Nagaland celebratesWorld Tourism Day
Kohima: Nagaland on Saturday observed the ‘World Tourism Day’ with an emphasis on its promotion and community development. To this end, the state government organised a function under the theme ‘Tourism and Community Development’ at the picturesque Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, about 12 kms from the state capital. Addressing the gathering, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Himato Zhimo called upon the Tourism department to take the lead in preservation and conversation of the environment. He also called upon villages, hotels and restaurants to maintain cleanliness by segregating the wastes. Tourism Director Purakhu Angami said Tourism industry could help in gainful employment of the educated the youth. (PTI)
Police searching for jawan for killing cop
Imphal: Manipur Police has launched a manhunt for a jawan of Indian Reserve Battalion for allegedly killing a Manipur police driver. The jawan fled from a team of Village Defence Force (VDF) and fired towards Manipur Police personnel before jumping on the police Rakshak vehicle. He overpowered the police driver and shot him dead before abandoning the vehicle on September 25 night. Police said the accused was identified as Thangkhensang, a jawan of 6 IRB from Churachandpur district who was posted as an escort of Hill Areas Committee Chairman Dr Chaltonlien Amo. Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam said a gun and a jacket, some syringes were recovered from the Police Rakshak vehicle. The gun was an MP-5 gun issued to an IRB Jemadar which was stolen by the accused. He is suspected to be a drug user. (UNI)
Excluding minority Chakmas from category-I will be legally untenable: Chakma Forum
SHILLONG: Chakma Law Forum(CLF), the rights and legal interests of the Chakma communitya platform has questioned and condemned the decision of the state government for giving in in and agreeing in principle to the unreasonable and unconstitutional demand of the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP)to exclude Chakmas from the Category-I of (the Selection of candidates for Higher Technical Courses ) Rules 1999 and adding the term ‘Mizo” to the Rules to automatically exclude Chakmas from the purview of the Rules. The Forum asserted that the Chakmas are also indigenous of the state having been natives of the Western parts of the state since time immemorial. It has questioned the historical and legal foundation/basis of the MZP’s assumption and understanding of the idea of Mizos being the only ‘indigenous peoples of the state”. The Forum sought to remind that the concept of ‘indigenous peoples’ in the Indian context is neither formally defined nor established and all Scheduled tribes are understood to be indigenous and questioned the unsound distinction made by the MZP. Dilip Kanti Chakma, President of Chakma Law Forum, in an statement which was also sent to the Chief Secretary of Mizoram, Office of the Chief Minister, The Ministry of Home Affairs, National Commission for Minorities and to the media, has stated that “Any move to facilitate such blatant denial and deprivation of equal opportunities by the state will not only be unfair and unjust but also unconstitutional. Let the government of Mizoram proceed with its plan to bring amendment to the existing rules to exclude the Chakmas from Category-I as demanded by the MZP. We will challenge the validity and constitutionality of such an action”.