Day: October 14, 2015

IMPHAL, Oct 14: Deposition and cross examination of Prosecution Witnesses (PW) with regards to the charge sheet filed against the proscribed UNLF chief RK Meghen alias Sanayaima and other leaders of the outfit, continued today for the second day at the Special Court of National Investigation Agency, Guwahati.

The Chief Investigation Officer (CIO) IPS, officer Seitya Pal Pani PW No. 87 continued to deposed before the court, sources said.

It may be recalled that another PW a forensic expert of the Agency was also among the PWs.

It is also learnt that RK Meghen and the other leaders were also produced before the court.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/disposition-of-pw-in-meghen-case-continues/

IMPHAL, October 14: BJP today conducted a one day political discussion programme today at Thongju Kendra.

Speaking at the discussion, Th Bishwajit said the Election Commission of India had enquired over the phone today whether the matter regarding disqualification of the MLAs of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly including himself have been taken to the court.

He said the government seem to have wrongly informed the ECI that the former MLAs of Thongju and Thangmeiband constituencies have taken up the matter before the court.

He said he replied in the negative to the enquiry from the ECI as the people of Thongju are ready for bye-election.

Now, the ECI has confirmed fresh bye-elections for the two constituencies, he added.

He also assured to launch a woman based scheme under the Prime Minister in the Thongju which will provide loan on zero interest.

The scheme has been approved by the Central government for Thongju only, although the scheme is yet to be named, he said.

This scheme will benefit women in generating income, he said.

Bishwajit also assured that construction of the sport stadium at Khongman Akham will be constructed in 2017 as approved by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sarbananda Sonowal.

Bishwajit claimed that in a recent political conference of the Congress party in Thangmeiband, Nambol MLA Loken had alleged that Biswajit is like a drummer of ritual ceremony.

He challenged the MLA that after the 2017 election he will make the MLA and his supporters dance on his tune.

He further alleged that MLA Loken during his term as the minister of Social Welfare had manipulated constructions of Anganwadi centres without actually constructing any.

So when the Union government asked for utilisation certificate, he was unable to produce any certificates, Bishwajit claimed.

Bishwajit also claimed that before his time as the MLA of Thongju there were no signs of any road construction under PMGSY, however after he became the MLA, in introduced two packages under Phase IX PMGSY and three packages under PMGSY Phase X.

He said that during the time of Congress MLA in Thongju there were no electrical crematorium in the constituency, however, now there are 15 such crematoriums.

The Congress always spread wrong allegations without having any interest of development for the people, he said.

He further lamented that due to inefficient leaders, every sector in the State including education has failed to see any growth.

He also appealed to the people of Thongju to elect good leaders.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/bishwajit-launches-scathing-attack-on-congress/

IMPHAL, Oct 14: The Thadou tribe has convened to hold a Thadou Culture Festival in March 2016 at Champhai Keithelmanbi under Sadal Hills to promote and conserve its cultural and traditional identity especially among the younger generation from encroachment from others, said Thangtinlen Haokip Secretary Thadou Inpi General Head Quarter today.

Speaking in the sideline of a meeting for the Thadou tribes `Pu Chon-Pachon Thua Kihoulim Khomna` held at the Imphal Hotel today, Haokip said that the main idea of the meeting is to promote the Thadou culture and traditions and safeguard their identity and costume used since time immemorial.

He further said that during today`™s meeting, politicians, representatives of civil societies, village chiefs, and tribe leaders of Thadou agreed unanimously to organize the culture festival.

The Thadou leaders from Sadar Hills, Senapati, CCpur and Candel had chalked out the plans for the upcoming cultural festival, he said.

General secretary of Thadou Youth Association Kakai said that the Thadou is known as the largest community among the hills tribes in the State.

