‘NPF should not make any comment against national parties’

From a Correspondent

DIMAPUR, April 1: Nagaland State BJP has advised the ruling NPF party not to make self-righteous comments against national parties whenever the regional party is criticized for mismanagement of the State’s political or financial affairs and otherwise.

Reacting to the NPF’s allegation that national party leaders simply come on flying visit and fly out without understanding any ground realities. The State BJP in a rejoinder issued by its general secretary, Yambos Murray, reminded that almost all NPF legislators and party workers including Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, were former Congressmen or other political party members.

The Naga general public is fully aware that the NPF MLAs are old wine in new bottles, the BJP said and added that NPF has no moral authority to point fingers at the national political parties. Stating that the BJP failed to understand the illogical and incoherent thinking pattern of NPF, Murray questioned whether the Government of Nagaland had a fiscal deficit of Rs 695.59 crores for 2012-13 and outstanding loan of Rs 4,304.16 crores plus Rs 342.37 crores till February 2012.

Murray said, even State Government servants were threatened of their own very existence, leave alone the common man on the streets, and pointed out that the current rate of rampant loan availing would put the State Government into great economic depression and complete bankruptcy.

BJP reminded that during the NDA rule, Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003 wiped-out the Rs 364 crores deficit enabling Nagaland to be a zero deficit State. Besides, an additional Rs 1000 crore plus was sanctioned by the BJP led Government for all round development, it said.

Ridiculing the regional party for giving statement befitting an entertainment show, the BJP State unit alleged that it was meant to confuse the Naga general public and divert people’s attention from NPF led government’s severe malpractices.

Further, it said that the NPF Lok Sabha member had shamelessly given a letter of support to the UPA government at the centre and both favoured a marriage of convenience to loot the State and the Nation.

The State BJP said it was better to ask the UPA government why the later imposed President’s Rule in Nagaland in 2007. Pointing out that during NDA rule, President’s rule was not imposed in a single State, the State BJP said the NPF’s days of black-stabbing and double-standard games played were numbered.

Ibobi to induct eight more ministers

From our Special Correspondent

IMPHAL, April 1: Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi who is facing pressures from all sides for the induction of old timers and first timers in the final expansion of the Ministry. He was sworn in on March 14 and the first expansion took place on March 16 with the induction of three Ministers. In the final expansion Ibobi will be inducting eight more ministers.

He simply does not know whom to be inducted and whom to be spurned. Almost all the CLP members except his sworn political enemies like former Minister, Yumkham Erabot and Govindas Konthoujam have not requested him personally since they know that it would be an excise in futility. Ibobi has to induct at least one woman CLP member, one from the Muslim minorities. Besides districts like Ukhrul which had not been represented for quite sometime cannot be ignored this time.

Ibobi gets a breather till April 6 when the governor Gurubachand Jagat will be returning from a long holiday. Indications are that he will have the list of the new ministers approved before the arrival of the governor. It remains to be seen whether the CLP members will accept the list of the new ministers said to be approved by the high command or will start an ouster campaign. In case of the change of the ministry the dissidents and disappointed CLP members have the best chance to get inducted.

Meanwhile, political circles say that it is pregnant with political significance that the Home portfolio was removed from Ibobi. In the insurgency afflicted State this portfolio is very important. Sources said that the Union Home Minister, P Chandambaram had a role to play in this portofolo allocation. Sources not in favour of Okam Ibobi told The Sentinel that Chidambaram is unhappy with the volte face relating to the proposed visit of the NSCN(IM) general secretary, T Muivah. It is said that Ibobi had verbally told Chidambaram that the Manipur Government did not have any objection to the proposed visit of Muivah to his home village provided he does not indulge in politicking ahead of the Autonomous District Council elections. It was said that some organisations loyal to the NSCN(IM) had objected to the proposed elections.

But once there were hostile reactions in some sections Ibobi convened an emergency meeting of the cabinet to take a decision to oppose the proposed visit.

This comes as a damper to Chidambaram who had assured the NSCN(IM) leaders that there would be no problem in the visit. In fact he had said in the parliament that he did not understand why the Manipur Government was against the proposed visit of a person engaged in peace efforts to his home village after a gap of 40 years.

