Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXX No. 46
DIMAPUR, THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00
India is secular country: Rajnath Singh
Nagaland thrash Tripura 13-0
Trump again offers to resolve Kashmir issue
national, Page 7
sports, Page 12
international, Page 9
SC refuses to stay CAA, NPR Gives Centre four weeks to respond to petitions NEW DELHI, JAN 22 (PTI): Making clear it will not stay the Citizenship (Amendment) Act without hearing the Centre, the Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the government four weeks to respond to petitions challenging the CAA and said a five-judge Constitution bench will hear the matter. Hearing a batch of 143 petitions, an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde issued notice to the Centre and restrained all high courts from hearing pleas on the CAA till it decides on the pleas. The bench, also comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna, said it will hear the petitions pertaining to Assam and Tripura separately as the problem with the CAA in these two states is different from rest of the country. “The matter is uppermost in everybody’s mind. We will form a five-judge
NH-39 bypass: DC Dmu warns encroachers
DIMAPIIR, JAN 22 (NPN): The deputy commissioner (DC) Dimapur has taken note of some individuals illegally constructing temporary structures and concrete pillars over a land covered by Dag Nos 15, 16, 76, 307, 1154 and 1150 of Block No. 3 and 52, 61, 247, 72247 of Block No. 11, which has been acquired by state government for extension of NH-39 bypass from Amar Flour Mill to New Dhansiri Bridge. In a notice, DC Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi, has, therefore, directed the responsible individuals to restrain and refrain themselves from carrying out any further illegal developmental activities. The responsible individuals have also been directed to dismantle and remove any temporary structures on the same. Further, the response individuals have been directed to produce documents, if any, in support of their claim over the Public land within a period of 15 days from the date of publication of the notice. In the event of failure of the concerned parties to comply with the notice, DC said his office would be constrained to proceed for eviction.
This is it!
“Now, please advise me on what to do with all my winter clothes which I don’t need?” K Y M C
bench and then list the case,” the court said. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some petitioners, said the issue be referred to a Constitution bench and the NPR exercise be postponed by a couple of months. He also urged the bench to put on hold the operationalisation of the CAA. The bench said, “Even we think that the matter should be heard by a Constitution bench.” Asserting that it will not grant any stay on the CAA without hearing the Centre on the matter, it said, “Will pass order on granting any interim relief to petitioner opposing CAA after four weeks.” The court also made it clear it will not pass any exparte order without hearing the Centre on staying the operation of the CAA and exercise of the National Population Register (NPR). It said the earlier cut off date for citizenship in Assam was March 24, 1971 and noted that it has been extended till December 31, 2014 under the CAA. The petitions concerning Tripura and Assam as well as the matters related
to Uttar Pradesh, which is going ahead with the implementation of CAA without framing any rules, can be dealt with separately, the bench said. The bench said it will decide in-chamber the modalities of hearing the batch of petitions on the CAA and may fix them for day-to-day hearing after four weeks. Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, told the bench the government has been given copies of around 60 pleas out of the 143 petitions. He said it wanted time to respond to all the pleas. The CAA seeks to grant citizenship to migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014. President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on December 12, turning it into an Act. Several petitions have been filed challenging the constitutional validity of the CAA. Among those who have filed pleas are the In-
dian Union Muslim League (IUML), Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, RJD leader Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. The IUML said in its plea that the CAA violates the fundamental Right to Equality and intends to grant citizenship to a section of illegal immigrants by making an exclusion on the basis of religion. The petition had alleged that the government’s CAA was against the basic structure of the Constitution and intended to explicitly discriminate against Muslims as the Act extended benefits only to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians. The plea filed by Ramesh said the Act is a “brazen attack” on core fundamental rights envisaged under the Constitution and treats “equals as unequal”. The other petitioners include the Jamiat Ulamai-Hind, the All Assam Students Union (AASU), the Peace Party, the CPI, NGOs Rihai Manch and Citizens Against Hate, advocate M L Sharma, and law students.
Colleges, university remain shut against CAA Correspondent/Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR/KOHIMA, JAN 22 (NPN): Along with other North Eastern States, colleges and universities across Nagaland remain closed on Wednesday in response to the call of All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) for a total shutdown against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The entire programme passed of peacefully without report of any untoward incident anywhere. Over a thousand students from St Joseph’s College, Jakhama gathered outside Raj Bhavan at Kohima to protest against CAA, which was spearheaded by Students’ Council, the apex student body of the college. The students first gathered outside Kohima Law College and marched towards Raj Bhavan. However, the rally had to be shortly called off by the district administration as the student body failed to obtain prior permission from the authority concerned to hold the protest. Speaking to media persons after the protest was called off, Students’ Council president Chumtiba S Sangtam said “We organised this
peaceful rally because we are strongly against CAA. It is injustice. It is against the constitution and is religious injustice”. He alleged that the Act would only protect people from outside and suggested that it must protect the nation. “If the government does not follow the constitution, we must not follow the government. If the government is not for the people, the people should not support the government,” he declared, adding that Inner Line Permit (ILP) was not strong enough to protect Nagaland from CAA. Ghuvika Yeptho, a sixth semester student, told reporters, “We have a small railway line in Nagaland, but there are already so many illegal immigrants coming in.” Stating that the State could not be a dumping ground for illegal immigrants, he said “Slowly, our identity and our culture will be at stake and one day we might lose everything. And I know that I am standing for the right cause.” Later speaking to Nagaland Post, ANCSU president Vimeyiekho Vitso claimed the response to the call for total shutdown of colleges across the
NFR concerned over land encroachment PAC serves ultimatum to revoke DMC lease system
Sanjiv Roy with railway officials and NRCUN members in Dimapur, Wednesday.
