Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXIX No. 57
DIMAPUR, SUNDAY, FEBUARY 3, 2019 Pages 12 ` 5.0
Rediscovering the lost world of philately
Davis Cup: Italy beat India 3-1
Russia suspends nuke deal with US
Sunday Post Supplement
sports, Page 11
international, Page 9
CAB: NE political parties to meet HM today
NEW DELHI/DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (AGENCIES/ NPN): Leaders of 11 regional political parties from North Eastern states would call on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday to press for their demand to withdraw the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that has already been passed in Lok Sabha. The Bill, however, has not been listed in the business of the current Rajya Sabha session that will end on February 13. The delegation of NE political parties is being led by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma. The delegation, according to sources, would reiterate their demand to withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Bill. The parties in the delegation include NPP, AGP, NDPP, NPF, IPFT, MNF, UDP, HSDP among others. Leaders of the regional parties had a meeting among themselves in New Delhi on Saturday and to chalk out their strategy. All the regional parties are also likely to meet President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi to register their protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Meanwhile, a delegation of 11 political parties from BJP-ruled Manipur has urged Union home minister Rajnath Singh to incorporate a safeguard clause in the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to protect the indigenous people of the northeast in general and of Manipur in particular before it comes up for voting in the Rajya Sabha, a member of the delegation said. Led by Manipur’s BJP chief minister N Biren and BJP’s state unit president and Rajya Sabha member K Bhabananda, the delegation submitted a memorandum to Rajnath Singh. The Centre and the BJP claim that the controversial Bill has enough safeguards for local communities and their cultures. In BJP-ruled Assam, protests have been taking place for the fifth week with the opposition Congress also taking out rallies across the state vehemently opposing the Bill.
Shukla appointed as new CBI chief
Rishi Kumar Shukla
NEW DELHI, FEB 2 (PTI): Former Madhya Pradesh Police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla was on Saturday appointed the chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a fixed tenure of two years, according to a Personnel Ministry order. Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer, is at present c h a i r m a n o f M a d hya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation in Bhopal. He has been appointed in place of Alok Kumar Verma, who was removed from the post of CBI Director on January 10. The appointment comes following two meeting of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led selection committee held on January 24 and February 1. Shukla’s name was short-listed during the second meeting of the selection committee held on Friday. M Nageswara Rao has been working as the interim CBI chief after Verma’s ouster.
This is it!
“Strangely, having to explain our party’s secularism has made me more devout these days.” K Y M C
Prime Minister Modi continues to push for CAB
Although the Citizenship Modi urged the Trinamool Con(Amendment) Bill, 2019, has not gress party-led government of West been listed for the proceedings of the Bengal to support the bill, saying “my Rajya Sabha in the on-going session brothers and sisters here need it.” of the Parliament, Prime Minister Reacting to Modi, West BenNarendra Modi has once again exgal chief minister Mamata said her pressed his government’s intention party would continue to oppose the to make the Bill a reality. CAB and vowed to not allow the Addressing an event of the BJP to create Hindu-Muslim riots Scheduled Caste Matua community Narendra Modi in her state. “The Centre will have in West Bengal, Modi made a strong to withdraw the Citizenship Bill. pitch for the contentious legislation on Saturday, There is no question of supporting it. We will insisting it would bring “justice and respectabil- oppose it. We will not let him (Modi) succeed,” ity” to those who faced religious persecution. Banerjee said.
