NEW DELHI, Dec 17 ? Suspected underground outfits holding the Vice Chancellor and Registrar of Manipur University captive have demanded Rs 1 crore as ransom. The Central Government today came in for attack in the Lok Sabha for the development in Manipur, with members urging the Centre to take steps to get the two Manipur University officials released.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour by Mohan Singh of Samajvadi Party (SP), he alleged that abductors have demanded ransom amount from the family of the Registrar of the University. Pleading with the Home Ministry to act soon, the SP MP...

SHILLONG, Dec 17 ? The North Eastern Council (NEC) sanctioned for release Rs 50.30 crore to the eight North Eastern States, including Sikkim, in November last for implementing various schemes.

It has further accorded administrative approval to schemes worth Rs 38.71 crore during the same period, according to NEC sources. Arunachal Pradesh has been given a grant of Rs. 11.07 crore as grant and a loan of Rs.1.23 crore to meet expenditures on NEC plan schemes during the third quarter of the 2004-05 financial year.

Sanctions for other NE states are : Assam-Rs.28.17 crores and Rs.3.13 crores...

GUWAHATI, Dec 17 ? GOC 21 Mountain Division, Major Gen Karan Yadava today said that the outlawed ULFA was hitting soft targets, like civilians in public places, as it has lost its capability to carry out bigger subversive operations. ?It is an act out of frustration to gain instant publicity,? the GOC said during an informal chat with the media here today.

Terming the recent orgy of violence indulged in by the ULFA as devoid of any logic, Yadava said that such acts of violence targeting civilians would only serve to alienate the beleaguered ultras further from the people. ?Public support or...

DIBRUGARH, Dec 17 ? AASU has cooked up a recipe in its attempt to take care of the ills of the State, ranging from illegal migration to corruption. If all goes well, the proposed ?Asomiya Sena? will get final shape on Sunday, at the end of the three-day national convention of the association, which began here today.

Before declaring the formation of the new outfit, AASU will be consulting a cross section of the citizens, other students? organisations of the State, and varsity level intellectuals. The grand event, which is being held at the Chowkidinghee grounds here, is boasting of a...

GUWAHATI, Dec 17 ? There are reasons to believe that the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is totally under the influence of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today. He also alleged that the ULFA was not sincere on the issue of talks with the Government.

Addressing a press conference here today, Gogoi called upon the ULFA to come out of the grip of foreign agencies and come to the negotiation table for peaceful solution of their problems. He admitted that the Government does not have conclusive evidence of the ULFA working under the...