Day: January 30, 2012

GUWAHATI, Jan 30 (NNN): Murder accused Mahendra Nath Das` writ petition has been dusmissed by the Gauhati High Court on Monday.

After having had languished in prison for the past 12 years Mahendra Nath Das had filed the writ petition last year. The murder accused sought commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment since he had already spent more than 12 years in jail during the disposal of his plea seeking presidential clemency. The mercy plea was addressed to former President KR Narayanan in 1999 by Mahendra’s family. It was rejected in May last year by President Pratibha Patil.

It it worth noting that Mahendra Nath Das had beheaded one Harakanta Das in the commercial hub of Guwahati on April 24, 1996 and surrendered before the police with the victim`s head. He has been languishing in jail since 1997 after the Sessions Court, Kamrup ordered his execution. The death sentence was subsequently upheld by both the Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/01/hc-rejects-dass-plea/

IMPHAL, Jan 30 (NNN): The Trinamool Congress on Monday demanded re-poll in almost all the hill Constituencies of Manipur which went to the polls on January 28, while the BJP demanded re-poll in Thoubal Constituency, the home Constituency of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, alleging of rigging.

“Trinamool Congress had demanded more security personnel for the hill districts well ahead of the Saturday polls, but it was not implemented by Election Commission of India (ECI) that resulted in a big lapse in security”, Manipur Pradesh Triamool Congress president Kim Gangte alleged talking to the media at the Manipur Press Club here.

The Kuki militant groups, which are under Suspension of Operations (SoO) involving the Central and State Governments, and the NSCN-IM, which is also under peace-talks with the Centre were openly involved and meddled in the just concluded polls. She alleged that the Kuki militants openly supported the Congress candidates, while Naga People’s Front (NPF) was supported by the NSCN-IM.

“Voters in the hill districts failed to get their franchise rights in most of the polling stations and it is quite necessary that re-poll be conducted in the areas where polling process had been paralyzed and manipulated by militants”, Kim demanded.

The Manipur unit Trinamool president also said money and muscle power were used as  tools to woo voters against the model code of conduct issued by ECI. Two Trinamool workers were kidnapped by a Congress supporter in one of the pre-poll incidents, she alleged, adding that a white Bolero jeep bearing no. MNO2-3390 was also used in the kidnapping.

The Kuki militant groups under SoO actively helped the Congress in the polls, Kim further alleged and said that the Saikot polling booth was captured by Congress supporters and no official came up to enquire into the incident.

A formal complaint will be lodged to ECI regarding all the malpractices and fraudulent polling and call for re-poll in almost all the hill Constituencies, she added.

Meanwhile, the BJP today also demanded re-poll in at least eight polling stations in Chief Minister Okram Ibobi bastion 31-Thoubal Constituency on Monday.

In Thoubal Constituency, the presiding officer and the other poll personnel were deputed mostly from Thoubal district and Sugnu and this was a gross violation of the ECI guidelines, BJP national general secretary, Tapir Gao told reporters at Manipur Pradesh BJP office here.

Tapir also said using mobile phones in taking photograph of voter during the polling process was really an absurd policy of the ECI. The party has demanded suspension of the concerned Returning Officer and eight presiding Officers of Thoubal, he added.

In one of the polling stations in the hill, one person sat near the EVM and would press the buttons after asking the voters which candidates they were choosing, the former MP from Arunachal Pradesh alleged.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/01/tmc-demands-repoll-in-hill-constituencies-while-bjp-wants-repoll-in-thoubal-ac/

AIZWAL, Jan 30 (NNN): Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today said that due to the long 20-years insurgency, Mizoram could not join with its counterparts in respect of development in economy but with the help of various nationalised agency like NABARD, the state’s economy and development is on the path of improvement.

The chief minister was saying this while delivering a speech at the ‘State Credit Seminar for 2012-13’ organised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Mizoram regional office in Aizawl today. 

Lal Thanhawla Mizoram is rich in various natural resources which will greatly act as a catalyst in the improvement of the state`s economy. He also informed the gathering that his government will take necessary steps to materialise the points which are mentioned in the State Focus Paper prepared by NABARD.

State Credit Seminar 2012-13 is being organised to discuss State Focus Paper prepared by the NABARD for the upcoming year i,e,. 2012-13.

Lal Thanhawla while expressing concern for improvement of farmers said that agriculture credit flow should be introduced more extensively across the state so that each and every farmer enjoys the benefit. The chief minister also asked NABARD to introduce scheme for government flagship programme New Land Use Policy (NLUP) beneficiaries so as to make them successful in utilising the funds received through the programme (NLUP). He further asked NABARD to continue giving credit support to various self help groups and give special attention to hand-loom sector. “NABARD should frequently organise awareness programme so that loan repayment will be more regular, he appealed. The present condition of loan repayment which stood at 63% is comparatively low,” said the chief minister.

It can be noted that NABARD is expanding its developmental initiatives for all round economic growth of Mizoram through various financial and promotional interventions.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/01/mizoram-economy-flourishing/

IMPHAL, Jan 30: The Maoist Communist Party, Manipur has lifted its ban on organizing sumang leela and musical programmes and screening of films outside the cinemas as the elections have ended.

In a press release, the outfit stated that several incidents that occurred during the run up to the polls have justified its decision to temporarily impose the curbs during the prelude despite the attempts from several quarters to wrongly influence the people about its intention.

However, it added that the ban on supporters of four ministers and candidates of Sekmai’s Trinamool Congress and INC will stay.

On the other hand, the MCP alleged that several elements in the Manipur Film Forum has tried to malign its image after misrepresenting its sincere appeals and sway the opinions of the whole organizations dishonestly. 

The decision of the members of forum to air their opinions against the group in a public meeting was unfortunate but the MCP does not hold any grudge against any one of them. Neither has the group served any curb on people involved with Manipuri movies in the past. It had simply requested them not to publicly screen their movies till elections were over and subsequently diluted punishment were meted to three films that went against it.  The group said no monetary demand will be sent to artist or other persons related to the film industry, sumang leela group or singers. The release made an appeal to the film forum to disengage itself from activities disparaging the group and followed it up with a warning that such mistakes will not go unnoticed. 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/01/ban-on-entertainment-programmes-lifted/