Aizawl, June 29: The 19th anniversary of the Mizoram peace accord tomorrow has created ripples in state politics. The Peace Accord MNF Returnees Association (PAMRA), which split last year, has released two separate messages (from the two factions) for the occasion. While one (PAMRA faction) tilts towards the ruling MNF, the other is pro-Opposition. Yet, the two messages were similar in their homilies, urging the government to show impartiality towards the masses and work for the development of the poorer sections of society.

The pro-Opposition group’s message was scathing in its attack on...

AIZAWL, June 29 – The BJP workers meet here did not endorse the party’s Hindutva agenda and unanimously resolved to resign en masse from the primary membership of the party, the state party unit said on Monday. In a letter addressed to party president M Venkaiah Naidu, the Mizoram Pradesh BJP body said party workers in the state were “compelled” to review their political future in the light of the resurgence of Hindutva agenda at the party’s Mumbai national executive.

“In spite of our sincere endeavour to promote and to strengthen BJP in Mizoram, this Hindutva agenda has been a stumbling...

KOHIMA, June 29 – Nagaland Power Minister Tiameren Aier said the DONER ministry has already released the first instalment for 24-MW thermal power project at Dimapur, which was a commitment in former prime minister AB Vajpayee’s special economic package announced last year. The minister told the state Assembly that the first instalment or mobilization advance amounting to Rs. 18.86 crore has directly been released to the executing agency Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) by DONER in March, 2004.

Land for the project has already been acquired and the survey and preparation of estimates for...

ITANAGAR, June 29 – Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister L Wanglat informed the Assembly on Monday that second-in-command of Arunachal Dragon Force (ADF) Chow Monglang along with all cadres of his underground outfit would lay down arms in a ceremony here within a day or two.

The cadres trained by NSCN-K at its Myanmar camp would surrender a cache of arms, including AK-47, AK-56, M 20 pistols and magazines, assorted ammunition, two wireless sets and SBBL guns, which they had brought from the neighbouring country to create a reign of terror in Lohit and parts of lower Dibang valley and Siang...

SHILLONG, June 29 – The average level of using information technology (IT) tools in Meghalaya government’s various departments was ‘quite low’, a senior official said. Although some of the departments were doing a ‘better job’ in using IT, the ‘average level’ was still ‘quite low’, principal secretary of IT Department WMS Pariot said here while inaugurating a training programme for senior officers.

Urging the participants to use IT tools in their work in their respective offices, Pariot said this would not only help a department to speed up its routine activities on a day-to-day basis but...