Curfew in Udalguri, Darrang; shoot at sight orders issued
Udalguri DC transferred, SP suspended
NE TV Correspondent, Udalguri
4 Oct

For the third consecutive day today Udalguri woke up to fresh groups clashes and simmering tension. The death toll has gone up to 16 with the recovery of more bodies that lay strewn across different areas of Udalguri and adjoining areas. Meanwhile, curfew was clamped and shoot at sight orders were issued by the district administration. In the wake of the violence, the district commissioner has been transferred and the SP of the district suspended. The district administration of Udalguri and Darrang has set up 15 relief camps for the victims of the clashes.
Shoot at sight orders were issued on Saturday in Assam's curfew bound district of Udalguri, where as many as 16 people were killed and more than 50 injured in clashes between two communities even as a cluster of villages were set ablaze. Violence which broke out on Thursday spilled across the Udalguri district and adjoining areas even on Friday taking the number of deceased and injured even higher. The situation was very tense on Friday, as police and the district administration fought a loosing battle to bring situation under control. Several hundred houses were set ablaze in about six villages. Thousands of villagers have fled their homes and are now sheltering in makeshift relief camps set up the police. Army had staged a flag march on National Highway 52 in the district to thwart further violence. The UDalguri DC George Basumatary and Darrang DC Dhruba Hazarika spoke to NETV over telephone on the incident.
More bodies were recovered on Saturday and death toll is expected to cross 16 as many injured have been rushed to the hospital in very serious condition. Three bodies were recovered from one Nepali village near Mongoldoi while in one person who was brought to GMCM from Udalguri succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Fleeing their homes in panic, thousands of Bodos have taken shelter in relief camps set up by the administration in 15 places. The State cabinet also met in Guwahati to review the situation in Udalguri and Darrang districts. Meanwhile, the senior govt. officials and ministers have rushed to the trouble districts to assess the situation. Minister Rihan Daimary who is camping in Udalguri also took stock of the situation.
The violence then spread to Darrang district, where over 30 houses were burnt down and several injured at Besimari and Balabari villages, under Dalgaon police station prompting the police to fire in the air to disperse a marauding mob and the district administration to impose indefinite curfew.

Tension escalates in Udalguri; more bodies found; death toll mounts to 16
NE TV Correspondent, Udalguri
4 Oct

The death toll in the Udalguri ethnic frenzy has gone up to 16 on Saturday with the recovery of 5 more bodies. Three of these bodies have been recovered at Nepali Bazar in the district while two others were found at Bhakatpara. On the other hand, one of the seriously injured died at the hospital on Saturday. Four of the seven bodies rushed to the Tezpur Kakaklata Civil Hospital for post mortem have been identified. They are Krishna Sil, Sukur Ali, Kandura Deka and Ziaul Haque.

Parties, organisations appeal for peace
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
4 Oct

The Bodo Sahitya Sabha has blamed it all on the government for the simmering situation in some places of Darrang and Udalguri districts saying the authorities have not done enough to deal with the situation.
The government has been blamed for not checking the violence on time. The authorities have failed to deal with the situation before it went out of control. Bodo Sahitya Sabha General Secretary Kamala kanta Mushahary has alleged that the government has not done enough to bring the situation under control.
Not accusing any particular group for the violence, the BSS has said that some group of miscreants were trying to foment seeds of disharmony in the district.
THE BSS has demanded the government to take steps for ensuring safety and security for the people.
According to the Bodo Sahitya Sabha general secretary, people irrespective of castes, creeds and religion should come forward to restore peace and normalcy in these places.
The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad has alleged that the Assam government has failed to deal with the simmering situation firmly in Udlguri and Darrang distircts.
For Asom Gana Parishad president Chandra Mohan Patowary, it's a matter of grave concern that violence is taking place in some areas in both Darrang and Udalguri districts. He condemned these strings of violence and has appealed to the people to remain calm.
According to the regional party president Patowary, from Beltola to Rowta…the government has only proved its failures.
On the other hand, according to AUDF, the Udalguri violence has once again exposed the failure on the part of the government. In a press statement, the party alleged that the situation has been uneasy for the last two months. But in the absence of firm steps from the administration, the area is burning again.
The BJP has strongly reacted to the Udalguri communal clash accusing 16 different fundamentalist groups of fomenting the violence that has claimed several lives. Talking to NETV, BJP state president Ramen Deka lambasted the Government failure to protect the lives of the common people. The BJP has been vocal on the illegal immigration issue plaguing Assam and has termed the Udalguri incident as unfortunate.
The Asom Gana Parishad-Pragatisheel has appealed both the communities to maintain restraint in order to bring back normalcy to the area. It also urged the state government to take adequate security measures to ensure that no fresh case of violence occurs.
Expressing concern over the present situation in Udalguri and Darrang districts, the AASU too has made a similar appeal to the people of the area to maintain peace. The students' body also decided to send a team to the riot-hit areas on Sunday to assess the situation.

