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ASSENG/2015/64205

PAGE 12

TOURISM IN GUJARAT

Vol. II

Issue 106

Dibrugarh, Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Tea Taster: How To Become A Tea Taster?

P7

Arnab Goswami quits as editor-in-chief of Times Now

Price -

According to some employees of Times Now who did not wish to be named, Goswami told the editorial team that he believed in the media and would continue in the television business.

Many sources in the organization said he might start a news channel with politician and entrepreneur Rajeev Chandrasekhar and American media baron Rupert Murdoch. It was also rumoured that Goswami might join the popular UK news organisation, Fox News.

Goswami, the editor-in-chief and president, news, Times Now and ET Now, has been anchoring popular news shows on Times Now since 2006. His talk show ‘The Newshour’, according to Exchange for Media, has enjoyed over 70% share of the prime-time audience for the past 8 years.

Goswami has led Times Now to leadership in less than a year of the launch of the channel in 2006. Since 2007, he has maintained and increased the dominance of Times Now. His interview-based show ‘Frankly Speaking with Arnab’ is one of the most followed interviews on television.

As editor-in-chief of Times Now, Goswami is known to have popularized a new brand of news coverage, criticised by some for its highdecibel arguments.

Soon after the word of his resignation came out, microblogging site Twitter was abuzz with posts on 'Times Now' and 'Arnab Goswami'.

These two topics were among the top trending topics on Tuesday evening.

P5

of Lohit Bridge

A DEADLY EVICTION: KAZIRANGA The drive was backed by a Gauhati High Court order of October 9, 2015, which had directed the government to evict all encroachers from Kaziranga, adjoining forest land and animal corridors.

A team from both the organizations took firsthand information along with members of KMSS based in Jorhat had earlier visited the Bandardubi Rajah village on 23rd Oct. After seeing the pathetic conditions of the villagers, Members have demanded that suitable compensation must be forwarded to those evicted by the Govt. as per the Supreme Court verdict.

They also talked about the inhuman torture villagers were subjected to in which even children's were not spared. “Not even the children were spared, from the inhuman torture" said Heman Bora, the president of Sanmilita Nagarik Mancha.

Contd. on Page 2

The National Human Rights Commission has issued notice to the Assam government in connection with the death of two persons at a protest incident during which police reportedly resorted to use of teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

On 26 September 2016, a dozen bulldozers and as many elephants entered three villages that encroachers had set up on government and forest land in Kaziranga — Banderdubi, Deuchur-chang and Palkhowa — police used force to quell their resistance, leading to the death of two persons including a woman.

Deputy CM Chowna Mein visit Bangkok to strengthen ties between Tai people of India with people of Thailand ET Bureau Itanagar, 1 Nov

The Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein at the capacity of President of the Tai Khamti Heritage and Literature Society (TKHLS) Chongkham attended as Royal Audience with Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn at Chitralada Palace in Bangkok, Thailand on Monday. He was accompanied by his wife and former MLA Namsai Nang Sati Mein along with members and supporters of the World Tipitaka Foundation, Thailand.

The Deputy Chief Minister was part of the World Tipitaka Foundation to receive a Royal Audience at the palace event. He 8 people die, 22 injured in Pak along with the members of World shelling?on border villages Tipitaka Foundation had a chance to Royal Audience with Her Royal Jammu, Nov 1: Eight people were killed and Highness for 15 minutes who had 22 injured when Pakistan troops heavily shelled spared her valuable time interacting border hamlets and posts with mortar bombs along the International Border (IB) and the LoC in Samba, Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

Two women were killed and 13 others injured during shelling with 82 and 120 mm mortar ET Correspondent bombs in Rajouri, Jammu, Poonch districts.

Changlang, 1 Nov

with them.

The Deputy Chief Minister speaking on the occasion said, “it is truly significant honour and kindness for allowance of this royal audience with HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Not only for myself but the entire Tai ethnic people of our region are greatly honoured by this invitation”. He further briefed HRH of the rich and vibrant culture and tradition of the Tai Khampti people of Namsai

A memorable funeral service for late Hukato Dimapur, Nov 1: Rich tributes were paid to the deceased first generation Naga entrepreneur late Hukato Naga, chairman and managing director H.N Company Pvt Ltd at Nagaland House in the national capital on Friday and in Dimapur on October 31.

P5

The 14 Assam Rifles celebrated Diwali with the students of various schools in Changlang District.

This year Assam Rifles celebrated the festival of lights with a message to encourage students to observe green Diwali emphasizing the bursting of

Pema Khandu CM made an unscheduled visit to Tezu after a tiring road journey covering 90 Km distance.

Bishnu Rana Tezu, 1 Nov

In the sideline of Anjaw ByeElection visit, Pema Khandu CM made an unscheduled visit to Tezu after a tiring road journey covering 90 Km distance. In his short visit he was briefed by the Organizing Committee about the upcoming 5th State Level Indigenous Youth Festival which is scheduled to be started from 4th Nov and will be concluded on 6th Nov 2016.

While talking exclusive with this Correspondent, the CM commits to pursue the much awaited Lohit Bridge which was supposed to be opened from September 30 last. “I feel the suffering and pain of the public. During last visit at the Bridge site with Late Kalikho Pul former CM I was there. I will take the Navayuga company in confident after calling a meeting shortly to ease the bottleneck”, he swears. When asked about the dilly – delaying tactic of the

Gladly recalling her visit to India in the year 2009, HRH spoke of her experience during her visit to one of the Tai Phake villages in Assam where she communicated regarding the cultural similarities and beliefs that still exists between the people of Thailand and Tai people residing in India despite centuries of separation. She informed that the identities, traditions and cultures of Tai people of India are very much similar to the people of Thailand.

The Deputy Chief Minister was part of the World Tipitaka Foundation to receive a Royal Audience at the palace event. district and requested her to visit the State.

During the meeting, DCM presented the Tai Khamti edition of the Tipitakas and opined that this meeting would further strengthen the bonds and ties which exist

between the people of Thailand and Tai people of India.

Earlier, the DCM was also invited to a luncheon to meet other members of the World Tipitika Project at the Eastin Grand Hotel Bangkok on October 30 last.

Assam Rifles in Changlang celebrated Diwali with students

P10

PAGE 10

FESTIVALS NOT ONLY FOR ENTERTAINMENT, BUT TO STRENGTHEN TIES: P.B. ACHARYA

P9

Sanmilita Nagarik Mancha of Jorhat and Women in Governance and Human Rights Alert have demanded compensation for those evicted in the areas of Bandardubi, Deuchurchang, Palkhua Villagers located on the suburbs of Kaziranga in a press meet held in Jorhat Press Club on Tuesday.

New Delhi, 1 Nov: Popular prime-time news debate host Arnab Goswami was learnt to have resigned as the editor-in-chief of Times Now. The move, apparently in favour of turning an entrepreneur and starting his own venture, came after several days of murmurs about his likely exit, the report added.

Pages- 12

CM vows to pursue Organizations allege discriminations in compensation for the victims of Kaziranga eviction NECL for early start ET Correspondent Jorhat, 1 Nov

Arnab Goswami

5.00

firecrackers as health hazard and environmentally taxing.

Notebooks, stationery and sweets along with diyas and candles were distributed Laktong Middle School, Govt Town Middle School, Holy Rosary School, Fresh Battalion School, Govt Higher Secondary School. The Principal and school staff appreciated the efforts by the Security Forces.

company he expressed serious concern and vows to enquire the actual physical activities.

The Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFSPA) Lohit unit, Bazaar Welfare Committee, Senior Public, Gaonburas and PRI member also raised the issue and plead the CM to pursue the impending issue.

The CM further hints both Dr Mohesh Chai local MLA and Danish Ashraf DC Lohit to make constant follow up for the early start of the dream Bridge.

“The Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL) has fixed another deadline on November 2017 after completion of both side approach road which is unfortunate”, the MLA rues.

Earlier, DC, SP, HoDs, Gaonburas, PRI member and general public extended rousing welcome to the CM and Kumar Wai Home Minister at the Circuit House.

As many as 38 dengue cases grip Jorhat Bijoy Shankar Handique Jorhat, 1 Nov

A total of 38 cases of dengue fever grips Jorhat district since last week with 25 male and 12 female diagnosed by the department of Micro-Biology, Jorhat Medical College here recently.

According to Dr. Amrit Saikia-joint director of Health Service, Jorhat said that a total of 38 patients officially tested positive with dengue virus and unofficially more than 20 has been undergoing treatment at various private hospitals. Most of the cases were from within the Jorhat town while one reported from Assam Police Battalion of Titabor.

Meleng, Teok, Phuloni (Majuli), Hatikhowa in Golaghat, Rangajan (Golaghat), Karonga, are the places from where cases were reported.

Dr. Saikia said no case of death has been reported as dengue patients were admitted to Government hospital and private nursing homes just after their infection are detected in the department of Micro-Biology of JMCH. Meanwhile the Health department along with the NHM team is pressed into service to make Contd. on Page 2

Pasighat Municipal Council launches 4th edition of Mr Arunachal door to door garbage collection tricycles in first week of November The Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) today introduced tricycles for doorto-door collection of household garbage in all twelve municipal wards.

It was formally launched by East Arunachal MP (Loksabha) Ninong Ering and Pasighat MLA Kaling Moyong, in presence of Chief Councilor Kaling Doruk, MEO A Koyu, EE D Padung and councilors of all wards, at the main market Gandhi Chowk.

cmyk

Contd. on Page 3

Tricycles were launched by East Arunachal MP (Loksabha) Ninong Ering and Pasighat MLA Kaling Moyong

The fourth edition of the Mr Arunachal Body building championship is all set to be held on November 5 next at Nikum Niya Hall, Nirjuli, which will be inaugurated by Sports Authority of Arunachal Chairman Gora Makik.

Talking to this daily, organising secretary of the event, Daniel Teli informed that participants from Aalo, Changlang, Pasighat, including Capital Complex have already arrived and the practice sessions are on in full swing at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Naharlagun.

He said that the committee had tried to include differentlyable persons in the

Contestents at the Mr Arunachal Body building championship

championship but the idea could not materialize.

However, he said that the master category shall be continued this time with 70 male participants, along with the women’s category, which will have 10 participants this time around.

A total of 80 participants have been selected from various districts of the state and have qualified to participate in the competitive rounds.

Also informing that the Arunachal Body Building Association is facing financial restraints, Teli appealed to the state government for financial support so that the event can be conducted at par with other state level body building competitions.

cmyk

A Staff Reporter Naharlagun, 1 Nov

ET Buearu Pasighat, 1 Nov

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

P2 Foundation Day of Coal India celebrated in Margherita

JPC to visit Assam Naharkatia AJYCP takes out protest rally on 19th Nov against Citizenship amendment Bill

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, 1 Nov: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will visit Assam after

19thNovember, 2016 for taking hearing. The committee headed by Satyapal Singh will take hearing from the organizations and stakeholders during their visit.

Dead body found in Margherita

J K Borah General Manager of CIL NEC Margherita giving homage to Martyrs on occasion of 42nd Coal India Foundation Day today at Margherita NEC General Manager office Margherita. Photo send by Mithun Baruah from Margherita ET Correspondent Margherita, 1 Nov: The 42nd Foundation Day of Coal India was today celebrated with full enthusiasm

by North Eastern Coal Fields, Margherita. The programme began the unfurling of Coal India Flag by J K Borah, General Manager of NEC in Margherita which was fol-

lowed by CIL Corporate song. A guard of Honour was given by the Security of NEC. J K Borah, paid homage to Martyrs memorial and commemorated by lightning lamps in front of the Martyrs memorial for those who laid their lives for better cause of CIL. A minute silence was observed for the peace of de-

HOROSCOPE Aries

A creative project that you've been working on may be coming to a climactic peak now, Taurus. Discuss your progress with others and feel free to hold an informal critique in order to get honest feedback on your work. A piece of art should stir some sort of reaction inside another person. Consider ways in which you can challenge the people around you with your talent.

Gemini

Be aware that love is likely to wear some sort of disguise today, Gemini. There's something fanciful about the way in which this new romance will manifest, so get ready. Don't think that love always has to be planned and calculated. There is a strong sense of spontaneity associated with the delicious love interest of the day. Don't dismiss those who don't seem practical or levelheaded enough for you.

Leo

Virgo

Take your loved one out for a romantic dinner tonight, Cancer. Escort him or her on a magic-carpet ride to fantastic places that encourage a playful mood and carefree attitude. Consider having a bottle of wine at a playground. Decorate your house with candles and burn some incense. Create a mood that will calm the nerves and soothe the soul. Your sense of romance is right on target.

When it comes to romantic relationships, Leo, you might find that you're playing more of a game of hide-and-go-seek than a combined effort toward friendship, trust, and honesty. It could be that you're purposely trying to hide in order to test the stamina of your opponent.

You might want to take a new approach now, one that involves an effort toward connecting instead of distancing.

You're apt to be somewhat fickle when it comes to love and romance right now, Virgo. The key for you now is freedom. The problem with this mindset is that it might be misinterpreted. Your partner may think you simply aren't interested in him or her anymore. Remind your partner that it's OK to love someone while also needing time and space to do things on your own.

Libra

You may be confused when it comes to matters of the heart, Libra. Perhaps you feel cheated when the object of your desire doesn't give you complete attention at all times. The fundamental security of your being is your responsibility, not someone else's. Find a way to incorporate your dreams into the dreams of others instead of always working toward goals at opposite sides of the spectrum.

Scorpio

Your fairytale imagination of how your romantic life should run is hooking you up with many different opportunities, Scorpio. Whether you realize it or not, the optimal situation you seek is within your grasp.

Make sure that you aren't trying to manipulate a certain person into becoming the person you want him or her to be. If you're unhappy in your relationship, perhaps you need to find someone new.

Sagittarius

Your dreams work out quite nicely in your head, Sagittarius, but the problem now is how to turn them into some sort of real life scenario. Be careful of taking too intellectual of an approach. When it comes to relationships, things don't normally happen logically or rationally. You're going to have to leave a great deal up to chance, so just learn to deal with things as they come.

Capricorn

Love and personal relationships are likely to take on a much dreamier and more romantic tone now, Capricorn. Your eyes are apt to sparkle as you speak or even think of the person you care about the most.

The unmistakable glow that surrounds you is likely to attract others to your side even if you aren't in the market for a romantic relationship right now.

Aquarius

Pisces

a cut mark at the forehead of the dead body and police are suspecting it to be a murder case.

Margherita police have started investigation in this case.

Animal thief arrested ET Correspondent Margherita, 1 Nov: An animal thief was arrested by Assistant Sub Inspector, Ghana Shyam Hazarika of Margherita Police Station on Monday. The thief stole Two Pigs and one Duck from Ajit Bezbaruah house situated at 2 Number Alubari Margherita on 27 October night.

After that a case was registered at Margherita Police Station and

on 31 October Margherita Police Station Assistant Sub Inspector, Ghana Shyam Hazarika arrested John Hansik age 25 resident of No 3 Makum pather Chiru line Margherita. A case has been registered at Margherita Police station Case Number 261/16 US 380 IPC and the thief John Hansik has been sent to judicial custody.

BHAI PHOTA CELEBRATION

While you normally like all of your romantic relationships to be extremely nurturing and comforting, you may find that this isn't always possible, Aries. There's a disconnect between you and a close partner right now that could be hard to rectify. Time is really the only thing that's likely to resolve this sort of problem.

Remember that all of your relationships can't always go exactly according to plan.

Taurus

Cancer

parted souls.

During the program 10 Best employees of NEC were felicitated along with Toppers of Class 10 and Class 12 of Margherita Sub Division.

Later, an Art Competition and Art learning programme was also held where a team of JJ School of Arts from Mumbai and Guwahati participated.

ET Correspondent Margherita, 1 Nov: An unidentified male dead body early morning was today recovered by Margherita Police at Buri Dehing River. There was

When it comes to relationships with others, be careful about insisting that everything be done only your way, Aquarius. It could be that you have such high expectations of your partner that he or she will never be able to live up to your standards.

Basically, you're setting the stage for failure by demanding that the person for you be of a certain make and model.

Your fantasies could come true now, especially when it comes to relationships, Pisces. This could be the moment you've always dreamed about, so get ready. The attractive, romantic person in the corner has been keeping an eye on you all night.

Your blood is pumping faster than ever. Remind yourself that all dreams can come true on a day such as today.

ET Correspondent Naharkatia, 1 Nov: The activists of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), Naharkatia committee today took out a torch light rally at Naharkatia town here against the government decision of granting citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshi. The rally was accompanied by vari-

ous other students union and also public of Naharkatia at large. The Hindu Bangladeshi citizenship issue has become a major problem of the state against which protests by various organizations are taken out. It is to be noted that the rally which was attended by A.J.Y.C.P Dibrugarh district Secretary, Humen

Buragohainb along with Naharkatia unit President Raju Sonowal, General Secretary Gurango Gogoi made it clear that they cannot go with this decision and cannot afford a single Bangladeshi citizenship even if he is Hindu.

AJYCP has asked the government to make their decision clear regarding this issue.

FIRE IN TINSUKIA

In a violent fire break, one 3 years old have lost his life while his father was seriously burn and referred to Dibrugarh for medical treatment. Property in lakhs have been destroyed in the fire. Photo- Siddharth Singh

A sister giving phot to her brother for longevity of his life on the occasion of Bhai Phota at Dibrugarh on Tuesday.Photo by Manoj Pandey

As many as 38 dengue cases grip Jorhat Contd. from Page 1

Sports

Oil India Higher Secondary trash Kachari Pathar Sports Reporter Dibrugarh, Nov 1: Oil India Higher Secondary School defeated Kachari Pathar High School 3-0 in the second semifinal of the Sub-junior match of the 5th Greater Duliajan Inter school football tournament organized by Duliajan Football Academy at Nehru Maidan in Duliajan . Altogether, 22 teams participated in the tournament.

Oil India HS School opened

the account through Abhijit Baruah in the 23rd minute consolidating a pass from the left flank. Oil India HS School dominated the first half with their aggressive technique and never gave any easy chance to the opponents to score against them.

In the second half, Oil India HS School came strongly with their attacking style. Sandeep Thapa scored the second goal in

the 54th minute through a pass from the midfield.

Chandan Gogoi scored the third goal in the 58th minute. Chandan received a pass from the right flank and found back of the net.

Tomorrow, Oil India Higher Secondary School will take on Bhadoi High School in the Sub-junior final while Katalguri High School will play Kachari Pathar ME school in the Mini Sub-junior.

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people aware to follow the guidelines to prevent the disease. He said we are doing massive fogging in certain areas and have requested people to take out preventive measures.

According to Health department expert suggestion, the people

must be aware and avoid getting mosquito bites during day hours. Once infected a patient may become the main carrier and multiplier of the virus, serving as a source of virus for uninfected mosquitoes.

Doctor said that an infected patient develop severe flu like symptoms and further call upon the people not to create panic in the outbreak of

the disease as no fatal symptoms has been detected among the infected people within the district so far.

As maximum cases out of 38 cases 30 cases has been reported from the municipality area as the department has already started massive fogging in certain areas and have requested people to take all preventive measures, said the Ioint Director of Health.

Organizations allege discriminations in compensation for the victims of Kaziranga eviction Contd. from Page 1

They also talked about the situation that prevailed in an around the villages in which Akhil was made their prime target who however luckily escaped that. "Akhil was the prime target at that time, by luckily he was able to save him" said Padmaluchan Nath, advisor of KMSS. Members alleged that Bandardubi Lp School was turned into a fortresses which was guarded by 60 member unit of AP BN. They also alleged though houses were flattened, mobile towers were kept intact.

"It is very awkward to see the mobile towers standing, as everybody knows what effect done to the environment by mobile tower" said Heman Bora.

