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The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 110
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www.morungexpress.com
[ PAGE 8]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
Thursday, April 24, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4
What led Adi to suddenly marry Rani in Italy?
Entrepreneurs encouraged to start food processing business [ PAGE 2]
‘Piles and piles’ of bodies in S.Sudan slaughter
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 9]
Major fire burns 5 vehicles in Kohima
Kohima | April 23
All these seized stuffs were meant for the poor voters.
A major fire broke out in a motor workshop here this afternoon, which led to the burning down of five vehicles. The motor workshop called ‘Medo Motor’s Workshop’, located at High School Junction along the New Secretariat road, is owned by one Ape Chakhesang. Fire tenders rushed to the site to control the fire. Vehicles that got burnt down included two Boleros, two Scorpios and one pick-up vehicle. Sources said approximately Rs. 50 lakh worth of the workshop’s property, including the cost of the vehicles, was lost in the fire. Casualty, if any, had not been reported, and cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained till the time of filing this report.
AgArtAlA, April 23 (iANS): The model code of conduct has been slightly relaxed in those states where polling has been completed, an official said here Wednesday. “Ministers can now hold review meetings of various projects and schemes with the officials and can visit ongoing developmental projects,” an Election Commission official told reporters. He said: “However, in these review meetings and visits, the ministers cannot call the district magistrates or the officials engaged in the election-related duties.” Various state governments, including Kerala, have urged the poll panel to relax the model code of conduct for smooth work of the state administration and implementation of ongoing projects. In many states, including the northeastern states except Assam, polling is over but the model code of conduct is still effective.
Where is the ENPO package?
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DiMApUr, April 23 (MExN): The Socialist Party Youth Wing has reminded the State Planning & Coordination Department of the Government of Nagaland to clarify on the utilization of Rs. 30 crore (ENPO Package) allocated under Grant of Special Central Assistance under the fiscal year 2013-14 from the Ministry of Finance Government of India. “Amounting to Rs. 100 Crore, the planning and co-ordination department have turn deaf ear as they have failed to respond to the Socialist Party Youth Wing in regard to the clarification sought on the utilization of funds published on dated Dimapur 13th of April 2014 which reflects the manipulation of the department,” stated the Socialist party Youth Wing Nagaland Unit president, Atsolen Keor, and vice president, K. Toshi in a press release. The Socialist Youth Wing appealed to the State Government to “ponder upon this matter at the earliest so to avoid any confrontation arising out of this issue for the betterment and welfare of the Nagas in general.”
nMA questions govt on delay in payment of ssA teacher salaries
KOHiMA, April 23 (MExN): The Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has written to the Governor of Nagaland today drawing his attention to, and immediate intervention on, the case of the Nagaland SSA Teachers’ Association (NSSATA). Referring to the issue of non-payment of salaries by the Department of School Education to the SSA teachers, the NMA stated that “Transparency and accountability of public funds must be maintained which also includes regular and timely submission of Utilization Certificates to the concerned Ministry for timely sanction of funds
for the salary of teachers working under the SSA program.” The NMA found “highly questionable” that there is “Discrimination in payment of salaries to these SSA teachers till date.” “It has been confirmed from sources that there has been payment of salaries to SSA teachers from two districts of Mon and Tuensang, while the rest of the teachers in the other districts have been forced to go on a strike as well as serve an ultimatum to the State Government for non-payment of their salaries,” informed the Association. Such “biased discrimination,” it stated, is
“unwarranted and deplorable, in matters of service,” and demanded “immediate inquiry into this serious case of discrimination which is an indication that the Government does have the funds to pay salaries of the SSA teachers.” Furthermore, the NMA has learnt that adequate funds were received for salaries till December; “so why was there a delay in payments, which had led to unnecessary closure of schools. Is the Government/Department encouraging such strikes and harassment of both teachers and students at the same time?” It alerted that
the “silence of the School Education Minister is deafening in the midst of such continuing irregularities and we hope our grievance is conveyed in the strongest terms.” In the interest of the service of the SSA teachers as well as thousands of school children, the NMA has urged the Government to “bring out a clear policy in matters of service of teachers serving under the SSA program, which should be in accordance with laid down policies and guidelines of the Central Government and the concerned Ministry and also ensure protection of their services.”
