Politics / Assam

GUWAHATI, January 16: The Government of India is ready to hold unconditional talks with the ULFA on any issue including the question of sovereignty. Disclosing this, the Joint Secretary (Northeast) of the Union Home Ministry, GK Pillai told The Assam Tribune here this evening that if talks with the ULFA materialised , the Government was confident of convincing the ULFA leaders that they had no case in their demand for sovereignty. The official, however, said although the ULFA had issued statements in the Press expressing its desire for talks, it was yet to send any feeler to the Government...

GUWAHATI, January 17: The Assam government will circulate a list of villages proposed for inclusion in the Mising, Rabha-Hajong and Tiwa Autonomous Council areas of the state to the concerned members of the Assembly on Republic Day to elicit their opinion on the demarcation of boundaries of the three councils. This was decided at a tripartite meeting here yesterday between the Centre, the state government and leaders of the autonomy movements belonging to the Mising and the Rabha communities. The meeting also decided that the concerned legislators would get a fortnight's time to put forth...

NEW DELHI, January 16: The Government of India today suggested setting up of a Boundary Commission with specific terms of reference to settle the boundary dispute of Assam with the neighbouring States of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Two suits filed by the Government of Assam against Arunachal and Nagaland for the demarcation of the boundary and encroachment of its areas were taken up today by a three-Judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice of India. In this case, the Supreme Court had earlier sought the assistance of the Attorney General of India to suggest the...

IMPHAL, January 16: The Opposition Manipur Democratic Front (MDF) today said its leadership issue was open and would be decided in a democratic manner. The MDF's move is seen as an attempt to woo Union minister of state for food processing Thounaojam Chaoba Singh, an arch rival of chief minister W. Nipamacha Singh in the ruling Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP). MDF convenor Nimaichand Luwang told newsmen that they would democratically elect a leader after the Nipamacha Singh-led United Front of Manipur (UFM) ministry was toppled. "Those MSCP leaders who want to join the MDF after splitting...

GUWAHATI, January 10: Disappointed by the State government's inaction in constituting an elected Autonomous Council, the All Tiwa Students Union (ATSU) has decided to launch a series of agitation from February next. Addressing a press conference here yesterday, the student body president Pranabjyoti Mosorong said that despite repeated demands the State government has failed to constitute a permanent Council. It has affected the developmental activities in the Tiwa dominated areas, he said. It may be recalled that the State government had constituted an interim council in 1998 following an...

GUWAHATI, January 11: The All India Minority Cell of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not bothered whether the controversial IMDT Act is scrapped or not, it's only concern is that no Indian citizen should be harassed in the name of deporting illegal migrants from the State. The BJP Minority Cell's senior vice-president, Abdul Karim today said, " We are not concerned whether the IMDT Act stays or go. The minorities living in Assam must not be harassed. We had bitter experience in this regard during both Congress and AGP regimes in the State." It will be pertinent to mention that the State BJP...

GUWAHATI, January 11: The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has favoured a 'regional morcha' by uniting all tribal groups to uphold the regionalism in the State. Addressing a press conference here today, the AJYCP president Apurba Kumar Bhattacharyya alleged that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has lost its all regional character and hence it has no right to remain in power. In this context, Bhattacharyya informed that AJYCP would take initiative to unite all small groups for the morcha in the greater interest of the State. 'There is no difference between AGP and BJP and considering...

NEW DELHI, January 10: The Election Commission today hinted at the possibility of simultaneous elections to the Assemblies in five States before the third week of May. The five States of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam would be completing their terms between May 21 and June 11. The present AGP-led coalition Government is completing its term in office on June 11. The CEC MS Gill said the Election Commission of India (EC) was focusing on the aspect of having a good law and order situation in all the five States. "While we expect State Governments to do its bid, we also...

NEW DELHI, January 8: The Central Government today sought assistance from the Supreme Court in building up a consensus involving all the parties for repeal of the controversial IMDT Act. The case involving the foreigners' issue, particularly scrapping of the IMDT Act is getting complex by the day, with three new petitioners today filing two separate intervention petitions and a writ petition. A division bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice, AS Anand deferred the case for hearing until six weeks later, before it would be taken up for final disposal. The United Minority Front...

GUWAHATI, January 3: With a year of large-scale massacre of the Hindi-speaking populace in the state just over, Assam has formally entered an election year with speculation that the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will eventually go in for an electoral alliance with the BJP. Elections to the state Assembly are due in April this year. The media has been rife with reports that the AGP and BJP would ultimately go in for a tie-up, though it remains a fact that both parties have been openly and repeatedly denying the possibility. But if BJP national president Bangaru Laxman is to be believed, it is...