A Mazid, Indira Awas Youjana Houses were flattened but worked on PMGHY road construction was still going on towards the flattened houses.

Villagers alleged that the seven Hindu families were promised basic necessities such as water, electricity and land by two powerful ministers of the ruling state govt.

However the Muslim families affected in the eviction drive were deprived from such assurances.

"This discrimination of the Govt. hurt the emotions of the evicted Muslim villagers� said Heman Bora.

They also alleged that Tea gardens and other business complexes owned by powerful ministers were left untouched. Villagers mention about commitments made by the Govt. that they would be compensated within 41 days of eviction which is yet fulfilled.

The next of kin of two persons who died in the shootout incident that took place during eviction are also yet to be compensated. Villagers alleged that a total of four students were deprived

from sitting in H.S. and HSLC examination due to the eviction drive.

The team that visited Bandardubi Rajah Village was Bandita Acharjya of Women in Governance and Human Right Alert, Barak Human Right Society member Prasenjit Biswas, Sanmilita Nagarik Mancha Jorhat president Hemen Bora, joint secretary Rafique Ahmed along with KMSS adviser Padmaluchan Das, youth social worker Ditumoni Gogoi and Pranab Doley.

After visiting the site members fears that communal situation might arise due to discrimination by the Govt.

In the press meet, President of Sanmilita Nagarik Mancha, Hemen Bora, and Joint Secretery, Rafique Ahmed along with the adviser of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), Padmaluchan Das, youth social worker Ditumoni Gogoi, Bhaba Chetia of Sanmilita Nagarik Mancha were present.

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

NEWS

Assam Rifles to conduct ex-servicemen Rally on 6th November in Jairampur ET Correspondent Jairampur, 1 Nov : An Assam Rifles ExServicemen Rally under the aegis of HQ 25 Sector Assam Rifles will be conducted on 6th November, 2016 at Jairampur to commemorate veterans’ selfless service to the nation. The rally is being organised in coordination with HQ DGAR. The aim of this rally is to felicitate Veer Naris, Widows and Veterans and to

d i s s e m i n a t e information about the welfare measures and facilities being provided to ExServicemen, Veer Naris and their dependents.

Various facilities will be made available at the Rally Site for Exservicemen and Veer Naris. They can raise grievances related to pensions.

Latest information about various financial assistances will be informed. There will be

free medical camp by various specialists including free Dental Camp.

Free accommodation, food and transportation will be provided for the ex-servicemen and Veer Naris. The rally site will also have banking facilities, Unit Run Canteen, CSD Smart Card, and Fair Price Shop. Attractive gifts will be given for all exservicemen and Veer Naris.

War of late Arunachal CM’s wives ends in youth over expedience ET Bureau Itanagar, 1 Nov: In polygamous Arunachal Pradesh, inheritance is often an issue when a man leaves behind two or more wives. This has happened with two of the three widows of former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul too; not for property but for the vacant Assembly seat.

After Pul’s death, his eldest wife Dangwimsai and youngest wife Dasanglu quarrelled over the Hayuliang constituency. It was only after CM Pema Khandu in-

tervened that Dangwimsai agreed to make way for Dasanglu, who will contest the November 19 bypoll on a BJP ticket.

Given Arunachal’s political tradition, Dasanglu is expected to win unopposed. Rival parties usually do not field candidates when a family member of a popular leader, whose death necessitated the by-election, is in the fray.Dangwimsai and Dasanglu were bickering for a party ticket with each projecting

Naharlagun based NGO pays tribute to martyred Soldiers 4-year-old girl ‘sacri-

ficed’ in Assam to trace lost mobile phone

ET Bureau Naharlagun, Nov 1: Standing Together to Empower People (STEP), NGO based in Naharlagun paid glowing tributes in remembrance of the 18 soldiers martyred in Uri terror attack by lighting up 501 earthen lamps (deepok) during the Diwali celebration at Hanuman Temple DSector on Sunday.

People from all walk of life came together to pay respect to the departed soul by lighting a lamp each. Remembering the great son of motherland India, General Secretary of the organization Basab Bandhu Dutta informed that every day soldiers deployed in our international Border or Terrorist

disturb areas sacrifice their life's for our protection and peaceful atmosphere. We must remember them in our prayers. Let us all be proud of Our Great In-

dian Soldiers and pay our respect for their supreme sacrifice and light a lamp for them as they died while protecting our mother land.

Guwahati, 1 Nov: A 4year-old girl was allegedly beheaded and offered as sacrifice by a ‘tantrik’ (witch doctor) in Assam to trace a lost mobile phone.

The body of the girl, missing since October 24, was recovered on Monday afternoon from a forest near her home in Ratanpur tea estate in Charaideo district of upper Assam. Her severed head and arms were found nearby. Police said there was no sign of sexual assault on the victim.

The victim, who belongs to an Adivasi community, was allegedly tortured and beheaded by the witch doctor to be able to retrieve the lost mobile

phone of one Hanuman Bhumij’s daughter.

Police arrested Bhumij and another suspect Ariful Ali, identified as the ‘tantrik’ assistant, after locals caught both men hours after the girl went missing. The main accused, Abdul Jalil, is absconding.

“Bhumij had approached the witch doctor to recover the mobile phone.

We are investigating allegations that the girl was abducted and sacrificed with the hope of recovering the phone,” Prasanta Phukan, incharge of Sonari police station told media. The two men taken into custody have not confessed, police said.

(Agencies)

Team leaves for iden- Nagaland has beef with Delhi tifying Bru refugees for bid to ban dog meat eat or wield rules that proper procedures on in Tripura camp Agencies Guwahati, 1 Nov: are not applicable in treating dogs and other PTI Agartala, 1 Nov: A team of 30 officials led by MizoramTripura border Mamit district Deputy Commissioner Lalbi aksangi today left for Kanhmun village on the banks of the Tripura border river Langkaih to undertake identification of bona fide residents of Mizoram in a Tripura relief camp from tomorrow.

process is the beginning of the proposed eighth phase physical repatriation of 3,445 Bru families lodged in the six relief camps in North Tripura district and scheduled to continue till November 21.

As per the schedule of the Road Map-V for Bru Repatriation, the physical repatriation was to commence from November 30.

Lalbiaksangi told PTI over phone that the team, comprised of officials from Mamit and Kolasib district on A s s a m b o r d e r, which would conduct the identification process in Kaskau relief camp.

As per the proposal, 2,594 repatriated families would be resettled in Mamit district while Assam bordered Kolasib district and south Mizoram's Lunglei district would host 628 and 223 Bru families respecT h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n tively.

Nagaland attacked Union minister Maneka Gandhi over a move to ban consumption of dog meat — like beef elsewhere in India — in the North-east.

Dog meat is a delicacy among many Naga tribes in Nagaland and adjoining states as well as some communities in Mizoram.

In a letter to department of north eastern region minister Jitendra Singh a few days ago, Gandhi cited the Food Safety and Standards Regulation Act, 2011, that does not allow dogs, cats and other animals to be slaughtered for food. She said consumption of dog meat was both illegal and cruel.

But Nagas say Gandhi has no business telling them what they cannot

Nagaland.

“Indian laws, related to religion or food habits, cannot be imposed in Nagaland because the state’s special status ensures preservation of social customs. We have been eating dog meat, as therapy too, for generations and we cannot stop eating now just because someone feels we should not,” Chuba Ozukum, president of Nagaland’s apex social organisation Naga Hoho, said.

Nagas, he added, will oppose strongly if the ban on sale and consumption of dog meat is imposed.

Officials of Nagaland’s health department said they were looking into the cruelty aspect. “We have asked traders and butchers to follow

animals for consumption,” Abhijit Sinha, commissioner-secretary in the department, said.

The state’s additional chief secretary, RB Thong, said enforcing a dog meat ban would be very difficult.

Fearing public backlash, the Nagaland government went slow on a legal notice that an Assam-based petitioner had sent in March against illegal trade of dogs for consumption.

Though the demand for dog meat is high — a kilo sells for `300-500 depending on availability — the animal is not farmed for consumption. The dogs for most kitchens and ethnic restaurants are thus smuggled from neighbouring states, mainly Assam.

Stay vigilant, Islamic State could attack: US Embassy to its citizens in India ET Bureau New Delhi, 1 Nov: The US Embassy in New Delhi has "reminded" American citizens in India to remain vigilant to threats based on media reports that the Islamic State terror group could carry out attacks in India.

The 'reminder' is not a specific travel advisory but merely a call to attention to the 'worldwide caution' issued by the US State Department last month.

"Recent Indian media reports indicate ISIL's desire to attack targets in India. The U.S. Embassy warns of an increased threat to places in India frequented by Westerners, such as religious sites, markets, and festival venues. All U.S. citizens are reminded to maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness

as detailed in the State Department's Worldwide Caution of September 9, 2016," read the statement tweeted by the US State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs.

The State Department has two categories of notices to warn American travellers of potential dangers.

While a 'Travel Warning' for a particular country asks travellers to consider if they want to visit the country at all, a 'Travel

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Alert' is usually reserved for short-term risks like cyclones or other weather events.

India however was part of the 'Worldwide Caution' the State Department issued in September. The note on risks in India read, "India continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities which may affect U.S. citizens directly or indirectly.

Anti-Western terrorist groups active in India in-

clude Islamist extremist groups such as Harkat-ulJihad-i-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Indian Mujahideen, Jaish-eMohammed, and Lashkar-e Tayyiba. Past attacks have targeted public places, including some frequented by Westerners, such as luxury and other hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas."

herself as the candidate.

People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) and BJP, which are partners in the state’s ruling coalition and constituents in the non-Congress North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), decided to field a joint candidate.

Accordingly, they conveyed their decision to Pul’s wives.

“At the outset, the eldest madam projected me as the candidate. But because of some people’s instigations, she changed her decision and aspired to contest

the poll. They instigated her by saying that she is the eldest wife and as such, she should take the chance,” Dasanglu said, adding that Khandu had called all three of them for a meeting, during which Dangwimsai agreed to make way for me.

The PPA claimed to have played a part in resolving the conflict. “We chipped in. We said that Arunachal was passing through a sad time following Pul’s death and hence, the family should remain united,” PPA

chairman Kamen Ringu said. Asked why Dasanglu isn’t contesting as a candidate of Pul’s party PPA, he said: “NEDA has a give and take policy. During dissidence, Pul needed support from within and outside. He was short of some MLAs. BJP had extended its support.

Now it wants Pul’s wife to contest on its ticket.”

Dasanglu, who has a one-year-old son, said, “The ruling BJP-PPA has appealed to the Congress and individuals not to contest the byelection

Ratan Tata: Cyrus Mistry's removal was absolutely necessary for future success of Tata Group PTI Mumbai, 1 Nov: As ousted Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry stepped up attack,Ratan Tata on Tuesday hit back saying his removal was "absolutely necessary" for the future success of the Tata group.

"The decision to change the leadership of Tata Sons was a well-considered and serious one for its board members. This difficult decision, made after careful and thoughtful deliberation, is one the board believes was absolutely necessary for the future success of the Tata Group," the interim chairman wrote to employees of $100 billion Group.

The letter came shortly after Mistry ratcheted up war of words by rebutting "insinuations" of mishandling a dispute with

Japan's NTT DoCoMo, saying Ratan Tata was party to all decisions regarding the telecom venture.

Tata, 78, who retired as Tata group chairman nearly four years back, justified his return for "maintaining stability and continuity of leadership" and promised to give the group "a world-class leader" when a full-time boss is appointed.

Earlier in the day, Mistry's office issued a statement saying all decisions on the telecom joint venture with DoCoMo and the following dispute were taken with unanimous approval of Board of Tata Sons as well as family patriarch Ratan Tata.

The handling of the $1.17 billion compensation slapped by an arbitration panel over breach of agreement with DoCoMo is said to one of the trig-

gers for Tata Sons sacking Mistry last month.

"Insinuations that the Docomo issue was handled under the watch of Mistry in a manner inconsistent with Tata culture and values are baseless. The suggestion that Ratan Tata and the trustees would not have approved of the manner in which the litigation was conducted is contrary to what transpired," the statement said.

Responding to the statement, a Tata group spokesman said: "The insinuations are being imagined and this (DoCoMo) matter is sub-judice."

Tata in his second letter to employees after the October 24 sacking of Mistry, said the group companies should focus on their profit margins and their market position and not compare themselves to their own past.

Voters have right to know edu qualification of candidates: SC PTI New Delhi, Nov 1 : Voters have a fundamental right to know the academic qualification of a candidate and any false declaration on this count can warrant rejection of nomination papers, the Supreme Court has held.

"Every voter has a fundamental right to know about the educational qualification of a candidate. It is also clear from the provisions of the Act, Rules and Form 26 that there is a duty cast on the candidates to give correct information about their educational qualifications," a bench comprising Justices A R Dave and L Nageswara Rao said.

The apex court also ruled that if there are only two candidates in the fray and it is proved that the returned candidate's nomination pa-

pers have been "improperly accepted", then the one who lost the poll does not need to produce proof that the election has been materially affected.

The verdict came on two cross appeals filed by Mairembam Prithviraj alias Prithviraj Singh and Pukhrem Sharatchandra Singh against each other challenging the judgment of the High Court of Manipur.

The High Court had declared as "void" the election of Prithviraj, who had contested the 2012 polls on a Nationalist Congress Party ticket against Congress nominee Sharatchandra from Moirang Assembly seat in Manipur.

It was alleged that Prithviraj, in his nomination papers, had said he was an MBA, which was found to

be incorrect.

Upholding the High Court verdict, Justice Rao, writing the verdict for the apex court bench, said it was not "in dispute that the Appellant did not study MBA in Mysore University" and the plea that it was a "clerical error" cannot be accepted.

"The contention of the Appellant that the declaration relating to his educational qualification in the affidavit is a clerical error cannot be accepted. It is not an error committed once. Since 2008, the Appellant was making the statement that he has an MBA degree. The information provided by him in the affidavit filed in Form 26 would amount to a false declaration. The said false declaration cannot be said to be a defect which is not substantial...," the bench said.

Pasighat Municipal Council launches door to door garbage collection tricycles Contd. from Page 1

CC Doruk informed that twelve tricycles were provided for a month on trial basis in the first phase and as per requirements, more tricycles would be issued in coming days to cover every nook and corners of the township by the civic body.

Addressing the gathering, MP Ering appreciated the efforts of the PMC stating that tons of garbage is generated per day in the municipal limits and launching of tricycle for door-to-door garbage collection was essential to keep the city clean and beautiful.

“People should shoulder their responsibilities seriously. They should neither litter, nor let others litter to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean and hygienic India”, said the MP and further appealed to the citizens to join the cleanliness drive launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi under Swachh Bharat Mission.

Earlier, MLA Moyong exhorted people to become active participants in cleanliness activities across the oldest town.

“Picking up the broom to clean the dirt is a good practice and a sense of responsibility has been

evoked among the people through SBM movement”, he said.

He also appreciated the East Siang DMO as the extra efforts of the DMO and his team has resulted in source reduction and remarkably controlled dengue and malaria this year.

Asserting that Pasighat has full potentials to achieve “Smart City” status in the next phase, Moyong urged the people to maintain cleanliness and hygienic environment, and spread the message of peace and tranquility which are prerequisite to achieve the goal. (DIPRO)

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Organisations advocate for at least Tiger skin recovered, arrested in Assam's 40% sin tax on tobacco products four Manas National Park GST Council proposed for 26 % sin tax on tobacco

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, 1 Nov: Expressing serious concern over the proposal of the GST Council for 26 % sin tax on tobacco, public health advocates of Assam said a sin tax rate below 40% will negatively impact revenue and public health.

Voluntary Health Association of Assam (VHAA), a NGO reiterated its demand for at least 40% sin tax with a provision for states’ right to impose topup taxes on all types of tobacco including cigarettes, bidis, smokeless tobacco and pan masala to discourage their consumption and addiction amongst people, especially amongst the youth.

There is certainly an overarching consensus that goods that are harmful to society categorized as “sin” such as tobacco be taxed at the highest rate under GST as recom-

mended in the Chief Economic Advisor report which seeks a 40% GST sin rate on all tobacco products including cigarettes, bidis and chewing tobacco, the voluntary health body said.

Ms. Ruchira Neog, Executive Secretary, VHAA said the GST council meeting that concluded on October 20th proposed a much lower 26% GST sin rate which would have significant impact on the revenue as well as the health of our nation, both of which require serious consideration.

“The rationale for a sin tax is twofold, to pay for the damage caused to society by products like tobacco, and secondly, to increase the price and reduce their usage. A 26% rate would defeat both purposes – it would significantly reduce current revenues from tobacco and would actually make tobacco products more affordable and en-

courage consumption, especially among vulnerable population including children and youth,” Ms. Neog said.

According to Dr. Rijo John, Assistant Professor, IIT Jodhpur, “Compared to a GST Sin rate of 40%, imposing a 26% Sin rate would reduce total tobacco tax revenue by almost one fifth (17%, or roughly Rs.10, 510 crores) even if the government retains the current excise on tobacco products post GST. Clearly, 26% Sin rate will be well below the rate required to maintain a revenue neutral position for tobacco and will significantly reduce tax burden on ALL tobacco products since the existing average VAT rates themselves are higher than 26% on most tobacco products.”

Dr. John has been working on tobacco taxation and co-author of various reports and studies on tobacco taxation.

Tobacco-use imposes enormous health and economic costs on the country. The total economic costs attributable to tobacco use in Assam amounted to Rs 541 crores in the year 2011 for persons aged 35-69, of which 47% was direct medical costs and 53% was indirect morbidity costs.

“A much lower GST rate would make all tobacco products even more affordable to youth and children, leading to the impact of the tobacco epidemic becoming more severe driving up health care costs and resulting in productivity losses. This will certainly lead to an increased number of fatalities per year, which is not good news for any country. I firmly believe & urge that the government should tax the tobacco products at very high rate to ensure it discourages mass consumption,” said Dr. Ravindar Singh , President of the Assam

Branch of the Indian Dental Association (IDA).

According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)-2010, Assam is a major victim of tobacco abuse with 39 per cent of adults in the State consuming some form of tobacco – cigarettes, bidis and smokeless (gutka, khaini, etc). 52.6 per cent of males and 25.3 per cent females in Assam are found to use tobacco in some form or the other.

Based on current scenarios under consideration, a 40% Sin rate combined with the existing excise tax and topup state rights to tax tobacco appears to be the best scenario for public health and revenue. This will not only help us maintain the current tax burden on tobacco, and will prevent more Indians from falling prey to life-threatening diseases and caught in a cycle of perpetual poverty!

28th Chavang Kut celebrated in Dima Hasao ET Correspondent, Haflong Nov 1: The people, belonging to the Kuki community celebrated the ‘28th CHAVANG KUT’ (Autumn Festival of Kukis) with traditional fervour and grandeur on Tuesday in all most all the villages inhabited by the Kuki people in Dima Hasao district.

Here at Haflong also, under the aegis of Songpijang Youth Club& VDP,the 28th Chavang Kut was celebrated with daylong programme at Songpijang Play ground. The Day’s programmes started with the unfurling of Kut’s flag by the Chief Guest Henkam Haolai, Secretary to the Govt of Assam. This was followed by the felicitation of Chief Guests, Guest of Honour etc along with journalists by the President, SYC. In their speech Chief Guest Henkam Haolai and Guest of honour Ms Ruth Lamchin Doungel Lenthang ap-

competition like Mr. and Miss Kut. Apart from this, they also organize traditional games and sports.

Though the advent of modernization has caste impacts on traditional customs in some urban areas, but in villages, these traditional things are still in practice with some modification.

preciated the organisers for their efforts of preserving tradition and culture at a time when modernisation has influenced a lot on tradition and culture.

