Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXVII No. 123
DIMAPUR, sunday, april 9, 2017 Pages 12 ` 4.00
Aoleang -Mo-Nyu (The spring festival)
Maxwell fires Kings XI to easy victory over Pune
Malala to be UN’s ‘Messenger of Peace’
Sunday Post Supplement
sports, Page 12
international, Page 9
Prez for strong electoral reforms, more LS seats Spl. Correspondent/Agencies
NEW DELHI, APR 8 (NPN): President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday called for a strong electoral system in the country to strengthen the democratic structure, saying it was time to look at legal provisions for increasing the number of parliamentary seats. “Timely reforms are necessary which not only would give justice to the people but also to the ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India. Hence it is necessary to undertake a dispassionate analysis of the way in which our electoral process is functioning with a view to address the shortcomings in the system,” Pranab said while addressing the All India Seminar on “Economic Reforms With Reference to Electoral Issues” organised by the Confederation of the Indian Bar in New Delhi. Noting that only 543 Lok Sabha constituencies represent 1.28 billion people in the country, the President said coalition governments at the Centre has contributed to unstable governments necessitating frequent elections in the past and that fragile
A ‘mindset’ in South Asia encourages terrorism: Modi NEW DELHI, APR 8 (AGENCIES): In a veiled attack on Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there is a “mindset” in South Asia which encourages and patronises terrorism. Modi’s remarks came in the presence of Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina as the two leaders paid tributes to the heroes of 1971 war. “I am very clear that along with India, its neighbouring countries should also move ahead on the path of development. We want development of the entire region. But there is a mentality in South Asia against this mindset. A mindset that promotes terrorism, which has a value system which is not based on humanity, but on violence and extremism,” the Modi said during a function to honour the 1971 war heroes. “The main aim (of this ideology) is to spread terrorism. A mindset in which policy makers feel terrorism is bigger than humanity, destruction is bigger than creation and betrayal is bigger than trust. This mentality is the biggest challenge to peace, social harmony and development. This mentality obstructs development in whole region,” Modi said, adding, “India and Bangladesh are its victims.”
This is it!
“If he can beat a staff before taking off , what he would do to the pilots once in air?” K Y M C
Pranab Mukherjee releasing a booklet a the inaugural of the all India seminar on Saturday.
coalition did not last. He also referred to the issue of responsibility to the electorate and said that Parliament is not merely a deliberative body but a decision-making body. The Constitution (Forty Second Amendment) Act, 1976 imposed a freeze on the population figure for readjustment in the 1971 census and has been extended by the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act 2001 till 2026, the President said. “As a result, the House of the People (Lok Sabha) today represents the population figure of the 1971 census, whereas our popu-
lation has increased manifold in the recent decades,” Mukherjee said “This gives rise to an anomalous situation wherein today, India has over 800 million voters and 543 Lok Sabha constituencies represent 1.28 billion people.” In 1971, India’s population was 54 crores, which has now increased to 121 crores as per the 2011 census. “If Great Britain can have more than 600 parliamentary constituencies, why can’t India, with a much higher population, have more number of seats?” the President asked. He said a strong elec-
toral system was necessary to strengthen the democratic structure of India. “From 1952 to this date, no political party in India has won election by scoring 51% of votes... So the question comes that a vast number of votes polled whether they would have some sort of representation,” the President said. President Pranab Mukherjee and Chief Justice of India JS Khehar at the inauguration of the All India Seminar organised by the Confederation of Indian Bar at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday. (PTI) Chief Justice of India
JS Khehar said electoral promises remain unfulfilled and manifestos turn out to be mere pieces of paper, for which political parties must be held accountable. “Nowadays, manifestos have become a mere piece of paper. For this, political parties have to be made accountable,” the CJI said. Political parties give “brazen” excuses such as lack of consensus amongst their members to justify non-fulfilment of their poll promises, he added. The CJI said none of the manifestos during the 2014 general elections indicated any link between electoral reforms and the Constitutional goal of ensuring economic-social justice to the marginalised section. He said pursuant to the Supreme Court’s directions to the Election Commission of India to formulate guidelines against freebies, the poll panel has been taking action against parties for violation of the model code of conduct. Supreme Court judge Justice Dipak Misra also stressed the need for electoral reforms, saying that holding of elections has to be “sans criminalisation”.