Rajnath alleges Huji hand behind Tripura blast, demands stringent anti-terror law
NE TV Correspondent, Agartala
4 Oct

BJP President Rajnath Singh on Saturday held Bangladesh-based HuJI responsible for Wednesday's serial blasts in Agartala. He also reiterated the BJP's demand for a stringent anti-terror law.
BJP national president Rajnath Singh on Saturday arrived in Agartala to take stock of the situation after the serial blasts that ripped through the city on Wednesday. Talking to mediapersons, Singh said that the Bangladesh-based HuJI is behind the blasts. He also said that Bangladesh has become the breeding ground of young recruits of various terror groups. Expressing serious concern over the recent blasts, Singh urged the Centre to register its security concern with the Bangladesh government for harbouring terrorists and anti-Indian activists. He also expressed concerns over the fact that the nefarious designs of the Jehadi terrorism have spread to the Northeast too.
He also came down heavily on the UPA government at the Centre for going soft on terrorism and demanded that a stringent anti-terror law like the POTA should be introduced in the country to tackle the menace of terrorism.
The senior BJP leader lambasted the Congress and the Left parties for abetting infiltration from Bangladeshi for vote bank politics,
Singh also visited the blast victims at the GB hospital on Saturday

Rice in Delhi, confirms delay in inking nuke deal
NE TV Correspondent, New Delhi
4 Oct

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi Saturday on a day-long visit but the 123 Agreement will not be signed during her stay. Rice will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during her visit. The two sides had initially earmarked 2 pm as the tentative time for signing of the 123 Agreement, but procedural issues like delay in US President George W Bush signing the legislation passed by the Congress into law, forced the signing of the deal to be called off.
There seems to be a last-minute hiccup in the signing of the Indo-US nuclear deal even as US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice has arrived in New Delhi. It seems as if the Americans side is in for a dissapointment because India has made it clear that there will be no signing of the deal till US President George W Bush signs the nuclear co-operation Bill into law. Meanwhile, it is as yet unclear when President Bush plans to sign the Bill - approved by Congress this week - into law. According to White House sources, Bush plans a grand public signing ceremony with the Indian-American community, the business community and other vocal backers of the deal present. The key hurdle for now relates to fuel supply guarantees, which were diluted in the Bill cleared by Congress. India is therefore expecting a formal statement from Bush clarifying the American administration's position on that. The 123 Agreement is also not ready yet and may not be signed by the two sides on Saturday. In fact, Rice had hinted at this possibility in remarks made en-route to India. Rice however, claims that her trip is not in vain as she will use the time talking about the next steps in the Indo-US relationship as opposed to the last step - the sealing of the deal. Rice had earlier indicated that while the US would honour its commitments to India regarding their civil nuclear deal, the contentious Hyde Act would come into play if India tests again. Now it may be upto Bush, for whom the deal constitutes a rare foreign policy success, to put all those concerns at rest when he finally puts his signature to Bill into law. Rice will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and BJP leader L K Advani during her stay. The top US official later also addressed a joint press conference with external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee.

123 STEPS
Amid the suspense whether US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would sign or not sign the India-US civil nuclear deal during her visit to New Delhi Saturday, the US has outlined four steps before they can start nuclear trade.
According to top State Department officials, before civil nuclear trade can commence with India, some procedural actions must occur. These are………….
1. The United States and India must sign the US-India Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (123 Agreement). This text has been finalised and initialled since July 2007.
2. President George W Bush must sign into law the legislation recently passed by Congress approving the 123 Agreement.
3. After it becomes law, the President will make two certifications required under the law:
4. Following the certifications, India and the United States will exchange diplomatic notes pursuant to Article 16(1) of the 123 Agreement, thereby bringing the agreement into force.