The spectacular performances of traditional dances by several groups from Haflong were the central attraction of festival. Traditional games and sports were also organized during midday wherein numbers of youths took part. In the evening, traditional couple show and Fancy dress com-

Father-son duo killed in Tinsukia inferno, 30 huts gutted ET Correspondent Tinsukia, NOV 1: A father and son duo was killed in a devastating fire which broke out in Tinkunia area of Tinsukia district early today. Locals said that the fire first started in a hut beside the GNB Road at around 12.30am and within no time the blaze spread in the locality which houses a cluster of shanties. At least 30 jhuggis (huts) were gutted in the inferno. Several fire tenders were pressed into service and after several hours of fire fighting they finally managed to control the blaze.

Police said a 2-year-old child Biswajit Mahato was charred to death inside his house. The kid’s father Lakhan Mahato

who suffered serious burns was rushed to the Assam Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition. He later died at the hospital. Mahato’s wife and two other persons have also been admitted to the hospital in serious condition.

Tinsukia DC Ranjan Kumar Chakraborty has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident.

He also announced compensation to the victims after visiting the incident site.

In a second fire incident in Tinsukia today, the house of one Sankar Shah was completely gutted in a fire in Hijuguri area of the town at around midday. However no one was injured in the fire.

petition were organized along with musical entertainment which kept the audience mesmerized till late night.

The Chavang Kut is the major festival of the CHIN-KUKI community all over the world.

This festival is celebrated specially in Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Chin state in Myanmar, Delhi and in Shillong etc.

This festival is celebrated after most of the harvest is over. The villagers, the show

their gratitude to the Lord, who permits them strength and long life and all the good things to them, they sing and dance praising the Lord. In this festival, folk songs are sung with traditional dances.

During the observance of the festival people try to show their expertise in playing Goshem, Selki, Phit, Dahpi, the traditional musical instruments. With the urbanization, they now use to organize not only the traditional items but also the fashion show

During the festival traditional dances like SAGOL PHEIKHAI, SELPANG LAM, LOMLAM, JANCHA LAM,VACOL LAM, PHEIPHIT LAM, SALU LAM, GAL LAM, SUHTA LAM, MOLKANG LAM, (stick dance) KHUL LAM were performed with the tune of musical instruments like – Gosem, Sumkon, Pheiphit, khong, Dahpi, Dahbu, selki, lhemlhei, theile etc. Though the Cavang Kut is being considered to be the major festival,other festivals like Chapphou Kut, Mim kut and lholhum kut are also there to be mentioned.

ET Bureau/ Agencies Guwahati, 1 Nov: Manas National Park authority and police recovered a tiger skin and arrested three persons on Tuesday in connection with poisoning of a big cat last week.

The recovery was made from Betbari, an encroached area under Bhuyapara range of the park.

The forest and police team got the tip-off of the tiger skin following the arrest of one NDFB surrendered militant Bulagra Basumatary on Sunday.

Park director H K Sarma said that Basumatary was also wanted by police in case of arms snatching from Agrang forest camp of Manas about three years ago.

"During interrogation the surrendered NDFB militant revealed about the tiger skin hidden by him and his accomplices," Sarma said.

Park sources said that the encroached areas of Manas are becoming major conservation threat to Manas which got back World Heritage Site status in 2011 after remaining in Unesco's danger list from

1992.

They said that in the past also encroachers were involved in rhino poaching and other wildlife crime.

Manas, also a tiger reserve in Bodoland Territorial Area District, are a contiguous landscape of Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.

The poisoning of the tiger took place at a time when big cats are making a come back in the Manas landscape including Bhutan.

Latest monitoring by the Transboundary Manas Conservation Area, a joint initiative by India and Bhutan, found 21-tigers in the landscape.

District administration will take punitive action against section of traders and shopkeepers littering in open A Staff Reporter Guwahati, 1 Nov: Viewing seriously cases of littering by a section of traders and shopkeepers in areas falling under the jurisdictions of Hailakandi Municipal Board and Lala Town Committee respectively, the Hailakandi district administration will go in for punitive action against them even to the extent of cancelling trade licenses.

Deputy Commissioner Moloy Bora said though the administration has time and again asked the shop owners of commercial establishments, transport, merchant and traders’ associations to keep the towns of Hailakandi, Lala and other places filth-free by adhering to proper disposal methods, a section of them have been openly flouting the directive. “Cases of violations of directives issued from time to time by a section of traders and owners of commercial establishments with impunity cannot be allowed to continue any further. The district administration will come down heavily even to the extent of terminating trade licenses if they do not mend ways,” he added.

It may be mentioned that in a latest order (copies of which were sent to secretary, president and chairman of transport, merchant and

traders’ associations) the administration has made it categorically clear that any shops and commercial establishments not adhering to the administration’s directive will be forced to down shutters.

Deputy Commissioner Bora said the administration cannot be a mute spectator to instances of dumping of garbage on the roads and roadside leading to pollution of the environment. “The administration has more teeth to act tough against the offenders as different rules and Acts are in force viz., the Bio-Medical Waste, 1998, the Municipal Solid Waste Management, 2000, the Batteries Management and Handling Rules, 2001, the Hazardous Waste Rules, 2008, the Plastic Waste Rules, 2011 and the E-waste Rules, 2011,” he said adding that the administration would not hesitate to close down any establishments violating the rules and Acts in force.

Appealing once again the traders and owners of commercial establishments to maintain cleanliness, Bora said, “Proper steps will be initiated by them to dispose of waste through use of dustbin and garbage bag and hand over the same to the municipal and town committee sanitation workers during the morning rounds.”

Meanwhile, the district administration has initiated a slew of steps to collect solid waste from door to door in Hailakandi municipal and Lala town committee areas. Deputy Commissioner Bora pointed out that the ward commissioner will ensure collection of solid waste from each and every household and commercial place. “In a video conference with the Chief Secretary, we have assured him that the collection of solid waste in urban areas will be made fully functional by the ward commissioners and that the rules and Acts relating to solid waste management will be strictly enforced by the urban local bodies,” he asserted.

Bora has asked the Executive Officers of Hailakandi Municipal Board and Lala Town Committee for compliance of the solid waste rules and Acts by the Urban Local Bodies, failing which disciplinary action will be initiated against them.

Detail ward-wise report on the steps initiated by the ward commissioners have been already sent to the Chief Secretary.

It may be mentioned that Government of Assam has constituted the Swachh Bharat City Level Task Force for effective monitoring and implementation of the solid waste management in urban areas of the State.

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, 1 Nov: Troops of Guwahati Frontier of Border Security Force deployed in Coochbehar, seized silver weighing 7.976 kgs and apprehended one Indian cattle smuggler yesterday, near the International Boundary in Coochbehar District of West Bengal.

On specific input provided by BSF intelligence unit, about smuggling of silver from India to Bangladesh, surveillance was mounted in the border area on Monday.

At about 1540 hrs, a suspect approached the target area with the consignment and tried to throw it across the border fencing, towards Bangladesh.

However, when the alert

troops swooped on to the area, the suspect abandoned the consignment and fled from the spot.

The party recovered 7.976 kgs silver in two securely packed packets, which was verified to be genuine. The approximate cost of the seized consignment is Rs 3,36,601/-. Efforts are on to trace the suspect.

On the other hand the apprehended cattle smuggler has been identified as Mukul Sheikh (18), S/O DilbarHussain, R/O villKarala South, PONatkobari, PS-Dinhata, Distt- Coochbehar(WB).

He was apprehended by the troops of BOP Karala along with one cattle head, while he was trying to smuggle it from India to Bangladesh. He has also

revealed names of his associates during preliminary questioning.

He has been handed over to local police for further legal action. The names of his associates have also been incorporated in the FIR for strict legal action.

Besides, BSF troops of Guwahati Frontier seized 40 cattle heads having an apprx value of Rs 1,04,780/- and 32 bottles of Phensidyl on the intervening night of 31Oct/01 Nov 2016.

BSF troops are always alert to the issue of trans-border crimes and illegal infiltration and are making all out efforts to prevent commission of illegal crimes despite being displaced from BOPs due to flood and other associated problems related to monsoons.

Assam witch-hunt case: Two women pushed into Guwahati Frontier of BSF seized silver weighing 7 kgs well, buried alive Guwahati, 1 Nov: Two women were buried alive in Assam on Monday night after they were branded as witches over presence of insects in a village well.

The victims Sagu Gaur, 60, and Salmi Gaur, 48, were pushed into the well by three brothers- Basu Gaur, Sanu Gaur and Kumar Sanu Gaur and buried alive by dumping mud and earth over them.

The incident took place at Naharbari in Nagaon district, 140 km north-east from Guwahati. Accused Basu and Sanu have been arrested and search is on to nab Kumar Sanu.

“Sagu and Salmi used black magic to infest the well with insects from which we drink water.

Last night we caught them and buried them alive,” an

unrepentant Basu told local television channels.

Police said both accused have confessed to their involvement in the crime and efforts are underway to recover the bodies from the nearly 10-feet deep well.

“The accused and victims are relatives. Salmi happens to be a cousin sister of the three brothers while Sagu was their maternal aunt,” local police officer Someshwar Kunwor told HT. Belief in occult for anything from failed crops, disease or death leads many in Assam’s backward areas to blame the events on someone.

Usually an ‘oja’ or ‘bej’ (local priest/witch doctor) lays the blame on a villager who is then branded

a witch and excommunicated, thrown out from their homes, beaten and even killed in some extreme cases.

The malaise claimed 116 lives (more than half of them women) between 2006 and 2015 and injured hundreds across the state.

Assam’s legislative assembly passed a bill to prohibit witch hunting in August last year. The bill made the offence nonbailable with provisions for arrests without court warrant and trails in fasttrack courts.

It also stipulates up to seven years of imprisonment for anyone branding someone a witch, fines ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakhs and life imprisonment if the person branded a witch commits suicide. (Agencies)

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A memorable funeral service for late Hukato Festivals not only for entertainment, Dimapur, Nov 1: Rich tributes were paid to the deceased first generation Naga entrepreneur late Hukato Naga, chairman and managing director H.N Company Pvt Ltd at Nagaland House in the national capital on Friday and in Dimapur on October 31.

In Dimapur, a grand 'home going funeral' programme was held at Ikishe village where people from all walk of life, including VIPs, businessmen , well wishers came to pay their final tribute.

Governor of Odisha, Dr. S.C. Jamir, Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio, state legislators Nuklutoshi, Tokheho, and Pukhayi Sumi and other also spoke at the funeral service in Dimapur.

State chief minister, T.R. Zeliang and home minister Y. Patton also paid tributes to the departed soul.

Late Hukato wife Deepika, daughter Vivienne and son Tessica also spoke at the funeral.

Rev. John Roughton, ministered the funeral rites while Rev. S Vitoshe Swu, chaired the funeral service programme.

Born on February 18, 1964, Hukato Naga breathed his last on October 25, 2016. Speaking on the occasion at Delhi, his associates, family members and admirers recalled the "rich legacy" left behind by one of the few successful Naga businessmen and pledged that all efforts would be made to materialize his vision for Naga prosperity and unity amongst all.

Sharing his experience and the manner late Hukato successfully laid the foundation of a successful Naga business project despite his humble beginning in a small Aghuhito village under Zunheboto district, his "friend and a relative" Akato Kinimi said late Hukato also faced health problem as he had to undergo kidney transplantation operation twice in 1993 and 1994. Principal Resident Commissioner, Nagaland House, Jyoti Kailash also described the deceased Naga businessman as his "personal friend" and added that "we both a wonderful innings together".

Kihoto Yeptho of Jordan

Construction said they have been friends since school days in remote Zunheboto district.

Among others, pastor Tony, Fusion Church, Rev Alemremba of Ao Christian Fellowship, general secretary of NSUD, Chawangbo also spoke.

Condolence messages Thenucho Tunyi: Ex- minister Thenucho Tunyi has condoled the demise of Late Hukato Naga on October 25. In a condolence note, Tunyi said the passing away of Late Hukato was a great loss not only for him but to the whole Naga people as well.

He expressed his friendship with late Hukato and the memorable moments they shared and recalled their journey together at Birmingham Great Britan to attend the Royal Show and said it was that time, the idea of organizing the Argi Expo at Dimapur was first conceived. He said late Hukato was a man of vision with a unique ability to excel at whatever field he chose and a vibrant personality without any air around him.

Terming late Hukato as a

148 members from various NPGs join NSCN (I-M)

Members of various Naga political groups at the 'home coming' event Kohima, Nov 1: NSCN (I-M) has informed that 148 members from different Naga political groups (NPGs) "who stayed astray have now decided to join the revolutionary mainstream where it lies the future of the Nagas."

In a press release, MIP stated that the joint council of NSCN/GPRN consisting of steering executives, cabinet kilonsers, deputy kilonsers and heads of department welcomed them and appreciated the "bold decision" they have taken keeping in mind the aspirations of the Nagas.

According to MIP, GDRN/NNC (NonAccordist), Ato Kilonser, Hangping Zeliang, speaking on behalf of the group, said that "It's the people need of demand for oneness which can only bring meaningful solution.

Nagas have had enough through division and the only key to achieve our aim is through Unity as

such we have taken the step to merge with NSCN(IM). It's an honour to be a part of it and we are proud to be under this banner. I on behalf of GDRN/NNC assure you that we shall no longer affiliate ourselves with other organization other than NSCN (I-M) hence we declare our allegiance and that the GDRN/NNC (NA) shall no longer exist".

Further, MIP stated that the GDRN NNC(NA) president, Khumcho Chilimong, in his speech, said "unity within our brethrens can only bring solution for which they have moved en masse with the NSCN(IM) and that both civil and Army wing of the GDRN NNC(N/A) has been officially dissolved."

MIP said NSCN (U) deputy kilonser, Hotovi Awomi, begged for forgiveness from the Nagas for "wandering in the wrong direction." Ac-

cording to MIP, he said that the NSCN(U) did not represent the Nagas "as it was a fruitless organization. Therefore, they decided to come together morally and physically."

Exhorting the gathering, NSNC (I-M) kilo kilonser, Rh. Raising, stated that "salvation of the Nagas lies with the NSCN and it's the only true way to our destination." He also urged the "home comers to re-dedicate themselves and to possess a revolutionary spirit."

List of 'home comers' GDRN NNC (NA): president Khumcho Chilimong; ato kilonser Hangping Zeliang; home kilonser Toivi Ayee; finance kilonser Khevishe Yepthomi; defense kilonser Kheveto Yeptho; kilonser MIP Pikato Achumi besides 23 kilonsers, 11 dy. kilonsers, 18 tatars, four secys, three addl. secys, one jt. secy, four dy. secys, four under secys, 22 leacies, nine razou peyus, one 'lt. col.' (2 i/c 2nd Brigade), '2nd brigade comdr', one 'col.', one 'lt. col', five 'majs.', one '2nd lieut', two 'lieuts.', two '2nd lieuts.' and one without designation.

NSCN (U): two deputy kilonsers, one under secretary, seven leacies, seven Razou Peyus and five Khapurs. NSCN (R): one leacy and one khapur.

NNC: one 'capt.', one 'sgt.' and one 'sgt.' from unspecified group. (Agencies)

true patriot, Tunyi said Late Hukato was a principled businessman and a God-fearing man. On his death, Tunyi prayed that may Almighty God be gracious unto the departed soul and grant his eternal rest in his heavenly kingdom.

GBC: Garo Baptist Church, Eralibil has expressed sadness at the sudden and untimely demise of late Hukato Naga on October 25 at Nottingham, London. A condolence note by pastor Garo Baptist Church, Richard Marak stated that the death of Hukato was a great loss not only for his wife and children but the Nagas in general. It stated that Nagas have lost a philanthropist, who had contributed immensely to the society in various capacities. The church further extended its sympathy to the bereaved family members and prayed that Almighty God grant them solace from the grief and rest in eternal peace for the departed soul.

UKNA: UK Naga Association (UKNA) members conveyed their

deepest sympathy and condolences to the wife, children and family at the tragic demise of Hukato Naga in the UK. In a condolence message

by UK Naga Association c o o r d i n a t o r T e m s u y a n g e r Longkumer stated that his death was a great loss not only to his family but to the greater Nagas in general. Further the association pray that God give him eternal rest and the family the strength to bear the pain.

WSSU: Western Sumi Students Union (WSSU) has expressed deepest condolence at the sudden demise of Hukato Naga.

In a condolence message by president Nito Achumi and general secretary Angukato Yeptho stated that his untimely demise was a great loss for the community in particular and the Nagas in general.

WSSU also conveyed its heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family and pray that God may give them solace and comfort and that the departed soul rest in eternal peace.

(Agencies)

By elections to witness multi-corner fight Agartala, Nov 01: The byelections look set to witness a multi-corner battle as all the major political parties have decided to field candidates for two Assembly constituencies- Barjala and Khowai.

All the political parties except Congress had completed filing nominations in both the seats by on Monday.

The ruling party though has concentrated on campaigns engaging state leaders and activists keeping away the bigwigs, the oppositions are giving a different thought on it.

Bharatiya Janata Party is expecting leaders like Himanta Biswa Sharma, also NEDA convener and West Bengalbased leader Roopa Ganguly to join the electioneering.

Their schedule is , however, yet to be finalized.

All India Trinamool Congress vice president Mukul Roy who had visited the state few days ago to discuss party' strategic plans, also took part in

the campaign for Barjala seat.

He is expected to arrive again before the poll.

Congress, who will file nominations for Khowai and Barjala constituencies tomorrow and day after, is yet to decide whether to bring any top influential leaders to give a push to the campaign.

BJP's Barjala candidate Shrastha Mohan Das today filed nomination papers to the returning officer S a m i t R o y C h o u d h u r y.

Das accompanied by party Chief Biplab Deb and other activists walked down the streets in the city to file nomination.

The party candidate for Khowai seat - Tapan Pal had filed nominations earlier. Likewise, Trinamool Congress's two contenders for Barjala and Khowai seat - Prakash Das and Manoj Das submitted their nomination papers on Monday. (Agencies)

but to strengthen ties: P.B. Acharya

Clad in traditional attires, P.B. Acharya and T.R. Zeliang, along with their lady wives, wave at the audience.

Kohima, Nov 1: Clad in colourful traditional attires, hundreds of people from Zeliangrong community celebrated Chaga Gadi/ Lamsimnyi festival at NSF Solidarity Park, Kohima with pomp and gaiety, organized by Zeliangrong Baudi on Monday.

Nagaland governor P.B Acharya graced the celebration as chief guest while chief minister T.R Zeliang was the host of the occasion. In his address, Acharya asserted that festivals were not only for entertainment but a gift from ancestors, to strengthen family and social ties and to thank God for the bountiful blessings.

He also stressed on the importance of preserving one's identity by ensuring that mother tongue was not ignored, saying "a person was known by his or

NFR observes 'Rastriya Ekta Diwas'

Agartala,Nov 1: Police on Sunday claimed to have cracked the sensational murder of Joy Sankar Roy as all the three prime accused persons- Manjit Roy, Brahm Deb Roy and Ranjan Roy were booked.

Although Ranjan Roy was arrested a day after murder of Joy Sankar but police have got major breakthrough after getting Manjit Roy arrested from South Kalamchoura police station yesterday.

In course of the raid, the Investigating officer has also recovered the pistol which was used in killing Joy Sankar.

In course of investigation, police came to know that Joy had been murdered following a rift over money transaction of illegal ganja trade.

Following confessional statement of Ranjan Roy and Brahm Deb Roy, a police team apprehended Manjit Roy from South Kalamchoura in Sonamura

subdivision. Police recovered the pistol from Manjit.

Sources claimed Manjit had shot dead Joy Sankar Roy and later his body was thrown to Bhallukiyatilla near ILS hospital. The pistol was brought from Bihar.