Staff Reporter Dimapur, Jan 22 (NPN): Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) general manager, Sanjiv Roy has expressed regret that encroachment on railway land in Dimapur has hampered development of the NFR’s second highest revenue generating - Dimapur railway station. Roy said this Wednesday during his visit to Dimapur railway station to inspect various facilities and inaugurate various developmental projects. He however expressed the hope that through cooperation from government, civil society groups and general public towards betterment of Dimapur railway station, more development activities could be ushered to make the station among the
most developed in the region. It may be mentioned, that Dimapur railway station handles not less than around five thousand passengers a day. Passengers are in dire need of seats but instead, NFR provides hardly 600 seats for around 5000 passengers. Encroachment has restricted the width of Platform No.2 to just six meters while the required space is nine meters in order to construct a canopy over the platform. The narrow width causes severe constriction during rush hour made worse when cargo goods are dumped on the platform. During summer and winter, passengers are subjected to the mercy of the weather. The encroachment has also restricted development of passenger utility areas at the front where two mandirs have come up along with a guest house. The Nagaland Railway Contractors Union (NRCUN) also submitted a representation to the GM for upgradation and development of the railway station. NRCUN through its present Niuto Awomi and general secretary Mughaho Zhimomi, urged upon NFR to construct a new station building with bigger and better facilities for passengers. The Union also asked NFR to deal with encroachment issue with severity in order to clear that path for developmental activities and also strengthen security within the railway premises.
NSCN (I-M) leaders meet Manipur CSOs
Manipur CSOs leaders with Th. Muivah and other NSCN (I-M) leaders.
IMPHAL, JAN 22 (AGENCIES): The age- old misunderstanding between NSCN (I-M) and civil society organizations (CSOs) of Manipur saw signs of ending in the coming days, as the collective leadership of the NSCN (I-M) appeared to have realized that until and unless the people of the region unite there seems to be no way out to achieve the goal of either the NSCN (I-M) or other groups of the region, the Imphal Times report stated.
Source with the Imphal Times said that NSCN (I-M) general secretary Th Muivah had invited civil society leaders from Manipur and held a meeting to discuss the various issues faced by the people of the North East states. Details of the meeting could not be known but source said that the age- old misunderstanding between NSCN (I-M) and CSOs of Manipur were discussed in depth. Sources told the Imphal Times that this
was the second meeting between NSCN (I-M) collective leaderships and the civil society organisation leaders of Manipur. CSO leaders like United Committee Manipur president Sunil Karam and secretary (Org) Ng Deva Rajen, All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation president Nando Luwang and Ethno Heritage Council (HERICOUN) president Ratankumar Longjam were among those who attended the meeting.
D I M A P UR , J A N 2 2 (NPN): Vehemently condemning the government for reintroducing the lease system 2019-2020, the Public Action Committee (PAC) of Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has served a 10-day ultimatum (with effect from January 20, 2020) to revoke the lease system. In a representation addressed to the DMC administrator, PAC convenor Vekhosayi Nyekha and secretary Elise Swu stated that PAC NCD after extensive survey found that the lease system introduced by municipal affairs department was one of the main factors that encouraged illegal collection of money at the check gates and inside the city. PAC observed that lessee sub-leasing it to the third party was an opportunity to anti-social elements to interfere and indulge in illegal
KU (B) Tobu refutes charges
DIMAPUR, JAN 22 (NPN): Konyak Union Tobu branch – KU (B) Tobu – claimed that apex NGO leaders, student leaders and village councils of Tobu-Mopong on January 20 unanimously resolved to boycott the Republic Day function and statement was issued in this regard with the consent of majority of people. Hence, the union denied the accusation of manipulation and disrupting peaceful co-existence. Reacting to a press release of Angjangyang Ad hoc Town Committee chairman H Wanme that accused KU (B) Tobu of interfering in the administrative set up of Angjangyang, the union explained that the demand of Tobu-Mopong public to retain Mopong EAC under Tobu ADC concerned the State government and not to any individual/organisa(Cont’d on p-7) tion.
collection of money under guise of lease system. PAC also said the excuse that lessees collect higher revenue than the DMC staff was not justifiable and unreasonable. PAC said it could justify that doing away the lease system have reduced the cost of commodities in the past when PAC conducted “Operation Check gate’ in 2019. Therefore, PAC said it cannot accept the lease system imposed on the people of Dimapur which directly and indirectly affects the whole state. Failure to comply with its demand, PAC, which comprises of all Naga Tribal Hohos and non-local communities, said it would take up any drastic action for which the municipal affairs department and DMC shall be held solely responsible.
