Day: February 6, 2015

IMPHAL, February 4: The All Manipur United Club Organisation has extended its support to the Tengnoupal villagers, even as the 12 hour long bandh called by the United Committee Manipur in support of the Imphal-Moreh highway bandh affected normal life in the State today.

The AMUCO has urged the State government to bring a solution without delay, failing which it has warned to intensify the agitation against the government with the help of civil bodies and the people. Speaking to the media at a press briefing at its office today, AMUCO president Dr Mani Khuman said the civil body has remained silent till date because it was awaiting positive actions from the state government but no possible steps has been taken up. The civil body has decided to support the bandh in future also, he added.

The inhumane harassment in the name of security checking without exceptions to aged people, pregnant women, sick people by 24 AR to passengers has continued for many years back, he said, adding the government has never realized that it`™s only going to lose from these incessant troubles along the Imphal-Moreh road in the long run.

Stressing that the inhumane torture given by the Assam Rifles to the normal people in the name of security checks must stop at the earliest, he said various kinds of highly sophisticated machines can be utilised for detecting any suspicious objects without manually checking the passengers of each passing vehicle in the present era.

However, he said, the AR is unfortunately avoiding the use of these instruments and harassing the people by compelling them to unload and load the heavy goods on every occasion.

He also demanded the removal of the 24 AR and warned to launch strong agitations if the government didn`™t remove them.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/amuco-shows-support-to-tengnoupal-villagers/

IMPHAL, February 4: The BJP Manipur Pradesh would never subscribed to the term `immigrants` used in the party`™s Vision Document for the Delhi Assembly Election, said the party`™s State spokesperson in a press release.

The BJP Headquarter has sincerely clarified that it has no bad intention towards the people of North East and that the people of the region are as good as the people of Delhi, he said.

`The word `immigrants`™ was mistakenly used and is being removed,` he said adding that this was made public through the national spokesperson MJ Akbar.

Minister of State of Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju has also clarified that the word was wrongly typed and that he regretted the error which had sparked off a national controversy and hurt the sentiments of the people of the region, he said in the statement.

Stating that the BJP Manipur Pradesh president had a telephonic communique with the central leadership of the party on the issue this morning, he said the Centre had also reassured the love and care of the people of the region.

The BJP Manipur strongly stands to uphold the spirit of Manipur and it would continue to serve the purpose in the coming days too, he said.

The word has been removed and the people are appealed to be on guard from other political trouble mongers and mud slingers, he said calling the use of the word in the vision document a `human error.`™

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/state-bjp-clarifies-use-of-immigrants-was-an-error/

IMPHAL, February 4: State chief secretary PC Lawmkunga has received a written appeal to recheck the implementation of 99 new schemes of the Minor Irrigation department.

According to sources, the chief secretary officially received the appeal from a social worker identified as SK Joseph Lamkang of Chandel District headquarters yesterday.

The written appeal which is with the IFP said the Central government has released a major portion of the fund under its AIBP scheme for the implementation of 99 new schemes during the current financial year 2014-15. The total amount sanctioned is said to be Rs 21.0755 crore.

Sources said the funds are specially meant to implement schemes to improve the water scarcity problem faced by farmers in the hills.

It is also learnt that in response to the Government of India`™s fund sanction, the Minor Irrigation department of the Manipur government had also issued an order No 20/11/2010 MID (Pt) notifying the sanction of the Rs 21.0755 crore.

The appeal further said that in implementing the schemes several discrepancies like inconsistent assembly constituency wise fund distribution, overlapping of schemes/ projects by occasional slight name change from the same work to which fund has already been invested and investment in non-existent works are found.

At the same time, the appeal has implored the chief secretary to recheck the Sl No 142, 143 and 146 of Ukhrul district, Sl no 159 of Senapati district and Sl no 48 and 49 of Chandel district in the General Abstract List of 165 schemes.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/chief-secretary-urged-to-look-into-schemes-implementation-under-minor-irrigation/

IMPHAL, February 4: Tengnoupal villagers have today decided to lift the indefinite bandh imposed along the Imphal-Moreh highway against alleged atrocities committed by the Assam Rifles posted along the highway.

