Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXVII No. 94
DIMAPUR, saturday, march 11, 2017 Pages 12 ` 4.00
Nearly Rs 12 lakh crore remonetised, says Jaitley
S. Africa take lead by 5 runs on day 3
Court formally ousts S. Korea’s president
business, Page 8
sports, Page 11
international, Page 9
Hindi teachers picket DEO/SDEO offices
(L-R) Hindi teachers of Dimapur and Wokha district during the second phase non-violent agitation at DEO/SDEO offices on Friday. Correspondent
KOHIM/WOKHA/ KIPHIRE/MON, MAR 10 (NPN): Hindi teachers in Nagaland on Friday launched phase-II agitation by picketing their respective DEO/SDEO offices over non-payment of nine months’ salary by the state government. In Kohima, the teachers began staging sit-in demonstration at 9am. They expressed their resolve to continue the protest till nine months salary was released. Speaking to media persons, All Nagaland Hindi Teachers Union (ANHTU) Kohima unit president, Kekhrieneilie Tsikhamo, said that during the phase-I protest, on March 8 and 9,
NE youth beaten up, made to lick shoes in Bengaluru BENGALURU, MAR 10 (AGENCIES): A youth from the Northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh was reportedly beaten up black and blue in Bengaluru and was made to lick the shoes of the landlord in whose house he was staying as a tenant, Asianet report stated. The youth was identified as Higio Guntey, a student of Christ University in Bengaluru. He said that the house owner verbally abused him for using extra water. Two hours later, the owner who was allegedly drunk, was said to have banged the door and started beating up Guntey for almost an hour. “After beating me black and blue, he still was not satisfied. He beat me again and forced me to put on his shoes and made me lick and kiss them. He kicked me out of the house. He even threw my trolley from the third floor. This is very humiliating,” he said. Soon after the incident, he said he left the house and went to stay with his friends at a different locality. “Three Arunachal girl students are also staying the building. I fear their safety too,” he said. Guntey later filed a complaint to seek legal action against Hemanth Kumar, the house owner.
This is it!
“Last time someone had a bright idea to wear traditional dress to office but it got fused.” K Y M C
the Hindi teachers across the state discharged their duties wearing black badge. He said the current sitin protest would continue in all the SDEO offices, adding that on March 15, 2017, all the 1379 hindi teachers from across the state would stage peaceful protest at the directorate of school education. The teachers lamented that in spite of repeated representations and memorandums, the department and the government could neither give positive response nor pay their salaries regularly, saying the trend has been continuing since 2013. Earlier, the ANHTU Kohima unit submitted memorandum to the district education officer. Wokha: As part of phase-II agitation, all 99
respond positively to their demands before March 15 would necessitate further course of action in the form of picketing of directorate of school education. (Correspondent) Kiphire: Joining their colleagues in other parts of the state, ANHTU Kiphire unit also picketed the SDEO office Kiphire on Friday. According to unit general secretary Leose Sangtam, the Hindi teachers across the state were not paid their monthly salary for more than nine months, which has led to picketing of SDEO office in the district. He further appealed to the government to take serious concern of the Hindi teachers and pay their salary
on time. Around 40 Hindi teachers participated in the picketing. No untoward incident was reported during the protest. (Correspondent) Mon: CSS aggrieved Hindi teachers on Friday picketed the DEO/SDEO office Mon over the delay in releasing their salary. In a press release, ANHTU Mon unit president S.Topha Konyak, said the protest was held against the state government and the school education department for “turning a deaf ear” to pleas of 13379 Hindi teachers and not paying their salary for over nine months. The unit cautioned that the teachers would continue to agitate till their demands were met.
NPCC fires salvo at CMO, NPF
Budget: Finance deptt informs
DIMAPUR, MAR 10 (NPN): Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Friday launched a scatching attack on Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) media cell and the NPF party spokesman for apparently blaming the media for quoting the NPF media and press bureau statement “out of context” and accusing the Congress party “of making a ‘mountain of a molehill’ on the bizarre claims of the NPF legislators.” Exposing the gaffe in carrying out the damage control exercise, NPCC said “the bizarre statement of NPF legislators at Peren was issued by their own press & media bureau and not by some press reporter/correspondent.” In this regard, NPCC reminded the CMO and NPF that “the people are not fools as they believe to be.” Continuing with its verbal barrage, NPCC said the justification made by
hindi teachers under the aegis of ANHTU Wokha unit CSS Hindi teachers (20122013 Batch) staged a peaceful protest in front of DEO and SDEO offices here from 9am to 3pm on Friday. ANHTU Wokha unit general secretary, Zuchobeni Humtsoe, and CSS Hindi teachers (2012-2013 Batch) c o nve n o r, M h o n t h u n g Lotha, said their demands included immediate release of nine months pending salary along with arrears, monthly payment of salary without any delay, and for the state government to take up their services since they had already completed 5 years in service. The Hindi teachers warned that failure on the part of the government to
NPF spokesman that the legislators’ speeches were quoted out of context since it was spoken in Nagamese, was “absurd and ridiculous.” It also expressed surprise that when chief minister, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu had officially invited both JCC and NTAC for free and frank dialogue, the NPF party spokesman on the other hand slammed the civil societies to the extent of calling them violent and uncivilized. This, NPCC said has rather exposed the fault lines within NPF and substantiates the presence of dual power centers functioning in their own way. On the question of dual CM, NPCC justified its statement saying it was the “NPF legislators who thanked Dr. Shürhozelie for magnanimously parting with most of his powers to make T.R. Zeliang as comfortable as he can be.” This implied that “Dr.