St. Joseph’s college students protest in front of Raj Bhavan. (NP)
Students holding placards in Dimapur during the shutdown. (NP)
State was received with an “overwhelming and positive response”, including theological colleges and other colleges that were not affiliated to the union. He said the future course of action would depend on Supreme Court hearing, adding the union would tie up with Naga Stu-
(Cont’d on p-8)
NPSC responds CNC calls for 3-day fasting & prayer’ to SKK demand D‘natl I M A P UR , J A N 2 2
D I M A P UR , J A N 2 2 (NPN): Responding to All Sumi Students’ Union (SKK)’s plea for nullifying the result of a candidate, the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) has clarified that it had no authority to deviate from any laid down procedures of recruitment examination or declaration of results duly notified by the state government and that it had been meticulously following all the norms and procedures set by the government. In a rejoinder, NPSC secretary Kevekha Kevin Zehol pointed out that in the instant case NPSC received an application from Levi Sumi for NCS and Allied Services Examination, 2018 enclosing her educational certificates from HSLC onward till her Master’s degree in (History & Archaeology) along with ST & Indigenous Certificates duly issued by DC Kiphire.
(NPN): Council of Nagalim Churches (CNC) would be holding holding a threeday ‘National Fasting and Prayer Program’ at CHQ Church, Hebron from January 24-26 under the theme “Humility & Repentance for Forgiveness and Healing” (2 Chronicle 7:14 &15). With the Indo-Naga political negotiation at its final stage, and considering the expediency of the “political situation of our nation”, CNC has therefore requested “all the churches in Nagalim” to join the council by holding prayer and fasting in their respective churches from January 24-26. “Together we can usher in an honourable and acceptable solution and build our nation for Christ,” CNC general secretary Ikato Chishi Swu stated. CNC has requested all national workers to attend the program positively and also all regional churches, brigades, (Cont’d on p-8) battalions and units to conduct the same program in their respective churches.
NPCC slams state BJP chief’s stand on CAA DIMAPUR, JAN 22 (NPN): Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has criticized the statements of BJP Nagaland president Temjen Imna Along in supporting Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. In a statement, Communications department of Congress reiterated that Along was wrong to assert that Nagaland was a Sixth Schedule state. Congress said it only exposed Along’s ignorance and also eagerness “indulge in talking without ascertaining facts” which was “unbecoming of a person holding high position in party as well as in the State government”. Congress said “half truths and whole lies had become the hallmark of BJP to force its divisive agenda on the people” and said the ruling party at the
dents’ Federation and North East Student’s Organisation in this regard. Reacting to Union home minister Amit Shah’s statement that despite protest the Act would not be scrapped, Vitso said “We are left clueless because when our leaders are not listening
Centre politicised CAA by making religion as the basis for citizenship and striking at the very idea of a liberal and pluralistic India. NPCC accused BJP of giving false assurances that ILP safeguarded Nagaland from CAA. It said the same assurance was made to J&K political leaders that Article 370 will not be touched. However, it said 48 hours prior to revocation on August 5, 2019 all these political leaders of J&K were placed under detention. Congress pointed out that despite ILP being in force in Nagaland for several decades, it has not been able to check influx of illegal immigrants. Thus, it said the fallout of CAA and NRC in neighbouring Assam and other parts of the country will surely (Cont’d on p-7)
Load shedding in Dmu
DIMAPUR, JAN 22 (NPN): In view of the ongoing jungle clearing/cutting exercise in and around Dimapur, the Power department has informed that there would be power outage/load shedding in several areas on January 24-25 from 7am to 12 noon. The areas/localities to be affected include Purana Bazar, Darogajan, Padumpukhuri, Toluvi, Zani, Shozukhu, L.Hotovi, Domokhia, Bamunpukhuri-A & B, Samaguri, Ekranipathar, Dubagaon, Eralibil, Aoyimti, Naharbari, Veterinary Colony, United North Block, Mao Colony, Walford, Rajbari, Imkonglenden, Half Nagarjan, Kuda-A, B & C. Meanwhile, the department has sought cooperation from various communities/councils to ask residents/consumers to clear jungle/obstacles obstructing the 11 KV feeders and the LT distribution network in their respective surroundings. K Y M C