The IFP was informed of the development through the phone by a spokesperson of the agitators late in the night.

The caller said a public meeting was held at Tengnoupal which continued till late into the night and discussed the assurances given earlier by the State government on the issue and decided to immediately call off the bandh.

Earlier in the day, the State government had met with the agitators on the issue following a Combined Headquarter Meeting with the top brass of the Central security forces.

Addressing media persons in his office at the Old Secretariat building, deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam had said that the meeting with the agitators had ended on a positive note and the agitating bodies are likely to call off their bandh soon.

The government, he said had advised the top brass of the Central forces to act accordingly to diffuse the tension in Tengnoupal at the earliest.

He said the State government had talked with the JAC formed in connection with the alleged atrocities committed by AR on the prevailing situation.

The deputy Chief Minister who also holds the Home portfolio had also said that as a normal procedure, the combined head quarter meeting was held to review and discuss various issues related with the law and order situation in the State.

The government has instructed and advised the top officials of Para-military forces to refrain from giving trouble to the people especially by restricting the movement of vehicles and people at the 24 AR check post in Tengnoupal, he said.

He had also appealed to the JAC to withdraw the bandh in the interest of people because the national highway-2 is under the Central government, and enforcing long bandhs along the international trade route would send a wrong message that could impair the development of the State and the nation.

In the meeting, the state government has advised the officials of Para-military forces to refrain from halting standard vehicles for long hours in the name of checking and giving trouble to passengers and civilians by delaying their vehicles, the deputy CM said.

Gaikhangam had said checking is a must in our State but security checks should be done in a more civil manner and language with a humane face without causing problems to people.

During the meeting, the Para-military officials also shared a similar opinion on the issue and expressed hope that grievances of the people will be mitigated soon, Gaikhangam said.

The State government has instructed the authorities to install only vital check points on this route and to reduce the number of check points.

The government has also urged the Central government to install a vehicle scanner machine at an estimated cost of Rs 40/50 crores under the police modernisation scheme of Manipur.

Gaikhangam said if the machine had been installed on this route, the security checks would not have created such trouble.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/tengnoupal-bandh-called-off-following-agitators-meeting-with-state-government/

IMPHAL, February 4: Unidentified miscreants assaulted and then looted drivers and the handymen of two rice laden trucks of the FCI which were stationed near the Sangaiprou Kabui Village gate under Lamphel Police Station last night around 11. Sources said the miscreants went away after taking money and mobile phones from the truck drivers and handymen.

The Highway Truck Owners`™ Welfare Organisation general secretary Laishram Ratan Khuman and Manipur Drivers`™ Welfare Association, MDWA secretary Tomba Singh identified the registration numbers of the two trucks as NL 01/G 2563 and AS 17 B 0286.

They identified the driver of the first truck as Augustine Mao, 28 son of Phokholo Mao of Makhan Village, Senapati.

The miscreants came towards Augustine`™s truck and asked for a match box and on receiving the match box, they asked for a glass, Ratan said adding that when Augustine replied that there is no glass in his vehicle, the miscreants grabbed him and pull him down from the vehicle.

The miscreants then assaulted him along with his wife identified as Asi Kekho, 26, and brother in law Ato, 23 of Chumukedima, Dimapur who were in the vehicle and then took the woman in front of the truck and took her picture with a mobile phone.

They left with the driver`™s mobile phone after breaking the window glass and the wind shield of the vehicle left with the mobile phone of the driver, Ratan told media persons.

Soon after, the driver of another rice laden truck waiting to be unloaded at the FCI godown was also pulled down from his vehicle and assaulted, Ratan said before identifying the driver as Laishram Basanta Singh, 26, son of L Bonodbabu Singh of Cachar Jiribon.

