Tag: Human rights

By Bobo Khuraijam
We thought we would sleep over the cacophony of the noise of democracy looming large over the Manipur horizon. Honestly, we intended to use the opportunity to take a break from the muse. Those who nurture the habit of overlooking things would claim that the democratic holler has dwindled down this time. Let them swallow their word, without chewing it, and let them suffer from indigestion. And who says that the participation of women is very less comparing with the opposite gender. We are ready to admit that their participation as candidate is low in every sense. But we shall not buy the aphorism, however cheap it may be that there is low participation of the female gender in election. Who carries the athenpot with the marching band? Not to mention that the band plays the “Sana Leibak Manipur, Manipur…” which is not less than an anthem in Manipur, keeping aside the debate whether it is sana or not! The band gives you a false euphoric feeling that the candidate has all of a sudden become patriotic. Fit enough to decorate the house walls with their framed pictures along with other celebrated ones. Offer them JCBs full of garlands and burn incense sticks with fumes heavier than the fume of the ‘Eighteen June Assembly’. Or for that matter, darker than the fumes of the funeral pyre: of the un-named and un-known souls who got sprayed by the bullets of the belts and boots.

ANEMIC REVIVAL: of the Commission has created seismic ripples this time. This is what everybody seems to be saying. We know, the candidates and their armies are not happy. In fact, now, they must be praying not for their victory. They must be praying for Commission members to be roasted in hell (if there is any) when they stop breathing forever. They have become the unsympathetic demolition man, of the dreams that the candidates nurture. Some of them dream to continue with their sojourn to the Cheiraoching foothill, some, to sit on the new chairs with the fresh smell of rubber paints. Besides, there are so many dreams they dream, which others do not dare to dream. For us, in the Leipung, the Commission is not less than a supernatural being, who can perform task, where everyone seems to have failed.

Was not there a time, a time when people screamed for the transfer of the police chief? Look, now it is done. Was not there a time, a time when nobody could not touch the don, Chandu, a sweet name to every boozer? Did you not smelled the ‘eight lakhs’ aroma that was destroyed by the dysfunctional department? They were kicked out from their slumber by the Commission. Was not there a time, a time when people used to stand on serpentine queues for a few drops of petrol or diesel near the oil pumps? Tell us, did you fill your tank from the ‘grey’ vendors, or from the stations? It is only after the godly intervention of the Commission that fuel was made available for the electioneering exercise. As far as fuel is concerned, we pray, there be election for the whole year round. It is unfortunate that cooking gas does not come under the purview of the Commission. To give a hint to them, they should sneak in to the residence of the candidates and find out the price of the LPG they use and more importantly: where from it is procured. But, here, flexing every single muscle that we have; we would throw a challenge. We bet, the Commission would be a loser in this regard. The challenge is that they should be able to collect just five hundred voter identity cards, which exactly corresponds with the authentic NAMES, ADDRESS and AGE of the voters. If they ever succeed, read carefully, we would stop musing for once and for all. We do not mean to obliterate the integrity of the Commission and its functioning by throwing this challenge. We feel that it is our rightful duty to pronounce, how hurt we are. Who on earth would not be hurt, to be given an identifying ‘appendage of democracy’ which is filled with errors? We agree that there were drives of rectifying the errors. No wonder, it ended with the same errors, hurting us even more. One would say that ours is an untimely complain. Sorry: we do not carry any baggage of regret.

RIGHT CANDIDATE: is the one we have been looking for. We easily found it. They are available and visible in abundance. Uncountable numbers of them are already here, and some of them are on the way to be here. They take out all kinds of works that the self-proclaimed social workers do. They take out school children to excursions. Digging community ponds is their unwritten duty. Distributing sewing machines is their effeminate hobby. Encouraging the youths by keeping them healthy with games and sports gear is their adventurous obligation. Distributing DTH gadgets to clubs and organisations is their televised ceremony. And lest we forget to mention one (no other social worker could match them), administering antidotes to snake bitten victims. You got it right. They are our men in olive green uniforms. We would certainly vote for them if they stand for an election. Is it high time for us to shout on the top of our voice, that there should be a re-thinking of amending the rules; of who should contest for election within the murky premise of electoral democracy?

FOOTNOTE: there has been too many Villagers’ Defence Force working in the town. Young and energetic, many of them are seen in the mean streets of Imphal. At times, they are right over the face, pampering us with their learning. Leipung Ningthou calls it, “chinggaroida hi honbagi para tambiba loinana leipak ngaakhanba”.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/vote-shall-we/

By B.G. Verghese
February 27 will mark the tenth anniversary of the dreadful Gujarat riots.One needs to rewind to that date, not fast forward as the BJP has been strenuously attempting to do to crown NarendraModi as prime minister even though Advani has been patiently queuing for the job. Modi’s PR men talk of Gujarat’s “good governance”, rapid industrial growth and favourable investment climate and plead that healed wounds should not be reopened as Muslims have come to terms with 2002.This is facile and betrays a nervous and guilty mind as the net closes in on the man who presided over that genocide.

Due process has been unconscionably delayed. Victims have been hounded and jailed while the guilty walk free. Evidence has been destroyed, sometimes through fake encounters as dead men tell no tales. Attempts to frustrate or prematurely close cases have compelled the High Court and Supreme Court to intervene and order special investigations, monitoring committees and periodic progress reports. These orders are being foughtsystematically, and as honest officials and former collaborators turn approvers pressures are mounted on them.

It is in this situation that Modi has completed his so-called sadbhavana or “reconciliation” fasts in all district headquarters, flamboyant shows allegedly staged at state expense to muster political support. The fact is that Modi’s record constitutes a most flagrant defiance of Justice in keeping with his sinister warning broadcast to the people of Gujarat over Doordarshanwithin days of the holocaust.In sum, the distilled message was that those who want peace must not seek justice. (See “Rights and Wrongs: Ordeal by Fire in the Killing Fields of Gujarat”, the Editors Guild of India Fact-Finding Mission Report, May 3, 2002).

How can anybody pit Peace against Justice, least of all a chief minister bound by his oath of office to uphold the cherished values of the Constitution and human rights? What is this if not ambushing the Constitution in a fake encounter! And how can there be reconciliation without admission or establishment of the truth? Recall how the National Human Rights Commission under its then Chairman, former chief justice J.S. Verma, had furiously to battle the lies and subterfuges of the Gujarat administration against Modi’s stoic denials and his stubborn defence by the NDA Government, particularly through the Home Minister L.K. Advani whose utterances were replete with rich encomiums for the swift and firm manner in which Modi had controlled the riots. (See “Rights and Wrongs”).

There was no expression of remorse either by Modi or Advani. Indeed, the only regret from anyone associated with the NDA, BJP or SanghParivar, came from AtalBihari Vajpayee. The then prime minister expressed his pain and shock and called on Modi to observe “raj dharma”. He wished Modi to resign, but was openly overruled, sidelined and shushed into silence by his Parivar colleagues. That episode in itself told a story of defiance, unrepentance and conspiracy.

As for Modi, his grim boast was telecast over Ahmedabad’s Doordarshan station on February 28, 2002: “I want to assure the people that Gujarat shall not tolerate any such incident (the Godhra train burning). The culprits will get full punishment for their sins. Not only this, we will set an example that nobody, not even in his dreams, thinks of committing a serious crime like this. The Gujarat Government …. shall not allow those who want to take law into their hands  to destroy the peace of innocent citizens. Such culprits cannot have any place in a civilised society”.  He did however call on the “innocents” to observe peace and restraint and promised that the government that would punish the culprits”. He was later to expound his “action-reaction” thesis”.

The “reaction” was inflamed by an official decision to take the bodies of those burnt to death in the Sabarmati Express at Godhra to Ahmedabad. The stops on the way attracted emotional crowds. There was a state-sponsored bandh on February 28. The verdict had been pronounced. Everybody knew who the “culprits” were and who must be taught a lesson. 

Five weeks later, this writer was part of the Editors Guild Fact Finding Mission to Gujarat.He was rudely interrupted while preparing to take evidence at the Circuit Hose in Ahmedabad. A mob of Parivar supporters burst into the room shouting “Hindu haiyaMussalman”? No surprise, when Modihad himself been openly spiting venom against Muslims in general and not at proven “culprits”. 

The Guild team met Modi in Gandhinagar. Present in his room at the Sachivalaya were all relevant senior civil and police officials. He was not batting alone. Yet he was virtually unable to provide a coherent answer to our questions.

Why were certain ministers and strangers present in the police control room during the riots; why were certain police officers who stood their ground and threatened to fire on rampaging mobs immediately “promoted” andtransferred; why was there no action following the daylight attack on the office of the State Wakf Board and State Minorities Commission in the Old Secretariat; why was no action was taken against Ahmedabad dailies that spread inflammatory canards; why was nothing done to save Gulberg  Society despite repeated calls by EhsanJafri spread over several hours; why was no action taken following an attack on two Muslim High Court Judges; how were a large number of Muslim shrines and graves razed without any action, including the Dargah of Wali Gujarati, a prominent landmark that was demolished and overnight paved over ostensibly to permit a better flow of traffic! The indifference and evasion was astonishing.

Relief and rehabilitation was largely left to private initiative, with the State at best playing a grudging or negative role. Certain areas were barred as relief camp sites on the ground that this would provoke trouble. The rehabilitation grants sent from the Centre were not speedily utilised. Compensation was discriminatory and tardy. In many cases FIRs were not registered and a boycott of Muslim economic activity was allowed to be mounted. Earlier, Muslim shops had been systematically looted. Muslims were openly scorned for producing babies. Modi’s own provocative phrase was “Hum panch, wohpachees”.

The State Information Directorate’s press releases (See “Rights and Wrongs”) were a travesty. Modi was hailed as ChhoteSardar and Hindu traders assured of every support to ensure their continued progress. Godhra was described as “inhuman genocide” and in one press note as “a pre-planned inhuman collective violent act of terrorism” (by whom and on what evidence or finding?).On the other hand, the ensuing pogrom incidentswereinvariably labelled as “disturbances” or, occasionally, as “violent disturbances”. The subsequent transcript of phone taps and the Tehelka sting tapes of boastful confessions by prominent killers make chilling reading.

And now, as Modi finds the truth closing in on him, the BJP points to the 1984 riots, another utterly disgraceful blot on India. But two wrongs do not make a right. The Truth about Gujarat must come out and Justice must be done.
www.bgverghese .com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/rewind-to-2002-not-fast-forward/

By: G.S.Oinam
Manipur government has not a single one rupee coin budget for consultancy and expert hiring. The causes of mistake are, first I didn’t know, second, I didn’t think; and third, I didn’t’ care. Indian babus are Asia’s worse bureaucrats (TIO report). Some of them are hot in wicked tricks and looting skills and feel themselves they are wise and tall! Never mind, it is a temporary pressure and not personal. Blame it on Netas when popular government comes to power. When you hire people who are smarter than you are, you prove you are smarter than they are. That is why every government have engaged expert consultant on specific field because government officials knowledge is limited and officials  need innovative idea and training from time to time. Traffic regulations and management is a highly sophisticate transports engineering management science. It requires a lot of algebra, algorithms, buffer overflow network, architecture and design network, calculus, packet losses, performance analysis, sequencing and scheduling theory, traffic shaping verification and mechanical formula beside management and controlling to formulate traffic management.  A bimodal urban traffic control strategy based on a multi-agent model we called bimodal traffic- a traffic which takes into account both private vehicles and public vehicles such as taxi, buses, trucks etc are practising world wide. Modern traffic systems has traffic signal light, lane discipline, bifurcation of the road on both sides into two traffic lanes, automated roadway to carry out a traffic regulation system which allows to solve some problems of traffic congestion. More advance system of traffic management in big cities has no stoppage. Road connectivity (traffic crossing) is designed in rotary intersection – a systematic engineering of round flyover type without any stoppage (no red light); for example, AIMMS road connecting system in Ned Delhi. The main objects of providing a rotary are to eliminate the necessity of stopping even for crossing streams for vehicles and to reduce the area of conflict. The crossing of vehicles is avoided by allowing all vehicles to merge into the stream around the rotary and then to diverge out to the desired radiating road.

The new automated system is modular in nature for ease in future up gradation and maintenance. The systems are designed to handle valuable and sensitive data and have incorporated number of security features. The objective of automating the traffic police force is to maintain the details pertaining to various functions of the traffic police. The system shall provide varied information and reports to the higher officials as and when required. The main objective of the automation shall be to integrate and network the system with state of the art hardware and application software for police force to access and use the Information in their day-to-day duties. This traffic regulation system employs the infra-red light detector to detect whether the pedestrian in the second direction has safely passed through the pedestrian crossing. Therefore, the present traffic regulation system can effectively avoid traffic accidents involving pedestrians.

Complex engineering systems, such as transportation and energy systems, have shaped our modern society. If we are to prevent failures in these systems, we need to have a clear view on the different elements – technical as well as social – that determine their functioning. Any method of prevention or problem-solving, however, is strongly shaped by the way these socio-technical systems are perceived. In other words, the conceptualization of a socio-technical problem determines which routes are explored.

Effective and sustained implementation relies on good planning, adequate technical capacity and appropriate cooperation between the traffic police and agencies (usually local government) that install traffic management equipment such as traffic lights, barriers, and others. Not all of these elements are always present in Asian cities, and such deficiencies can affect implementation success. A critical issue concerns the traffic police who play a role in enforcement, but are rarely equipped with the appropriate training for planning, implementation, and management of the traffic management measures they are entrusted with. All Asian cities have some form of traffic management system in place. To date, the emphasis has been on the “hardware” rather than the “software.”

Traffic management schemes should be designed to deal with unique traffic flow characteristics. Low cost and quickly implemented schemes catering to the specific needs of each vehicle type, including NMVs( non motor vehicles) and pedestrians, are needed. In urban road networks, the junctions are the determinants of road network capacity. Grade junctions also play an important role in providing safe pedestrian road crossing. Once traffic volumes increase, the usual response is to allocate as much road space as possible to vehicles at the expense of NMVs and pedestrians. NMVs and pedestrians often face badly when new roads are constructed or when existing roads are widened. The space they formerly used for movement and parking is often allocated to traffic, without any consideration of how to mitigate NMV displacement. Good planning requires that essential NMV movements be catered for with well-designed, safe and convenient facilities.

Lazily, I was pushed to open books on traffic management even I don’t see by naked eyes what is the real traffic problem in Manipur, but I have learnt it from newspapers and You Tube uploaded- ICTV news about the traffic congestion in Imphal city and around greater Imphal area. Perhaps, my knowledge for Imphal city traffic congestion may not be sufficient for giving better inputs and accuracy but hopefully, I can share my idea for the improvement of traffic regulations and management in the existing system of Imphal city. We are not much aggressive stalker as you presume, we are ready to support and encourage if somebody does new and good. Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.

Bhai! You did as it said— If you don’t know how to do a task, start it, then ten people who know less than you will tell you how to do it. Go Ahead! No consultant will come in Manipur to help your existing traffic problem. It is almost outdated manual system. At the end, consultants would like to say— change the structure that is called Master Plan. But never mind, I will suggest you some formula to fit in the existing system temporarily, whether it is suitable for application or not is your duty to find out. There are many design, theorem for traffic regulations and management; however, it may not be fit in the existing Imphal city, even your Singapore experience won’t work.

First of all- divide traffic regulations and management system of Imphal city into 1) traffic regulation 2) public transport management and 3) parking a lot; for your easy analytical solution.

The traffic regulations should cover all aspects of control of vehicle, driver and other road users. The regulations should be rational. Traffic regulations and laws give legal coverage for strict enforcement. The traffic laws implemented by legislative laws are obligatory on all road users. The laws should however be uniform and clear. Traffic regulations and laws cover the following four phases. 1) Driver controls – These include driving licenses for light and heavy motor vehicles, driver tests and minimum requirements, financial responsibility and civil liability 2) Vehicle controls-The various regulations and controls on vehicles are vehicle registration, requirements of vehicles, equipment and accessories, maximum dimensions and weight and fitness and inspection of vehicles.3) Flow regulations- Regulations of traffic flow have been laid down such as direction, turning and overtaking, etc. In addition control of vehicle operation in traffic stream are made using appropriate regulatory signs like one way, speed limit, prohibitory signs, pedestrian controls, etc 4) General controls-Some other general regulations and provisions are made to report accidents and recording and disposing traffic violation cases.

Min-Plus System Theory for Constrained Traffic Regulation and Dynamic Service Guarantees; – By extending the system theory under the (min; +)-algebra to the time varying setting, we solve the problem of constrained traffic regulation and develop a calculus for dynamic service guarantees. For a constrained traffic regulation problem with maximum tolerable delay “d” and maximum buffer size q, the optimal regulator that generates the output traffic conforming to a sub additive envelope f and minimizes the number of discarded packets is a concatenation of the g-clipper with g(t) = min

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/new-traffic-rules-get-knickers-in-a-twist/

By – Ceety Khongsai, Sadar Hills
Introduction:
The 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, held on 28th January and 4th February 2012, was a landmark in the history of Indian parliamentary democracy since independence in 1947. The Election Commission of India (ECI) under the able leadership of Dr SY Quraishi has made a bold and elaborate attempt to curbed electoral malpractices by issuing strict guidelines and instructions to all political parties. The Election Code of Conduct which was binding to all contesting candidates and their workers was also widely publicized through print and electronic media throughout the country form mass awarness and dissemination. In the history of free India, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has curtailed election expenditures to maximum of Rs 8, 00,000/-(Rupees Eight lakhs). This is, indeed, a positive step towards checking muscle power and money in election. However, when it comes to elections in Manipur, it was a different story. Ail the ECI guidelines and instructions are just a tool in the hands of political heavyweights to book the much covet 60 wise men seats in the state assembly.

Photo Electoral Roll:
In an attempt to check proxy voting, the ECI has painstakingly compiled photographs of all voters and affixed those photos against the names of each voter in the electoral rolls for easy identification. The photo electoral roll was issued to all polling personnel in all polling stations. Theoretically, there can be no proxy voters because the polling officer- in-charge of electoral roll can easily identify the bonafide voters. Practically, however, the task of voters` identification was very difficult as photos appeared or the photo electoral roll were blurred and lack clarity. Moreover, in many cases, the photo of a female voter appeared against the name of a male voter and vice versa. It may be assumed that in some extra ordinary cases, incidents of photo mismatches may happened due to technical problem but wanton mismatches of photographs of voters in many polling stations, and the silence maintained by the polling personnel in reporting the matter  to the higher authority in the Presiding Officers` diary has raised suspicion in the minds of the people whether this election was a mockery of our parliamentary democracy The printed photo electoral rolls become meaningless as it fail to serve the very purpose for which it was compiled How is it possible on the part of the polling personnel to make false identification of male  voters  from  female  voters? How is it happens that polling personnel  fails  in differentiating between maidens and grandmas? And, how could it happen that a certain candidate in Saikul A/C delegated his voting right to a loyal party worker and the polling personnel failed in noticing the proxy voter? Or is there any provision in our constitution which empowers the contesting candidate to depute someone to cast his vote? These questions are just a tip of the iceberg which merits special attention of the three Special Election Observers while overseeing photo comparison process.

