New Delhi, Jan. 9: They apparently came unannounced to pay their respects to the Father of the Nation. When Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) leaders Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chisi Swu turned up at the Rajghat VIP gate, officials of the Rajghat Samadhi Committee had to rush to let them in. All the bustle early in the day at the memorial failed to alert them to the leaders’ impending visit.

NSCN(I-M) chairman Swu laid a wreath and said: “We have great respect for the Father of the Nation. May the Almighty bless his soul.”

Swu was speaking for many other Nagas for they...

Jan. 9: The Bodo heartland was rocked by violent protests by non-Bodos following a 12-hour Assam bandh called by the All-Adivasi Students’ Association, Assam, against the creation of the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The bandh supporters lobbed a Molotov cocktail on an oil tanker, which caught fire, at Srirampur in Kokrajhar district. The supporters also damaged 10 vehicles on the national highway between Dhemaji and Lakhimpur. Nearly 100 picketers were arrested in Sonitpur district. Incidents of stone pelting were also reported from some non-Bodo pockets in the proposed BTC...

Shillong, Jan. 9: The NCP today declared that chief minister F.A. Khonglam would contest the next Assembly elections on an NCP ticket but said the party would not project anyone as the chief ministerial candidate, reports our correspondent. Party leader B.B. Dutta told newsmen today that the matter regarding Khonglam’s candidature had been settled between the chief minister and the party.

“Khonglam will contest on an NCP ticket. All papers in this regard are ready,” he said. However, Khonglam has preferred to stay mum on the issue.

Shillong, Jan. 9: After the talks with the NSCN (I-M) leaders, the Centre is likely to start negotiations with the banned outfit from the Garo Hills — the A’chik National Volunteers’ Council — in the first week of February. Though a date is yet to be fixed, highly placed sources said both New Delhi and the ANVC have agreed to meet in New Delhi and “work out a settlement”. Sources in the Garo Hills said the ANVC has already held two meetings with the Centre’s representatives where it “agreed” to meet the Central leaders without any preconditions.

The ANVC has welcomed New Delhi’s acceptance of...

Guwahati, Jan. 9: The NSCN (I-M) today said it has not given up its demand for “self-determination” and its decision to hold “unconditional talks” in an “accommodative spirit” did not mean it has agreed to talks within the framework of the Constitution. “By an accommodative spirit, we mean that our efforts will be to find a solution that is honourable and acceptable to both sides,” NSCN (I-M) deputy kilonser V. Horam told The Telegraph over telephone from Dimapur.

He further stated it would be wrong to attach a “political connotation” to the fact that its leaders — Isak Chisi Swu and...