Although Officer in Charge (OC) of NCC police station refused to give details on the murder case, he hinted at gathering a lot of 'avenues of crime' at Goyala Basti area.

There were allegations that some youth from Bihar were coming to Goyala Basti and procured EPIC and PRTC by spending Rs. 5000-Rs 7000.

After getting two important documents, they often grabbed jobs in paramilitary forces meant for the domicile citizen.

In Barjala Assembly constituency, growth of voters in Goyala Basti booth was highest raising eye borrow for many people. (Agencies)

Agartala,Nov 1: The Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was observed on Monday as the 'Rastriya Ekta Diwas' (National Unity Day) in a befitting manner throughout N.F.Railway. The theme of this year was "Integration of India".

A NFR press communiquĂŠ said that to commemorate the occasion, a pledge was administered to all officers and staff by Chahatey Ram, General Manager, N.F.Railway. Also a 'Run for Unity' was flagged off by ace body builder A.Bobby Singh from N.F.Railway headquarters in Maligaon early in the morning on Monday which was joined by General Manager, N.F.Railway, Additional General Manager, N.F.Railway, Principal Heads of Departments, sports persons of N.F.Railway Sports Association, Scouts and Guides and a large number of officers and staff. The run started from N.F.Railway HQ and ended at the Kamakhya Railway station.

Floral tributes were also paid to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Drawing and quiz competition were organised amongst students of primary and secondary level in

Shillong, Nov 1: Power Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Monday said the electrocution tragedy, in which six members of a family died last week, occurred due to lightning.

The Minister's comment came hours after Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited submitted its preliminary report on the incident that said the electrocution was caused after a lightning arrester burst causing shortcircuit and high voltage flow in a low-tension line.

A lightning arrester is a device used on electrical power and telecommunications systems to protect the insulation and conductors from the damaging effects of lightning. It has a high-voltage terminal and a ground terminal.

Addressing media persons

on Monday, a day after a joint team of the Civil Society Women's Organisation and the People's Mission blamed Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited for laxity that caused the accident in Mawphlang, Dhar said MeECL was not at fault, but added that the State government would give Rs 6 lakh as compensation to the bereaved family.

However, PS Thangkhiew, MeECL chairman and managing director, told reporters that the compensation amount would be decided after submission of the detailed report. A high-level meeting was held on Monday to discuss the matter.

The senior electrical inspector, to which the report was submitted, will conduct further inquiry. "Within a week we will disburse the amount

after the report is submitted," he said.

Extending condolences to the bereaved family, the CMD said the tragedy is "upsetting and MeECL will look forward to preventing such accidents from recurring".

Meanwhile, T. Passah, director (distribution) at MePDCL, termed the incident as "rare".

"When a lightning arrester bursts it usually does not come in contact with metallic objects. However, in this case it was different," Passah said and added that they are awaiting the report.

On October 27, a 35-year-old woman and her five children died from electrocution in their house at Nongthymmai Neng in Mawphlang block.

Power supply to the village was stopped after the trag-

Kingpin arrested with pistol in Joy Sankar murder

her language which one cannot change".

Reiterating that Nagas' rich culture was even recognized outside the state, the governor called upon the Nagas to exhibit the rich culture and show to the outsiders that Nagas are second to none in any field. On the yearning for peace by the Naga people, Acharya said that Prime Minister has taken a bold step on the UG's movement to solve the Naga issue. He therefore, reiterated his appeal to the UGs to come together saying "enough is enough" as Nagas wants peace and development.

He also expressed concern over the poor implementation of the Mid Day Meal Scheme in the state.

According to Acharya, during his tours in schools, it was discovered that

children were served once in a week.

To put an end on this, Acharya said those people involved in the MDM scam should be punished and urged them to live in true Christian spirit.

Chief host of the festivals, while extending greetings said tribal festivals were occasions for well deserved rest and merriment.

He said it was time to recreate the flavour and to rediscover the value and dignity of labour so that the celebrations become more meaningful.

Zeliang also stressed on the importance of Nagas unity by renewing the brotherhood of the Naga family. He said only through unity and oneness, Naga political issue can be resolved in a peaceful and satisfactory manner. He therefore appealed to all underground groups to come together for a final settlement through peaceful negotiation.

On the abrogation of ceasefire by NSCN (K), Zeliang said if cease-fire was abrogated by the NPG then Nagas will be back to square one and it will be regrettable.

In this regard, Zeliang called upon all groups to come together for a final settlement through peaceful negotiation instead of challenging them.

The festival witnessed folk dances, indigenous games while significant of the festival was delivered by advisor ZBK, Kelei Zeliang. (Agencies)

various schools in Pandu, Maligaon area in Guwahati.

Good numbers of students participated in the competition. Winners were also given prizes after the competition.

The observance of the 'Rastriya Ekta Diwas' provides an opportunity to reaffirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of our country. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was not only the First Deputy Prime Minister of our country; he was also a great Freedom Fighter, a symbol of good governance, National Unity and Integrity.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is also known as the Iron Man of India who worked hard to

make India an United India (Ek Bharat). He also exhorted the people of India to unite together in order to create Shresth Bharat (Foremost India).

Celebration of this occasion annually helps people of the country to be aware of and provides an opportunity to everyone to maintain the integral strength of the nation.

It facilitates Indian citizens to realize how national integrity helps in defeating divisive forces which threaten the unity, integrity and security of the nation.

Similar programme was also held in all Divisions of N.F.Railway where Divisional Railway Manager of the Division administered the pledge to officers and staff and led the run for unity. (Agencies)

edy.

Dhar said on Monday that power supply to the village that has 68 households would be restored soon. The local MLA will lead a delegation of villagers to meet the chief minister on the issue.

On illegal connections, the minister said, "It is a fact that illegal connection of electricity leads to overloading on transformers and it creates faults from time to time."

Thangkhiew said he has proposed village-level antitheft committees to the Power Department to check hooking. The process of regularising 772 jugalis has also begun and police verification for the same is on, he added.

Officials in the Power Department have been asked to co-ordinate with all deputy commissioners for

organising awareness programmes on illegal connections and safety guidelines. They have also been directed to monitor transformers and find out whether high-tension wires are threatening households.

When asked about the rusty electric poles in the city as well as other parts of the State, the minister said the matter was discussed at Monday's meeting. "We should earmark fund annually to replace the ageing and rotten poles and we will place the matter before the chief minister," he added.

A magisterial probe into the incident is on and a report will be submitted in a week's time. Initial reports indicated that the wiring in the meter box got tangled with the CGI sheet causing electrocution.

(Agencies)

Head of family murdered by wife and offsprings Dhar says MeECL not at fault but pledges Rs 6 lakh to family Agartala,Nov 1: In a bizarre incident two sons and their mother killed the father last night in Ratanpur village under Belonia subdivision of south Tripura district. Police sources said that Gouranga Tripura (65) had been in the habit of daily boozing and creating trouble at home . Last night after returning home Gouranga, as usual, had started abusing his wife and sons in the vilest possible manner in a drunken delirium. Having put up with his daily torture and heckling all through his life Gouranga's wife Janapirya Tripura (60)

strongly protested and started beating up her husband with her two sons Kalanjay Tripura (30) and Gitya Tripura (28). They severely beat up Gouranga and then drowned him in the pond behind their thtched hut.

Gouranga died on the spot and when police came, Janapriiya pleaded guilty and courted arrest , saving her two sons.

In another incident a mentally imbalanced housewife Swapna Chakraborty (40) , wife of Ajit Chakraborty (45) of Ranirkhal area under Jirania police station, had apparently committed sui-

cide at home on Saturday night. Her dead body was discovered in the courtyard of her home yesterday in the morning by her husband and two sons.

Police sources said that , according to claims of the dead lady's husband and two sons, Swapna Chakraborty had been suffering from severe depression because of her illness and had committed suicide. 'We can not say anything definitive on the issue before receiving the postmortem report ; a case of unnatural death has been registered' said police sources. (Agencies)

EDITORIAL Shy of fighting causes

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Today's quote When hungry, eat your rice; “when tired, close your eyes. Fools may laugh at me, but wise men will know what I mean.

Lin-Chi

Caught in the crossfire Exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces on the Line of Control and the International Boundary has rendered the 2003 ceasefire ever more fragile. On October 29, the Army said it had destroyed four Pakistani posts in Keran sector along the LoC and inflicted heavy casualties. This came a day after Sepoy Mandeep Singh was killed in the Machhal sector and his body mutilated by a terrorist who fled across the LoC thereafter. In a social media post, the Army's Northern Command had warned that the atrocity would invite an appropriate response, and the reprisal followed. This represents a major escalation in the ongoing exchange of fire. Ceasefire violations have become a daily occurrence since the terrorist attack on the Army camp in Uri in September and the subsequent "surgical strikes" by the Army.

The use of 82 and 120 mm mortars in addition to small arms and light machine guns has become routine, a significant scale-up during peacetime. The firing has also spread to the IB, especially a 192-km stretch in Jammu that Pakistan refers to as the working boundary. In 2014, about 430 incidents of ceasefire violation were reported along the IB; in 2015 this dropped to 253. In contrast, till mid-October only four incidents had been reported along the IB - but that calm has been broken since the Uri attack. After the surgical strikes, there have been 60 ceasefire violations.

The brunt of these exchanges is borne by the civilian population in the border villages. Hundreds have been shifted to shelters and bunkers for safety. The density of civilian settlement is much higher on the Indian side in comparison to Pakistan's. As a result, the increased firing across the border creates more pressure on India. In fact, after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in 2003, the resultant calm had won the confidence of local residents. Villagers began farming right up to the fence, tourism picked up, and even informal border trade increased. The current spiral of violence threatens this peace dividend.

After the surgical strikes, the security forces retain a free hand in responding to infiltrations and instances of firing. No senior government functionary has publicly addressed the issue. Pakistan too is playing the incidents in large part on domestic considerations.

However, the latest incident underscores the need for an urgent political initiative to prevent the cycle of brutality and reprisal from acquiring its own momentum, as happened in the early 2010s. It is time the government gathered the reins to address the issue politically and have peace restored on the border.

The rise and rise of Xi Jinping With the new title of 'core leader', President Xi Jinping has further cemented his authority within the Communist Party of China and the government. Already the party chief, the head of state, the commander-in-chief of the military and the one in charge of the group overseeing the change in the economy, he is now on a par with Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. This concentration of power in Mr. Xi's hands stands in sharp contrast with the 'collective responsibility' dictum the party propagated during the Hu Jintao regime. Mr. Hu was not called a core leader.

From the beginning, Mr. Xi had signalled he would be a leader different from his immediate predecessor. He gradually emerged as the most influential leader at least since Deng, and demonstrated his authority by launching a massive clean-up in the name of fighting corruption, that felled top leaders of the party and the military. Corruption is a major problem in today's China. The high economic growth that followed the reforms initiated by Deng spawned massive, institutionalised corruption, stoking public anger against the establishment. Mr. Xi built his war on "corrupt officials" against the backdrop of such a mood of anger, and his efforts have been generally well-received despite criticism that he is using the campaign to amass powers to himself. The party plenum, by appointing Mr. Xi as the core leader, has sent a clear message to the public that it stands by him and his policies.

The timing of the appointment is significant. The plenum kicks off year-long preparations for the party congress next year, which could shake up the leadership. Five of the seven current members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the inner sanctum of power in China, and a third of the Politburo's 18 members are due to retire next year. Being the core leader, Mr. Xi will be in a stronger position to influence the outcome of the congress. As in the case of his predecessors, Mr. Xi would certainly prefer to have the Standing Committee filled with his allies.

But this doesn't mean that Mr. Xi is guaranteed a second term free of challenges and of unchecked power. If the Hu Jintao era, despite some allegations of corruption, is regarded as one of prosperous and peaceful rise for China, Mr. Xi's term has been marked by slowing economic growth and geopolitical tensions. Even if Mr. Xi gathers unprecedented powers in the party and the state, his tenure will be judged by how he addresses fundamental problems that China faces, including systemic inequities and foreign policy challenges, while managing the economic rebalance process.

P6

What good is a declaration wherein BRICS nations pledge to counter international terrorism and yet stand so far apart from each other?

V. Sudarshan Our foreign policy is entering an age of neologisms. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar recently introduced a new wrinkle in our strategic posture by reportedly telling members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs that there was a "politico-military" message in the September 29 surgical strikes. It appears that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has amplified that message by comparing the strike with Israel's military exploits which have gained the status of myth, such as the country's bombing of Osirak in 1981 when eight F-16s dropped 16 twotonne bombs on the nuclear reactor located south-east of Baghdad.

The reactor had been provided by France and was barely three days away from going on stream.

The mission to scuttle Osirak had been planned for over a year - and was cleared by Menachem Begin, the Nobel Peace Prize nestled comfortably in his pocket - when Israel's attempt to destroy the core of the reactor before it left the shores of France succeeded only partially, and after espionage, sabotage, and targeted killings of nearly a dozen nuclear scientists working on the programme failed to stop the construction and development of Osirak.

Israel's single-point

agenda was to surgically destroy Iraq's nuclear capability, thereby preventing it from ever becoming a threat. It was the mother of all surgical strikes, with a deterrent message. Folklore has it that so precise was the strike that the adjacent nuclear fuel complex was untouched after the attack, and so there was no risk of radiation deaths. And of the 11 dead, there was only one French casualty. So stunned were the Iraqis, at that time embroiled in an intermittent war with Iran, by the strike that not once on the flight back did their radars lock on to the F16s, let alone fire at them.

It was a Sunday, June 7, 1981. Twenty three days later was the election to the Knesset. No prizes for guessing who won. It was Begin Doctrine at work.

The host and the guest The mention of Israel may have only been a passing reference to an audience of the Bharatiya Janata Party acolytes on whom the significance must have been largely lost. But there is no mistaking the import, aimed at the world at large, coming as it did snapping at the heels of China's panegyric after the BRICS summit in Goa on Pakistan's fight against terrorism. It was the equivalent of a host having to suffer the mortification of being lectured at the dinner table by a privileged guest. The throwaway nature of the remarks brings into question

how much of this is innuendo, how much bluster, and how much doctrine.

Will Mr. Modi order a covert operation to take out Jaish-e-Mohammed's Masood Azhar, make bolder on pulling the Baloch chestnut out of the fire? What about Hafiz Saeed? How do we square this with the orchestrated campaign of the Hurriyat somehow being mollycoddled with government largesse?

Consider the trouble Prime Minister Modi had taken to set the scene even as China refused to budge on naming Azhar as a terrorist at the UN, and remained resolute on its opposition to India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. In all his international engagements before the Goa summit, Mr. Modi had not only raised the flag of Pakistan's role in terrorism but waved it furiously: at ASEAN, during his address to the G20, and at the UN, where India's foreign minister

raised it to a fever pitch.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was no doubt taking notes when Mr. Modi spoke of the need to isolate and sanction Pakistan.

At the UN, India described Pakistan as being in "the Ivy League of terrorism"; in Goa, Mr. Modi had promoted Pakistan up the evolutionary ladder of terrorism by calling it the "mother ship of terrorism". As a concerned neighbour, should Mr. Modi be allowing Pakistan to evolve further? At this rate, we might run out of adjectives and copywriter's phrases pretty soon. And what then? But it was evident when Mr. Xi arrived for the BRICS summit that New Delhi's views on China's allweather friend had found no purchase with the "bitter neighbour" (Atal Bihari Vajpayee's reference in a letter to U.S. President Bill Clinton) to the north which helped Pakistan become a covert nuclear weapon state and

at the hands (cat's paw would be more apt) of which India had suffered three aggressions in 50 years.

Consider, too, Mr. Modi's strident declamations at Goa: "The time for condemning state-sponsored terrorism is long gone. It is time to stand up and act, and act decisively. It is, therefore, imperative for BRICS and BIMSTEC to create a comprehensive response to secure our societies against the perpetrators of terror." Thus when Mr. Modi declared that "those who nurture, shelter and sponsor forces of violence and terror are as much a threat to us as terrorists themselves", was he not killing two birds with one stone? It was as applicable to the Chinese as it was to the Pakistanis. There was not a squeak from New Delhi's erstwhile friend, Russia, when all this was going on. What

good is a declaration wherein BRICS nations arrange summit after summit where pledges are made to "consistently strengthen our co-operation in preventing and countering international terrorism" and yet stand so far apart from each other?

Claim and reality The quality of strategic cooperation and dialogue on international security will be wobbly if key members of a grouping that have come together precisely because they feel that existing international groupings/mechanisms are incapable of addressing new realities are seen to be fighting shy of the very causes they say they are espousing.

There was no doubt that Israelis destroyed the reactor in Baghdad, even though they kept quiet about it for years afterwards. There were pictures, there were casualties that were acknowledged.

There was condemnation of the act. It happened.

That much is established.

Just imagine what would have been the outcome, analysts wonder even today, had Saddam Hussein managed to go nuclear and then marched into Kuwait a decade later and hurled nuclear-tipped projectiles at Israel? Where our surgical strike is concerned, Pakistan denies it even happened. Between the claim and the reality falls a heavy shadow. The rest is political fog.

Securing the skies The government has to be aware that technological asymmetry can be a crucial difference in the coming years Strategist George Friedman considers power as being complex: "The more of it you gain, the more ambiguous you become‌ you have not yet done anything that requires ruthlessness or brutality, but you have shown strength." This is so true for an aspiring power like India, trying to balance the opposing requirements of meeting people's aspirations and those of realpolitik in the real world.

After having absorbed many deleterious attacks, India finally executed surgical strikes, a demonstration of restrained reaction of a responsible nation, after the Uri attack. "We can be nastier, but are avoiding doing so," was the message. The government just wanted to break free from a situation that had developed in the past decade akin to 19th century Europe in turmoil which got German Chancellor Bismarck to remark, "We live in a wondrous time in which the strong is weak because of his scruples and the weak grows strong because of his audacity." Uri had pro-

pelled a stronger India to its duty of protecting the confront an audacious Pa- nation's skies. kistan. From all accounts Before we take stock of it was a pure Army op- what it is that India is ateration, but the Indian tempting in the current Air Force (IAF) would geopolitical situation and have been on stand-2 for where the IAF fits in, it sure. Pilots in cockpits? would be wise to revisit Well, maybe the helicop- the difference between power, weight and influter guys. ence. The combination of Where the IAF fits in In months leading up to India's democratic credenthe IAF's 84th anniversary tials, its track record of on October 8, there was a adhering to international flurry of articles disparag- norms, and its economic ing its Manmohan Bahadur t r a j e c tory give potency.

One piece, released at an it weight to influence acinternational function, tivities in the region. But said that "Indian Air it is still some distance Power had been brought away from having power, Shivshankar to its knees" due to gov- which ernment inaction on its Menon, the former Naforce requirements. Talk- tional Security Adviser, ing of retaliation ability, has qualified as the abilanother analyst has written ity to create and sustain that the IAF has put in no outcomes, and which is a effort towards precision combined function of all strike capability. The truth attributes of statecraft. is that force assets cer- Under these circumtainly need beefing up, stances, when domestic capability shortfalls transformation is first priplugged and domestic ority, the purse strings R&D and manufacturing need to be adjusted just capability created in quick enough to enable the time to ensure sustenance armed forces safeguard of combat potential; how- the nation's sovereignty ever, it is also the truth that for unhindered economic the IAF has the narrative development. To ensure under control to discharge this development, the

A Boy and a Frog One day, a boy was walking down a road when a frog called to him, "Boy, if you kiss me, I will turn into a beautiful princess."

The boy picked up the frog, smiled at it, then placed the frog into his pocket. A few minutes later, the frog said, "Boy, if you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, and I will stay with you for a week."

The boy took the frog from his pocket, smiled at it, then put it back into his pocket. A few minutes later, the frog said, "Boy, if you kiss me and

turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will do ANYTHING you want!"

