BJP challenges Congress to debate on election... Article 371(A) could end up like Art. 370...

(From p-1) free coaching to government, banking and Central job aspirants, spend Rs 500 crore to launch Nagaland Skill Development University to train youth and make them job-ready in the field of new-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Drones, Robotics, etc.

He mentioned that BJP would also spend Rs 10 crore to promote indigenous sports and organise Statewide competitions, introduce Dr Talimeren Ao Sports Scholarship and provide sportspersons with need-based financial assistance up to Rs 5 lakh. He further assured that the party would fast-track the ongoing construction of multipurpose stadiums in seven districts and invest Rs 111 crore to set up ministadiums with gyms in all blocks of the State and Rs 50 crore to provide state-ofthe-art sports facilities across government schools and colleges.

Awomi stated that BJP would launch Nagaland Student Credit Scheme with a corpus of Rs 500 crore to provide zero interest education loans of up to Rs,10 lakh to all needy students, besides spending Rs 70 crore to set up Naga men and women students’ hostels for those pursuing higher education in all metro cities of the country.

He also spoke on the expansion of scope of MidDay Meal Scheme till class 12, provide digital tablets to all meritorious students of classes 10th and 12, spending Rs 200 crore for promoting STEM education, etc.

He said the party would spend Rs 100 crore to improve physical infrastructure like availability of electricity, drinking water, proper sanitation, etc, facilities in all government schools, expedite “The Light House Project” to enhance systemic transformation in Nagaland’s teaching cadre, enhance governance and management of its schools, open new senior secondary schools as per requirement, renovate 100 government schools under PM SHRI, fast track construction and operationalisation of Eklavya Model Schools in the State, etc.

On the other hand, State BJP spokesperson Kashito Kiba spoke on the achievements of BJP-NDPP government in the State under the leadership of chief minister Neiphiu Rio.

BJP star campaigners: Meanwhile, Sapralu informed that senior BJP leaders including BJP general secretary BL Santosh and union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Sarbananda Sonowal will campaign for the party.

Rijiju will address rallies at Longwa, Phomching and Tizit. Sonowal along with deputy chief minister Y Patton will address public rallies at Wokha and Mon town while BL Santhosh will visit Tuensang, Mokokchung and Zunheboto.

(From p-1)

BJP copy pasted Congress manifesto:

Jairam Ramesh further accused BJP of reproducing a “copy paste” of Congress manifesto which was released ten days before BJP’s manifesto. He said the BJP manifesto contained the same commitments already made by Congress in its manifesto.

He alleged that BJP had repeated the promises made by Congress of giving special emphasis to eastern region of Nagaland. Jairam also said BJP was reacting to Congress manifesto that had five specific promises for Eastern Nagaland, including mini-secretariat in Tuensang, separate directorate of school education, relocation of DUDA at Tuensang, 33% reservation on the basis of annual vacancies and to take up with the Central government to promote economic relations with Nagas of Myanmar.

He acknowledged that there was a demand for decentralisation of administration in every State, as many areas were deprived of benefits of economic development. He said the case of Nagaland was not unique in the sense that there are areas where development did not reach the ground and hence the demand for greater economic, political and administrative power was legitimate.

To a query on how Congress could justify its current stand on Naga political issue and ENPO demand since both were not recent issues but dated several decades when Congress was in power at the Centre?

Jairam said ENPO demand should have been implemented by the “double engine government” which it promised in 2018 instead of putting it up again in the manifesto.

Asked on the silence of Congress on ENPO issue which began when the party was in power at the Centre in 2010 ; also on Naga public calling for abstention in election in 1998 for solution and not election but Congress candidates filed nomination and ultimately secured 59 out of 60 seats as most were elected unopposed , Jairam responded that the priority then was to restore peace back in Nagaland for development.

On the charge that Naga political issue was not taken with all seriousness by Congress, Jairam claimed that efforts for negotiation had started in the mid 1990s and after which successive Prime Ministers continued the process that led to signing of Framework Agreement in 2015 based on the negotiations held all those years.

Northern Anagami II Congress candidate Seyievilie Sachu, said he decided to contest because of the deprivation in education and health, rise in unemployment and rampant corruption.

Meshenlo Kath, Congress candidate for Kohima Town, said he had decided to contest and give the youth a chance to experience change since Kohima was the State’s epicentre. Other senior central and State Congress leaders were also present at the press conference.

Snippets

Websites of German airports not reachable

BERLIN, FEB 16 (AP):

The internet sites of several German airports were disrupted on Thursday after what may have been a hacker attack, German news agency dpa reported.

The disruptions did not appear to have an immediate impact on the country’s air traffic, the agency said. Nuremberg Airport in southern Germany reported that its online site was receiving so many requests that it collapsed.

The homepages of Duesseldorf and Dortmund airports in the west of the country were also unreachable, dpa reported.

Two killed, six injured in Pakistan train blast

LAHORE, FEB 16 (PTI):

At least two people were killed and nine injured in a blast inside a passenger train in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Thursday, according to media reports.

The explosion occurred inside the Jaffar Express when it was on its way to Rawalpindi from Quetta, officials said. According to The Express Tribune newspaper, police sources said the blast happened inside the washroom of the passenger train when it reached Chichawatni, a district in the province.

Avian flu: Japan culls nearly 15 million birds

TOKYO, FEB 16 (IANS):

Nearly 15 million birds have been culled in Japan, a record high for a single season, amid an unprecedented spread of bird flu across the country, the farm ministry said Thursday. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the number of culled birds now stands at 14.78 million, about 50 per cent more than the record 9.87 million logged during the 2020-2021 season, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Chinese retirees protest cut in health benefits

BEIJING, FEB 16 (IANS): Crowds of retirees in China have again taken to the streets to protest against cuts to their medical benefits, the media reported. They gathered on Wednesday for a second time in Wuhan, where Covid was first detected, and also in the north-eastern city of Dalian, BBC reported. The second round of protests in seven days puts pressure on President Xi Jinping’s administration just weeks before the annual National People’s Congress, which will usher in a new leadership team, BBC reported.

3 dead, 43 injured in Brazil’s prison fire

BRASILIA, FEB 16 (IANS): At least three prisoners were killed and another 43 injured in a southern Brazil prison fire, local authorities said.

The fire that broke out on Wednesday at the Penitentiary of Florianopolis, in Santa Catarina state, was traced to a mattress in one of the cells, said William Shinzato, head of the Penitentiary Affairs Commission. All three fatal victims died of smoke inhalation, according to Brazil’s Order of Lawyers, the country’s top bar association, Xinhua News Agency reported. The fire was brought under control and did not spread to other parts of the prison, Brazilian news network GloboNews said.