Photography of Voters:
The ECI, for the first time in the electoral history of India introduced a novel idea of photography of voters. The idea was to identify and prevent commercial voters from casting proxy votes. Contrarily, however, in some polling stations the Lemon mobile phones issued to the polling personnel were found technically defective and practically inoperative thereby causing headache to the polling party. Additionally, in many of the interior places of the hills where there are no mobile network it is practically impossible to send hourly reports of poll percentage to the R.O. office. Besides to the resentment of all young and aged people alike photography of voters has excruciatingly slow down the poll process resulting in a low percentage vote record whereas, in fact, many voters nave to return home without registering their vote because they no longer have the stamina and endurance to wait for their turn Whose fault is this? The voters or the snail pace poll process? One Presiding Officer who is close to this writer revealed that voters` identification and photography are just a normal formality Over and above, due to slow process of voting system the whole process of polling was not completed within the stipulated time. Consequently, in many of the polling stations, voter slips bearing the number and name of the polling station with signature of the Presiding Officer were distributed to whomsoever was found standing in queue within the polling area, starting from the last person, to the first person in the bee-line permitting them to cast their votes till the last person register his/her vote. But, as it is known by all and sundry, power cuts, unreliability of power supply and the insufficient candlelight arrangement by the polling party at their own capacity to capture the photos of the voters with fluorescent-like image is next to impossible and amusing. On the other hand, it was clearly stated in the ECI directives that the photos taken on poll day will be downloaded on a computer software specifically installed at the Chief Electoral Officer`s office and comparison be made with that of the photos affixed on the Electoral Roll, in case of complaints from contesting candidates and their workers, and mismatches of photographs, if any, will merit re-poll. In other words, it is a mechanism to cross-checked and verify the camera photo with that of printed photo of the electoral roll. The task of photo comparisons will not be that so easy. Let wisdom and justice ruled the conscience of the Special Election Observers in their herculean task of verifying the true voters from thousands of hitherto unfamiliar mongoloid faces.

Presiding Officer`s Diary : The role and responsibility of the presiding officers have been added double-fold since the introduction of photography of voters. But the most important thing lies in the presiding officer`s diary where detail proceedings of the poll are recorded This diary in turn serves as a core and infallible basis of information inputs in the determination of the poll process. This diary is, as implicitly mentioned in the presiding officers1 diary, supposed to be completed at the polling stations because data such as total votes polled, total number of males and females, poll percentage etc. etc. were to be filled in the diary taking information from the Ballot Unit (EVM) source. Most importantly, the total number of votes polled recorded by the EVM must tally with the total number of votes recorded in the register of voters-Form 17 A maintained by the polling officer No.2 and this should be entered exactly in the R.O.s diary. And, if the instructions laid down by the ECI in the Presiding Officers` Diary is scrupulously followed in letter and spirit the outcome of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2012 will be totally different. Many of the would-be defeated candidates will get elected and vice versa. However, the presiding officers, not all but many, were found compiling their diaries openly as if permitted by the rules in the office campus of the R.O.s which incidentally happens to be the receiving centres of the EVMs. Now, the tangible question before the intellectuals, academicians, scholars and politicians is whether the information furnished by the presiding officers has the reliability and authenticity because these inputs are the core basis through which fairness of the poll process are determined by the ROs Ts it permissible and acceptable as per rules to do sealing 01 EVMs at the receiving centre? It has also been reported that in a certain polling station the STM card of a mobile phone supplied to the polling station for photography of voters was missing and remain untraceable till date. How could such a laxity on the part of the polling personnel be off the hook? How is it possible that the polling party in question were allowed to submit incomplete poll materials/information as complete in all aspects at the receiving centre by the R.O.? How did the Presiding Officer in question reported the matter to the R.O.? Justice delayed is justice denied. Let the Special Election Observers bear in mind that criminalization of politics is still unabated in this north eastern part of India.

The Poll Observers : In order to oversee and report the matter whatsoever to the Returning Officer, Poll Observers are appointed in all polling stations. Each of the poll observers are expected to visit and enter his assessment of the polling stations under his jurisdiction on poll day in the visit sheet form and hand-over the same to the concerned R.O. through the presiding officer. The remarks of the poll observers, in addition to presiding officers` diary, are the basis on which poll assessment are made by the election commission. But things happen differently at different places depending on time and situation, interestingly, under ADC Kangpokpi the job of poll observers is different from other constituencies as they were seen overseeing the compilation process of the presiding officers” diary at the ADC Office complex by giving them valuable advice on how to fill up the forms, and in many cases, dictating orally about how reports, should be made in the diary rather than visiting polling stations on poll day. It may be suggested that the Visit Sheet Form supplied to the presiding officers should be changed into Waiting Report Sheet because this will be more accurate in defining the true meaning of Poll Observer.

Conclusion : In the backdrop of the above material facts, and the much publicized electoral reforms initiatives spearheaded by Dr SY Quraishi, the Chief Election Commissioner of India (EC1), it is a shame to learnt that in this part of northeastern state of Manipur, electoral politics and voting behavior is still smeared by money and muscle power. It is outrageous and scandalous to learnt that at a time when the whole country is moving towards transformation of the entire electoral system by introducing EPICs and developing computer software capable of downloading photographs of each voters principally to put an end to the evil practices of voting by muscle power, corruptions, proxy, intimidation, false identification, booth capturing, rigging and other vices, the photograph of a winning-hopeful candidate in 46-Saikul(ST) assembly constituency was reported to have been amazingly replaced by the photograph of a Nepali. More astonishing revelation in the same constituency is about the superficial resurrection of the dead persons exclusively for casting their votes on poll day!! It is painful to know that under-development and poverty stricken people in many places of the hills are unconstitutionally denied their constitutional citizen`s right of franchise in a rare once-in-five-year chance of electing representatives of their choice to air their decades old unrepresented views and grievances in the 60 wise men assembly seats. It is, therefore, high time that every citizen of our state rise up and stand in unison with single voice and affront unitedly all vices of election to restore the lost paradise-Manipur and make a better place to live in.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/the-three-wisemen-from-the-election-commission-of-india/

By RS Jassal
General.  I was happy to be invited to attend a one day Seminar on NH 102 – Challenges and Effective Management held at Pallel sometime in October 2011 organised by 26 Sect Assam Rifles under aegis of IGAR(S).  It was attended by important officials of NCB (Narcotics Control Board), Customs Department {(Revenue), Govt. of India}, Wild Life and Forest Department (Govt. of Manipur), State Taxation Department, Intelligence Bureau (IB), State Police Department and all the CO’s of the Assam Rifles posted along or astride NH 102.

Aim. The aim was to bring all the above agencies to a common platform with a view to know each other organisationally, to appraise themselves of Acts and various Regulations, powers and limitations specially caused by insurgent’s activities in the state and to share the expertise and views towards effective management of NH 102 because of its importance and being the main surface  linking to Myanmar very important  for us.

Conduct.  Mr VS Shahasane, Regional Director, NCB gave detailed information about the National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances based on the Directive Principles in  Article 47 of the Constitution of India under NDPS Act, 1985.  NCB as a Central authority has an aim to effectively prevent and combat abuse of illicit trade, move and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.  It achieves its aim by coordinating its actions with the State Government and other agencies.  So their organizational setup, Act, Rules involved, apprehension of offenders, punishments by courts, disposal of seized goods and suspects to authorities concerned for a trial were of great learning value  for all who attended to understand the overall picture.  Due to unfavourable situation created by the insurgent activities which prevents them from discharging their duties properly and their expectation and help from the Assam Rifles, synergy required with Police and Civil  Administration were covered in detail in a very simple and absorbing manner.

Customs Deptt also gave detailed setup of their Land Custom Station (LCS) at Moreh for Controlling Trade, Board of excise and custom as a Part of the Department of Revenue under the Min of Finance, GOI.  This department deals with implementing Policy concerning levy and collection of Customs and Central excise duties, prevention of smuggling and administration of matters related to customs, central excise and Narcotics to the extend CBEC under preview.  The participants learned about their organizational setup, difference between legal and controlled goods, role of duties imposed for various items and quantum of punishment to offenders and steps required to plug loopholes.  They also projected their expectations and help required from the Assam Rifles in view of the insurgency.

In addition to above, State Taxation Department have also setup many check gates along NH 102 and their Policy Perspectives keep on fluctuating.  Thus check gates/ tactics keep on changing.  The functioning of the State Police as role players in this chess game is known to almost all. The Assam Rifles being CPMF though not directly meant for assistance in these operations since  mainly tasked for Counter Insurgency Operations to keep NH 102 safe for passage, also gets naturally involved under directions from Central authorities to ward off interference by the insurgents, where multi parallel routes go side by side coupled with many unknown routes available through the porous borders with Myanmar.  Players in this game of making easy money, involvement of expert public carriers, powerful persons both in the social circles & aided by some strong politicians and OGW’s (Over Ground Workers) was also discussed.  On many occasions the role of undergrounds comes into lime light through media that they are protecting the cultivation of Poppy and conduct of business in Heroin.  However in a recent news in media, RPF (Revolutionary Peoples Front) have put blame on SFs that it is they who are patronizing the snakes and ladders trade of the contraband items so that the youths of Manipur remain addicted to drugs and Manipur remains as it is afflicted with HIV/AIDS for reasons quite obvious.

Whatever may be the allegations, counter allegations from SF/UG, I feel without going into side of anyone, we must appreciate that every segment of the society and the officials of Govt agencies want that THIS MENACE must be eradicated.  If all join hands, the task for Government agencies can go easy and situation will become manageable once UG’s also feel that this evil must stop to see a healthy Manipur. Even otherwise, when allegations/counter allegations are evaluated with factual data what  SF’s and Govt agencies are doing together, the UG’s allegations stand nowhere near by to their accusation that  Govt agencies are patronising the cultivation which readers can see in the following paragraph.   There is one major success story to quote where poppy cultivation has been stopped.  Most of the Intellectuals are aware of the fact that when China started to build their nation in acquired territories they realized that Yunnan- Kumning area which were known producers of this drug substance, under some notorious & rouge Generals must be neutralised.   They decided to push out such persons from their territories South/ South East i.e. Salween hills/valley.  They succeeded in this mission.  Their move  towards north was denied to them and those groups got tagged to create Golden Triangle and their business found opening in south & south-west through Kachin area of Burma to  India – Afghanistan – South America (Colombia) The other story is of Mon District of Nagaland.  Up to late sixties the entire Mon area specially touching into Khonsa and Namnasa (Sonari of Assam) had got completely devastated by the addiction of all and sundry to ganja & puffing of poppy powder in various forms.  Members of Mon Students Organisation who were generally studying outside the state, decided to put an end to it.  So they destroyed the crops under protection of village elders through awareness cautioning  on the damaging consequences of losing their populations and also sought Govt assistance to give villagers an alternative.  Govt went jubilant, maize seeds, and other fruits saplings like pears, peaches, banana,  were provided.  And today there is not even a single cultivator who grows this crop. These are two success stories. Drugs make youth and adults lethargic, dis-interested and they ultimately fall prey to AIDS/HIV and insolent dependency.

Conclusion.  Seminar conducted by HQ 26 Sector AR under aegis of IGAR(S) was highly successful in giving a common platform to all concerned agencies to know each other’s functioning and direct their efforts to control this menace.  Our young generation are the most affected thousands of widows/ and widowers are there now.  There are number of NGO’s who work for seminars and criticise Government agencies rather than taking local area activists along  and exhort youths  to educate locals not to grow this type of crops and help eradicate the growing of this crop, its  trade and its use.  This  envisaged achievement which looks like just beginning of a crusade to make Manipur “Drug Free State”, can be made possible only by  well kindered, calibered, synergy between SFs people  and the Central Narcotic Drugs officials under the leadership of various SF Commanders and with full cooperation from Director Narcotics like Mr VS Shahasane.

In recent past, 26 Sector AR and its units have done successful operations in destroying 1200 acres of poppy crops since last two years.  The areas of Saijik Tampak- Khengjoi-Joupi have been absolutely cleared and encouraging note is villagers have shown no interest to revive the cultivation which means people wish to get rid of this, provided they get alternative crops.  Similar, action was taken by 27 Sector AR in Southern Churachandpur  with  then 30AR in lead and destroyed almost 1000 acres, areas and 73 Mountain brigade have now done it in area Aina  on borders of Senapati and Tamenglong districts and destroyed 750 acres of crop  with  46 AR/38 AR and with 6/8 Gorkha Rifles in Joupi area. 59 Mtn Bde with 43 AR destroyed complete crop in Saikul sub division  a year  back &  5AR intercepting almost  8 tons of processed ganja from Maram to Tadubi check posts. Government agencies, six of them engaged in same task will be too happy to complete their job if RPF and other likeminded UG organisations also decide to take similar actions on their own to see Manipur bloom as Drug free society.  To conclude the Seminar was conceptualised under visionary and missionary  zeal  of Maj Gen UK Gurung, YSM.  though , he could not personally attend the programme  since was held up at some interior post waiting for hepter lift, but conveyed his vision through Sector Commander.   26 Sector AR under command of Brig Upendra Dwivedi deserves appreciations to have organised the seminar which is urgent necessity of the times.  Conduct of the event by Col Ravroop Singh was excellent and active participation by SP Chandel with  his DIG and Prof CH Priyaranjan of Manipur University who presented the key note with equal  concern and clarity

End Note. It needs multipronged thrusts to make people forget about poppy cultivation. 
(a) Synergetic, effective and harsh measures against the defaulters by the ED (Enforcement Department) are  required.

(b) Ethical approach i.e. to induce others kids to make them mentally, psychologically and economically week at cost of making profits for self and a few is a crime against humanity and God.

(c) Horticulture, Floriculture, Pissiculture and herbal plantation to go thousand percent in Social Sector as North East is rich in bio-diversity deposits.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/nh102-challenges-seminar-and-threats-to-peace-in-manipur/

By Dr. Thamsing Lamkang
The world today, we can simply say that ‘the love of money’ seems to destroy everything, no doubt about it. Politics is good for many reasons but when the politicians try to muscle their power through money, it destroys. It is evident, nowhere is no secrets that destroys the peaceful co-existence of the people living together as one-humanity. The politicians use money to sell and buy their power and it becomes their god. They’re capable to rule and destroy the dreams of common people, simply by making some arbitrary decisions! There almost exists a conflict of interest between materialism and any other cause, including people’s live. Satan uses material things to lord it over men. Thus, greediness owns everything, showing the world that he is rich and powerful.

In a decade’s past people became more selfish and greed for money, motivated in craving more than others, and it’s a big ‘SIN’. Being jealous of neighbors and not wanting to settle for anything below their level, it’s also a big ‘SIN’. And it has to do with money and political power. The wrong mind-sets to have more than others, I don’t care what happens to others! The Election could be a good time to examine the power of money in politics, and that hampered the peaceful coexistence of people living together in peace and harmony.

Men’s reaction seems to oppose anything that does not promote money or power. Basically the society in Northeast India is grounded in this; the interplay between money, politics and power. It is the reason why those who have huge financial assets are able to dominate. And the powerful people are those with money. It is, what’s more, a philosophy of life, the philosophy of material success, of power and, often, of political deceit. But wise people know the limit of being rich and powerful, yet, they can’t ignore, because God is not their priority in life!

The seriousness of the matter is that these ‘enemies’ can rob your spiritual reward. Always remember that if you give into the pressure, if you allow them to govern your lives. They are real enemies which infiltrate your lives without you realizing it. They make you think in the same way as the rest of the society; you feel obliged to have the same motivating force, and give importance to the same things. You then stray from your own objectives, and so you have your prize taken away, which is in God. In the ‘Olympic Games of our spiritual life’, money and power stops you from participating and winning the most important prize, the crown of ‘Eternal Life’.

Unfortunately, it’s not only these external enemies that you are concerned with. Equally dangerous are the enemies inside your lives. Yes, although it seems hard to believe, your own sin is your worst enemy. It shows itself in hundreds of different ways, egoism, pride, envy, jealousy, giving into temptation… and the worst of it is that you are often unaware of what is happening and taking place around you because of your wrong and negative decision making.

Millions of people base their hopes on material possessions which have no future, others grasp at religions which make no sense, and many are full of fear for what could happen. There are men and women who are cheated by those who ‘buy and sell the truth’, people who are not concerned about their final destiny. Many go to hell by way of false teaching, sects and the so-called ‘enlightened ones’- many people whose future is eternal condemnation.

We should be ready, ready to do battle against the enemy that wants us to disqualify your receiving the crown of life, whether it is from outside or within you. We have the right to work for the eternal crown; no one should take it from you or allow others to lose that crown, because it is Everlasting. Don’t let others walk on your shoes. Don’t strike and sin for the sake of retaliation but be rather kind and gentle for Christ sake and you’ll be rewarded with ‘the crown that’ll last forever’. God has promised us the victory in these kinds of situation.

What you do on earth determines your reward in heaven! On the day you die, what will you take with you? You may have all the money in the world-but it’ll all stay here. You may have all the admirers in the world-but they’ll stay here. You may enjoy the best social position that you know, but when you die, you won’t take that position with you. You may have the most beautiful houses, material possessions, land, and cars-but will all stay here. You may have everything necessary to live the good life-but one day you’ll have nothing. You’ll leave everything behind.

One of the greatest moral stories being told even today is about the Great Emperor Alexander: When he was on his dying bed he was asked for his last dying wish. He told his minister; let both of my hands be put outside the coffin box. His minister asked him my lord, if your people question me, what does it means to keep the Emperor’s hand outside the coffin. He said, “Let the world knows that, even the Great Emperor like me dies without taking a single penny, but an empty handed.” So that my people will not pile up wealth, instead use their wealth for the welfare of others, especially to comfort the poor and needy. Can we learn something out of it?

If you’re believer don’t let the love of money take away your Eternal Crown. The important thing about money is ‘whether it’ll save your life or it destroys’. We shouldn’t forget that the Government fund is regarded as God’s money; you’re only entrusted to manage and deliver for the purpose. How do you handle that you’re entrusted with, it will determine your destiny!

The last but not the least, the Bible says in Col. 2: 18 “Do not let anyone…disqualify you from the prize”.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/peace-is-being-destroyed/

By Jenson Rajkumar
When hurdlers across the world are practicing with hurdles on the track, their Indian counterparts are hoping to overcome hurdles of a very different kind, the one that it faces from the Indian Government. Athletes in India are only remembered when the Olympic Games or the Asian games draw nearer. Otherwise the Indian Government keeps the list of athletes in their cupboards.