The boy took the frog from his pocket, smiled, and put it back. Finally, the frog cried, "Boy, what is the matter, I have told you that I am a beautiful princess, and if you kiss me, I will stay with you and do ANYTHING you want!"

The boy took the frog from his pocket and said, "Look, I am an engineering student, I have no time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog is cool!"

armed forces must be able to deter war and if diplomats fail to avert war, then they (the armed forces) should have the power to create the desired outcome.

IAF's combat readiness After a nervous two-year period following the permanent grounding of the HPT-32 basic trainer in 2010, the IAF's training schedule is now rollicking based on the Pilatus trainer. That we do not have an intermediate jet trainer (IJT) is thanks to the unkept promise of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to produce the Sitara IJT. The Hawk is doing fine in preparing rookie pilots transit to advanced machines like the Sukhoi but a lead-in fighter would help the cause no small extent in shortening the leap distance to high-end fighters.

The strength of fighter squadrons is an issue requiring urgent government intervention. The full strength of 272 Su-30s, incoming 120 Tejas and 36 Rafales would help absorb the phase out of MiG21/27s but the decision to induct almost 100-plus

more single-engine fighters (F16 or Gripen?) to meet a two-front threat should not be delayed.

The force-multiplier fleets of AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and flight refuellers need augmentation and the decision to cancel the Airbus 330 flight refueller deal is a retrograde step needing amelioration through the government-to-government route to shorten acquisition time. The transport fleet is going fine with its C-17, C-130, IL76 and An-32 while the rotary wing element has become perhaps the most potent helicopter fleet that any air force of the region possesses. The air defence system needs careful nurturing but with the indigenous Akash surface-to-air (SAM) missiles proving successful and the Israeli-assisted long- and medium-range SAM systems reaching fruition, the IAF would be comfortable in the coming years; this is all the more so with India deciding to buy the very potent S400 air defence system

from Russia. Space is an integral part of any armed force and it is vital that the civil-oriented Indian Space Research Organisation pivots to meet the increasing needs of the Services for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) and net-centricity.

Conflict in the modern era has made air power the weapon of first choice for the politician due its attributes, among others, of low reaction time and lethality with precision. The government has to be aware that technological asymmetry can be a crucial difference in the coming years, especially vis-Ă -vis China, in military aviation. We still have a time window where the superiority of IAF's human resource, its practical experience and better warmaking assets would prevail against adversaries on both frontiers. The IAF is a prime instrument of national power projection, both soft and hard, and as India's stature rises, so would its responsibilities. A potent IAF would be a mandatory arrow in India's quiver. May the landings equal the take-offs for our guys in blue!

Traffic Jam Dear Sir, Through your esteemed newspaper I want to draw your attention towards the problem of Traffic jam in our town. Dibrugarh town has been facing the problem of traffic jam from a decade. Many a times one can see Ambulance carrying serious patients stuck in jam. Even school and college students often reach school late and sometimes even miss there exams due to this problem. I through your daily wants to convey my message to the Traffic Police and local administration to look into this matter soon.

Rajesh Singh Khaliamari

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

P7 Tourism in Gujarat

Gujarat is the 6th largest state in India, located in the western part of India with a coastline of 1600 km (longest in India). It is one of the most popular tourist regions in the country, and was visited by 19.8 million domestic and international tourists in 2010-11.[1] Gujarat offers scenic beauty from Great Rann of Kutch to the hills of Saputara.

Gujarat is the one and only place to view pure Asiatic lions in the world.[2] During the Sultanate reign, Hindu craftsmanship mixed with Islamic architecture, giving rise to the Indo-Saracenic style. Many structures in the state are built in this fashion. It is also the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, iconic figures of India's independence movement. Amitabh

Bachchan is currently the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism. The 'Khushboo Gujarat Ki' campaign by celebrity Amitabh Bachchan has increased tourism in Gujarat by 4 per cent per annum, twice that of national growth rate.[3] Ahmedabad is considered to be an ideal hub to cover all the destinations in Gujarat.

Hill stations Wilson Hills Wilson Hills is a hill station in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is near Dharampur Tahsil and is also the nearest hill station to Surat.

Wilson Hills stands in a densely forested region close to the Pangarbari Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of the few hill stations in the world from which it is possible to glimpse the sea.

It has an average elevation of 750m (2500 feet). The Wilson Hills are popular during the summer months as it enjoys a cooler and less humid climate than the surrounding area.

PLACES TO GO Eight tourism hubs have been created, which are Ahmedabad Metro, Ahmedabad Rural (North Gujarat), Surat (South Gujarat), Vadodara (Central Gujarat), Rajkot, Junagadh, Jamnagar (Saurashtra) and Bhuj (Kutch), for convenience of tourists visiting Gujarat.

These hubs are well equipped with the modern infrastructure, facilities and services in the areas of commerce, communication, connectivity, hospitality, transportation, medical facilities etc.

Ahmedabad Metro

Jamnagar

Saputara is a hill station municipality in the Dang district of Gujarat state in India. This hill station is on a plateau in the Dang forest area of Western Ghats (Sahyadri) range at an altitude of about 900 metres.

Saputara means the 'Abode of Serpents' and a snake image on the banks of the river Sarpaganga is worshiped by the Adivasison Holi.

Gandhinagar

Situated in the heart of Gujarat, Ahmedabad District is home to the city of Ahmedabad, which has a character like no other, defined by a spirit of enterprise. Although Ahmedabad is a bustling metropolitan with reputed institutes and a rapidly growing economy, it is also deeply rooted in tradition.The city is known for its association with Mahatma Gandhi and, in addition to a complex maze of neighborhoods called pols,hosts some of the country's finest medieval Islamic architecture.Sarkhej Roza, just outside the city, is a mesmerizing inheritance of the Gujarat Sultanate and makes for an idyllic retreat. For an exucursion into nature, Nal Sarovar, an extensive wetland, attracts thousands of migratory birds during winter.The neighboring Gandhinagar District is home to Gandhinagar, the state capital, and Adalaj, a classic example of Gujarat's enchanting stepwells.

Named after Mahatma Gandhi, this has been the state capital since 1970.Similar to chandigarh(Punjab) layout, the city of Gandhinagar is divided into sectors formed by roads laid in a rectangular grid. It is also known as the "Garden City" for all its greenery. The city's main tourist attraction is the Akshardham Swaminarayan Temple.Spread over nine hectars, it includes a huge modern temple built in pink stone and white marble.

Saputara

Jamnagar the Jewel of Kathiawar, is on the coast of Gulf of Kutch in the state of Gujarat. Until its merger with the Indian Union after independence, Nawanagar was one of more important princely states of Saurastra.It was established by Jam Raval in the 16th c. and ruled by his descendants. The capital was Jamnagar, which now gives the districts its name. Legend associates the area with Krishna, who migrated from Mathura and established his kingdom at Dwarka. The Jams trace their ancestry to Krishna's Yadav clan. During his reign, Jam Ranjitsinhji laid the city out on a western model. He was one of the greatest cricket players in the history of the game, even though he played mainly for England, and drew inspiration from his exposure to Europe.

Pavagadh Pavagadh is a Hill Station, and a Municipality in Panchmahal district about 46 kilometres (29 mi) away from Vadodara in Gujarat state in western India. It is known for a famous Mahakali temple which draws thousands of pilgrims every day. It is a tribal area populated predominantly by the Rathwas. The area of this locality ChampanerPavagadh Archaeological Park was inscripted by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2004.

North Gujarat (Ahmedabad)

Palitana Kutch

Junagadh Stepped in history, culture, spirituality and religion, Junagadh is the Soul of Saurastra. In just 60 km the terrain descends from Mt Girnar, Gujarat's highest point at 1000 meter, to the Veraval coast. The Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the only remaining habitat of the pure Asiatic Lion. The countryside has much to offer but calls for a determined effort to places in veraval-Patan and Junagadh city are a must on the intinerary of the traveler in Saurastra. Junagadh, nestled at the foot of Mt Girnar, is an amazing amalgam of the old and new.It is a relatively small place, where bustling bazaars and winding narrow streets alternate with monuments that span two millennia and civic spaces that must have been gracious before they suffered crowding and encroachment.

Patan and Mehsana, replete with architectural excellence, represent the height of Gujarat's cultural achievements during the Golden Period of Solanki rule.

Patan is home to the Ranki Vav, Patola weavers and the Bohra havelis at Siddhpur. Mehsana has the famous Sun Temple at Modhera and torans of Vadnagar.

Banaskantha, at the northeastern periphery of Gujarat, is characterized by undulating hills and forests from the Aravali Range,It is a mosaic that brings together elements of all the surrounding areas-rich tribal culture,pilgrimage destinations,wildlife and a Nawabi heritage.

With its notable mud architecture, a medley of craft traditions and exquisite apparel, this eminently colorful and culturally rich land has a wonderful handcrafted feel. Each community has its own oral traditions, dance, craft and dress. Stretching along the Tropic of Cancer, from Rajasthan to the edge of Pakistan and the Arabian Sea, Kutch covers a little over 45000 sq km and is geographically one of India's largest and most distinctive districts.

Surat

Rajkot

The former capital of the princely state of Saurashtra, Rajkot was founded in the 16th c. by the jadeja Rajputs, who ruled until independence. During the colonial period, the city was the administrative headquarters of the Saurashtra region, and today it is the district headquarters.

The city is situated on the Aji River and sprawls with regal architecture. It is also an industrial center and an important hub for the body building of vehicles. The city proudly boasts of its associstion with Gandhiji, who spent his early years in Rajkot while his father was a Diwan to the local ruler. The house where he lived is now a museum. The district is also a handicraft and textile center known for its fine silverwork, Bandhani, Patola saris and beadwork. The towns of Wankaner and Morbi host beautiful royal estate, some of which have been convert into heritage hotels.

Situated on the south bank of the Tapi River, about 14 km from the sea, Surat has always attracted traders and merchants from afar. Its finely carved mosques, Parsi agiaris, European tombs and colonial houses all testify to the eclectic mix of ethnic communities that continue to live in the city.

Surat is first major city en route to Gujarat from Mumbai, and makes a good base to explore southern Gujarat. Surat was once renowed for its silk weaving and brocade. The city still thrives as a textile center, mainly for its polyster fabrics. As the Textile industries declined in Ahmedabad and Mumbai in the 1970s, Surat became one of Gujarat's fastest growing cities and gave rise to several small scale industries.

Vadodara Vadodara, Gujarat's third largest city, is considered the state's cultural capital. Pavagadh Hill, graced with a combination of Hindu and Jain shrines, towers over Champaner, the 15th c. pre-Mughal Islamic fort. Together they represent the diversity of religious influences that have pervaded Gujarat. Vadodara is situated on the Vishwamitri River and is the administrative headquarters of Vadodara District. The city is mixture of many eras and its reputation as "Cultural Capital" dates largely from the late 19th c, when it was the capital of the pricely state of Baroda.

This article is about the town in India. For the former princely state, see Palitana State. For the hill near town, see Shatrunjaya.

For the Jain temples on hill, see Palitana temples.

Palitana is a city in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located 50 km southwest of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimagecentre for Jains

Cuisine "Surat ka jaman aur Banaras ka maran" a popular saying in Gujarati which means dining at Surat and dying at Varanasi, is the way to heaven. One of the thrills of traveling to Gujarat is its multi cuisine. Perhaps the best way to know a state is to cutting to the heart of the extraordinary culture of Gujarat is by exploring its cuisine.

The people of Gujarat have perfected the art of vegetarian cooking and their cuisine is a delectable and mouth watering. To taste the excellent vegetarian Gujarati cuisine, is to have a Thali Meal - the ultimate delightful vegetarian fare.

The traditional Gujarati Thali is one of the best ways to know the Gujarati Cuisine. Saurashtra's typical seasonings - mustard seed, turmeric, pounded red chillies, cumin and coriander - which flavour Gujarat's distinctive vegetarian cuisine. Vishala, a vegetarian restaurant, at Ahmedabad is one of the best choices for tasting vegetarian dishes.

Because of its cosmopolitan mix of people, Ahmedabad is a great place for foodies. Whether you are looking for a Sindhi brunch of dalpakwan and puri-dal or a Tamil breakfast of idli, upma and dossa, Punjabi parathas or Marwari kachori, a Gujarati thali with its array of vegetarian dishes or a Malayalee fish curry, fafda and jalebi made in front of you or paya and kaleji fresh off the tawa, the walled city of Ahmedabad has it all.

In the trendier western half of the city, you can get a bigger range of food - North and South Indian restaurants vie for business with Gujarati thali houses, farsan places with sandwich cafes, pizza parlours and international fast food places, and Italian, Mexican, Thai, Japanese and Middle-eastern food are increasingly becoming popular dining out options for the globe-trotting Gujarati.

Being the main centre of Gujarat and because of its location near Rajasthan, Ahmedabad offers a great choice of restaurants where Gujarati, Kathiawadi, Mewari and Marwari food can be enjoyed.

A Gujarati thali typically com-

prises of one or two steamed or fried snacks called farsans, a green vegetable, a tuber or a gourd shaak (shaaks are main courses with vegetables and spices mixed together into a curry or a spicy dry dish), a kathol (braised pulses like beans, chickpea or dry peas), one or more yogurt dishes like dahi, kadhi (yogurt and pulses soup), raita or sweet shrikhand, rice or khichdi, daal usually toor dal, and sweets like halwas, basundi or shrikhand.

Accompaniments include sweet, sour and spicy chutneys, pickles, ghee and a salad of chopped vegetables served raw or may be steamed in spices. Much detailing goes into creating a balance of tastes and textures - you could have coarse, grainy, granular, smooth, uniform, dry and wet dishes on the same platter, the sweetness, bitterness, sourness and heat of each main course would vary between dishes, and the thali has more colours than a rainbow the yellow of turmeric, the whiteness of dairy products, the redness of tomatoes, the green of leafy vegetables, the brown of pulses, and the colours of various spices, relishes and salad vegetables, are harmoniously part of a single thali.

The breads eaten with a thali would include thick and coarse bajra rotla, thin unleavened wheat rotlis, thick and crisp whole wheat flour rotis called bakhris, parathas, savoury griddle bread called the thepla, deep-fried puris, among others. There are many variations like methi thepla or masala puri within these breads. As Gujaratis are globe-trotters, with a large Gujarati Diaspora overseas and around India as well as being great travellers on holiday or pilgrimage around the world, there are many Gujarati farsans, snacks and minimeals that are designed to travel and keep well - for instance khakras are crisp wafer-like rotis made from wheat, cornflour or lentils that can be carried and eaten with vegetables or accompaniments or dhebras made from a mix of flours can travel better than rotlis.

As in other states of India, Gujarati cuisine is not homogenous through the entire state of Gujarat. While

the classic Gujarati thali which is served at most restaurants is the food of central Gujarat with sweeteners like sugar or jaggery added to many dishes even the ones that are fiery hot (it is believed that these sweeteners are used to balance the salinity and hardness of water in cities like Ahmedabad), the cuisine of Saurashtra or the Kathiawad peninsula is strong on garlic, onions and chillies. Some of the key Kathiawadi dishes are sev tamata (dough slivers sprinkled over a spicy tomato puree), lasania bataka (potatoes cooked in a spicy garlic paste), raseela shaak (potatoes and other vegetables cooked in a tomato curry), kadhi - khichdi (yogurtbased curry served with softened rice) and baigan bartha (mashed aubergine), usually eaten with bajra rotla. Dairy products like curds are abundantly used in the cuisine of Kutch and Kathiawad peninsulas, which are arid grassland regions with a large population of livestock, while in the food of Surat and other parts of Southern Gujarat which is one of the wettest regions of Gujarat you will get a bigger variety of green vegetables and tubers like sweet potato in the food.

There are also seasonal specialties - aamraas (mango pool) is commonly served in summer while undhiyu which has roast vegetables and muthias (veg kebabs) is characteristically had in January.

As many of Gujarat's famous cooks called Maharaj are Brahmins from Mewar and Marwar regions of Rajasthan, their signature dishes like dal-batti-churma and besan gatta have also been incorporated in the thalis served at many restaurants.

Besides vegetarian dishes, the Muslim community, the tribal groups like Bohras and Khojas offers special non-vegetarian cuisine. And also Saurashtra's garlic spice mixture - a combination of garlic, red chillies and salt pounded together, which adds extra peps to lot of Gujarati foods.

Many Gujarati dishes are distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy at the same time.

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

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INTERNATIONAL

China to allow land transfer Panama Papers: Pakistan Supreme Court under new rural land reforms orders corruption probe against Nawaz Sharif Beijing, Nov 1: China has initiated a new set of land reforms changing the 30year-old system to permit transfer of land rights to individuals or conglomerates, a politically sensitive move as the Communist country embarked on urban expansion shedding its agrarian past. "Formally a grey area, farmers are now officially allowed to transfer their land rights to individuals or conglomerates, which will not only make use of idle land but will also help catapult farming into the modern age, one with greater returns and higher incomes for those that work or lease the land," state-run Xinhua news agency reported today, highlighting the new set of guidelines. Guidelines issued on Sunday called for the separation of farmland ownership rights, contract rights, and operating rights, which allows farmers to retain the rights to their allotted land if they choose to lease the land out to others, the report said. The new set of land reforms replaces the household responsibility

system (HRS) which was put in place in early 1980s by the ruling Communist Party of China, (CPC) after discarding party founder, Mao Zedong's people's commune system of the late 1950s. The people's commune system which has completely abolished feudal ownership of land and redistributed the land to individual farm households under socialist system has been replaced after catastrophic fall in agricultural production resulting in heavy food shortages. The HRS, while continuing with the collective ownership of farmland, introduced a system contracting farmland to individual households. It also permitted farmers to decide what and how much they grow on their land. Significantly, the new set of land reforms permitting land rights to individuals and conglomerates to expand urbanisation drive was announced after the recent plenary session of CPC in which President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the party and head

of the military has been declared as "core leader", a leadership status previously conferred on Mao, reformist leader Deng Xiaoping and his successor, Jiang Zemin. In its report on the new land reforms, the Xinhua said "the question of how to efficiently exploit farmland remains a pressing issue in the world's most populous country, where food security and the wellbeing of rural residents are high priorities." Land in rural areas are in much demand in China as it transforms from an agrarian country to that of an industrialised urban hub.

China's urban dwellers over took rural population in 2012.

The urban population totalled to 51. 27 per cent of the China's entire population of nearly 1.35 billion or 690.8 million people that year according to the country's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). With the demand for rural land mounted for housing, industrial and agricultural expansion, resistance from farmers also grew to part with their land. (PTI)

The apex court said it was ready to appoint a probe commission headed by a judge and armed with powers of the Supreme Court.

Islamabad, Nov 1: In a jolt to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Supreme Court Tuesday ordered a probe into the Panama Papers scandal involving corruption allegations against the family of the beleaguered premier. The Supreme Court heard several identical petitions by Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and others to investigate charges of corruption against Sharif and his relatives after the Panama Papers released earlier this year showed his family owning offshore companies and assets.

The larger five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan conducted the hearing in presence of several cabinet ministers, lawyers of petitioners, senior PTI leaders and media.

The apex court said it was ready to appoint a probe commission headed by a judge and armed with powers of the Supreme Court.

The court also ordered the government and petitioners to present their Terms of Reference (ToR) for the probe panel. The court will decide to harmonise the ToR if the parties could not come up with the agreed set of ToR. Before its adjournment till Thursday, the court also expressed willingness to hold hearings on a daily basis.

However, the court did not ban the protest by PTI tomorrow in Islamabad. But it advised the government and opposition to show restraint.

Reacting to the court's ruling, PTI chief Khan said the planned anti-government rally will now be marked as a day of thanksgiving in Islamabad. Addressing a press conference outside Bani Gala, Khan thanked those who were part of his

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif struggle against corruption.

