Politics / Manipur

Imphal, Feb. 14: Launching a counterattack on the Opposition, Manipur Speaker T.N. Haokip today accused the Democratic Peoples Alliance of making ?irresponsible statements? to implicate him in the abduction and murder of taxation minister Francis Ngajokpa?s eight-year-old daughter Lungnila Elizabeth.

Breaking his silence since prime suspect James Kuki linked him last month to the murder, the Speaker said the allegations were politically motivated to damage his image.

The suspect had allegedly revealed before the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) that the Speaker, PWD minister Gaikhangam and tribal...

Imphal, Feb. 13: Thounaojam Chaoba Singh, president of the BJP?s Manipur unit, has appealed to a militant outfit to reconsider its decision to award him capital punishment and asked for forgiveness if it was offended by his actions. Last month, the banned Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) had asked the state BJP leaders to expel Chaoba Singh from the party, saying the outfit had passed capital punishment on him.

The deadline set by the outfit for Chaoba Singh?s expulsion is February 15. The outfit also threatened to target BJP leaders if Chaoba Singh was not expelled from the party before the...

Imphal, Feb. 13: Volunteers of the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (Desam) today burnt textbooks published by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur, for Classes I to V in protest against the ?flaws? in them. Desam has been demanding rectification of the ?mistakes and misleading lessons? in the textbooks written by local experts and published by the board for this year?s academic session.

When their demand for publication of fresh books was not fulfilled, they collected books from different sources and burnt them in front of Imphal College here this afternoon.

A student leader said...

IMPHAL, Feb 13 ? Differences have surfaced among partners of the opposition Democratic People?s Alliance in Manipur over fielding of common candidates in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, reports PTI. DPA sources said today that all the constituents of the DPA were prepared to field their own candidates in the coming elections in the state?s two constituencies ? Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur.

While Manipur People?s Party (MPP) would put up present legislator Nimaichand Luwang in Inner Manipur, Federal Party of Manipur (FPM) wanted its President Leisangthem Chandramani as its candidate in the...

Imphal, Feb. 12: Tribal students refused to accept the textbooks prescribed by the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM), saying the introduction was too late for this academic session.

The board introduced a fresh set of common textbooks for Class I to V under a new common syllabus for all schools, including missionary and private schools, from this academic session after strong pressure from several students organisations.

Earlier, private schools throughout the state used to prescribe their own textbooks, while the government schools had common textbooks. But the latest move has...

New Delhi, Feb. 8: Back from another peacemaking mission to Bangkok, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga said leaders of as many as three militant groups of the Northeast were expected to visit New Delhi within a month to begin negotiations with the Centre.

The militant leader-turned-politician met leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and a couple of other groups during his visit to the Thailand capital. He undertook the mission at the behest of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Zoramthanga said he held ?extensive? discussions with the NSCN (I-M) leadership on...

Imphal, Feb. 4: Faced with a no-confidence notice against Speaker T.N. Haokip from the Opposition, the Congress yesterday revoked the suspension of two party legislators. The Assembly session will begin on Friday.

Manipur PCC president and chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh issued the order re-inducting L. Radhakishore Singh and Wungnaoshang Keishing into the Congress. Ibobi Singh had dropped minister of state for excise and jail Wungnaoshang Keishing and minister of state for school education L. Radhakishore along with forest minister C. Doungel from his cabinet on November 5 for trying to...

Imphal, Feb. 3: Manipur?s Opposition combine, the Democratic People?s Alliance (DPA), today appealed to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) to substantiate its charges against the Speaker and two cabinet ministers in the sensational Elizabeth murder case.

The NSCN (I-M) had accused the leaders of having a hand in the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Lungnila Elizabeth, eight-year-old daughter of taxation minister Francis Ngajokpa.

Addressing a news conference, DPA spokesman Okram Joy Singh demanded that the NSCN (I-M) should prove the charges levelled against the Speaker...

IMPHAL, Jan 31 ? Manipur Government would provide maximum security with immediate effect to the state unit BJP President Th. Chaoba Singh following threat to his life by the militants, official sources said here Saturday, reports PTI. The decision to give maximum security to Singh, who has already been provided security under 'Z Category', was taken in a state Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister O.Ibobi Singh Friday.

Militants of separatist Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup (KYKL) had Friday termed Chaoba Singh 'an agent of Centre' and "an enemy of people" and threatened to kill him if he...

Imphal, Jan. 30: The office of the Manipur unit of the BJP was closed down today following a threat issued by an underground outfit to protest MP Chaoba Singh?s joining the party. The banned Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) asked the BJP to close down all party offices and stop party-related activities with immediate effect.

Several years ago, the outfit had announced death sentence for Chaoba Singh, charging him with involvement in drug trafficking, sucking blood of the people of Manipur during his more than 25 years of political career and indulging in activities that went against the interest...