Month: June 2014

Sr Public Prosecutor pleads for seperate trials of two absconding accused

IMPHAL, June 30: The man convicted in the gruesome triple murder of Dr Thingam Kishan and his two subordinates, Hopeson Ningshen, was on Monday awarded life imprisonment.

Special Judge PC Act) Vinay Kumar Gupta pronounced the quantum of punishment at the CBI Special Court Patiala.

National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM) self-styled Lieutenant Colonel Hopeson Ningshen was on May 31, 2014 convicted in the triple murder case by the CBI Special Court. Two of his accomplices in the said case are still at large.

Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Kishan and his two subordinates Yumnam Token and Aribam Rajen were found bludgeoned to death at Taphou along National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur road) on February 17, 2009.

The convict was awarded life imprisonment under Section 120 B IPC, rigorous imprisonment for 7 years under Section 392 IPC r/w section 120 B, life imprisonment under Section 364, A r/w Section 120 B IPC, life imprisonment under Section 302 r/w Section 120 B IPC.

Meanwhile, Senior Public Prosecutor AK Singh during today’s announcement of the quantum of punishment had also made an appeal to the judge for separate trials of the remaining two accused Abo Shibo and Johnny, informing that the two have been tracked and there is high possibility of their arrests soon.

The Senior Public Prosecutor had demanded capital punishment for Hopeson on the basis of “the aggravating circumstantial evidence” in his words.

He argued that Dr Thingnam Kishan and his associates were murdered while on duty as public servants and recalled that Dr Kishan had been called for an interview by the then DC, Pankaj Kumar Pal on February 13, 2009.

AK Singh pointed out the method, manner and the brutality of the crime, drawing attention that the triple murder had larger implication for the whole of Manipur.

ND Pancholi, defence counsel for Hopeson argued that capital punishment must be awarded only in absence of a single mitigating circumstance. He further argued that Hopeson was guided by ‘higher consideration’ in surrendering himself to the authorities. The accused has no prior history of offence against law, added Pancholi.

Meanwhile the JAC formed against the triple murder interacting with the media this evening at the Mapari Ningshing Kol at Uripok, announced that the JAC has been dissolved as the case by and large has come to a logical conclusion. This was announced by Soram Tiken, chairman of the JAC.

He categorically said that the JAC would reserve its opinion on whether it is satisfied with the verdict or not.

He said, rather the victim families would be the best to comment on the verdict as they have suffered the most.

The JAC paid its gratitude to the entire people of Manipur, he said while adding that without their support the case would not have reached to such stage.

The chairman of the JAC also thanked the legal fraternity for their advices and support, civil organisations and the media for their wide coverage of the issue.

Convener of the JAC, Y Kapur recalled that movement was an unprecedented one, as there was wide support from the public both from the hills and the plains.

It may be recalled that following the murder of Dr Kishan, Y Token and A Rajen by the NSCN cadres on February 17 2009, there was widespread agitations across the State demanding justice against the murder.

The case was handed over to the CBI by the government of Manipur. Hearing of the case No CC 36/10, commenced on January 31 2010 in the Special CBI Court, Patiala House, New Delhi. The final hearing and arguments were completed by December 19 2013. Judgment of the case was differed six times.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/nscn-im-functionary-gets-life-imprisonment-in-sdo-murder-case/

IMPHAL, June 30: The State cabinet could witness a reshuffle soon, with the number Congress MLAs seeking a reshuffle growing.

The number of MLAs pressuring for a reshuffle of the 10 cabinet seats increased to 27 today. The Congress has altogether 47 MLAs in the 60 Member House.

Meanwhile, sources said the Chief Minister has assured the dissident MLAs that he will apprise the AICC leaders of their demand.

The Chief Minister accompanied by his deputy will be leaving Imphal for the national capital to attend an official meeting of the AICC.

Speaking to the media on the sideline of the Tribal Peace & Harmony Award 2013-2014 distribution function at MFDC Auditorium today, the Chief Minister said any reshuffle in the cabinet can be affected only with the directive from the AICC chief.

He had also said that he will be attending an AICC meeting tomorrow along with deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam and that he will apprise the demands of the MLAs to the AICC high command.

The MLAs were only suggesting ways to strengthen the party and to make the works of the government more transparent, he had told the media regarding a meeting with the MLAs today.

It was a constructive move of the MLAs and could be considered on the lines of the CLP meeting held every month, the Chief Minister said.

Sources also informed that the Chief Minister has assured to discuss the AICC leaders’ decision with the MLAs soon after his return.

Spokesperson of the 27 Congress MLAs seeking cabinet reshuffle, Kakching MLA Surchandra informed during a press meet that the MLAs had met with the Chief Minister at his office chamber demanding the reshuffle today.

He said the Chief Minister had noticed the sentiments of the MLAs and had assured to apprise the AICC leaders of the MLAs sentiments.

21 dissident MLAs met with the Chief Minister this morning around 8.15 and discuss on their demand for a reshuffle, sources said.

It is also learnt from highly placed sources that the meeting continued for about one hour behind closed doors.

The MLAs had sought an assurance of the reshuffle from the Chief Minister to be announced before the upcoming State Assembly Session, informed the source.

They had placed before the Chief Minister that their demand is not anti-Congress nor is it an act against the government, said the source.

The reshuffle will infact save and strengthen the party ahead of the coming election, the MLAs are believed to have asserted before the Chief Minister.

Further according to the sources, the MLAs appealed for rotation of the portfolios among the party MLAs and allow them to serve under the leadership of the Chief Minister and the deputy Chief Minister.

Showing dissent over the conduct of some of the present ministers in the State cabinet, the MLAs complained that access to some of the minister was a problem and many of them were uncooperative and they sometimes even allow other MLAs to handle work in their constituencies, informed the source.

