Politics / Assam

GOLAKGANJ, Feb 1— Indo-Bangla border fencing in different places of Dhubri district, planned in order to check illegal cross-border activities, is yet to be completed. About 120 km of Indo-Bangla border falls in Dhubri district, out of which 46 kms towards the north bank of the river Brahmaputra and few kms from Mankachar to Deepchar (pillar No 1052) towards the south bank of the river has already been completed a few years back. However, in about 60 kms area in the district, the border is open due to the non-completion of border fencing. Out of this about 25 km in covered by the water body of...

GUWAHATI, Jan 29 — Jnanpith awardee and Assamese writer Dr Indira Goswami, popularly known as Mamoni Raisom Goswami, today declined to accept the Padmashree awarded to her this year, reports PTI. Talking to PTI here, Goswami said, “I have rejected it (Padmashree) because after getting the Jnanpith and several other national and international awards, I found this award very incongruous.” “I have thanked them (government) for awarding me but I have told them very modestly that I will not be able to accept it. Thank you, this is not for me.” Goswami had won the Jnanpith award last year for her...

GUWAHATI, Jan 28 — Assam has created a record of sorts by registering an unprecedented 258 per cent growth in the urban population in the period from 1941 to 1991 as against a national average of just 85 per cent. Interestingly enough, only about 11.10 per cent (24,87,795) of the total population actually live in urban centres as a whole, according to the State Action Plan for Children of 1999. Assam, a predominantly agrarian society with a low level of urbanisation has small towns with a total of 80 municipal bodies and 69 of them elected ones. As most of the towns are small the State can...

GUWAHATI, Jan 28 — Some “agents” of the Government of India are trying to meet the leaders of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) for talks and the leaders of the outfit may talk to them shortly. This was disclosed by the NDFB chairman, Sri DR Nabla. In an interview with The Assam Tribune, conducted through internet, the NDFB chairman also spoke of issues like recent killings of non-Bodos in Udalguri and Bijni, talks between the Government and Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) etc. The following are the excerpts from the interview:

Assam Tribune : According to police and the security...

UDALGURI, Jan 22— The death toll of last night’s brutal massacre of Hindi-speaking villagers of No 3 Borigaon under Udalguri police station in Darrang district today went up to 18 following deaths of two injured persons on way to Guwahati Medical College Hospital here. According to latest information about the massacre carried out by suspected NDFB militants, a heavily armed group of ultras wearing olive green fatigues swooped down on the village around 8 pm yesterday. They called out members of seven Hindi-speaking families of the village and told them to stand in a line before opening...

UDALGURI, Jan 22 – “The non-Bodos ,including those from the 18 organisations opposing the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), should not be afraid of or worry about it for the proposed BTC would not be only for the Bodos living in the proposed area but the interests of non-Bodos including their rights on land and other properties would be kept safe.” This was said by Rabiram Narzary, president of All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) here at Udalguri in the largely-gathered open session of third biennial conference of All Assam Nepali Students’ Union as a guest of honour recently. Narzary...

GUWAHATI, Jan 21— The ceasefire agreement between the Government of India and the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) has been extended by a period of six months with effect from January 8. The earlier cease-fire agreement between the government and the Bodo militant outfit came to an end today. A Ministry of Home Affairs release said that the deferment of the ban on the BLT under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 will continue for a period of six months beyond January 8, 2002. The suspension of operations by the security forces against the BLT members will also continue during this period...

GUWAHATI, Jan 21 – Close on the heels of massacre of 13 persons on January 15 in Bongaigaon district, suspected NDFB militants today struck again killing at least 12 people at village Jangalbari under Udalguri PS in Darrang district. All of the deceased belonged to a Hindi-speaking community, according to police sources here. Police sources said a group of NDFB militants came to village Jangalbari around 7.30 this evening and opened indiscriminate fire on the innocent villagers killing at least 12 of them on the spot. The casualties could go up as further details were awaited, police added. It...

GUWAHATI, Jan 18 — Disappointed with District Rural Development Agency’s (DRDA) failure in utilising the Central funds, the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Sri Anna Saheb MK Patil has asked the Assam Government to utilise the funds by February next to get further instalments from the Centre. Addressing a press conference at Kahikuchi after ending a two-day visit to the State, Sri Patil said that the Centre has been providing funds regularly in order to accelerate the ongoing schemes, but most of the funds have remained unutilised affecting the schemes for the rural people...

NEW DELHI, Jan 18— The storm over the controversial IMDT Act is likely to be set at rest soon, with the Supreme Court today fixing the schedule for final disposal of the case. A separate petition challenging the grant of citizenship to descendents of foreigners has also been clubbed and heard together. Resuming hearing on the Writ Petition challenging the IMDT Act, a three-member Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice G B Patnaik, Justice R.S. Sethi and Justice Arijit Pasayat today fixed third week of April for final hearing of the petition filed by Sarbananda Sonowal opposing the IMDT...