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02/19/2006: "FGN reacts to ‘Integration is the route to Naga issue’ statement"

FGN reacts to ‘Integration is the route to Naga issue’ statement The Morung Express
Dimapur Feb 18 (MExN): In an ostensible reference to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s statement that ‘integration or unification of Naga-inhabited areas is the route to the solution (to the Indo-Naga issue)’, which appeared in the local print media recently the Federal Government of Nagaland has termed the pronouncement as an “unwise utterance, political cowardice and no vision of Nagaland’s future.”
In a release issued by Gaibon Panmei, Deputy Rali Wali Kilonser of the FGN, the organization stated that such utterances would only play a vital role for more bloodshed among the Naga people. “Some Indianized, educated Nagas who are stating and emphasizing that ‘integration or unification of Naga inhabited areas is the route to the solution of the five-decades old Indo-Naga conflict’ is yet another deceiving word to the Nagas” asserted the FGN adding that such pronouncements will not benefit the Nagas but would lead only to more bloodshed among the people.
“In fact this is a very unwise utterance, political cowardice and no vision of the Nagaland Future” the statement added.
The FGN asserted that those who made such utterances themselves knew from the beginning that the Nagas are not fighting for the integration of Naga-inhabited areas under the Indian union, and therefore, “integration or unification of Naga-inhabited areas can never be the route to the solution of the Indo-Naga conflict.”
The FGN further stated that integration was being demanded only by the NSCN (IM) for its own solution and not for the Nagas.
“The Isak-Muivah group is fighting against their own Nagas for the interest of integration in the past 25 years and it is still unabated, which is an act of treason and all Nagas should condemn them as traitors. If not they will never stop killing the Nagas” the FGN stated while adding that it was time for all the Naga people ‘to rise up and condemn them as traitors in favour of promoting Naga cause’.
FGN flay NSCN (IM) ploy By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Feb 18 : Describing pursuit for 'integration or unification of Naga inhabited areas as the route towards solution of the five decades old Indo-Naga conflict' as concept floated by some Indianised educated Nagas, the Federal Government of Nagaland contended that such assumption is yet another de- ceiving words to the Nagas.
In a statement issued by one Gaibon Panmei of the FGN 'expressing such words will not benefit the Nagas in any way but lead to friction and bloodshed among the Nagas'.
Observing that such perception is 'very' unwise utterance, political cowardice and reflects lack of vi- sion for Nagaland's future, the statement reminded that the Naga movement from its every inception was intent on restoring so-vereignty to the Naga people and nothing less.
Integration of Naga inhabited areas under the In- dian Union can never be the route to solve Indo-Naga conflict, it reiterated while asserting that the Isak-Muivah group's reliance on Naga integration might be 'their own solution' and in no way would benefit the Nagas.
The Isak-Muivah group is fighting against their own nagas for the interest of integration in the past 25 years and it is still unabated, which is an act of treason and condemnable by all Nagas, added the FGN statement.
Factional guns continue to boom Nagarealm
Kohima, February 17: Factional clash between rival NSCN factions broke out at Yoruba village, under Phek district in Nagaland today morning when the two groups came face to face in a chance-encounter. According to report, NSCN-IM cadres who were coming towards Yoruba village from Khetsuma side encountered a group of rival NSCN-K cadres coming from Tesuru riverside at around 8.20 am.

Both sides opened fire resulting in a heavy gun battle. However, there was no report of any casualty or injury in the clash. Later the villagers intervened and asked both sides to stop the fighting and withdraw which they did and the situation was brought under control. Meanwhile, two unidentified gunmen believed to be from the underground faction went inside Hotel Khouchiezie (near Naga Club building) in Kohima and pumped several rounds at point blank range with an AK-47 and M20 pistol at one person while he was reportedly eating at around 11.30 a.m.on Thursday, according to a Dimapur based newspaper.

It reported that the shocked onlookers could only watch in horror as the victim slumped dead on the floor with six gunshots three on the head and one each on the rib, chest and leg. Later the victim was identified as Pusutso Chakhesang, aged around forty and son of Pungocho of Pholami village under Phek district. The newspaper reported that police also recovered around 21 empty cases of both AK-47 rifle and M-20 pistol from the spot.

Sources said the deceased was a member of the NSCN (I-M) and had worked in its 'revenue department' but had later deserted in the late nineties, according to the daily newspaper based in Dimapur. Police could not say whether the victim after deserting the faction joined any other faction, said the daily.

