Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXXII No. 231
DIMAPUR, WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022 Pages 16 ` 5.00
Neeraj to miss CWG due to injury
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SPORTS, PAGE 16
Rio, Shah discuss Naga issue
NEW DELHI, JUL 26 (PTI/AGENCIES): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed with him various issues concerning the state, that include the ongoing Naga peace process. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the convener Neiphiu Rio (ANI) of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), was Amit Shah’s Parliament present in the meeting at house office.
“Today, I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. NEDA convener and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was also present in the meeting. We discussed the Naga issue,” Rio told reporters outside Parliament. When asked about resolving the border dispute with Assam, Rio said it will be done after the State assembly elections next year. On Naga peace pro-
cess, chief minister Rio said, “Negotiations are going on. It depends on the negotiating parties...We are hopeful.” “We discussed about our party and alliance govt & other issues of Nagaland. We’re having elections next year. On inter-state border issue, we have full understanding & things are going smoothly,” Rio was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.
NDPP, BJP to continue 40:20 seat sharing pact Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, JUL 26 (NPN): Setting to rest all political speculations , ruling alliance partners- NDPP and BJP- have reaffirmed continuance of their 2018 pre-poll seat sharing arrangement of 40 (NDPP):20 (BJP) for the forthcoming Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) elections in 2030. This was disclosed in a joint communiqué issued by NDPP secretary general Abu Metha and BJP Nagaland in-charge Nalin Kohli . They also declared that there will be “no friendly contest in any constituency” as both parties will continue seat sharing as agreed ahead of the 2018 NLA elections where NDPP had contested 40 seats and BJP 20 seats. The signatories also informed that a core committee comprising members of
State logs 14 fresh Covid cases, 1 death DIMAPUR, JUL 26 (NPN): Nagaland on Tuesday recorded 14 fresh Covid-19 positive cases while one more patient succumbed to the virus. Of the fresh cases, nine were from Kohima, three in Mokokchung and one each in Mon and Phek, taking the total caseload to 35,723. One more Covid-19 fatality was reported from Mokokchung, pushing the death toll to 768 (including 5 non-Covid deaths but with positivity). The State currently has 100 active cases after 14 more patients recovered from the infection. PTI: With 14,830 new Covid-19 cases being reported in a day, India’s tally rose to 4,39,20,451, while the count of active cases has declined to 1,47,512, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 5,26,110 with 36 new fatalities being recorded, the data updated at 8 am showed.
This is it!
“I don’t understand people. Before elections they demand development and during elections they want money.” K Y M C
both the parties will formulate the election strategy to decide the seats from where each party will set up candidates, at an appropriate time. They also recalled that the pre-poll alliance between the two parties was formed in 2018 under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then BJP national president Amit Shah. The election campaign was launched by Modi at Tuensang on February 22, 2018 and the pre-poll alliance won the people’s mandate to form a popular government on March 8 that year, the statement added. Both the parties asserted that the alliance had provided Nagaland with a stable government and carried out all-round accelerated development with the full-fledged support of Modi government. It was also mentioned that the State witnessed an
era of economic growth with the prevalence of a peaceful environment guided by the Common Minimum Programme of the alliance. Further, the communiqué claimed that the State government had played the role of an active facilitator in the ongoing Naga peace process, while serious efforts were being made by the State and Central governments, with the blessings of Modi and Shah towards finding a peaceful solution through the ongoing political dialogue. The signatories also added that the NDPP-BJP alliance had grown from strength to strength and continued to win the popular support in the past four years having emerged victorious in elections to Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Assembly by-elections. Meanwhile, chief minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted
that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah, the NDPP-BJP alliance has been further strengthened. “We remain committed to work for lasting peace & accelerated all-round dev. of the State...,” Rio stated. Assam chief minister and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma also confirmed about the development after both he and chief minister Neiphiu Rio met Union Home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. In a tweet, Sarma said “Today Honble CM @ Neiphiu_Rio and I met with Home Minister @AmitShah in his Parliament House office. Happy to share that the BJP4India and @NDPPofficial will jointly contest the forthcoming assembly elections...”
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pal Act, 2001 and its further amendments, which infringed upon Article 371 (A), if not ratified, would have set a precedent detrimental to the rights of the Naga people. The three bodies also expressed regret over state government not inviting them to any consultative meeting with regard to ULB election. Meanwhile, the state chief minister in a file noting on the joint representation, directed the chief secretary to examine the matter and call for consultation and also seek legal opinion from advocate general to amend the Act as requested.
