January 13, 2018

Page 1

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXVIII No. 36

SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2018 Pages 12 ` 5.00

Breakthrough in German coalition talks

Celtics beat 76ers in London

China powerful, but India not a weak nation: Rawat

international, Page 9

sports, Page 11

national, Page 7

4 judges expose CJI’s functioning

NEW DELHI, JAN 12 (IANS): Divisions in the Supreme Court burst out in the open on Friday when four senior most judges took an unprecedented step of addressing the media to accuse Chief Justice Dipak Misra of breaching rules in assigning cases to appropriate benches, with one of them pointing to the plea regarding the mysterious death of Special CBI judge B.H. Loya. At a hurriedly called press conference at his residence, Justice J. Chelameswar and three other colleagues said the Supreme Court administration was “not in order” and their efforts to persuade Justice Misra even this morning “with a specific request” failed, forcing them to “communicate with the nation” directly. The four judges -- Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Kurian Joseph and Madan B. Lokur besides Justice Chelameswar -- released a letter they wrote to Justice Misra a couple of months ago, conceding that he was the master of roster but that was “not a recognition of any superior authority, legal or factual of the

Naga Solution: NSF for rally at Kohima on Jan 23 DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has appealed to all Nagas to participate in a mass rally scheduled for January 23 at Naga Solidarity Park, Kohima to “once and for all” impress upon the Government of India to reach a final agreement on Naga political issue before the Assembly election. In a statement issued to the media, NSF general secretary Imtiyapang Imsong said Nagas’ struggle for their sovereign right was not bound by individual interests of political leaders but was linked with the future of Naga people at large. Expressing concern over the ongoing peace process getting “unduly delayed”, NSF said the current scenario did not look inspiring as it had been more than 20 years since the talks began and over two years since the Framework Agreement was signed. NSF said with the Assembly election now scheduled this year, fear was running deep that it would create more confusion and further delay the peace process, thereby “negating the spirit and concerted efforts of the Naga people”. NSF, therefore, appealed to all Nagas to participate in the rally in large numbers.

This is it!

“Nagaland condition reminds me of Lalu and Japan. You must be having quite a few Lalus in Nagaland?” K Y M C

The four Supreme Court judges addressing the media in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI) Chief Justice over his colleagues”. Asked specifically if they were upset over reference of the matter seeking a probe into the suspicious death of Judge Loya, Justice Gogoi said: “Yes.” Judge Loya, who was hearing a case relating to the killing of gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh in an alleged fake shootout in which BJP chief Amit Shah was named an accused (later discharged), died of cardiac arrest in 2014. His family has raised doubts over the circumstances in which Judge Loya died and have sought an independent probe into it. Pleas seeking probe came up for a hearing in the Supreme Court on Friday when the top court ex-

pressed concerns over it and said it was a “serious issue”. It asked the Maharashtra government to produce all the documents related to the case before January 15. In a seven-page letter, the four judges said they were not mentioning details of the cases only to avoid embarrassing the institution because “such departures have already damaged the images of this institution to some extent”. The clash among the judges in the highest court also comes in the wake of a controversial order in November in which Justice Misra declared that the Chief Justice “is the master of the roster” having exclusive power to decide

which case will go to which judge. The CJI had given the order a day after a two-judge bench headed by Justice Chelameswar had passed an order that a five-judge bench of senior most judges in the apex court should be set up to consider an independent probe into a corruption case in which bribes were allegedly taken in the name of settling cases pending before Supreme Court judges. Holding that the Chief Justice was only the first among equals, the four judges contended that there were well-settled and timehonoured conventions guiding the Chief Justice in dealing with the strength of the bench required or the

