Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXIX No. 154
DIMAPUR, SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019 Pages 12 ` 5.00
God Bless Mothers
MALT embarks on trek to Changtongya
AAP candidate refutes son’s allegations
Sunday Post Supplement
sports, Page 12
national, Page 5
BJP allies unsure of majority NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (AGENCIES): Opinions seem divided about the Lok Sabha elections results 2019 among partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Impor tant NDA allies-JD(U), Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal have categorically stated that NDA will not be able to get majority after May 23. Of the major NDA allies, Chandrababu Naidu led- TDP has already walked out. It had 15 MPs in the outgoing Lok Sabha. However, on the other hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi was confident that the BJP and the allies will get more seats than it has now. “We will get full majority and give a strong government. We are getting more seats even in places where BJP was not there,” Modi said on Friday while responding to a question on regional parties cobbling up to form the ‘Third Front’. JD(U): Gulam Rasool Baliyavi, a legislator of Janata DalUnited, which is an important ally of the BJP-led NDA in Bihar, said the coalition will fall short of a majority in Lok Sabha after elections. Baliyavi also said the NDA must project chief minister Nitish Kumar as the prime ministerial candidate. Shiv Sena: Senior Sena lead-
Governor greets nurses on IND D I M A P U R , M AY 1 1 (NPN): Governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya, has extended greetings to all the nurses on the occasion of International Nurses Day 2019 and acknowledged the service and determination of all nurses working in the public and private sector of the state. International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated around the world on May 12 (birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing) to mark the contributions of nurses to the society. In a message, Acharya said that serving humanity was one of the great commitments, adding that nurses were in the forefront in the society. Describing nurses as the backbone of the health care system, the governor said people throughout the world should acknowledge their services. Acharya said that sufficient, adequately trained and motivated nurses were essential for the health of the population. He encouraged nurses to give their best every day to save lives and care of their patients. Governor also called upon the citizens of Nagaland to recognise all Nurses for the dedicated work they do every day to achieve good health and life for everyone.
This is it!
“You always give me cup or plate on Mother’s Day. How about something personal?.” K Y M C
er Sanjay Raut said that it looks a “bit difficult” for the BJP to reach the 280-seat mark as it did in the 2014 polls. The Shiv Sena has questioned the BJP’s ability to win an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha, and said it would have to depend on allies to form the next government. “What Ram Madhav says is right. The NDA will form the next government. The BJP will be the single largest party. As of now it looks a bit difficult for the BJP to reach the 280-282 figure on its own but our NDA “parivar” (family) will cross the majority mark,” Raut told a TV channel. SAD: Calling himself a realist, Shiromani Akali Dal leader and BJP ally Naresh Gujral says nobody will get an absolute majority in the elections and whoever is prime minister must carry everybody along for a healthy democracy. While the saffron party may not get a majority, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will sail through, said Gujral, who represents one of the BJP’s oldest allies in Parliament. “I am a realist…and I believe that nobody will get an absolute majority but NDA will sail through and will form a stable government,” Gujral told PTI. Asked who will lead the alliance if the BJP falls short of a ma-
jority, the Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab said it is for the party to decide who will be their leader. “This is their prerogative… whoever they elect, we will be comfortable with him,” said the son of erstwhile Janata Dal leader and former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral. On May 6, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, in an interview to Bloomberg, had said that “if we get 271 seats on our own, we will be very happy” and that “with NDA, we will have a comfortable majority”. He, however, added that the loses would be recovered from states such as West Bengal and Odisha where the BJP “expanded” well. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari differed with the opinion of his party colleague Ram Madhav that the BJP could fall short of numbers in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and asserted that it will get more than 300 seats. In an interview to IANS here, Gadkari maintained that he was not in the race for the Prime Ministership and that Narendra Modi will again assume the top post. He expressed confidence that the BJP would get clear majority on the basis of the “good performance” of the Modi government over the last five years.
Stage set for penultimate phase of LS polls NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (PTI): The fate of several Union ministers including Radha Mohan Singh, Harshvardhan and Maneka Gandhi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia will be decided Sunday in the sixth and penultimate phase of Lok Sabha polls to be held in 59 constituencies in six states and Delhi. Elections will be held in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 10 seats in Haryana, eights constituencies each in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, seven seats in Delhi and four in Jharkhand. Over 10.17 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to choose among the 979 candidates in fray. Election Commission has set up over 1.13 lakh polling stations for smooth conduct of polls. The elections in this phase are seen as a big test for the BJP which had won 45 of these seats in 2014, with Trinamool Congress bagging 8, Congress two and SP and LJP one seat each among others. In Uttar Pradesh, BJP had won 13 of the 14 constituencies in 2014, but had to face defeat in the bypolls in Phulpur and Gorakhpur constituencies last year. While, the anti-BJP alliance would like to retain its grip over both the seats, the saffron party is looking to wrest them from the opposition.
