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NEW DELHI, Feb 14 ? Assam as well as other North East States may have apprehensions over being swamped by Bangladeshi infiltrators, but the Government of the country considers this fear as irritant, with visiting Foreign Minister Morshed Khan hinting that it could be tackled under international rules on migration. There are international set rules regarding illegal migrants, Khan told a meeting of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here today.

The Foreign Minister?s comments came before his formal meeting with External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha when the contentious issues were...

GUWAHATI, Feb 14 ? The 36-hour Assam bandh called by the Sanmilita Janagosthiya Sangram Samity, Assam, in protest against the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) agreement passed off peacefully throughout lower Assam today. The bandh was total and spontaneous, claimed the Samity in a statement. The bandh had begun at 5 pm yesterday and will end at 5 am tomorrow. Thanking the people for their support to the bandh, the Samity said it has reaffirmed their assertion that the majority of the people were against the BTC which was nothing but a ploy to divide the people and destroy the state.

KOKRAJHAR, Feb 14 ? BLT chairman Hagrama Basumatary today assured that proper attention shall be given to protect the rights of Bodos and non-Bodos equally in the BTC area. So, there is no reason for creating panic on rumours of losing anything by any community. The Bodoland Liberation Tiger chief was addressing a mass gathering on the occasion of the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) at Maidangshri Nwgwr, Banargaon here. Before the signing the BTC Accord he personally reviewed the clauses so that the said accord is free from any questions of injustice or deprivation to anybody. Besides, he feels...

Guwahati, Feb. 14: The Centre today announced a series of steps to seal the porous Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam, but the All-Assam Students? Union (AASU) said the NDA government had yet to display the level of seriousness required to stop infiltration.

The steps, unveiled at a tripartite meeting here on implementation of the 1985 Assam Accord, include deployment of more BSF companies and installation of floodlights along the border within the next six months. Representatives of the Centre, the Assam government and the All-Assam Students? Union (AASU) attended the meeting.

AASU general...

AIZAWL, Feb 14 ? A meeting of all the major non-governmental organisations and political parties in Mizoram here Thursday formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to spearhead a movement protecting delimitation of Assembly constituencies by the Delimitation Committee, reports PTI.

The JAC spokesman told PTI that the NGOs including the Young Mizo Association and the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or Mizo Students? Federation and representatives of all major political parties were unanimous in condemning the draft delimitation proposals. The JAC would launch a statewide procession on Tuesday next to...