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12/25/2009: "Nagaland cops on station rampage - Railway employees hit with rifle butts at NJP OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

Nagaland cops on station rampage - Railway employees hit with rifle butts at NJP OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph


The broken window panes at the office of the NJP station manager. (Kundan Yolmo)
Siliguri, Dec. 24: A group of allegedly drunk constables from Nagaland went on the rampage last night at New Jalpaiguri station, breaking window panes and assaulting the railway staff with rifle butts.
Six of the 12 railway employees injured in the attack were admitted to NJP Railway Hospital.
The policemen were apparently venting their anger at the railway authorities for delaying the replacement of the engine of the train that was taking them from Ranchi to Dharmanagar in Tripura. They were returning from poll duty in Jharkhand.
Pawan Kumar, the area manager of the NJP station, said the special train stopped at the railway siding located off the platforms around 9pm for filling up water and for replacing the engine.
“There were 18 coaches and number of personnel of the Nagaland police was around 800. They were returning from Jharkhand after completing poll duty. Around 11pm, I came to know that the angry policemen had started ransacking the station office and beating up all our staff present at the spot,” the area manager said.
“When I went there to investigate, I was also beaten up,” he said today at his office. Gurudas Mondal, the station manager, said the violence continued till after 11pm.
Mondal said the policemen were getting restless after they saw that the locomotive was de-linked from the train and sent off to the diesel shed. “They were drunk and they began shouting that the engine would not come back and they would be stranded. Then around 10.30pm the policemen attacked us all of a sudden. About 30 to 40 of them barged into the office of the station manager and began flailing at us with their rifle butts and hit us too,” Mondal said.
The policemen then damaged furniture and broke the windowpanes of the station manager’s office. “A dozen of us were injured and we were taken to the railway hospital. The Railway Police Force and the GRP somehow managed to calm them and the train finally left around 1am,” said the station manager, who is among those to have been released from the hospital after first aid.
Mondal said that while it took about 40 minutes to fill water in the rake, it takes about two hours for the batteries of a diesel locomotive to get fully charged before it can start pulling the coaches. He lodged a complaint against the constables with the Government Railway Police at NJP today. An officer from the RPF, said the personnel from Nagaland were intoxicated. “And there was not sufficient GRP or the RPF at the station at that moment,” he said.
The superintendent of the railway police, Jayanta Pal, said a case has been started against the Nagaland policemen for unlawful assembly and destruction.
Doungal Kuki, the public relations officer of Nagaland Police, said the personnel belonged to the 13 Indian Reserve Nagaland Armed Police based at Chumukdema near Dimapur. He said not much information had been received except that a sub-inspector had assaulted a railway official at NJP last night.
Kuki did not disclose the identity of the sub-inspector but said he had been “disarmed”. “They are on their way back and other necessary action would be taken after they arrive,” Kuki said from Kohima today.
Paritosh Pal, the secretary of Northeast Frontier Railway Mazdoor Union’s NJP branch, said railway minister Mamata Banerjee would be informed about the incident.
‘Nagaland rife in illegal money collection’ Our Correspondent Morung
Kohima | December 23 : Nagaland is a state rife in illegal collections of money in one and myriad ways: extortion, illegal deductions from public funds in a form of “commission” by politicians and government officials and undergrounds; fund-raising by way of asking for donations and selling buffet and lottery tickets, newspapers, calendars etc., by student unions, public organizations, youth and women associations, churches and so on. These are also the factors that contribute to price-rise in the state.
Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) President Kezhokhoto Savi in his message on the eve of National Consumers’ Day, today said the biggest concern in the country is price-rise in food and essential commodities. The already unprecedented rise in prices of essential commodities has created serious difficulties for the people, he said.
“Let us not give the blame to this year’s climatic condition for rising prices in food and essential commodities as the central government is confident in taking care of the problem as seeing in their policy making,” Savi said. He also said that in Dimapur, the rise in prices of essential commodities is almost turning into a nightmare and further affecting all the districts in Nagaland as Dimapur is the commercial hub of the state. He said prices of individual food items are almost double from the rates they were a year ago. In the last few weeks, prices of vegetables have also tripled. “The common man is feeling the real pinch as this ‘poor man’s vegetable is no longer affordable even to salaried people,’ the NVCO president said. The prices of tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, sweet pea and other winter vegetables were spiraling out of control till last week, he said.
Few weeks ago, he said, the Hill Areas Truck Owners Association (HATOA) based at Mariani Jorhat, Assam had warned the state government that it would be compelled to resort to agitations by hiking fares and stop plying trucks to Nagaland unless forced collections at check gates by government staff and extortion by underground groups are stopped. “Further even police, forest and excise personnel at the check gates had started illegal collections, while the Nagaland state authorities chose to remain mute witnesses,” he said.
He also said that to highlight the price rise in the state, the NVCO and Consumer Society Dimapur had conducted a public rally recently. The organizers were very upset with the district administration of Dimapur as no one represented them and no official from government departments participated. The voluntary consumer organizations cannot contribute much without the co-operation of government authorities as NGOs do not hold authority to take action or to penalize offenders, he said.

