Guwahati, May 25: The All Assam Students’ Union today took on chief minister Tarun Gogoi over his “blackmarketeer” comment, asking him whether he had the courage to follow Jawaharlal Nehru’s stand that “such blackmarketeers will be hung from the lamp posts”.
The AASU jibe at Gogoi came a day after the business community took strong exception to the chief minister’s statement that his government can do without the votes of “blackmarketeers” of Fancy Bazar, the state’s commercial hub.
The chief minister made the comment on Sunday at an official public function to mark four years of his government at Dispur.
Leaders of the students’ organisation, addressing a media conference, said Gogoi had no moral right to criticise others on the issue of price rise since the stalwart of Congress and country’s first Prime Minister Nehru could not practice what he preached on punishing blackmarketeers.
“Nehru started preaching about hanging blackmarketeers soon after India became independent. Forget about hanging, the Congress has not yet been able to find a single lamp post. Whenever traders of Fancy Bazar raised the prices of essential commodities, Gogoi’s ministerial colleagues bowed before the former instead of taking action against them. The statement was nothing but a desperate attempt by Gogoi to hide his government’s failure to check price rise,” AASU adviser Sammujjal Bhattacharyya said.
The students’ union also dared Gogoi to prove in public that the former was a product of the RSS. Bhattacharyya said the statement made at the same function on Sunday had only exposed Gogoi’s ignorance about the background of the Assam Agitation.
He said that instead of branding AASU as a product of the RSS, Gogoi should convince Sonia Gandhi to instruct the UPA government to take action against those who demolished the Babri masjid.
“The Liberhan Commission, which probed the demolition of the Babri mosque, listed several leaders from the RSS and Sangh Parivar for leading the country to the brink of communal discord over the Ayodhya issue. Will Gogoi impress upon Sonia Gandhi to take action against those involved in the demolition of the 16th century structure to prove his secular credentials? Bhattacharyya asked.
“The Assam Agitation was led by the people from both Hindu and Muslim communities. Gogoi should not try to create a communal divide in the state by his misinterpretation of the agitation. The RSS cannot dare to approach the AASU at any time,” he said.
AASU general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi said “such a statement was not expected from a person who holds the most responsible office in the state.”
Dimapur, May 25 : The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) in a rejoinder stated that with reference to the news item published on May 23 under the heading “Naga Forum Appeal for Peace” is nothing but Shedding a crocodile’s tear in the “pretext of the acute inconvenience due to economic blockade by the so called Naga Leaders’ Forum, is disgusting”.
It stated that such a forum is nothing but a self-styled front flouted by some frustrated individuals intending to mislead the people and gain cheap popularity and please their masters. Though any individual may have the liberty to form any organization by way of exercising their democratic right, the Naga people are bound by the traditional customary practices of upholding the village decision.
“The Naga frontal organizations upholding this principle after due consultation at the village and tribe level adopted a decision to reject the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act 3rd Amendment Act 2008 in its present form and contents,” it stated.
Moreover, the note also mentioned that when the Government of Manipur fail to recognize and protect the rights of the tribal, the people’s organization has no choice but to abide and uphold the people’s decision to protect their inherent right to land and governance. “It is a shame for few individuals who are actually a member of the Indian Political Party in the guise of Naga Leader’s Forum crying foul against the village decision to justify and legitimize their position in the party amounts to selling the rights of the hill people. At the cause of the hill people, few Naga individual acting as stooge of the Communal State Government of Manipur have admitted themselves to be an agent working against the interest of the hill people.”
Moreover, in a separate rejoinder note, the Tangkhul Frontal Organisations (Against ADC Election 2010) in its strongest term reiterated to the press statement published on May 24,2010 under the headline “Naga Leaders’ Forum appeal for peace”. The TFO termed the released as “self style Forum without any root or authenticity and un-mandated and clarifies that there is no such organization mandated by the Naga public in the past or present stage”.
Alleging that the economic blockade at National highway 53 and 39 is the “reciprocatory or repercussion consequences of the government failure to rectify the bill of ADC 2008 Act and restrictions imposed to the visiting NSF officials to oversee the situation of May 6 aftermath at Mao gate where two Naga students were brutally gunned down and several others severely injured”. Thus any mayhem or troubles be responsible solely to the government of Manipur and no other organizations to blame.
The TFO also added that it is unfortunate to have black-sheeps “amidst in the co-Naga fellows who represent in their selfish ends at the time of Nagas mass exodus movement voicing uni-vocally the vulnerable and historical rights of the Nagas when it is deliberately distorted, suppressed and deprived the “just right” by the Meiteis”.
