January 8, 2019

Page 1

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXIX No. 32

DIMAPUR, TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2019 Pages 12 ` 5.0

No US withdrawal from Syria until IS destroyed: Bolton

India script historic win in Australia

Govt weakening HAL to benefit Ambani: Rahul

international, Page 9

sports, Page 12

national, Page 5

10% quota for upper castes Constitutional amendment bill to be tabled in Parl NEW DELHI, JAN 7 (PTI): In a major move ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Union Cabinet Monday cleared a 10% job and education quota for economically weaker sections (EWS), meeting a key demand of upper castes, a staunch BJP support base which has shown signs of a drift from the party. The government on Monday extended the Rajya Sabha proceedings during the winter session of Parliament by a day till January 9 to enable the House to take up a proposed legislation to provide 10% quota for EWS, sources said. The winter session of Parliament that started on December 11 was to end on Tuesday, January 8. The proposed reservation will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation enjoyed by the SCs, STs and OBCs, taking the total reservation to 60 per cent.

Zeliang urges gov to order probe into delay in GiA release DIMAPUR, JAN 7 (NPN): Leader of opposition and senior NPF leader TR Zeliang has urged Governor PB Acharya to order probe by State Vigilance Commission into the delay in release of Rs 96 crore Grant-in-Aid (GiA) by the rural development department. In a representation to the governor, Zeliang mentioned that the Union finance ministry had released Rs 185.09 crore on November 8, 2017 to the State government for the period 2017-18 for areas not included in Part IX and IXA of the Constitution of India with a clear directive that the grant should be applicable for utilisation in consonance with the guidelines for release of grants to “excluded areas” that the ministry issued as an office memorandum 13(34)FFC/FCD/201718, dated 20th October, 2017. Thereafter, as per the guidelines, a high-level committee (HLC) was constituted with chief secretary Pankaj Kumar as chairperson on December 13, 2017 for overall monitoring of developmental activities carried out in “excluded areas.”

The constitutional amendment bill would be required as the constitution does not provide for reservation on the ground of economic conditions. It envisages amendment to the Articles 5 and 6. A Union minister said the bill once passed will amend the Constitution accordingly to give reservation to the poor among the general castes and classes. “The bill will provide a shelter for upper castes under the rubric of fundamental rights. The court’s rule of the maximum 50 per cent quota cannot fetter Parliament’s right to amend the Constitution,” he said. In its famous Indra Sawhney judgement, the Supreme Court had set a cap of 50 per cent cap on quotas. Government sources said the proposed constitutional amendment will pave the way for the additional quota. Among the major castes to benefit from the proposed law are Brahmins, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Bhumihars, several trading castes, Kapus and Kammas among other Upper Castes. The poor among the other religions will also benefit from it, sources added.

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Cong dubs move as poll gimmick, but says will support bill

Congress on Monday said it will support a bill to grant 10% quota to EWS from the general category, but questioned the timing

State to ask Centre to review Citizenship Bill DIMAPUR, JAN 7 (NPN): Even as the political atmosphere warms up in many North Eastern States over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to introduce the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament and the Union Cabinet’s approval of the controversial Bill, the State cabinet has resolved to urge the Centre to reexamine and review the Bill to ensure that it was in consonance with the provisions of the Constitution of India and the existing practices of the Nagas. At a meeting held here on Monday, the Neiphiu Rio cabinet felt that taking into consideration various imbalances that might emerge and to ensure that peace and tranquility continued in the

State and sanctity of all previous regulations like Inner Line Permit (ILP) and rights of the Nagas as provided in Article 371 (A) of the Constitution of India was ensured, the issue required further review. The cabinet also resolved to convene an allparty meeting to examine the issue in its entirety. According to a press release issued by media cell of chief minister’s office, the cabinet further resolved to propose adoption of a resolution reaffirming all provisions of Article 371 (A) and to strengthen the implementation of ILP as per Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) of 1873 in the next session of Nagaland Legislative Assembly. (Cont’d on p-7)

of the government’s decision which it termed as an “election gimmick” to fool people. Asserting that the move was a proof of the BJP’s “fear” of losing Lok Sabha polls, the opposition party also said that “without jobs”, creation of reservation in employment may just prove to be “one more jumla”. Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party has always backed every step for reservation and extended support to the economically poor sections of society irrespective of caste, community or creed. He said the Congress will continue to support every step that provides opportunities as well as employment to the economically poor sections of the society. “The truth, however, is that after four years and eight months, the Modi government has suddenly woken up to the woes of economically poor facing imminent defeat in the 2019 elections and with 100 days to go for polls,” Surjewala said. “That itself raises certain questions on the intent, the bonafide and the honesty of the Modi government altogether,” he said.