Announce civic polls: State JD(U)
Janata Dal (United) Nagaland state unit has urged the state government to immediately announce the date and conduct of election to the local bodies. In a press release,
INTERNATIONAL, PAGE 13
Lok Sabha passes Bill to validate family courts in Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh NEW DELHI, JUL 26 (PTI): Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to grant statutory cover to family courts set up in Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh and retrospectively validate all actions taken by them, with Law Minister Kiren Rijiju saying that he would requests all state governments to set up one family court in every district. Responding to a debate on the Family Court (Amendment) Bill, 2022, he said there are at present 715 family courts in the country with 11,49,907 cases pending at the beginning May. “I am telling you the record till May, 69,464 new cases have been registered. I am giving you the statistics of the month of May. 75,386 cases have been disposed,” he said. According to the Family Court Act of 1984, it is mandatory for the state
Will urge states to have family courts in every dist: Rijiju government to set up a family court for every city or a town whose population exceeds one million. Rijiju said he would request the state government to set up family courts in every district. The Family Courts Act was enacted to set up family courts to promote conciliation and secure a speedy settlement of disputes related to marriage and family affairs. Two family courts
were established in Nagaland in 2008 and three in Himachal Pradesh in 2019 through notifications issued by the respective state governments. The issue of lack of jurisdiction of the family courts in Himachal Pradesh came to the fore during proceedings of the Himachal Pradesh High Court last year. Another petition in the Himachal Pradesh High Court stated that the central government had not issued any notification extending the Family Court Act to Himachal Pradesh and the state government directives to establish such courts were without any legal authority. The family courts in Nagaland too were operating without any legal authority since 2008. The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill seeks to insert a
Oting: NPP shocked at petition filed in SC
DIMAPUR, JUL 25 (NPN): National People’s Party (NPP) State unit has expressed shock at the petition filed in Supreme Court (SC) in connection with the Oting incident where 14 unarmed civilians were killed on December 4, 2021. NPP in a statement pointed out that the concern of the first information report (FIR), findings and recommendations of Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the State Government and all other ancillary JD(U) Nagaland unit gen- proceedings arising out of eral secretary Imsumongba the incident, including the Pongen dared the state gov- complaint filed by National ernment to hold the election to the municipalities before the next election to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly. NEW DELHI, JUL 26 JD(U) unit stated that (PTI): A record 19 MPs the inability of the state from opposition parties government to hold civic were suspended from Raelection was “very disap- jya Sabha on Tuesday for pointing” despite the Su- the rest of the week after preme Court repeatedly they continued to disrupt reprimanding state govern- proceedings to press for an ment over delay in holding immediate discussion on local body polls. price rise and levy of GST The party state that the on essential items. opportunity to be given for An unrelenting Oplocal self-governance was position created a ruckus a matter of Constitutional in Rajya Sabha, with the rights for the people at large. penalised MPs refusing to “Shying away from such leave the House, and alleged obligation raises a doubt on that “democracy has been the credibility of the govern- suspended” in the country. ment of the day,” it stated. The development, JD(U) unit stated that which came a day after Lok delaying the civic polls re- Sabha Speaker Om Prakash veals that the government Birla suspended four Conhas “no guts to face the gress MPs for the rest of the public at the local level for current Monsoon session, fear of losing the elections.” is likely to further intensify
Urban bodies appeal govt to hold civic polls DIMAPUR, JUL 26 (NPN): Dimapur Urban Council Chairman Federation (DUCCF), Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP) and All Wards Union Mokokchung Town (AWUMT) have reiterated their appeal to the state government to urged conduct Urban Local Bodies (ULB) election at the earliest after due rectification and amendment of the Nagaland Municipal Act wherever it infringed the Article 371 (A) of the Indian constitution. In a joint representation addressed to the state chief minister, DUCCF president Tsenthungo Nyamo, AWUMT president Limanungsang and AKMWP president Thejao Sekhose maintained that any act of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly that infringed upon Article 371 (A) was not acceptable. The signatories stated that the Nagaland Munici-
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Human Rights Commission (NHRC), should have been taken into consideration before filing such a petition. It also expressed its deep regret and unhappiness on the matter and felt that Indian Army must admit its total failure in carrying out its responsibilities. NPP said the incident was uncalled for and totally ignored the right to life of innocent people, who were butchered on December 4, 2021. Quoting Article 21 that states “Protection of life and Personal Liberty: No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except ac-
cording to the procedure established by the Law”, NPP also questioned whether the act of the army personnel amounted to mutiny as the Army Act defined it, in so far their effort, “endeavours to seduce or gun down any person.” Did their moral duty of performing bona fide duties not tantamount to ravaging the rights of innocent people, it asked. FIRs under sections 302, 307, 326, 201, 34 along with Section 120-B of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 were lodged in connection with the Oting incident.
provision in sub-section 3 of section 1 to provide for the establishment of family courts in Himachal Pradesh with effect from February 15, 2019 and in Nagaland with effect from September 12, 2008. The bill also seeks to insert a new section 3A to retrospectively validate all actions under the said Act taken by the governments of Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland and the family courts of those states. Defending the amendment, he said it would be incorrect to blame the Centre for not bringing the notification as the state governments seek permission for setting up such courts. “If the government had not brought this amendment today, that what would have been the plight of those thousands of cases which are still pending...,” he said.