CTAN serves ultimatum on 5 deptt

Panel to review law barring campaigning 48 hrs before poll

DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) has given an ultimatum to five departments to forward requisition letters, which are pending at secretary level, to Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) by January 16 as the last date for form submissions for Combined Technical Examination (CTE) 2017 is January 20. The five departments are Horticulture, Information Technology & Communication, Soil & Water Conservation, Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Power. In a joint statement issued to media through its affiliates on Friday, CTAN said it had written three letters to the departments concerned on November 11, 30 and December 12 last year with reference to NPSC’s direct recruitment letter to all the departments on March 9, 2017

Despite issuing several reminders and representation with regard to the issue, CTAN said this was a final reminder to all the departments concerned to the needful on or before January 16. CTAN warned that, if the departments failed to comply with its demand, it would be compelled to resort to any form of action, including “banning the CTE 2017 examination, for which the concerned departments would be fully responsible”. The CTAN affiliate bodies are Civil Engineers’ Association of Nagaland, Association of Electronics & Communication Engineering of Nagaland, Association of Mechanical Engineers of Nagaland, Forestry Graduates’ Association of Nagaland, Horticulture Graduates of Nagaland, Agriculture Students’ Association of Nagaland and Graduate Electrical Engineers’ Association of Nagaland.

NEW DELHI, JAN 12 (PTI): Election Commission of India (ECI) has set up a panel to suggest amendments to a provision in the election law barring campaigning 48 hours ahead of polling, following complaints that it has failed to keep pace with information technology. The panel will be headed by senior deputy election commissioner Umesh Sinha. It will have eight other members from the EC. The panel will have one member each from the law ministry, IT ministry and information and broadcasting ministry. Two others will be from the Press Council of India and the National Broadcasters Association. The panel will submit its report to the poll watchdog in the next three months.

composition thereof. “A necessary corollary to the above mentioned principle is the members of any multi-numbered judicial body, including this court, would not arrogate to themselves the authority to deal with and pronounce upon matters which ought to be heard by appropriate benches, both composition-wise and strength-wise with due regard to the roster fixed,” they wrote in the letter. They said any departure from the two rules would not only lead to “unpleasant and undesirable consequences of creating doubt in the body politic about the integrity of the institution” but would create “chaos”. The four judges also touched upon another controversial issue, the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) on appointment of judges over which the Supreme Court had locked horns with the government. The government, the letter said, had not responded to the communication and “in view of this silence it must be taken that the MoP has been accepted by the government on the basis of the order of this court”.

ECI agrees to delay poll announcement for few days Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): A gainst the backdrop of appeals on the Government of India for “Solution before Election” for which assembly elections scheduled in February 2018 is sought to be deferred; highly placed sources informed Nagaland Post that Government of India was willing to consider the plea. Sources informed that the Centre’s Interlocutor for Naga Talks, R.N. Ravi, keeping in mind the appeal of the civil society groups and the plea of the two Naga negotiating parties-- NSCN (I-M) and NNPGs Working Group- to defer the scheduled polls, has requested the Election Commission of India to delay announcement of election schedule for a few days. In response, the ECI had reportedly agreed to delay announcement of poll schedule for Nagaland for a few days after which the notification will be announced. The polls could only be deferred if the government of India received a positive guarantee from the two

negotiating Naga groups, that they were ready to sign an agreement within a stipulated period. However, Ravi had made it clear to both the Naga groups that election was a constitutional obligation and cannot be put off indefinitely. In a scenario where President’s Rule is imposed, if election is deferred before the tenure of the present 12th NLA comes to an end by March 13, 2018, the negotiating parties would have only few months to sign the agreement. Any period beyond two months of PR will have to go to parliament for extension but in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP does not have the numbers to get the nod. Sources said unless Centre is convinced by the assurances that the signed agreement with the Naga groups can be achieved within the “limited time” period, it will be extremely cautious before deferring polls to avoid criticisms and embarrassment. Primary concern is that the negotiating parties should first be able assure the Centre that they are ready for solution within a specific period, sources said.