Howeve, senior NSCN (K) leader Kughalu Mulatonu confirmed that, late Puhe was not a member of the faction. Earlier on Wednesday night, unidentified gunmen shot dead one NSCN (K) cadre at lower Agri Colony here. Official sources said the resident of the colony, on hearing the gunshots, informed the police. The body was later recovered in the vicinity.

The relatives of the cadre later identified the victim as one 'ss pvt' Nitoshe Sema of NSCN (K) from Sapotimi village under Suruhoto sub-division of Zunheboto district.
Police registered a case and handed over the body to relatives, according to the newspaper. [NNN]

Nagaland enjoys peace dividend Dimapur | 4:33:10 PM IST Webindia

The extension of the Naga ceasefire for another six months has come as a big relief to the people of Nagaland, who are looking for permanent settlement of the decades old Indo-Naga political problem.
The restive state of Nagaland after the ceasefire in 1997 saw flourishing markets, booming business, growing purchasing power of the people and most importantly the fearless movement indicative of the huge leap forward made by the state since the truce. For the people who have been at the receiving end of insurgency for decades such peaceful atmosphere was worth more than anything else.
Peace itself is a biggest motivator for the general people to invest. If you see around Dimapur the commercial capital of the region, the real estate prices have gone up. More showrooms have come up, more people are traveling for business purposes and people are exploring new potential. There have been small industrial units that people are trying to bring up. So you have stable peace in the region, we would have industrial growth as well, said Pradeep Yadav, a transporter.
The last eight years post ceasefire saw markets growing and well-known brands venturing into markets in state capital Kohima and business hub Dimapur. Communication facility in the state has become better with private players like Airtel and Aircell entering the market posing competition to the state owned BSNL.
With prospects of growth very much on the horizon the denizens also want a lasting peace. V Abu Mehta, a senior journalist, believes: Peace is necessary for any kind of development to take place. Progress cannot take place without peace and you see over the past few decades in the last few years in the past generations of the Naga youth they have not got the opportunity, they have not been given the scope to excel and to reach out with the same facilities, same infrastructure as their counterparts in the rest of the country. So peace is needed and without peace no development can take place and no progress can take place.
The UPA government at the Centre and the Planning Commission are also paying greater attention to the development of the State. Annual plan outlays for the State for next year have been enhanced by more than two hundred crores. The emphasis is on building up infrastructure and training the youth in professional skills. Whether it is the government or the people of the state everybody wants a normal and peaceful Nagaland.
Certainly peace is very important. Without peace there is no progress, without peace there is no development too. So peace is a necessary thing, which we have to have for our development, said Ato Yepthomi, member of Business Owner Association, Dimapur.
Education is another sector that is also in for change. With the opening up of new colleges and IT institutions the educational scenario too is changing rapidly. With Indias Look East policy bringing the country closer to the ASEAN nations, attempts are being made by the state government to train the youth in languages and other skills to take advantages of the emerging opportunities.
Peace in Nagaland. The development that we are getting from the government of India would be of no use if there is no peace; people will be in fear condition. So due to the extension of this ceasefire this time it is a relief for the people of Nagaland, said Dr Lanutola, Principal, Dimapur Government College.
The central government and the NSCN (IM) leadership too seem to be optimistic towards the peace process. So far thirteen rounds of the talks have been held. There may not have been any concrete political result to this vexed issue, but one tangible and visible result is peace in the state. (ANI)
Unification of Naga areas must for peace: Rio New Kerala
New Delhi: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio Saturday reiterated his government's sincerity in bringing peace to the state and said unification of Naga areas of the northeast is an absolute necessity in this regard.

Speaking at a seminar "Governance in troubled times - the Nagaland experience" here, Rio emphasised the need to involve all parties, most importantly the central leadership and civil societies, in understanding the ground realities and work for peace and development in the state.

"I do believe that our fellow Nagas are now being forced by historical circumstances to live outside the present Nagaland state as minorities," he said.

He also said his government was sincere in its role as facilitator in the ongoing peace dialogue between the Nationalist Social Council of Nagalim's - Isaac, Muivah faction (NSCN-IM) and the central government.
Rio called upon both sides at the talks to have the vision to recognise each other's needs and sentiments, and display "enough courage and magnanimity to accommodate each other".

"We have declared our readiness to make way for any new political dispensation that may emerge from the ongoing political dialogue," he said.