So as usual, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the athletes will be more on the focus as the summer games in London draws nearer. Have they been in exile since Beijing and Guangzhou? The main culprit for this is the lack of focus of the Indian Government towards sports apart from cricket.

The positive thing is, from the past 3-4 years, Olympic sports (which includes each and everything apart from cricket) has been on the rise in terms of the attention given to them. There are many boxers, wrestlers and many talented sportspersons have been given financial benefits, sponsorships etc. this will certainly help in motivating these sportspersons. But are these enough?

To some extent, these are good. But the scene including both the Indian athletes and the Government is very short lived. Whenever an athlete comes back from an athletics meet victorious, they will be given a rapturous welcome, which they deserve. Cash, Government jobs, awards etc. etc. will be announced, athletes will enjoy their moment of fame. And after a few months, there will be utter silence and those athletes did their country proud, will be kept in the dark. With the exception of a few lucky ones who’ll get some advertisement contracts and sponsorships, many of the names will be forgotten and it will be another case of has been.

In India, there is belief that if you are going to make sports as your profession then you have to do it in cricket. I’ve seen many small kids, after school, going to the ground with a cricket kit bigger than them. Many of you must have seen it. But how many of us have seen kids with a running and going to the track, or even with a football stud and going to the football field. Sad but true, but these are very rare. This shows the lack of attention given to sports other than cricket. The result can be seen in the Olympic Games, Indian contingent will be always small.

Even if the focus is given to other sports, it will be given to only a few people. Why only a few? Why not in hundreds, thousands? The answer will always be the same to questions of this type, inadequate facilities and budget problems. It is irrational, completely irrational. What about the things which has always been promised in the budget? How much is the Government going to lose if they are to lay a new track for track and field athletes? Even if they don’t build a stadium, they can at least put a track. Even a tiny country has produced many outstanding athletes, and they are starting to dominate the world in track and field. What is the reason? Proper scouting and grooming of raw talents. When they can do it, why not India, which is many times bigger in terms of size and population.

It is appalling to know that there are talents in every nook and corner of the country, yet they are not being scouted. It is always a case of ifs and buts. As an Indian, I want my country to be represented on the Olympic map and do it in style. If only there are many eyes on other sports (not only cricket), then it would have been a different story. I wish the athletes who will represent the country at the upcoming summer Games all the best. Do us proud.  

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/indian-athletics-and-its-hurdles/

February has long been a month of romance. It is the month associated with Valentine`s Day celebrations. We have, time and again, heard the name St. Valentine being uttered before us in this season of love. But just who is this St. Valentine? Why is this month associated with love and romance? Learn about St. Valentine, how Valentines day came into practice as it is today. The origin of this lovers day goes back as early as 270 A.D and started with the clash between a kindly priest and a mighty ruler. To know more, just read on and discover the true meaning of this festival. If you like our little article about the splendid history of Valentine`s Day, just click here and refer this page to your friends and loved ones. Wish you a Happy Valentine!

Every year, the fourteenth day of the month of February has millions across the world presenting their loved ones with candy, flowers, chocolates and other lovely gifts. In many countries, restaurants and eateries are seen to be filled with couples who are eager to celebrate their relationship and the joy of their togetherness through delicious cuisines. There hardly seems to be a young man or woman who is not keen to make the most of the day.

The reason behind all of this is a kindly cleric named Valentine who died more than a thousand years ago.

It is not exactly known why the 14th of February is known as Valentine`s Day or if the noble Valentine really had any relation to this day. The history of Valentine`s Day is impossible to be obtained from any archive and the veil of centuries gone by has made the origin behind this day more difficult to trace. It is only some legends that are our source for the history of Valentine`s Day.

The modern St. Valentine`s Day celebrations are said to have been derived from both ancient Christian and Roman tradition. As per one legend, the holiday has originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia, a fertility celebration that used to observed annually on February 15. But the rise of Christianity in Europe saw many pagan holidays being renamed for and dedicated to the early Christian martyrs. Lupercalia was no exception. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius turned Lupercalia into a Christian feast day and set its observance a day earlier, on February 14. He proclaimed February 14 to be the feast day in honor of Saint Valentine, a Roman martyr who lived in the 3rd century. It is this St. Valentine whom the modern Valentine`s Day honors. 

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by the name of Valentine. While one was a priest in Rome, another was a bishop in Terni. Nothing is known about the third St. Valentine except that he met his end in Africa. Surprisingly, all three of them were said to have been martyred on 14th February. 

It is clear that Pope Gelasius intended to honor the first of these three aforementioned men. Most scholars believe that this St. Valentine was a priest who lived around 270 AD in Rome and attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II who ruled during this time. 

The story of St. Valentine has two different versions – the Protestant and the Catholic one. Both versions agree upon Saint Valentine being a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men and was executed by the latter. During the lifetime of Valentine, the golden era of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Education declined, taxation increased and trade witnessed a very bad time. The Roman empire faced crisis from all sides, from the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asia. The empire had grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Naturally, more and more capable men were required to to be recruited as soldiers and officers to protect the nation from takeover. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. He believed that marriage made the men weak. So he issued an edict forbidding marriage to assure quality soldiers. 

The ban on marriage was a great shock for the Romans. But they dared not voice their protest against the mighty emperor. The kindly bishop Valentine also realized the injustice of the decree. He saw the trauma of young lovers who gave up all hopes of being united in marriage. He planned to counter the monarch`s orders in secrecy. Whenever lovers thought of marrying, they went to Valentine who met them afterwards in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. And thus he secretly performed many marriages for young lovers. But such things cannot remain hidden for long. It was only a matter of time before Claudius came to know of this “friend of lovers,” and had him arrested. 

While awaiting his sentence in prison, Valentine was approached by his jailor, Asterius. It was said that Valentine had some saintly abilities and one of them granted him the power to heal people. Asterius had a blind daughter and knowing of the miraculous powers of Valentine he requested the latter to restore the sight of his blind daughter. The Catholic legend has it that Valentine did this through the vehicle of his strong faith, a phenomenon refuted by the Protestant version which agrees otherwise with the Catholic one. Whatever the fact, it appears that Valentine in some way did succeed to help Asterius` blind daughter. 

When Claudius II met Valentine, he was said to have been impressed by the dignity and conviction of the latter. However, Valentine refused to agree with the emperor regarding the ban on marriage. It is also said that the emperor tried to convert Valentine to the Roman gods but was unsuccesful in his efforts. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. This angered Claudius II who gave the order of execution of Valentine. 

Meanwhile, a deep friendship had been formed between Valentine and Asterius` daughter. It caused great grief to the young girl to hear of his friend`s imminent death. It is said that just before his execution, Valentine asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her “From Your Valentine,” a phrase that lived ever after. As per another legend, Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his jailer during his imprisonment. However, this legend is not given much importance by historians. The most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not centered on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. Valentine is believed to have been executed on February 14, 270 AD. 

Thus 14th February became a day for all lovers and Valentine became its Patron Saint. It began to be annually observed by young Romans who offered handwritten greetings of affection, known as Valentines, on this day to the women they admired. With the coming of Christianity, the day came to be known as St. Valentine`s Day. 

But it was only during the 14th century that St. Valentine`s Day became definitively associated with love. UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of “Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine”, credits Chaucer as the one who first linked St. Valentine`s Day with romance. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14. Hence, Chaucer used the image of birds as the symbol of lovers in poems dedicated to the day. In Chaucer`s “The Parliament of Fowls,” the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine`s Day are related: 

“For this was on St. Valentine`s Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate.” 

By the Middle Ages, Valentine became as popular as to become one of the most popular saints in England and France. Despite attempts by the Christian church to sanctify the holiday, the association of Valentine’s Day with romance and courtship continued through the Middle Ages. The holiday evolved over the centuries. By the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine`s Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts began to be created on this day and handed over to the man or woman one loved. This tradition eventually spread to the American colonies. It was not until the 1840s that Valentine`s Day greeting cards began to be commercially produced in the U.S. The first American Valentine`s Day greeting cards were created by Esther A. Howlanda Mount Holyoke, a graduate and native of Worcester. Mass. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap”. It was when Howland began Valentine`s cards in a large scale that the tradition really caught on in the United States. 

Today, Valentine`s Day is one of the major holidays in the U.S. and has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are “valentine”s. The “valentines”, as Valentine`s Day cards are better known as, are often designed with hearts to symbolize love. The Valentine`s Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest valentines was sent in 1415 AD by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife during his imprisonment in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum. 

There may be doubts regarding the actual identity of Valentine, but we know that he really existed because archaeologists have recently unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to a Saint Valentine

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/history-of-valentines-day/

By: G.S.Oinam

 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has joined twitter to capture the attention of young Indians and inform people about the work done by his office through 140 characters on the microblogging site. “The Prime Minister`s office is now on Twitter @PMOIndia Thank you for your support,” Manmohan Singh`s newly appointed communications advisor Pankaj Pachauri said on his own Twitter account. PMO sources said the account was presently managed by his communication team but there was a possibility that Manmohan Singh would send out tweets personally, ANI reported.

Within hours of opening the account late Monday, Dr. Manmohan Singh attracted nearly 7,000 followers and written three tweets till Tuesday afternoon. The account refers to the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO) and it would be handled by his media team, PMO sources said. The prime minister`s opponents have been criticising him for maintaining a silence over burning issues and remaining inaccessible to the media. So far, PM has written 69 tweets and more then 44,613 followers’ within15 days. Only few north east people are following PM’s tweets because of information gaps.

His first three tweets were about a function on bravery awards. This included his picture with the winners. “You make all of us proud…PM tells young brave hearts,” said his last tweet, which provided a link to his public speech at the bravery awards function.

PM on Public Sector: Public investment is especially needed at a time when the country is looking towards domestic drivers of growth. PM was extremely happy to learn that 17 of our CPSUs have committed to invest Rs 140000 crore in the coming year.

On 2nd February PM said that MNREGA has provided employment to more than 250m people in 6 years, more than the population ofEurope. In 2010-11 MNREGA reached 55 m households in the country. More than Rs 25,600 crore has been distributed as wages. If MNREGA is made more responsive, it could be a model scheme for overall rural development in the country.

On 3rd February, PM tweets about his speech at the annual conference of chief secretaries”Day`s agenda -Innovation, transparency, accountability & skill development”. Electronic Delivery of Services Bill has been introduced in Parliament … it provides for delivery of public services to our citizens. Unfortunately, the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill could not be passed in the last session of the Parliament. But, we do hope that we would soon be able to enact a strong Lokpal law. But we still have a long way to go. I would urge all of you to ensure that the Centre and the states work together to move ahead….” Last year, I had stated that our government was committed to taking all legal and administrative measures to curb corruption in public life. We have introduced a Bill on Citizens’ Charter which will empower citizens to demand services at appropriate standards from governments, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh tweets.

Up to 11 February 2012, Mr. Sashi Tharoor Congress MP has highest tweets of 8874 and number of his followers are 1,256,310. Narenda Modi tweets 831and his followers are 478,307; Narendra Modi says- The world is not for cowards… Join yourself to the perfectly unselfish will and work on. Development is the sole medicine for resolving every problem of the country. While the World has coined a term `Globalisation`, our ancestors already gave us the mantra of `Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam`! Smt. Sushma Swaraj tweets-1678 and her followers are 211,335; Smt. Sushma Swaraj tweets very sweet, sweet simple words! Ajay Makan Union Minister tweets 217 and his followers are 11,923; Ajay Makan tweets mostly official matters. Barak Obama tweets-2810 and his followers are 12, 451,034.

Among the media, CNN-IBN- 61,638 tweets and 170, 822 followers; Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai of CNN-IBN tweets 8,764 and his followers are-399,528. Ms Sagarika Ghose of CNN-IBN tweets 7970 and her followers are 63,543. NDTV tweets 28,404 and 381,809 followers; NDTV Anchor Ms. Barkha Dutta tweets 41,726 and her followers are 485,011. Star News- tweets 35,632 and 27,524 followers. Mr. Deepak Chaurasia of Star News tweets 217 and his followers are 7109. Times Now- 2,121 tweets and 7058 followers; Mr Arnab Goswami tweets 24 and his followers are 10,705. www.e-pao.net, Manipur tweets 44,997 and 1340 followers and www. kanglaonline tweets 7375 respectively.

Among the film stars, Amir Khan tweets 8280 and his followers are 489,840. Amitabh Bachan tweets 197 and his followers are 222,510 and following Barak Obama only; AB latest tweet is — Friends, would you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? If you are unable to answer this question, ask those around you!! If you woke up this morning with only the things you thanked god for yesterday, how would your life be? Something to dwell on!

Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to speak one line of Mr. Rahul Gandhi; — like baggers, our youths shall not migrate to other states in search of jobs. Jobs have to be created within mile. Technical and professional training centres shall be open within mile. There is no good reason to go outside state for job and professional training; instead, more vocational training centre / institutions have to be open by the state government. There are many reputed training institutions willing to open training centre in the state if the state government is willing to provide them support or invite state people to open training centres/ institutions in the state. There are many educational franchise dealers world wide.

Mr. Prime Minister, please pull up some unfit state babus to relearn and proper training. We simply bark but we don’t bite; but they don’t bark but they bite. Politician can’t do corruption without the help of bureaucrats. Next government will be inaugural by employees salary strikes. We extend our appreciation to union government new policy for compulsory retirement of unfit babus in public interest. Performance appraisal has to be done with immediate effect.

Centre has notified a rule making it compulsory for IAS/ IPS and officers from other all Indiaservice to retire in “public interest” if they fail to clear a review after 15 years of service and second evaluation will be done after 25 years of service. Performance review may be done by government at any other point in their career. Non performers who are retiring are entitled to post retirement benefits, including pension for life. Performance review will include appraisal of the entire service record of an officer “regarding suitability or otherwise” for further retention in the service. The new rules say “ the central government may, in consultation with state government concerned, required a member of the service to retired from service in public interest, after giving such member at least three months previous notice in writing or three months pay and allowance in lieu of such notice.” Earlier, the government was empowered to compulsory retirement of any officer at any stage only if s/he is convicted for a crime or Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) imposes a penalty of compulsory retirement and performance review was done only after 30 years.

Mr. Prime Minister,Delhi, Orissa and Union Government have implemented “Citizens’ Charter” Please give a direction to the Manipur Government to implement citizen charter.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/days-agenda-innovation-transparency-accountability-skill-development-dr-manmohan-singh-tweets/

by Prof. Gangmumei Kamei(The birth centenary of Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh falls on 17th February 2012. This article is a centenary tribute to the Late Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh who passed away on 29th October 2005)

Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was the most popular prince of Manipur in the 20th century. He was the second son of Maharaja Churachand Singh. His mother was Rani Shyamasakhi Devi of Chingakham lineage, the second queen (Apanbi) of the Maharaja. He was born on Friday the 17th February 1911 in the new palace of Manipur. He was fondly called ‘Sanayaima’ or ‘Shamu phaba’ by his father, the Maharaja. He was popularly known as Sanakhya Sanayaima to the common people because of being the second son. Among the hill people, especially the Tangkhuls, he was known as Sanayaima. Among the Kuki Chin tribes, he was known as M.K. P.B. or P.B. Singh. Maharajkumari Binodini, the youngest daughter of Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh in her memoir, the family of Maharaja Churachand, described him as an affectionate brother, an intellectual and a statesman. The most learned of all the children of Maharaja Churachand Singh, he entered into the public life being associated with British and Indian officers; he came to be known as P.B. Singh or just P.B.Maharaja Churachand Singh is reported to have shown his affection for his daughters; the first was princess Maharajkumari Tamphasana, followed by Maharajkumari Angousana, Maharajkumari Tombisana and the youngest daughter was Maharajkumari Binodini (Wangolsana). But the Maharaja showed equally his love for Priya Brata Singh. The Maharaja looked after the education of his sons. Prince Priya Brata Singh started learning English and Hindi when he was six or seven years of age. He learnt English from one Manipuri tutor named Bihari Singh and Hindi from a Marwari tutor. Since his childhood days he was introduced to the different royal ceremonies, protocols and decorum inside the palace. His love for animals was imbibed when the Maharaja was presented with different animals by the tribal chiefs. Maharaja Churachand Singh was a well educated ruler. He tried to give the best education to his children. Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was sent to the Rajkumar College in Raipur which was attended by the children of the princes, nobles and high officials of India at that time. The Rajkumar College was actually a school. While residing in the Rajkumar College Campus, Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was exposed to several extra curricular activities. He learnt gymnastics, Indian wrestling, painting and landscape drawing and even carpentry as a hobby. His father objected to his taking the carpentry as a hobby. So he took to sketching and electrical toy making as his hobbies. The Maharaja insisted that his two sons Maharajkumar Bodhchandra Singh and Priya Brata Singh should go to England for exposure to English life for at least six months. So in April 1921 young Priya Brata Singh left for England. In his old age he remembered later on that he left Bombay by a ship, P&O Liner ‘Egypt’ and landed at Marseillis in France. From there he went to Paris by train and then to England. He was admitted to St. Pleasant Mount School located at Christ Church near Bournemouth in England. After spending six months in England where he was taken to several palaces and castles in London he was very much impressed by the English way of life. He returned to India via Gibraltar and Suez Canal. Returning from England he continued his school studies in the Rajkumar College, Raipur. While in Raipur he got training in fine arts specially painting from a painting artist from Sir J.J.School of Art of Bombay named Gopal Gobind Kanet Rai and a well known painter from Manipur named Ningthoujam Bhadra whom he called Epu Bhadra. He completed his school education in Raipur. He was admitted to the Ewing Christian College in the Allahabad University in 1928. He graduated from Allahabad University in 1934. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was groomed to be a perfect prince who was to rule his state. He was attracted by fine arts, painting, sports and cinematography (1). Further he got opportunities for contact with different friends and communities throughout the country. He was a learned and civilized gentleman. Maharaja Churachand Singh was proud of his learned son and groomed him up for future politics and administration in the state. When he was a college student in Allahabad in 1932 Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was deputed by his father to accompany Political Agent C. Gimson in the mission to Calcutta to submit a representation of the Manipur Government for the retrocession of Kabaw valley to the State Enquiry Committee appointed by British Government to look into the constitutional reforms of the princely states in India as a part of the Simon Commission. The problem of Kabaw valley was discussed at different levels by the Government in India and decided not to return it to Manipur. Membership of the Manipur State Durbar (1936)Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh graduated from Allahabad University in 1934. He was a very handsome and popular young man at the age of 23. His father appointed him as a member of Manipur State Durbar on 12 February 1936 as an ordinary member. He was given the portfolio of Police, PWD and Arts and Craft. As an active young man he handled the three portfolios with grace and efficiency. The Police department was under one Inspector named Khomdram Dhanachandra Singh who married a daughter of the Maharaja.  The PWD was headed by C.F. Jeffery as a State Engineer of Manipur. Jeffery was an intimate friend of the Maharaja. He was a qualified civil engineer with a degree of M. Tech from England. He came to India in search of job. But unfortunately he could not get any job. The Maharaja invited him to be the State Engineer of Manipur. Jeffery constructed hydro-electric power from Leimakhong and distributed electricity for public consumption. He also successfully supervised the supply of drinking water from Imphal water supply works. There were several agitations from the public against the introduction of water tax initiated by the chief engineer. The two princes Bodhchandra Singh and Priya Brata Singh were friendly with Jeffery. After retirement Jeffery settled in Australia and left behind the endowment for Manipur students for study in Australia. A trust in the name of Jeffery was established by Maharajkumar P.B. Singh later on. He also looked after an interesting department of Arts and Craft. This was a very small department established by Mrs. S.M. Jolly (Mrs. Jolly) wife of a former State engineer of Manipur. Mrs. Jolly was separated from her husband and settled in Imphal. She started one institute of Arts and Craft. Mrs. Jolly’s institute became a popular show piece of Manipur. The Government of Manipur patronized the institute. During the time of Maharajkumar P.B. Singh, one Mrs. Taylor wife of Civil Surgeon Colonel Taylor was in-charge of the department of Arts and Craft. With three heads of departments under him he had little worry for the administrative works. As a young and energetic member of the Durbar he made extensive tour of the state particularly the hills where lived different communities. Once he wanted to visit the eastern hills inhabited by the Tangkhul Nagas. But he realized that the administration of the hill areas was exclusively under the jurisdiction of the President of the Manipur State Durbar who was the member of the British ICS. According to the Rules for the Management of the State of Manipur revised in 1935, the hill tribes were administered by the Political Agent on behalf of the Maharaja. And the President of the Manipur State Durbar (PMSD) did the actual administration of the hill areas with the help of four sub divisional officers who were of the Assam Commission. When he joined the Durbar, the President of the Manipur State Durbar was G.P. Stewart and the SDO of north east sub division (Ukhrul) was S.J. Duncan, a young member of the Assam Civil Service. He wrote to SDO Duncan through Pushkar Singh, head clerk of the State Durbar for permission to visit Ukhrul. He also realized that the hill administrative authority did not encourage visit of a prince or a member of the Durbar to visit the hill areas. But there was no law restricting a prince of Manipur to visit any part of Manipur. Reluctantly his proposal to visit Ukhrul was accepted by the Political Agent. His visit to Ukhrul was described by R.K. Ranjan Singh (2). The then Political Agent accepted his proposal with two Lambus and sufficient porters for the visit. “During those days road connectivity was bridle path only. From Palace at Imphal to Yangangpokpi he traveled by car then to the hills on foot crossing Litan, Lambui, Nungsangkhong and Hungdung. He was overwhelmed by the warmth and grandeur of the reception by the highlanders. He returned from Ukhrul by Peters Road (3) via Toloi, Sirarakhong, and Mahadev etc. On his return journey he was surprised to see the Union Jack flying atop the Assam Rifles Post of Ukhrul. He asked the then Political Agent why it could not be the Manipuri Flag. Duncan quickly returned, “You supply me one, and we’ll hoist there”. In fact P.B. knows that there was no Manipuri flag at that time. So he had to design one. He took it up as a challenge and with one Keisham Tombi and Haobam Amubi, after a month’s hard work, produced Manipuri Flag – on violet silk with Pakhangba in gold. Duncan took the flag and did hoist it in Ukhrul, at the SDO’s Office”. True, the traditional flag of Manipur was not used since the British Conquest of Manipur in 1891. It was Hijam Irabot Singh who hoisted a flag with the imprint of emblem of Pakhangba on it in the Chinga Session of Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha in 31 December 1938. It was SDO Duncan who had earlier imprisoned Jadonang in 1928 and helped the Political Agent J.C. Higgins in the suppression of Zeliangrong Revolt of 1928 – 33 during which Jadonang was executed in 1931 and Gaidinliu was imprisoned in 1933 (4).Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was friendly with all the members of the royal family including Hijam Irabot Singh who was appointed a Judge of the Sadar Panchayat. He addressed him as ‘Ebai Ebungo’ (my royal brother-in-law). He was aware of the activities of Nikhil Manipuri Hindu Mahasabha. He inaugurated the handloom exhibition which preceded the foundation of the Nikhil Manipuri Hindu Mahasabha in 1934. The exhibition was held at the Police Line Bazaar (5). He was an admirer of Hijam Irabot Singh though politically as a member of the Durbar, he was opposed to him in consideration of his father’s opposition to Irabot Singh. It was strange that he was silent on the oppressive policy of the Brahma Sabha and the ‘Mangba-Sengba’ scandal. He was new to the political and social life of Manipur perhaps he did not like to oppose his father nor the Manipur State Durbar nor the Brahma Sabha. Later on he said that he was not happy with the orthodox behaviour of the Brahmins who took advantage of their nearness to Maharaja Churachand Singh.Maharajkumar P.B. Singh during the Second Nupi Lan (1939 – 40)He continued to be a member of the Manipur State Durbar holding the charge of Police and Education when the Second Nupi Lan occurred in December 1939. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was fully aware of the bad harvest of that year and the impending shortage of food. He forcefully pleaded for the ban on the export of rice to outside Manipur. It was because of his insistence coupled with the support of other members of the Durbar that the export of rice was banned for 40 days in the month of October – November, 1939 but it was because of the vested interests of the Marwari trading community and their pressure on the Maharaja and Political Agent that the ban was lifted on 23rd November, 1939. T.A. Sharpe, the new President of the Manipur State Durbar was very young and inexperienced in the affairs of the state of Manipur. He was friendly with Maharajkumar P.B. Singh, the Maharaja and the Political Agent. The Women Agitation broke out with the protest of market women against the export of rice and supply of paddy by the local farmers to the Marwari traders on 12 December 1939. Incidentally the Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh was out of station as he was in Nabadwip due to the illness of his daughter Maharajkumari Tombisana. Political Agent C. Gimson was on a birthday outing in the hills south of Sugnu. The women folk went to the office of Political Agent, and not finding him there, went to the office of the President of the Manipur State Durbar. The women delegates demanded the immediate ban on the export of rice. PMSD, T.A. Sharpe pleaded his inability to do so in the absence of the approval of the Maharaja. He assured the women leaders that he would seek permission from the Maharaja. Sharpe was forced to proceed to the Telegraph Office by the women folk.  Maharajkumar P.B. Singh and some members of the Durbar like L.M. Iboongohal Singh and S. Nodya Singh were in the office. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh hearing the commotion between the president and the women delegates came to the office. He found them proceeding to the Telegraph office on foot. He saw off Sharpe on the verandah of the office building. Since there was no violent altercation, he decided to leave the office for visiting the centres of examination for the primary schools held on that day (6). The gherao at the Telegraph OfficeWhile reaching the Telegraph office T.A. Sharpe wrote out a draft of the telegram to be sent to the Maharaja at Nabadwip in Bengal. Finding that the Maharaja was not at Nabadwip at that time he asked his staff to find out his whereabouts. Sharpe explained the contents of the telegram to the women leaders. Meanwhile the exact whereabouts of the Maharaja was located and the telegram was sent. After sending the telegram Sharpe wanted to return to his bungalow for lunch. The women objected to his leaving the Telegraph office and insisted that they waited for the reply of the Maharaja. Sharpe was thus confined to the office till about 2.30 in the afternoon. The Civil Surgeon Dr. Cummings of the Indian Medical Service heard of the confinement of Sharpe and rushed to the rescue of the PMSD. He was allowed to enter the Telegraph office but was prevented to leave the office. Hearing the confinement of the two officers, Major Bulfield Commandant of the 4 Assam Rifles also came to the office with few escorts. He was also confined in the office by the women folk. Captain Stone the deputy commandant of the 4 Assam Rifles was keeping a platoon of the soldiers ready to rush to the rescue of the officer. Unfortunately the contingent included some Nepali and Kuki riflemen and they rushed to the Telegraph office and after some scuffle rescued the officers. The Telegraph office was surrounded by a mob of 4000 women folk and some men bystanders who were shouting slogans. We have already narrated the skirmishes at the Telegraph office in the chapter on Women Agitation. The crowd was dispersed. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh accompanied by the Inspector of Police, Khomdram Dhanachandra rushed to the Telegraph office. He found some injured women agitators and Assam rifle men. Civil Surgeon Cummings himself gave first aid to the injured women. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh advised the injured women and their relatives to go to the Civil Hospital where some of them were treated. In early morning of 13th December, Political Agent Gimson met the leaders of the women agitators, and tried to pacify them through negotiation. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh as a police member of the Durbar collected information hour by hour. He met Sharpe who was gheraoed in the Telegraph office. He provided police escort to the officers. He did not desire the Assam Rifles men to come to the British reserve. In the night of 13th December, Political Agent Gimson, PMSD T.A. Sharpe and the women agitators visited Mantripukhri, a locality to the north of Imphal town to stop the rice mills there. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh also went to Mantripukhri to persuade the women folk to disperse. The electricity connection to the rice mill was destroyed on the insistence of the women agitators and the crowd dispersed at 8 p.m. of that night. He was also present at the dispersal of the crowd at the public meeting at Police Line on 13th December 1939 in which men folk using pieces of cut fire wood attacked the police men. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh himself shot his revolver in the air to threaten the crowd to disperse. During the subsequent days of the agitation, he was involved in the protection of the bazaar area of the town of Imphal. In the trial of Hijam Irabot Singh for his seditious speech delivered at the public meeting of 7th January 1940 the Manipur State Durbar of which Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was a member, Irabot Singh was sentenced to three years simple imprisonment.Maharajkumar P.B. Singh started a library movement and with the help of his friend Akham Surendra, a teacher of Manipur Institute (present Churachand High School) collected books, journals and other materials to establish a library in the Palace. He used to collect Yakairol Journal and other publications to start a library at Khamlangba Shrine at Sagolband. He helped the Durbar to prepare Manipuri text books for B.A. level. With the help of his friend Dhumra Roy and L. M. Iboongohal Singh, he got the Manipuri Sankritan of Ojha Natum Singh broadcast from Indian Broadcasting Unit of Calcutta. During the Yaoshang holidays, P.B. Singh planned visits to hill stations like Layang now Tamenglong head quarter, Moreh and Churachandpur. He tried to improve agricultural practice and the culture of using cattle for ploughing, milking and transportation. He influenced the Durbar to stop the export of Manipuri cattle to Assam. He also succeeded in persuading the Maharaja and the Durbar to extend equal status to the Yaithibi (Harijan). Military ServiceHis father Maharaja Churachand Singh died on 6th November 1941 and he was succeeded by Bodhchandra Singh as the Maharaja of Manipur. The rule of Bodhchandra Singh was a tumultuous period of Manipur history. During the World War II Imphal was bombed by Japanese on 10th May, 1942. Manipur started a war effort to help the British and their allies. Several young men mostly from the hill tribes joined the army particularly the newly established Assam Regiment. Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh as a young man of 31 joined the Indian Army on emergency King’s Commission. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh underwent training at the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun. After completion of training he was commissioned and given the rank of Captain in consideration of his status of a prince of Manipur. He was posted in Assam Regiment and worked in the 2nd Battalion Head Quarter. Because of his political and royal connection, he was not given duty in the front during the war. But he was entrusted to mobilize guards in the line of communication in south India. After the war he returned to Shillong and continued to be in the Army for nearly two years. During this period he travelled extensively the entire north east region. He toured the entire Naga Hills district. During this period Maharajkumar Priya Brata continued to be a member of the Manipur State Durbar on leave by the Maharaja of Manipur. He was a member of the Durbar during the Presidency of T.A.Sharpe, E.F. Lydall and F.F. Pearson. F.F. Pearson was as narrated earlier a member of the Indian Political service, he participated during the war, rose up to the rank of a Major and was awarded the title of MBE (Member of the British Empire). Maharajkumar Priya Brata met Major Pearson who requested him to retire from the army and rejoined the state service as theoretically he was on leave from the Manipur State Durbar. Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh also wanted his younger brother to return to Manipur politics and participate in the administration of the state. Thus Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh joined the state service on 6th June 1946. Minister of First Interim CouncilGovernor Sir Akbar Hydari of Assam had a very high opinion of Captain Maharajkumar P.B. Singh. He was a Governor of Assam during the period of transfer of power on 15th August 1947. Even after the independence he continued to be the Governor of Assam. On many occasions he expressed a wish that Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh should be in the administration of Manipur when the British were going to depart from India and power being transferred to the Maharaja of Manipur. The Maharaja took a decision to dissolve the Manipur State Durbar. He framed the Rules for the Administration of Manipur and he constituted the Manipur State Council to look after the administration during the interim period. We have narrated how Major F.F. Pearson, the former President of the Manipur State Durbar was appointed the Chief Minister of the Manipur State Council constituted on 1st July 1947. Both Governor Sir Hydari and Major Pearson advised the Maharaja to include Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh as a minister of the first Interim Council. The term of the Interim Council expired in the morning of 14th August 1947. The Maharaja made the decision to accede to the Dominion of India and constituted the second Manipur State Council in which Major Pearson was to retire and Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was appointed the Chief Minister of the Manipur State Council. Since he was the first Manipuri Chief Minister therefore he was regarded by the people as the first Chief Minister of Manipur though Major Pearson was the first Chief Minister of Manipur from 1st July to 14th August 1947. There was no change amongst the ministers of the Council except the Chief Minister. The term of the second Council with the Maharajkumar as the Chief Minister was from 14th August 1947 to 9th November 1948 when he was appointed Chief Minister after the election to the Manipur State Legislative assembly held in June – July 1948 as per the Manipur Constitution of 1947. During this period Maharajkumar P.B Singh administered the Manipur State Council with knowledge and understanding. He was 37 years old when he became the Chief Minister. He occupied an advantageous position; the Maharaja was his own elder brother, the Governor of Assam was his well wisher. The Dominion Agent, G.P. Stewart was friendly and left Manipur in September 1947. However the political issues that confronted the state of Manipur were mainly directed against the Maharaja of Manipur. The political parties both the two factions of Manipur State Congress and the political parties led by Hijam Irabot Singh, Manipur Praja Sangha and Manipur Krishak Sabha openly demanded for the granting of a responsible government in Manipur. ï»¿

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/maharajkumar-priya-brata-singh-19122005-in-history/

by Prof. Gangmumei Kamei(The birth centenary of Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh falls on 17th February 2012. This article is a centenary tribute to the Late Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh who passed away on 29th October 2005)

Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was the most popular prince of Manipur in the 20th century. He was the second son of Maharaja Churachand Singh. His mother was Rani Shyamasakhi Devi of Chingakham lineage, the second queen (Apanbi) of the Maharaja. He was born on Friday the 17th February 1911 in the new palace of Manipur. He was fondly called ‘Sanayaima’ or ‘Shamu phaba’ by his father, the Maharaja. He was popularly known as Sanakhya Sanayaima to the common people because of being the second son. Among the hill people, especially the Tangkhuls, he was known as Sanayaima. Among the Kuki Chin tribes, he was known as M.K. P.B. or P.B. Singh. Maharajkumari Binodini, the youngest daughter of Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh in her memoir, the family of Maharaja Churachand, described him as an affectionate brother, an intellectual and a statesman. The most learned of all the children of Maharaja Churachand Singh, he entered into the public life being associated with British and Indian officers; he came to be known as P.B. Singh or just P.B.Maharaja Churachand Singh is reported to have shown his affection for his daughters; the first was princess Maharajkumari Tamphasana, followed by Maharajkumari Angousana, Maharajkumari Tombisana and the youngest daughter was Maharajkumari Binodini (Wangolsana). But the Maharaja showed equally his love for Priya Brata Singh. The Maharaja looked after the education of his sons. Prince Priya Brata Singh started learning English and Hindi when he was six or seven years of age. He learnt English from one Manipuri tutor named Bihari Singh and Hindi from a Marwari tutor. Since his childhood days he was introduced to the different royal ceremonies, protocols and decorum inside the palace. His love for animals was imbibed when the Maharaja was presented with different animals by the tribal chiefs. Maharaja Churachand Singh was a well educated ruler. He tried to give the best education to his children. Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was sent to the Rajkumar College in Raipur which was attended by the children of the princes, nobles and high officials of India at that time. The Rajkumar College was actually a school. While residing in the Rajkumar College Campus, Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was exposed to several extra curricular activities. He learnt gymnastics, Indian wrestling, painting and landscape drawing and even carpentry as a hobby. His father objected to his taking the carpentry as a hobby. So he took to sketching and electrical toy making as his hobbies. The Maharaja insisted that his two sons Maharajkumar Bodhchandra Singh and Priya Brata Singh should go to England for exposure to English life for at least six months. So in April 1921 young Priya Brata Singh left for England. In his old age he remembered later on that he left Bombay by a ship, P&O Liner ‘Egypt’ and landed at Marseillis in France. From there he went to Paris by train and then to England. He was admitted to St. Pleasant Mount School located at Christ Church near Bournemouth in England. After spending six months in England where he was taken to several palaces and castles in London he was very much impressed by the English way of life. He returned to India via Gibraltar and Suez Canal. Returning from England he continued his school studies in the Rajkumar College, Raipur. While in Raipur he got training in fine arts specially painting from a painting artist from Sir J.J.School of Art of Bombay named Gopal Gobind Kanet Rai and a well known painter from Manipur named Ningthoujam Bhadra whom he called Epu Bhadra. He completed his school education in Raipur. He was admitted to the Ewing Christian College in the Allahabad University in 1928. He graduated from Allahabad University in 1934. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was groomed to be a perfect prince who was to rule his state. He was attracted by fine arts, painting, sports and cinematography (1). Further he got opportunities for contact with different friends and communities throughout the country. He was a learned and civilized gentleman. Maharaja Churachand Singh was proud of his learned son and groomed him up for future politics and administration in the state. When he was a college student in Allahabad in 1932 Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was deputed by his father to accompany Political Agent C. Gimson in the mission to Calcutta to submit a representation of the Manipur Government for the retrocession of Kabaw valley to the State Enquiry Committee appointed by British Government to look into the constitutional reforms of the princely states in India as a part of the Simon Commission. The problem of Kabaw valley was discussed at different levels by the Government in India and decided not to return it to Manipur. Membership of the Manipur State Durbar (1936)Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh graduated from Allahabad University in 1934. He was a very handsome and popular young man at the age of 23. His father appointed him as a member of Manipur State Durbar on 12 February 1936 as an ordinary member. He was given the portfolio of Police, PWD and Arts and Craft. As an active young man he handled the three portfolios with grace and efficiency. The Police department was under one Inspector named Khomdram Dhanachandra Singh who married a daughter of the Maharaja.  The PWD was headed by C.F. Jeffery as a State Engineer of Manipur. Jeffery was an intimate friend of the Maharaja. He was a qualified civil engineer with a degree of M. Tech from England. He came to India in search of job. But unfortunately he could not get any job. The Maharaja invited him to be the State Engineer of Manipur. Jeffery constructed hydro-electric power from Leimakhong and distributed electricity for public consumption. He also successfully supervised the supply of drinking water from Imphal water supply works. There were several agitations from the public against the introduction of water tax initiated by the chief engineer. The two princes Bodhchandra Singh and Priya Brata Singh were friendly with Jeffery. After retirement Jeffery settled in Australia and left behind the endowment for Manipur students for study in Australia. A trust in the name of Jeffery was established by Maharajkumar P.B. Singh later on. He also looked after an interesting department of Arts and Craft. This was a very small department established by Mrs. S.M. Jolly (Mrs. Jolly) wife of a former State engineer of Manipur. Mrs. Jolly was separated from her husband and settled in Imphal. She started one institute of Arts and Craft. Mrs. Jolly’s institute became a popular show piece of Manipur. The Government of Manipur patronized the institute. During the time of Maharajkumar P.B. Singh, one Mrs. Taylor wife of Civil Surgeon Colonel Taylor was in-charge of the department of Arts and Craft. With three heads of departments under him he had little worry for the administrative works. As a young and energetic member of the Durbar he made extensive tour of the state particularly the hills where lived different communities. Once he wanted to visit the eastern hills inhabited by the Tangkhul Nagas. But he realized that the administration of the hill areas was exclusively under the jurisdiction of the President of the Manipur State Durbar who was the member of the British ICS. According to the Rules for the Management of the State of Manipur revised in 1935, the hill tribes were administered by the Political Agent on behalf of the Maharaja. And the President of the Manipur State Durbar (PMSD) did the actual administration of the hill areas with the help of four sub divisional officers who were of the Assam Commission. When he joined the Durbar, the President of the Manipur State Durbar was G.P. Stewart and the SDO of north east sub division (Ukhrul) was S.J. Duncan, a young member of the Assam Civil Service. He wrote to SDO Duncan through Pushkar Singh, head clerk of the State Durbar for permission to visit Ukhrul. He also realized that the hill administrative authority did not encourage visit of a prince or a member of the Durbar to visit the hill areas. But there was no law restricting a prince of Manipur to visit any part of Manipur. Reluctantly his proposal to visit Ukhrul was accepted by the Political Agent. His visit to Ukhrul was described by R.K. Ranjan Singh (2). The then Political Agent accepted his proposal with two Lambus and sufficient porters for the visit. “During those days road connectivity was bridle path only. From Palace at Imphal to Yangangpokpi he traveled by car then to the hills on foot crossing Litan, Lambui, Nungsangkhong and Hungdung. He was overwhelmed by the warmth and grandeur of the reception by the highlanders. He returned from Ukhrul by Peters Road (3) via Toloi, Sirarakhong, and Mahadev etc. On his return journey he was surprised to see the Union Jack flying atop the Assam Rifles Post of Ukhrul. He asked the then Political Agent why it could not be the Manipuri Flag. Duncan quickly returned, “You supply me one, and we’ll hoist there”. In fact P.B. knows that there was no Manipuri flag at that time. So he had to design one. He took it up as a challenge and with one Keisham Tombi and Haobam Amubi, after a month’s hard work, produced Manipuri Flag – on violet silk with Pakhangba in gold. Duncan took the flag and did hoist it in Ukhrul, at the SDO’s Office”. True, the traditional flag of Manipur was not used since the British Conquest of Manipur in 1891. It was Hijam Irabot Singh who hoisted a flag with the imprint of emblem of Pakhangba on it in the Chinga Session of Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha in 31 December 1938. It was SDO Duncan who had earlier imprisoned Jadonang in 1928 and helped the Political Agent J.C. Higgins in the suppression of Zeliangrong Revolt of 1928 – 33 during which Jadonang was executed in 1931 and Gaidinliu was imprisoned in 1933 (4).Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was friendly with all the members of the royal family including Hijam Irabot Singh who was appointed a Judge of the Sadar Panchayat. He addressed him as ‘Ebai Ebungo’ (my royal brother-in-law). He was aware of the activities of Nikhil Manipuri Hindu Mahasabha. He inaugurated the handloom exhibition which preceded the foundation of the Nikhil Manipuri Hindu Mahasabha in 1934. The exhibition was held at the Police Line Bazaar (5). He was an admirer of Hijam Irabot Singh though politically as a member of the Durbar, he was opposed to him in consideration of his father’s opposition to Irabot Singh. It was strange that he was silent on the oppressive policy of the Brahma Sabha and the ‘Mangba-Sengba’ scandal. He was new to the political and social life of Manipur perhaps he did not like to oppose his father nor the Manipur State Durbar nor the Brahma Sabha. Later on he said that he was not happy with the orthodox behaviour of the Brahmins who took advantage of their nearness to Maharaja Churachand Singh.Maharajkumar P.B. Singh during the Second Nupi Lan (1939 – 40)He continued to be a member of the Manipur State Durbar holding the charge of Police and Education when the Second Nupi Lan occurred in December 1939. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was fully aware of the bad harvest of that year and the impending shortage of food. He forcefully pleaded for the ban on the export of rice to outside Manipur. It was because of his insistence coupled with the support of other members of the Durbar that the export of rice was banned for 40 days in the month of October – November, 1939 but it was because of the vested interests of the Marwari trading community and their pressure on the Maharaja and Political Agent that the ban was lifted on 23rd November, 1939. T.A. Sharpe, the new President of the Manipur State Durbar was very young and inexperienced in the affairs of the state of Manipur. He was friendly with Maharajkumar P.B. Singh, the Maharaja and the Political Agent. The Women Agitation broke out with the protest of market women against the export of rice and supply of paddy by the local farmers to the Marwari traders on 12 December 1939. Incidentally the Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh was out of station as he was in Nabadwip due to the illness of his daughter Maharajkumari Tombisana. Political Agent C. Gimson was on a birthday outing in the hills south of Sugnu. The women folk went to the office of Political Agent, and not finding him there, went to the office of the President of the Manipur State Durbar. The women delegates demanded the immediate ban on the export of rice. PMSD, T.A. Sharpe pleaded his inability to do so in the absence of the approval of the Maharaja. He assured the women leaders that he would seek permission from the Maharaja. Sharpe was forced to proceed to the Telegraph Office by the women folk.  Maharajkumar P.B. Singh and some members of the Durbar like L.M. Iboongohal Singh and S. Nodya Singh were in the office. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh hearing the commotion between the president and the women delegates came to the office. He found them proceeding to the Telegraph office on foot. He saw off Sharpe on the verandah of the office building. Since there was no violent altercation, he decided to leave the office for visiting the centres of examination for the primary schools held on that day (6). The gherao at the Telegraph OfficeWhile reaching the Telegraph office T.A. Sharpe wrote out a draft of the telegram to be sent to the Maharaja at Nabadwip in Bengal. Finding that the Maharaja was not at Nabadwip at that time he asked his staff to find out his whereabouts. Sharpe explained the contents of the telegram to the women leaders. Meanwhile the exact whereabouts of the Maharaja was located and the telegram was sent. After sending the telegram Sharpe wanted to return to his bungalow for lunch. The women objected to his leaving the Telegraph office and insisted that they waited for the reply of the Maharaja. Sharpe was thus confined to the office till about 2.30 in the afternoon. The Civil Surgeon Dr. Cummings of the Indian Medical Service heard of the confinement of Sharpe and rushed to the rescue of the PMSD. He was allowed to enter the Telegraph office but was prevented to leave the office. Hearing the confinement of the two officers, Major Bulfield Commandant of the 4 Assam Rifles also came to the office with few escorts. He was also confined in the office by the women folk. Captain Stone the deputy commandant of the 4 Assam Rifles was keeping a platoon of the soldiers ready to rush to the rescue of the officer. Unfortunately the contingent included some Nepali and Kuki riflemen and they rushed to the Telegraph office and after some scuffle rescued the officers. The Telegraph office was surrounded by a mob of 4000 women folk and some men bystanders who were shouting slogans. We have already narrated the skirmishes at the Telegraph office in the chapter on Women Agitation. The crowd was dispersed. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh accompanied by the Inspector of Police, Khomdram Dhanachandra rushed to the Telegraph office. He found some injured women agitators and Assam rifle men. Civil Surgeon Cummings himself gave first aid to the injured women. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh advised the injured women and their relatives to go to the Civil Hospital where some of them were treated. In early morning of 13th December, Political Agent Gimson met the leaders of the women agitators, and tried to pacify them through negotiation. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh as a police member of the Durbar collected information hour by hour. He met Sharpe who was gheraoed in the Telegraph office. He provided police escort to the officers. He did not desire the Assam Rifles men to come to the British reserve. In the night of 13th December, Political Agent Gimson, PMSD T.A. Sharpe and the women agitators visited Mantripukhri, a locality to the north of Imphal town to stop the rice mills there. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh also went to Mantripukhri to persuade the women folk to disperse. The electricity connection to the rice mill was destroyed on the insistence of the women agitators and the crowd dispersed at 8 p.m. of that night. He was also present at the dispersal of the crowd at the public meeting at Police Line on 13th December 1939 in which men folk using pieces of cut fire wood attacked the police men. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh himself shot his revolver in the air to threaten the crowd to disperse. During the subsequent days of the agitation, he was involved in the protection of the bazaar area of the town of Imphal. In the trial of Hijam Irabot Singh for his seditious speech delivered at the public meeting of 7th January 1940 the Manipur State Durbar of which Maharajkumar P.B. Singh was a member, Irabot Singh was sentenced to three years simple imprisonment.Maharajkumar P.B. Singh started a library movement and with the help of his friend Akham Surendra, a teacher of Manipur Institute (present Churachand High School) collected books, journals and other materials to establish a library in the Palace. He used to collect Yakairol Journal and other publications to start a library at Khamlangba Shrine at Sagolband. He helped the Durbar to prepare Manipuri text books for B.A. level. With the help of his friend Dhumra Roy and L. M. Iboongohal Singh, he got the Manipuri Sankritan of Ojha Natum Singh broadcast from Indian Broadcasting Unit of Calcutta. During the Yaoshang holidays, P.B. Singh planned visits to hill stations like Layang now Tamenglong head quarter, Moreh and Churachandpur. He tried to improve agricultural practice and the culture of using cattle for ploughing, milking and transportation. He influenced the Durbar to stop the export of Manipuri cattle to Assam. He also succeeded in persuading the Maharaja and the Durbar to extend equal status to the Yaithibi (Harijan). Military ServiceHis father Maharaja Churachand Singh died on 6th November 1941 and he was succeeded by Bodhchandra Singh as the Maharaja of Manipur. The rule of Bodhchandra Singh was a tumultuous period of Manipur history. During the World War II Imphal was bombed by Japanese on 10th May, 1942. Manipur started a war effort to help the British and their allies. Several young men mostly from the hill tribes joined the army particularly the newly established Assam Regiment. Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh as a young man of 31 joined the Indian Army on emergency King’s Commission. Maharajkumar P.B. Singh underwent training at the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun. After completion of training he was commissioned and given the rank of Captain in consideration of his status of a prince of Manipur. He was posted in Assam Regiment and worked in the 2nd Battalion Head Quarter. Because of his political and royal connection, he was not given duty in the front during the war. But he was entrusted to mobilize guards in the line of communication in south India. After the war he returned to Shillong and continued to be in the Army for nearly two years. During this period he travelled extensively the entire north east region. He toured the entire Naga Hills district. During this period Maharajkumar Priya Brata continued to be a member of the Manipur State Durbar on leave by the Maharaja of Manipur. He was a member of the Durbar during the Presidency of T.A.Sharpe, E.F. Lydall and F.F. Pearson. F.F. Pearson was as narrated earlier a member of the Indian Political service, he participated during the war, rose up to the rank of a Major and was awarded the title of MBE (Member of the British Empire). Maharajkumar Priya Brata met Major Pearson who requested him to retire from the army and rejoined the state service as theoretically he was on leave from the Manipur State Durbar. Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh also wanted his younger brother to return to Manipur politics and participate in the administration of the state. Thus Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh joined the state service on 6th June 1946. Minister of First Interim CouncilGovernor Sir Akbar Hydari of Assam had a very high opinion of Captain Maharajkumar P.B. Singh. He was a Governor of Assam during the period of transfer of power on 15th August 1947. Even after the independence he continued to be the Governor of Assam. On many occasions he expressed a wish that Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh should be in the administration of Manipur when the British were going to depart from India and power being transferred to the Maharaja of Manipur. The Maharaja took a decision to dissolve the Manipur State Durbar. He framed the Rules for the Administration of Manipur and he constituted the Manipur State Council to look after the administration during the interim period. We have narrated how Major F.F. Pearson, the former President of the Manipur State Durbar was appointed the Chief Minister of the Manipur State Council constituted on 1st July 1947. Both Governor Sir Hydari and Major Pearson advised the Maharaja to include Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh as a minister of the first Interim Council. The term of the Interim Council expired in the morning of 14th August 1947. The Maharaja made the decision to accede to the Dominion of India and constituted the second Manipur State Council in which Major Pearson was to retire and Maharajkumar Priya Brata Singh was appointed the Chief Minister of the Manipur State Council. Since he was the first Manipuri Chief Minister therefore he was regarded by the people as the first Chief Minister of Manipur though Major Pearson was the first Chief Minister of Manipur from 1st July to 14th August 1947. There was no change amongst the ministers of the Council except the Chief Minister. The term of the second Council with the Maharajkumar as the Chief Minister was from 14th August 1947 to 9th November 1948 when he was appointed Chief Minister after the election to the Manipur State Legislative assembly held in June – July 1948 as per the Manipur Constitution of 1947. During this period Maharajkumar P.B Singh administered the Manipur State Council with knowledge and understanding. He was 37 years old when he became the Chief Minister. He occupied an advantageous position; the Maharaja was his own elder brother, the Governor of Assam was his well wisher. The Dominion Agent, G.P. Stewart was friendly and left Manipur in September 1947. However the political issues that confronted the state of Manipur were mainly directed against the Maharaja of Manipur. The political parties both the two factions of Manipur State Congress and the political parties led by Hijam Irabot Singh, Manipur Praja Sangha and Manipur Krishak Sabha openly demanded for the granting of a responsible government in Manipur. ï»¿

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/maharajkumar-priya-brata-singh-19122005-in-history/

The skies have opened up and how! The aviation sector has grown up by leaps and bounds and the price competition has led to flight fares getting cheaper. The choices of airlines to pick from, means that at the end of the day, the consumer (read passenger) is the real king today. But while flight fares have come down and there are more flights to pick while traveling, there are still areas where one wishes things were a bit different. The first is of course the cold meals/snacks that one has to buy at inflated rates. The least that one can get after paying through the nose would be something warm to eat but for some strange reason, all airline meals (the type that one pays for) come out cold. If one is not mistaken, government employees are expected to fly the national airlines, Air India/Indian Airlines but all the time one sees government officials taking to private airlines. This when the national airlines does serve warm meals.Gone are the days of having to fit in dates for going for work out of the state with flight days but the situation now in Manipur is such that flight passengers have a wide choice of when to fly and which airline to travel by. And that brings us to the matter of the existing airport infrastructure at Tulihal airport. There are just two X-ray machines for luggage screenings and woe befall you if there are 3-4 flights within a short time span. You would then have to wait it out in the cramped space with not even enough leg-room to stand with your baggage. Tulihal airport as it stands now is a bad example of space being wasted. While the ground section of the airport is all cramped by the presence of the staff and personnel of all the airlines, made worse by the added strength of passengers, the upper portion of the airport kept as a visitors’ gallery is hardly used. Surprising really that this upper portion is not used as extra space for passenger waiting area or even boarding area.If one is unfortunate enough to be caught at Imphal airport with a delayed flight, be prepared to be in for a frustrating time. Apart from the fact that there is not much space in the airport to sit or stand at ease, much less get to grab a bite the state of the rest room is pathetic. Earlier, there used to be at least a restaurant of some sort inside the airport where one could resort to buying some snacks. Then, it was the quality of food and the lack of choices in the menu that irked, but now there is no restaurant to speak of. A friend working in the airline sector says that the contract of the earlier agency handling the restaurant has got over and in such circumstances the airport authority needs to step in and operate the restaurant. This is the norm in all other airports in the country: one sees airport authority restaurants operating side by side with privately run eating areas. But the trend in Manipur seems to be more on “stuff yourself at home before you get in to Imphal airport”. The lack of infrastructure support at Tulihal airport can only get manic when flights get delayed well into evening time. Many friends traveling by the evening flight or those reaching late in the evening have only told me horror stories of finding trolleys strewn all over the place and a total dearth of vehicles to take from the airport to their homes or hotels. This, when Manipur is being sold as an upcoming tourist attraction point to outsiders. Many, say that they don’t even get to see airline or airport staff if they get into Imphal at late hours (‘late’ in Imphal is 6 pm in between!). But looking at it from the other side, how can staff stay on if they don’t get to eat or have refreshments? What of their toilet breaks?One main grouse with traveling by flights is the confusion over what can be taken along as hand baggage and what is accepted as cargo baggage. After hearing a varied list of complaints from regular fliers, I asked a friend with a private airline over who gets the final say in deciding what articles can be carried and what cannot be taken along. Her explanation made me realize that there are areas of confusion existing among various agencies. For instance, the CISF who runs the security check at check in point have their list of things which passengers are not allowed to carry on board. But at the final point of boarding, articles cleared by the CISF can still be offloaded by the airline staff. This is when the customer is NOT king. It does not help that airlines do not have their list of things they don’t allow in public display prominently. End-point:Sometimes though, rules can go for a toss depending on the mood of the person checking you in. One bad experience happened recently with me too: I had a non -stick utensil packed in its box, which I had not taped in. The lady at Delhi airport refused to take that as cargo baggage and asked me to get CISF clearance to carry that as hand baggage. When I pointed out that other passengers were checking in toasters and glass sets as cargo baggage, she was adamant that my pack was ‘open’ and so they would not allow it to go in. All requests that I would tape the pack fell on deaf airs and as a last resort, I ended up taking out the utensil and putting it in my lap-top bag while the lap top went into the utensil box- pack. The utensil went in as cargo and I had to lug my lap-top in my hand holding it close to my chest less I dropped it. ï»¿