Sub-standard mosquito coils seized; 3 held DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): In a major crackdown, Dimapur Police claimed to have seized 120 cartons, each containing 80 packets, of mosquito coils of “Godzilla” brand from three godowns located at Hazi Park and Kalibari Road of the town on Thursday afternoon. Three persons – Ashok Kumar of NL Road, Suresh Kumar of Marwaripatti and Rupesh Kumar of Thakurbari – were also arrested for not possessing any documents from the competent authority. A case has been registered at East Dimapur police station for further investigation. In a press release issued on Friday, Addl. DCP & PRO said the “sub-standard” mosquito coil brand manufactured in the neighbouring country was imported without the approval of Central Insecticide Board. The press release said

that experts had contended that the most common active ingredients in these coils were various dyrehriods like allethrin, d-allethein, dynamin forte and ETOC, while octachlorodipropylether was also sometimes used as synergistor active ingredient. And use of such coils exposed humans to bischloromethyl ether, which was extremely carcinogenic, the release warned. It added that some imported mosquito coils contained this chemical, which was banned in many countries. “Other compounds released during the burning of mosquito coil like aldehydes, formaldehydes, fine and ultrafine particles benzene benzo (a) pyrene, benzo (b) fluoranthene are also classified as probable human carcinogens,” it pointed out. Stating that some of these chemicals were partly

insecticides and also found in Godzilla mosquito coils, the release further claimed that the main chemical menerfluthrin, which was toxic and used in Godzilla mosquito coils, was very harmful to humans and a major cause for lung cancer according to experts. While burning of one mosquito coil would release the same amount of particulate matter as burning 75-137 cigarettes, the emission of formaldehyde from burning one coil could be as high as that released from burning 51 cigarettes, it warned. The police said the authorised products could be imported only by those having import-export licences and that the products should carry batch numbers and expiry dates. But many products imported from Myanmar were unregistered and unsafe for humans, they added.

RSZ, RSU to resume indefinite bandh from today Rio meets Rajnath, DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): Criticizing the state government for its alleged indifference towards their demand for Tseminyu district, Rengma Selo Zi (RSZ) and Rengma Students’ Union (RSU) have announced resumption of the indefinite bandh along NH-2 from Saturday. In a statement, RSZ president Kenneth Kath said both the Rengma bodies had resolved on December 21, 2017 not to lift the indefinite bandh till their demand for creating Tseminyu district was met. However, in response to a call of Rengma Hoho for temporary withdrawal, both the organisations lifted the bandh on January 5 on humanitarian grounds. Kath said despite facing opposition from various quarters against lifting the bandh before the demand was met, both RSZ and RSU, by reposing faith and confidence on the government to deliver, kept patience and continued

to keep the bandh in abeyance as a mark of goodwill and in the greater interest of general public. Stating that the government’s lack of commitment towards the issue was, however, evident in its inaction, the RSZ president said the Rengma community felt deprived and discriminated, besides doubting the government’s dedication towards the people’s real issues and concerns. “Such inaction on the government’s part has left the Rengma people aggrieved as they feel that the government has turned its back on them and is insensitive to their sentiments,” he pointed out. The statement pointed out that, taking into consideration its pre-occupation with the “solution before election” issue and acknowledging the time required to deliberate on deciding the Rengma people’s genuine demand for Tseminyu district, RSZ and RSU had

given the government ample amount of time. “However, in spite of the patience and restrain exercised for a long time, besides the sincere appeals made, the matter continues to be stalled,” it regretted. Kath said under the circumstances both the organisations had been compelled to resume the indefinite bandh from 10 am on Saturday till their demand was met. He also blamed the government for the move. He also warned that, unlike the previous occasion, RSZ and RSU would enforce the bandh with much strictness this time and that relaxation would be given only in ”very emergency cases” like deaths. While conveying their regret to general public for the inconvenience likely to be caused as a result of the indefinite bandh, RSZ and RSU said it was a direct consequence of the government’s inaction and insensitivity.

