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ThursDAY • April 13 • 2017
DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 100 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment Xi calls for a peaceful resolution of NKorea tension in call with Trump
P o W e R
T R u T H
— Napoleon Bonaparte
SKK launches Clean Election campaign
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Dybala hits double as Juve stun Barcelona
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Aboi renew their demand for Nagaland: Arts graduates up-gradation to district HQ appointed as Math Teachers School education dept to clean up inflated data: Solo T School Education Minister laments shortage of math teachers in state
Morung Express News Aboi | April 12
The public of Aboi town, a sub division under Mon district renewed their demand for up-gradation to a district headquarter with a public rally on Wednesday. The rally organized by the Aboi District Demand Committee was held at the local ground to show solidarity with the demand for up-gradation of Aboi from the present ADC HQ to that of a Deputy Commissioner as mentioned in an addendum memorandum submitted to the Nagaland State Government on March 9, 2017. Members of the Aboi District Demand Committee said the demand for a separate district began in the year 2008 with the first memorandum submitted on May 2008. The then Nagaland Chief Secretary, Lalthara had already recommended their demand, the Committee claimed while adding that they had to put off the district demand for some years due to the issue of the ENPO statehood demand. The Committee leaders at the rally made it clear that the demand for a district is not for division of Konyaks but for development of the area. Some of the placards displayed by the public during the rally read “People’s movement for our
Chopper service unavailable on April 17 and 18 DIMAPUR, APRIL 12 (MExN): The Nagaland State Transport today informed that state helicopter services will not be functional on April 17 and 18 due to scheduled maintenance. A press note from the General Manager, NST asked people to bear with the inconvenience.
EC throws ‘open challenge’ to hack its EVMs
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NEw DELhI, APRIL 12 (AGENCIES): Even as major Opposition parties met President, Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday and raised issue of alleged EVM tampering during their meeting, the Election Commission has come out with an ‘open challenge’ to hack the machines from the first week of May. The fourlevel challenge will be conducted in Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi. The challenge will be open to people from the domain of technology as also the political parties for ten days. “From first week of May, experts, scientists, technocrats can come for a week or 10 days and try to hack the machines,” an official source said. They said the challenge will be open for a week or 10 days and will have various levels, as per PTI. The Commission had announced a similar challenge in 2009 and it claimed no one could hack its electronic voting machines (EVMs). Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge, and Communist Party of IndiaMarxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury were part of the delegation that submitted a memorandum to the President on alleged tampering with the EVMs.
Our Correspondent Kohima | April 12
Public and the students’ community taking part in the rally demanding up-gradation of Aboi sub-division to a district headquarter.
rights,” “Not for division but for development,” etc. Presidents from all the Konyak Union units and area student’s union voiced their support while urging all concerned to unite and cooperate with one another in standing for their rights. Anghs of the neighboring villages also gave
their word that they have no objection and that they support the demand. The apex body of the Konyak community, the Konyak Union is also learnt to have extended their support. The areas falling under the “Aboi district,” as per the demand include Aboi area, Longching area,
Chen area, Mopong Hongkong area and Tobu area, which mostly comprise of the upper Konyak. Units of the Konyak Union and area student’s union body from all the areas and the public took part in the mass rally. After the rally, a memorandum was also submitted to the ADC, Aboi.
Minister for school education, Yitachu on Wednesday exposed a disturbing revelation on the appointment of math teachers in the education department—he said many of the math teachers appointed by the department are “Arts graduates.” Addressing a one-day conference-cum- interactive session for DEOs/ DDEOs/SDEOs/JEOs/ Deputy Directors/Assistant Directors at the Capital Convention Centre, Kohima, the School Education Minister said many vacancies of math teachers have been filled up by arts graduates “either by manipulation or wrong information or at our own will.” While expressing concern on the huge shortage of math teachers in the state, Yitachu however termed the appointment of arts graduate to be math teachers as injustice to the future. “This, we have not done justice. We have not done good things for our future,” he rued while adding, “We have planted destructive mechanism in our society.”