"Go home and rest," Khan told supporters, "You have to return to Islamabad tomorrow to celebrate thanksgiving at Parade Ground. I am elated that the investigation into Nawaz Sharif's (alleged corruption) will begin day after tomorrow."

PTI had announced the rally in Islamabad to force Sharif to resign for a fair probe into the scandal. According to the

Panama Papers, three of Sharif's four children Maryam, Hasan and Hussain were owners of offshore companies and "were owners or had the right to authorise transactions for several companies."

Sharif and his family have dismissed the allegations of money laundering and denied any wrongdoing but the opposition is demanding an independent probe. Mean-

while, the government has taken elaborate measures to foil the protest and any effort to lockdown the capital as PTI chief Khan has threatened in several speeches.

All entry points to the capital are being monitored and scores of PTI workers have been arrested. Last night a major rally led by chief minister of KhyberPakhtunkhwa was teargassed and forced to return.

The PTI is in power in KP and hopes for a major influx of youth from the province to boost the strength of the protest. In Punjab, which is controlled by Sharif's ruling PML-N, hundreds of PTI workers have been arrested.

Official sources said close to 2,000 people were arrested to maintain law and order. But PTI claims that thousands of its workers were arrested. The party has also urged the court to take suo moto action against arrests by the government.

(PTI)

Indian teen arrested in US for Terror threat from Iraqi forces enter Mosul city cyber attack choking 911 lines within Pak to 'outside' limits, main urban fight ahead remains: Pentagon

Meetkumar Hiteshbhai Desai.

San Francisco, Non 1: An Indian-origin teenager has been arrested in the US for carrying out a cyber attack that swamped Arizona's emergency services with several bogus calls, an incident he claimed was a nonharmful joke gone wrong.

Meetkumar Hiteshbhai Desai was taken into custody after the Surprise Police Department, Arizona, notified the Sheriff's Office of more than 100 hang-up 911 calls.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office arrested the 18-year-old, accusing him of carrying out a cyber attack on the 911 system, according to a Sheriff's Office statement.

Desai was booked into a

Maricopa County jail on suspicion of three counts of computer tampering.

Interference with critical infrastructure could have disrupted the 911 system in the Phoenix area and potentially other states, The Arizona Republic reported.

Investigators traced the calls and discovered they originated from a link posted to Twitter, according to the statement.

The link was to a site named "Meet Desai" and its domain was hosted out of San Francisco. When the link was clicked, it continually called 911 and would not let the caller hang up.

Peoria police and the MCSO also received a large number of calls, and the

volume had the potential to shut down 911 service across Maricopa County, the Sheriff's Office said.

MCSO detectives identified 'Meet' and took him in for questioning last Wednesday.

"Meet claims that his intention was to make a nonharmful, but annoying bug that he believed was 'funny'," the Sheriff's Office statement said.

Desai told investigators that he was approached by an online friend with a bug.

Desai then tweaked the bug so it would add pop-ups, prompts to open e-mail applications and activation of automatic telephone dialing on iOS devices, all via coding that Desai wrote himself.

Desai told sheriff's detectives that he was interested in programmes, bugs and viruses that he could manipulate and change. Desai said Apple Inc., the hardware and software company, would pay and credit him for discovering such bugs and viruses.

The MCSO cyber crimes unit executed a search warrant and seized multiple items at Desai's residence that will be forensically examined, the Sheriff's Office said. (PTI)

Pakistan: 10 killed, 50 injured in explosions at ship breaking yard The fate at least 30 other workers remain unknown following the explosions at the Gadani shipbreaking yard.

Karachi, Nov 1: At least 10 persons were today killed and over 50 others injured when a series of explosions rocked an unused oil tanker that was being dismantled at a ship breaking yard in Pakistan's southern Balochistan province.

The fate at least 30 other workers remains unknown following the explosions at the Gadani shipbreaking yard, where over 100 people were working on the ship at the time, local media reported quoting officials. At least 10 people have been killed and 50 others wounded in the explosions.

Some workers remain trapped inside the ship while others who were able to exit the ship from above threw themselves into the sea, reports said.

About eight explosions have occurred in the oil tanker due to gas welding work, and more explosions are feared.

Rescue workers are lim-

Some workers remain trapped inside the ship.

ited in the area and a single fire engine present at the scene has been unsuccessful in putting out the fire, reports said. A loud blast rocked a ship docked in the shipbreaking yard, setting the ship on fire, Geo News reported.

More than 25 of the injured have been rescued so far, it quoted rescue sources as saying, who added that tanks on the ship caught fire, setting the entire ship ablaze.

The fire is spreading fast, hampering rescue work, it said.

The injured are being

brought to hospitals in Karachi and fire brigades summoned from Hub and Karachi are in the process of putting out the fire but with little progress so far as the flames are spreading fast, the report said.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives. Sharif directed authorities to extend best possible medical treatment to the injured besides ordering an inquiry into the incident. (PTI)

Washington, Nov 1: The Pentagonhas warned that there continues to be a terror threat from within Pakistan to the Pakistani people and to outside, even as it acknowledged that "more can be done" to address the issue.

"Focusing on counter-terrorism has been a big part of our ongoing conversations with Pakistan and will continue to be a major focus of our efforts with Pakistan," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters.

"We believe that there continues to be a terrorist threat within Pakistan against the Pakistani people and also posing a threat outside of Pakistan and we continue to work closely with the Pakistan government to try and address it," he said in response to a question.

"We think there's more that can be done and this is something that will continue to be a major focus," he added.

Cook said the United States continues to have regular communication with Pakistani counterparts on the safety and security of nuclear weapons.

He said the US is watching the situation and the region closely.

"This is a part of the world that's had its share of political upheaval in recent years and this is something that we'll watch carefully and that in particular with regard to our military relationship we'll continue to engage our counterparts on that front," he said.

The United States, he said, is engaged on a regular basis with Pakistani military counterparts.

"We will continue to have the conversation that we always have with them with regard to stability in the region, stability of Pakistan, and of course, the terrorism threat that emanates from Pakistan and the area," Cook said. (PTI)

UN extends Syria chemical weapons inspection mandate United Nation, Nov 1: The UN Security Council has voted to extend the mandate of inspectors charged with determining who is behind confirmed chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The resolution extends the mandate for the so-called Joint Investigative Mechanism, or JIM, which was set to expire on Monday, for two weeks while diplomats try to negotiate a longer extension.

France's UN Ambassador Francois Delattre on Monday said the mandate extension was only a first step. "As we all know there are more cases of chemical weapons use in Syria. And so it is absolutely critical that the JIM later gets a one-year mandate to continue its investigation. We consider it very important," Delattre said. Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said that the extension was shorter than what western powers wanted but that it would at least allow the inspectors to continue their work.

"We will then need to come back to these very important issues of accountability to make sure that everyone involved in the heinous use of chemical weapons in Syria is denied impunity and will receive justice," Rycroft

said. Investigators have already determined that the Syrian government was behind at least three attacks involving chlorine gas and the Islamic State group was responsible for at least one involving mustard gas.

The United States, Britain and France want the Security Council to impose sanctions on the Syrian government for using chemical weapons. But Russia, Syria's closest ally, has repeatedly questioned investigators' conclusions linking chemical weapons use to the regime of President Bashar Assad. Russia has said it would also like to expand the inspectors' mandate to cover the use of chemical weapons by "terrorists" beyond Syrian territory.

Deputy US Ambassador Michele Sison rejected that idea. "Others may argue that we should broaden the mandate of the JIM, so as to focus on multiple countries. To take away time and resources from the JIM's work in Syria would constitute a significant distraction, and further delay its critical work. The JIM was set up in Syria for a specific reason to resolve who was involved and for that reason it should remain focused on Syria," Sison said. (Agencies)

Bazwaya, Nov 1: Iraq's special forces entered the outskirts of Mosul on Tuesday and were advancing toward its more urban center despite fierce resistance by Islamic State group fighters who hold the city, an Iraqi general said.

It was the first time Iraqi troops have set foot in the city, Iraq's second largest, in over two years. The advance could be the start of a grueling and slow operation for the troops, who will be forced to engage in difficult, house-to-house fighting in urban areas that is expected to take weeks, if not months.

Troops entered Gogjali, a neighborhood inside Mosul's city limits, and by noon were only 800 meters (yards) from the more built-up Karama district, according to Maj. Gen. Sami al-Aridi of the Iraqi special forces.

"The special forces have stormed in," he said.

"Daesh is fighting back and have set up concrete blast walls to block off the Karama neighborhood and our troops' advance," he said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group. Bombs have been laid along the road into the city, he added.

Mosul is the final IS bastion in Iraq, the city from which it drove out a larger but demoralized Iraqi army in 2014 and declared a "caliphate" that stretched into Syria. Its loss would be a major defeat for the jihadis, but with the closest Iraqi troops still some 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city center, much ground remains to be covered.

Tuesday's battle opened up with Iraqi artillery, tank and machine gun fire on IS positions on the edge of Gogjali neighborhood, with the extremists responding with guided anti-tank missiles and small arms in an attempt to block the advance.

Airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition supporting the operation added to the fire hitting the district.

Spokesman Col. John Dorrian said that the U.S.led coalition, which coordinates all its attacks with the Iraqis, has been observing the battlefield and has noted that IS forces can no longer move in large numbers.

"And when we see them come together where there

are significant numbers we will strike them and kill them," he said during a televised press conference with Iraqi forces in Qayara, south of Mosul.

Concerns over civilian casualties have led to air operations using precision munitions only, he added.

From the nearest village east of Mosul, Bazwaya, smoke could be seen rising from buildings in Gogjali, where shells and bombs had landed. IS fighters also lit special fires to produce dark smoke in order to obscure the aerial view of the city.

Inside the village, white flags still hung from some buildings, put up a day earlier by residents eager to show they wouldn't resist the Iraqi forces' advance. Some residents stood outside their homes, and children raised their hands with V-for-victory signs.

The families, estimated to number in the hundreds, will be evacuated from the village to a displaced persons camp, according to Brig. Gen. Haider Fadhil of the Iraqi special forces.

As the fighting raged, several of the newly displaced from Bazwaya could be seen carrying white flags and driving a herd of some 150 sheep toward the camp.

Emad Hassan, 33, a former policeman, said he had come to Bazwaya when the operation started in order to flee the IS fighters.

"When I knew the security forces were serious about liberating Mosul, I came here," he said. "Daesh was preventing families from moving toward the security forces and ordered them into the city center, but I refused and stayed."

For over two weeks, Iraqi forces and their Kurdish allies, Sunni tribesmen and Shiite militias have been converging on Mosul from all directions to drive IS from the city.

Iraqi forces have made uneven progress in closing in on the city. Advances have been slower to the south, with government troops still 20 miles (35 kilometers) away. To the north are Kurdish forces and Iraqi army units, and Shiite militias are sweeping toward the western approach in an attempt to cut off a final IS escape route.

The Shiite forces, Iran-

backed troops known as the Popular Mobilization Units, are not supposed to enter Mosul, given concerns that the battle for the Sunni-majority city could aggravate sectarian tensions.

Just behind the eastern front line, the army's ninth division has moved toward Mosul on the path cleared by the special forces, and was now approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) from its eastern outskirts.

The U.S. military estimates IS has 3,000-5,000 fighters in Mosul and another 1,500-2,500 in its outer defensive belt. The total includes about 1,000 foreign fighters. They stand against an anti-IS force that including army units, militarized police, special forces and Kurdish fighters totals over 40,000 men.

According to a video published online by IS, life was normal inside Karama district a day earlier. Released by its Aamaq news agency, the footage from Karama shows residents insisting that life is normal and that "no apostates or Shiites" had entered the city "We hear the thud of the bombs fired by our brothers at the apostates," said a bearded man in a wheelchair, speaking from a market street where taxis and shoppers passed by unimpeded.

As the Mosul offensive has pressed on, bombings have continued in the capital, Baghdad, part of sustained IS efforts to destabilize the country. Dozens have been killed since the push on Mosul started in apparent retaliation attacks, mostly claimed by IS. Also Tuesday, Kurdish authorities detained a Japanese freelance journalist covering the fighting.

Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said in Tokyo that "we are aware that he is currently being detained" and that Japan is trying to determine why.

Japan's Kyodo News agency says that journalist Kosuke Tsuneoka was reporting on the battle to recapture the city of Mosul from the Islamic State group. Kyodo reported he is being held by the Kurdish militia known as the Peshmerga.

(Agencies)

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

EDUCATION

P9

Tea Taster: How To Become A Tea Taster?

Top Tea Brands in India Who is a tea taster?

Brooke Bond Taaza

Keep taste buds alive.

Tea taster is a specialized professional in the tea industry.

The job of a tea taster is one among the most gifted careers in the world today. Tea tasting is totally an art, but needs the support of science to upgrade it to a career in the modern tea industry.

The tea taster needs to have his or her taste buds alive to understand and differentiate the contents of taste giving alkaloids in the tea samples. His olfactory nerves should active to identify the kind of fragrances that are released by the tea samples in question.

Be a lover of Mother Nature.

Tata Tea Tata Tea is a product of Tata Global Beverages Limited, which was set up in 1962 as a joint venture of James Finlay and Company and Tata Sons. The company currently operates in all the continents of the world.

Brooke Bond Red Label

Tea plantation knowledge is essential.

In order to become a tea taster, one should primarily know about the cultivation and manufacturing processes in a tea plantation. He should know all about tea kinds, varieties, and grades and again the characters of the resulting liquors. He should sacrifice certain habits and abstain from smoking, alcohol, tasting strong spicy foods.

Brooke Bond Taaza is a famous and popular tea brand from the British-Dutch consumer care conglomerate called Unilever. Taaza is the name given to a new type of tea introduced by the Brooke Bond tea company. The tea leaves of Taaza provide a unique taste and the much-needed refreshment to the minds of people.

To learn about all these things, the youth should preferably be a graduate in agriculture, horticulture, biology, home science or interested in food technology. A good tea taster can earn remuneration equal to that of a software engineer, besides a great chance to live in the ambiance of Mother Nature.

Tea is a permanent beverage.

Like 'Taaza', Brooke Bond Red Label is also another popular tea brand from Unilever. It has been comforting the taste buds of millions around the world since 1869. It is a special tea processed from the tea leaves procured from Assam. The strong taste and the aroma of Red Label are simply unmatchable.

Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea

Learn from the tea book: TEA TASTER. You know among all the beverages, tea is an everlasting one as it has a history of its own for a very many years.

This should tell about the permanence of the industry and the tea tasterâ•™s job and career too. Tea tasting is a brilliant and fascinating career in the plantation and as well as in the tea trade at an international panorama.

Besides the knowledge of tea cultivation and processing, to gain a perfect knowledge on this tea tasting one should go for a tea book that gives ╘scientific tea testing, tasting and blending techniques". One should read and enjoy the tea manual with full of illustrations, so that he can apply the techniques when taking up the job of a tea taster.

Modern tea taster is based on scientific methodology.

Traditional tea taster is based by experience.

The tea taster is said to gain knowledge by sipping and tasting a number of cups of raw tea made out of tea samples.

"Tea Taster," using a special and exact spoon, sucks the tea with a sound. This slurping sound is caused by the tea being taken into the mouth at the exact speed of 125 miles per hour. At this speed, the tea explodes at the back of the palate, forming minute mist particles. These particles help the tea taster to tell a story about the tea in volumes. The tea is then expectorated into a pan and the tea taster turns to begin with another cup of tea.

This kind of tasting by the tongue, teeth, gum and inner parts of his buccal cavity without reference to a standard about taste can not construe to a good analysis. This is out of date secret and an art with errors. Errors in art are viewed as spill over of skills. But the truth is that that will end in a tasteless tea.

He has a sound fool proof methodology to identify good teas rich in color, taste and flavor. He has standard reference to compare and fix the color and taste categories and say some thing concrete about the fragrances also. Science will give constant results when the experiments are repeated. This assures a flawless performance at the end.

He combines the goodness of traditional tea tasting with the modern truthful scientific methods. He is capable of confirming the degree of qualitative and functional characters of select teas. This enables him to find their percentage or proportional utility in making desired blending combinations. This is to satisfy the need of every section of the society to enhance the harmony of mankind.

Be calm and active!

Lipton Green Tea Taj Mahal Tea is also a Hindustan Unilever product. Heavenly freshness and unique taste that one gets having sipped Taj Mahal Tea are the result of the special type of tea leaves that are chosen for this brand. Some of the most famous names in India like Tabla maestro Ustaad Zakir Hussain and Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan have endorsed Taj Mahal Tea.

Tulsi Green Tea

Now the tea can bring the briskness to the body and mind on demand. Another tea will make you calm and peaceful and bring solace to the wandering mind. It can create an inner calmness and outer activity which is usually brought about by meditation. Thus the tea taster has a duty to fulfill the expectations by innovations.

Lipton Green Tea is a Lipton product. The company was named Thomas J. Lipton Co. at the time of its inception in 1890. Its factory and head offices are in Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.A. With people across the globe becoming more health conscious, the demand of green tea has gone up manifolds in the recent years. Consequently, Lipton introduced a green tea variant that became an instant hit amongst the green tea lovers.

Wagh Bakri Tea Wagh Bakri Tea is a product of Wagh Bakri Tea House, which was incorporated in 1892 in Ahmedabad by Sir Narandas Desai. Wagh Bakri Tea enjoys a huge fan base in the national capital of Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Tulsi Green Tea is a unique product from Organic India founded in 1990 by a group of people. Tulsi Green Tea has earned quite a reputation in the herbal tea segment of the Indian tea market. The health conscious section of the society prefers Tulsi Green Tea over other available brands in the market. This tea helps in maintaining weight and improving metabolism in addition to strengthening immunity.

List of 6 institutes offering courses in Tea Management There are a number of Institutes providing training i n Te a m a n a g e ment. Most of the courses are of short period. Eligibility requirement is graduation and interest in the specified area.

Indian Institute of Plantation Management,

These institutes teach tea production to processing, finance, marketing and sales where tea tasting forms part of the curriculum.

Jnana Bharathi Campus, P.0 Malathalli, Bangalore-560056 Courses offered: Professional Certificate Programme on Tea Tasting and Marketing (PCP-TTM) Eligibility: Graduation with proficiency in English Duration:45 days

NITM, Darjeeling Tea Research and Management Association P.O Kadamtala,Silguri-734011, Dist. Darjeeling, West Bengal Course offered: Post Graduate Diploma in Tea (PGDT) Eligibility: Graduation Duration: 9 months

Assam Agricultural University, Department of Tea Husbandry and Technology, Jorhat, Assam -785013 Courses offered: (B.Sc. & M.Sc.) Agriculture in Tea Husbandry and Technology

Dipras Institute of Professional Studies, 23/28 Gariahat Road, Kolkata-700029 Course offered: Certificate course in Tea Management Eligibility: Graduation Duration: 1 year

NATION

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

8 people die, 22 injured in Pak shelling?on border villages Jammu, Nov 1: Eight people were killed and 22 injured when Pakistan troops heavily shelled border hamlets and posts with mortar bombs along the International Border (IB) and the LoC in Samba, Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

Two women were killed and 13 others injured during shelling with 82 and 120 mm mortar bombs in Rajouri, Jammu, Poonch districts.

Army sources said two Pakistani soldiers have been killed opposite to Noushera sector along the LoC in Rajouri district.

"Five people died and nine others were injured in the shelling in Ramgarh sector of Samba district today," Deputy Commissioner Samba, Sheetal Nanda told PTI. "One persons died due to shock during shelling in the same area taking the total of those killed to six," she said.