Students seize drive for state - Bristling Osmania campus turns Telangana rallying point G.S. RADHAKRISHNA The Telegraph


Desam MLA Janardhan Reddy being beaten up by students at Osmania University. (PTI)
Hyderabad, Dec. 24: Osmania University, the bedrock of the movement for a state of Telangana, became the rallying point for the agitation today with students unleashing their anger on politicians, accusing them of hijacking the issue without any real commitment to the cause.
Police swooped down on the university hostels and took into custody Rama Rao, one of the spearheads of the Joint Action Committee on Telangana which comprises leaders of mainstream political parties and the students. A search is on for other student members.
Confined to the campus because police wouldn’t allow them to enforce the bandh called by the committee today, the students vent their ire on the Telugu Desam, whom they accused of sitting on the fence and not taking a clear stand.
A group of Desam legislators visited the campus to show solidarity with the students. But the students said they would have been happier had the MLAs attended the action committee meeting called by statehood spearhead K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
“Desam members should first come out of Chandrababu Naidu’s fold and extend support to the JAC,” said Bhaskar, a member of the students’ action committee.
The Desam was initially against a separate state but later changed tack for electoral gains. During the current agitation, the Desam had agreed to support a resolution on Telangana but its MLAs later decided to oppose statehood.
As many as 82 of the 119 MLAs from Telangana resigned today after the Centre’s statement yesterday that there was a need for wide-ranging consultations before statehood could be decided upon. Of the 82 who sent in their resignations to the Speaker, 39 are from the Desam.
The students said they would not like the movement to be hijacked again as had happened in 1969 when the Telangana Praja Samiti of M. Channa Reddy, which led the agitation, merged with the Congress, putting statehood in the freezer.
“The students are more serious now than ever before as they have lost confidence in the police and politicians,” said Durga Bhavani, a second-year student of life science.
The simmering tension within the campus erupted when the enraged students rained blows with slippers on Nagam Janardhan Reddy, Desam legislator and deputy leader in the Assembly, who also received fist thumps on his bald pate.
Other Desam legislators were chased and heckled. At least seven vehicles were damaged.
A posse of 1,500 policemen, mounted police and Rapid Action Force personnel was stationed around the campus to prevent the students from hitting the streets to enforce the Telangana bandh.
“In the light of what they did last time (attack shopping malls at Ameerpet), we ensured that the students remained within the campus,” said a police spokesperson.
The 2,000 and odd students tried to break out several times. Twice during the day, the police had to lathi-charge them, burst teargas shells and fire rubber bullets to quell their attempts to break through the cordon. As additional measures, the police put up barbed wires and blocked the gates with a fleet of police vehicles so that the students would not be able to crash out on their two-wheelers.
The sprawling 1,000-acre campus of the university has been the epicentre of political struggles in the last five decades. The lawn of the majestic arts college building was the hub of the Telangana agitation of 1969 in which over 375 students were killed in police firing.
The current agitation began on November 29 when Chandrasekhar Rao, the chief of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, was arrested on his way to Siddipet to stage his hunger strike. “The Congress and the UPA government acted in an undemocratic manner and arrested him,” said Venkatesh Gowd, a member of the JAC.
Student leaders said the Congress and the Telugu Desam had been opposed to the agitation. “We are not very happy with the TRS, but at least they share the agenda of Telangana state with us,” said Kasturi Yohan, an alumnus of the university.
The police and the administration have been advising the students to stay away from politics, addressing them and their parents via SMS and email.
“The students should realise the damage such agitations do to their career. It is possible that countries like the US and China will deny them visas if they have a record of protests and arrests,” said a senior police official.
PC does a complete U-Turn on Telangana Nagaland Page

