Tag: Okenjeet Sandham

Dimapur Rape and Mob Lynching: Home Minister visits Dimapur Central Jail, takes stock of situation

By Oken Jeet Sandham   DIMAPUR, Mar 9 (NEPS): A High level team led by State Home Minister Y Patton has today visited the Dimapur Central Jail and inspected the

Home Minister Y Patton, 3rd left with his ministerial colleagues visits Dimapur Central Jail on March 9, 2015 to stock of the situation following March 5 incident.(NEPS Photo)

Home Minister Y Patton, 3rd left with his ministerial colleagues visits Dimapur Central Jail on March 9, 2015 to stock of the situation following March 5 incident.(NEPS Photo)

By Oken Jeet Sandham
 
DIMAPUR, Mar 9 (NEPS): A High level team led by State Home Minister Y Patton has today visited the Dimapur Central Jail and inspected the jail cells where a strong mob of thousands had on March 5 stormed the jail while searching the alleged rape accused Syed Farid Khan.
Ministers, Nuklutoshi, Kipili Sangtam, Deputy Speaker Er. Levi Rengma, Parliamentary Secretaries, Er. Picto, Y Vikheho Swu, Jacob Zhimomi, DGP L Doungel, ADGP (L&O) G Akheto Sema, IG (Int) Renchamo Kikon, IG (R) Wabang Jamir, DIG(R) Liremo Lotha who is also in-charge of Dimapur District, Secretary Home Bendangkokba and other officials accompanied the Home Minister while visiting the Dimapur Central Jail to take stock of the situation.
Later, he was also briefed by the high ranking police personnel at the office of Dimapur Superintendent of Police of the measures they had taken to contain the law and order situation in the wake of the March 5 incident at Dimapur.
Later addressing the press conference at the Conference Hall of the DC Office, Dimapur, Patton described as “unfortunate” the incident that had taken place on March 5 at Dimapur. He also disclosed that the rape allegedly committed on a Naga girl on February 23 last was confirmed prima facie as per the preliminary medical report. He, however, explained they should wait the final report from the “One-Man judicial Inquiry” which has already been constituted. So, he requested the press to wait till such time the finding of the Inquiry committee is submitted.
The Minister also announced during the press conference that ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh would be given to next kith and kin of the one who lost his life in the unfortunate March 5 agitations at Dimapur. He also announced that Rs 50000 would also be given to those who received injuries during the agitations on March 5.
When asked whether the ex-gratia would also be given to the deceased alleged rapist, the Minister said, “We will examine on the finding of the Inquiry Committee.” “Right now, we can’t give,” he added.
When asked about the fate of Nagas living outside the state, the minister said that the state Chief Minister was keeping in touch with his counterparts to see that proper security measures for the Naga living in all over the country have been given.
He also announced that the CrPC 144 which has been relaxed in Dimapur from 6 Am to 12 Noon on March 9 would be further relaxed tomorrow in a phase manner from 6 AM to 4 PM so that schools, shops and business establishments remain opened. However, at the same time, the District Administration will also have a security review meeting to assess the prevailing situation and take necessary steps leaving nothing to chance.
Patton regretted that the Government had to take steps to block for SMS and Whatapps services in Nagaland for 48 hours. He informed that the people of the state should bear with the inconveniences for this and further informed that the blocking of the SMS and Whatapps services has already been extended for another 48 hours beginning from 6 PM on 9th March keeping in mind in the larger interest of the people.
He said the Government has been making every possible effort to bring out the truth and so far the police had already arrested 43 people who were allegedly involved in the March 5 incident at Dimapur.  “I want to assure everyone that the government is taking every step to bring the situation to normalcy,” he said and further appealed to the people to “extend cooperation to the Government” so that normalcy returns in the state in general and Dimapur in particular.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/dimapur-rape-and-mob-lynching-home-minister-visits-dimapur-central-jail-takes-stock-of-situation/

Nagaland: NCP cannot suspend members of other political party – Dr TM Lotha

By Oken Jeet Sandham KOHIMA, Jun 26 (NEPS): The news of the formal merger of three NCP MLAs, Dr TM Lotha, Imtilemba Sangtam and Mmhonlumo Kikon, with the BJP in

By Oken Jeet Sandham

KOHIMA, Jun 26 (NEPS): The news of the formal merger of three NCP MLAs, Dr TM Lotha, Imtilemba Sangtam and Mmhonlumo Kikon, with the BJP in Nagaland, which was done on June 16, 2014, refuse to die down as the NCP National Party continues to mislead the general public on the “merger” with the BJP in Nagaland.

Reacting to a news item appeared in section of local dailies that “NCP National president Sarad Pawar, angered over the second such defection of NCP legislators in the State, has issued suspension orders against the three – ex-president Imtilemba Sangtam, Dr TM Lotha and Mmhonlumo Kikon,” Dr Lotha wondered as to how they would issue such orders on June 17, 2014 in the “post-merger” development.
“Because the three NCP MLAs including myself with our supporters have formally merged with the BJP in Nagaland on June 16, 2014 and all the constitutionally relevant papers to this effect have also been officially submitted to the Honourable Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly on the same day at 3:00 PM,” he asserted. He further termed as “ridiculous and misleading” the so-called “suspension orders” issued by the NCP National Party on June 17, 2014 in the post-merger of the three NCP MLAs.
“I want to further make it very clear that when the three MLAs formally merged with the BJP, they had become bonafide members of that party (BJP), and then the NCP president has no locus standi to suspend another national political party which does not belong to their party,” he said.
Dr Lotha, who was first BJP Home Minister in the DAN-I Ministry, categorically stated that there was nothing wrong for them as elected members of a political party to merge with another political party as such exercise is permitted as per the “10th Schedule of the Anti-Defection Law” of the Constitution of India.