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/airport-blues/

The skies have opened up and how! The aviation sector has grown up by leaps and bounds and the price competition has led to flight fares getting cheaper. The choices of airlines to pick from, means that at the end of the day, the consumer (read passenger) is the real king today. But while flight fares have come down and there are more flights to pick while traveling, there are still areas where one wishes things were a bit different. The first is of course the cold meals/snacks that one has to buy at inflated rates. The least that one can get after paying through the nose would be something warm to eat but for some strange reason, all airline meals (the type that one pays for) come out cold. If one is not mistaken, government employees are expected to fly the national airlines, Air India/Indian Airlines but all the time one sees government officials taking to private airlines. This when the national airlines does serve warm meals.Gone are the days of having to fit in dates for going for work out of the state with flight days but the situation now in Manipur is such that flight passengers have a wide choice of when to fly and which airline to travel by. And that brings us to the matter of the existing airport infrastructure at Tulihal airport. There are just two X-ray machines for luggage screenings and woe befall you if there are 3-4 flights within a short time span. You would then have to wait it out in the cramped space with not even enough leg-room to stand with your baggage. Tulihal airport as it stands now is a bad example of space being wasted. While the ground section of the airport is all cramped by the presence of the staff and personnel of all the airlines, made worse by the added strength of passengers, the upper portion of the airport kept as a visitors’ gallery is hardly used. Surprising really that this upper portion is not used as extra space for passenger waiting area or even boarding area.If one is unfortunate enough to be caught at Imphal airport with a delayed flight, be prepared to be in for a frustrating time. Apart from the fact that there is not much space in the airport to sit or stand at ease, much less get to grab a bite the state of the rest room is pathetic. Earlier, there used to be at least a restaurant of some sort inside the airport where one could resort to buying some snacks. Then, it was the quality of food and the lack of choices in the menu that irked, but now there is no restaurant to speak of. A friend working in the airline sector says that the contract of the earlier agency handling the restaurant has got over and in such circumstances the airport authority needs to step in and operate the restaurant. This is the norm in all other airports in the country: one sees airport authority restaurants operating side by side with privately run eating areas. But the trend in Manipur seems to be more on “stuff yourself at home before you get in to Imphal airport”. The lack of infrastructure support at Tulihal airport can only get manic when flights get delayed well into evening time. Many friends traveling by the evening flight or those reaching late in the evening have only told me horror stories of finding trolleys strewn all over the place and a total dearth of vehicles to take from the airport to their homes or hotels. This, when Manipur is being sold as an upcoming tourist attraction point to outsiders. Many, say that they don’t even get to see airline or airport staff if they get into Imphal at late hours (‘late’ in Imphal is 6 pm in between!). But looking at it from the other side, how can staff stay on if they don’t get to eat or have refreshments? What of their toilet breaks?One main grouse with traveling by flights is the confusion over what can be taken along as hand baggage and what is accepted as cargo baggage. After hearing a varied list of complaints from regular fliers, I asked a friend with a private airline over who gets the final say in deciding what articles can be carried and what cannot be taken along. Her explanation made me realize that there are areas of confusion existing among various agencies. For instance, the CISF who runs the security check at check in point have their list of things which passengers are not allowed to carry on board. But at the final point of boarding, articles cleared by the CISF can still be offloaded by the airline staff. This is when the customer is NOT king. It does not help that airlines do not have their list of things they don’t allow in public display prominently. End-point:Sometimes though, rules can go for a toss depending on the mood of the person checking you in. One bad experience happened recently with me too: I had a non -stick utensil packed in its box, which I had not taped in. The lady at Delhi airport refused to take that as cargo baggage and asked me to get CISF clearance to carry that as hand baggage. When I pointed out that other passengers were checking in toasters and glass sets as cargo baggage, she was adamant that my pack was ‘open’ and so they would not allow it to go in. All requests that I would tape the pack fell on deaf airs and as a last resort, I ended up taking out the utensil and putting it in my lap-top bag while the lap top went into the utensil box- pack. The utensil went in as cargo and I had to lug my lap-top in my hand holding it close to my chest less I dropped it. ï»¿

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/airport-blues/

By B.G. Verghese
Republic Day was celebrated this year in the presence of the Thai Prime Minister who is young enough to make many of our vaunted “youth leaders” look old. There is a message here that must be noted. Timely words were otherwise spoken by the President in her broadcast to the nation. We must be cautious, she remarked, “that while shaking the tree to remove the bad fruit, we do not bring down the tree itself”. The reference was not merely to the somewhat anarchist tendencies unleashed by the Lok Pal matter but to a wider tendency impatiently to throw out the baby with the bathwater by adopting extreme positions on a  variety of reforms and current issues.

Negativism, to which many are addicted out of frustration, must not lead to rejection and violence that question or weaken the democratic edifice of the nation – a priceless asset. In a country of such vast diversity and varied levels and trajectories of development, extreme views should yield to the middle path of consensus, eschewing both status quoism and revolution.

In two more cases of cultural bigotry, a Pune university was forced to withdraw screening of an allegedly “separatist” Sanjay Kak film on Kashmir by ABVP rowdies while Shiv Sena goons vandalised the Times of India office in Mumbai for an innocuous report that a Sena politician might defect. The Jaipur LitFest, an otherwise great success, was marred by the Rushdie controversy. Conservative elements were once again allowed to swamp liberal opinion. The Satanic verses have long been banned in India but not the person of its author. Nobody stopped his going to Jaipur but tensions had built up and official advice to the LitFest organisers of a possible attempt on his life by hired hit-men caused him not merely to call off the visit but also to abandon the idea of speaking via a video-link from London.

The Central and Rajasthan governments were gratuitously blamed not only for “failing” to guarantee Rushdie protection but for floating a canard to scare him away while wooing Muslim votes in the ensuing state elections. This seems a kneejerk reaction. Had the authorities kept quiet and something untoward had happened, none would have spared the Government for knowingly allowing disaster to strike even after an albeit vague intelligence warning. When the Government did pass on the information, leaving the choice entirely to Rushdie and the organisers, the same critics now blame it for “censorship” and exploiting vote-bank politics. This is heads I win, tails you lose, and not for the first time. Too many people want to have their cake and eat it.

To scorn the pursuit of “high growth” and yet want the government to enlarge and enhance subsidies, to demand employment but retard investment, to seek better governance but prevent reform, to shed tears for displacement because of development but yet ignore the far larger displacement caused annually by distress migration for lack of development created jobs, are all symptomatic of distorted priorities and confused minds. Similarly, while applauding China, Singapore and others for accomplishing things that we would wish to emulate, we shy away from the pragmatic decision-making that these achievements entail.  . Those who criticise UPA-II for standing still, paralysed by scams, should also count the number of reforms blocked by paralysing Parliament over the past 18 months, largely on grounds of partisan politics without much thought for the national interest.

This attitude of “non-cooperation” must change in 2012. Coalition politics has played out in all the wrong ways. There is blackmail on one side and failure to consult one’s partners, let alone the Opposition, meaningfully and in time on the other. There is too much of talking at one another rather than with one another. And there is little doubt that the Government has been adrift. Hopefully, all sides realise the high cost of a wasted year. None has gained. The nation has suffered.

Unfortunately, the current five-state polls that have commenced have gone the old way. Too many criminals have been given tickets and many parties are almost at a state of war with the Election Commission which has, as before, sought to plug new loopholes and maintain a level playing field for all. Nevertheless, the degree of brazen defiance of basic norms is worrying. The return of assets filed by several candidates shows extraordinary growth since their last statement of wealth was filed. Many contestants have no PAN card and have never paid income tax. All this once again underlines the urgency and salience of electoral reforms.

The resounding defeat India has suffered at the hands of Australia in the four-Test series just concluded in Adelaide also carries a message. Indian cricket has moved away from the game to minting money, politics, strange alliances and individual glory. For the past year, Tendulkar’s century has loomed larger than an Indian victory. Fatigue and injuries tell their own story of “market” pressures to play without resting, reduce cricket to a milch cow for organisers to get richer and strut around with false pride. The media has played a notable role in massaging egos and joining others in hyping gamesmanship more than the game.   

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has once again come down on the Gujarat Government for its dilatory and obfuscating tactics with regard to post-2002 fake encounters. The monitoring committee under a retired Supreme Court justice, M.B. Shah, appointed in April 2011, has been given authorised to select investigators, from outside the state if necessary, in order to expedite matters, and to report back to the Court in three months.  The net is closing in on Narendra Modi and one can discern growing nervousness, dressed in bravado, on the part of Modi apologists in the Gujarat government, BJP and VHP. Justice Nanavati still plods his weary way to a conclusion on what is by now a highly flawed commission that pretended to offer certain final conclusions in its preliminary report a year or two ago, even as the truth is still unfolding.

Finally, on the other side of the border, it is worrying to note that yet another coup was plotted by elements in the Bangladesh army against Sheikh Hasina, though it was averted. Her “crime”: being allegedly pro-Indian. It was a nice gesture on her part to visit Agartala to thank the people of Tripura for hosting so many traumatised refugees in 1971.

It is now for India to act swiftly and more boldly to fulfil its part of the Indo-Bangladesh agreement on completing the land boundary agreement and ensuing better border management, trade facilitation and water cooperation among other things. Bangladesh is delicately poised and both countries need to act to support and build a relationship of harmony and cooperation that is in their mutual interest.

In Pakistan,  the jury is still out, but the civil government has thus far stood up to the military and must be applauded and diplomatically supported in upholding a still tenuous parliamentary democracy. 
www.bgverghese .com

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/dont-bring-down-the-tree/

By Bobo Khuraijam
Mother is ashamed in front of her friends. Ashamed of the long hair her son has nurtured. She wishes her son not to come out of the room whenever her friends pay a visit. Her concern looks more pronounce just the day before the arrival of the full moon, which would shine above the bamboo groove on the eastern periphery of the eenkhol. Her friends would gather for the Purnima Marup without fail. An adult son with a long hair, – what a mess in the family. Is something seriously wrong with her son? Long hair means a sign of decisive waywardness; a son who is unabashed of going beyond the norms of short hair, which looks unkempt, both in appearance and upbringing. If her son steps out of the room her friends would certainly notice him. Questions and counter questions would bombard mother with little mercy. Mother is alarmed weather she could escape from the barrage or become a victim in her own courtyard, all because of her son’s long hair. In the initial days her explanation was that the son was engaged in a role of a film. The role requires a character with long hair. It has been strictly advised by the director not to cut the hair until the shooting gets done. Come what may – blockade or general strike. Hmm… the explanation sounds saleable.  “What about the moustache and the goatee grown sparsely above the fair and lovely skin”? Even a dozy observant would asked. That is an imperative question which is never easy to escape. Well, that too, part of the character. Many a full moon have come and gone. Mother has become uncomfortable to stick to the same explanation over a long period of time; perhaps, too long, with the hair and time.

SCKEPTICALLY: There are also possibilities of the son to be a member of the UFO. That is when the son is happy riding a bicycle, with the hair tied unruffled at the occiput. A missing black uniform regrettably prevented that stamp too. Yet, the appearance still summons speculation of whether the son has puritanical position on religion. When did hair and moustache become religious motif? We don’t know. Sardarji brethren do have a unique pattern of religious ‘appearance’, which is unparalleled. But as far as we know, the valley dwellers do not have sam and koi regulation like them in a very strict sense. One can be a believer of the pre Vaisnavite faith with or without it. The son wearing all white entering a sankirtan maandop, with the emblematic chandon on the nose to offer a bhakti has a beauty in itself. Of course with the long hair and koi, the palla would not miss a snooping glance while prostrating. Does the son look like an UFO Vaisnavite to him? Please ask them.

SOCIAL DEBT: With the current season crowded with marriage and nahut- nareng, the son is also honored to be invited by friends to such ceremonies. Friends who cannot meet often get an opportunity to mingle around. Some friends would comment that the son’s hair and koi looks perfect on him. Even much better than any other look. They would suggest him not to cut it anymore. Some friends would conjure up watts of surprise that they failed to recognize him. What a way the son has changed. Two other friends, who are considered as champion of all sensibilities (they remained unchallenged till date) shared their piece of priceless gyan to the son. Without sounding diplomatic or overtly wise, though they are, they declared that the son should cut his hair. They professed that the son should consider their resolution keeping into consideration of the family members. Some friends also shared their intellectual skepticism with the son. They would inquire whether their friend has taken any vow within the rubric of a personal nirvana. Or is it a creative representation of an idea demanding an academic investigation. Is it a de-constructionist idea of a hair stylization? The elder members of the family who hosted the ceremony also shared their pangs of identity conflict. They did not recognize the son who used to frequent their residence since the college and school days. They said they would fail to greet him if they happen to meet on the road.

NOT IN THE END: Number of long hair is a minority in the town. More so with moustache and goatee included, complimented by a Humber cycle. The minority is not endangered in any way; they share a healthy camaraderie with their peer group. Those who are not known to each other, by name or anything, they would exchange a fleeting look. Greeting with unsaid words: hello, comrade! And for those who are familiar with each other, they would share hairy wisdom. The kind of shampoo they use, which are the best conditioning available, kinds of hairband which are sympathetic to the hair. Is dandruff a problem? How to cope with the hair fall? Female folks would envy their wisdom. Where have all the poets and lyricist gone who used to portray the beauty of long hair with exuberance? Why are they silent? We long to hear from you.

FOOTNOTE: the dream of a shopping mall over an old school, RDS, has been put to a halt by an order. Leipung Ningthou reminds, “bhaap ki dolaan toina saganu, lairik ningthina tammu”.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/a-sons-hairy-tale/

By Anil Bhat
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s first ever visit to, Tripura, her nation’s neighbouring Indian state sharing an 856-km border, on 11-12 January 2012, which she referred to as a pilgrimage, marked a high point in the extended celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Liberation war. She was invited by Tripura Central University for being conferred with the degree of Doctor of Literature, by for her “great contribution to the protection of multicultural democracy and peace”.

Ms Wajed, accompanied by her sister, Sheikh Rehana and an over 100-strong delegation including including External Affairs Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, some more ministers, businessmen and intellectuals, they were received at Agartala Airport by Minister of Human Resources and Development Kapil Sibal and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

“As we touched down at Agartala airport last evening, a flush of emotions overwhelmed me as I recalled the tremendous sacrifices during our glorious struggle for independence,” said Ms Wajed, in a voice choked with emotion, after receiving the degree of from Vice President of India Hamid Ansari at Agartala on 12 January 2012. Fondly recalling the help Tripura had extended during 1971 Liberation War spearheaded by her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she further said, switching to Bengali, “I express my deep gratitude to the people of Tripura who gave us food, shelter and clothing and care when the people of our country were subject of inhuman and barbaric torture in the hands of Pakistani Army and migrated to this land…I was further amazed when I came to know that before this university was set up, this place was a training camp of the Bangladesh liberation soldiers”.

Earlier, addressing the India-Bangladesh Business Meet jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), Ms Hasina appealed to the business community of India’s Northeast to cash in on the investment friendly atmosphere in her country. Her announcement of a major path-breaking step of Bangladesh government deciding to offer access to Chittagong and Mongla sea ports for better business ties with Indian businessmen and that use of Ashuganj port is just a step away, was very well-received.

Noting that the there is a huge potential of Indian investment in Bangladesh in IT, power and healthcare, Ms. Hasina said, “Political will is there to carry forward the bilateral ties and the business community of both sides must strive to catch the opportunities”. Laying emphasis on solving all pending bilateral issues including water sharing through discussion, the Bangladesh Prime Minister said, “India being a big country must come forward with an open heart to solve all the outstanding bilateral issues. We do expect India to show more sensibility in resolving all pending issues”.

The third India-Pakistan war during December 1971 was historically significant as it liberated erstwhile Bengali East Pakistan from decades of oppression by the ruling military government of West Pakistan culminating in horrific genocide by Pakistan army and created the new nation, Bangladesh. On 25 March 1971, the liberation war was launched by the Mukti Bahini, as Pakistani soldiers aided by local collaborators, had reportedly killed an estimated 3 million people, raped 200,000 women and forced millions of people to flee to India.

Eventually, when Pakistan sparked off the war on December 3, 1971, it took only 13 days for India Army to encircle East Pakistan. On December 16, 1971, Pakistan’s eastern army commander signed the instrument of surrender at Dhaka, as 93,000 Pakistan armed forces personnel surrendered to Indian Army all over what got declared as the newly born nation of Bangladesh.

The year 2011 was marked by extended celebrations in Bangladesh, for one of which it invited 17 Indian veterans of that war, in December 2011. Simultaneously Headquaters, Eastern Command, Kolkata hosted three serving Bangladesh Army officers, 22 Mukti Joddhas (Mukti Bahini veterans) and Indian armed forces veterans, including. Bangladesh Parliament’s Deputy Speaker Shaukat Ali, former Eastern Command chief of staff Lt. Gen. (retd.) J.F.R. Jacob, former Indian Army chief and Member of Parliament, Gen. (retd.) Shankar Roychowdhury.

16 December, instituted as Vijay Divas after the 1999 Kargil war, was observed in New Delhi by the Defence Minister and the three Services Chiefs laying wreaths at Amar Jawan Jyoti under the arch of India Gate. Whereas India Gate is a memorial made by the British to honour the memory of Indian Army soldiers killed in World War I, in Kolkata, Dhaka and many other military stations in India and Bangladesh, Vijay Divas was celebrated befittingly at larger scales, with tributes paid at many other memorials. Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, VrC, who headed the Indian war veterans delegation to Bangladesh, speaking to this writer said: “ We visited two National War Memorials and we were told that there were many more in the districts where major battles were fought. This is in stark contrast to our own country where we are yet to have a National War memorial for soldiers who died in all the wars that we have fought since Independence. They also have a War Museum which we visited which has well documented accounts of the war of liberation but mostly of their own Mukti Bahini.”

In this war Maj Gen Cardozo, 4/5 Gorkha Rifles, who got his leg blown up in a minefield, amputated it himself with a khukhri since there was no medical aid available. The visit is best described by him and Col SS Chowdhry, SM, who also interacted with this writer.

Col Chowdhry: “The 6 days trip was exhilarating, nostalgic… with very warm hospitality and touching gratitude. The President, the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, State Minister, Ministry of Liberation War and the three Services Chiefs took turns to host the delegtion. Plenty of visits to various battle locations, meeting old Mukti Bahini Joddhas and many delightful cultural programs made the six days seem too short. Over all, it was a great once in a lifetime experience”.

Maj Gen Cardozo further elaborated: “The Government of Bangladesh and its armed forces went out of their way to treat us as their honoured guests…they have a lot of love and regard for the Indian Government and its people….Mrs. Indira Gandhi is held in great respect and reverence for her courage and the manner she led India during those troubled times and the way she came to the rescue of a beleaguered neighbor….I was asked to address various gatherings and I said that forty years ago India and the people of what is now Bangladesh and their fearless Mukti Bahini shared a common destiny- for them to free their beloved country from the stranglehold of West Pakistan and of India to help a friend achieve that aim. I recalled that many sacrifices were made by Indian soldiers and Mukti Bahini and it was on the altar of these sacrifices that freedom was won in a brief war of thirteen days-just as well-before the US or China could interfere and before the UN could enforce a ceasefire….Great battles were fought by the
Indian soldiers and the Mukti Bahini shoulder to shoulder and by the Indian Navy and Air Force. The Mukti Bahini were a great force as was evident by the damage done at Chittagong and Khulna ports by Indian Naval commandoes and the Mukti Bahini frogmen….Wherever we went we were told by strangers that without India’s help the liberation would never have happened so quickly and the sacrifice by the Indian armed forces was greatly appreciated…..We attended a reception hosted by the President of Bangladesh and this was an occasion where the Prime Minister was able to personally thank us for all that we did so many years ago”.