Tuensang-Mon road blocked
DIMAPUR, JUL 26 (NPN): Deputy commissioner (DC) Tuensang, Kumar Ramnikant, has informed that because of damage to Aoyung Bailey Bridge, km 18, along Tuensang-Mon road by a massive landslide on July 25, all road communication has been temporarily blocked. DC has advised all vehicles to take alternative routes in the intervening period as the restoration work was underway. DC informed that repairing of Sangchen-Longphang road was in progress to make the road pliable for (Cont’d on p-8) light motor vehicles.
Record 19 MPs suspended for unruly behaviour in RS the standoff between the Opposition and the government, which insisted that the discussion will be held once Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recovers from COVID-19. Of the 19 MPs suspended from Rajya Sabha, seven belong to the Trinamool Congress, six are from the DMK, three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and one from the Communist Party of India (CPI). The first seven days of the Monsoon session were virtually washed out as the two Houses were rocked by Opposition protests to press for an immediate discussion on rising prices of fuel
and essential commodities as well as levy of GST on wheat, rice, flour, curd and other daily use items. On Tuesday too, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for an hour after it assembled but Deputy Chairman Harivansh managed to conduct Question Hour despite opposition MPs trooping into the well and shouting slogans. But in the post-lunch session, when the government legislative business was to be taken up, Harivansh repeatedly asked the protesting members to return to their seats and warned them of action. The action against the 19 Rajya Sabha MPs escalated the opposition’s fury against the government
over what they claim was an attempt to shut voices that question the ruling alliance’s economic and social policies. The opposition is demanding that the discussions be held under Rule 267 which requires suspending the listed business of the day to take up the issue being raised. After the suspension, Harivansh asked the 19 MPs to leave the House. But the suspended MPs refused to leave, squatting on the floor of the House, leading to three adjournments -- first for 15 minutes by Harivansh, then for an hour and finally, for the day by Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was in the chair.
RCUN demands SIT probe into railway land encroachment Chathe river washes away road DIMAPUR, JUL 26 (NPN): Railway Contractors’ Union Nagaland (RCUN) has demanded that the State government should immediately set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct an investigation into rampant encroachment on railway land and book those officials involved in the corruption as per the provisions of law. In a press note, RCUN has blamed inappropriate handling of encroachment on railway lands in initial stages by authorities concerned for the current impasse.
The union pointed out that the issue of rampant and illegal encroachment on railway land was not a recent phenomenon as it had been pursuing the matter with the appropriate authorities since many years. It cited a letter to Dimapur deputy commissioner of May 22, 2020 wherein it had requested the district administration to take up the matter of unauthorised encroachment and construction on railway Land. However, the union alleged that the district
authorities never handled the matter in a judicious and fast-track manner, resulting in many illegal constructions, including numerous temples, over the years within the periphery of Dimapur railway station, obstructing its expansion and development. RCUN questioned the State government why it was maintaining silence on the matter though the issue of illegal encroachment had been published and brought to the notice of competent authorities. It also wondered whether this could
be construed as ism-based politics whereby all developmental projects were diverted to either Kohima or Chümoukedima. Being a people’s government, the union reminded it to carry out its responsibilities without any tribal or regional bias. It also demanded that the government should immediately take up the matter and act sternly to free all railway land from encroachments. Otherwise, it could very well be presumed that the State government did not have any political will to let one of the oldest railway
DIMAPUR, JUL 26 (NPN): About a 100-meter road stretch leading to Seithekhe Basa village from Sodzulhou village has been washed away by strong current of Chathe river under Chümoukedima district. In a press release, The Global Open University Nagaland vice chancellor Dr. HN Dutta A road stretch that was washed away at informed that all public Sodzulhou village. (TGOUN) communications have been disrupted following the snapping of road connectivity. Dr. Dutta said the university has permitted passage through the campus to Seitheke basa villagers and others after they approached the University. According to Dutta, the eastern point of the University has also been affected by erosion, which has removed the underground soil of its boundary wall threatening further damages to the University (Cont’d on p-8) building accommodating the hotel management department.
stations to develop as per the needs and aspirations of the people, the release added. Further, RCUN also questioned Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) why it had not taken up the matter of encroachment at the early stage itself instead of waiting for so long. The very fact that NFR was not serious about the matter from the very beginning showed its lack of serious concern for the development of Dimapur railway station, the union pointed out.
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