Politics / Assam

Guwahati, Dec. 23: The Nagaland unit of the BJP today got into the poll mode, demanding an intensive revision of the state?s electoral rolls before the February Assembly elections.

The BJP raised the demand in a representation to the chief electoral officer, a copy of which was also sent to the Chief Election Commissioner, following detection of ?serious anomalies? in the electoral rolls, which it said needed ?immediate? rectification.

Seeking deferment of the elections till a proper electoral roll was in place, the BJP, in its representation, sought assessment of the ?ground realities? by a...

NEW DELHI, Dec 21— Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga is yet to begin the process of opening dialogue with the outlawed outfits of Assam including the ULFA and NDFB. The Chief Minister has been entrusted by the Central Government to initiative dialogue with the underground outfits in the North-east. Talking to this newspaper on the sidelines of the National Development Council (NDC) meeting here today, the Chief Minister said that he is yet to receive any feelers from ULFA or from any other outfits in Assam.

In this connection, he sought to play down his aborted Bangladesh visit saying that...

Tezpur, Dec 21: A rally was taken out by the Tezpur Regional Students? Union, a unit of the All-Assam Students? Union, to protest against an alleged exhibition of nudity at a fashion show held as part of the recently concluded Tezpur Festival.

The members of the Tezpur unit of AASU also submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Sonitpur here today.

The memorandum, signed by Apurba Bose, president, and Manoj Das and Jyoti Prasad Keot, joint secretaries of the AASU unit, demanded punishment for the persons connected with the fashion show. A procession was also taken out.

The festival...

NEW DELHI, Dec 19 — The Ministry of Home Affairs today directed the Assam government to immediately settle the tangle over the demarcation of the boundary of the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The MHA directive came in a tripartite meeting on the Bodo issue held here this evening. Official sources said that though the Assam government sought time till January 10 to finalise the boundary of the BTC. The MHA directed that the issue should be settled within this month. Sources said that the boundary of the proposed BTC is the only point left to be settled and all other points have...

NEW DELHI, Dec 19— The Rajya Sabha today unanimously passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Second amendment) Bill, 2002 without any discussion, paving the way for modification of the ST and SC lists in 20 states involving 140 communities. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha here yesterday after a thorough discussion that saw tribal members from Assam opposing the entry of Koch-Rajbongshi community in the ST list. The case of the Kochi-Rajbongshi community has been strengthened by recommendations of the National Commission for SC and ST and the Parliamentary Standing...

NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — Amidst strong opposition by tribal MPs of Assam over the move to accord schedule tribe status to Koch-Rajbongshi community, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram clarified that the proposal was pending clearance by the Union Cabinet. The discussion on the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes Order (Second Amendment) Bill 2002 in the Lok Sabha, this afternoon, witnessed heated exchanges between Congress MP Madhab Rajbongshi and CPI(ML) MP Dr Jayanta Rongpi, and SK Bwismutiary, both of whom protested the move to accord ST status to the Koch-Rajbongshi community. The two...

TEZPUR, Dec 18 — The much publicised Tezpur Festival, 2002 which concluded on Sunday last failed to evoke expected response from the people as well as from the tourist. Rather it now appears that there is an echo of criticism about the Festival. While talking to some of the leading personalities of Tezpur who, on condition of anonymity, expressed deep discontenment over the fashion show organised by the district administration, as according to them the said fashion show has spoiled the entire image of the Festival as well as the cultural heritage of Tezpur. Many of the organisations including...

Guwahati, Dec. 18: With the Bodo peace talks teetering on the brink because of the Assam government?s ?inability? to meet its December 21 deadline for creation of a new administrative council, the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) today instructed its activists to get ready for a ?pullout? from the peace zone.

A source close to the BLT leadership told The Telegraph that the directive was issued after chief minister Tarun Gogoi last night turned down the outfit?s demand for a ?positive? decision on the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council by December 21, the day on which the two-year ceasefire...

GUWAHATI, Dec 17 – Agitated over the delay in finalising the boundary of the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) today asserted that it was against further extension of the cease-fire agreement. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, the vice-chairman of the BLT, Sri Kamal Mushhary said that the cease-fire agreement between the Government of India and BLT would come to an end on December 21. “We had made it clear time and again that we are opposed to further extension of the ceasefire agreement as there is no point in extending the same.” He said that...

Guwahati, Dec. 17: The Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) today rejected Dispur?s appeal to extend the term of its truce with the Centre, saying there was no question of waiting beyond December 21 for a ?positive decision? on the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

?We will not extend the term of the ceasefire. Having said that, I believe the state government can put the peace process back on track by taking a positive decision on the council before the truce expires on December 21,? BLT vice-chairman Kamal Muchahari told The Telegraph.

The pro-talks insurgent leader warned of a situation...