The ceremonies at Kolkata included solemn tributes at Vijay Smarak to those martyred in the war, an all-faith prayer meeting was organised at the venue while two helicopters showered rose petals on the martyr’s column and the release of ‘Race to Dhaka ’, a pictorial book depicting the 1971 Bangladesh liberation. “Our defeat in the Chinese war had downed the morale not only of the forces but also of the whole country. But this victory enabled India to stand firmly and confidently on her feet. Since then we are totally confident,” said Gen Roychowdhury. Mr. Shaukat Ali praised India for its efforts and said his country will always remain grateful for the gesture. “India stood beside us for humanity. We shall always remember this gesture… I would give 100 percent credit to India for the liberation of Bangladesh. We gained Independence but India fought for it. Can this contribution be belittled’” said Ali. “We are grateful to India since 1971 and we will continue to be so. The Indian army stood beside us and together we marched to victory and independence,” said Ashrafdaula, a Mukti Joddha who lost one of his legs in the war. A five day cultural fest held at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission at Kolkata saw renowned cultural artistes from both sides of the border regaling audiences. Apart from the classic Bengali folk music to rock music, the guests also savoured delicious Bangladeshi cuisine. “Podda Illish”, the famous Hilsa fish from the Padma River has always been acclaimed as far tastier than its Hoogly counterpart.

GOC-in-C Eastern Command Lt Gen Bikram Singh conveyed to this writer that the interaction between the Indian and Bangladeshi veterans and serving officers covering tactical details about this war was indeed professionally beneficial.

In May 2011, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA, New Delhi) and Bangladesh Heritage Foundation (Dhaka) held a three day dialogue in Tripura which holds special significance with reference to the events of December 1971 and the Bangladesh Liberation War. As is well known, the first Bangladesh government in exile was formed in Agartala, apart from the first Bangladesh Radio office being set up there.The Bangladeshi delegation expressed their gratitude about the sacrifice that India and Indian soldiers made to ensure independence of Bangladesh and also reminisced the importance of Tripura in that historic event. The delegation visited the Bharat-Bangladesh Maitree Udyan park, Chottakhola, Belonia, a border town 130 kms from Agartala and one of the base camps of the Mukti Bahini, from where they launched the war against Pakistani troops in Noakhali, Feni and parts of Comilla districts. A museum showcasing the arms and ammunitions used in the war, photographs, literature and newspapers from that period has been planned.

With all that Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government has done to renew and revive old ties severely damaged by the pro-Pakistan Bangladesh Nationalist Party during its tenure, particularly against terrorism, New Delhi must maintain the momentum of cooperation in all fields for mutual benefit, especially Bangladesh and India’s North Eastern region.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/extended-celebrations-of-bangladesh-liberation-war/

By Chitra Ahanthem
Having stayed off from doing the routine news reporting for IFP earlier, the run up to the recently concluded Assembly Elections brought in a situation: yours truly needed to be in the news loop. IFP also needed sub edit support as winter ailments had kept away some of the desk people. The news collation combined with the sub editing at office left some very fascinating insights and experiences. Before we come to the IFP beat, there is one more media related anecdote to be shared here. Going along with a CNN-IBN team doing a half hour docu-news program on the Manipur elections, I happened to step into the office of a certain political party whose President was interviewed for the program. And because I was the ‘local’ face, I got endless calls asking when that Party President’s interview would air. Not that I knew when the program would air. But try telling that to the over enthusiastic person at the end of the line! As it turned out, only a 10-15 second byte of the honorable President was used and his visual was shown only once. His media contact called me and complained why such a long interview was taken and only 15 seconds of his Party President’s sound byte was used at the end of it. All explanations of the final program being decided by the CNN-IBN team and not puny me did not wash. The media contact for the political party actually turned around and said to me: “your byte was more longer and you spoke twice.” That sounded like it was my fault!

Some highlights of the mad moments are really worth sharing: with daily reports of bombs and IEDs being planted here, there and everywhere, it was practical for me to have a template to fill in every day. All I would do before I left for home would be to sit down with the crime beat journalist and have him list out a) bombs found in (where, when and at whose residence/locality) b) IEDs found in (where, when and at whose residence/locality) and c) hand grenades found in (where, when and at whose residence/locality). My template was designed in the exact manner and all I had to fill in were the names of the persons and places. Morbid? Insensitive? It saved me time though. In any case, how different can one write about bombs being found in an almost routine manner every day?

One must make a note for the kind of weird bit of ‘news’ that came in. Someone from another newspaper called to ask us at IFP whether we had heard an ISTV news that some 200 crore rupees had been seized from the CM. We went into a tail-spin trying to verify the news and probably ended up adding on to the wild goose chase. After things sobered down, it turned out that a national news channel had done a story about the assets and income declaration of sitting MLAs contesting the elections while questioning the small amount declared by the CM. So the confirmed news wasn’t much news in the end! The other bit of news that cracked us all at the desk was an incident of a bomb blast that left two poor dogs killed.

On the reporting beat, there isn’t much fun in press meets and press conferences. The media is supposed to sit through patiently and hear all allegations and at the end of the session be bombarded with requests for “more space” and “can you make this the lead news?” They make you feel so damn uncomfortable acting as if their lives depended on how much space their news would appear the next day and in which part of the page! I also have issues with how ISTV cameras always pan on journalists at press conferences. Normally news channels don’t take camera shots of the journalists but take visuals of the people speaking at the press meets. I don’t think for one second that journalists need to be in the picture at all or that they are more important than the reason for which the press conferences are being held, no matter how mundane or boring it turns out to be. But ISTV seems to have some sort of fixation for the local journalists at press conferences.

There is another complexity that a journalist or reporter faces in his/her social interactions. I have faced many instances where I am not in my “reporting” mind frame while speaking to government officials or employees who happen to be either friends or acquaintances. Simple questions of asking over issues of being dissatisfied with their work or even a query on what they are up to in terms of their work are almost met with suspicious answers. Most often, they clam up and one ends up trying to explain that you are NOT digging for a story. Isn’t it normal to ask about any one else in their social circles how work is going for them?

End-point:
And then there’s this other story. When election took place on January 28, we went scurrying all over the place following what was happening around us. The day ended for me at the RIMS morgue where the bodies of the election polling personnel at the Tampi polling and firing incident were being brought in. A rookie photographer called me with great concern and asked me: “should I take a bath since I have entered the morgue?” The question left me stumped at first but later I realized where his concern came from. As a society where a lot of things are considered taboo and “impure”, his concern was genuine. But, how could I decide what he should do once he got home? So I did the best thing under the circumstances and told him that I don’t think twice of being around dead bodies. But the ultimate twist to election- day was IFP could not hit the news-stands the next day: the generator had given up on us! All efforts up in smoke!

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/chasing-news-and-everything-in-between/

By Meenakshi Ganguli
Manipuris stood in line to vote for a new state government. As with voters elsewhere, during the campaign they were promised jobs, development and new infrastructure. The one promise on which successive governments have failed to deliver, however, is one of bringing justice to the people of the state.

Manipur has remained under the stranglehold of abusive armed groups and inept politicians. In each election, the armed groups – and there are many, with a range of political demands, though they are mostly extortion gangs – have called for a boycott of the polls. Those who participate, candidates and voters alike, risk violent attacks.

Things are so bad that earlier this month, all newspapers in Manipur published a blank editorial, in response to threats from armed groups that insist that the newspapers publish their statements. Newspapers face a double whammy: some militants have also demanded that they not publish statements of rival groups.

In the hope that an elected government will finally do its job, that of providing security and upholding fundamental rights, Manipuris have ignored the threats and turned out to vote. Yet, the government has failed to ensure even the most basic rights of life and liberty. Armed groups aside, Manipuris remain at risk of arbitrary arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings by the government`s own security forces.

The state government and local administration have also failed to address grievances that feed public discontent and support for militant groups. All of these problems are made worse, though, by Manipur`s climate of impunity. The Central government, while claiming to be committed to protecting human rights, has largely ignored serious violations by its security forces, at best attributing abuses to a few “bad apples”. But even in cases involving “bad apples”, the government rarely investigates, let alone prosecutes those responsible. Manipuris want impunity to end. Not only has it shattered any existing faith in the justice system, many feel it has emboldened the security forces to commit further abuses. Impunity, fostered both by a lack of political will and by laws shielding the abusers, has led to an atmosphere in which security forces are effectively above the law.

The lack of accountability has become deeply rooted because of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the 1958 emergency law under which the armed forces are deployed in internal conflicts and enjoy broad powers to arrest, search and shoot to kill. The law is widely despised among the population because it provides soldiers who commit atrocities effective immunity from prosecution.

When the Central government isn`t ignoring Manipur, it tries to sweep Manipur`s problems under the carpet. In December, the police in Delhi went so far as to refuse permission for a solidarity protest to support a decade-long hunger fast by Irom Sharmila, who has demanded the repeal of the AFSPA ever since soldiers gunned down 10 civilians in Manipur on November 2, 2000. She is nasally force-fed in judicial custody.

The AFSPA has led to abuses and serious hardships in other parts of the country. In Jammu and Kashmir, the repeal of the law has become a crucial election issue. Chief minister Omar Abdullah has spoken out against it.

But in Manipur, where the law has been in force much longer, political leaders have found neither voice nor wisdom. Irom Sharmila may have become known for her courage and her peaceful endeavour in India and beyond, but in Manipur`s capital, Imphal, the government has ignored her appeal. Instead, Manipuris remain hostage to an Army that claims it cannot operate without the powers and immunity provided by the AFSPA.

Hardly anyone in Manipur disputes that armed groups pose a serious security risk. Last year, two militant groups successfully imposed a three-month economic blockade on the surface supply of goods, crippling the economy and pushing prices out of control. Manipuris want law enforcement, but without human rights abuses or a blank cheque for the security services. The Army`s several decades of deployment in Manipur have not only resulted in widespread abuses but polarised the situation. The Army is damaging its reputation in India and abroad by insisting on protecting perpetrators of human rights abuses.

In 2004, following widespread anger over the custodial killing of a suspect, Manorama Devi, by the Assam Rifles, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Imphal with a promise to review the AFSPA. The review committee – and several other experts since then – recommended repeal of the law. The Army opposes repeal. Now halfway through his second term, Dr Singh has been unable to prevail over his divided Cabinet to deliver on the promise. Manipur erupts into national news only when the rage brings Manipuris out onto the streets. The Central government takes notice when the Assembly building is burnt down, elderly women strip and invite the Army to rape them as they have raped others, prices become ridiculously high due to weeks of blockade or when mothers and schoolchildren engage in weeks of demonstrations. It should not take such drama for the government to wake up to the problems in this corner of the Northeast.

(Courtesy:Asian Age. The writer is the South Asia director at Human Rights Watch)

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/manipur-its-search-for-elusive-justice/

By: G.S.Oinam
In early period of Indian democracy, election was very simple and no expensive. From time to time, election rules have been changing– voter identity card to electronic voting machine (EVM) and now, even CCTV camera inside and at the gate of polling station and biometric application in near future after completion of unique identification code of voters. However, election malpractices do not change from past to present. And now, the debate is “Right to Reject and Rights to Recall” or “State Funding of Elections”.

Most of the political parties are prefer to state funding of election. State funding of elections would bring in an element of equality to electoral contests, particularly because it would help remove the disadvantage faced by parties which represent the socially and economically weaker sections and which often have limited access to big donors. If there is no fund, no election mobilization is possible for a candidate of small and weak political party. Shall India be rule by one or two big political parties forever or change into two party American systems? Big parties have already many seasonal politicians on line for party ticket–fresher have no chance. So, the alternatives are regional / local political party or independent candidate.  Beside, good people do not turn out to contest election. The question is, why should I bankrupt myself, my family and my friend circle for election to serve for the people? If you are willing to serve people you can do at your best; you do not need to be an elected representative, power and money to serve people.

Political leaders will need power to achieve specific target, goals and objectives. For which, a set of agenda is required— what to do, people’s feeling, knowledge and skills mapping, behaviour and tricks of opponent candidates / party etc. However, good candidate will be defeated in the election because he would not like to practice wicked tricks to win election or he would be a bad leader after elected. Because, the quality of voters are still poor. This is reality……

People like Anna team and civil societies want “Rights to Reject and Right to Recall” candidates. The question is why I should choose you as my representative when your track records are all bad.  When we do not find a single right candidate—we are choosing less hate candidate as our representative. ”Rights to Reject’ means voters would have the right to reject all the candidates in the fray if they find none to be suitable; my vote has given to none and it goes to the rejection of all candidates. If the numbers of rejection votes become majority, there shall be re-election or re poll. Second point is, once you are chosen as an elected representative- you can’t do at your own wills. Therefore- rights to recall means elected representative must be resigned when he does wrong against the wills of voters.

But, I feel there is something missing both in the discussion. It would be very rear to find a candidate 80% good either in a conflict state like Manipur or all India. So, how many times election will be re-poll after ‘rights to reject’ is implemented? Shall it weaken the power of elected representatives or government or parliamentary system? Or, shall “Rights to reject” system be effective? How many good candidates are possible to turn out after state funding of election? Even both have merits; election commission and government will have a lot of problem to implementation —may be election machinery problem or huge amount of public money for election funding.

What is the real problem in the existing electoral system? 1st problem is the violation of the election code of conducts to win power. 2nd problem is powers delegation for the EC to take appropriate action in time against those indulging in malpractices and; 3rd problem is, minority elected representative- unless candidates secure 51% of the total votes of the respective assembly constituency, they are minority representatives. Existing system of election is favouring them to work for their minority voters only. Now, we have witness how difficult is to fight an election. They are contesting election to live or death—do you believe that they would resign on social, economical and political issue of the state after they declared elected? How many violence are occurred in one election? Is it an election or violence or war? More violence is occurred because of more political mobilization. However, such kind of mobilisation does not practice in Lok Sabha election.

Why election commission does separate election for Lok Sabka and Vidhan Sabha? May be the reason for different period of term of State Assembly and Parliament or lack of machinery for election or political stagnation—we have witnesses many mid term election. Second reason, state assembly has completed its term and parliament is 2 years remaining to complete its term.  Third reason, how much security strength do government need and how much government can arrange security for election— because election violence is everywhere. More security arrangement is required in the hyper sensitive and sensitive areas.

Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi’ is opinion on the suggestion for State funding of elections, saying “this will only add to the problem and not curb the use of money power in elections. However, SY Quraishi’s sought more powers for the EC to deregister parties indulging in malpractices and to fix the limit for money to be spent in elections. Electronic media have made a lengthy discussion for the past 6-8 months on corruption and electoral reforms—focusing on election expenditure and its effect on political corruption. Now, media has to focus on another topic of election funding to turn out good politician.

What would be wrong to election commission when elected members scoring less then 51% of the total votes do trust vote again? Those elected members getting less then 51% shall not be entitle to get allowance and facilities unless they could pass the trust vote for more then 51% within one year. So that, they could serve for general people ignoring their past rivals and enemies or conduct a preliminary round of election and select only 2 or 3 for the final round. This preliminary round can be done by simple survey or opinion poll or management and attitude test of the candidate.

Electoral Reforms in India

The Union Cabinet approved in principle the law ministry`s proposal for state funding of elections on December 2005. A Bill recommending state funding of elections has been referred to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its opinion. As per the proposal, candidates from recognised political parties will receive state funding. The Election Commission will be consulting different political parties on the issue before taking a final decision.

In a significant step towards state funding of Parliamentary and assembly elections, the Law Ministry has been asked to formulate “concrete proposals” in this regard despite Election Commission`s reservations. A Group of Ministers to tackle corruption, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, has asked the Law Ministry to formulate “concrete proposals on Constitutional and statutory amendments which are required for introducing reforms relating to state funding of elections,” say by a statement issued by the Ministry of Personnel on 16 October, 2011.

In an effort to rationalise ceiling of expenses in elections, government had earlier this year enhanced the poll expenditure of candidates to Rs 40 lakh for parliamentary constituencies and Rs 16 lakh for assembly seats. The maximum limit for parliamentary constituencies was Rs 25 lakh and Rs 10 lakh for assembly seats. However, Union Law ministry issued a notification amending the Conduct of Election Rules regarding the election expenditure of various states. The notification says the upper limit of election expenditure for assembly seats in the state of Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim would be Rs 8 lakh.

On 56th meeting of the National Development Council, (NDC), Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has called for state funding of elections. It is the need of the hour to curb corruption caused by fund collections and related processes for elections. He also called for simultaneous elections of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies once in five years while doing away with frequent elections and by-polls.However, the former Chief Election Commissioner, James M. Lyngdoh, has said state-funding of elections is a “useless thing,” and that switching over to proportionate representation of the electoral system will help curb the influence of money in the long-term.

In June 1998, a multi-party parliamentary committee under the chairmanship of Indrajit Gupta of the Communist Party of India (CPI) was constituted to look into the question of state funding of elections. The other members of the committee were Somnath Chatterjee of the Communist Party of India(Marxist), Manmohan Singh of the Congress(I), Madhukar Sarpotdar of the Shiv Sena, Vijay Kumar Malhotra of the BJP, Sedapatti R. Muthiah of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Digvijay Singh of the Samata Party.

After holding extensive discussions with political parties across the country, the committee prepared its report and submitted it to the Union Home and Law Ministries recently. It has recommended far-reaching measures to reform a key aspect of the electoral process; funding of political parties and candidates. The committee has made out a strong case for state funding of elections because political parties performed a vital public function to sustain democracy. However, it has recommended that such funding should be confined to parties recognised as national parties or State parties by the Election Commission and to candidates fielded by such parties.

According to the committee, the aim should be to discourage political parties from seeking any external funding (except a nominal membership fee) to run their affairs, carry out political programmes and conduct election campaigns. The committee has laid emphasis on the need for greater insulation between political parties and private contributors of funds. As election campaigns required huge amounts of money and the costs of routine political activity between elections are also substantial, political parties have become overly dependent on private contributions, often acquired through questionable means and usually on the basis of a quid pro quo. Business houses and entrepreneurs contribute funds to political parties and seek to influence government decisions through them.

The committee has said that state funding of elections would bring in an element of equality to electoral contests, particularly because it would help remove the disadvantage faced by parties which represent the socially and economically weaker sections and which often have limited access to big donors.