Hindu group stops UP church prayers suspecting conversion L U C K N OW, A P R 8 (IANS): Prayers at a Church in Uttar Pradesh were disrupted by a group of Hindu activists as they suspected a religious conversion in progress, police said on Saturday. Prayers at the Maharajganj Church were stopped by the police after the office bearers of the Hindu Vahini created a ruckus and alleged that some people were leading a conversion event there. The Hindu Vahini leaders said that a group of foreign tourists from Ukraine and the US had come to the church with an aim to allure poor locals into converting to Christianity. The prayers were initiated on Friday at the Church in Bijapaar village under the Kothibhaar area, the group said. The foreign tourists who were in the country on a month-long tourist visa were accompanied by Devraj Gowda, a Delhi resident who identified himself to the police as the chairman of the Seva Group of India. Police officers questioned the group as to how they could lead prayers when they were on a tourist visas. The group, however, said
they were not here for any conversions but were taking part in spiritual conventions slated across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. The Church authorities have also denied any conversion programme.
Centre swats away charges of ‘polarization’
Downplaying charges of attempts at polarization following a Church prayer service being halted by the right-wing Hindu Yuva Vahini in Uttar Pradesh, the Centre has expressed its complete faith in the Yogi Adityanath-led Government in maintaining the law and order situation in the state. The youth group, set up by Adityanath in 2002, interrupted the prayer service alleging that religious conversion was being carried out and filed a complaint against Yohannan Adam, the pastor of the church, accusing him of converting Hindus to Christianity, which was flatly denied by the latter. “As far as BJP is concerned, there is no attempt to polarize and have never been so. We stand vindicated after the results in Uttar Pradesh
and Manipur, where it was being alleged that the BJP is trying to polarize communities. If that were true, then the BJP would not have received such an overwhelming mandate, which means people voted for BJP across the caste and religion lines,” Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh told the media here. Further asserting that the Uttar Pradesh Government is capable of dealing with the situation in a fair manner, Singh highlighted his faith in the Chief Minister’s capability and decisiveness. The service, which was being attended by more than 150 people including foreign tourists, was interrupted by the youth group who barged into the hall and created a ruckus. “The police personnel even climbed onto our holy altar and took away our bible and song books. They even questioned all those who came to attend the prayer.” Pastor Adam told ANI. This is not the first such instance has come to light, as earlier this year the Hindu Yuva Vahini had attacked
TASU to go ahead with NBCC, ACAUT join hands for Wife of NSCN (K) functionary, indefinite road blockade ‘Clean Election Campaign’ 3 others held with `18.5 lakh
DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): Not satisfied with the response from the department, the Tizit Area Students’ Union (TASU) on Saturday affirmed to launch its proposed indefinite blockade on Namtola-Mon road starting from April 11. In a press release, TASU president, Manpang Wangyen, and general secretary, Tahkai Wangsahum, said the union received a response letter from the executive engineer (PWD) Mon on April 8, 2017. The letter requested the union not to impose road blockade as some work progress was made in regard to TASU’s demand in the ultimatum dated March 30, 2017, which was served on the state government. However, TASU said its executives after thorough deliberation on the matter decided to go ahead with the
road blockade as response letter contained no assurance from the state government or the responsible department. TASU stated that it would start road blockade from April 11 if its demands were not fulfilled before April 10, 2017. The union has, however, exempted school going students, administration, military and police personnel on duty and medical. Meanwhile, TASU said the Inter-State connectivity (ISC) road (Tizit-Nokzang) 2010-11 has been added in the demand list, which was missed out in the last ultimatum. It said the already sanctioned amount of Rs.36.28 crore to the concerned contractor for ISC road has not executed the works as per the DPR norms and completion period has expired with very less work progress. (KSU backs TASU demands on p-8)
DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) and ACAUT Nagaland have joined hands to carry forward the ‘Clean Election’ campaign which was initiated by NBCC. This was stated in a joint statement issued by NBCC and ACAUT on Saturday It was decided on January 19, 2017, at a consultative meeting of NBCC officials and members of ACAUT Nagaland at Dimapur, to work together in order to reach out to the people on the issue. Accordingly, NBCC and ACAUT adopted a five-point resolution— that the NBCC would disseminate the guidelines of Clean Election campaign to the village and a strong working relationship between the Church and the village
authority would be initiated through the association so that a clear set of guidelines between the two will be worked out. 2. That, all the pastors, including the church workers such as deacons, missionaries, and evangelists sign the Clean Election Pledge and the same will be administered to all the members eligible to vote. 3. That, all the intending candidates should adhere to the NBCC Clean Election guidelines. 4. On the Election Day, the pastors in the villages, regardless of the denominations will take the spiritual role along with the village level Clean Election Committee so that the clean election campaign is taken to its logical conclusion. 5. The civil societies in every level including
ACAUT will support and in this NBCC will tape the strength and force of the youth and the intellectual into the movement. NBCC and ACAUT also decided to hold regular meetings for better cooperation. NBCC further agreed to continue its Clean Election Campaign in the state and grassroots levels by roping in the Church, village authority, women and youth and provide any support to any civil/religious organization in this endeavour. NBCC lauded ACAUT for taking upon the burden to embark on the awareness campaign by going to the districts and constituencies to raise the awareness. In this regard, NBCC said it would delegate the associations to extend logistic support to mobilize the masses as and when the need arises.
