Kohima: Confusion prevails over the proposed visit of AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi to Nagaland as the state youth Congress confirmed his visit on Monday next, while Indian Youth Congress (IYC) affirmed that he would visit Nagaland and Manipur in November.

State Congress sources said the venue of the Gandhi scion’s visit had been shifted from Nagaland University at Lumami under Zunheboto district to St. Joseph’s College, Jakahama under Kohima district following stiff opposition by the North East Students’ Organization (NESO) and Naga Students Federation to the proposed visit.

NESO sources said during Rahul’s last visit to Meghalaya educational institute, he had only asked the students to join the Congress party and feared he would do a repeat act in Nagaland.

Sources pointed out that his visit to the state is non-political, but since the student bodies had opposed it due to certain apprehension, the venue had been changed in respect of the sentiment of the student bodies. Sources also confirmed that Rahul’s visit had been fixed for October 17 and it would be a brief stopover while en-route to Imphal. He would arrive by chopper and after interacting with students, he would leave for Imphal the same day. The IYC has rubbished the reports of Rahul Gandhi visiting Nagaland and Manipur in October and said he was likely to visit these states sometime next month once the organizational elections for the IYC and NSUI are announced in the two states.

Meanwhile, the All Sumi Students’ Union (SKK), welcoming Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to NU (Lumami), has said it visited Lumami to get a first hand information after it learned about opposition to Rahul’s proposed visit to the Nagaland University (NU). SKK president Nihoyi Kinnimi said during the course of their visit, they learnt that the ‘main persons’ behind the entire issue of opposing Rahul’s visit were ‘high ranking officials’ of NU Lumami.

The SKK cautioned the ‘officials’ to stop politicizing and playing divisive politics. (UNI)

From Our Correspondent

 Guwahati: The restive days of 1980s and 1990s are threatening to be back in Assam’s Bodo tribe dominated areas with the community reviving its hitherto dormant but long-standing movement for a separate statehood.

Over 50,000 people of the tribe hold a massive rally at North Assam tea town Dekiajuli demanding statehood and warned that in case the UPA government gave consent to Telangana statehood, Bodoland must also be created.

The rally held under the aegis of the influential All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) blocked the arterial National Highway 52 in this tea town of North Assam for about four hours.

The ABSU has warned of unrelenting and intensive democratic movement till a separate Bodoland state is granted. The Bodo tribe claims to have a population of about 20 lakh along the entire North bank of Brahmaputra River in Assam and demands a separate state on being the single largest ethnic group inhabiting that particular stretch of Assam. “Though the Union government granted autonomy to the community in 2003 in the form of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) as per the Bodo Peace Accord signed with now disbanded militant outfit Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT), the community has been disillusioned over failure of the council trigger of all round development at the desired pace as its doesn’t have sufficient power for the purpose,” ABSU president Promode Bodo said.

Addressing the rally , the ABSU president said, “Our demand for statehood dates back to 1987 and we are closely watching what decision the UPA government takes after Diwali about Telangana statehood demand as promised by Sonia Gandhi.

If creation of a Telangana state is approved by the Centre, there is no reason for not granting separate state to Bodo tribe in Assam. There will be no rest if no Bodoland. We are prepared for a prolonged phase of peaceful mass movement.” The people came to rally in big groups holding placards shouting ‘no Bodoland no rest’, ‘Divide Assam 50-50’ etc. The ABSU leader told the people, “The UPA government should start dialogue for Bodoland and warned that any isolated decision on creation of a new state in any part of the country will not be tolerated unless Bodos too are granted a separate state.”

“The Centre has taken the Telangana stir more seriously when the agitation out there paralysed the region for a spell of more than 25 days.

The ABSU will be compelled to resort to non-violent movement and call for even 1000 hour bandh if the Union government continues to ignore Bodo statehood demand.

The Government of India created three new states in 2000 and if Telangana is created, why not Bodoland,” the ABSU leader said.

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday said the Indo-Myanmar agreement would benefit the security of the north-eastern region by tackling the menace of insurgency in the area.

“The accord between visiting Myanmar president Thein Sein and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is good news for the north-east region from the security point of view”, Gogoi told reporters here.

“Insurgent outfits like ULFA, NSCN and other groups from the region have set up camps in Myanmar. Like Bangladesh did, we are now hopeful after the accord that Myanmar will also oust them from their territory for peace, security and stability in the region”, Gogoi said.

“Assam’s uppermost tip Sadiya, adjacent Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar are the bastion of the militants. This will be tackled by the agreement to enhance effective cooperation and coordination between the security forces of the two countries,” he added. The opening of the Stilwell Road, built during World War II in 1942 and passing through Burma would benefit Centre’s Look East Policy by intensifying trading activities with South Asia to bring about overall socio-economic betterment in the area, the CM said. (PTI)

Kohima: The productivity of various Agricultural and Horticultural commodities in Nagaland is higher as compared to other North East States, but need to follow the scientific method of cultivation to come at par with the productivity of other parts of the country, according to Assistant General Manager of APEDA.

Making a Special Presentation at a workshop, Assistant General Manager of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Bidyut Kumar Baruah said there is vast potential for development of Agricultural and Horticultural commodities, including herbal and medicinal plants, in Nagaland.

The fertile soil with different climate conditions from tropical to temperate, gives an opportunity to grow various crops as per the demand in the market.

