Day: September 23, 2014

IMPHAL, September 23: BJP Manipur Pradesh president Th Chaoba has today warned of filing a defamation law suit of Rs 50 crores against The Statesman, its special correspondent Yambem Laba, and the local daily Hueiyen Lanpao for a report charging him of being involved in the present under investigation RIMS graft case.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s office, Chaoba said the report published in the said newspapers stating that former RIMS director Dr Sekharjit’s wife had written to the president of the BJP State unit to refund Rs. 1 crore paid earlier to forestall the CBI raids is baseless and a challenge to his 50 years long political career.

Hinting that this whole issue could have been the handiwork of the party’s dissident group in New Delhi, Chaoba said if his involvement can be proved, he is ready to spend his remaining life in prison.

He said he has never done anything to stain his image even though he has been a minister in the State as well as in the Union government.

Denying any charges of his involvement in the graft case, Chaoba said he is not even closely acquainted with Dr Sekharjit or his wife Dr Damyanti.

The allegation is a challenge to his image, he said before declaring that he will not remain silent while others continue to throw dirt at him.

He said defamation notice have been already sent to The Statesmen, its special correspondent Yambem Laba and Huiyen Lanpao.

They have 24 hours to tender their apology publicly, or prove his involvement with evidence as reported within seven days he said.

An if they fail to prove any involvement or tender the public apology, a Rs 50 crore defamation suit for polluting 50 years of political career will be filed against the three, he said.

Such baseless reports could greatly harm the party ahead of the Hiyanglam by-poll, he said.

Chaoba said the matter has already been informed to the central committee of the party and several political leaders of the NDA have been urged to expedite the CBI investigation in the RIMS case.

The recent raid at over nine different places simultaneously by 33 special sleuths of the CBI is unprecedented in the state, and the BJP wants the Centre to expedite the process at the earliest and book all those involved in the case, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/state-bjp-chief-threatens-statesman-hueiyen-with-rs-50-crore-lawsuit/

IMPHAL, September 23: The expulsion of three primary members of the BJP State unit is uncalled for, expressed national executive member of the BJYM Ch Chidananda who is also in-charge of Nagaland today.

Speaking to media persons at the Manipur Press Club, Chidananda said the three had received show cause notices from the BJP State president and had replied to it.

However, on September 11, it was reported in local papers that the three senior members were expelled on September 6 following a decision taken during an executive meeting, he said.

It is also learnt that the expulsion was officiated after some dissident BJP State leaders had expressed gratitude to the Union Health Minister Harshavardhan for the CBI raids at the residence of the former RIMS director Sekharjit, he said.

Questioning the BJP State president’s relation with the ousted director, he asked why the president has decided to remain silent even now on the expulsion of the three members.

He said the three are not part of the dissident group who had met the Union Health Minister.

It seems like the president wants to assert his power on softer targets as he cannot deal with the others, he said.

An ex-minister and an ex-vice president of the party T Hangkhanpao said he was the general secretary of JD(U) but joined BJP in March 2014.

He said he was made the vice president of the BJP and had worked really hard for the party, but all of a sudden in September, he was served a show cause notice.

After the news was reported in the newspapers, his career has been hurt, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/dissidence-erupts-in-state-bjp-over-members-expulsions/

IMPHAL, September 23: The all political parties committee on implementation of Inner Line Permit System in the State will help bring a logical conclusion on the issue very soon, said deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam.

Interacting with the media in his office chamber this evening, Gaikhangam said that the committee has studied the issue and the term of reference is very limited. The committee has collected opinions of experts on enacting a law to safeguard the indigenous peoples of the State.

Gaikhangam maintained that yesterday, opinions of the JCILPS leaders were also sought, while those of the High Court Bar Association, All Manipur Bar Association, MU scholars and college teachers were heard. The committee will study through the opinions given by the experts.

Gaikhangam, however, said that the news report of stalemate between the committee and JCILPS is unfortunate, and will hamper the smooth process of the talk, which could even mislead the public.

He continued that the committee has no authority to talk on behalf of the government. The role of the committee is to find ways for positive mechanism to implement or enact a law regarding ILP in the State.

Gaikhngam clarified that the documents submitted by the expert were not issued to the JCILPS leaders because the examination is not yet over.

He added that the committee has decided to sit for a meeting on the matter at around 2 pm on September 27, 2014. And on the same day experts from the economics and statistics department of the government will also be called to attend. He said there are plans to send the experts to States like Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim for consultations.