The final expansion of the ministry will augur the longevity of the Ministry. If leaders of the pressure groups are not accommodated Ibobi cannot last long. What is worrying him is that he cannot delay the expansion. Meanwhile, there are political speculations all around.

Techno-Management Festival SHRISTI-2012 inaugurated

NIRJULI, April 1: The annual Techno-Management Festival SHRISTI-2012 of North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University, Prof David Reid Syiemlieh on recently.

 Students from various States like Assam, Arunachal, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim displayed their traditional costumes and culture through various dance forms which made NERIST as incredible Mini India.

In the inaugural address Prof Syiemlieh applauded the rich cultural talent of the students, the budding technocrats, engineers and managers. He emphasised that NERIST may earn accolades with their talented students and makes a valued society. The NERIST has been actively cultivating the young minds as future good citizens of the country. The NERIST students have such talent that they will acquire their right place in the global economy.

Prof Dipankar Pal, Director NERIST, lauded the students for their talented performance in the cultural show and the organizing committee for their skilful efforts for execution of the SHRISTI-2012. SHRISTI-2012 showcased more than 56 amazing and challenging events through various clubs including Bits N Bytes, D Zine, Creativo, Parikrama, Illuminati, Colosseum, Videography, B Zone, Phoenix, Mind bend, Ideez, Game Zone, etc. apart from two workshops which were attended by eminent professionals from Wikipedia (India Chapter) and Technomatrix. More than 600 young talented engineers, technocrats and manager participated in the three days extravaganza from March 30. This was stated in a press release.

RIMS appeals not to hinder developmental works

From our Special Correspondent
IMPHAL, April 1: The authority of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, a Government of India undertaking has appealed to one and all not to obstruct the developmental works undertaken by the institute. The construction works were interrupted following the planting of a bomb in the Psychiatric Department some days ago. A terse letter left with the bomb did not state what the demands are. It may be recalled that the institute has been carrying on construction works of the Out patient Department, hostels and other buildings on the campus. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has assured the institute that fund will not be lacking in the construction works to upgrade the institute to a national level one. At the moment several post graduate students has been putting up in the special wards since there is no hostel for them. This is because of the fact that the number of post graduate students has increased from 75 to 150. Several students from other parts of the country comes here to study. It is understood that the authority is not in receipt of any fresh demand from any outfit. As such it is not known what demands the extremists are making of the institute. The high officials said that the buildings are over 40-years-old and as such these should have been demolished long time back. Besides the offices, class rooms, laboratories and others had been constructed to accommodate just 50 students from the other Eastern States. Now the strength of the under graduate students had been increased to 100 and the post graduate to 150. As a result there is an urgent need to construct new buildings in the hospital, hostel, classrooms and laboratories. Though the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been releasing enough fund to undertake the new constructions there have been obstructions every now and then.

Married women raped

From our Special Correspondent
IMPHAL, April 1: An elderly man raped his own daughter-in-law taking advantage of the absence of his son, who is working in Guwahati. The accused has been arrested and his house was damaged by the irate residents. Reports said that Mongjam Phunidro (55) had stealthily entered the bed room of his 25 years old daughter-in-law at around 3 am on March 28. He threatened her and then allegedly raped her. It is reported that the husband of the victim, Mongjam Romen, left home on the previous morning without saying anything to her. It is learnt that he is working as a security guard in a hotel in Guwahati. The victim narrated the incident to Potsangbam Premila, the married daughter of the rapist. She came swiftly to the house and took away her sister-in-law to her house. During the period, Premila allegedly asked her sister-in-law to hush up the matter since the reputation of the family would be tarnished. However, victim did not agree. She went to his parental home and disclosed the incident.It was because of this fact, people came to know about this incident much later. On hearing the news, the irate people gathered together and came to the house of the alleged rapist. They damaged the tin roofed house and destroyed several household items. Police rushed there to restrain the angry people. later police arrested the father-in-law. He is reported to have confessed to the crime. The people also organized a public meeting to condemn the beastly behaviour of the father-in-law. They are now demanding deterrant punishment to the criminal.

