north east online - north east india news: Sep 16, 2009

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Jaswant Singh reaffirms his support for Gorkhaland

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AGDOGRA - Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh has said that his support to the creation of a separate Gorkhaland state remains unchanged despite his ouster from the party.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, he said that not only he, even his former party BJP is committed to the cause of Gorkhaland.

“My support to Gorkhaland remains the same. There is no change. That is the commitment I have made, which is personal and political. The BJP, which is my former party, has also affirmed that their position on Gorkhaland is unaltered. We support the creation of Gorkhaland as a separate state,” said Jaswant Singh.

Presently, Singh is on a five-day visit to Darjeeling and other areas. This is his first visit after being expelled from the BJP.

Jaswant Singh was expelled from the BJP for applauding Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan in his controversial book ‘Jinnah - India, Partition, Independence’.

His expulsion came as a big blow to the members of the ethnic Gorkha community, who have sought a separate state to be carved out from West Bengal.

The Gorkhas have contended that the issue of Gorkhaland was spelt out in the election manifesto of BJP and as such Singh’s ouster will have change the party’s stand and it will abide by the pre-poll promises spelt out in the manifesto.

At least 1,200 people died in the first Gorkhaland campaign in the 1980s. The mass protests ended a few years later after Gorkha leaders accepted limited autonomy with the formation of a Hills Council.

However, this mechanism did not work out successfully, leading to the split in the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), the forerunner of Gorkhaland agitation.

Subash Gheising, the founder of GNLF was ousted and his opponents formed the parallel Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

The GJM canvassed extensively for the election of Jaswant Singh. (ANI)

J and K Govt seeks Center’s clearance to construct concrete huts along LAC

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RINAGAR - The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sought clearance from the Ministry of Defence to construct huts like along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) bordering China.

According to sources the State Government forwarded this proposal with the aim of strengthening the Indian presence along the LAC.

State Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla, said concrete huts would also help the nomadic shepherds to stay.

Nomadic shepherds are currently using mobile tents.

Recently Leh’s Deputy Commissioner Ajit Kumar Sahu said, the Chinese had threatened some shepherds in the remote regions of the district.

The State Government is also reportedly planning to house revenue officials and guards to monitor Chinese activities along the Pangong Lake, sources said.

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor M.K.Narayanan has called a meeting of the China Study Group of the Union Government on Wednesday, to discuss the situation along Indo-China border.

Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Home Secretary G. K. Pillai, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, Senior officials of the Army, the Air Force and the Navy, officials from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) would also attend the meeting. (ANI)

Reported Chinese firing injuring border guards scare residents in Sikkim

G
ANGTOK - Reports of Chinese firing injuring border guards in Arunachal Pradesh have caused concern among people in Sikkim.

They said security in the state should be tightened.

“People in our state are feeling insecure after the reports of Chinese incursion. Thus, we feel that security should be increased here as well,” said Vishal Cintury, a resident.

Arun Rai, a local journalist said that New Delhi and Beijing should hold high-level talks to sort out the issue.

“In1962, there was some intrusion between India and China so from since then onwards we are feeling insecure like anytime China can attack India, and Sikkim is also part of India. So we are feeling little bit scared. If this issue could solve between high level meeting between India and China, so that would be better,” said Arun Rai.

The report has been officially denied by the Government of India on Tuesday.

A spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs denied a media report about two ITBP jawans being injured due to firing from across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“A media report about two ITBP jawans having been injured due to firing from across the LAC (Line of Actual Control) has come to notice. The report is factually incorrect,” said the MEA spokesman.

The denial comes after intelligence sources had revealed that two jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, were injured in bullets fired from the Chinese side.

This was the first incident where bullets have been fired since the landmark 1996 Sino-India agreement in which both sides pledged not to open fire, no matter what the provocation, as a part of confidence-building measures.

The firing reportedly took place in Kerang in northern Sikkim a fortnight ago but has been kept under wraps. It was confirmed on Monday by a highly-placed intelligence source, Times Now reports.

Sources cited this as yet another instance of China’s maintaining pressure on the 2.1 sq km area of ‘Finger Point” in northern Sikkim. Last year, China had sent a vehicle-mounted patrol into this area, penetrating 1 km into Indian Territory. (ANI)

Black Widow start surrendering

BJP to contest about 50 seats in Arunachal

O
pposition BJP will contest about fifty seats in the ensuing state assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, according to a spokesman of the state unit.

"Some of the sitting MLAs of the ruling Congress and Independets who did not figure in the list of 56 Congress nominees released yesterday are in touch with us for BJP tickets," the spokesman Tai Tagak said on Monday.

However, BJP would release the full list of its nominees by September 17. It had so far released first list of 17 nominees and was waiting for the Congress to release its list of candidates.

BJP would put up candidates in the range of 50 depending on the response. In the seats where it would not contest, the party would support non-Congress candidates, he said.

In the last assembly elections in 2004, BJP contested 39 out of total 60 seats and won nine seats and secured the leader of the opposition post for the first time in the state.

However the recent defection of local party stalwart Kiren Rijiju and all its nine MLAs to Congress have weakened its position ahead of the the elections, observers feel. The entry of NCP and Trinamool Congress would also reduce the anti-Congress votes.

