News Analysis India

Tag: Assam

  • Jignesh Mevani calls Gujarat government ‘useless’ on his return from Assam

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Dalit leader and MLA Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday arrived in Gujarat, nearly two weeks after being arrested by the Assam police, and hit out at the state’s BJP government calling it “nikamma” (useless) for doing nothing when a legislator from the state was “kidnapped” and taken away.

    Addressing a gathering soon after landing in Ahmedabad, Mevani also threatened to give a call for ‘Gujarat bandh’ on June 1 if cases against Dalits in Una tehsil (filed over protests post assault on some Dalits in July 2016) and other agitators in the state are not withdrawn and demands of grade pay for policemen and other protesting groups not met by the government.

    “I would like to tell the Gujarat government that you are so ‘nikamma’ (useless), that you could do nothing when the Assam police came to Gujarat to trample upon its pride. You should be ashamed of it.

    “The Assam police kidnapping an MLA from Gujarat and taking him to Assam is an insult to 6.5 crore people of Gujarat,” the independent MLA said at the gathering where state Congress president Jagdish Thakor, and senior party leaders like Arjun Modhwadia and Amit Chavda were also present.

    He made the people assembled for the programme take an oath to never vote for the BJP or attend an RSS shakha.

    Mevani also targeted the Assam government for not saying “sorry” over a lower court’s critical observation regarding an FIR filed against him in the north-eastern state.

    “Instead of feeling ashamed over the observation made by the court, questioning its conscience and reviewing its character, it (Assam government) came out with a stay order (from Gauhati High Court) so as not to publish that review order (of lower court). But it is not yet ready to say sorry,” he said.

    Among other things, the HC had said that the lower court’s observation about the case against Mevani appearing to be “manufactured to keep him in custody for longer” was beyond its jurisdiction in a bail matter.

    Mevani arrived in Ahmedabad in the evening to a resounding welcome by his supporters at the airport.

    The MLA from Vadgam in Banaskantha district thanked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other national and Congress leaders from Gujarat and Assam for their support during his arrest.

    Two weeks ago, Mevani was picked up by the Assam police from Palanpur in Gujarat over his purported tweet against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Soon after being released on bail in the tweet case a few days ago, he was rearrested for allegedly assaulting a policewoman who was part of the police party which accompanied him to Kokrajhar in Assam.

    The Gujarat MLA was granted bail in the second case also and on Saturday last he completed pending bail formalities at a court in Kokrajhar.

    He was granted permission by the court to leave the Assam town as one of his bail conditions was to stay within the limits of the court’s jurisdiction.

  • Court sends Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani to one-day judicial custody; will hear bail on Monday 

    By PTI

    KOKRAJHAR: A local court here on Sunday sent Gujarat Independent legislator Jignesh Mevani, arrested from the western state by Assam Police on Wednesday for a purported Tweet against the prime minister, to one-day judicial custody, a police official said.

    The hearing in his case, including his bail petition, will be taken up on Monday, he added.

    Additional superintendent of police of Kokrajhar Surjit Singh Panesar told reporters here that the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) decided to remand him to one day of judicial custody.

    Mevani’s three-day police custody had ended on Sunday, after which he was produced before the court late in the evening.

    Panesar also said Mevani will be produced again at the court on Monday morning and his hearing will continue, including on his bail petition.

    Mevani, seen with an Assamese gamocha (traditional towel) around his neck, was taken to the Kokrajhar jail from the residence of the CJM, where the hearing was held.

    Mevani, an Independent MLA supported by the Congress, was apprehended from Palanpur town in Gujarat on Wednesday night after a First Information Report (FIR) under various sections of the IPC and the IT Act was filed in Kokrajhar Police Station over his purported tweet against the prime minister.

    According to the FIR, he had purportedly posted a tweet, claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi “considered Godse as God”.

    Mevani was flown to Guwahati from Gujarat on Thursday morning and then taken to Kokrajhar by road, where he was produced at the chief judicial magistrate’s court, which remanded him to three days’ police custody.

  • Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma promises improved infrastructure ahead of Guwahati municipal polls

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday started his campaign for Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) elections, promising improved infrastructure for people. Sarma addressed several rallies in different parts of the city, including Narengi and Chandmari areas.

    After addressing a meeting, he tweeted: “Kicked off my campaign for candidates of @BJP4Assam-led alliance in #GMCElection by addressing a rally at Narangi. In next 4 years, we promise to set up Govt hospitals, provide drinking water to maximum households, and improve other infrastructure facilities in the GMC wards.”