New Delhi, December 23: Appearing to put the Telangana issue on the backburner, the Centre said tonight that the situation in Andhra Pradesh has "altered" since the announcement on creation of a separate state.
Wide-ranging consultations would now be held with all political parties and groups in the state, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said in a statement, adding that the Centre will take "steps to involve all concerned in the process".
Recalling his December nine statement in which he had announced that the process of forming Telangana would be initiated, he said that since then the situation in Andhra Pradesh has altered and that "a large number of political parties are divided on the issue".
Capping a fortnight of intense campaign by MPs of Telangana and non-Telangana regions, Chidambaram called a press conference at short notice and read out a four paragraph statement but took no questions.
He said the Centre made the statement on December nine on receipt of minutes of a meeting of all political parties convened by Chief Minister K Rosaiah in which a "consensus" emerged on the formation of a separate state of Telangana.
Chidambaram said, meanwhile, it is necessary that peace and harmony are restored in Andhra Pradesh and the state government is allowed to focus on governance and development.
"The Central government appeals to the people of the different regions of Andhra Pradesh and to all political parties and students to withdraw their agitations and maintain peace, harmony and brotherhood," he said.
The indication of Chidambaram's statement came after a meeting of Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Chidambaram, A K Antony, M Veerappa Moily and Political Secretary to Congress President Ahmed Patel.
A statement was prepared and the draft was taken to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Later, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave final touches and Chidambaram made it public.
The December nine statement was made at the height of the fast-unto-death protest launched by TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao who withdrew the agitation on the 11th day.
Ever since, MPs and MLAs of Coastal Andhra and Rayalseema region protested vehemently and carried out a campaign with almost daily meetings with central leaders and ministers demanding a statement that the creation of Telangana would not be initiated without a consensus.
Reflecting the regional divide in the state, MPs and MLAs cutting across party lines in Telangana region also mounted a counter-campaign urging the Centre not to backtrack and warned of severe repercussions.
The period was also marked by violence in non-Telangana regions against the bifurcation proposal.
The state Cabinet was divided on regional lines and over 135 MLAs belonging Congress, TDP and Praja Rajyam quit their membership of the Assembly. Some MPs of Congress and TDP also resigned. But none of these resignations have been accepted.
On Monday, a delgation of non-Telangana MPs met the Prime Minister and said later that he had assured them that government would come out with a statement to "make everything in order" in the state. (PTI)
Shibu Soren set for big role in Jharkhand Nagaland page

Ranchi, December 23: Jharkhand elections today returned a fractured verdict in which JMM appeared to be holding the key to the new government as the Congress-JVM(P) alliance emerged the single largest group and could be having an edge.
Continuing its good electoral run since the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress, which fought in alliance with Babulal Marandi led-JVM(P), bagged 13 seats while its partner got an impressive 10 seats in its electoral debut.
In a House of 81 seats, Shibu Soren-led JMM, fighting on its own, secured 18 seats and was being wooed by both the major combinations for forming the government.
Indications of a tough bargain came from JMM, which said that the party's support would go to anyone who would support "Guruji", the name by which Soren is fondly called by his admirers.
Reeling under a string of electoral debacles, the BJP failed to break the jinx when its tally fell to 18 from 30 in the 2005 elections. Its ally JD(U) managed a paltry two as against six it had.
Another party which could play an important role is RJD, Congress' former ally and now outside supporter of the UPA government at the Centre. Lalu Prasad's party has got 5 seats that could be crucial to formation of a government of a secular combine.
Both the Congress and BJP made it clear that they were keen on forming a government in which 13 MLAs belonging to the 'Others' category and Independents would be much-sought after by rival combinations.
The 'Others' category include five of All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) which can go either way. The other winners include Enos Ekka of the Jharkhand Party and Geeta Koda, wife of former Chief Minister and scam-tainted Madhu Koda.
CPI(ML), MCC, JJAM and Rashtriya Kalyan Paksh won one seat each, while independents emerged the winner in two seats.
Expressing the party's desire that it wants to lead the next coalition, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said: "The Congress is the single largest party in the single largest group".
"In certain circumstances stepping up for public service is also a sacrifice," he said when asked whether the party is ready to make sacrifices on its claim for Chief Ministership.
Congress leaders described RJD as a "UPA constituent" and JMM chief Shibu Soren as a "family member" despite the fact that they were not part of the Congress-led pre-poll alliance.
The BJP Parliamentary Board met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of the newly-elected President Nitin Gadkari to discuss the strategy in Jharkhand.
After the meeting, Parliamentary Board spokesman Ananth Kumar did not rule out the possibility of party trying to form the government.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad indicated that he was ready to forge an alliance with Congress and JMM for forming a government. (PTI)
‘No consensus, so no Telangana now’ Eastern Mirror
NEW DELHI, DEC 23 (AGENCIES): The Central government on Wednesday said it wants to consider “all views” on the demand for a separate Telangana state and “peace and tranquility should be maintained” in Andhra Pradesh.
Home Minister P Chidambaram gave a short statement in New Delhi on Wednesday, effectively putting the demand for a separate Telangana state in abeyance. “At a meeting of all political parties on December 7 a consensus emerged on Telangana. The situation has altered now,” he said.
“Centre wants to take all views before coming to a decision. Peace and tranquility should be maintained,” he said.