But we are still facing cultural encroachment from the Kuki, so we have to promote and conserve the cultural identity, folklores and traditional court system of the Thadous.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/thadou-tribe-to-hold-cultural-fest-in-march-2016/

KANGPOKPI, October 14: JAC against the killing of Khupneilal Neihsiel and Robert Hesei Kipgen has today decided to impose 48 hr bandh in the hill districts of Manipur from midnight of October 18 to show discontentment and dissatisfaction over the delay in furnishing the magisterial probe report by the government.

Expressing extreme displeasure over the delay in tabling the report pertaining to the magisterial probe in the alleged encounter between KNF and personnel of 8 AR on January 28 at Kadangband, the JAC convener, Thangminlen Haokip and secretary Lunmang alleged that the government had assured to furnish the report within three months which is now long overdue, as 8 months have passed.

The duo also noted that the government had constituted a magisterial inquiry vide order No.20/1(13)/2013-H(LC)/p, dated 31st January 2015 over the fake encounter in which one innocent civilian and one officer of armed organization KNF was killed.

However, the concerned authority has failed to table the report despite giving repeated assurances ever after 8 months had been passed since the probe was initiated, added the JAC leaders.

The JAC leader further said that the delay in furnishing the report has now aroused suspicion and apprehension among the people that the government is trying to protect the guilty personnel involved in the killing.

`The JAC and the Kuki civil bodies take strong exception of this state of affairs and consider it as violation of human rights and denial of justice to the people`, asserted the JAC leader while adding that the people have placed their trust in the Government to establish the veracity of the truth since the fact that it was a fake encounter killing is very much evident.

The JAC leaders recalled that on the fateful day of January 28 the 8 AR personnel had waylaid the vehicle of the KNF men under SoO and shot them without any provocation while adding that Khupneilal Neihsiel, s/o (L) Lallam Neihsiel of Kangchup Chingkhong, an innocent man, whose car was taken along with him by the KNF men, was shot dead even after identifying himself to the 8 AR personnel as a civilian.

Khupneilal Neihsiel was the village authority secretary and also the vice president of Kuki Inpi Twibul Lhang said the JAC leaders while adding that Robert Hesei Kipgen on the other hand was the CAO of an armed organization KNF which is under Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the State and Central government and as such the killing without any provocation from him was uncalled for and against the SoO pact.

The JAC wants the Government magisterial inquiry report to be tabled at the earliest so that the true nature of the encounter is properly established and that the guilty are punished as per law added the JAC leaders.

It also warned that if the government fails to furnish the report at the earliest, the JAC with the support of Kuki CSOs would be compelled to launch a strong and sustained agitation until the true nature of fake encounter is establish so that truth prevails.

In showing solidarity with the JAC, the Kuki CSOs has also decided to lend full support in the 48 hrs hill districts bandh imposed by the JAC.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/manipur-jac-on-kadangband-killing-calls-48-hr-hill-districts-bandh/

IMPHAL, October 14: The deplorable condition of the Sangakpham to Koirengei stretch of the State`™s major lifeline National Highway 39 is posing grave danger to motorists, with locals reporting more than 10 serious accidents along the Trans Asian Highway stretch since September.

Locals residing along the highway stretch also accounted that five people have been killed and more than 15 seriously injured in road mishaps along the stretch.

They further charged that negligence of the authorities concerned have only worsened the road condition.

Even the local MLA N Biren who is also from the ruling Congress government admitted that the stretch of the all-important highway has become dangerous for every commuter.

According to the MLA, in the latest report of road mishap which occurred yesterday, a 32 year old man was seriously injured in front of the CRPF Mantripukhri camp.

The man has been identified as Nongthombam Ramboi son of Rajmani of Luwangshangbam and is presently undergoing treatment at the Raj Medicity.

Another person, identified as Moirangthem Santosh, 18, son of Brojen died after being hit by a truck in front of the High Court Complex, he said.

The MLA identified both to be from his own constituency.

Biren further blamed the mismanagement of the Food and Civil Supplies department trucks and Indian Oil Corporation tankers stranded along the highway stretch waiting for escort or for unloading their loads for making the road stretch accident prone.