he state’s department of school education has decided to clean up the inflated data within the department. “In the past the state government including our department used to project inflated figures and data so as to get maximum benefits under different schemes of the Government of India. But under the leadership of Minister for School Education, Yitachu, we have decided to clean up the inflated data,” said FP Solo, Principal Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Department of School Education. Be more honest and accurate in the collection and projection of our data, he advised the officers during the one-day conference-cum- interactive session for DEOs/DDEOs/SDEOs/JEOs/Deputy Directors/Assistant Directors at the Cap-
In this connection, the Education Minister said time has come to take a corrective measure. He directed the concerned officers to give information on the number of shortage regarding math and science teachers in their respective areas and also find out whether the post is lying vacant or being occupied by arts graduates. He also asked the officers to give correct information so that corrective replacement is taken up. In the meantime, Yitachu was also appreciative that as high as 97% of science students are opting for math and termed this as a positive development in the state.
ital Convention Centre. Also stating that the department had carried out extensive rationalization exercise, Solo asked the DEOs, DDEOs and SDEOs to come up with accurate data and figures. He regretted that the latest UDISE data “reflects something different.” “It appears that some DEOs, DDEOs and SDEOS were not truthful enough during the rationalization exercise,” Solo said. He said the department would be collecting data from different sources including GIS mapping. “We will be comparing and verifying those data and action will be taken against those who furnish false information,” he warned. “We cannot keep on fooling ourselves and others with false data,” he said adding: “we should come out clean sooner than later.”
No further up-gradation of schools The School Education Minister also said he does not want any further upgradation of schools in the state except establishing new schools in new settlements, depending on availability of enrollment. “We should open schools to give education to our citizens. However, we want to open schools, we want to upgrade schools only to give employment in the village or in that particular location. That mindset has to be removed,” Yitachu observed. If responsible administrative officers have such mindset of recommending a school to be established
or upgraded so the locality would get more employment, then you are a miserable failure and it would only curse the society, he pointed out. HSCL exam centre in all ADC HQs The Minister also shared his plan to open HSLC exam centres in all the ADC headquarters in the state. He felt that this would solve the burden of students who have to travel 40 to 50 kms to appear exams in the nearest exam centres. He also said the department has taken the decision to bring down DDOs. The department presently owns 115 DDOs.
Centre seeks recall of SC order on counter-insurgency ops Nagaland State will not observe
NEw DELhI, APRIL 12 (IANS): The Centre on Wednesday sought a recall of a Supreme Court judgment on no excessive and retaliatory force use in self-defence by security forces in counter-insurgency operations. Saying that the action taken by Army in disturbed areas could not be put to judicial scrutiny, the Centre contended through a curative petition that the top court order dated July 8, 2016, had completely negated the protection made available to security forces under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. As Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the petition before a bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar said: “Either you bring it within the parameters of the cu-
rative petition; otherwise, we will not be able to help.” Rohatgi contended the existing parameters for filing curative petitions were not “exhaustive”. The bench said it will look into the matter as the Attorney General said a related case was coming up for hearing on April 18. The Centre has sought the recall of the July 8, 2016, order and the October 6, 2016, order by which the review plea was rejected. By its July 8 order, the top court had ruled that army and paramilitary forces cannot use excessive and retaliatory force during counter-insurgency operations in Manipur, declared a disturbed area, under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and criminal courts do have jurisdiction over cases of alleged excesses by security forces.
The Centre contended that the immediate effect of the July 8 judgment is that it has “hampered” the Army’s ability to respond to insurgent and terrorists situations which have far-reaching ramifications for national security and integrity, especially in parts plagued by constant militant and insurgency activities. The petition said besides being inherently dangerous and mostly unpredictable, the “counter-insurgency operations are a sovereign function and their justifiability ...can’t be and ought not to be allowed...” Subjecting the legitimate combat decisions to judicial review would impinge upon the national security, the Centre said. The Centre said armed forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations needed to be given
requisite protection of law, adding that operations against the enemy should not be impeded by the same being subject to threat of judicial scrutiny in the future. It said the review of security situation and potential military level in disturbed areas is a highly specialised issue requiring requisite expertise in the domain of internal security and the same can’t be decided, examined or assessed by the courts of law. The petition said in Manipur alone, the Army and Assam Rifles lost 928 personnel to insurgency with 1,463 injuries from 1990 to 2015. Allegations of excessive use of force has to be examined from the perspective of national security and the larger public interest as opposed to individual’s interest, the government pleaded.