IS claims it has established province in India; calls it ‘Wilayah of Hind’ NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (AGENCIES): After the Army said it had “eliminated” Ishfaq Sofi of ISJK (Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir), Islamic State (IS) claimed for the first time that it has established a “province” in India, which was rubbished by the Indian security apparatus. IS’s Amaq News Agency late on Friday announced the new province, that it called “Wilayah of Hind”, in a statement that also claimed IS inflicted casualties on Indian army soldiers in the town of Amshipora in the Shopian district of Kashmir. Sofi alias Abdullah Bhai, a local terrorist and close aide of one of the most wanted terrorists Zakir Musa, was killed by security forces in a gun battle in Amshipora village of Shopian district of Kashmir on Friday. Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi had been involved in several militant groups in Kashmir for more than a decade before pledging allegiance to Islamic State, according to a military official on Saturday and an
Flag of the Islamic State.
interview given by Sofi to a Srinagar-based magazine sympathetic to IS. “Targeting terrorist leadership towards #TerrorismFreeKashmir. Sustained efforts successful. Eliminated Ishfaq Sofi of ISJK involved in scores of terrorism related activities,” the Srinagar-based Army Corps tweeted on Friday. Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbagh Singh said the slain terrorist belonged to an “ISinspired group”. Soon after, IS’ Amaq News Agency said it had established “Wilayah of hind” (an IS province in India), according to media reports. Top officials of J&K Police and Central intelligence agencies on Saturday
NEET-PG cut For first time, CJI to be part of JCPI to meet on May 18 to discuss ILP/BEFR, CAB issue offs reduced Supreme Court vacation bench DIMAPUR, MAY 11 (NPN): Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) has invited all 16 tribe hohos, mass-based organizations, and CSO leaders to a meeting called by the committee on May 18, 2019 at Tourist Lodge hotel, Dimapur at 11 am. In a press note, JCPI convenor, K Ghokheto Chophy, and secretary, Tia Longchar, said the meeting has been being convened for further discussion on ILP/BEFR and CAB. They recalled that JCPI was formed by tribe hohos, CSOs and mass-based organizations on August 8, 2018. The committee stated that it carried out the job diligently as mandated by the tribe leaders and responsible organizations for the past almost one year.
However, JCPI stated that in the intervening period many issues, some contentious, have arisen for which renewed discussion was necessary. Besides, the committee said it would present its progress report to the gathering of leaders. In this regard, the committee has requested that the presidents and the general secretaries of the organizations make it convenient to attend in person. It may be mentioned that the JPCI has been vocal in its demand urging the government to extend BEFR 1873 to the entire state and especially Dimapur district. It said so long as Dimapur was out of the purview of Inner Line Permit (ILP), it will continue to remain as feeder district of illegal immi-
grants to interior areas. JCPI had insisted that ILP should differentiate between tourist, transit passenger and manual or skilled labour. The ILP should also be for limited period and those ILP holders should be allowed to do business in the state. JPCI had also asked the government to create a separate cell or a separate department under home department to competently deal with strict enforcement of BEFRA and Foreigners Act 1946 on a daily basis. JCPI also insisted that ILP should differentiate between tourist, transit passenger and manual or skilled labour. The ILP should also be for limited period and those ILP holders should be allowed to do business in the state.
N E W D E L H I , M AY 8 (IANS): Health Ministry in consultation with the Board of Governors, Medical Council of India (MCI) has decided to reduce the qualifying percentile in respect of NEET-PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) for the year 2019-20 by 6 percentile, an official release said on Tuesday. “Now general category candidates with minimum marks at 44 percentile, persons with disabilities category with minimum of marks at 39 percentile and, SC/ST and OBC category candidates at 34 percentile will become eligible for admission to Post Graduate courses for the academic year 2019-20,” it said. All states and Union territories have been requested to make necessary arrangements for allowing students as per revised qualifying marks in any further rounds of counselling this year.
NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (IANS): In an unprecedented development, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will be part of the Supreme Court’s vacation bench from May 25 to May 30, mainly to take care of any dispute that may arise in government formation after the Lok Sabha election results are declared on May 23. The Supreme Court will remain closed for the annual summer break from May 13 to June 30 and will resume its regular work from July 1. The top court has a vacation bench functioning every year during the summer holidays but the Chief Justice of India never presides over it. As per the notification of Vacation Benches, CJI Gogoi and Justice M.R. Shah will be part of the vacation bench from May 25 to 30 which will hear urgent miscellaneous matters and other regular matters. In May last year, the Su-
New species ‘pit viper snake’ spotted in Arunachal GUWAHATI, MAY 11 (AGENCIES): A research team led by famous Indian herpetologist Ashok Captain discovered a new species of snake at Ramda village in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district, a NE Now report stated. According to reports, the new species of the snake known as pit viper is found to be venomous and has a reddish brown skin with a unique heat sensing system. The research team comprised of some expert herpetologists from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research of Pune. They discovered the snake while conducting biodiversity surveys in the Eaglenest region of the state and a local resident had pointed out the snake to them in a forest patch in Ramda village. The snake was found
to be an unknown species of pit viper after comparative analysis of DNA sequences were done and morphological features were examined. India generally has four brown pit vipers—Malabar, Horse-shoe, Hump-nosed and Himalayan. A male species of the new pit viper snake which
had been discovered by the herpetologists has presently been donated to the museum of the State Forest Research Institute in Itanagar. The findings of the new discovery have been published in an international multidisciplinary herpetology journal known as Russian Journal of Herpetology. The
northeast is home to some 110 species, with Arunachal Pradesh accounting for 55. “We don’t know anything of the Arunachal pit viper’s natural history as only one male has been found so far. More surveys and sightings of this species would gradually give us an idea of its habits..,” he said. The discovery was published in the March-April volume of Russian Journal of Herpetology. A month after a Russian journal published the discovery of the reddish-brown pit viper in Arunachal Pradesh, a New Zealand-based journal Zootaxa had also come out with the discovery of a non-venomous snake in Mizoram-- Smithophis atemporalis, named after eminent British herpetologist Malcolm Arthur Smith for his immense contribution to Indian herpetology.