Gaikhangam appealed the JCILPS activists not to take law in their own hands, or assault migrant labourers. The State flying squad will do their duties to check the migrants, Gaikhangam added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/all-political-parties-committee-to-bring-logical-conclusion-to-ilps-issue-gaikhangam/

IMPHAL, September 23 (NNN): Following the order issued by Isak Chisi Swu, chairman of the Government of Peoples’ Republic of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) on July 21, 2014, recognising Uipo (Khoibu) as one of the Naga tribes (separated from Maring), the Maring Uparup Assembly (MUA), the apex Maring tribe body has recommended all the Maring ‘national workers’ in the NSCN-IM to resign on moral ground by September 27, failing which they would be socially boycotted and considered anti-Maring and the announcement would be made during a public meeting which will be held at Khurkarthil Community Hall, Chandel district.

Khoibu has been known under the nomenclature of Maring.

Mention may be made here that the Maring Uparap Assembly (MUA) had earlier set September 18 as the deadline for the resignation of the ‘national workers’ and had also stated that the Maring people are not against the NSCN-IM but they are however against the order of Isak Chisi Swu who recognised Uipo (Khoibu) as a Naga tribe without taking into confidence the leaders of the MUA.

Saying that altogether 18 Maring ‘national workers’ (Marings in the NSCN-IM) including ‘Kilonsor’ Angnaikham Makunga have already submitted their resignation letters as sought by the MUA, even though they have not been accepted yet, the MUA said that it expects all the other Maring ‘national workers’ to resign by September 27.

The MUA then said that following the order given by NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chisi Swu, the Maring frontal organisations had convened a meeting on July 24 and decided to approach the ‘collective leadership’ of the outfit to withdraw or revoke the said order.

During the meeting with the ‘collective leadership’ of the NSCN-IM on August 1, 2014 in New Delhi, the MUA was told that the order was in line with the Naga ‘national principle’ which states that if any group of people approach them for recognition as a tribe on the basis of separate identity-history, tradition, culture, customary practices, attires and ornaments, the recognition is not denied.

The MUA was also told that the identity of the Maring tribe cannot be threatened by the Uipo (Khoibu) tribe.

The MUA had earlier mentioned that the order of Isak Chisi Swu was against the principle of formation of Joint Working Committee (JWC) collectively by the Maring frontal organisations, the Khoibu Tribe Demand Committee and the GPRN represented by AC Maring, the then secretary, Planning of the outfit.

It also said that the Maring people respect the ‘national principle’ of the GPRN, but at the same time the claim of uniqueness of Khoibu identity has to be authenticated.

Recognizing any Naga tribe without doing this will be a mockery of ‘national principle’ and suicidal, said the MUA.

It then said that way back in 2011, the issue of Uipo (Khoibu) tribe recognition as an internal matter of the Maring tribe was agreed upon and subsequently, both the parties agreed to reconcile and form the JWC to work out modalities for accommodative arrangement on December 4, 2011.

It then said that the order of recognising Uipo (Khoibu) as a separate Naga tribe is not at all expected and acceptable to the Maring public.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/maring-apex-body-calls-tribesmen-in-nscn-im-to-resign/

IMPHAL, September 23: The Coordination Committee KCP, KYKL, PREPAK, PREPAK (Pro) RPF and UNLF has greeted the people of the land on the coming of the 118th birth anniversary of Hijam Irabot on September 30 and his death anniversary on September 26.

A CorCom statement urged the people to observe the days and pay respect to the leader.

It said Hijam Irabot is a true leader of the people of Manipur. He was one person who stood against any atrocities of the then king and others who had tightened their grip on the masses, it said.

He was a selfless leader who always thought for the farmers and the downtrodden and stood against the atrocities of the king and the British, it said.

He was also a writer and tried to awaken the masses through his writings, it said.

After passing his class VII from the Jonhstone Higher Secondary School, Lamyanba Irabot went to Dhaka along with Sougaijam Somorendra to study till Class IX at the Pogoj High School in 1913, it said.

Further recounting the leader’s life story, it said Irabot had been the vice president of the Nikhil Manipuri Hindhu Mahasabha. The first sitting of the Mahasabha was held on May 30, 1934 at the Sana Konung (Royal Palace), second at Tarapur, Silchar from January 26 to 30, 1936 and the third was held at Mandalay from February 28 to March 2, 1937, it said.

The fourth sitting of the Mahasabha was held at Chinga from December 29-30, 1938 during which Irabot proposed to remove ‘Hindu’ from the name of the Mahasabha and to replace ‘Manipuri’ with Manipur, it said.

