ULFA triggers two explosive in Assam
Guwahati/Imphal: Republic Day was Monday celebrated across India with gaiety and patriotic fervour, as leaders stressed the need of rooting out corruption and working for development and asked insurgents to shun violence.
The day was largely peaceful, barring two blasts in Assam and four in Manipur.
At least eight IED (improvised explosive device) blasts took place in many places in Imphal in less than five days till Sunday.
Two blasts were triggered by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) near Assam’s Digboi town, while four low intensity blasts took place near the venue of the main Republic Day function in Manipur capital Imphal.
No one was injured in the two places, officials said.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi reiterated the government’s tough stand on militancy, and urged insurgents to shun violence, while Governor P.B. Acharya expressed concern over the killing of rhinos and said preservation of the state’s symbol was a collective responsibility.
Referring to the violence in Kokrajhar, Sonitpur and Chirang districts, Gogoi said: “Violence will not solve any problem. Our government is committed to take action against terrorists. Our door for talks is opened. Militants must shun violence and come for talks.” He said the state government would provide free healthcare to the people Below Poverty Line (BPL).
“The government is planning to launch a new scheme to ensure free medical treatment to those below the BPL and ensure no children are deprived of medical treatment,” he said.
“Skill development and employment generation are the two priority sectors for the government,” he said.
Gogoi also said that the state government will implement a new sanitation scheme.
He said the state government has decided to give Rs.5,000 to mothers who give birth to a girl.
Gogoi also expressed concern over the killings of rhinos in the state.
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also appealed to militants to shun violence and join the mainstream for development of the state. “Violence will bring nothing good for the state and make people suffer,” he said.
Every year, before Republic Day and Independence Day, insurgents call for a boycott of the national day functions, and attack security forces and government installations.
In Aizawl, Governor Aziz Qureshi said the state was fully committed to root out corruption in all its forms and this has been the main agenda to achieve good governance.
He said : “To ensure equality of gender in Mizo society and marriages, the Divorce and Inheritance of Property Bill, 2014, has also been passed by the state assembly in November last year, in line with customs and traditions prevailing amongst the Mizos.”
Qureshi said that KG-I and KG-II classes would be introduced in government primary schools from the next academic session (2015-2016) and 148 primary schools were selected, to start with, as a pilot project.
“The food department has undertaken the computerisation of the Targeted Public Distribution System operations in the state and currently 215,463 out of 241,272 ration cards (89.30 percent) have been digitised.”
He said that with the view to promote Indo-Myanmar border trade, the land customs station at Zokhawthar in Champhai district (in eastern Mizoram) has been completed and is ready for formal inauguration.
The governor said that a 50-seat Mizoram medical college is also being set up at Falkawn, near Aizawl, and would start its classes from August this year.
“Mizoram has a vast potential for generating hydroelectricity. The power department is taking up construction of two hydel power projects of a total capacity of 9 MW and this is likely to be commissioned during 2015-17,” he added.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the Left Front government will not allow any attempt to divide the northeastern state.
“A section of people are trying to split the state and disturb peace. The government will resist the move,” he said after unfurling the tricolour in Agartala.
He said: “Despite the security forces best efforts and people’ resistance, terrorism is yet to be curbed entirely. The militants still have camps in neighbouring Bangladesh.”
The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, a tribal-based political party, has been demanding a separate state to be carved out of Tripura, by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
Sarkar, who holds the home portfolio, said that the state government has successfully tamed the over 40-year-old terrorism problem in the state but some people are trying to revive militancy for narrow political interests.
“Dreams of our freedom fighters is yet to be fulfilled due to the erroneous policies and flawed implementation of the government’s policies,” he added.
Sarkar hoisted the national flag at the main Republic Day function at the Assam Rifles ground here as there is no permanent governor in Tripura. Nagaland governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya is holding additional charge of Tripura along with Assam.
He said that despite the best efforts of security forces, terrorism was yet to be curbed, as militants still have camps in neighbouring Bangladesh. (IANS)