Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXIX No. 106
DIMAPUR, SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2019 Pages 12 ` 5.00
‘Hanging on to dear life’
India beat Japan 2-0 in Azlan Shah cup
Cong demands ‘unconditional apology’ from Biplab Kumar Deb
Sunday Post Supplement
sports, Page 12
NORTHEAST, Page 4
BJP is ‘pan-India’ party: Madhav
Correspondent
Chorus grows for Rahul to contest from South India
MON, MAR 23 (NPN): BJP general secretary (incharge of NE), Ram Madhav on Saturday stated that the BJP has become a true pan-India political party and accepted by the people, despite being tagged as party popular only in the cow belt areas of Hindi heartland. He said BJP has members of parliament from all the union territories and states, except Kerala. This showed how people have accepted leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added. Addressing the State BJP’s 8th executive meeting cum state convention here at Mon town hall Mon, Madhav exuded confidence that the BJP will return to power Even though Lok Sabha elections was just around the corner, Madhav said people have already come to know which party will form the government and who will be the next Prime Minister, as it was evident that people around the country have been chanting “Modi… Modi!”. To prove his point, Madhav claimed that when Congress president Rahul
NEW DELHI, MAR 23 (IANS): As the clamour for Congress president Rahul Gandhi to fight from a seat in Southern India grows, Amethi district Congress and its various units on Saturday passed resolutions that he should accept the offer like his mother Sonia Gandhi and grandmother Indira did in the past. It seemed a trifle contrived and perhaps orchestrated in the face of Union minister Smriti Irani rising heft in Amethi. “Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and former president Sonia Gandhi too contested from Southern India and represented the country. It will be a sign of respect for Congress workers in South India. A resolution has been passed that Rahul Gandhi should accept this offer. It’s a welcome move,” a resolution from the Amethi unit of the Congress Seva Dal read. “People of Amethi are excited and have blessed him (Rahul) with their support. He will win from both the seats and become Prime Minister,” it added. The two seats referred to are Amethi and the one from southern India.
IT dept dismisses ‘Yeddyurappa diary’ as forgery BENGALURU, MAR 23 (PTI): Income Tax department Saturday dismissed as a “forgery document” and a “set of loose papers”, the ‘Yeddyurappa diary’ about alleged bribe payment to top BJP brass that has created a political furore. Congress, citing a media report, had Friday demanded a Lokpal probe into the charge that the state BJP chief had paid Rs 1800 crore as bribe to the party top brass, which Yeddyurappa had dismissed as “atrocious and malicious.” “Our conclusion after studying it was that it is a forgery document. It is a set of loose papers,” principal chief Income Tax Commissioner of Karnataka-Goa Region B R Balakrishnan told reporters. He said “There was an attempt to just make use of the diary to influence some other investigation, which we have not succumbed to. We have done our job in this case as well.” The documents, which were photocopies, were seized from Karnataka water resource minister D.K. Shivakumar’s residence during a raid carried out on August 2, 2017, he said.
This is it!
“Rahul seems to think that my name is Chowkidar.” K Y M C
Ram Madhav with state BJP functionaries and legislators at Town hall, Mon on Saturday.
Gandhi visited Hyderabad to attend a meeting with high tech software engineers, he (Rahul) was welcomed with the chanting of Modi’s name. Similar incident happened to Priyanka when she went to Varanasi to offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Madhav claimed. He went on to take a dig at Congress, saying the party which claims to be the oldest political party has representatives (Lok Sabha) from only 16 states out of 29 states. Even the entire North Eastern states, is either ruled by the BJP or NDA allies, he added. Unlike the past, Madhav said not a single year used to pass without incidents like agitations, terror attacks, clashes among castes etc. However, after
BJP came to power under the leadership of PM Modi, he claimed that not a single terror attack had taken place. “We have created a terror free India. We have ensured a violent free India and united India, a strong and secure India,” he asserted. “Earlier, the terrorists used to infiltrate into India from Pakistan, but now we are now going to the terrorist occupied area and attacking them,” he said, hinting at the Balakot surgical strike. Madhav further urged the party functionaries to reach out to the people to make known the developmental works carried out by the party under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. In his keynote address,
NPF opts out of LS fray; likely to support Cong Correspondent
KOHIMA, MAR 23 (NPN): Naga People Front (NPF) has decided not to set up a candidate for the ensuing Lok Sabha election scheduled to be held on April 11. When contacted, NPF sources confirmed the party’s decision, while also informing that the NPF had received a letter from the Congress seeking support for its candidate. NPF sources said that the party was seriously considering the proposal of the Congress. However, no decision has been made so far, sources added. Meanwhile, reacting to chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s statement during the PDA’s campaign at Ungma on Saturday, NPF legislature party spokesperson said it was all “Rio’s small thinking”.
Rio had ridiculed the NPF for not coming up even with a name as candidate for the Lok Sabha polls and that the opposition was planning to support the Congress candidate. The spokesperson said whatever NPF decides, whether to set up a candidate or not, was not his lookout. NPF is all set to kick-start the by-election campaign for Toshipokba Longkumer at Ungma on March 29. The battled for the lone Lok Sabha seat will, be a straight fight between NDPP/PDA candidate Tokheho Yepthomi and Congress nominee, K.L. Chishi. The last date for filling of nominations has been fixed on March 25 and scrutiny of nomination on March 26. Last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 28.
