10 dec

Page 1

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXXII No. 8

DIMAPUR, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021 Pages 12 ` 5.00

WHO warns fears of omicron could spark new vax hoarding

FOLLOW US ON

@Nagaland_Post

INTERNATIONAL, PAGE 9

PM, Rajnath pay tribute to CDS Rawat, and others at Palam airbase in Delhi NEW DELHI, DEC 9 (PTI): The bodies of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brig LS Lidder and 10 others killed in the tragic helicopter crash near Coonoor were brought to the national capital on Thursday night. An Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft carrying the bodies from the Sulur airbase touched down at the Palam technical airport at around 7:35 p.m. Heart-wrenching scenes were seen at the Palam airport as 13 caskets were placed inside a hangar in presence of their family members. Some of the family members of the personnel killed in the chopper crash were also present, including Rawat’s two daughters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh and the country’s top military brass

Police seek info from public on Oting incident DIMAPUR, DEC 9 (NPN): State police has appealed individuals to come forward and provide any information regarding the December 4 Oting killing. In a communiqué, SP (Crime) and PRO Nagaland police said that any person having photos, videos, suspicious activities from primary source or any other information connected with the incident may share/submit the materials in original, not forwarded (secondary source), in the interest of police investigation. PRO said individuals may contact the Special Investigation Team (SIT) or share information via phone call or WhatsApp message to +91 6009803048 or email to otingsit@gmail.com. Police assured that the identity of the informant will be kept confidential on request. The original recorded audio/video/document would be collected from the source after following due legal procedures, PRO said. It may be mentioned that the state government had set up a SIT to probe into the December 4 firing incident. SIT will conduct investigation under the overall supervision of ADG (L&O) Sandeep Tamgadge, with IGP (R) Limasunep Jamir as the chief investigation officer and four police officers.

This is it!

"Looks like we're going to restart the narrative of development for peace and peace for development." K Y M C

Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh pay tribute to late Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, during a wreath laying ceremony at Palam Airbase in Delhi, Thursday(PTI)

on Thursday paid homage to India’s first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika, Brig LS Lidder and 10 more defence personnel at the Palam air base after their bodies were brought to Delhi in a military aircraft. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Army Chief MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Air Chief Marshal AVR Chaud-

hari, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar were among those who paid homage to the deceased at a sombre ceremony. It was reported earlier that the severity of the IAF chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district was making it difficult for the team concerned to positively identify the bodies of the 13 individuals who lost their lives in the crash. However, officials

nagalandpostofficial

Watch us on YouTube

said the mortal remains of only four-- CDS, his wife, Brigadier LS Lidder and L/ Naik Vivek Kumar could be positively identified and the final rites would be performed as scheduled. The other bodies will be kept at the mortuary at the Army Base Hospital till they are identified. Army officials said the bodies of those identified will be released to families for last (Cont’d on p-5) rites.

Gen Naravane frontrunner for CDS post NEW DELHI, DEC 9 (PTI): The government is set to begin the process soon to appoint the next Chief of Defence Staff with Army Chief Gen MM Naravane emerging as the front-runner for the top post that fell vacant following the demise of Gen Bipin Rawat in a tragic helicopter crash. The move by the government comes even as a number of retired military commanders said it will be prudent to appoint Gen Naravane to the top military post as he is retiring as the Chief of Army Staff in five months. Gen Naravane is the senior-most among the three service chiefs. The name of former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd) was also doing the rounds. People familiar with the development said the government will draw up a small panel comprising senior commanders from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

Govt to hold Spl NLA session to press for repeal of AFSPA Correspondent

KOHIMA, DEC 9 (NPN): A special one-day session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) is to be held tentatively on December 20 to discuss the controversial Armed Forces (Special Power) Act 1958 including the Naga Political issue. This was decided at a meeting by the Core Committee of the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political headed by chief minister Neiphiu Rio at Hotel Vivor here Thursday. This was informed to Nagaland Post by minister of planning & coordination, land revenue and parliamentary affairs minister