Palm Sunday celebrated in Mizoram

Aizawl, April 1: Tumkau Ni or Palm Sunday, the day to commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem a week before his Passion, was celebrated all over Christian-dominated Mizoram on Sunday. Early in the morning children, led by Sunday School teachers, took to the streets in every village and locality carrying palm leaves, singing hymns and chanting Bible verses. Though normal sunday church services were held, the priests and preachers concentrated on the subject of Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is celebrated every year on the last Sunday before Good Friday, the crucifixon of Christ. (PTI)

There is a magician in everybody’s heart: P C Sorcar Junior

Kolkata, April 1: Famed magician, Prodip Chandra Sorcar, more popularly known as PC Sorcar Junior is set to start a school for teaching the art in Agartala. Having pedalled his bag of tricks across the globe, the 65-year-old said magic can be effectively used to spread social awareness as ‘there is a magician in everybody’s heart’.

Rated as a leading magician of Asia, Sorcar said there is more to magic than meets the eye for, it can be channelled to spread social awareness. It gives people hope of a better tomorrow.

A firm believer in passing his trade secrets to students of the art, Sorcar has already purchased 10 acres of land for setting up the PC Sorcar Foundation for Total Education near Agartala, west Tripura. “Everything including magic will be taught there. Secrets are cheap things as long as they are secrets, but the moment they are passed on they become science,” Sorcar Junior, the second son of late magic legend PC Sorcar, said in an exclusive interview.

The master magician has not the least doubt that the genre would survive the challenges posed by new modes of entertainment like television reality shows. Passionately he goes on, The art of magic is flourishing; it is just changing its form. A firm votary about the use of technology in magic, Sorcar Junior, however, said, “Main thing is presentation. No matter in which manner the food is cooked, it is the way in which it is presented is what captures the interest.” And there’s certainly a significant amount of science applied to magic, specially the science of psychology.

Sorcar Junior, who holds an M Sc in Applied Psychology from Calcutta University, elucidates with a classic twirling of his fingers, “When we use the word Manoranjan, mann and ranjan, if we do not understand mann then how can we ranjan (entertain) it. While entertaining an audience if we fail to tickle them, then it is just touching the surface. One has to get lost in ecstasy.” Despite all his accomplishments, including making the Taj Mahal and a locomotive disappear, he admits, “There are many dream acts yet to be brought to life. There’s more to come from the master who once cycled blindfolded through the London traffic.” But he humbly confesses, “The technical things which I had used for near perfection of blindfolded cycling is nothing in comparison to what PC Sorcar Senior had achieved while cycling though Paris, he made the world take notice of Indian illusionists. I stand up and salute him.” (IANS)

Odisha festival in Tripura to commemorate Utkal Divas

Agartala, April 1: Colourful traditional dances, singing of songs, screening of award-winning films, offerings of Odisha cuisine and an exhibition of customary handlooms and handicrafts marked the Odisha festival in Tripura on Sunday, commemorating the 77th Utkal Divas. Utkal Divas is celebrated April 1 every year to observe the formation of Odisha State from the combined Bengal-Bihar-Orissa province. It was on this day in 1936 that Odisha was separated from the combined State to become a separate State with Odia-speaking people.

Sponsored by the Odisha and Tripura governments, Odia Samaj Tripura organized the 10-day long Odisha Festival 2012, the first in the Northeastern region. Tripura Chief Minister, Manik Sarkar on Sunday inaugurated the festival, which Assam Governor (and former Odisha chief minister) Janaki Ballabh Patnaik and his Tripura counterpart DY Patil are expected to attend.

“The festival has been organised for the first time in the northeastern region to disseminate the rich and traditional art, culture, literature, handlooms and handicrafts of Odisha to the other parts of the country,” Odia Samaj Tripura vice-president Sarat Kumar Das told reporters.

He said that in the festival, internationally acclaimed Tripura tribal dance Hojagiri and other traditional dances of the state would be performed.

“Six award winning Oriya films would be screened during the festival. Exhibitions highlighting the progress of education in Odisha and voluntary blood donation camps are also part of the mega event,” Das added. He said, “To disseminate Odisha’s Jagannath cult in Tripura, Chaitanya Goudiya Math and ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) would organised various programme during the festival.” (IANS)