JD(U) claims stalling of CAB listing in RS BJP leader lauds Conrad for stalling CAB BJP’s ally Janata Dal (United) claimed that due to opposition from the party, the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was not tabled in the ongoing Rajya Sabha session. JD (U) general secretary in-charge for Northeast, Ahmad Khan, claimed that due his party’s opposition, the NDA government was pressurised not to bring the bill in the ongoing last session of the Rajya Sabha. The session will end on February 13. Khan said JD (U), headed by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, was the first party to oppose the Bill and supported other parties in the North East. He said All Assam Students’ Union delegation had approached Nitish Kumar, seeking his support to oppose the bill. Besides assuring to oppose the bill, Khan said Nitish Kumar also urged his ally, BJP, to withdraw the bill. JD (U) which has six MPs in Rajya Sabha also stated that it will vote against the bill in Rajya Sabha
National secretary of BJP’s Schedule Tribe Morcha (STM), Hayithung Bill Lotha has lauded Meghalaya chief minister, Conard Sangma, for taking “very bold and fearless initiative” against Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and successfully stalling/ thwarting the Bill in Rajya Sabha. In a press note, Lotha said today Sangma was “unanimously and overwhelmingly” being hailed as an “iconic NE Hero”. He said, even before passing of the Bill in Lok Sabha on January 8, Sangma and AGP leaders were relentlessly meeting central leaders against the bill. Further, Lotha said Sangma chaired a “historic meeting” of 11 political parties to oppose the Bill. Due to Sangma’s relentless hard work, the BJP-led NDA government has not officially listed CAB in the Rajya Sabha agenda list in the current budget session, he added.
Tertiary cancer centre by year-end Correspondent
KOHIMA, FEB 2 (NPN): Health and Family Welfare principal secretary, I. Himato Zhimomi Saturday informed that the state government would be setting up a Tertiary Cancer Care Centre (TCCC) at Kohima by year end and also the first medical institute within two years time. It may be mentioned that the Health Ministry had agreed to sponsor the Rs. 45 crore project with the first instalment of Rs. 13.23 crore already released for establishing the TCCC) at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima during the financial year 2016-17. Addressing the twoday XIV annual conference of the Association of Oncologist, North East India (AONEI) at Hotel Japfü, Himato assured that the state government would give due importance to Oncology and for which he urged AONEI for their expert guidance for this vision to be successful. He further lamented that Nagaland holds the dubious distinction of having the third highest incidences of nasopharyngeal cancer in the world.
He said according to the national cancer registry data, India has 15.4 lakh new cancer patients every year and for around 6-7 lakh patients this proves fatal. He added that 33% of the patients were in first stages of cancer and 66% in the second or last stages. He also highlighted about the Prime Minister Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) scheme where patients from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) sector could avail benefits of up to Rs 5 lakhs. Fo r m e r N a g a l a n d chief secretary, Banuo Z. Jamir, IAS (Rtd), in her special speech on cancer survivors said she herself was a cancer survivor and was honoured to address the conference of oncologists. She said in the past, because little was known about the disease and its inevitable fatality, it was referred to in whispers, shrouded in mystery and surrounded with myths created out of fear and dread. Banuo lamented that a large section of the society, particularly the economically weaker section, had to face huge burden to avail treatment.
Director of surgical oncology, Dr. Shaikat Gupta from Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata said as per their findings, most common cancer cases from Nagaland was a result of food habits like chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol and eating smoked foods products. Dr. Gupta added that throat, stomach, oesophageal, nasopharyngeal, and lung cancers were also common among patients from Nagaland. The team of oncology doctors from Apollo suggested certain preventive measures for common cancers: stop or lower intake of tobacco, alcohol, smoked food items, and fats; exercise regularly, take green vegetables, and go for regular breast examinations for women. Dr. Gupta also recommended a health check up if a person persistently suffers from any common sickness even after taking medication. He added that since cancer is curable if detected early, so one should do regular (Cont’d on p-7) health check-ups.