If this trend continues for a few more years, it would be a downfall for the party, the MLAs had asserted during the meeting with the Chief Minister, the source said.

On the other hand, the Chief Minister had suggested the discussion of the demand during a CLP meeting which was flatly refused by the MLAs on the ground that the minister will never accept to step down which could create bigger problems inside the party instead of solving a simple issue.

The 21 MLAs who met with the Chief Minister had later conveyed a meeting at the official quarter of Lamlai MLA Biren, sources said.

Sources also claimed that the MLAs are preparing a memorandum highlighting their demand to be submitted to AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/mlas-seeking-reshuffle-increase-cm-to-apprise-aicc-leaders/

IMPHAL, June 30: “The Kukis under the aegis of the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) will hold a peaceful protest rally July 4, 2014 to air grievances over the lackadaisical attitude of the Government of India towards the plight of the Kukis who had endured the criminal and genocidal acts of the NSCN-IM in the 1990s,” said a press release from KIM.

It said the rally will be carried out in Imphal and other places in the hill districts including, Moreh, Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, Saikul, Churachandpur, Jiribam/Phaitol, Mongneljang Ukhurl Dist. and Imphal.

“The Government of India’s glaring apathy and negligence towards the plight of the Kuki people who terribly suffered against terrorism of NSCN-IM during 1990-1997 has become an issue of retrospection whether justice exists or not.”

“During the course of the NSCN-IM’s genocide pogrom, the Government of India had remained a mute spectator when the NSCN-IM murdered 905 innocent Kukis, including children, women, invalids and the old aged; uprooted 360 villages to snatch way their lands; and displaced 1,00,000 people who are still unable to go back to their own villages,” it claimed.

The statement said that the Kukis have urged the government of India to first settle the grievances or the plights of the Kukis before any possible agreement is reached with the NSCN-IM.

“The crime of the NSCN-IM should be examined in a proper Court of Law in the country and the perpetrators of the crime must be punished to the satisfaction of all concerns,” it demanded.

“Lest, whatever agreement proposed with the NSCN will become the cause of violence and unrest, and the government shall be responsible.”

“All the able bodied men, women, the young and old of the Kuki people are required to participate in the rally to show our solidarity in the demand for justice long denied to us,” it called upon the Kukis.

The Kuki Inpi has appealed for cooperation and support from all CSOs of the Kuki people.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/kukis-to-take-out-peaceful-protest-rally-against-nscn-im/

IMPHAL, June 30: Three-day festival of Khubak Eshei gets underway today afternoon at Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy mandap. The festival is being organised as part of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of the Academy.

Speaking at the inaugural function vice chairman of the Academy, Prof N Tombi Singh stated that Khubak Esei is associated with the of RathaJatra festival in Manipur. The RathaJatra of Govindajee was started in the reign of Maharaj Gambheer Singh in the 19th century AD.

He further said that mandap in locals are the bedrock of our cultural performances. It helps in the up-liftmen of art & culture of the state because this is the place where performance arts are practiced till today, he maintained.

Retd Pradhan Guru of the Academy, S Thanil Singh lauded for organising such festival of “Khubak Esei” which will benefit in its development. He expressed that the state is rich in art & culture and it is known and respected by the world; and most of the art and culture performances in the state are not borrowed from outside, they are our own.

L Upendra Sharma, Director of the Academy speaking to IFP said the art form of Khubak Eshei is dwindling down, though the rich grandeur of the art is still intact. “One of the reasons could be that the art form is performed only during the Ratha Jatra festival, we have purposely organised the festival during the month of Kang”, he said.

He said the Academy is committed to promote the art. There is also Nupi Khubak Eshei in the pipeline, he added.

The inaugural performance was given by Wangkhei Pana and Khwai Pana under the supervision of Y Shamu Singh and Y Jatra Singh respectively. Khurai Pana and Yaiskul Pana will perform on the second day and on the concluding day there will be Jayadev Chongba and Challi Pareng.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/khubak-eshei-festival-begins-at-jnmd-academy/

IMPHAL, June 30: RK Sanatomba Memorial Journalist Award ceremony was held today at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy auditorium, Imphal.

“Today’s artist have failed to internalised the violence that has been very much part of the Manipuri reality”, claimed Prof Arambam Lokendra, during the function.

He was delivering a lecture on ‘Violence and Performing Arts in Manipur’.

He said today’s artist lack the capacity to internalise the violence unlike the artists of yesteryears, who were not only gifted with artistic sensibilities, but were also perceptive of the immediate political environment.

He observed that today’s artists are more into running after awards, in the sense that awards are the ultimate artistic goal.

Prof Lokendra was delivering the RK Sanatomba memorial lecture on the latter’s death anniversary, at a jam-packed auditorium of the JND Academy this afternoon.

Ningthouja Lancha highlighting the essence of the function said it is important to recall the works of RK Sanatomba, who during his youthful days had dreamt and worked for the cause of a just society.

He said Sanatomba was a forward looking journalist, whose thoughts were well reflected in the editorials of the journal ‘Kangla Lanpung’ of which he was the editor.

The award was instituted to encourage the journalist of the State, Ningthouja Lancha said during the function.

He said Sanatomba was a victim of misconstrued violence, resultant action of misperception among the armed opposition groups.

Summer edition of the journal ‘Kangla Lanpung’ was also released during the function.

The journal features articles written by Dr Homen Thangjam, Dr H Sukhdev and Malem Ningthouja.

The RK Sanatomba Memorial Journalist Award for investigative journalism was conferred to Hueyen Lanpao’s reporter Meisnam Karanajit for his investigative reporting in 2013.

The award includes a cash prize of Rs 10, 000 and a citation.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/todays-artists-have-failed-to-internalised-violence/