He said during the past three or so years, several organisations of Heingang constituency have submitted numerous written memorandums to the Chief Minister and the concerned authorities to look into the issue and arrange parking of the trucks and tankers at the Koirengei Old Airport.

However, it is unfortunate that no visible action has been taken up by the government and the concerned authorities till date, the ruling MLA lamented.

The same memorandums were also submitted to the DGP and the SP Imphal East, however, due to lack of government intervention, death tolls due to accident along the 1.5 km stretch from Sangakpham to Haotabi Luwangshangbam has increased much, he deplored.

Heingang Block Congress Committee Nandalal Angomcha said that the worse portion is the Haotabi Luwangshangbam stretch of which half of the road surface has sunk making it all the more vulnerable for motorists.

He said the other worse portion is at Mantripukhri where the eastern side of the road has become a big pond.

He charged that the contractors had not maintained proper quality during road construction at Mantripukhri resulting in the craters which are two feet deep and more than four feet wide in the middle of the road.

He said the State government seems to maintain only the roads which are used by the Governor and the Chief Minister so that the two heads of the State may find the roads to be in perfect shape.

He also said that the people of the constituency have already appealed to the government to manage parking of the vehicles stranded along the highway at the Old Airfield Koirengei, however, the government has failed to look into it.

He warned of agitation in case the government fail to look into the issue at the earliest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/heingang-mla-rues-deteriorating-road-condition-of-nh-39-stretch/

NABADWIP, October 14: Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam today appealed to the people of Manipur to unitedly put efforts to preserve and develop the temple of great physical, political and cultural significance which the far-sighted Bhagyachandra Maharaj had acquired for the people of Manipur in West Bengal.

The deputy Chief Minister was speaking at the inaugural of the three-day long 217th Death Anniversary observation of Rajarshri Bhagyachandra at Shree Shree Anu Mahaprabhu mandir at Nabadwip Dham in Nadia district of West Bengal today.

The observation is being organised jointly by the Rajarshi Bhagyachandra Cultural Foundation, Manipur and the Nabadwip Rajrshi Bhagyachandra Cultural Foundation, Kolkata.

Gaikhangam continued during his reign Bhagyachandra Maharaj had acquired such a place which is of immense pride for Manipuris in West Bengal.

He said the organisers have also observed that the State of West Bengal respects and acknowledges Bhagyachandra Maharaj and what he has done for the place for which the place and its relevance with the Maharaj is still included in the school syllabus till class VI and acknowledging the Maharaj`™s deeds for the place, and several roads have been named Manipuri Road.

This will remain etched in the history of the land, he added.

He said Bhagyachandra Maharaj is not only a politically and culturally farsighted individual but was also an enlightened king.

Only political and physical aspects don`™t make a man, but one also needs some spiritual mind set, he said.

Maharaj Bhagyachandra was religious social reformer, he added.

To usher peace in a land, the people need to be spiritually united, Giakhangam said.

Without the spiritual attachment, peace and development is impossible, he added.

The people should understand the beliefs and works of Maharaj Bhagyachandra to bring peace in the land, he said.

Identifying Maharaj Bhagyachandra as a leader of Cultural Revolution, Gaikhangam observed that the king had been instrumental in putting the Manipuri culture on the world map.

Manipur is a land of hills and valleys, and none of the past kings had as much grasp of how to rule the land properly as Maharaj Bhagyachandra, he said.

He was the king who believed and showed that the people of the valley and the hills were brothers, Gaikhangam continued.

The deputy CM further assured to take up proper steps to develop the place after proper discussion with the Chief Minister.

He further appealed to the organisers of the observation to submit a memorandum highlighting their wishes.

Meanwhile, a day ahead of the inaugural of the observation, artistes of the Rupmahal Theatre also performed a drama `Rajashree Bhagyachandra` and several other cultural programmes were also showcased.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/maharaj-bhagyachandras-217th-death-anniversary-inaugurated-at-nabadwip/