Politics / Assam

NEW DELHI, January 3: The Jamiat-ulema-Hind has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging both the Assam Government's as well as former All Assam Students Union (AASU), president Sarbananda Sonowal's petitions on the repeal of the controversial IMDT Act, the State Irrigation Minister, Abdul Muhib Mazumdar revealed this here today. The case is now coming up for hearing on January 8 and the Apex Court is likely to take up the Jamiat's petition as well, Mazumdar, who is also the executive member of the organisation added. The Muslim organisation through its petition has sought to have...

GUWAHATI, January 1: The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) deadline to the political leaders to resign from the managing committees of the educational institutions to keep the education system free from political interference passed off yesterday without evoking any response. The AASU president, Prabin Boro said that the AASU would be forced to launch a democratic movement for keeping the education system free from political interference. He said that the AASU would announce its agitational programme shortly and "we may even go for obstructing the meetings of the management committees of the...

GUWAHATI, August 14: The forum for protecting the identity of the people of Assam in its meeting held on August 6 last resolved to launch a vigorous and sustained mass movement against the notorious IMDT Act and to create national public opinion for early solution of the problems faced by the Assamese community, stated a press release. The executive committee of the forum styled as the Asom Astitwa Suraksha Manch in its meeting also called upon the people of Assam to boycott socially and politically all those individuals and political parties and organizations holding brief for the unjust IMDT...

GUWAHATI, August 11: Despite the fact that Hindi is becoming more and more popular among the people of the region, thanks largely to television and cinema, its progress as the primary language for carrying out official works in Central Government offices, public sector undertakings (PSUs) and nationalised banks is far from satisfactory. Targets set for such establishments in the region in promoting the official language of the country are left untouched in most of them. Lack of interest and enough effort on the part of the officials entrusted with the task of implementing the official language...

JORHAT, August 9: Development activities along the Assam-Nagaland border within Jorhat district have taken a backseat over the past few months as an amount of Rs 23 lakh sanctioned by the state government for welfare works in the area for the financial year March 2000-2001 is still awaiting release. A bone of contention between the two neighbouring states since the past few decades, frequent skirmisher along the border over allegations of land encroachment have been a constant pain in the neck especially for the Assam Government, which has all along claimed that land-hungry Naga folks have...

GUWAHATI, August 4: The National Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) has released a net amount of Rs 978.87 lakh to the Assam Plain Tribes Development Corporation Ltd till the end of June, 2000 providing an opportunity for the tribals to better their lives. About Rs 339 lakh has been made available to the Assam state Development Corporation for SCs Ltd till the end of May for similar development efforts for the Scheduled Castes. Sources in the NSFDC, an organisation under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, told The Assam Tribune here...

GUWAHATI, August 3: Expressing concern at the diversion of Tribal fund during the Eighth Five Year Plan, Centre has sent a letter to the state Government seeking a detailed report in this regard. Centre's move assumes significance as several Tribal bodies have been demanding a probe into the 'diversion or misuse' of funds in the state. The letter, which was sent on July 25 by the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry also asked the state Government to look into the matter immediately. During the Eighth Five Year Plan, Centre Government had released Rs 7,802.75 lakh, of which the state Government could...

DIBRUGARH, July 29: The district and sessions judge here, Dibakar Hazarika admitted that there is gross human rights violation in the Dibrugarh jail, and has accordingly taken steps to remedy the ills which have become rampant there. The Assam Tribune reported the anomalies in the jail here on July 12, following which efforts are on by the top judicial officer to find a solution to the malaise in the local jail. Towards this objective, Hazarika has summoned the jailor here, Nripen Bora, to explain the discrepancies in the jail, but he has been unable to reply to the allegations of torture and...

GUWAHATI, July 27: The ongoing crisis in the hill district committee of the CPI(ML) today took a serious turn as feeling betrayed by the party, at least 36 members resigned from the party. In a joint statement those who tendered their resignation from the primary membership of the party said that repeated appeals were made to the central committee of the CPI(ML) to interfere and resolve the ongoing crisis instead of taking all the party members into confidence and refusing to recognise their grievances against the autocratic style of functioning of the Karbi Anglong District Committee. The...

GUWAHATI, July 25: A handful of United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) militants with the help from NSCN(IM) rebels and ULFA have terrorised the non-Karbi populace in Karbi Anglong district especially in Hamren sub-division. The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Dilip Kumar Bora during a recent visit to violence-hit Kheroni area in Hamren sub-division told this correspondent that there were only 50 trained "boys" in the UPDS a combined force of Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People's Force (KPF). They have received training from the NSCN(IM) and procured arms from...