The meeting also resolved to demand the release of Rani Gaidinliu from the jail and in a way strengthening the relation among the different communities co-existing in Manipur, it said.

That Lamyanba Irabot is a true leader of the land is prove by his selfless dervice for the people and dedication to the welfare of the masses, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/lamyanba-irabot-a-selfless-leader-corcom/

IMPHAL, September 23: The 45th foundation day of Manipur State Museum was observed today at its auditorium. The function was organised by the Department of Art and Culture, government of Manipur.

As part of the observation, a painting competition was held under the theme ‘Museum’s Role in Education’.

Speaking as the chief guest of the function, Thoidingjam Tombi said that Western culture today has swayed the youth away from their own rich culture and tradition, but preserving and maintaining a museum will the help the youth in reviving neglected knowledge.

Dr R K Nimai Singh, IAS (Retd), consultant, Govt of Manipur, who was the president of the function, said that museum is an essential institution for preserving the relics of human civilisation and glorious past of any society.

He also said that it is the mirror through which the people can see the cultural heritage of the society.

While delivering the keynote address of the function, Dr K Sobita Devi, Director, Art and Culture, Manipur said that Manipur State Museum was inaugurated by the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi on 23 September, 1969 and it has become full-fledged multipurpose Museum after 32 year after its inauguration.

She further said that the department is planning numerous programmes and projects in the coming days.

The painting competition was divided into two categories, group A and group B. All together 54 participants took part in the painting competition.

Later during the function, certificates were distributed to the winners and the participants by the chief guest and the president.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/state-museum-observes-45th-foundation-day/

IMPHAL, September 23: The BJP Manipur Pradesh has put three points of concerns before the Election Commission of India regarding the Electronic Voting Machines during a recent meeting, BJP State unit president Th Chaoba told the media today.

According to Chaoba, he along with M Bhorot had convened a meeting with a three member team of the ECI during a recent trip to the national capital.

During the special sitting, he pointed out before the ECI team that the public were unhappy with the use of the EVMs in the State since the past few elections, he told media persons at the party’s Nityaipat Chuthek office today.

His team also told the ECI team that there are also high chances of the EVMs being replaced during the 15 days when they are kept in a strong room at the DC complex after polling, he said.

The ECI team had replied that replacing the EVMs could be easily detected during counting at which they were told that it is hard to check during the counting process in the State, he said.

Instead the BJP team suggested keeping the EVMs in a tin box which is then wrapped by a cloth and then sealed, he said.

Chaoba continued that they have also suggested deploying only para-military forces in and around the polling stations in the State as the State forces fail to check excesses of the ruling parties in the polling stations.

He said the commission members appreciated them for the suggestions and noted their points.

As for the Hiyanglam by-poll the party had received three aspirants seeking party ticket, but Maibam Dhanabir son of the late Maibam Kunjo was selected, he said.

On September 20, the party high command had met over the selection of the party candidate, during which the Prime Minister had finalised on Maibam Dhanabir among the three aspirants, he said.

The meeting was also attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitly among others, he said.

On the other hand, the State unit president also welcomed five political leaders into the party fold.

The five are Khousabung ADC CCpur member Thangkhomang Haokip, NCP Hiyanglam AC former general secretary U Ruhinikumar Singh, NCP Khetrigao former general secretary L Irabanta Meetei, NCP Wabagai former general secretary Md Rahimudin and NCP Thangmeiband former general secretary Roshan Meisnam.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/state-bjp-has-highlighted-evm-concerns-to-eci-chaoba/

IMPHAL, September 23: The All Manipur Canoeing and Kayaking Association (AMCKA) vice president T Dushanta who is also an employee of the Youth and Sports Affairs survived a murder attempt and subsequent death threat inside the Imphal Police Station on September 22 around 12.50, alleged AMCKA president Yambem Laba today.

Speaking at a press conference at the Manipur Press Club, he charged S Somorjit Singh son of (L) S Iboyaima Singh of Thangmeiband Yumnam Leikai and other personal private body guards of ex-INC candidate in Thangmeiband assembly constituency Jyotin Waikhom of making the said threat holding a gun.

He demanded the concern authorities to investigate into the incident and check whether the gun was a licenced one or not.

The incident happened when Dushanta had arrived at the police station in connection with a previous police report filed in connection with the forging of signatures of two members of the association – M Kumar and Th Indira Devi.

He also lamented that even though a man was assualted inside a police station.

In case the police is unable to take action In the case, then the association will take the issue to the court and human rights commission, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/amcka-vp-threatened-inside-police-station-president/