Moreover, the TFO has sternly warned that any person or mechanism distorting the historical rights of the Nagas on behest of calling the Democratic process when the people of the Nagas out-rightly rejected the imposed or force ADC election and repeatedly re-affirmed to boycott the ADC election in any Naga soil at any cost under the present form and content of ADC 2008 Act.
ANSAM flays arrest of two student leaders
Dimapur, May 24 (MExN): The All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM) has expressed strong resentment against the arrest of two student leaders of Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Manipur (ZSUM) - Micah Kamei and Paul Maithoulung Gangmei on fabricated allegation from Tarung under Senapati District on May 20 last by Manipur Police. The ANSAM has termed the arrest as politically motivated to intimidate and terrorize the two “dedicated student leaders” working in the fore front to protect the rights of the students particularly in remote district of Tamenglong and Zeliangrong villages in Manipur, stated a press note issued by its vice president.
It also claimed that the Communal state forces of Manipur has been acting and indulging extremely in anti people activities in Mao Gate where thousand of Naga People are taking shelter as displaced persons in Khuzama and Kisama. “The state forces continuing their reign of terror has now made Micah Kamei, Information & Publicity Secretary, ZSUM and Paul Maithoulung Gangmei, member ZSUM a soft target on unfounded allegations.”
The ANSAM has questioned the Communal State Government of Manipur for confining under duress the two students’ leaders of ZSUM under Police Custody in Imphal denounced the atrocities and denial of their right to be free. It also added that the Government of Manipur needs to take necessary steps to release the two students’ leaders unconditionally as they are promoters of student’s welfare. On further delay of their unconditional release, the ANSAM will be compelled to join hands with the ZSUM and other Naga Students Organizations to launch any democratic agitation to protect our rights from injustice, suppression and oppression by the State Communal forces in the hill districts.
Hueiyen News Service Imphal, May 16 2010: Due to intimidation received from some persons, Khoibus in Chandel district displaced themselves and taking asylum at Khoibu Centre and Tengnoupal, Kuki Students's Organisation (KSO), Tengnoupal block today while briefing to reporters at its office.
President Thangboi Lhungdim speaking to reporters also condemned the act of some miscreants pulled down of a sign board and ransacking belongings of the Khoibu village and threatening to leave the village.
In the prevailing tense situation, KSO does not want such acts and using words threatening the villagers.
It is not good to spew communal venoms to a community by other communities.
"Let allow the displace villagers to return home.
Let the people of the state joining press the Centre to end the impasse as per desire of the people so as to prevent occurring of communal clash," he called for adding that 19 villagers including 12 children are taking refuse at Tengnoupal even as those in Khoibu centre left.
Assam Rifles has extended Rs 300 in cash as help to the displaced villagers apart from providing fooding items, he said appealing the government to ensure peace ad tranquility to the them.
Koko Touthang of Khoibu Centre, general secretary of KSO, Tengnoupal block, Daniel Mate and former president John also attended the press briefing.
CCpur, May 10 : President of Kuki Students’ Organisation, KSO, Victer Maite was found beaten by some miscreants while returning home after dropping masons in his Maruti Alto car.
He received serious injuries on his head and two teeth were broken.
He is in a state of coma at the Churachandpur Hospital. Doctors at the hospital said, that the victim is likely to be referred at RIMS.
IMPHAL, May 6 : The Mao Welfare Association Delhi (MWAD) and the Mao Students Union Delhi (MSUD), in a press release said they take strong exception to the militarisation of the Mao Naga areas and condemn the naked aggression of the Government of Manipur on the dignity and honour of the Naga people.
It said everyone, including the Naga leader Th. Muivah who is negotiating for peace and lasting solution for the Naga people with the Government of India, has the right to visit one’s own birthplace.
In the present case, there is nothing illegal on the proposed visit of Th.Muivah to Somdal village, his birthplace as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has given its clearance on the visit, it said.
“By mobilizing state security forces and imposing prohibitory orders under 144 CRPC in Mao Gate and adjoining villages, the Manipur Government has created serious law and order problem where none exist” it said.
The chauvinistic ideology perpetuated by the state government is soon acquiring a fascist and communalist overtones that can, if untamed, turn into a dangerous civil war which the peace loving people can ill afford, the release said.
Going by the policies of the Government of Manipur, it is easily understood that they are hell bent to thwar the aspirations and rights of the tribal people in the state and this unwarranted action only exposes the height of chauvinistic politics and moral bankruptcy, it said.
“We demand the intervention of the Governor of India to immediately withdraw the security forces deployed by the Manipur Government at Mao Gate and in Naga inhabitat areas of Manipur and impose President Rule in the state to restore peace and order and to stem the fascist agenda pursued by the chauvinistic politics of the Government of Manipur” it added.