Protests in Singur over Tata pullout
NE TV Correspondent, Calcutta
4 Oct

The decision of the Tatas to pull out of West Bengal for its Rs one-lakh car Nano project has created sharp reaction among the people and the industry bodies. The pro-Nano farmers of Singur even called a bandh on Saturday protesting the Tata decision. Meanwhile, the FICCI chief mentor Tarun Das has cautioned the industry groups not to invest even a single penny till the last dispute is settled.
The Tata Motors on Friday announced it was pulling out its Nano small car project from West Bengal's Singur and blamed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress for the painful decision. Briefing newspersons after a 90-minute meeting with state Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the state secretariat, Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata said that the decision was taken after taking into account issues such as well-being of its employees at the project and safety of contractors as well as that of its vendors. Coming down heavily on Banerjee, Tata wondered about the source of funds for the prolonged agitation. The auto major's decision comes 32 days after it decided to suspend operations in the Singur factory fearing for security of its employees> The Trinamool Congress is demanding the return of 400 acres out of the total area 997.11 acres taken for the project to the farmers.
Meanwhile, farmers who had given their land for the Nano project blocked the Durgapur Expressway on Friday night. The blockade was removed on Saturday afternoon. Now supporters of the project have vowed to take on those opposed to the high-profile plant which they say would transform the poverty-hit region. The protesters say that a majority of people of Singur want the Tata project to happen. The Tatas' decision to pullout has shocked the residents of the area who have blamed the Trinamool and its allies for destroying the future of Singur as well as that West Bengal.
The decision of the Tata group may affect the broader investment climate in the country, deterring foreign investors and denting economic growth. Analysts said though the immediate impact would be limited to the state of West Bengal as the Tatas move to a more industry-friendly state, it would have wider repercussions as more states may adopt a harder anti-industry tone for political gains. The FICCI chief mentor Tarun Das said that every industry group should learnt a lesson after the Singur incident. He also said that unlike the Tatas, who made a huge investment in building the Nano small car plant at Singur, no group should invest a single penny unless the last dispute with the land owners is settled.
Meanwhile, undaunted by the Tata group's decision to pull Nano project out of West Bengal, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee dubbed the move as a "joint plan of CPI(M) and Tata". Mamata said that she never wanted Tata to go out of West Bengal and alleged that the government was never transparent on this issue.

SINGUR CHRONOLOGY………Here's a short chronology of the Singur developments.
May 18, 2006: Tatas select West Bengal for the Rs 1-lakh small car plant.

Sep 25, 2006: Mamata Banerjee decides to dharna at Singur to protest land acquisition drive.

Dec 2, 2006: Violence mars Singur, five get hurt in rubber-bullet firing.

Dec 4, 2006: Attack on Tata Motors showroom in Kolkata.

Jan 14, 2007: Land puja offered at car project site.

Feb 5, 2007: Police-mob clash at Singur.

Mar 9, 2007: State government signs a 90-year agreement with Tata Motors for 'Nano' plant.

Mar 16, 2007: Mob attacks Tata Motors' factory fencing at Singur.

Mar 18, 2007: Explosion Tata Motors' factory damages fencing.

Mar 25, 2007: Five guards at project site injured during clash with protesters.

May 24, 2007: Peace talks between state govt and Trinamool fail.

Nov 12, 2007: Central forces deployed at Singur after fresh protests.

Jan 18, 2008: Calcutta High Court orders Singur land acquisition legal.

May 13, 2008: Supreme Court refuses to block Nano roll-out from Singur.

Jun 27: Singur protesters break factory gate.

Aug 19, 2008: Mamata says 400 acres must be returned to farmers.

Aug 20, 2008: Talks between state govt and Trinamool Congress fail.

Aug 22, 2008: Ratan Tata threatens to move Nano project

Aug 24, 2008: Trinamool begins indefinite dharna at Singur demanding return of land.

Aug 31, 2008: Trinamool delegation meets Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi over Singur suggesting a mediator to resolve the deadlock.

Sep 3, 2008: Tatas suspend work at Singur plant due to assault and intimidation by agitators.

Sep 7, 2008: Raj Bhavan agreement signed in presence of Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee and Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi to remove Singue impasse.

Sep 13, 2008: State government announces rehabilitation package for the Singur farmers.

Sep 24, 2008: Attack on security guards at Singur factory.

Oct 3, 2008: Ratan Tata formally announces pull-out from Singur its small car 'Nano' plant, which would have been world's cheapest.

3 ULFA men killed in Tihu
NE TV Correspondent, Nalbari
4 Oct

Three ULFA rebels were killed in an encounter with army in Nalbari district of lower Assam on Friday night. According to information, the incident took place at Khetrapara area under Tihu police station at around 9 PM.
It's another disquiting signal. Three ULFA rebels were killed during an encounter at Khetrapara under Tihu poice station in Nalbari distirct on Friday night. According to information, acting on some specific information, the gunfiring took place when army's Kumaon regiment was launching an operation in the area acting on some specific inputs. All the three ULFA cadres were killed on the spot. Later army recovered a carbon, six rounds of bullets, one 9 mm pistol with five rounds of bullets, a grenade, six pieces of detonators with some gunpowders. But the local residents in the areas have called it a cold blooded murder. According to these local residents, for the last fifteen years, not even a single ULFA rebel as ever sheltered in this village and that apprehedned that these three ULFA rebels were brought by the army only for killing in the name of encounter.
On the other hand, the army jawans brought the local residents to the encounter spot and forced them to carry the bodies.