Cong dumps it on Andhra leaders
The Congress said on Wednesday that Telangana was an old issue and it was for the collective political leadership of Andhra Pradesh to resolve the situation that has arisen due to regional divisions over its proposed statehood.
Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari said it was for the “collective wisdom” of Andhra Pradesh leaders across the political spectrum to “sit down and form appropriate solution.”
Answering queries about divisions in its Andhra Pradesh unit on Telangana, Tiwari said that it was an old issue which has been grappled by “generations of leaders of the state.”
He refused to comment on the remarks of Home Minister P Chidambaram, made earlier this month, giving principled clearance to the demand for a separate Telangana state.
Faced with deep divisions in its ranks in the state, the Congress has been trying to come out with a compromise formula to bring down political temperatures. The Congress core group met Monday evening while senior leaders met party president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday to evolve an appropriate response.
Congress sources said that the meeting at Sonia Gandhi’s residence was attended by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A. K. Antony, Chidambaram, Law Minister Veerapa Moily and Ahmed Patel, political secretary to the Congress president.
‘Indigenous practices part of climate solution’ Reporter| EMN
DIMAPUR, DEC 23: With the recently concluded meet on climate change at Copenhagen, which was attended by world leaders, falling short of expectations, the coalition of communities, formed by activists from minority communities of the country, has affirmed its determination to press on till such time leaders lent their ears to their charter of demands.
Members of the North East Network (NEN), an NGO group based in Chizami under Phek district who attended the summit as part of the people’s coalition on climate change, spoke on the pressing need for remedial measures to protect nature and ecosystem by encouraging traditional methods while interacting with a section of the media on their return today.
Based on a study, NEN’s Seno said the communities have continued to share close interaction with the local eco-system and as such ‘many people are attached to nature in their everyday life’. However, the introduction of high yielding varieties of foreign crops aimed at increasing commercial value has eroded indigenous seeds and affected the local eco-systems world-over, she said.
Terming it as ‘imperative’ to reverse the growing trend of preferring foreign seeds to indigenous seeds to protect the local eco-systems, Seno called on all Nagas to open their eyes to reality.
“The indigenous seeds have not only sustained communities but have also been replenishing the soil and protecting the biodiversity of the forests”, she said adding that that there is a ‘readymade answer to climate change’ if only revert back to past practices.
Releasing the charter of demands forged by indigenous communities, Seno also called for reduction of negative impacts of development while stating that the ecosystem cannot be compromised for progress.
The NEN activist also impressed on the government to adopt measures to promote indigenous trees best suited to the soil in its afforestation programmes and to do away with monoculture plantations alien to communities, culture and ecosystems.
Pointing out the negative changes impacting the communities in villages, Seno expressed serious concern over growing issues confronting rural people. “Many of the villagers have confirmed negative impacts of global warming affecting their daily living,” she pointed out.
The activist also said the increasing trend of diseases in livestock was due to the fact that preference was being given to foreign animals over local ones.
She said participants world over have shared similar concerns confronting them in the wake of depleting indigenous values.
Commenting on the Copenhagen summit, Seno said the panel discussions held on the sidelines of the summit and the democratic agitations organised by activists and community leaders have brought people together closer to put forward ideas.
On follow-up actions, she said the People’s Coalition on Climate Change would be meeting early next February to carry the fight forward to the summit slated to be held in Mexico in 2010.
The Coalition of Communities adopted a charter of demands on climate crisis, significant points of which includes endorsing multifunctional, ecological and diverse agriculture practice by the people, promotion of traditional seeds planted by indigenous people for centuries, focus on afforestation aimed at restoration of ecology encouraging local plants and species, remedial measures to address ground water depletion, adopting measures to reverse negative environmental impacts of developmental schemes, honouring community members as frontline warriors against climate change etc.
The signatories to the community charter includes Dalits, Santhals, Parava, Mutharayar, Nadir, Chakhesang Naga, Bhils, Bhilalas, Baigas, Jele, Chashi, Moule, Kaunta, Khatia, Pandra, Lolia and the Dongria Kondhis.