preme Court had to deal with a dispute related to Karnataka Assembly, when no political party got a majority in the elections and the Congress-JDS alliance moved the top court challenging the Governor’s decision to invite the BJP to form the government. A specially-constituted three-judge Bench of justices A.K. Sikri, S.A. Bobde and Ashok Bhushan then heard the matter and ordered a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly, reducing the 15-day window given by the Governor to former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to prove his majority. The Supreme Court notification added that a Division bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Sanjiv Khanna will be part of first bench from May 13 to May 20 and that of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice M.R. Shah are nominated for second bench from May 21 to 24.
SC panel rejects Centre’s objection on 2 judges, recommends 2 more NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (IANS): The Supreme Court rejected the government’s objections to the elevation of two judges to the top court, stressing that merit should be considered above seniority. The Supreme Court collegium, or panel of five senior most judges, reiterated its April 12 decision to recommend Justices Aniruddha Bose and AS Bopanna for the top court. “Merit should be given predominant consideration,” the collegium said, noting that “nothing adverse regarding competence, conduct or integrity of the judges had been pointed out” by the government. Centre is learnt to have disagreed with the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation to confirm the
elevation of Jharkhand High Court chief justice Aniruddha Bose and Gauhati High Court chief justice A.S. Bopanna as judges of the apex court, sources said. Amid disagreement over the two names, the collegium further recommended two more judges for the Supreme Court- Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant. Justice Gavai is a judge of the Bombay High Court and Justice Kant is the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The collegium includes Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice Arun Mishra and Justice RF Nariman. Reports suggest that the government had cited seniority and regional representation to send back the names recommended by the judges’ panel.
categorically rubbished the IS claim. A top intelligence official said the slain militant could have been influenced by the ideology of IS, but he “definitely” did not belong to the group nor has the outfit any footprint in Kashmir. Intelligence agencies have also said that there was no proof or credible evidence about the presence of IS cadre in Kashmir. “The establishment of a ‘province’ in a region where it has nothing resembling actual governance is absurd, but it should not be written off,” said Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intel Group that tracks Islamic extremists. “The world may roll its eyes at these developments, but to jihadists in these vulnerable regions, these are significant gestures to help lay the groundwork in rebuilding the map of the IS ‘caliphate’.” IS has stepped up hitand-run raids and suicide attacks, including taking responsibility for the Easter Sunday bombing in Sri Lanka that killed at least 253 people.
Fuel prices cut for 3rd straight day NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (AGENCIES): Prices of petrol and diesel were cut for the third straight day Saturday across the country. While price of petrol was lowered by 48 to 50 paise, diesel became cheaper by 19 to 20 paise in the country. Petrol price was cut by 48 paise to Rs 72.15 per litre in Delhi. Diesel in the city too has become cheaper by 19 paise to Rs 66.28. Similarly, petrol was selling at Rs 77.75 per litre, 48 paise down from Friday’s Rs 78.23 price in the country’s financial capital Mumbai. Diesel in the city was selling 20 paise cheaper at Rs 69.45 compared to Rs 69.65 per litre yesterday. State-run oil marketing companies Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum revise fuel prices with effect from 6 am on a daily basis. The domestic fuel prices are determined broadly by the global crude oil and rupee-dollar forex rates.
Partial closure of shops on May 14 in Mkg: MCCI
DIMAPUR, MAY 11 (NPN): Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce and Industr y (MCCI) through its general secretary Limalenden Longkumer has informed the public that shops and business establishments in Mokokchung town will remain closed on May 14 from 2 p.m. onwards on account of MCCI annual general meeting.
Correction
D I M A P U R , M AY 1 1 (NPN): Apropos news item “T&A deptt clarifies”, published on May 11, 2019, the treasuries and account department had stated that non-judicial stamps of Rs.100 denominations were available at Kohima North Treasury and not as rendered. K Y M C