Manipur News

IMPHAL, November 26 (NNN): Manipur University (MU) Vice Chancellor Prof HNK Sharma has on Thursday asserted that technical understanding of the Constitution will enable the people to achieve success in the effort to fight against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and to get it repealed from Manipur.

Prof Sarma was speaking during the 1st Constitution Day 2015 celebration at the MU court hall here organised by National Service Scheme, MU.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on October 12 this year declared November 26 as Constitution Day during a function in Mumbai. Earlier, it was observed as National Law Day across the country.

He also stressed on the importance of studying the Indian Constitution by everyone including scholars and students in order that they can defend themselves against things which are not in accordance with the procedural rules affecting the society.

The MU Vice Chancellor asserted that a clear insight into the provisions of the Constitution can help the people to fight against AFSPA to ensure its removal from the state.

The Professor expressed concern about the negative impacts on the life of the people caused by AFSPA for a long time and said technical understanding of the country`s Constitution and knowing its legalities by students will be of immense help to get the military Act repealed.

Prof Sarma said Manipur needs Constitutional experts from among the youngsters. He also talked about the Preamble of the Constitution. The Professor expressed gratitude to the NSS volunters and all individuals for their support and contribution in organising the function celebrating the Constitutopn Day.

Assistant Solicitor of India, High Court of Manipur, advocate Salam Rupachandra who also attended the event said Constitution Day is celebrated to spread awareness on the Constitution and to popularise the life and activities of its architect Dr BR Ambedkar.

He explained the importance of celebrating the day and spoke on the rights and duties of citizens enshrined in the Constitution.

Among others, the function was also attended by Prof Ksh Bimola of MU, NSS Cell, MU Programme Coordinator Ch Ibohal, several NSS volunteers from different colleges along with programme officers were present on the occasion.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/clear-insight-into-constitution-will-help-fight-against-afspa-mu-vice-chancellor/

IMPHAL, November 26: Newly elected Thongju MLA, Thongam Biswajit today strongly condemned the violence which happened at the UNACCO School on November 24 and said it seems that the violence was preplanned with an intention to assassinate him.

Speaking at a press conference held at his residence the newly elected MLA rubbished the statement given by the UNACCO school authority regarding the incident as unfounded and baseless allegation fabricated to mislead the people.

Bishwajit opined that the incident was a pre-planned to eliminate him by fuelling a commotion taking advantage of his mammoth victory rally.

He claimed that those who participated in the rally had witnessed that several rounds of gun shots were fired towards the rally.

He said that he was perturbed by the fact how the UNACCO authorities got hold of guns when a mandatory order to deposit all firearms at the nearby police stations was issued under the election code of conduct. This incident clearly indicates that the UNACCO has violated the order issued by the authority concerned, claimed Biswajit.

Despite the fact that a prohibitory order under CrPC 144 has been imposed after the incident the UNACCO staff and their supporters had staged a sit-in-protest demonstration again in total violation of the law of the land, he continued.

The Congress government who is ruling the State continues to remain as a silent spectator even though the election agent had lodged a complaint to the concerned authority, he continued.

Bishwajit also lamented on the partially shown by the police while taking up a case in connection with the incident adding that the matter will be taken to the higher level if the authority fails to act in time.

The BJP president, Th Chaoba held that the incident is testimony of how the Congress government has miserably failed to maintain law and order situation in State.

So many unwanted incidents have occurred in Thongju area in connection with election but the State government continue to maintain silence, he added. No case has been registered to book the culprit who injured a two-year old boy on the eve of the election even as the police have identified the accused, he maintained.

The BJP demands a high level probe by a national agency like the CBI against the assassination attempt on the life of the newly elected Thongju MLA, said Th Choaba.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/unacco-incident-was-preplanned-to-assassinate-thongju-mla/

IMPHAL, November 26: The hearing of the EEVFAM case was held at Court Number 9 of the Supreme Court of India with Justice Lokur and Justice U Lalit, constituting the Social Justice bench of the apex court.

According to sources, the Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi addressed the court on behalf of the Union of India and presented a convincing argument addressing the alleged extra-judicial executions by the armed forces of the Union under the Court of Inquiry under the Army Act.

However the amicus curie and senior advocate of the petitioners, Colin Gonsalves, vehemently contested this, informed the source.

It is leanrt that the Bench asked the Union of India what progress had been made on the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on Extra Judicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions, on his visit in 2012, the report he submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in 2013, and the subsequent follow up report in 2015.

Later the court grilled the counsel of Manipur, senior advocate Giri on why no FIRs had been filed against the State in any of the listed cases, it said.