Asked why he had to leave the NCP in Nagaland, Dr Lotha said there was no future for NCP in Nagaland and they could not afford remaining as NCP MLAs when there was no future. “So after thorough deliberations, we have resolved to formally merge along with our supporters with the BJP in Nagaland for the larger interest of the people of Nagaland and the BJP,” he stated.

Asked his comment on the delay of issuing any notification to their merger claim by the Speaker, he said after submission of all the relevant documents with regard to their three NCP MLAs’ merger claim with the BJP in Nagaland to him (Speaker) on June 16, 2014, they had also provided some more additional documents as desired by him. Besides that the former NCP Office Bearers led by Imtilemba Sangtam appeared before him on June 24, 2014 to validate their credentials. “I think the ball is in his court,” he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/06/nagaland-ncp-cannot-suspend-members-of-other-political-party-dr-tm-lotha/

Nagaland: NCP and BJP official notification for merger expected by Wednesday

By Oken Jeet Sandham KOHIMA, June 24 (NEPS):  Former office bearers of NCP, Nagaland Unit led by its former president Imtilemba Sangtam, MLA, have appeared before the Speaker of the

By Oken Jeet Sandham
KOHIMA, June 24 (NEPS):  Former office bearers of NCP, Nagaland Unit led by its former president Imtilemba Sangtam, MLA, have appeared before the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Chotisuh Sazo at his Office Chamber on Tuesday to validate their resolution passed on June 16, 2014 for their formal “merger claim” with the BJP in Nagaland.
Photo caption: Nagaland Assembly Speaker (left) at his office examining the documents of three NCP MLAs’ merger claim with BJP, Nagaland. (Right) Former NCP office bearers with Imtilemba Sangtam, MLA, coming out after appearing before Speaker, Nagaland Assembly on June 24, 2014. Photo by Oken Jeet Sandham/NEPS

Photo caption: Nagaland Assembly Speaker (left) at his office examining the documents of three NCP MLAs’ merger claim with BJP, Nagaland. (Right) Former NCP office bearers with Imtilemba Sangtam, MLA, coming out after appearing before Speaker, Nagaland Assembly on June 24, 2014. Photo by Oken Jeet Sandham/NEPS

Sazo, who was out for a week, reached Kohima late last night and could not attend to the documents of the 3 Nagaland NCP MLAs’ merger claim with the BJP in Nagaland. He, however, called the Nagaland Unit of NCP’s former office bearers and their president to appear before him at his office on Tuesday and validate their signatures appended to the “resolution” passed by them on June 16, 2014 for their merger claim along with their three MLAs with the BJP in Nagaland.
At about 3 PM on Tuesday, the former NCP Nagaland Unit office bearers led by Imtilemba Sangtam, MLA, appeared before the Speaker at his office chamber and verified all their signatures appended to their resolution for merger claim with the BJP, Nagaland.
Talking to NEPS soon after appearing before the Speaker, Sangtam said the Speaker was now satisfied after crosschecking their credentials and expressed the hope that “Official Notification” for the “Merger” of three NCP MLAs along with their party supporters with the BJP, Nagaland could be issued by Wednesday.
Talking to NEPS at his office chamber on Tuesday, Speaker Sazo disclosed that he had called the NCP office bearers and their president to appear before him at his office as he wanted to crosscheck their credentials on their “Resolution” passed on June 16, 2014 of their formal “merger claim” with the BJP, Nagaland.
Sazo also disclosed that he received documents from the three NCP MLAs—Imtilemba Sangtam, Dr TM Lotha and Mmhonlumo Kikon—with their party resolutions and Nagaland BJP’s acceptance resolution of the merger on June 16, 2014. “But I sought some more additional documents from them to furnish whether there was any resolution of the NCP National Political Party deciding to merge their party with the BJP or any authorization to the State Unit of NCP to take any decision in this regard. At the same time, whether there was any resolution of the BJP National Political Party accepting the merger of the NCP with BJP” he said.
“Because this is Constitutional matters and I need to thoroughly examine by consulting with legal and constitutional experts before any official notification with regard to the merger claim is issued from my office,” Sazo explained. “At the same time, I also have to listen to the views and counter views expressed by the parties concerned to the present development following the three NCP MLAs’ merger claim with the BJP.”
Asked when he would give official notification to the three NCP MLAs’ merger claim with the BJP, Nagaland, the Speaker said, “May not be today.” Although he did not specify the date of issuing the official notification, it is believed that “Official Notification” for the three NCP MLAs’ merger claim with BJP, Nagaland may be issued by Wednesday.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/06/nagaland-ncp-and-bjp-official-notification-for-merger-expected-by-wednesday/