There was criticism that state subsidies paid in the form of cash could be misappropriated. The committee, therefore, has recommended that subsidies be extended to recognised political parties and their candidates in the form of facilities. Thus every recognised national party may be allotted rent-free accommodation for its headquarters in New Delhi and every recognised State party may be provided the same facility in the respective state capitals. It has also recommended that the State provide one rent-free telephone with subscriber trunk dialing facility at the premises. A higher quota of free calls than what is available normally to telephone subscribers has also been recommended.

The committee has endorsed the efforts of the Election Commission (E.C.) to allocate sufficient time free of cost on Doordarshan and All India Radio to recognised political parties for election broadcast, and suggested that the facility be extended to private television channels in order to ensure fair and balanced coverage.

There is general agreement that the state should provide every candidate of the recognised parties a specified quantity of petrol or diesel to run vehicles during an election campaign, a specified quantity of paper to prepare election literature and voter identity slips, postal stamps for a specified sum of money, five copies of the electoral roll in a constituency, and an amplifier system for every Assembly constituency or for every Assembly segment of a Lok Sabha constituency, subject to a maximum of six such sets for a Lok Sabha constituency.

According to the recommendations, during election campaigns the state should provide a deposit-free telephone with a specified quota of free calls for the candidate`s main campaign office in every Assembly constituency or segment (subject to a maximum of six telephones in a Lok Sabha constituency), basic facilities for the candidate`s camps outside each polling station on election day, and food for the candidate`s counting agents inside the counting hall on counting day.

In order to curb the election expenses of parties and candidates, the committee has called for reasonable restrictions on wall writings, the display of cutouts, hoardings, banners and posters, the number of vehicles used for election campaigns, and the time and venue of public meetings.

The committee has recommended the creation of a separate Election Fund with an annual contribution of Rs.600 crores (at the rate of Rs.10 a voter, for the total electorate of about 60 crores) by the Centre and a matching amount contributed by all State governments together.

The committee has suggested that in order to be eligible for state funding, political parties and their candidates should have submitted their income tax returns up to the previous assessment year and that political party should accept all donations above Rs.10, 000 in the form of cheques or drafts and disclose the names of the donors.

The committee has said that the Government and Parliament should decide whether there should be any ban on donations by companies and corporate bodies for political purposes, as there was disagreement among the members. While Indrajit Gupta, Somnath Chatterjee and Sedapatti Muthiah recommended such a ban, others opposed it. The committee could not reach a consensus on whether the election expenses of political parties and other associations and individuals should be included in the accounts of election expenses of candidates.

Electoral Reforms – prepared by the Core- Committee on Electoral Reforms 2010.

In order to take the agenda forward, the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, has constituted a Committee on Electoral Reforms.  The main purpose of the Committee is to recommend to the government concrete ways in which our electoral system can be strengthened. The Committee will take into account the opinions of political leaders, Government servants, legal experts, NGOs, scholars, academics, journalists, and other stakeholders.

This Committee seeks to hold regional consultations followed by a national consultation in order to develop a set of actionable recommendations.  Every effort would be made by this Committee to reach out to a wide set of experts and stakeholders and to benefit from the insights and experience of all concerned.  The objective of these recommendations would be to provide the basis of developing legislative and other proposals which can then be taken forward. 

The topic of electoral reforms has been taken up by numerous government committees in the recent past, including but not limited to:

* Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms (1990)
* Vohra Committee Report (1993)
* Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998)
* Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws (1999)
* National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2001)
* Election Commission of India – Proposed Electoral Reforms (2004)
* The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008)

The criminalisation of our political system has been observed almost unanimously by all recent committees on politics and electoral reform. Two measures recommended by previous committees like Vohra Committee Report on Criminalisation of Politics and the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution are discussed; enforcement of the disclosure of criminal antecedents of candidates, and eligibility restrictions for candidates with criminal cases pending against them. In addition to this, pursuant to the order of the  Supreme Court the  Election Commission on March 27, 2003, has issued an order that  candidates must file an additional affidavit stating (i) information relating to all pending cases in which cognizance has been taken by a Court, (ii) assets and liabilities, and (iii) educational qualifications.

Election Expenditure: In an attempt to deal with the use of black money in elections, the maximum poll expenditure for parliamentary constituencies has been increased to Rs 40 lakh and to Rs 16 lakh for assembly constituencies. Expenditure limit varies according to the size of states. Law ministry issued a notification amending the Conduct of Election Rules on February 2011. At present, in big states, the upper spending limit in parliamentary constituency is Rs 25 lakh and Rs 10 lakh in assembly constituency.

Electoral candidates in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand would be able to spend Rs 40 lakh per constituency in parliamentary election and Rs 16 lakh in assembly election.

In case of Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, while the upper limit for expenditure in parliamentary election is Rs 40 lakh, for assembly election there is a variation. In HP and Uttarakhand, a candidate can spend only Rs 11 lakh for assembly constituency while in case of Nagaland and Tripura, it is Rs 8 lakh.

In Jammu & Kashmir, because of its special status, election expenditure for parliamentary election is Rs 40 lakh while for assembly election the maximum limit has been left to the state election commission. In Goa, the upper limit for expenditure in parliamentary constituency is Rs 22 lakh and Rs 8 lakh for assembly constituency.

North-eastern states also have varying structure of election expenditure. In Arunachal Pradesh, the upper limit for parliamentary constituency is Rs 27 lakh and Rs 10 lakh for assembly constituency. In Manipur and Meghalaya, the maximum limit for parliamentary constituency is Rs 35 lakh and Rs 8 lakh for assembly constituency.

In Mizoram, while the upper limit for assembly constituency is Rs 8 lakh, for parliamentary constituency, it is Rs 32 lakh. In Sikkim, the expenditure limit for parliamentary constituency is further less at Rs 27 lakh while for assembly it is Rs 8 lakh.

In case of Union Territories, there is a big variation again. In Delhi, maximum expenditure for parliamentary constituency is Rs 40 lakh, for assembly election it is Rs 14 lakh. In Puducherry, upper limit for parliamentary constituency is Rs 32 lakh and for assembly Rs 8 lakh.

In UTs without assemblies — Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu — expenditure for parliamentary constituency is Rs 16 lakh. In Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Chandigarh — also without assembly — it is Rs 27 lakh and Rs 22 lakh respectively.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/retrospective-electoral-reforms/

By: G.S.Oinam
CEO of London based skills and an expert team member of NVEQF India – invite me one day and  said, students doesn’t turn out for vocational courses even ensured them job placement / linkage after training. Perhaps, his opinion may be an experience of big cities or type of industrial training courses may not attract to the students. Vocational education is a very odd name; change the name into “Professional Training Courses “ to attract students in a fashionable way; this is my finding and suggestion after studying South Korean experience and comparison with Indian experience. Job seekers are also looking future prospects and careers. ITI /ITC and 17 Ministries are providing short term vocational and technical training courses along with stipend for workers in some courses. The Modular Employable Skills (MES) scheme is being offered under the Skill Development Initiative Scheme (SDIS). The Ministry of Labour and Employment undertook the development of a new strategic framework, namely the MES, for skill development for early school leavers and existing workers, especially in the unorganised sector in close consultation with industry, micro enterprises in the unorganised sector, State Governments, experts and academia. Government target for vocational education is mostly level 1 & 2 courses. For such type of courses, trainers must go to the work place where group of workers are working to provide them skills development programme. For example, Fevicol Company does less advertisement Fevicol product in the newspapers. Company executives will go to the field to organise programme to promote their products where groups of carpenters and plumbers are working. Because, majority of the carpenters, plumbers do not read newspapers. But, they do advertise a product “Fevi quick” to the newspapers and TV because most of the users of the product are readers of newspapers. 2nd example, Frankfinn is a well-known vocational institution for hospitality and air hostess. They are providing diploma course for cabin crew, airport ground staffs, hotel management with job assurance and placement facilities. Change of name into professional course has attracts the students in hospitality and nursing profession. However, job market of civil aviation industry in India is declined—many of the airlines run loss business. Many Nursing institutions in Manipur are also providing level 3 & 4 diploma courses. Most of Manipuri nursing practitioners at outside states have come back to Manipur after getting experience – they don’t like to settle outside state (mostly girls) unless government job or better perks and facilities are provided. However, fresher nurses are still going to outside states for job. Now, state will face additional burden of hospital job unemployment in Manipur unless more hospital and clinics are open.

Skills development is only namesake and beginning in the state—state policy makers must prepare better policy frame work base on scope and labour market available for job creation. For example, if state has potential for job creation in agriculture, horticulture, fishery, commerce etc—skills development programme and vocational courses shall be given due important on the above subjects matter to enhance skills of the existing local work forces and to meet the requirement of new skills workers on the specific field. National vocational qualifications frame work is general frame work and it is base on all Indian contexts. Qualifications frame work and specific subject has to be identified by State Councils for Vocational Training concern subject to local resource available and have been established to assist the NCVT both knowledge, practices and attitude.  For example, ‘Kaona Phak’ mat making training can be successful for self help groups and large scale production as well. Singapore had developed a “comprehensive vocational training infrastructure,” forging strong linkages between education institutions and training agencies. The National Skills Recognition System is Singapore’s national framework for establishing work performance standards, identifying job competencies and certifying skills acquisition. It is implemented by the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board. To assess the workers, assessment centres were set up. Workers can be certified at centralised assessment centres, workplace or a combination of both. In Hong Kong too, the provision of public sector training has been strategic. Vocational and technical schools received serious attention in Japan even during the 19th century (Yamamoto, 1994).  The “Taiwan Miracle” owes to its system of VET. In UK, the national framework covers general secondary and tertiary education, VET, work-based learning and prior learning. Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) describes the process of giving formal recognition to learning that derives from personal experiences often gained in employment or voluntary work situations. NVQs are also part of ‘Modern Apprenticeships’ which are funded through work-based learning. In several countries of the region many academic secondary schools that concentrated for a long period on preparing students for university entry, tried to become multi-purpose institutions to serve a broad spectrum of students and needs, including specific types of occupational training.  In addition, various types and models of specialised secondary training institutions have been created in several countries to meet different middle level manpower needs.

However, in Manipur, members of skills experts committee are all bureaucrats. Manipur has wasted crores of public money spending outside states on vocational training courses like spa, skin care, hair style, nail cutting training etc. without considering importance, priority and benefits. Our babus knows only how much to spend but they don’t care how much to achieved. Establishment of more vocational training centre / institutions in Manipur is the best option. However, courses should be restructured based on labor demand. Ensuring the vocational stream is not dead-end – by allow vocational students to proceed to higher education and linking up vocational schools with specific industries to ensure that curriculum and outputs match industry needs. Determinants of Quality in Skill Training are faculty, curriculum, infrastructure, evaluation of student learning, government and administration, and industrial / farm partnership.

People are expecting more from the newly formed Manipur Skills Development Society, Government of Manipur. The role of Manipur Skills Development Society must be focus on 1) Identification of skill development needs 2) Development of a sector skill development plan and maintain skill inventory; 3) Determining skills/competency standards and qualifications.4) Participation in affiliation, accreditation, examination and certification.6) Plan and execute training of trainers and 7) Promotion of academies of excellence.

Industrial skills training are usually conducted by the respective industrial unit; however, recent recession in India attracts the experience person or skills people by recruiters consequently, farms want to hire employees already trained so that the cost and time of employees training can be saved. However, your professional training pass certificate is not the only criteria for your job. You will be require further training after recruitment at least 2-3 months accordingly company management style – reputed company has own management styles. For example, if you are recruited for hospitality job in a 5 star hotel, you have to under go training for 3 months simply to say “welcome to our restaurant.” After transferring your job from one 5 star hotel to another 5 star hotels, another training programme will be conducted simply to say with smile “welcome to our restaurant” to follows company own style.

Taiwan and South Korea are the most experience and successful countries of vocational education in the world. For students who do not wish a college education, vocational schools specializing in fields such as technology, agriculture or finance are available, in which the students are employed right after graduation. Around 30% of high school students are in vocational high schools. To make vocational high schools more attractive, in April 2007 the Korean government changed the name of vocational high schools into professional high schools. Korean vocational high schools offer programmes in five fields: agriculture, technology/engineering, commerce/business, maritime/fishery, and home economics. What are home economics? It is similar to Home Science in India. In Ireland it is called home economics—scientific and social. This subject is known as Family and Consumer Sciences in USA. Students are trained in stitching, knitting, textile, designing, cooking, money management, family relationship, nutrition and child care and also given social lessions. Unfortunately, Manipur University does not open Home Science Department.

The NVEQF India is a framework on international lines to link various qualifications and set common principles and guidelines for nationally recognized qualification system to monitor, manage creating the curriculum for Vocational Education in India. Currently the Vocational Training under NVEQF is provided in some courses like, Automobile, IT, ITES and Telecom Industry. In general the NVEQ (National Vocational Education Qualification) are work based courses/awards designed to enhance the skills of people at work. These courses are based on the competency level of participants and hence, the participants should prove their talents at work. Eleven countries presently have NVQFs including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Switzerland, India and UK. This makes a person to choose the appropriate level of diploma/degree/certificate courses, thereby enhancing their knowledge.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has recently hosted a conference focusing on the development of models for delivering skills training to people in the North Eastern region of India, comprising eight states. The conference, held in Guwahati in the state of Assam, particularly focused on the relationship between skills and migration and the need to generate demand for skilled workers in the region. Manipal-City & Guilds’ Rajat Khawas was among the speakers. The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, has emphasised the need for India to close the gap between skills supply and demand, characterising the country’s steps towards skills development to date as “rather tentative”. Speaking at a meeting of the National Council on Skill Development, the Prime Minister called for all Ministers to scale up their skill development programmes substantially and propose ambitious skilling initiatives in the 12th five year plan. A new study by talent management firm DDI has found that India’s business leaders out-perform their Chinese counterparts in the critical skills required for successful leadership. In particular, they appear to be better at spotting emerging talent and in making leadership selection decisions. The survey spans 2,600 companies in 74 countries.

The Indian PM had declared on June 2010 for setting up of 1,600 new industrial training institutes and polytechnics, 10,000 new vocational schools and 50,000 new skill development centres to ensure 10 million students get vocational training. Currently, 17 ministries / departments deliver vocational educational training programs to 2.8 million people. There are 9,583 schools offering 150 vocational courses of two-year duration in broad areas of primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy. In addition, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) imparts vocational education in 80 courses in various areas- agriculture, business and commerce, humanities, engineering and technology, home science and health and para medical skills, taking the total enrolment in vocational education courses of all these schools to roughly 6,00,000. The framework will have a competency-based modular approach with provision for credit accumulation and transfer. Students would have the scope for vertical and horizontal mobility with multiple entry and exits. This effort will bridge the gap and give employment to a large number of students with a handsome salary, HRD minister said. Providing skilled people to labour-intensive sectors like automobile, construction and manufacturing will reduce unemployment in India. CBSC schools have included vocational courses under NVEF since 2011. While 220 million students are in schools, less than 15 million are expected to pursue higher education, and better vocational education will improve the chances of employment for the dropouts.

South Korean Experience:

The Korean vocational education and training (VET) system is heralded as one of the key factors contributing to the country’s past economic growth. VET has played an important role in developing a skilled labor force during Korea’s economic development. The vocational education and training (VET) system in Korea has been evaluated to supply skilled human capital needed for rapid economic development at the right time at the right place. However, the status of the VET track is weakening in Korea as higher education becomes more important and general education becomes more attractive for students and their parents complying with continuous economic development. The declining status of VET is not only of importance to Korea but also to most developed countries.

Statistics demonstrate the success of South Korea’s national education programs. In 1945 the adult literacy rate was estimated at 22 percent; by 1970 adult literacy was 87.6 percent and, by the late 1980s, sources estimated it at around 93 percent. Although only primary school (grades one through six) was compulsory, percentages of age-groups of children and young people enrolled in primary, secondary, and tertiary level schools were equivalent to those found in industrialized countries, including Japan. Approximately 4.8 million students in the eligible age-group were attending primary school in 1985. The percentage of students going on to optional middle school the same year was more than 99 percent. Approximately 34 percent, one of the world’s highest rates of secondary-school graduates attended institutions of higher education in 1987, a rate similar to Japan’s (about 30 percent) and exceeding Britain’s (20 percent).

Social emphasis on education was not without its problems, as it tended to accentuate class differences. In the late 1980s, a college degree was considered necessary for entering the middle class; there were no alternative pathways of social advancement, with the possible exception of a military career, outside higher education. People without a college education, including skilled workers with vocational school backgrounds, often were treated as second-class citizens by their white-collar, college-educated managers, despite the importance of their skills for economic development. Intense competition for places at the most prestigious universities—the sole gateway into elite circles—promoted, like the old Confucian system, a sterile emphasis on rote memorization in order to pass secondary school and college entrance examinations. Particularly after a dramatic expansion of college enrollments in the early 1980s, South Korea faced the problem of what to do about a large number of young people kept in school for a long time, usually at great sacrifice to themselves and their families, and then faced with limited job opportunities because their skills were not marketable.

Most observers agree that South Korea’s spectacular progress in modernization and economic growth since the Korean War is largely attributable to the willingness of individuals to invest a large amount of resources in education, the improvement of “human capital.” The traditional esteem for the educated man, now extend to scientists, technicians, and others working with specialized knowledge. Highly educated technocrats and economic planners could claim much of the credit for their country’s economic successes since the 1960s. Scientific professions were generally regarded as the most prestigious by South Koreans in the 1980s.

Vocational education system around the world:

The South Korean system of vocational education is designed from high school to associate degree (junior collage) to graduation, then master / doctoral in university. Students have the option to continue general class or vocational class after passing junior high school by entrance test or join in general degree course after passing associate degree in vocational or junior collage (senior secondary level in India)

The Japanese system may have the simplest design. Students completing basic education go to general secondary education, and from there they either enter firms that provide entry-level training or go on to tertiary education.
• The North American system has no “streaming” until after secondary education and it relies on post-secondary education to facilitate transition to work. Students completing secondary education go to community colleges and polytechnic institutes (which provide vocational technical instruction) for short courses, and to universities, which provide both general and professional training.

• The French system streams students into vocational courses at the secondary level. Students in vocational courses are prepared for entry to the labor market, and those in the humanistic scientific streams are prepared for higher education.

• The German system is based on a long tradition of apprenticeships. For a (diminishing) majority of secondary school students, instruction consists of school-based general instruction and firm-based occupation-specific training (the “dual” system). The system, regulated by guilds, has a set of qualifications that provides broad equivalency between graduates of the academic and the dual subsystems.

• The Latin American training system is a hybrid of the French and German models. For students completing basic education: (a) it relies on autonomous vocational training institutes for those proceeding to the labor market, (b) on general (humanistic-scientific) education at secondary level for those proceeding to tertiary education, and (c) on school-based vocational education for others.

• The Australian system allows transitions between the vocational and tertiary education systems. Employers play a key role in the management of the vocational system.

• The Indian system could be said to resemble most closely the Latin American model.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/vocational-education-a-very-odd-name/