–Henry A. Kissinger
Sachin greater than Bradman, claims book with “evidence” [ PAGE 12]
cong alleges ls election malpractice in nagaland Our Correspondent
Election code partly relaxed in some states
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A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone India successfully test fires indigenous Akash missile
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Congress in Nagaland today stated that it will submit documentary evidence of malpractices during the Lok Sabha elections in Nagaland to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Talking to media persons here, INC candidate for Lok Sabha polls, K.V. Pusa, said the documentary evidence will be submitted to the Election Commission to either order re-polling in multiple places or countermand the elections which was marred by large scaleproxy voting and rigging. According to the PTI, Pusa said the State Congress party has submitted a representation to the CEO Nagaland requesting him to declare elections in 1034 polling stations as null and void or hold re-poll in those polling stations. He also alleged that 48 polling stations in the State reportedly have polled hundred per cent while 986 polling stations had over 90 per cent voting. “Such heavy turnout is ridiculous, as there were hardly handful of electorates who had come out to exercise their franchise in almost all the polling stations,” he said. He said Congress party has already submitted a representation with some documentary evidence and proof to the Chief Electoral Officers and Returning Officer yesterday in Kohima. Before leaving for New Delhi to lodge a complaint before the ECI, Pusa urged the concerned authorities to take the matter
‘Declare votes in 1034 polling stations as null and void or hold re-poll in those stations’
seriously as it would affect the future generation of the State as well as due democratic process. He said the State Government had used all state machinery to win the election suppressing people’s right to their franchise. Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president, S I Jamir, said the manner in which elections were conducted was unprecedented and undemocratic. “Whether the Election Commission accepts it or not, we are going to take up the issue with the ECI for our future generations and democratic process,” he said. Jamir also took a dig at village councils which passed resolutions in favour of political parties and candidates and cast vote for the entire populace of the villages. He maintained that such practices were against the democratic process which should be checked and stopped forthwith. Pusa said under the current trend of democratic process there would be no accountability in Nagaland as people’s right has been snatched away by a handful of people. He said be it Congress or the NPF but winning an election through proxy and poll
rigging would amount to a “proxy MP or MLA.” He also questioned poll officials for not being able to perform their duty and for allowing large scale proxy voting and poll rigging. “Congress believes in one man, one vote but one man voting for whole family and village is done with impunity,” Pusa said. The Congress candidate urged competent authorities to issue a suomoto action to all poll stations which have polled 90 per cent and above so as to deter future malpractices. He said the State’s record of 88.57 per cent was due to poll rigging and proxy voting. He said whether Naga villages were traditionally parliamentarian or of a chieftainship they have always been close to a system where individual freedom was cherished rather than despotism. “However it is unfortunate that our people in general failed to turn out to vote and taking advantage of the lacunae the polling booths throughout the State were taken over by a handful of stooges working for some politically motivated local elite,” he said. “If the polling parties have been put under pressure to allow proxy voting or booth capturing has taken place, I want to ask them to come out in the open and defend the democratic process they represent with all audacity,” Pusa said. Meanwhile, Pusa along with NPCC president and other senior Congress leaders will meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi during their visit to Delhi.
officer’s wife indians view rape as big problem Tax booked for
WASHiNgtON, April 23 (Ap): A new poll shows that Indians view rape as a big problem in their country and think the criminal justice system is inadequate to deal with it. The national survey was conducted by the Pew Research Center one year after the December 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi unleashed a wave of public anger about sexual violence in India. The results were published Tuesday. The survey shows nine in 10 Indians agree that the crime of rape is a “very big problem.” About eight in 10 say the problem is growing. And despite some legal reforms after the Delhi case, about three in four Indians say laws are too lax and faulted police for not being strict enough in investigating rape cases. The survey was based on 2,464 face-to-face interviews with adults across India between December 2013 and January 2014. It found the concern about rape cuts across gender and party lines, and is shared by urban and rural Indians. Some 91 percent of men said rape was a very big issue, and 89 percent of women. The nationwide outcry following the Delhi gang rape led the federal government to rush legislation increasing prison terms for
Why women’s safety not in poll campaign, ask activists
NEW DElHi, April 23 (iANS): Rights practitioners, lawyers and thought leaders Wednesday asked why was women’s safety not of pivotal concern in the ongoing elections, and called for greater awareness about the issue. “The Indian election manifesto is short. According to a poll, 91 percent of the voters said in these elections, violence against women was the number two priority, after corruption,” Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nandy said, also stressing why governments need to be pressurized into working on women’s safety issues. She was speaking here at the inaugural session of the “Catalyst Conference: Igniting Leader to end Sexual Violence”. She added that each one has an important role to play in ending the existing patriarchy in the society. “The issue of patriarchy runs deep in our system and is the root cause of all challenges faced by women. Each one of us has a responsibility, and a role to play in dismantling the patriarchy within ourselves and outside. It is also true that the government has to lead this in a significant way,” she said. Echoing her sentiments, Naina Lal Kidwai, who is country head of HSBC India, called for increased awareness and action against sexual violence. Speaking at a session titled “Economic Empowerment: Is a Job Enough”, social worker Mirai Chatterjee said that economic empowerment is the “key”. “Economic empowerment is not just about putting money in a woman’s hand, but is also about food, basic social security, child care, pension and housing. Then, when she has money in her hand, that’s when we see a transformation,” she said. rapists and criminalizing voyeurism, stalking, acid attacks and the trafficking of women. In September, a special fast track court sentenced four of the perpetrators of the Delhi case to death. And earlier this month, a court sentenced to death three men who raped a photojournalist inside an abandoned textile mill last year in Mumbai, India’s
biggest city, under a new anti-rape law. The victim of that attack survived. The Pew poll found that only 7 percent of Indians rated the current laws as “about right” in dealing with cases of rape, and only 6 percent said the police investigated rape cases adequately. Some 18 percent thought the laws were too tough. The margin of sampling error was 3.8 percentage points.
running sex racket Five women from Manipur and Nagaland arrested gUrgAON, April 23 (iANS): The wife of a tax officer has been booked here for running a sex racket, police said Wednesday. The racket operating out of a spa and massage parlour, located on the second floor of DT City Centre Mall here on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon road, was busted Tuesday evening. “The parlour was being run by Kanta Sharma. We have sent her notice to join the investigation and will grill her soon,” Sandeep Kumar, chief of Sector 29 police station, told IANS. Kanta’s husband is an excise and taxation officer posted in Gurgaon. Five women from the northeast, aged 20 to 25 years, along with a customer, were arrested. “All accused were identified as natives of Manipur and Nagaland. The customer arrested is a Gurgaon resident. They have been sent to seven days’ judicial custody by the court of Magistrate Joginder Singh,” the officer added. A police complaint under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act has been registered.
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