Politics / Manipur

IMPHAL, February 26: The crisis that gripped the People's Front regime following the resignation of three Cabinet Ministers from the Council of Ministers have blown over after a compromise was worked out and the three Ministers agreed to withdraw their resignation letters. Health and Family Welfare Ministers Nimaichand Luwang, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry and Art and Culture Minister, M Manihar and Cooperation Minister Kh Amutombi had submitted their resignations to the Chief Minister citing dissatisfaction over the ministry expansion and to ensure the 'stability' of the PF Government on...

IMPHAL, February 26: In an unprecedented move, the Army has announced that it would observe a 15-day unilateral Yaosang Peace Period from March 1 onwards with respect to all underground groups operating in Manipur. In a repeat of the Bihu 'safe passage' experiment in Assam, the general officer commanding, 57th Mountain Division, Mj. Gen. Iqbal Singh announced at a press conference held at the Kangla fort that the Army and the Assam Rifles would cease all counterinsurgency operations against the underground groups of Manipur during the period from March 1 to 15. Asserting that neither the Army...

IMPHAL, February 25: Just a day after the portfolios of the 34 ministers of the People's Front government were announced, the ministry is already in trouble with three Cabinet ministers submitting their resignation letters to the Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam. Nimaichand Luwang, who was allotted health and family welfare, Kh Amutombi, minister, planning, tourism and cooperation and M Manihar Singh, minister, veterinary and animal husbandry and arts and culture, reportedly submitted their resignation letters yesterday itself. Nimaichand, speaking to IFP over the telephone, said the three of...

IMPHAL, February 25: The Gauhati High Court (Imphal Bench) has ordered the State authority to pay a sum of Rs 1 lakh each as ex gratia of two widows, whose husbands were shot dead by 8 Assam Rifles during counter-insurgency operations at Laishoim lake in Bishnupur district in March last year. Justice N Surjamani asked the Government to hand over the amount directly to the widows within one week, failing which legal action would be followed, a legal source said. The court passed the order on Thursday following the Government's failure to take up any steps on the ruling issued by the court on...

IMPHAL, February 24: Defence minister George Fernandes has endorsed Manipur Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam's view on declaring unilateral ceasefire with all insurgent groups of the state. Addressing a newsconference here this afternoon, Fernandes appealed to all insurgents outfits to come forward for a political dialogue. Koijam, during his recent trip to New Delhi, had urged both Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Union home minister L.K. Advani to declare unilateral truce with all insurgent groups in Manipur on the lines of J&K. "We fully endorse the Chief Minister's suggestion,"...

IMPHAL, February 24: Portfolios of all the 34 ministers in the People's Front government headed by the Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam, have been distributed as per a notice issued today by the Governor, Ved Marwah. Contrary to expectations that the prestigious home and finance portfolios would go to the BJP, the Chief Minister has kept them for himself, together with the department of personnel and administrative reforms, cabinet and all other departments not allocated specifically to any other minister. Nobody gets deputy Chief Ministership but the BJP stalwart, Col (retd) H Bhuban Singh...

IMPHAL, February 23: Not withstanding the repeated assurances by Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam that the Samata Party led People's Front ministry will be somewhere between a jumbo and small sized ministry, an inflated 33 member strong Council of Ministers was sworn in today at a glittering function at the Raj Bhawan. The effective strength of the ministry including the Chief Minister is now 34. Of the 33 sworn in today 24 are Cabinet Ministers while nine are MoS. The Cabinet Ministers are Haobam Bhuban (BJP), O Joy (MPP), M Hemanta (MSCP), Gangmumei Kamei (FPM), Kh Amutombi (SP), Nimaichand...

IMPHAL, February 23: Two prestigious girls' Catholic schools in Manipur have been forced to close down indefinitely by armed militants, official sources said today, reports PTI. The sources said militants forced the closure of Little Flower High School and Nirmalabas School in the heart of Imphal town following the 'failure to pay the money demanded by the militants." The sources said investigation was on to find out identities of the militants. Authorities in the schools told PTI that they received calls from unidentified persons yesterday and asked them to close down the schools. The school...

IMPHAL, February 22: The principal bench of the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday allowed a petition filed by Ex-Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha and 31 other MLAs of Manipur State Congress Party challenging the order of the Speaker which rejected the resolution moved by a notice on November 18 last year by these MLAs for the removal of the Speaker. According to a leal source available here, quashing the Speaker's said rejection order dated December 5, 2000 Justice AK Patnaik of the High Court directed the placing of the November 18 last year's notice moved by MLAs again before the Manipur...

IMPHAL, February 22: The Manipur Human Rights Commission has sought a detailed report from the DGP, Manipur police over the reported conduct of the IG (law and order), in connection with the rape of a minor girl by her uncle, a case pertaining to which is currently before the commission. According to commission sources, the IG is reported to have summoned the mother of the victim, T Pishakmacha, to his Office yesterday and told her to inform the commission that nothing had happened to her daughter so that the case could be closed. He is also said to have questioned the jurisdiction of the...