of Heroin powder was handed over to Moreh police station where a case was lodged for further investigation, police source said. K Y M C


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