Rio announced that village council institutions would be strengthened by setting up village development boards in each village with full financial grants at their own level.
"Through an innovative scheme known as 'communisation', schools, primary health centres, electricity and water are handled at the village level. This unique experiment has drawn positive funding from the UNICEF," Rio said.

According to him, peace and development are inextricably linked and so he called upon the neighbouring states and the civil societies for moral support, especially in the context of the ongoing peace talks.
"I am sure a peaceful resolution of the Naga issue, which is often referred to as the mother of all insurgencies, will bring the people of the northeast closer to mainland India."

The central government and NSCN-IM agreed to a ceasefire in August 1997 and began negotiations to end five decades of insurgency in the northeastern state that borders Myanmar.

The truce was subsequently extended in July every year but discussions between the two sides ran into problems last year, mainly due to the NSCN-IM's demand to integrate Naga-inhabited areas in the northeast. But the governments of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have already rejected the NSCN-IM's demand for a "greater Nagaland".
The recent extension of the ceasefire is for six months, and expires July 31.

Weapons with Nagaland licences in state Dipak Mishra Sunday, February 19, 2006 TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PATNA: Arms licences issued from Nagaland are still surfacing in Bihar despite the fact that the state government had termed such licences as illegal over a decade back. The Baurali police recently seized a firearm belonging to one Ravindra Prasad Gupta whose licence was issued by the Nagaland government.
According to sources in the police headquarters, Gupta's firearm licence was not registered in the police records. Moreover, his licence was renewed by the firearms magistrate of Hazaribag (Jharkhand) on August 3, 2000.