Cash and other items seized by Assam Rifles personnel.
Correspondent
IMPHAL, APR 8: Troops of 34 Assam Rifles on Friday arrested the wife of a senior NSCN (K) functionary and three others along with cash around Rs. 18.5 lakhs in Senapati district, Manipur. Police sources said the lady identified as one Shelly N Sumi (39) is the wife of ‘lt. gen.’ Nikki Sumi, the military supervisor of the NSCN (K). They were apprehended while travelling to Manipur from Dimapur by bus.
2,000-foot-long Asteroid to fly ‘very close’ to earth WSU flays survey works WASHINGTON, APR 8 (IANS): A large near-Earth asteroid discovered nearly three years ago will fly safely past Earth on April 19th, US space agency NASA has said. The space rock, known as 2014 JO25, is estimated to be 2,000 feet in size. It is expected to fly by Earth at a safe distance of about 1.1 million miles (1.8 million kilometres), or about 4.6 times the distance from Earth to the moon, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. “Although there is no possibility for the asteroid to collide with our planet, this will be a very close approach for an asteroid of this size,” NASA was quoted as saying. Small asteroids pass within this distance of Earth several times each week, but this upcoming approach is “the closest by any known asteroid of this size, or larger, since asteroid
along intl border area
2014 JO25 Asteroid Earth
Toutatis, a 3.1-mile (fivekilometre) asteroid, which approached within about four lunar distances in September 2004,” NASA said. The next known encounter of an asteroid of comparable size will occur in 2027 when the half-milewide (800-meter-wide) asteroid 1999 AN10 will fly
by at one lunar distance. In addition, the encounter on April 19 is also “the closest this asteroid has come to Earth for at least the last 400 years and will be its closest approach for at least the next 500 years,” NASA added. The asteroid will approach Earth from the di-
rection of the sun and will become visible in the night sky after April 19. It is predicted to brighten to about magnitude 11, when it could be visible in small optical telescopes for one or two nights before it fades as the distance from Earth rapidly increases, NASA added.
DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): Wonthoi (Wonsoi) Students Union (WSU) has vehemently condemned the proposed joint survey by India and Myanmar in between BP 145 and BP 146 along the border at ITC DAN. In a press release, WSU president, Hime Lam, and assistant general secretary, Y.Lango, said the survey work was intended to be carried out without the consent of the indigenous inhabitants of the region. WSU also expressed deep concern that conducting survey works and drawing boundary lines based on the imaginary line demarcated by the British would only escalate more tensions and cause hardships to inhabitants. The union said drawing boundary lines would only bring divisions among many families, houses and native villages that were liv-
ing in harmony. Pointing out that the region was one of the most remote and undeveloped areas on both sides of the border, the WSU said the governments should focus more on developmental works for better education, health and road connectivity. The union has also appealed to the surveying teams of both the countries to stop the propose work and rather strengthen communication and dialogue through friendly consultation, which was mutually acceptable to both the countries without compromising the well being of the indigenous inhabitants. Meanwhile, WSU has strongly supported the joint memorandum submitted to the state chief minister by four Pangsha range village councils seeking CM’s intervention on border issues.
The three other accomplices were identified as E Keliato (31), Hozhily (54), Qhutoli (34) and a boy from Karom village. During the search operation, AR troops seized Rs 18.5 lakh in Indian currency, two laptops and other items. Police said the money was neatly packed inside the sanitary pad packets. The arrested persons were later handed over to women cell of Lamphel police station, Imphal West district, police said.
HCs told to appoint independent PPs NEW DELHI, APR 8 (AGENCIES): The Supreme Court has directed High Courts to initiate steps to appoint independent public prosecutors for POCSO courts meant for trial in sexual offence cases against children. Section 32 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act mandates appointment of independent public prosecutors to try the accused in child abuse cases under the special law. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar found that several States had not appointed independent public prosecutors, including Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Haryana, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Kerala, Meghalaya and Union Territories of Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. K Y M C