Shürhozelie as chief minister has totally abdicated his responsibility which is unbecoming for a person of his stature,” NPCC said. NPCC alleged that “for the love of power, Dr. Shürhozelie has greatly compromised the authority of the CM’s office, a fact which does not augur well for the people who were expecting more matured and astute leadership on his taking over the reins of government.” It further went on to hit out at NPF saying that the insatiable greed and ambition of the party had landed the state in a whole mess. Citing lack of funds, NPCC said government employees particularly teachers were not paid salary for months and state infrastructure particularly the road conditions resembled that of river bed. However, it said NPF had enough funds to venture beyond state borders for political expansion.
(Cont’d on p-8)
D IMAPUR, MAR 10 (NPN): Finance Department, Budget Branch has informed all departments that the last date of receipt of information in Prescribed Formats – I, II, III & IV has been revised to March 12, 2017. In this regard, officeron-Special Duty (Budget), V. Kezo has asked all the departments to personally hand over the information to deputy speaker (budget) Lukheto Sema through a special messenger within March 12. In case of departments failing to do so, the Finance Department has the liberty to make budget postings under any head of account and for any commission or omission it should not be blamed, Vezo informed. Details have also been uploaded at the department’s website finance.nagaland. gov.in.
AASU stages state-wide protest against NBBUSS GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI, MAR 10 (AGENCIES): The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) staged a statewide satyagraha on Friday in protest against Monday’s ransacking of its local office in Silapathar town of Dhemaji district by a mob, mostly members of Nikhil Bharat Bengali Uddastu Samannay Samiti (NBBUSS). The AASU categorically said that its protests would continue till the arrest of attack mastermind Subodh Biswas, who is the president of NBBUSS. He had allegedly incited a mob through his speech that led to the incident. “Everyone knows who he (Biswas) has links with. We demand his immediate arrest, ban on NBBUSS and action against Dhemaji district magistrate and SP. Until then, we won’t allow the government to live in peace,” warned AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi on Friday. The incident that day occurred during a procession which was taken out at the end of a rally. The rally was organised by NBBUSS to register protests against al-
leged harassment of Bengalis by authorities on the suspicion that they are illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The AASU, besides other protesting organisations, viewed the incident of vandalism as an attack on the Assamese by the immigrants. The police have so far arrested 30 people but five to six others, including Biswas and NBBUSS state president Sahadev Das, are still at large. The police on Thursday announced a reward of rupees one lakh for information leading to the arrest of Biswas. Lookout notices for Subodh Biswas have been circulated at all important travel points, major airports and railway stations in the country. Biswas is said to be close to the RSS. Photographs of him with some national leaders of the BJP have also been flashed on the screens of local news channels. Meanwhile, Kolkatabased NBBUSS functionary claimed on social media that Biswas was being protected by the Army. Sahay neither confirmed nor denied it.
NBBUSS changes name Nikhil Bharat Bengali Udbastu S a m a n n ay Samiti (NBBUSS), the Nagpurbased Hindu Subodh Biswas Bengali organisation, has changed its name – at least on its Facebook page– to Bengali Samaj Sangathan Samiti. The organisation had allegedly led an attack on AASU on March 6. AASU had called for a 24-hour state-wide bandh on March 10 following the attack on its office at Silapathar in Dhemaji district. NBBUSS, claims to be “the voice of 3.5 crore Bengali Hindus” living in 18 states of the country on its Facebook page. The organisation has been spearheading a movement across the country in support of the Narendra Modi government’s attempt to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis, among others, on religious grounds.
Acharya urges Centre to protect indigenous culture of Nagaland
PB Acharya calls on MA Naqvi along with Japfuphiki Pfutsana Keseko members in Delhi.