NSCN/GPRN (K) to join talks JCPI serves deadline NDPP’s statement devoid Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (NPN): NSCN/GPRN (K) is all set to join the “formal talks” with the Government of India (GoI), under the banner of the NNPGs Working Committee (WC), on Monday in New Delhi. The development comes after NSCN/GPRN (K), after thorough deliberation with the NNPGs WC on January 29, resolved to “partner and participate” in the ongoing Indo-Naga political dialogue alongside the NNPGs Working Committee (WC). Highly placed sources informed Nagaland Post that NSCN/GPRN (K) general secretary, Isak Sumi and deputy kilonser (defence), Shellen Konyak, will be part of the WC led delegation headed by convenor, Kitovi Zhimomi. The government of India will be represented by deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) and GoI representative
to Naga Peace Talks, R.N. Ravi. It may be recalled that the NSCN (K) led by Khango Konyak on December 17, 2018 held an “informal meeting” with GoI in Delhi to chalk out the differences that had cropped up after abrogation of the ceasefire in March 2015. The meeting was held following NSCN (K) led by Khango on December 6, 2018 declared to revoke its decision of unilaterally abrogating the ceasefire agreement with the GoI. Of late, the WC had been holding series of dialogue with the Centre in an attempt to hammer out a final agreement before the forthcoming general Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in April or May. The NNPGs WC had also signed an “agreed position” or “preamble” on November 17, 2017 “reaffirming the historical and political status in the highest pedestal”.
on ILP committee
DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (NPN): Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigration (JCPI), which organized consultative meeting with apex tribe Hohos, mass based organizations and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at Tourist Lodge, Dimapur on February 2, 2019, has been empowered to take any action deem fit if the state committee on ILP did not submit its recommendations to the state government on or before February 6, 2019. JCPI through its media cell said the house empowered the JCPI since the ILP committee had asked for seven days more time to submit its recommendations to the state government, including with the recommendation to include Dimapur district under ILP. The house has however lauded the ILP committee for undertaking the task of overhauling the archaic ILP system in the state with sincerity. Meanwhile, the house has appreciated JCPI for taking the initiative on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) issue. The house approved that the JCPI along with apex tribe hohos, CSOs and mass-based organizations would submit a Joint Memorandum on CAB to the President of India at the earliest.
of any truth, says NPF
DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (NPN): Opposition NPF through its press bureau has termed the NDPP’s statement published on February 1 as the “most unfortunate and ridiculous” statement of all time, saying “it is devoid of any truth and logic”. Responding to NDPP’s claim that the PDA coalition had never supported the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill at any point of time, the NPF said people of the state were the best judges to this fabricated statement of the NDPP. It said the memories of NDPP seemed to be going haywire with each passing day and the party seemed to be living in a state of “extreme delirium”. NPF pointed out that it was not only once or twice, but thrice that the PDA government reiterated their stance not to oppose the Bill quoting Article 371 (A) as a blanket protection. However, knowing the fact that the Naga public totally
rejected the Bill and so also the boycotting of the Republic Day spearheaded by the NSF, NPF said the PDA government had no choice but to cringe back in fear and surrender to the will of the people at the eleventh hour. Rather, NPF said the PDA government decided to oppose the bill only on January 28, not because they care for the Nagas but out of pressure to save their political chairs. It further said that the January 31 consultative meeting at Dimapur was nothing but just an eye wash for the PDA government and to garner the attention and sympathy of the Naga people. At the meeting, NPF claimed that most of the NGOs and tribal hohos questioned the PDA government for convening such meeting after its cabinet had on two occasions decided not to oppose the Bill. (Cont’d on p-8)
ANCSU team tours colleges; detects anomalies State BJP resolves DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (NPN): All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU), which undertook its first phase of education tour 2019 to colleges/institutes in Mokokchung and Zunheboto districts from January 30, to February 1, 2019, Saturday said it has collected various issues concerning the student community, adding it would take up the issues with the Nagaland University and the responsible department. In a press release, ANCSU president Katho P Awomi and general secretary, Vimeyiekho Vitso, said during their visit to Fazl Ali College (FAC) Mokokchung on January 30, the union observed that private individuals “confidently” constructing houses within the college campus. In this regard, the union has
appealed to the college authority, district administration and the state government to immediately react and ensure a safe environment for the college to grow. The union has also appealed to the state government to purchase the college lands, bring out a proper survey map of the college land and properly demarcate boundary wall so there was no other means to sabotage the development of the college in the future. ANCSU expressed concern that FAC being the oldest government colleges in Nagaland was still facing land issues. On January 31, the ANCSU said the team visited Zunheboto Government College (ZGC) and inspected the college buildings and other infrastructures. During the visit, the union said it was
surprised that ZGC did not having basic required infrastructure. The union has appealed to the state government to attend the district colleges on priority by developing the college infrastructure and also introducing other streams. ANCSU further appealed to the state government to demarcate boundary walls of the college land to avoid land encroachment issues though presently there was no land dispute. On February 1, the union said they visited Khelhoshe Polytechnic Atoizu (KPA) and was “appalled” to see the institute in a wretched condition. “The union after thorough discussion with the faculty and students could identify that the institute is being impaired both by the ignorance of the state government and the narcissistic stance
of the land owners,” ANCSU stated. It said the institute “an ancient looking building’ was left with classrooms mostly with no window panes and no transportation services. The union said it was also shocked to learn that the institute could not undertake developmental activities due to the land owners. ANCSU said it was disheartened to learn that the students were prevented from painting the building by land owners unless paid due percentage of shares. The union questioned that if such was the attitude of the land owners/donors, how would the institute grow? The union has therefore appealed to the state government to purchase the college land and demarcate proper boundary walls to foster developments in the institute.
