Day: July 14, 2017

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 14

Altogether 391 pilgrims have been selected for this year’s Haj tour which is the largest number of pilgrims selected in the history of Manipur. Parliamentary secretary of MOBC and commerce industry, Ashab Uddin inaugurated three days training programme of pilgrims for Haj-2017.

The inauguration programme held today at Old High Court complex, North AOC which was organised by Manipur State Haj Committee, Imphal.

Addressing the inauguration function, executive officer, Haj committee, Md. Salaudin Khan said the training programme is meant for the pilgrims to give awareness and train them for the tour.

During the training scholars will teach the pilgrims on how to eat, dress codes for the tour, how to handle a situation in the crowd, and many others.

Disaster management team will give training on safety information with demonstration, flight safety information which will be guided by Jet airways and guidelines for Haj travelling will teach during the training programme, he added.

The pilgrims for entire North East will start the tour from Guwahati on July 24 to 30. The exact date for the tour is not decided yet due to the incomplete issue of visa by ministry of external affairs. But as the issue of visa is done, the exact date of departure for Haj will be announce to the pilgrims, Salaudin said.

The pilgrim will stay at Mecca, Saudi Arabia for 35 days and they will also visit the holiest place in the area.

He further said, in Islam there are five basic duties which Muslims must perform. They are known as the five pillars of Islam (Arkanul Islam). These are: Shahadah, the establishment of prayer (Salah), the payment of Zakah (paying the poor due), the Haj (pilgrimage to Mecca) and Sawm Ramadan (fasting the month of Ramadan). The five duties should perform by each Muslim.

And before tour free medical health checked up will be done by public hospital and research institute including vaccination of the pilgrims in order to protect them from any kind of communicable diseases, Salaudin added.

By A Staff Reporer

IMPHAL| July 14

The Supreme Court in its observation has termed that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been reduced to a ‘toothless tiger.’ It also felt imperative that the state governments should constitute a State Human Rights Commission for protection of the citizens.

EEVFAM in its petition to the apex court had appraised the cases which were inquired into by the NHRC. “As many as 20 deaths were reported to the NHRC as a result of fake encounters or the use of excessive or retaliatory force. Of these, seven complaints are still pending before the NHRC. We request the NHRC to take a decision on these complaints as soon as possible,” the SC said.

It also observed that there is no specific information regarding two complaints namely of Ningthoujam Premkumar and Laishram Lincoln who were shot dead by Manipur police commandos in separate incidents. The court also directed the CBI to ascertain the facts by the special investigating team in this regard.

The court also directed that FIRs be registered against the remaining 11 cases of fake encounters where compensation has been given.

“In the remaining complaints, the NHRC has awarded compensation to the next of kin of the deceased, meaning thereby that there is more than a prima facie case of a fake encounter or the use of excessive force. We direct registration of FIRs in respect of these complaints,” the court ruled.

It may be pointed out that the Manipur State Human Rights Commission has been lying defunct for about a decade.

The court observed that the NHRC and the state commissions are mandatory in protection of life and liberty of every individual. Whereas, it was submitted by the NHRC to the court that all its communications and guidelines have remained only on paper and not enforced by any state government.

The NHRC also stated that there are half hearted compliances and unexplained delays by the state governments, that the prescribed guidelines have not been followed. Moreover, it complained that there is inadequate staff and infrastructure to deal with the ever rising cases of human rights abuse throughout the country.

The NHRC had submitted to the apex court that the Manipur government has not given compensation to some cases of fake encounters, though it had recommended. The court has directed the Union of India to take remedies at the earliest regarding the concerns of the NHRC.

Our Bureau

IMPHAL July 14

Chief minister N. Biren Singh welcomed the ruling of the Supreme Court, saying his government is ready to extend all help to the investigating agency.

“We welcome the Supreme Court judgment. The state government will extend full cooperation and help to the investigating agency to find the truth behind the cases,” Biren Singh told The Imphal Free Press.

He said the state government is there to protect the rights and lives of the people. “It is our duty to protect people,” Biren said.