NEW DELHI, JAN 7 (PTI): Several organisations from Assam Monday staged protests, with some of the demonstrators stripping naked, outside Parliament against the central government’s move to amend the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Carrying placards and raising slogans, about 10 protesters belonging to the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti from Assam stripped themselves naked to protest the controversial bill. Within no time, police swung into action and removed the protesters from the highly secured Vijay

Members from Assam organisations stage nude protests outside Parliament against the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Chowk.Another group of people protested outside the Assam Bhavan in Chanakyapuri, showing black flag and raising slogans. Four Rajya Sabha members of

the Congress, led by APCC president Ripun Borah, also staged a protest outside the main gate of Parliament against the bill. Carrying banners and raising slogans,

the Congress MPs demanded that the bill should not be brought in Parliament. The Union Cabinet Monday cleared the redrafted Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to nonMuslims from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The bill is expected to be tabled in the Lok Sabha Tuesday. The move came within hours of the presentation in the Lok Sabha of a report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill that was first introduced in Parliament in 2016.

Jolt for NDA, AGP snap ties with BJP over Citizenship Bill GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI, JAN 7 (PTI): In more ally trouble for the BJP, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) Monday announced it has pulled out of the BJP-led ruling coalition in Assam over the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which the regional party is opposing tooth and nail. The decision to snap ties over the bill that seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan will, however, not affect the stability of the Sarbananda Sonowal-headed government. The bill is likely to come up in the Lok Sabha tomorrow which

is the scheduled last day of the winter session of Parliament. The announcement was made by AGP president and minister Atul Bora after he said its “last-ditch attempt to convince” the Centre to withdraw the proposed legislation failed. The AGP has 14 MLAs in the 126-member assembly while the BJP has the support of 74 MLAs. The BJP has 61 members while 12 MLAs of the Bodoland People’s Front and a sole Independent member are backing the party. The opposition Congress and the All Indian United Democratic Frontg (AIUDF) have 25 and 13 members respectively.

AGP has three ministers in the state but they have not resigned yet. The decision followed an AGP delegation’s meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi during which he asserted that the government will ensure the passage of the Citizenship Bill in the Lok Sabha Tuesday. “We made a last ditch attempt ...We tried to convince the Centre that the bill was against the Assam Accord and will nullify the ongoing updating of the NRC,” Bora told reporters after the meeting. The BJP had promised to ensure the passage of the bill in the runup to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

NPF ridicules NDPP clarification DIMAPUR, JAN 7 (NPN): NPF has ridiculed NDPP’s press communiqué that appeared in local dailies as “one-sided story” and “concocted version to defend its master from his sinking boat.” Reiterating its allegation of poaching bid on its legislators by the ruling party, the opposition party in a rejoinder pointed out that NDPP supremo and chief minister Neiphiu Rio had on several occasions tried his best to play his “old game”. It, however, claimed that its MLAs never succumbed to his “old tricks.” According to NPF, the current ruling dispensation was uncertain when its rule would come to a halt. It said Rio knew well that his coalition government could collapse any time if he could not please his masters. (Cont’d on p-7)

Student bodies back NSF-NESO bandh call

DIMAPUR, JAN 7 (NPN): Several student bodies of the state have come out in support of the January 8, 2019 bandh called by the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), a constituent of North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), against Centre’s bid to pass the (Cont’d on p-7) controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the parliament. In a press release, the High Power Committee (HPC) of Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) informed that the bandh would be enforced with its constituent units in Dimapur from 5am to 4pm. HPC of the DNSU has appealed to all right thinking citizens to extend cooperation to the sudden bandh call. It also appealed to all the educational institutions and business establishments to remain “This is no longer just dust shut for the day. but powder pollution.” HPC said that bandh

This is it!

BJP hailed the move with several leaders describing it as historic and exercise in sync with government’s motto of “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” (with all, development for all). BJP ally and Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan also termed the decision by the government as “historic”. So far, the Constitution envisages quota for socially and educationally backward classes besides SC and STs, and has no mention of economically weaker people. At least two-thirds of the members in both the Houses need to support the bill for its passage. BJP believes that if opposition parties, whose support is a must for its passage in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers, vote against it, then they will risk losing support of an influential section of society.

Nude protests in Delhi against Citizenship Bill

would be total in nature, however, the press, medical services, magistrate on duty, police, para military besides wedding attendees and officials of conventions/conferences on production of cards and programme copies. Travellers have been asked to posses tickets to avoid any inconveniences. ASU: Angami Students’ Union (ASU) through its vice president Petekhrietuo Kiewhu-O and deputy speaker Teisovi Thorie said the union would impose the total bandh within its jurisdiction on January 8, 2019 from 5am to 4pm. In this regard, the union has appealed to the government offices, schools, colleges and business establishment to remain closed. The union further appealed to the public under its jurisdiction to cooperate. (Cont’d on p-7)

JCPI extends support Asserting that it fully stood for the interest of indigenous people, especially in the Northeast, Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) has extended full support to the Northeast bandh called by North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Tuesday. In a statement by its media cell, the committee conveyed its appreciation to NESO on behalf of all Nagas for taking the lead to voice the opinion of the people of the Northeast, besides appreciating Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) for mobilising public support in Nagaland in favour of the bandh. Claiming that the recent announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go ahead in introducing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, (Cont’d on p-7)

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