DIMAPUR, MAR 10 (NPN): With a view to promote ritual-traditional practises, Nagaland Governor, PB Acharya, met the Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and Union Minister of State for Culture, Dr. Mahesh Sharma in New Delhi on March 9, 2017. According to PRO Raj Bhavan, Nagaland Governor met Naqvi and discussed safeguarding the identity, culture and tradition of each and every tribe of the State. He also emphasized on preservation of communities, which were on the verge
of extinction. Governor also separately met Dr. Mahesh Sharma and discussed promotion of indigenous culture of Nagaland. The governor proposed for construction of multipurpose community hall for promotion and propagation of cultural activities in the State. Dr.Sharma assured to look into the issue positively. In both the meetings, the governor was accompanied by a delegation of Japfuphiki Pfutsana Keseko (Indigenous Society Organization), Nagaland led by Dr. Lozhoho Khamyo.
Counting of votes for five states assembly polls today MPs seek more powers for N ew D elhi , M ar 1 0 (AGENCIES): Counting of votes for the high- stakes assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will take place tomorrow morning with trends expected to be available by 11 a.m.. By 12 noon, a final picture could emerge on who would be the major players in the five states. Election Commission officials said the counting of votes commences at 8 AM and will be completed by late evening. Counting will take place at 157 centres -- Punjab (53), Goa (2), UP (75), Uttarakhand (15) and Manipur (12). According to Election Commission guidelines, halfan-hour after the postal ballots are counted, the process of counting of EVM votes begins. The ‘ballot unit’ is switched on in the presence of senior poll officials and counting agents of candidates and the result command keyed in to get the results per machine. Where a paper
trail audit or ‘voter-verified paper audit trail’ (VVPAT) has been used, the counting agent can call for a count of the paper slips in the drop box attached to the voting machine, but a final count is taken by the returning officer. Exit polls by various news channel yesterday had predicted a hung assembly in the key Hindi heartland state of Uttar Pradesh where BJP would emerge as the single largest party, winning anywhere between 164 and 210 of the 403 seats. Most polls also forecast a close fight between the Congress, which is seeking to return to power in Punjab after a hiatus of 10 years, and Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP, making its debut in the assembly polls in the state. They predicted victory for BJP in Uttarakhand, but the saffron party, though likely to lead the table in Goa, was projected to fall short of a majority in the tiny coastal state. Stakes in Uttar Pradesh, politically the most significant
state in India, are high not only for the BJP but also for the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance. Congress is also eying power in Punjab and Goa and hopes to retain Uttarakhand and Manipur. The fledgling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also hoping to form governments in Goa and Punjab -- which would mark its first electoral success outside Delhi. Any electoral success, especially in Uttar Pradesh, will boost the BJP and reaffirm Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s popularity and bold decision of spiking high value notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 that caused an unprecedented currency crunch in the country. In Uttarakhand, ECI has set 15 counting centres. Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who faced an all-round attack from the BJP and many of his old associates who switched to the saffron camp ahead of the polls in February, exuded confidence of winning the elections again. In Punjab, votes will be
counted at 54 centres. Exit polls by various news channels and survey agencies have indicated a rout for the Akali Dal-BJP alliance in Punjab, with most projecting single-digit seats for the ruling combine. While some surveys put the Congress and AAP in a neck-and-neck finish, one survey each gave a clear majority to the AAP and the Congress respectively. In Goa, votes will be counted at two centres in North and South Goa to declare the winners in 40 seats. A majority of exit polls projections said the ruling BJP will emerge the winner or as single-largest party in the state assembly. In Manipur, counting of votes will be held for 60 seats. In the Congress-ruled state, BJP is expected to win 25 to 35 in the 60-member house, according to some exit vote surveys. However, political pundits and exit poll survey predict a clean sweep for Congress led by O. Ibobi Singh.
district councils of tribals
NEW DELHI, MAR 10 (PTI): Cutting across party lines, Lok Sabha members today pitched for more financial and administrative powers for the autonomous district councils (ADCs) to ensure overall development of tribal regions, most of which are in the Northeast. “The Centre needs to have a relook at the functioning of the ADCs and find out whether they are meeting the aspirations of the people of tribal areas,” said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury while participating in a discussion on a private member’s bill seeking to amend the 6th Schedule of the Constitution. Moved by Vincent H Pala (Cong), the Bill seeks to raise the number of members of ADCs from 30 to 40 and increase powers of the Councils to deal with land rights and other tribal issues. Autonomous district and regional councils were set under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Chowdhury said these district councils did not have adequate financial resources and suggested
that funds should be made available to them to undertake activities to meet the aspirations of the tribal people. Ram Prasad Sarmah (BJP) demanded that number of members in ADCs should be increased to 40 and more such councils should be set up in Darjeeling in West Bengal. Saugata Roy (TMC) said government must assure tribal people in the Northeast that their culture and identity will be protected. He said the Northeast has the potential to become the next Switzerland. Participating in debate, Congress MP, Gaurav Gogoi said there was a need for a “bridge of dialogue and communication”. He also emphasised on preserving the languages of the Northeast by archiving them. Nishikant Dubey said the district councils of the NE have become ‘elite clubs’, while Rameswar Teli (BJP) highlighted issue of under-development of NE region. K Y M C