Though Gupta's firearm was seized, he is yet to be arrested. A criminal case has been lodged against him with the police station concerned and it is apprehended that he might have supplied firearms to criminal gangs after obtaining their licences from Nagaland.
In 1994, the state home department had written to all the district magistrates (DMs) to identify such firearms, whose licences had been issued from Nagaland, and confiscate them. It had also asked them to ensure that firearms licences issued from Nagaland were not renewed in Bihar. In August 1995, then state DGP S K Saxena had written to all the DMs and the SPs, pointing out that licences having fake addresses of Bihar were issued from Nagaland.
The Nagaland DGP had himself written to the Bihar government about the fake addresses furnished by unscrupulous persons for obtaining firearms licences. Incidentally, Gopalganj district is located close to the Uttar Pradesh (UP) border and is considered a safe haven for many inter-state gangs.
Manipur Nagas stick to guns Correspondent Nagaland Post
Kohima, Feb 18 (NPN): With the Nagas of Manipur sticking to their guns to return the red blankets issued by the Manipur government and submit their annual house tax directly to Government of India, a major constitutional fallout is perhaps on the anvil.
The Naga People's Convention held at Ukhrul at the end of the two-day Lui Nagi Ni festival of the Nagas of Manipur on Thursday reportedly reviewed the progress of implementation of the earlier NPC resolution and reiterated to go ahead with the previous decision.
Talking to Nagaland Post, UNC general secretary Ajang revealed that the convention had reviewed implementation of the earlier NPC decision by each Naga tribal hohos. Representatives of all the sixteen Naga tribes attended the convention and submitted their separate reports of implementation of the resolution including changing official nomenclature of villages and places, re-collection of red blankets and collection of annual house tax. In this connection, the tribal hohos except Tangkhul and Maring Naga tribes had submitted their collections of red blankets and annual house tax during the convention.
The Tangkhul and Maring Naga tribal Hohos, which reportedly failed to implement the resolution due to certain local problem in fulfilling the NPC resolution, had been given March 15 deadline after which the Convention would meet again and decide the future course of action.
Realizing the futility in attempting to submit the house tax to Government of India through Government of Nagaland, the NPC decided to directly submit it to Delhi. "Since there is a certain technical problem in submitting the annual house tax through Nagaland government, we will submit the same to Delhi directly whether they will accept it or not," said the UNC general secretary.
The decision of the NPC has come as a big relief for the Government of Nagaland given that it was apprehensive of not only problems with neighbouring Manipur government but also certain law and order problem.
It may be mentioned the decision of the NPC to pay house tax directly to Government of India is not a new agitation by the Nagas inhabiting in Manipur to express their unwillingness to cooperate with the latter. Earlier, in 1948 the Nagas of Manipur led by the then Daiho Mao had launched a similar agitation against the then Manipur Raja by submitting the annual house tax to the then Deputy Commissioner, Kohima which was subsequently forwarded to Manipur government.
Following the agitation, the Manipur Raja sent a contingent of armed forces to Mao Gate to arrest the then Naga leader late Daiho Mao. The force opened indiscriminate fire on a mob that gathered to prevent the arrest of their leader. Four persons were killed and several others injured in the incident. It was the maiden instance of bloodshed for the cause of integration of the Nagas.
March 3 deadline for Assam-Nagaland boundary commission The Morung Express News Kohima | February 18
WITH THE Supreme Court on February 10 granting three weeks to the Centre to suggest names of the chairman and other members for the proposed boundary commission to resolve Assam’s border dispute with Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the Nagaland Government has already sounded the Centre pointing out in no uncertain terms that it wants restoration of the pre-1925 position regarding its boundary with Assam. (See The Morung Express, Saturday edition, February 17).
The court, which is seized of two suits filed by Assam, seeking resolution of its boundary disputes with Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, was of the view that the boundaries of these states had already been defined in the Constitution and the commission was needed to demarcate the same on the ground. Appearing for Assam, senior counsel K K Venugopal put the message across that there has to be a boundary commission to carry out demarcations in accordance with boundaries laid down by the Parliament and defined in article 3, Schedule-I of the Constitution.
He also suggested that the Surveyor General of India and some Army officers be made part of the proposed commission as they had better knowledge of the areas in dispute.
Not surprisingly the Counsel for both Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh referred to a 1925 law which gave them more territory and suggested that there should be a political solution to the problem.
The present suit against Nagaland was filed in 1988 by Assam but the Nagaland government had raised preliminary objection. Simultaneously, series of meeting had been held between the chief ministers of the two states and had evolved a formula for the amicable settlement on the basis of the ground reality. “But this obviously has not worked due to change of leadership and for political reasons” said the Nagaland Commissioner T.N Mannen in an exclusive interview with The Morung Express. Because the issue had been dragged on for sometime now, the SC finally stepped in giving a three weeks notice to the Centre to constitute a boundary commission. This deadline expires on March 3.
Mention may be made here that large areas of forest tracks and reserved forests from the then Naga Hills district were transferred by the British, prior to Indian independence in 1947, to the then neighbouring districts of Nowgong, Sibsagar and some Cachar districts, without the knowledge and consent of the people (Nagas) of the Naga Hills, Nagaland officials point out.
The British transferred the Naga’s land mainly for economic purposes: for extraction of rich forest resources and subsequently to develop Tea gardens along the fertile foothills plains, said Commissioner Mannen.
“Since people in Naga Hills were predominantly tribal and their land were declared as scheduled area putting restriction on non-tribal for free and closer interaction with indigenous tribal inhabitants or settlement within the scheduled areas, the plain areas of the Naga Hills were arbitrarily transferred out of Naga Hills”, said Mannen in recent letter to the Parliamentary Committee which visited Nagaland recently.
List of transferred Reserved Forests from the then Naga Hills District