RDX found in Dimapur-bound bus
NE TV Correspondent, Golaghat
4 Oct

A huge quantity of explosive materials was found from a Dimapur bound bus in Nambor National Sanctuary in Golaghat district on Friday. According to information, these explosive materials were recovered when the 16th Battalion of the Border Security Force halted the bus bearing No ML 10-2879 from Shillong for a routine checking at 4-30 on Friday morning. These explosive materials….225 gelatin sticks, 450 metre cordex safety wire were kept in two brief cases, two cartoons and five bags. A Mizo women named Mem Thoumi and a youth Noon Pumia Cuma have been arrested in this connection. Both were to hand these materials over to an arms smuggler based in Dimapur. Investigation is on.

Economic rescue swiftly signed into law
NE TV Bureau
4 Oct

US President George W. Bush on Friday signed an economic rescue bill just hours after the US House of Representatives reversed course and approved the historic 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bailout. The House, which sparked market and political turmoil by rejecting an earlier version of the bailout on Monday by 228 votes to 205, voted 263 to 171 to pass the largest US government economic intervention since the 1930s.
US President George W Bush signed a historic 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bailout but markets slumped as investors realized the Bill would not be an instant fix for the broad financial crisis. The House of Representatives voted 263 to 171 to pass the largest US government economic intervention since the 1930s, after sparking market and political turmoil by rejecting an earlier version of the bailout on Monday. Following two weeks of high political drama, Democratic leaders credited White House nominee Barack Obama for helping to win over votes of wavering Democrats to end a political crisis which became a major test of leadership between he and Republican John McCain. Lawmakers said that the combination of tumbling stocks, which pulled down market-linked pension plans, and a credit freeze which had bitten deep into the day-to-day economy , had changed the political calculation since Monday. However, McCain called the bailout package a necessary "outrage" and vowed to clean up Wall Street if elected. House speaker Nancy Pelosi immediately signed the bailout package, which allows the US Treasury to buy up billions of dollars in bad mortgage debts choking the US economy, and sent it to Bush for his signature. And she paid tribute to Obama, who will take responsibility for the reeling economy if he manages to defeat McCain in the election on November 4. The Senate passed a revised version of the bailout package 74-25 on Wednesday, including sweeteners on extending bank deposit insurance and expired tax breaks in order to get more House Republicans behind the legislation. The debate resumed amid more shocking news for the world's largest economy which shed some 159,000 jobs in September, as the weight of the housing collapse and credit crunch hit a broad swath of industries. The unemployment rate held at 6.1 percent, a five-year high, with payrolls having fallen by 760,000 this year. Global stocks sank heavily early Friday with losses in Asia, as some lawmakers continued to make known their opposition to using vast amounts of taxpayer money to bail out Wall Street firms. The amended version of the plan is laced with 150 billion dollars in tax breaks to coax reluctant lawmakers from both the Democratic and the Republican parties to get on board. The bailout gives the US Treasury power to buy up toxic mortgage debt which has been choking the financial industry and would create a 700-billion dollar federal program to buy bad assets from banks and other financial firms. The Senate raised the ceiling on federal insurance for bank deposits from 100,000 dollars to 250,000 dollars, and added up to 150 billion dollars in tax break extensions for middle class families and business. They also retained limits on "golden parachute" severance payments to disgraced Wall Street executives.

Patil asks for Governor's report on Orissa situation
NE TV Correspondent, New Delhi
4 Oct

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has asked the Governor of Orissa Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare to send a report on whether the state needs to put under President's rule. Patil spoke to Governor Bhandare on Saturday afternoon and discussed the situation in the state. The Union Home Minister had on Friday sent a strongly-worded letter to Orissa Chief Minster Naveen Patnaik asking him to do more to control the violence that has been going on for the last month in some of the districts of the state. The Union Cabinet, too, had slammed the state government for its inability to control the violence. More than 30 people have died in the last two months of anti-Christian riots, mostly in Kandhamal district of the state. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also reacted very strongly on the worsening law and order situation, calling for a special Cabinet meeting on the situation. Manmohan also said he was embarrassed by the violence in the state during his tour to France last week.