The miscreants also broke the windshield and window glass of the truck before and decamp from the scene along Rs 7200 in cash and a mobile phone from the driver.

In connection with the incident, the two associations have filed a written complaint to the Lamphel Police and the police have also assured to arrest the miscreants by 10am tomorrow, he said.

At the same time, the two associations will be submitting a plea to the FCI authorities soon to provide protection and security to the trucks transporting items for FCI, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/fci-truckers-assaulted-looted-in-front-of-sangaiprou-village/

IMPHAL, February 4: The use of the term `immigrant`™ in the BJP Vision Document released ahead of the Delhi assembly election on February 7 has unveiled the true hidden face of BJP before the public especially the people from the North-East, stated deputy Chief Minsiter Gaikhangam.

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee has already reacted through the AICC against the statement made by the BJP, Gaikhangam added. It might be an error made while discussing the welfare of the people from the NE states but such errors in the BJP vision document which is also virtually the manifesto for the Delhi Assembly elections, reveals as to how the NE people are still sub-consciously treated by the BJP as people from outside the country, he said.

Even if the error is genuine, the BJP needs to issue an apology to the people of NE States, he said, adding the people from the NE are also proud citizens of India even though mainland Indians have racially discriminated against people from the North-East, he said.

For the last several years, racial discrimination has continued against the people from the North-East and the error in the manifesto of BJP ahead of the Delhi assembly elections has only made matters worse, he said.

The word in the sentence might have been used in good faith but by describing the people from the NE as immigrants while talking about their welfare has only increased the alienation among the people of Northeast states, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/bjps-vision-document-has-unveiled-the-sinister-face-behind-the-partys-mask-gaikhangam/

IMPHAL, Feb 4: A team of Narcotics and Affairs of Border PS, Manipur intercepted and seized one Tata Truck bearing registration number PB-19E-1101 loaded with 1030 Kgs of contraband Ganja at Khurai Chaithabi Leirak on February 1, said a Police release.

The driver of the Truck identified as Parminder Singh, 50, son of Benta Singh of Hirapur, Raipur District, Chhattisgarh and another person involved in the case identified as Achan Ngalung, 37, son of Mingyao Ngalung of Alungtal, Tongou village, Ukhrul District, Manipur were arrested, it said.

A sum of Rs 40,000 and other incriminating articles were also seized from the possession of the driver of the Truck, it said.

A case has been registered at Narcotics and Affairs of Border Police Station and investigation is going on.

Further, a team of District Police Commando, Imphal East and 40 Assam Rifles arrested one cadre of KCP outfit identified as Md Riyaz Khan alias Boycha, 21, son of Md Atonsana of Kyamgei Mamang Leikai, from his residence yesterday, it said.

One 0.32 pistol loaded with two rounds, one empty magazine and three extortion notes of KCP outfit were seized from his possession, it said.

A case has been registered at Irilbung Police Station and investigation is going on.

Furthermore, a team of District Police Commando Imphal West conducted cordon and search operation in and around Uripok Tourangbam Leikai areas and arrested a PLA cadre yesterday, the release said.

The arrested person has been identified as Ngangom Bulu alias Naocha Singh, 38, son of (L) Ng Bimol Singh of Uripok Tourangbam Leikai.

Investigation revealed that, he had extorted money from Nagamapal Jewellary shops for party fund, it said.

Incriminating articles were seized from his possession. A case has been registered at Imphal Police Station and investigation is going on.

Furthermore, a combined team of District Police Commando Bishnupur and 6th Assam Rifles arrested an active member of UNLF organisation during search operation at Kumbi Khuga Wangma IB road area yesterday, it said.

The arrested person has been identified as Moirangthem Kedarnath Singh alias Ahanthoi, 42, son of (L) M Birchandra Singh of Kumbi Khuga Wangma IB road.

A case has been registered at Kumbi Police Station and investigation is going on.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/police-intercept-1030-kgs-of-ganja-ug-cadres-arrested-in-search-operations/