Nagaland Congress registered with ECI Morung Express News Dimapur | April 12
The Nagaland Congress (NC) party, which was launched in June 21, 2016, has now been registered as a political party with the Election Commission of India (ECI) under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The registration with number 56/192/2016-17/PPS-1 came into effect from February 22, 2017 and the party will function under the guidelines of the ECI. NC President, Nillo Rengma revealed this to party workers during its plenary session at Bookmarc Conference Hall, Dimapur on Wednesday. He said the party would work for unification of all Naga inhabited areas under a single administrative unit and to protect the rights and privileges of minority communities living in the State. He said the NC would defend the special provisions of Article 371 (A). Nillo also said that membership of NC was open to all the citizens of the country without any
Nagaland Congress office bearers seen after its plenary session in Dimapur on Wednesday. (Morung photo)
discrimination on the basis of religion, region, caste, language and culture. He said the NC as a regional party was formed to provide transparency in governance and accountability to the public and to provide all round development and equal opportunities to the people. “Our aim is to reform Nagaland, safeguard the rights of the Nagas and to make it free from corruption....we offer you
the platform of NC for this very objective,” Nillo added. He said launching of the party was rightly timed attuned to urgent need for an alternative political platform in the State. NC Treasurer, Z. Lohe said the public were “under colonization of the elected representatives” who were no more accountable to the people since the voters have sold their rights during elections.
He spoke about the need of the hour to fight against the “powerful menace” of the corrupt system. Stating that NC alone was not in a position to fight the menace, Lohe stressed on the need for likeminded NGOs like ACAUT and other parties to strongly fight against corruption. He also said Christianity was under threat in the State and that the Church could be divided unless a common fight was put up against anti-Christ forces. Later, addressing media persons, NC General Secretary, Vaprumu Demo said the party at its initial stage was not in a haste and not over ambitious as well. Asked about the stand of the party on 33% women quota, Demo said the party was not against women but since the people were against it, the party would have to go with the flow. NC office bearers, Joshua Sumi, Khuosatho, Prasielie Pienyu, S. Supongmeren Jamir and others also took part in the programme.
Digital India Day on Good Friday
DIMAPUR, APRIL 12 (MExN): The Nagaland State Government will not be observing any activity related to promotion of Digital Payment on April 14, 2017, the day being a public holiday (Good Friday). A press note from the Nagaland State Chief Secretary, Pankaj Kumar informed that the Government of India is going to organize Mega Draw and Digi Dhan Mela on April 14 for promotion of digital payment. In this connection, a video conference was held on April 7 by Government of India where senior officers from the State Government participated. It was informed that the programme will be organized in 100 cities in the country. The list of locations does not include any place in Nagaland. TheNagalandBaptistChurch Council (NBCC) had also expressed concern at the move by the Government of India to observe Digital India Day on Good Friday. A press note from the NBCC informed that it conveyed the council’s concerns to the Nagaland State Chief Minister. The NBCC stated that “Passion Week or Holy Week is the time from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday (Resurrection Sunday) and the week includes Good Friday.” This is a time when Christiansallovertheworldcommemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and includes exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, it reminded. The NBCC acknowledged that it received assurance from the Government of Nagaland that Digital India Day will not be observed on Good Friday in Nagaland. Meanwhile the move by the Government of India to observe the day on Good Friday has drawn criticism from several quarters. On Tuesday, the Meghalaya government expressed its strong opposition
against the Centre’s decision. Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that his state government will not participate in such programmes which aim at diluting the secular fabric of the nation. “I will write to the Prime Minister as it is necessary for me to express concern on behalf of the people with special reference to the North East, which have a major chunk of Christian community,” he said. He said the state government has officially intimated the Union Cabinet Secretary in this regard. Lambasting at the Centre’s decision, Mukul had stated: “We have to be candid in asking what is their agenda. The identification of dates – observing Good Governance Day on Christmas and now Digital India Day on Good Friday – are they (BJP-led NDA) trying to marginalise the minority? Is it that they selectively identifying these dates to marginalise the minorities with a complete disregard to the Constitutional obligation of ensuring personal liberty?” On Wednesday, the National People’s Party (NPP), a BJP ally, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to defer the Digital India Day to be held on April 14. “With my sincere concern for the Christian communities who strongly believe that Good Friday is holy auspicious moment, I humbly suggest you to kindly defer the Digital India Day so that the secular fabric of India remains honoured both in writing and spirit,” NPP Lok Sabha member Conrad K. Sangma said in a letter. It may be noted that the central government had previously also drawn criticism from various quarters for its move in changing the gazette calendar and setting Christmas day as Good Governance Day. With agency inputs