While three of the injured were given treatment in Ramgarh hospital, the

Pakistani shells landed in Mendhar town of Poonch district. rest were shifted to GMC hospital in Jammu, she said. The casulaties took place during shelling in Jarda and Rangoor camp villages along the IB in Ramgarh sector.

Along the LOC, two women were killed in firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in Panjgrian border hamlet in Manjakote belt of Rajouri district, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Shabir Ahmed Bhat said.

He said three army porters suffered injuries in the

shelling in Noushera sector of the district and they have been hospitalised.

Pakistani shells landed in Mendhar town of Poonch district, injuring three people, police said.

A total of 18 people, including 12 civilians, have been killed and more than 80 suffered injured in Pakistani shelling and firing along IB and LoC in Jammu since surgical strikes against terror launch pads by the Indian Army in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir. (PTI)

No more foreign funds for Zakir Naik's NGO New Delhi, Nov 1: Islamic Research Foundation, promoted by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik , will soon be banned from receiving foreign funds with the Home Ministry initiating the process for cancellation of its FCRA registration by issuing a final show cause notice to the NGO. The Home Ministry has also started the process for putting another NGO of Naik namely IRF Educational Trust in prior permission category, thus preventing it from receiving any foreign funds without getting nod from the government.

The move came after different investigations found Naik to be "involved" in utilizing funds meant for the NGOs for alleged radicalization of youths

and "inspiring" them into terror activities, official sources said.

Interestingly, the IRF's registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act was renewed in September inadvertently despite multiple probes against Naik, leading to suspension of a Joint Secretary and four other officials in the Home Ministry.

Government is also in the process of declaring IRF as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and a nod from the Union Cabinet is awaited for it.

According to a draft note, which is based on the inputs from Maharashtra Police, Naik, who heads the IRF, has allegedly made many provocative speeches and engaged in terror

'Encounter' killing suspicious: Mayawati

of doing business improves drastically," he said.

"Officials and ministers may come and go. But there has to be some process driven method to ensure smooth flow of system. It should not be individual driven system. All these reforms will be institutionalised," Rama Rao said.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana jointly topped the ease of doing business ranking, in the index based on the degree of implementation of the government's 340-point Business Reform Action Plan.

The list was prepared by the World Bank and the Indian government's department of industrial policy and promotion this year. Both states secured 98.78 per cent score.

According to Rama Rao, the state has attracted 2,550

industries or enterprises involving investments worth Rs 44,791 crore, creating about 5 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.

"Over 60 per cent of those industries have become operational," he said.

"In the past nine months, there were 66 meetings among various government departments; 26 legislations have been amended; 121 circulars were issued among all the government departments.

All these measures have contributed Telangana to rank on the top of ease of doing business," the minister said.

He further said that the government has done away with some of the "unnecessary" inspections by labour department, creating hassle-free environment. (PTI)

Centre asks JK govt to make efforts to reopen schools New Delhi, Nov 1:Concerned over burning down of several schools in Kashmir, the Centre has asked the Mehbooba Muftigovernment to check such attempts and make efforts for reopening the schools which have been closed for more than 110 days due to unrest in the Valley.

In a communication, the Home Ministry conveyed to the Jammu and Kashmir government to ensure protection of schools, especially those which are vulnerable to attacks, and make all attempts for reopening all educational institutions across the Valley.

The central government is deeply concerned over the incidents of setting ablaze of schools and worried about the future of the children who are the worst sufferers due to the prolonged turmoil in the state, a senior Home Min-

istry official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also said to be worried that the closure of educational institutions for such a long period is affecting thousands of students and feels that if schools reopen, it would be a great step towards restoring normalcy in Kashmir, officials said.

At least 26 schools in various parts of the Valley were set ablaze in recent past.

The Home Ministry is said to have persuaded the Jammu and Kashmir government to direct the state Board of School Education to notify over 500 schools to conduct regular examinations.

Examinations for Class X will commence from November 15 and will culminate on November 28 while examinations for Class XII will commence from November 14 and will culminate on Decem-

ber 3.

Educational institutions in the Valley are closed since July 9 afer outbreak of clashes and a strike call by separatists following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.

Sources said the assessment of security forces is that radical forces are trying to force children in rural areas to join religious schools or madrassas and not opt for modern education so that youngsters could be radicalised easily.

Amid outrage over increasing number of schools being burnt in the Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court yesterday stepped in, directing police and civil administration to ensure their protection besides unmasking the "mysterious enemies of education" and deal with them with an "iron hand". (PTI)

Stop Questioning Police: Kiren Rijiju On Killing Of SIMI Men New Delhi, Nov 1: As the Madhya Pradesh police faced questions over the killing of eight members of the banned Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) on Monday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the police or forces should not be questioned.

"It is not good to raise questions on security forces dealing with terrorists, just on the basis of videos," Mr Rijiju, the Minister of State

for Home, said today.

Mr Rijiju said facts will come out soon and criticized the "habit" of raising doubts and questioning the authorities and police in such incidents.

"We are facing challenges on the border with ceasefire violations. Our forces are responding," he told reporters in New Delhi.

Mr Rijiju was responding to questions on the jailbreak

by SIMI members who were

shot dead hours later by the Bhopal police.

Mobile phone videos appear to contradict the police version of the encounter. In one video, a policeman is seen shooting at an inert body at close range. In another video, the fugitives are seen standing at a distance, waving, as a policeman says: "Five men are trying to talk to us. Surround them." Gunshots are heard next. (PTI)

Islamic preacher Zakir Naik propaganda.

Maharashtra Police has also registered criminal cases against Naik for his alleged involvement in radicalisation of youths and luring them into terror activities, a source said.

Naik also transferred

IRF's foreign funds to Peace TV for making "objectionable" programmes. Most of the programmes, which were made in India, contained alleged hate speeches of Naik, who had reportedly "urged all Muslims to be terrorists"

through Peace TV, sources have claimed.

Naik came under the scanner of the security agencies after Bangladeshi newspaper 'Daily Star' reported that one of the perpetrators of the July 1 terror attack in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran propaganda on Facebook last year quoting Naik.

The Islamic orator is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speech aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.

He had been popular in Bangladesh through his Peace TV, although his preachings often demean other religions and even other Muslim sects. The Mumbai-based preacher has not returned to India ever since the controversy erupted. (Agencies)

TMC hopes to play pivot in uniting secular forces in national politics Mamata Banerjee had chalked out a three-point programme to counter the rise of the saffron brigade in the state.

Telangana now aims at reducing cost of doing business Hyderabad, Nov 1: Having shared the top slot with Andhra Pradesh in ease of doing business and not resting on laurels, Telangana is now looking to reduce the cost of doing business, State IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao said today.

Addressing a press conference, Rao said that the government has made several changes in labour laws, and other relevant procedures, to make the state an "investor f r i e n d l y " destination."Ease of doing business is not the only solution. Cost of doing business is also important. Now, the task for Telangana government will be to bring down the cost of doing business and to ensure that it is minimised and also to ensure the quality

P10

BSP chief Mayawati Lucknow, Nov 1: BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday said the incident of alleged encounter killing of eight purported activists of the banned organisation Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in Madhya Pradesh appeared "suspicious" prima facie, and demanded a judicial probe into the issue.

Ms. Mayawati alleged police were being misused for "political greed" and pushing the "agenda of the RSS" in the BJP-ruled States. She said based on the accounts of the Madhya Pradesh police, the SIMI activists were "unarmed" and "could have been arrested (captured) again easily." However, "no such attempt was made," the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said.

She said fingers were being raised on the authenticity of the jailbreak and the encounter that followed.

Ms. Mayawati alleged that it was well known that the police were being "misused for political and communal" reasons in the State ruled by the BJP. Targeting the Shivraj Chouhan-led BJP government, she said the State police did not probe the "bloody Vyapam scam" independently and let off scot-free those close to the government.

Ms. Mayawati said episodes like Vyapam and other incidents showed that the State government was using the machinery to "strictly enforce the communal and narrow agenda of the RSS" in the State. (PTI)

Pakistan High Commission has become an ISI den, says BJP

Kolkata, Nov 1: Seeking to play a major role in national politics post-2019, the TMC wants to unite secular parties against the 'divisive politics' of BJP and RSS. TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee few days back had asked her party leaders to prepare a booklet highlighting the evils of communal politics and dangers of the rise of BJP and RSS throughout the country.

"We want to unite the secular forces and parties across the country. The TMC will play a pivotal role and act as a glue to hold the secular forces together.

The booklet will talk about the methods to counter the evils of communalism and divisive politics," a senior TMC leader told PTI. The draft for the booklet has been prepared and is waiting for the final nod of the top leadership, the leader said. Apart from the call against communal politics, the booklet will also have details about the achievements of the TMC government, its policies and the Singur land acquisition.

Banerjee had chalked out a three-point programme to counter the rise of the saffron brigade in the state.

The booklet is part of that three point programme to counter these forces as well as conducting small rallies and street corner meeting from November

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee .

3- November 11 throughout the state, where the dangers of communalism and the threat BJP-RSS possesses to the state will be highlighted.

It will also talk about TMC's aggressive stance against the BJP in the upcoming Parliament session. TMC sources said the party leadership is keenly awaiting the outcome of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, as it will indicate in which way the wind is blowing.

"We are waiting for the outcome of the UP polls, as the results will make lot of things clear about which way the wind is blowing. The BJP is fast losing popularity throughout the country, the Congress is still in a mess.

There is a still a vacuum in opposition space.

"As time passes, the call for anti-BJP platform will gain momentum. We want to fill that vacuum. After

the massive mandate in West Bengal Assembly polls the popularity of TMC is all time high," another senior TMC leader and MP said.

The TMC leader regretted that irrespective of TMC winning 34 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 polls, the party didn't have any role to play in national politics as BJP on its own managed a majority.

"We couldn't play a major role after 2014. But the situation will not be the same after 2019. Be it a secular front or federal front, the anti-BJP front can't be formed without TMC," the TMC leader said.

The vacuum of the opposition political space is fast being explored by the BJP and other Hindutva forces.

The TMC leadership is, therefore, now facing a challenge from these forces, which it hopes to counter emphatically in days to come. (Agencies)

Left parties seek judicial probe into killing of eight SIMI activists

BJP National New Delhi, Nov 1: Pakistani High Commission here has become an "ISI den" and is "breaking" all laws, the BJP Wednesday said, stressing that the Union government has taken cognisance of it and will take appropriate action.

"The reality is that the high commission here has become an ISI den. It is breaking all rules and laws‌Its work is no longer about diplomatic relationship. It has become a centre of smuggling information from here to there (Pakistan)," party National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

He was responding to reports that more Pakistani High Commission officials

may be involved in the alleged spy ring recently busted by Delhi Police.

"The Indian government has taken cognisance of it and will take appropriate action," he said.

At a press conference, he also termed as unfortunate the attack on Hindus and their temples in Bangladesh and said the Indian government will take up the matter with the neighbouring country.

"Our government will speak to the government (of Bangladesh) in this regard. The Hindus there and their religious places should not be targeted due to some incident there. They should be given security," he said.

(PTI)

New Delhi, Nov 1: Stating "discrepancies" in the statements made by MP government and state police over the killing of eight SIMI activists in an encounter, Left parties today sought a judicial probe into the episode, contending NIA inquiry will neither be "credible nor acceptable".

The Left parties sought to know how these men could have escaped from a high security Bhopal central jail and stated the Shivraj Singh Chouhan dispensation owes "full explanation" about how the prison security could be breached.

As they raised doubts, the Left parties stressed the eight were "under trials whose guilt had not yet been established" and were "suspected" to have links with the banned organisation Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

"The claim by police that the accused were shot dead after they were at-

tacked by these men who were armed is contradicted by state's Home Minister Bhupendra Singh. That these men could secure arms while being unable to get a vehicle to make good their escape sounds implausible," CPI (M) Politburo said in a statement.

The politburo also referred to video clips, purportedly from encounter site, showing a policeman pumping bullets at one of the "escapees" after some unidentified person takes out what appears to be a knife.

It said the clip shows the activists waiving at cops "presumably indicating that they want to surrender" and stated this raises doubts over veracity of claims made by cops.

"In the light of these concerns, the Politburo demands a judicial enquiry headed by a sitting judge be constituted to conduct a thorough investigation.

"The Chief Minister has announced that an en-

quiry would be conducted by the NIA. Such an enquiry would neither be credible nor acceptable," it said.

Taking to Twitter over the issue, party general secretary Sitaram Yechury reiterated the concerns and insisted the Centre and the BJP hold the state government responsible for "its actions".

His predecessor Prakash Karat echoed Politburo's demand for a judicial probe into the entire episode.

The CPI too pitched for a "high-level" judicial probe into the matter and appealed people to understand the "sinister design" of BJP-RSS, which it alleged was trying to politicize the fight against terror.

"To divert the attention of the people and polarise them on communal lines BJP-RSS blame others raising the bogey of nationalism and patriotism," the CPI said in a statement. (PTI)

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

BUSSINESS P11 Rupee gains 12 paise Subsidised LPG rate hiked by Rs 2 against US dollar a cylinder; jet fuel by 7.3pc Mumbai, Nov 1: The rupee strengthened by 12 paise to 66.67 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday on increased selling of American currency by exporters and banks amid a higher opening in the domestic stock market.

According to dealers, infrastructure sector recording a growth rate of 5 per cent in September, the highest in three months, made the rupee stronger.

Besides, a positive opening of the domestic equity market also supported the local currency, they said.

The rupee had gained 8 paise to close at 66.79 against the US dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market on Friday.

Positive opening of the domestic equity market also supported the local currency.

Forex market remained closed yesterday on account of "Diwali Balipratipada'.

Meanwhile, the bench-

mark BSE Sensexrecovered 41.11 points or 0.14 per cent at 27,971.32 in early trade today. (Agencies)

New Delhi, Nov 1: The price of subsidised cooking gas (LPG) was today hiked by over Rs 2 per cylinder, the sixth increase in rates in five months, while that of jet fuel was raised by a steep 7.3 per cent in step with global trends.

A subsidised 14.2-kg cylinder will now cost Rs 430.64 in Delhi as against Rs 428.59 previously, according to state-owned oil firms.

Also, the aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price was hiked Rs 3,434.25 per kilolitre (kl), or 7.33 per cent, to Rs 50,260.63 per kl in Delhi. This is the second straight increase in rates, coming on the back of 3.11 per cent rise in

October 1.

In case of subsidised LPG, this is the sixth increase in price since July when the government decided to go in for small hikes of up to Rs 2 per bottle every month to cut down its subsidy outgo.

LPG rates were last hiked on October 28 by Rs 1.5 per cylinder on account of hike in commission paid to dealers. In the last monthly hike, rates went up by Rs 2.03 per cylinder on October 1 to Rs 427.09.

Prior to those rates were hiked by Rs 1.97 per cylinder on September 1, Rs 1.93 on August 16 and by Rs 1.98 per 14.2-kg cylinder on July 1.

The government had earlier this month decided to

Image for representation purpose. take the diesel route for eliminating subsidies on LPG and kerosene. Diesel price was deregulated in November 2014 after the previous UPA government affected 50 paise hikes every month to eliminate

subsidies.

The near Rs 2 per cylinder hike in LPG every month is also aimed at doing the same thing. In case of kerosene, the government has allowed stateowned oil companies to

raise the price by 25 paise a litre every fortnight for 10 months. The 8th hike in kerosene, since July, was effected today. A litre of kerosene now costs Rs 17.17 in Mumbai. Delhi has been declared a kerosene free state and no subsidised PDS kerosene is sold in the national capital. The price of nonsubsidised cooking gas (LPG), which consumers buy after exhausting their quota of 12 bottles of 14.2-kg each per household in a year, was hiked

by Rs 37.5 to Rs 529.50.

Oil firms revise rates of ATF and cooking gas on 1st of every month based on oil price and foreign exchange rate in the preceding month. (PTI)

Stock market: Macro data, quar- Gold climbs Rs 80 on Factory PMI jumps in Octoterly earnings to drive sentiments positive global cues ber to highest in 22 months "Corporate results, a

Auto stocks will remain in focus amid announcement of monthly sales data.

New Delhi, Nov 1: Release of macroeconomic data and quarterly earnings are set to drive stock market sentiment this week and the countdown to the US presidential election on November 8 may add to the volatility, say experts.

Auto stocks will remain in focus amid announcement of monthly sales data.

On the macro front, PMI data on manufacturing and

services sectors will also influence trading behaviour.

Investors are expected to hang on to the commentary of the US Fed on its policy review due on November 1-2.

Stock-specific action could be seen in Ambuja Cements, Titan, Union Bank and Pfizer as these companies are due to come out with their quarterly earnings this week.

shorter week and impending results of the US presidential election will keep the market in a trading range for some time," said Jimeet Modi, CEO, SAMCO Securities.

The analysts said the countdown for the US presidential election may add to volatility across the globe.

"On the domestic front, earnings of the second quarter will be watched by the market. Market could consolidate this week as it would like to wait for the result of US election which will be held on November 8," said Rohit Gadia, Founder & CEO, CapitalVia Global Research Ltd. Over the past week, the Sensex dropped 135.67 points, or 0.48 percent, while the Nifty lost 55.05 points, or 0.63 percent.

(PTI)

Banks to report frauds of Rs one crore and above to Central Vigilance Commission New Delhi, Nov 1: With several high-ticket alleged frauds like Vijay Mallya loan default case coming to fore, Central Vigilance Commission has now made it mandatory for the public sector banks to report to it all such matters involving funds over Rs one crore.

Based on the reports, the anti-corruption watchdog, which has hired four General Manager ranked officers from bank as advisors, will recommend whether CBI probe can be ordered.

According to CBI data, in 2015, the agency had probed 171 cases of bank frauds involving funds of Rs 20,646 crore. In addition, CBI is also investigating the Ponzi schemes involving funds of over Rs 1.20 lakh crore.

The Commission will also call regular monthly meetings of senior officials of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), CBI and banks to monitor probe in suspected bank frauds of Rs 50 crore and above.

The banks have been asked to share their reports of Fraud Monitoring and Reporting (FMR) mechanism with the CVC in the suspected fraud cases of Rs one crore and above.

Till now this report was shared with the RBI only, Vigilance Commissioner T M Bhasin said.

The banks will also now have to report the modus operandi of all the alleged frauds to the CVC which will share these details with other banks to ensure that systemic changes can be brought in to prevent such cases being repeated, he said.

"Frauds were being reported by the Central Vigilance Officers of the banks to the RBI through the Fraud Monitoring and Reporting (FMR) mechanism.

Now the Commission has

The banks will also now have to report the modus operandi of all the alleged frauds to the CVC. decided that fraud of Rs 50 crore and above will be regularly followed up by the CVC. "For this purpose, we will convene regular meetings where concerned people of CBI and RBI will be called and BSFC concerned banks," T M Bhasin said.

The move comes following the difference in the definition of "fraud" in the banks and investigating agencies. CBI had complained that banks were not forthcoming with the reporting of frauds to it.

CBI Director Anil Sinha had recently red-flagged rising cases of bank frauds saying the issue of delay in identifying and reporting frauds, which allows borrowers to siphon off funds before investigations are taken up, needs serious thoughts.

"In the case of banks, there is some misunderstanding in what constitutes fraud.

Fraud as understood in the banking sector is different from the fraud as understood by investigating agencies under IPC and CrPC. Banks do report NPAs and frauds to Reserve Bank as per their guidelines," Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary said.

He said after consultation with RBI, changes have been brought in to the system.

A special chapter has been added in the Vigilance Manual for Banking system with updated one to be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function of CVC on November 7.

The CVC has defined malafide and bonafide actions which caused misunderstanding between banks and investigating agencies.

Bhasin clarified that CVC was not looking into such cases but now Banks will have to undertake monthly meetings in cases of suspected frauds of Rs 50 crore and above and reporting of fraud cases of Rs one crore and above.