During its interaction with KPA students, ANCSU said it was revealed that the directorate of technical education has allegedly misappropriated the state technical scholarship funds by giving away personal loans to their staff and organizing farewell programme to the tune of Rs.40 lakh. In this regard, ANCSU has demanded that the name of those officials involved in the “scholarship scam” be revealed in the public domain and be punished under the law. M e a n w h i l e, t h e union has stated that affirmed “total opposition” to any kind of attachment or redeployment of Asst./Assoc. Professors. ANCSU also questioned the idea of the state government to ‘redeploy’ the lecturers when the union opposed for ‘attachment’.
Food habits main cause of cancer in Nagaland
to opposes CAB
DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (NPN): BJP Nagaland state unit through a resolution passed at its state office bearers meeting held on February 2, 2019, has endorsed the state cabinet’s decision to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act 2016. In a press release, BJP Nagaland state general secretary, Jaangsillung Gonmei, said the party has also resolved to convey the concerns of the state to the Central Party leaders through a party delegation comprising of party leaders and Legislators shortly. Meanwhile, informing that the state executive meeting would be held soon, BJP state unit has therefore advised the state frontal presidents and district presidents to prepare the reports accordingly. Besides, it has also asked to forward other latest details of all the office bearers in the districts, mandals and booth levels, inclusive of frontals, cells and committees as sought by the state office. The district presidents have been asked to ensure that the above requirements from their respective districts were (Cont’d on p-7) submitted within two weeks.
Wanglon appointed NSCN (R) ‘army chief’
Wangtin felicitating Wanglon
DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (NPN): NSCN/GPRN (Reformation) president has appointed ‘brig.’ Wanglon as ‘new army chief ’ of the group following expulsion of its former chief Jackson on December 18, 2018. NSCN (R) through its MIP said ‘Brig.’ Wanglon was chosen by the House to fill the vacant position of ‘Army Chief (Naga Army)” after recognizing his service seniority, loyalty, sincerity and integrity towards the nation. Speaking at the dedication programme, NSCN(R) president, Y Wangtin Naga said the position of ‘Army chief ’ was “too high” and it required “man of integrity and reliable who loves the nation more than his own self.”Wangtin also expressed regret over the two former chiefs, who he said had “failed themselves to maintain the highest position of Army chief and ultimately put themselves to the doom.” Wangtin has, therefore, advised the ‘new Army Chief ’ to maintain his position with “holistic integrity and selfless services for the nation and its people.” The programme was attended by representatives of NGOs including KU, KNSK, KSU and church leaders.
NSCN (I-M) ‘National Hoho’ on February 11
DIMAPUR, FEB 2 (NPN): NSCN (I-M) Steering Committee Convener Rh. Raising has informed that as per the directive of the Collective Leadership, the “National Hoho” would be held on February 11, 2019 at 11am, CHQ Hebron. Both “civil and army authorities” have been requested to attend the meeting. K Y M C