Neiba Kronu, who is also the member secretary of the committee. Kronu said that the tentative date for the special assembly session has been set for December 20. He also said the Governor is to give his assent for convening the special assembly session. The decision also comes against the backdrop of the state cabinet to urge government of India to repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Nagaland. Several organizations, including the Naga Students’ Federation had also appealed to the state government to convene a special Assembly session to pass a

resolution for repealing of the draconian law. It may be recalled that chief minister Neiphiu Rio, while speaking at the mass funeral service in Mon town on December 6, had said: “We’re urging the Central government to remove AFSPA from Nagaland. I have spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah who has taken the matter very seriously.”. It may also be recalled that the state cabinet had decided to support the demands of the Konyak Union (KU) addressed to President of India on December 6, for repeal of AFSPA from the North East and to set up a special investigation team (SIT), under a competent

investigating agency, to conduct an independent inquiry and also to include two members in the SIT from Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation etc. Kronu also said the cabinet decided that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) complete its investigation within one month. On the demand for withdrawal of 27 Assam Rifles from Mon district, Kronu had earlier said that the government would need to look into it and discuss it with the Centre. The demand for repeal of AFSPA has found wide support among all organisations and politicians both within and beyond Nagaland.

Mumbai City crush Jamshedpur FC 4-2 SPORTS, PAGE 12

Amit Shah misled Parliament on Nagaland, claims Adhir Chowdhury NEW DELHI, DEC 9 (PTI): Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday claimed that Home Minister Amit Shah had “misled” the Lok Sabha when he said that security forces had opened fire on civilians in Nagaland after they tried to flee. He also said that a Congress delegation on a visit to Nagaland was stopped at Jorhat by the district officials. “Inside the House, the home minister had given a misleading statement when he said those people who were shot dead had tried to flee after being signalled to stop,” Chowdhury said in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour.

Neiphiu Rio along with his cabinet colleagues and others at 'In Memoriam' programme. (NP)

Correspondent

KOHIMA, DEC 9 (NPN): Upping the ante, chief minister Neiphiu Rio said the unfortunate incident at Ot-

ing was a clear case of both abuse and misuse of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Speaking at the event “In Memoriam” in honour

and memory of 14 Konyak brothers who were massacred by 21 Para Special Forces of Indian Army on December 4, he termed the incident as the “most unfor-

Demands SIT to complete probe before Dec 25 DIMAPUR, DEC 9 (NPN): Konyak Union (KU) has demanded that Union home minister Amit Shah should withdraw his statement in Parliament wherein he had stated that the Oting incident was a fallout of mistaken identity. Re g r e t t i n g S h a h ’s statement in Parliament, the union stressed that he should rely on concrete facts and evidences, and not just make lopsided statements spoon-fed by the Indian Army. It asked him to respect the sentiments of the people by withdrawing his remark. KU also appealed to the Central and State governments not to politicise the December 4 Oting Yatong massacre by restricting people from visiting the area to pay last respects to the victims. The union said it welcomed foes and

However, he appealed to them not to retaliate violently, “not because they could not but because they would not”. He stressed that it was time to defeat violence with non-violence and for the biggest Naga tribe to show the world that they also had the biggest heart.He thanked families of the 14 deceased Konyak brothers, Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), Konyak U n i o n ( K U ) , Ko n ya k Students’ Union (KSU), (Cont’d on p-5)

More than 20 villages without govt school in Kiphire district Tsipise Antony

KIPHIRE, DEC 9 (NPN): More than 20 recognised villages in Kiphire district do not have government schools. It has been learnt that Kiphire district education office and senior subdivisional education office had placed the matter before Kiphire District Planning & Development Board, which subsequently forwarded it to the State government in 2018. But, since then there has been no positive outcome from the school education department.

Children belonging to Lihtsaoung village seen walking to school.