Mr Boruah said there is a need to focus on productivity and quality now as cultivable land is decreasing, population is increasing and price competitiveness of various produce in the global market is increasing.

To counter this problem there is a need to think about the formation of farmers cluster for such crops which has demand in the market, use of quality seeds for plantation, pre and post harvest management, installation of quality assurance and quality control system, establishment of proper infrastructure like cold storage, pack house and processing facilities.

He informed cent per cent assistance for development of common infrastructure facilities which has fully utilized by various states of the country.

He further informed that location wise Nagaland is in advantageous position as it can play an important role towards development of economy in the whole region.

The state can reap the benefit by exporting to ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries with the Look East Policy of the Union Government. It is possible, if a conducive atmosphere is created to maintain uninterrupted flow of goods through the National Highway 29.

Everyone in North East has a dream to see North East to be a place like Hong Kong, Singapore or Mumbai, where lots of trading activities takes place instead of bandhs.

Mr Baruah said that the budding entrepreneurs of Nagalanjd will have to be more pro-active to take benefit offered by various agencies of Government of India and the state Government to establish themselves and lead the whole region towards prosperity. (UNI)

Imphal: Normal life was today disrupted in Manipur due to a bandh called by major insurgent groups. Markets, business establishments and shops were closed all over the state in view of the bandh, official reports said. Transport services between Manipur and neighbouring states and within the state were cancelled in view of the bandh. Attendance in government offices was thin due to the absence of transport services. The bandh has been called by major insurgent organisations including United National Liberation Front, Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup, Revolutionary People’s Front and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, reports said. (UNI)

Silchar: The second edition of Jatinga Festival 2010 will be held from October 19 to 24 ‘with a humble effort towards spreading the message of communal harmony amongst the people of Dima Hasao district’.

Kulendra Daulagupu, secretary general of the reception committee of the Festival today said, Chandan Brahma, Assam Minister for Tourism will grace the occasion on the inaugural day on October 19.

The festival is being organised with a view to promoting eco-tourism as well as showcasing the art and craft, music and dance, culture and cuisine of the various ethnic groups of the Dima Hasao district, he said.

Bird watching, trekking to the Hempeupet Peak, trekking to the Behendao Baiglai waterfalls, prize money angling competition at Dihangi will be the highlights of this edition of the festival.

Prize money angling competition is one of the new attractive additions to this edition of the festival. The angling competition will be held on October 22 and 23 along the Diyung River at Dihangi and is inclusive of both bank and boat fishing.

Golden Masheer (Dimasa name Nayung), Chocolate Masheer (Nasur) are some of the fish species found abundantly in the stretch of the river. The prize for the biggest catch is Rs 30,000, Daolagupu added.

Hysteria Beat contest for young generation and music lovers, boat race competition along the Diyung River at Dihangi, ethnic cuisine for food enthusiasts, flower show on the boat house of the Haflong Lake, exhibition on art and craft apart from sight-seeing of the beautiful and exotic locations, are on the programme list of this edition of the Jatinga Festival.

For adventurous tourists, tent arrangements are being made at a vantage point of Jatinga from where one can enjoy the scenic beauty of the surroundings and watch birds during the nights.

Amid fresh tension in the once-troubled district the festival will help promote emotional integration and remove the spell of despair from the mind-space of the people, the organizers said.

Besides, the event would open up new vistas for tourism promotion, it added.

Jatinga , a village on a ridge, is most famous for the phenomenon of birds ‘committing suicide’. Although the birds do not commit suicide and are actually killed, the phenomenon of suicide has spread far and wide among common people.

The village is inhabited by Jaintia tribal people. (UNI)

Three children die of food poisoning

Dhubri (Assam):, Three children died while six others of a family were taken ill due to food poisoning after which an irate mob set ablaze an ambulance and other vehicles in lower Assam’s Dhubri district, officials said on Saturday.

After consuming hilsa fish for dinner last night, nine members of the family became ill and were rushed to the local public health centre (PHC) at Fakiraganj. Three children, identified as Kulsum Khatun (15), Taznur Rahman (4) and Bibi Begum (3), passed away while the rest were admitted to Goalpara Civil Hospital.

Two of the critically ill were referred to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital, officials said. Alleging the police and other concerned officials delayed in responding to the incident on time, an irate mob set ablaze an ambulance and six motor cycles parked in the compound of the police station on Saturday morning, sources said.

The same mob then went to the PHC and ransacked the property alleging that the doctors and other medical staff were not present there last night. Though the situation was brought under control, tension prevailed in the area, the sources added. (PTI)

NFC, NWA and UNO appeals to maintain peace

Itanagar: In a joint meeting of Nyishi Federal Council (NFC), Nyishi Welfare Association (NWA) and United Nyishi Organisation (UNO) have appealed all concerned Nyishi organisations to maintain peace and tranquility in the society and learn the lesson on the events that happened in last few weeks, especially an unfortunate October 11 incident at Indira Gandhi Park here, where a youth lost his life.

In a joint meeting on Saturday, the members further appeals all concerned Nyishi of rank and file to use their wisdom in the context to human approach and maintain a sense of brotherhood among all the communities specially Galos of the state and continue age old and bonds of love and affection and cultural integrity between the two by maintaining communal harmony in the interest of tribes and the state.

The meeting also observed two minutes silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul and prayed all mighty to grant enough strength to the bereaved family. (UNI)