They also asked for explanations as to why the NHRC guidelines and provisions of the CrPC were not being followed, the sources said.

The Court also highlighted that the inquiries conducted by the Executive Magistrate were not sufficient, as the FIRs in question had been filed against the victims not against the security forces and police commanders, and because no one from both sides had attended many of these inquiries, sources said.

In any case, the executive magistrate would not have been competent to declare whether an offence had taken place or not, it said.

The court expressed concern about how an institution that had not even followed the above guidelines could possibly conduct an independent and effective investigation into the cases in the petition, it said.

The court will continue to hear arguments on December 3. They Court has also asked the amicus curae to make a submission on technically issues regarding jurisdiction under the Army Act, added the sources.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/sc-asks-union-of-india-to-respond-to-special-rapporteur-recommendations-on-extrajudicial-executions/

IMPHAL, November 26: In a gruesome incident, a 57 year old woman was stabbed to death this early morning at Wabagai Thambal Chingya Khongnangkhong under Kakching police station Thoubal district.

The deceased has been identified as Chanambam Gambhini Devi, 57, wife of Ch Rajen Singh.

Sources said that the incident occurred around 5.15 am when the deceased, who runs a shop at the area, was attending to a customer.

A youth speculated to be in his early 20s, came asking for talab (Gutkha) at the shop. Gambhini’s husband, who was sleeping in the bedroom just next to the shop reportedly woke up to the call and asked his wife (Gambhini) to attend the customer before leaving for the bathroom.

When Rajen came out of the bathroom he saw Gambhini being strangulated by the youth with a cloth and with multiple stab wounds on her body.

Without any delay Rajen sprung into action to free his wife and bit the finger of the assailant who in turn attacked Rajen. During the brief scuffle, the assailant also inflicted injury to Rajen.

Unfortunately, the assailant managed to flee from the place, said sources.

Soon after the ordeal, Rajen rushed his wife to the nearest health care unit but the deceased succumbed to her injury on the way.

While a case has been registered at the concerned police station against the murder, police has begun a manhunt to nab the culprit.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/customer-murders-shopkeeper/

IMPHAL, November 26: Urging to take up befitting action against tainted officials of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Department by forming a high-powered committee, a woman claiming to be a public from Lilong Haoreibi has submitted a memorandum to the Governor today.

The woman is identified as S Bino Devi. A copy of the memorandum was also submitted each to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary.

In the memorandum, the woman alleged irregular maintenance of cash book by DD0/HOO of the Directorate, mis-utilization of fund amounting to Rs 50.14 lakh and misappropriation of fund Rs 136.72 lakh occurred due to no-distribution of procured vaccines, medicines and appliances vaccines and medicines to the Veterinary institutions and illegal transferring of fund Rs 47.32 lakh electronically to the personal account of Deputy Director (Statistics) of the Vety Directorate.

It also alleged payment of salary/pension with higher scale of Grade-III Dy Director/equivalent to six demoted/degraded officers, granting of ACP scheme to 170 employees of Vety Department with the help of non-existing memorandum of PIC, issuing promotion orders of seven Veterinary Officers to the post of Grade-II without the MPSC concurrence, forwarding of necessary pension paper for a retired Veterinary Officer without proper verification and unauthorized collection of the review DPC held by Dr S Joute, the then Director of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Department and another two MPSC concurrence letters by Dr Ch Nandakishor Singh, Very Officer.

It may be mentioned here that the petitioner had already submitted a memorandum to the Governor on November 2 last urging to crack down against corrupt officials of the Directorate.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/memo-pitches-for-action-against-corrupt-vety-officials/

IMPHAL, Nov 26: The Department of Labour in collaboration with the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) and Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) today conducted a drive at the food stall chains inside the Sangai Festival venue to check use of chid.

During the drive the joint team detected three minors ranging from 10 to 12 years of age being engaging in servicing work from a food stalls number F-19.

Speaking to media persons, Deputy Commissioner of Labour Department, Elangbam Tomba Singh, said that the department cannot take immediate action as it is a legal matter. However, an investigation would be carried out to ascertain whether the three minor kids were used as child labour, he asserted.

The deputy commissioner assured that the owner of the food stall will be punished as per the law if found guilty.

He further appealed the public not to engage minors as child labour.

The drive led by the deputy commissioner was also accompanied by the MCPCR chairperson- Sarat Sharma, MACR convenor-Montu Ahanthem, and other officials of the labour department.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/11/drive-conducted-inside-sangai-festival-to-check-child-labour/