District education officer (DEO) Deenabandhu Panda said the government had requested those villages to construct school build-

ings on their own and the school education department would provide teachers. Consequently, he said some villages constructed

temporary school buildings, though the department was yet to provide teachers. The DEO said the department was aware of the matter and was trying its best to accommodate the deprived students of the village and would make some arrangement in the coming year. He said the villages that did not have schools at present would be able to send their children to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vdyalaya (KGBV) residential school at Pungro and a similar school at Kiphire. Mentioning that lodging and food

“Those people who have been admitted to the hospital have said ‘direct marise’. It means they have been shot directly,” he said. Chowdhury said Congress president Sonia Gandhi had constituted a delegation comprising Lok Sabha members Gaurav Gogoi and

KU asks Shah to withdraw statement

Oting killings clear case of abuse, misuse of AFSPA: Rio tunate and careless act by the Indian security forces”. He pointed out AFSPA legitimised killing on mere suspicion, adding that Oting was not the first time where civilians had to bear the brunt of the draconian law. He recalled that Nagas had opposed the Act for decades and they would continue to advocate its removal. Calling the Konyaks as the “bravest and fiercest” among the Nagas, Rio said he understood their anger and sadness inflicted on them by the security forces.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Anto Antony to visit Mon village in Nagaland and share the grief of the locals whose family members were killed in the firing by security forces. “The Congress leaders were stopped from visiting Mon district. This government stops us from visiting Lakhimpuri Kheri. This government stops us from visiting Nagaland. The situation is deteriorating in the entire northeast,” Chowdhury said. Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said the issue raised by Chowdhury pertained to the state government and not the Lok Sabha.

would be free, he said applications would have to be filed two months in advance at district education office, Kiphire. As per section 6 of the Right to Education Act, 2009, a neighbourhood should have a primar y school (Class 1 to 5) within one km radius and upper primary school (Class 6 to 8) within three km radius. Lihtsaoung villagers air grievances: Established in 2011 and recognised by the State government in 2014, Lihtsaoung village in Kiphire district has no (Cont’d on p-8) school.

friends alike during such time of grief in accordance with customary norms. It cautioned that it should not be held responsible for any untoward situation that could arise on account of such restriction within its jurisdiction. KU further appealed to the Special Investigation Team to expedite and finish the probe before December 25. While clarifying that the media restrictions at “ground zero” was at Oting Yatong, the union also cautioned members of media fraternity against fabricating false news and distorting facts. Appreciating the masses for observing the sevenday public mourning, the union appealed to all concerned to be more respectful towards the victims to avoid any unwanted incident during the mourning period. KU also deeply resented telecom ser vice providers’ act of shutting down mobile network on December 5 that restricted communication and dissemination of information,

leading to the unfortunate mob uprising that ultimately resulted in vandalization of its office, attack on Assam Rifles camp and the death of an innocent Konyak person. Clarifying that it had never demanded or requested any form of compensation, either from the Centre or State government, KU stressed that no monetary value on earth could replace the lives of the 14 innocent Konyak youth massacred on December 4 and 5. Hence, it warned the Central government not to play with the sentiments of Konyak people and instead deliver justice before Christmas. The union also expressed deep shock at the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 13 others in a fatal helicopter crash and conveyed deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Mourning the dead along with rest of the country, it prayed to the Almighty to bring comfort and solace to all the bereaved families.

NSF stages sit-in dharna against AFSPA

NSF functionaries and others during the dharna. (NP)

Correspondent

KOHIMA, DEC 9 (NPN): At the call of North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) organised sit-in dharna in front of Raj Bhavan here on Thursday against the imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the North-eastern States. Students took part at the dharna with placards that read “Repeal the Draconian Law AFSPA 1985”, “Indian Army foe of North Eastern people”, “We stand in solidarity with our Naga brethren - the innocent civilians who were brutally killed at Oting village, Mon

district”, etc. They also burned effigies of security forces with AFSPA written on them. Addressing the gathering, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep reiterated the demand that Government of India (GoI) should set up a court-monitored committee headed by a retired Supreme Court or high court judge to conduct an impartial probe into the killings at Oting and Mon. He insisted that the culprits should be brought to justice immediately. He demanded that the draconian law should be repealed and human rights restored in the Naga home(Cont’d on p-8) land. K Y M C


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.