Forest Area Notification No. Date Acres
1. Abhajpur R/F Notification No. 15 18/10/1881 Area 16, 281 Acres
2. Geleki R/F Notification No. 847 22/02/1918 Area 14, 640 Acres
3. Tiru R/F Notification No. 847 22/02/1918 Area14, 477 Acres
4. Desoi R/F Notification No. 45 21/11/1883 Area 2,617.6 acres
5. Desoi R/F Notification No. 235 19/02/1918 Area 43,097.6 acres
6. Kakadanga R/F Notification N0.367 30/06/1910 Area 11, 805 acres
7. Doyang R/F Notification No. 28 31/07/1888 Area 60,875 acres
8. Rengma R/F Notifcation No. 25 13/04/1887 Area 34, 400 acres
9. a) Nambor R/F Notification No.5 17/10/1818
b) Nambor R/F Notification N0. 5 17/10/1818
c) Nambor R/F Notification No.5 17/10/1818 Area 249 sq.miles.
10. Diphu R/F Notification No. 25 13/04/1887 Area 65.3 Sq.miles
Assam media to black out government news The Morung Express
Guwahati, Feb 18 (NNN): Journalists in Assam today decided to boycott all state government programmes including Press conferences by ministers and black out government press communiqués on February 19 and 20 next to protest the increasing instances of atrocities on journalists in different parts of the state. Most of the incidents that occurred recently were of atrocities perpetrated by government forces.
The decision by scribes came in the wake of Friday’s police assault of a reporter of “Asomiya Pratidin”, the largest circulating Assamese news daily at Kakopathar in Upper Assam where the chief minister Tarun Gogoi had gone to meet the families of the victims of February 10 police firing in the area.
Reporter Rabin Dhekial Phukon was seriously injured in the police assault and is now undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College at Dibrugarh.
The Journalists’ Action Committee (JAC) of Assam in a meeting held at the Guwahati Press Club condemned the incident and pointed out that it was not an isolated case and termed it a part of design hatched by the incumbent Congress government to threaten the Press in the state.
In another incident earlier a Golaghat based journalist Prahlad Goala was murdered at the behest of some corrupt state forest officials and timber smugglers and a Forest Ranger was subsequently suspended in connection with the murder.
The JAC also decided to take out a protest rally here on February 21 next and called upon all district journalist associations to do the same in district headquarters on the same day.
Meanwhile, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts journalists associations have decided to boycott government programmes indefinitely in protest against police assault on the scribe at Kakopathar on Friday.
The state government so far hasn’t taken any action to probe into the assault on the scribe. The chief minister Gogoi while talking to the media here said that the journalist was subjected to police harassment for his ‘proactive’ role in leading the public protests at Kakopathar against police firing on civilians as well as death of one Ajit Mahanta in Army’s custody.
Decision of Army withdrawal with Centre, says Assam Governor The Morung Express
Guwahati, Feb 18 (ZNN): Favouring holding of direct talks with banned insurgent outfit ULFA, Assam Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh has said the decision of withdrawing Army operations against the militant outfit could only be taken by the Centre.
“The decision of withdrawing Army operations solely rests with the Central government. We have nothing to say on it,” Lt Gen Singh told PTI here when asked for his comment on demands of various quarters, including opposition Asom Gana Parishad, for withdrawal of Army operations against ULFA.
He favoured holding of “direct talks” with the ULFA by the government contending it would bring more “positive results”.
On recent incidents at Kakopathar in Upper Assam where eight persons were killed in police firing and one allegedly in Army custody, he said “if ULFA activists surrender, the situation will improve automatically”.
A five-member AGP delegation had yesterday petitioned President A P J Abdul Kalam to take urgent steps to stop Army operations in Assam.
The ULFA-selected Peoples Consultative Group had also demanded withdrwal of operations by security forces, saying they were in negotiation with the Centre for bringing peace into Assam.
The Governor was in the national capital to attend a meeting of the North Eastern Council.
BJP asks ULFA to fight polls By Indo Asian News Service
Guwahati, Feb 19 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday called on the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to shun the path of violence and contest the upcoming assembly elections in Assam.
'It will be better for the ULFA to first shun violence and then contest the assembly polls and come to power,' senior BJP leader Pramod Mahajan told a rally in Assam's main city Guwahati.
Mahajan and BJP president Rajnath Singh were here to kick-start the party's campaign for the elections expected in April-May.
'But we are not going to accept ULFA's demand for an independent homeland,' he said.
ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland in Assam since 1979. The group last year threatened the BJP not to invite party leaders from outside the state to campaign.
The BJP had then said it would not be cowed down by such threats.
During the last assembly elections, a BJP candidate was shot dead by ULFA rebels in eastern Assam's Dibrugarh district.
BJP seeks law against conversion to Christianity By Indo Asian News Service
Guwahati, Feb 19 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday urged the central government to frame laws to prevent conversions to Christianity.
'There is a threat to this country from Christian missionaries who in the name of development and welfare activities are converting poor people, especially in tribal areas across the country,' BJP president Rajnath Singh told a modest rally in Assam's main city Guwahati.
Singh - who was here with other senior BJP leaders including Pramod Mahajan to kick-start the party's campaign for the upcoming assembly elections in April-May - claimed large-scale conversions could threaten the social and religious fabric of India.
'We have requested the central government to frame new legislation to ensure that nobody can carry out conversions by luring people with development and welfare activities.'
Chief ministers of all states ruled by the BJP had been issued specific instructions to stop any attempts at conversion, he said.
'We have warned all states ruled by the BJP not to allow any form of conversions that are bound to affect or threaten the social structure of the country,' Singh said.
Referring to the coming state polls, he said: 'We need to work hard to achieve our goal of capturing power in Assam. We can do it if we are determined.
'And if we manage to come to power in Assam, we shall definitely be able to hoist the saffron flag in all the northeastern states in the future.'
Except for pockets of Assam, the BJP has no sizeable presence in the northeastern states.
Launching a frontal attack on the Congress-led central government, the BJP leaders said inflation was at an all-time high with the common people the worst sufferers.