Arunachal asks New Delhi to firm up stand against Chinese claims

T
he government in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh today urged New Delhi to act tough on Chinese claims over the state and snub Beijing's opposition to Dalai Lama's proposed visit to the region.

"Chinese claims over Arunachal Pradesh are simply baseless and not correct. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and would continue to do so," Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu said.

Beijing in 2003 gave up its territorial claim over the Indian state of Sikkim but still holds on to its stand that nearly all of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it.

The mountainous state of Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,030 km unfenced border with China.

"The government of India should be more assertive and make its stand on Arunachal Pradesh very clear to China. New Delhi needs to make a bold statement about frequent Chinese claims," Takam Sanjay, a ruling Congress party MP from Arunachal Pradesh said.

The reaction of Arunachal Pradesh lawmakers comes at a time when there are allegations of a Chinese intrusion in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, besides similar apprehensions from the chief minister of Uttarakhand state that shares a border with China.

China last week raked up a controversy asking India not to allow Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh in November.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said: "We firmly oppose Dalai visiting the so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh'."

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit the Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China, besides capital Itanagar.

"China has no business to interfere with the Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh. We welcome the Dalai Lama's visit and will ensure that his trip is successful," Sanjay said.

"Let it be known to Beijing that Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader of the world and can visit any part of the world without Beijing's nod."

It is through Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh that in 1959 the Dalai Lama escaped the Chinese to enter India.

The India-China border along Arunachal Pradesh is separated by the McMahon Line, an imaginary border now known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

India and China fought a border war in 1962, with Chinese troops advancing deep into Arunachal Pradesh and inflicting heavy casualties on Indian troops.

The border dispute with China was inherited by India from British colonial rulers, who hosted a 1914 conference with the Tibetan and Chinese governments that set the border in what is now Arunachal Pradesh.

China has never recognised the 1914 McMahon Line and claims 90,000 sq km, nearly all of Arunachal Pradesh. India also accuses China of occupying 8,000 sq km in Kashmir.

After 1962, tensions flared again in 1986 with Indian and Chinese forces clashing in Sumdorong Chu valley of Arunachal. Chinese troops reportedly built a helipad in the valley leading to fresh skirmishes along the borders.

9 people arrested for supporting ongoing agitation in state

N
ine people have been arrested for their alleged support to the ongoing agitation launched by a social organisation Apunba Lup (AL).

Nine members of All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) were yesterday arrested from their head office at Kwakeithel area here, officials said.

"AMUCO members have been rounded up for questioning in connection with the ongoing agitation by AL," a senior police official said.

AL has been demanding the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh on moral grounds following the killing of a 23-year-old youth by police commandos in an alleged fake encounter on July 23. A pregnant woman, Rabina Devi, was also reportedly killed in the incident.

AL has since then been demanding dismissal of the commandos involved in the incident. The current agitation intensified when All Manipur Students Union also went on a indefinite class boycott campaign, an AL spokesman said.

Official reports said most of the educational institutions have stopped functioning their classes since the boycott of classes by the AMSU.

Another students' organisation, Manipur Students' Federation (MSF) has said it would impose a ban all private tutorial institutions also.

Official reports said AL activists have been burning effigies of Singh and senior police officials since past one month across the state.

Jawan to be punished if found guilty: Army

T
aking exception to molestation charge against a jawan, the Army today said severe punishment will be meted out to the man if found guilty.

"The accused is presently admitted at hospital and once he is released, we will hand him over to police. We will seek his custody to further the investigation," General Officer Commanding Major General K S Sethi said.

"A court of inquiry was already in progress and strictest of punishment will be meted out to the jawan if found guilty. We don't want such things to happen again. They are unacceptable," the army GoC said.

According to police, a seven-year-old girl was allegedly molested on September 13 at Lowsohtun area in the city by Territorial Army jawan Golap Bora (26). A mob later assaulted the accused which led to a clash between some army men and civilians. Five persons, including a taxi driver who had rescued the minor, were injured in the clash.

The girl's mother and the injured filed separate FIRs demanding action against Bora and other security personnel involved in the clash.

"A test identification parade of the accused will be conducted after taking statements from the injured and the eyewitnesses," a police official said, adding a case of outrage of modesty would be filed against the jawan.

While residents of the city hoisted black flags, taxis remained off the road today protesting the Sunday incident.

Govt inquiring into violence in SMIT campus: Minister

T
he government is conducting a separate inquiry into the violence in the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (SMIT) campus in which seven students were injured, a state minister said today.

"We are conducting an inquiry into the violence in the SMIT campus resulting in injuries to several students and the subsequent closure of the institute for some days... those found guilty will be severely punished," Sikkim Human Resources Development Minister N K Pradhan told reporters here.

The inquiry by the HRD officials will be a separate from one being carried out by the SMIT, Pradhan said.

Apparently stung by the outcry in the media to bring disrepute to the name of a peaceful state like Sikkim, the minister said that the state government will also seek a role for itself in the administration and management of the private institute.

As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and Sikkim Manipal University (SMU), the administrative matters solely rested with the institute, but going by the sordid incidents in which the management has been found wanting, the former may seek a role for itself for better governance of the institute, Pradhan said.

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