"The Commission has powers under section 8(1)(d) of the CVC Act to direct CBI to undertake investigations. So we don't need any help or co-ordination with Banks' CVO. It is suo moto case will be handed over to CBI. In the past one year, we have referred about 18-20 cases to CBI related to bank fraud," Bhasin said when asked whether cases will be referred to CBI by the CVC or the banks. (Agencies)

Pic for representation purpose.

Mumbai, Nov 1: Gold prices rose by Rs 80 to Rs 30,030 per 10 grams in futures trade today as speculators raised their bets amid a firm global trend.

At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for delivery in December was trading higher by Rs 80 or 0.27 per cent to Rs 30,030 per 10 grams in a business turnover of 475 lots.

The yellow metal for delivery in far-month February next year gained Rs 71 or 0.24 per cent to Rs 29,951 per 10 gm in six lots.

Market analysts attributed the rise in gold prices at futures trade to positive global cues.

Meanwhile, gold was trading higher a shade higher at USD 1,277.20 an ounce in Singapore. (PTII)

Tata group initiates steps to dislodge Cyrus Mistry from operating companies New Delhi, Nov 1: Tata Sons board is reported to be initiating measures to displace Cyrus Mistry from the chairmanship of the Tata Group companies through due procedure.

"Ideally, he (Mr. Mistry) should step down on his own and exit honourably.

That is our wish," The Hindu reported quoting a senior Tata Sons executive who did not want to be named. "Otherwise, the due procedure to remove him from the boards of group companies will kick in. Now that he has lost the confidence of the Tata

Sons board, he should step down from operating companies," the executive added.

Cyrus Mistry is still the Chairman of operating companies: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Power, IHCL, Tata Teleservices, Tata Global Beverages, and Tata Chemicals.

A Director is appointed or removed as per the Section 169 of the Companies Act 2013 by shareholders pursuant to a resolution moved in a general body meeting. (Agencies)

Bengaluru, Nov 1: Indian factory activity expanded at its fastest pace in almost two years in October, boosted by a surge in output and new orders, but it came alongside a sharp rise in input costs and some pass on to end-consumers, a survey showed. Tuesday`s data should help reinforce views Asia`s third largest economy is growing at a robust pace, but it could also point to risks of inflation gathering steam and crimping the Reserve Bank of India`s room to ease policy further.

The Nikkei/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers` Index shot up to 54.4 in October, a 22 month high, from September`s 52.1, marking the biggest monthly jump in almost five years.

The PMI has stayed above the 50 level that separates growth from contraction for the tenth straight month.

"The sector looks to be building on the foundation of the implied pickup in growth in the previous quarter," said Pollyanna De Lima, economist at survey

Image for representation purpose.

compiler IHS Markit.

An output sub-index, which measures overall production, was at 57.2 in October, the highest since December 2012, and up sharply from 53.3 in September.

The acceleration in output came after a surge in new orders, a sub-index measuring both domestic and external demand, which mirrored the main PMI and rose to its highest since December 2014.

But the expansion resulted in higher prices.

"Part of the increase in cost burdens was passed on to consumers by way of higher selling prices, which is likely to con-

Twitter India head Rishi Jaitly quits company

Google discloses details of a critical Windows bug New York, Nov 1: In a bid to protect users, Google has disclosed details about a critical Windowsbug that affects Windows kernel, an integral part of the operating system.

The internet giant said it reported the bug to Microsoft 10 days ago but the company has done nothing to address the issue publicly.

The Windows vulnerability is a local privilege escalation in the Windows kernel that can be used as a security sandbox escape.

"This vulnerability is par-

ticularly serious because we know it is being actively exploited," Google said in a blog post on Monday.

Google said it has already deployed a fix to protect Chrome users, but Windows is still vulnerable.

"We encourage users to verify that auto-updaters have already updated Flash and to manually update if not and to apply Windows patches from Microsoft when they become available for the Windows vulnerability," the blog post added.

(Agencies)

Image for representation purpose.

tinue on an upward trend as we head towards the year end," De Lima said.

Consumer inflation cooled to a 13-month low in September due to moderating food prices, but the PMIs suggest it could soon pick up if the current trend continues.

That will likely affect prospects of further easing from the RBI, which earlier this month surprised markets by cutting its benchmark repo rate 25 basis points to 6.25 percent.

Economists polled by Reuters a few weeks ago forecast a follow-on rate cut to 6.00 percent in the first quarter of 2017.

(Agencies)

Image for representation purpose.

New Delhi, Nov 1: Twitter India's head Rishi Jaitly is quitting the company. He announced his plans on his Twitter handle. Jaitly had joined Twitter in 2012 to lead the company's expansion into India, and is currently the Vice President - Asia Pacific and Middle East North Africa.

Though no name has cropped up yet on Jaitly's replacement, the company would like to have a smooth transition in the leadership. Jaitly is expected to finally

leave the company in November. Though he has not said anything on his future plans, but his tweets indicate that he would continue to remain active in the tech world.

"We thank Rishi Jaitly for his contributions, entrepreneurship and leadership over the past four years at Twitter," the company spokesperson said in a statement. "He was our first person on the ground to bring Twitter into the high-growth Indian market; He has created bold, strategic partnerships to enter and

grow new markets for Twitter; and has successfully built up our Media Partnerships teams across the Asia Pacific and Middle East."

"He led our efforts to make Twitter the national zeitgeist for millions of users across the Asia Pacific and Middle East, as well as the place that TV and media organizations, government agencies, sports bodies, entertainment companies and influencers go to publish their content first and engage with their audience every day, including Twitter's first international live streaming deal for the Melbourne Cup in Australia. We wish him all the best and will continue to invest in these important regions to make Twitter the best way to see what's happening right now around the world," the Twitter spokesperson added.

Twitter has not announced Jaitly's replacement, yet. (Agencies)

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DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

P12 No Indian football club has better record than Bengaluru FC: Chhetri IANS Bengaluru, Nov 1: Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri feels no Indian football club has a three-year history like them and that in itself does all the talking about the giant strides taken by the southern outfit.

In an interview to theaiff.com on Tuesday, the India skipper who scored a brace in Bengaluru FC's AFC Cup semi-final second leg win against Johor Darul Ta'zim said, "The results should do all the talking and not me."

"Bengaluru FC, in its three years of existence, won two I-League titles, a Federation Cup, made the last 16 in its first year of Asian competition and now we're in the final of the AFC Cup. I'm not sure if there's a better three-year record in club football in the country," the 32-year-old added.

Asked what would be his advice to the younger crop before the AFC Cup finalagainst Iraqi club Al-Quwa AlJawiya, Chhetri said, "The stage is big enough for everyone to find motivation from within. Our coach is the one giving out advice and he's always asked us to be brave and I guess there is no better message than that."

In 2011, when India played the 2011 Asian Cup in Doha, the former Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, JCT and Dempo attacker was just another member of the national team.

Five years later, when Bengaluru FC play the AFC Cup final at the same venue on Saturday, he is the most important cog in the wheel.

"There is a gap of five years and a lot of football has come between those years. While the city (Doha) stays the same, the stage is completely different. Doha in 2011 was a great learning curve for so many of us and I wouldn't hesitate to say that despite where India finished it, taught us a great deal," he said.

"Doha 2016 is an entirely whole new chapter and this time, it's in club colours. We're one good game away from something special. You cannot really compare the two tournaments. But I hope we leave Doha on a very happy note this time around."

Messi confident of getting better of City again

Lionel Messi Sanjoy Chakma New Delhi , Nov 1 : City welcome Barca to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night, almost a fortnight after Lionel Messi scored thrice against them. In the buildup to this clash, some pundits question whether Guardiola's methods, which served him so well at Barca and Bayern Munich, can deliver in the Premier League. It has been not a near perfect start to life for Guardiola at the Etihad

Stadium as he attempts to transform City into a winning team, going six matches without victory up until Saturday. Both Luis Enrique and now Messi backed the Catalan coach to bring silverware for the club.

But while Messi backed Guardiola, the attacker warned City that Barca are heading to Manchester full of confidence and determined to cause more worries.

On the other hand, City playmaker, David Silva

is confident that they can turn the match around this time. Will there a change of tactics that Guardiola employed in their 4-0 defeat? According to David Silva, Manchester City will try the same tactics against Barcelona despite losing their previous meeting. But Silva rightly insisted that his side were playing well up until Claudio Bravo's mix up outside the box, which opened up the floodgates.

Earlier, after series of draws in the Premier League, the Catalan coach was adamant to accept that he would not change his way of playing because he feels that the best way to play is 'his way'. So, Silva sees no change of tactics this time around - pressing the Catalans and trying to dominate possession - is the right way to go.

It may be noted that Barcelona changed their tactics of play with Luiz Enrique taking over. Few days back, Messi admitted that Luis Enrique has made the Catalans a more

direct, counter-attacking team. The fact that there has been a change of style of play under Luiz Enrique is reflecting on Barcelona's getting the better of City on three occasions over the last two seasons. "In reality, the system of Barcelona is something that everyone knows," the forward explained to the Sun. "We have not noticed massive changes but, yes, some - in that with Luis maybe now we are a bit more aggressive when we attack at speed, whilst with Pep we used counter-attacks less." This means, Barca's tactics will pretty be the same again.

One noteworthy absence of course will be Iniesta's absence. "Missing Andres [Iniesta] is something you always notice as far as I can tell - for how he is as a player and what he creates on the field of play," Messi said."But we are in good shape and we are coming very confident."

Chennaiyin's excellent record against Mumbai City 'scares' Marco Materazzi PTI Chennai, Nov 1: Chennaiyin FC coach Marco Materazzi is "scared" about his team's excellent record against Mumbai City FC as they square up in an exciting Hero Indian Super League clash here tomorrow.

Chennaiyin FC have won all four clashes against Mumbai City FC since the inception of the league in 2014. But this season, Materazzi has seen history being rewritten.

For example, Chennaiyin's battles against FC Goa were always won by the visiting teams - including last season's final - yet Chennaiyin FC broke the trend by winning at home this season. Delhi Dynamos had lost all four league clashes against FC Goa, yet secured a comfortable 2-0 victory against last year's finalists in their last game.

"Every year, everything changes, and every ISL is different from the previous year. What scares me actually is that this season, everything is opposite. We won at home against Goa

Chennaiyin FC are placed fifth on the table with nine points from six matches but Materazzi's defending champions can jump to the top of the table with a two-goal victory.

(Source: ISL)

for the first time and that scares me against Mumbai, against whom we usually win," said the Italian World Cup winner.

Chennaiyin FC are placed fifth on the table with nine points from six matches but Materazzi's defending champions can jump to the top of the table with a twogoal victory. Materazzi, however, was not too concerned with either a victory or draw since the goal remains to qualify for the

semi-finals and not finish on top at the end of the first phase.

"I don't care about a two-goal victory. What matters is to get to the play-offs and that is the target for us," said Materazzi, who will have to do without the injured John Arne Riise and Hans Mulder.

Mumbai City FC have put their previous woes in the ISL behind them and are now slowly but surely working their way towards the playoffs. Costa Rican coach

Alexandre Guimaraes has inculcated a winning habit in his team and is unperturbed with their poor record against Chennaiyin FC. "First of all, our squad is totally different from last two seasons. I don't have any player who has this memory (of losses). This is a totally different situation.

We know that we are playing the champions, against a team who has more continuity of working with the team more than us," said the Mumbai City coach.

Guimaraes confirmed that marquee player Diego Forlan was available for tomorrow's clash and it usually means greater excitement on the field.

"When he plays, usually we win. When he plays, usually he scores, or creates an assist. When he plays, our opponents are more aware of him. That's good for us," said Guimaraes.

Mumbai City FC are second on the table with 11 points from 7 matches and will need a win to move to the top.

Bony back among the goals in Stoke win AFP Stoke-on-Trent (UK), Nov 1: Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony ended a 10-month goal drought with a brace against former club Swansea City as Stoke City's revival continued with a 3-1 win in Monday's Premier League clash.

Both goals for the 27-yearold Manchester City loanee were set up by another former Swansea favourite, Joe Allen, with Alfie Mawson also putting through his own net as Stoke claimed a third win on the bounce.

"It is crazy that my first goals come against my exteam, it is disappointing for them but that is how football happens," Bony told Sky Sports.

"I have missed some chances but I knew the goals would come. Every game I push myself."

Swansea, who had levelled in the first half through Wayne Routledge, have

made their worst start to a PremierLeague season with just five points from 10 matches. It is also the first time they have gone nine games without a win.

"There is no easy solution to getting confidence back," Swansea manager Bob Bradley told Sky Sports.

"When you are going through a bad stretch you have to have belief.

"It was 1-1 at half-time but we didn't start the second half in a way that suggested

we could win the game," added the former United States coach, who has picked up just one point from three games in charge after replacing Francesco Guidolin.

Stoke are unbeaten in five matches and climb to 12th, five points clear of the relegation zone, while Swansea are second from bottom and five points adrift of safety.

It took less than three minutes for Bony to make his

mark, pouncing to prod home from inside the six-yard box after Allen's mishit half-volley for his first goal in 23 matches for club and country.

However, the Swans levelled within five minutes as Routledge did brilliantly to head home Gylfi Sigurdsson's superb cross.

The hosts were impressive going forward and Scotland international Charlie Adam - making his first Premier League start of the season - hit the post with a fantastic curling effort.

Stoke suffered a blow in the 26th minute as Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri had to go off injured and was replaced by Egyptian youngster Ramadan Sobhi.

Adam then conjured up another splendid effort but was this time denied by the other post.

The woodwork was proving to be a very effective 12th man for the visitors as it once gain came to the res-

cue after Allen's astute pass found Marko Arnautovic, who rounded goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski only to see his effort cannon back off an upright.

Bony blazed over after being teed up by Arnautovic at the start of the second half but 19-year-old Sobhi was the creator as the hosts restored their advantage in the 55th minute.

Sobhi produced a delightful piece of skill inside the box after a superb pass from Irish veteran Glenn Whelan and his shot was diverted into his own net by Mawson.

It was another brilliant Stoke move which produced the killer third goal 17 minutes from time.

Arnautovic delivered a sublime back-heeled pass to find Allen, whose shot was saved by Fabianski. However, the Welsh international reacted brilliantly to help the ball across to Bony, who applied the finish.

Indian team for England series to be announced on Wednesday

Virat Kholi and Ajinkya Rahane PTI Mumbai, Nov 1: Fit-again pacer Ishant Sharma is likely to make a comeback when the national selection committee meets on Wednesday to pick the Indian team for the upcoming Test series against England commencing November 9. "The Indian team is to be picked in Mumbai tomorrow," BCCI sources said on Tuesday.

Although India trounced New Zealand 3-0 in the previous Test rubber, the selection panel, headed by MSK Prasad, will have quite a few things to consider before naming the team for what would be a five-match rubber.

Injury to opener K L Rahul in the opening Test at Kanpur and the indisposition of Ishant Sharma gave the selectors an opportunity to recall veteran opener Gautam Gambhir and off break bowler Jayant Yadav for the second Test at Kolkata. Gambhir did not play at Eden Gardens but got a chance to renew his interrupted career after a two-year gap when Shikhar Dhawan suffered a finger injury at Kolkata and was ruled out of the third and final Test at Indore. Karun Nair was in-

cluded in Dhawan's place in the squad but did not make the playing eleven. Yadav also did not figure in either Test elevens.

It would be interesting to see whether the selectors repose faith in Gambhir, who made a half century in the Indian second innings at Indore, if Rahul and Dhawan are both passed fit to play. Gambhir also made 147 in Delhi's last Ranji match against Odisha.

Pace bowler Ishant is expected to be included after recovering from Chikungunya. He was picked for the opening Test against New Zealand at Kanpur but could not play any part in the rubber. He has played 2 Ranji matches, bowling more than 40 overs at good pace.

The rest of the squad, to be led by Virat Kohli, is expected to be retained.

Meanwhile, the visiting England squad is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on Wednesday from Bangladesh after drawing the two-Test rubber against the hosts.

KL Rahul and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have not played a single match since they got injured and their match fitness

is yet to be proved. While Rahul is nursing a hamstring strain, Bhuvneshwar is dealing with an ankle injury and it is unlikely that any of the two would get a chance unless they are able to prove match fitness. Similar is the case of Dhawan, who is nursing a finger injury.

England are not scheduled to play any practice game and will have just one practice session on November 5 at the Cricket Club of India before leaving for the venue of the opening Test, Rajkot, according to BCCI sources. "Currently they are to have just one practice session. If they want more it will be arranged," the sources informed.

England would depart for Rajkot, ahead of the series opener from November 9-13, either on November 5 evening or the next morning.

The Indian squad is set to assemble in Rajkot, which is to host a first-ever Test, on November 5 evening, BCCI sources added.

The other Tests are slated to be held in Vishakapatnam (Nov 17-21), Mohali (Nov 26-30), Mumbai (Dec 8-12) and Chennai (Dec 16-20).

PR Sreejesh unsure of participating in Australia tour Bengaluru, Nov 1: Indian hockey captain PR Sreejesh on Tuesday said he is not sure about participating in the upcoming Australia tour beginning November 23, but would try to get into the team.

"I am not sure, but I will try to make it into the team," Sreejesh told PTI after he arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport along with other players including Nikkin Thimmaih who was one of the goal scorers in Asian Champions Trophy finals.

The players arrived from Kuala Lumpur after India reclaimed the Asian Champions Trophy hockey with a hard-fought 3-2 win against the two-time defending champion Pakistan in the final to level it 2-2 in terms of number of titles

Injury is part of game - will definitely look after this and will do check-up with the doctors," PR Sreejesh said after arriving in Bengluru following India's Asian Champions Trophy triumph. (Photo: Sreejesh P R Twitter)

held by either side.

India had won the inaugural edition five years ago.

The 2011 final against Pakistan was the one where Sreejesh came into the spotlight for the first time by saving two penalties.

Sreejesh said that injury

was part of the game.

"Injury is part of game - will definitely look after this and will do check-up with the doctors," he said.

India will play in the upcoming four-nation event and the subsequent Test series in Australia.

AITA puts uniformity as condition for electing new president PTI New Delhi, Nov 1: Derecognised by the Sports Ministry, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) says it is willing to elect a new President provided the government imposes its guidelines uniformly on all Sports Federations, including IOA. The ministry has asked the tennis body to elect a new President within 90 days.

The post has been lying vacant ever since Anil Khanna refused a second term despite being elected.

Khanna had refused the position at AITA's AGM in Indore citing ambiguity on the issue of cooling off period. The veteran administrator had been elected President after serving successive terms as Secretary General.

The Federation installed the him as Life President and

elected other office bearers at the meeting on September 3.

The government deems Khanna's first Presidential term against the rules under Sports Code but the tennis body contends it has not flouted any rule. "I will call an SGM and conduct elections for the post of President but first the government must give us the guidelines as to which amendments we need to carry out? We were the first Federation to follow the Sports Code, the age and tenure guidelines," AITA Secretary General Hironmoy Chatterjee told PTI and added they have written to the ministry on the issue asking for clarity.

"If Mr Khanna is not eligible, he's not eligible, but nowhere the rules say that the President has to serve a cooling off period. It's

only for the Secretary General and Treasurer. The government guidelines are not clear. They must clarify first and it has to be same for everyone. They can't single us out," Chatterjee said further.

The AITA official also argued that they are following the same guidelines, which the IOA adopted before being granted recognition. "We are willing to incorporate the changes but it has to be uniform.

We don't want any confrontation with the government, we want to work together."

ITF, the world governing body for tennis, allows three consecutive terms as President. Khanna was elected as AITA president for a four-year term (20122016) after serving as Secretary General for two consecutive terms.

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Editor: Prahlad Hammey

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