Assam or Asom Editorial Assam Tribune
It is perfectly natural that the people of a particular geographical entity would always prefer to be identified with the original name of their land. The sentimental values attached to it apart, the name of a place is often the key to its history, culture and heritage. The British rule in the country had seen the colonial rulers change the names of a number of places – States, provinces, cities, towns and even villages. This was primarily to suit their convenience and also due to their ignorance of the history of the land and indifference to local sentiments. However, since Independence, vigorous attempts were made to undo past wrongs and many such ‘distorted’ names were restored to their original and rightful positions following intense public campaign. And this trend is still continuing. Thus we have had Mumbai replacing the British Bombay, Chennai ousting Madras, Kolkata removing Calcutta, and so on. In our own State, Gauhati gave way to Guwahati, and recently, Sibsagar was changed to the original Sivasagar. All this is understandable, as names are invariably linked to our ethos, civilization and culture, and sometimes even transcending history and going back to the days of myths and legends. Names, in a way, constitute our very identity.

Of late, there have been demands from lerarned quarters that the name ‘Assam,’ a British-given one, should also be changed to ‘Asom’ or ‘Axom’ – which is the original name of the State. Going by the logic applied to restoration of original names of lands, the demand does not at all seem to be out of place. However, in this particular case, there are a few important aspects that need careful consideration before effecting any hasty change in the name Assam. First, Assam is not as well-known in the world outside as is Bombay or Calcutta. And whatever little international recognition the State has, definitely centres around the word Assam — as in the case of Assam tea, Assam oil, Assam rhino, etc. So much so that in these cases the word Assam has become the brand name and any change in the word Assam might have an adverse effect. Prudence, therefore, dictates that we should be extremely cautious before going ahead with a change in the name Assam. It is for us to ensure that in correcting a historical wrong, we should not end up on the losing side. Restoring the word ‘Asom’ or ‘Axom’, instead of yielding the desired results, might prove to be a step backwards and do more harm than good to our image or identity. In the past two hundred years or so, the word Assam gained some global currency and it may take quite a while for the word Asom to achieve the same. Under the circumstances, the interests of the State and the people are bound to suffer. Another difficulty with changing the name of Assam to Asom is that the other ethnic communities living in the State may not take kindly to the act, given their vehement opposition to the use of the term Assamese to identify all the indigenous people of the State. The raging controversy over the word Assamese is still fresh, and changing the name of Assam to Asom might be frowned at by the ethnic groups as an attempt at imposing the will of the majority Assamese because of the obvious link between the words Asom and Asomiya (Assamese). Such a situation will only create chaos, confusion, mistrust and division, which we can ill-afford. It is imperative that the overall interest of the State remains the guiding factor in any exercise to restore the original name of Assam. Or else the exercise is unlikely to serve the cause of the State and the people in good stead.

kopathar killings: Gogoi holds Army guilty Nagaland Post
Guwahati, Feb 18 (UNI): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Saturday held the army guilty for the Kakopathar incident in which 10 people, including the original victim Ajit Mahanta, were killed. Addressing the first -ever press conference after the Kakopathar incident, where his government was at the receiving end with mounting pressure from every quarter, the Chief Minister held Army guilty, but maintained that 'black sheep within army had done mistake which led to the ghastly incident'.
Court martial had already begun and guilty were being punished, he said. Leaving aside the Army inquiry, a judicial probe would start very soon, he said while blasting the Opposition for trying to use it as a political issue. I will quit if the Opposition can prove that I had colluded with the Army in the violence in a bid to stop the peace process with ULFA. This is an absolutely baseless and bogus allegation, he said in response to AGP's memorandum to President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam which implicated Gogoi in the incident. I am offering this challenge and the opposition parties should accept it , he said, admitting there lapses within his government also.
The Eastern Command chief rushed to Kakopathar and offered compensation package to the victim Ajit Mahanta's family. We did not believe Army's version from the beginning and took up the matter with the Defence Minister, which brought quick action, he said. Meanwhile, protest has been continuing all over the state and BJP is bringing in national president Rajnath Singh and party in- charge Pramod Mahajan Sunday for a rally against the government. The AGP too, has shown no let-up in their pressure against the Congress-led government.