BJP legislature party leader and deputy chief minister, Y. Patton stated that the BJP had decided to hold its state executive meeting at Mon, in line with the party’s firm belief in giving equal opportunity to all districts. He said the presence of Ram Madhav and national secretary (Org NE) Ajay Jamwal at a remote corner of the state, showed their commitment and concern for the people of the state. Patton was optimistic that the PDA government in Nagaland will complete its full term under the dynamic leadership of chief minister Neiphiu Rio. He further urged the party men to work hard and strive for the victory of the PDA candidate for Lok Sabha, Tokheho Yepthomi.
(Cont’d on p-5)
Education will set you free: Rio
Correspondent
KOHIMA, MAR 23 (NPN): Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio stressed on the importance of education for progress and urged upon the youth to prepare themselves to give their best in order to face the challenges ahead. Speaking at the 28th Biennial Conference of the Angami Students’ Union at Piphema village under the theme ‘Aspiring Dynamics’, Rio told students “education will set you free” to prepare them for the future. He said development was not only about good roads and good houses, but how one looks ahead with proper planning and focus. The chief minister, who hails from the Angami tribe, reminded students that while Angamis were blessed and privileged to be in the state capital, he urged upon them to live up to the legacy left by their forefathers. He said that though Kohima is considered as the mirror of Nagaland, the community should carry the responsibility to strive, plan and aim to make it a better place. On the issue of water scarcity in Kohima, he informed the gathering that
Neiphiu Rio speaking at the ASU biennial conference in Piphema. (NP)
measures were being taken to resolve the issue. He also called upon the community to maintain strict hygiene and also preserve the natural flora and fauna so as to make the state tourist-friendly and enable the state government to initiate steps to help the colonies, villages and towns in whatever possible way. Earlier, delivering the presidential speech, ASU president Visako Rino said that the main objective of organizing such conference was to educate and get to know each other better and for the betterment of the community. He also encouraged the students gathered to respect, believe and seek guidance of the elders so to follow the right path of truth. Rino also informed that ASU has consciously coursed its path for the welfare of the students’ community and also social reform
of the society at large. Acknowledging that the government had boldly taken the challenge of ushering change in the society, Rino urged the students to do away with all negativism and challenge themselves to be positive. Delivering the solidarity message, NSF president Christopher Ltu said the youth of today are faced with the biggest challenge, “employability” and demographic threat. He therefore urged all to understand that ‘white collar’ jobs were not the only source of employment. This, he said has only allowed creation of employment for outsiders, who control the economy of the state. Ltu said unless the future generation work-hard and venture out for avenues, they will rather become liabilities instead of being assets for the society. (Cont’d on p-5)
‘He lies, she doesn’t keep promises’: Rahul on PM Modi, Mamata KO L K ATA , M A R 2 3 (AGENCIES): Kicking of Congress’ election campaign in West Bengal at a party rally from Malda district, Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday. Putting the two in the same bracket, Gandhi alleged that both Modi and Banerjee were indulging in falsehood in the name of development. “On the one hand Narendra Modi has made it a habit of lying everywhere he goes and on the other hand the chief minister of West Bengal is busy making false promises,” said Gandhi. Targeting Mamata, Gandhi said that Bengal is being ruled by one person and who does not listen to (More on p-5) anyone.
EC issues advisory on exit polls NEW DELHI, MAR 23 (PTI): Exit polls can only be telecast on the evening of May 19 after the last phase of Lok Sabha election gets over, the Election Commission said on Saturday as it issued an advisory to the media in which websites and social media platforms were included for the first time. The Commission said that TV, radio channels, cable networks, websites and social media platforms should ensure that the contents of programmes telecast/broadcast/displayed by them during the 48-hour period before the end of polls in each phase “do not contain any material, including views or appeals by participants that may be construed as promoting or prejudicing the prospect” of any particular party or candidate. The elections in seven phases would begin on April 11 and end on May 19. The advisory is also ap-
plicable for Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh where assembly polls are being held simultaneously. “... In this connection, attention is also invited to Section 126A of the R.P. Act 1951, which prohibits conduct of Exit poll and dissemination of its results during the period mentioned therein, i.e. the hour fixed for commencement of poll in the first phase and half an hour after the time fixed for close of poll for the last phase in all the states,” it said regarding the exit polls. The EC said the advisory shall among other things include display of any opinion poll and of standard debates, analysis, visuals and sound-bytes. “The Election Commission will monitor the broadcasts made by news broadcasters from the time elections are announced
until the conclusion and announcement of election results. “Any violation by member broadcasters reported to the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) by the Election Commission will be dealt with by the NBSA under its regulations,” it said. It also said news broadcasters must not air any final, formal and definite results until such results are formally announced by the Election Commission of India, unless such results are carried with clear disclaimer that they are unofficial or incomplete or partial results or projections which should not be taken as final results. The first phase is on April 11, Phase 2 on April 18, Phase 3- April 23, Phase 4 - April 29, Phase 5 - May 6, Phase 6 - May 12 and Phase 7 is on May 19. The counting of votes is on May 23. K Y M C