They also sought public cooperation and solidarity for the Rengma community in their fight for “genuine and long overdue demand” for Tseminyu district. “May the government wake up from its slumber and bring justice that is overdue,” the statement concluded. Earlier, as endorsed by the Rengma Hoho and Rengma frontal organizations, the Rengma Selo Zi (RSZ) and Rengma Students’ Union (RSU) imposed indefinite bandh on January 3 along NH-2 under Tseminyu jurisdiction. However, the strike was temporarily suspended on January 4 on humanitarian grounds until further notice. RSZ and RSU warned that the “temporary suspension” should not be construed that the Rengmas had softened their demand for creation of Tseminyu district and reiterated that the fight for Rengma district will continue till the ultimate goal was achieved.

Ram Madhav in Delhi

Rare celestial feast on Jan 31 WASHINGTON, JAN 12 (AGENCIES): Get ready for the first ‘super blue blood moon eclipse’ in more than 150 years. Sky gazers will be treated to a rare convergence of celestial events on January 31— a blue moon, a supermoon, and a total lunar eclipse, all in one. The phenomenon, which hasn’t happened since 1866, graces the sky when the second full moon of the month (known as a blue moon) is in its closest position to Earth, making it appear even larger than usual—a supermoon. Many have begun calling the combination a “super blue blood moon eclipse.” The seldom-seen event will be visible in western North America, Asia, Australia, and elsewhere across the Eastern Hemisphere.

AICC stays NPCC’s suspension order

DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): A day after the NPCC president, K Therie, issued order suspending NPCC general secretary, Medokul Sophie, for his alleged hobnobbing with multiple communal parties, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary, Dr. K Jayakumar, Friday said that NPCC president’s action was kept in abeyance till such time the set procedure for such suspension was followed at NPCC. In a letter to NPCC president, Dr. Jayakumar, said Medokul made an appeal to AICC against his suspension from the party citing that the suspension was arbitrary as the charges were baseless and unfounded. It was stated that Medokul also cited that he was not given an opportunity to explain his side before suspension, adding that his case was not endorsed by the NPCC executive committee, which was a requirement. Dr. Jayakumar said the appeal made by the affected party was endorsed at AICC and found that adequate opportunity was not given to defend himself.

CNC prayer service Jan 14

DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): Council of Nagalim Churches (CNC) has informed that there would be a special prayer hour, without fasting, on January 14, 2018 at 9am for the collective leadership and home authorities of NSCN during Sunday worship service at Council Headquarters Church, Hebron. In a notice, CNC general secretary, Rev. Seksim Kasar, has therefore informed all the “national workers” to turn up for the proposed prayer service. CNC has most importantly requested members of steering committee and council of kilonsers to turn aside their engagements to attend the special payer service, saying the prayer programme was meant for them.

Zbto to face power outage

Rio along with Rajnath Singh and Ram Madhav

NEW DELHI, JAN 12 (NPN): Lok Sabha MP, Neiphiu Rio along with former State BJP president, Dr. M. Chuba Ao called on Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh and BJP national general secretary, Ram Madhav Friday evening in New Delhi to impress upon the desire of the Naga People for ‘solution before election.’ According to press secretary to MP, Rio explained at length the sequence of events of the Naga issue leading to its current crucial stage. He was of the opinion that it was the appropriate time for resolving the decades old Naga political issue, as majority of the stakeholders were a part of the peace talks. The meeting also appreciated the genuine concern and efforts of the GoI towards finding an honourable settlement to the Naga political problem, whilst respecting the Constitution of the country and its electoral obligations.

DIMAPUR, JAN 12 (NPN): Power department has informed that electricity supply to Zunheboto district would be disrupted occasionally as jungle cutting along 66KV MokokchungZunheboto Transmission line would be taken up from January 15-21, 2018 in view of the forthcoming general election. Asst. engineer in a press note said it was pertinent to have a healthy transmission line to ensure stable power supply. The power department has, therefore, requested all affected consumers to bear with the inconvenience. K Y M C


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