    This evening, Ganeshpara looks so overwhelmingly delightful. At the #GMCElections rally, people turned up in large numbers, showering their abundant affection. Your faith in us keeps us going.Please vote for @BJP4Assam-led alliance candidates for continued development of Ghy. pic.twitter.com/elK5cVqSmY
    — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 17, 2022
    He also assured of adequate government funds for undertaking the developmental works. “There’ll be no dearth of funds for devp work in the wards. To decongest the city, Govt offices will be shifted to Betkuchi,” the chief minister wrote.

    Expressing satisfaction at the public turnout at his rally in Chandmari, Sarma wrote, “I am confident that all the candidates of @BJP4Assam-led alliance will sweep the polls to be held on April 22.”

    Election for all 60 wards of GMC is scheduled on April 22 and the counting of votes will be undertaken on April 24, the Assam State Election Commission had announced earlier. A total of 7,96,829 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 789 polling stations.

    The Commission has decided to use EVMs in the election.

  • Assam: Five members of Bihu team killed as vehicle turns turtle

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: At least five members of a Bihu team, including four teenagers, have been killed and five others injured as a vehicle carrying them turned turtle in Assam’s Biswanath district, police said on Sunday.

    The accident took place near Gohpur when the Bihu participants were returning home around midnight after their performance.

    The driver lost control over the vehicle and it overturned, an officer said.

    Five team members, including three girls, were killed in the accident, he said.

    The deceased have been identified as Sanjay Basumatary (17), Koliman Basumatary (21), Bornali Boro (15), Budhimoti Boro (14) and Radhika Daimary (15).

    “Five others were injured and they are undergoing treatment in different hospitals.

    Prima facie, over-speeding seems to be the cause of the accident, but that can be confirmed only after investigation,” he said.

    The driver of the vehicle, which was carrying around 20 people, has fled the spot and a manhunt has been launched to nab him, the officer said.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condoled the deaths.

    “I am saddened by the loss of lives due to a road accident in Biswanath district of Assam. Condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest: PM @narendramodi,” the prime minister tweeted.

    Sarma said in a Twitter post, “The victims were on their way home from a Bihu function. Five injured have been shifted to Gohpur Civil Hospital & Catholic Hospital at Borgang. Have asked the administration to monitor the situation and provide the injured all necessary help. I pray for their speedy recovery.”

  • Three get death sentence in Assam for rape and murder of two tribal girls

    By PTI

    KOKRAJHAR: Three persons were awarded death sentence on Friday by a fast-track court in Assam for the rape and murder of two tribal girls last year.

    The trio was convicted in the case on April 6.

    Special Judge C Chaturvedi of Korajhar fast-track court sentenced them to death.

    The accused were arrested on June 14 last year, days after the girls, both sisters, were found hanging from a tree in Kokrajhar.

    The incident had led to a huge outcry, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ordering a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

    Chaturvedi, in his judgment, said that he had come to the conclusion that this case falls ”under the rarest of rare cases so far as offences under Section 120 (B) IPC (whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence is punishable with death), 302 IPC (whereby whoever commits murder shall be punished with death and shall also be liable to fine) and Section 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) are concerned”.

    ”In the rarest of rare cases, they be hanged by neck till their death,” the court said.

    The judge further ruled that the accused would have to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh each.

    He observed that the ”default sentence for non-payment of fine is not being passed since the convict has been sentenced to death”.

    The fine amount, if not paid, will be recoverable under Section 421 CrPC (warrant for levy of fine) and the money would be given to the victim’s family.

    The judge also directed that the proceedings of the court be submitted to Gauhati High Court as mandated by the law.

  • NIA conducts searches in Assam, arrests CPI (Maoist) member

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: The NIA on Sunday conducted searches at 17 locations in Assam and arrested a member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) for allegedly spreading its network in the northeast region of the country.

    The searches were carried out in places in Cachar, Karimganj, Dibrugarh and Dhubri districts, according to an official spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

    Reema Orang of Cachar has been arrested from Dibrugarh, he said.

    The case relates to the arrest of Arun Kumar Bhattacharjee, a member of the CPI (Maoist) central committee, along with his associate Akash Orang, a member of the outlawed outfit’s Assam State Organising Committee, from the Patimara Tea Garden in March, the spokesperson said.

    These accused along with their associates were involved in spreading the network of the CPI (Maoist) in Assam and other parts of the northeast region of the country, he said.

    During searches, digital devices and incriminating documents of the CPI (Maoist) were seized, the NIA spokesperson said, adding that further investigation is being carried out.

  • Border row: Amit Shah to hold crucial meeting with Assam and Meghalaya CMs on Tuesday

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a crucial meeting with the Assam and Meghalaya Chief Ministers on Tuesday to finalise a draft resolution of the two states towards settling their boundary dispute in six of the 12 areas.

    Official sources said senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs would also attend the meeting in New Delhi.

    In August last year, the two states had mutually agreed to find a solution to the dispute in the six “less complicated” areas in the first phase based on historical facts, ethnicity, administrative convenience, willingness of the people and their overall sense of sentiments and contiguity of the land in disputes.

    The areas are Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillangkata and Ratacherra – falling under West Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi and East Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya and Cachar, Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup districts of Assam.

    In due course, the two states constituted three regional committees each. The members of the committees, each headed by a Cabinet minister, visited the disputed areas and held public meetings. After a fair understanding of the problem, they submitted their reports to the respective governments.

    The draft resolution was prepared based on their recommendations. The disputes in the six areas cover 36.79 sq km of land. According to the recommendations, 18.51 sq km will go to Assam and the remaining 18.28 sq km to Meghalaya.

    Now that the two states are on the verge of resolving the problem in six areas, there is concern on both sides.

    The Opposition parties besides various organisations in the two states are wary of a raw deal. They feel their state is compromising more than the other. Also, the locals of some villages staged a protest expressing reluctance to be part of the other state.

    Meghalaya was carved out of Assam in 1972. The boundary disputes evolved over a period of time. The numerous high-level meetings between the two states in the past had always ended with a resolution to maintain the status quo.

    On January 29 this year, the two states had signed a memorandum of understanding. It is expected to yield the principles for the next phase of discussions on the remaining six areas, considered complicated.

    Assam also has border disputes with Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

    Fact file

    There are 12 areas of disputes. The six taken up in the first phase cover an area of 36.79 sq km. According to recommendations, 18.51 sq km will go to Assam and 18.28 sq km to Meghalaya.

    Hahim (dispute is in 3.51 sq km. Recommendation is Assam will get 0.3 sq km, Meghalaya 3.21 sq km)

    Gizang (dispute is in 13.53 sq km. Recommendation is Assam will get 10.63 sq km, Meghalaya 2.9 sq km)

    Tarabari (dispute is in 4.69 sq km. Recommendation is entire 4.69 sq km will go to Meghalaya)

    Boklapara (dispute is in 1.57 sq km. Recommendation is Assam will get 1.01 sq km, Meghalaya 0.56 sq km)

    Khanapara-Pillingkata (dispute is in 2.29 sq km. Recommendation is Assam will get 1.79 sq km, Meghalaya 0.5 sq km)

    Ratacherra (dispute is in 11.2 sq km. Recommendation is Assam will get 4.78 sq km, Meghalaya 6.42 sq km)

  • MHA calls meeting to finalise Assam-Meghalaya border pact on March 29; CMs asked to be present

    By PTI

    SHILLONG: The Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA) has fixed March 29 to finalise the border agreement signed between Assam and Meghalaya in January to settle the dispute in six of the 12 areas of difference, an official said on Friday.

    Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with senior officials of the two North-eastern neighbours, were asked to be in the national capital for the meeting.

    “We have received a formal communication from the MHA about the meeting on finalising the border agreement on March 29 in New Delhi. The CMs and border committee officials of both states have been asked to be prepared for the tripartite meeting,” an official of the Meghalaya Chief Minister’s Office here told PTI.

    The meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on March 27 but it was postponed by two days.

    The chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam signed a memorandum of understanding at Guwahati on January 29 to resolve the boundary dispute in six locations – Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillangkata and Ratacherra, in the first phase. It was then sent to the MHA for examination.

    Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state in 1972 and it had challenged the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, leading to disputes related to 12 areas in different parts of the shared 884.9 km long border.

    The boundary between the two states has witnessed flare-ups several times. In one such incident in 2010, four persons were killed in police firing at Langpih, one of the 12 areas of difference.

  • Assam CID arrests education department officer on corruption charges

    By PTI

    NAGAON: An education department officer in Assam was arrested by CID on Friday on charges of corruption, police said.

    The state government employee in the block elementary education office of Batadrava was apprehended from his residence under the Dhing Police Station limits in Nagaon.

    “The person was arrested by sleuths of Criminal Investigation Department and taken to Guwahati,” a senior officer of the police station said.

    The education department officer was allegedly involved in corruption in his office, he added.

  • Man burnt alive for killing minor boy in Assam

    By PTI

    DIBRUGARH: A purportedly mentally ill person was burnt alive allegedly by tea garden workers in Assam’s Dibrugarh district after he killed a five-year-old boy on Saturday, police said.

    The incident happened at Dholajan Tea Estate.

    The boy was playing with others in the compound of Sunit Tanti who was, according to locals, mentally unstable.

    “Suddenly, Tanti got angry and killed the boy, Ujjal Mura, by slitting his throat,” Superintendent of Police Shwetank Mishra said.

    After learning the incident, local people caught hold of Tanti and burnt him alive, another police officer said.

    Mishra said that the police started investigations into the incident and the bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.

    “The situation is under control,” the SP said.

    No arrests have been made so far.