Kakopathar victims' family members blame ULFA
NE TV Correspondent, Tinsukia
4 Oct

The controversy over the skeletons recovered from the mass graves in Kakopathar refuses to die down as the victims' family members allege it to be a handiwork of ULFA.
The United Libertion Front of Asom is embroiled in yet another allegation of engineering mass killing. The graves recently uncovered at the Dirak Pawoi area under Kakopathar in upper Assam's Tinsukia district seem to substantiate the ghastly acts. The family members of Birbal Dohotia, whose skeleton was exhumed from the mass grave, accused ULFA for his death.
Birbal's father also told NETV that two days after they killed Birbal, two unidentified ULFA youths identified themselves as ULFA cadres and told him that they beat up Birbal and Mridul Gohain before allowing them to go with Rs 500 each for leaving the mobile handsets. But neither Birbal nor Mridul came back.
Birbal's father alleged that if there was something wrong with his son, the ULFA could have warned them and informed them of any mistakes.
He said these killings will not help restore peace and normalcy in Assam. Deploring the killings in strong words, Birbal's father alleged that the ULFA was killing youth like Birbal, Mridul in cold blood in the name of a struggle.
On Friday, leaders of AASU and AJYCP visited Birbal's family and conveyed their deep shock.
Meanwhile, Mridul Borpatra Gohain's family members also accused the ULFA in son's killing. They further demanded a CBI probe.

Manipur bus strike affects normal life
NE TV Correspondent, Imphal
4 Oct

The indefinite strike of the All Manipur Bus Owners' Association has severely affected transportation in Manipur. The Indefinite Chaka Bandh by all commercial buses plying in Manipur was launched on the evening of October 4 demanding 30% increase in passenger fare, freight & hiring charge of motor vehicle. The present existing fare charge is 0.44 paisa per Kilometer for valley and 0.48 paisa for Hills and has reportedly not been reviewed for the last three years.
The All Manipur Bus Owners' Association has resorted to indefinite total chakka bandh as the government failed to come up with any positive response to their demand of 30% increase in passenger fare, freight & hiring charge from the existing charge which has not been reviewed for the last three years. According to the secretary of the Association, the transporters had been asked to wait for a Cabinet approval by the state transport department but no such action has been taken up so far.
The sudden suspension of bus service has affected life in the state. The bus transport system is the only medium for the passengers coming from far flung areas of different districts to Imphal and the sudden suspension of buses has caused great inconvenience to them. Business activities in and around Imphal has also been seriously hit.
The indefinite bandh launched by the Bus Owners' Association has severely hit the transport system in Manipur as people who rely on bus services for their daily business are left with no choice but to shell out higher fare on other alternative mode of transport. Many people were seen using other commercial vehicles including Tata DI, Auto rickshaw etc by paying more than usual. Daily bread earners who rely on buses to bring their goods to Imphal for marketing are facing the brunt of the strike.

ATC announces 12% bonus for tea garden workers
NE TV Correspondent, Guwahati
4 Oct

The Assam government's announcement of 12 per cent bonus for the labourers of tea gardens under Assam Tea Corporation for Durga Puja has not gone down well with all sections. While, the tea garden labourers of the ailing tea gardens are not happy with this announcement because they are yet to receive their arrears from last year, the AGP tea cell has called it a mere election gimmick.
Although the Assam government has announced 12 per cent bonus for the labourers of tea gardens under Assam Tea Corporation Ltd on the eve of Durga Puja, the labourers of ailing tea gardens are far from happy. The reason is they are yet to receive their arrears from last year. Also, they are not sure whether this latest announcement is a sincere one or it is just another election gimmick with Lok Sabha elections round the corner.
Meanwhile, regional party Assam Gana Parishad's tea cell's secretary Bhulen Nayak has said that the recent announcement of bonus by the Congress government has been made with an eye on the approaching Lok Sabha polls. He further said that 12 per cent bonus is very less. According to him, the labourers get only 5 days wages although they work for 6 days. And, that too at a very low rate of Rs 48 per day. He has demanded that the government should immediately take steps to get the arrears of the tea garden labourers released at the earliest.

Manipur celebrates Panthoibi Puja
NE TV Correspondent, Imphal
4 Oct

As the country ushers in Durga Puja, a similar puja called Panthoibi Puja is being celebrated in Manipur. Panthoibi Irat Thouni is a festival celebrating the goddess of Leimaren, a supreme Goddess in the Meitei Pantheon symbolising peace time.
Looking at this idol, one would think that Ma Durga assumes many forms. Wearing a traditional head gear called Kajenglei in Meitei, this is the image of Goddess Panthoibi riding a tiger. Legends say that Nongpok Ningthou Pakhangba, the ancient God of Meitei tried to frighten Goddess Panthoibi while she was bathing. But instead of getting afraid, Panthoibi overpowered the tiger and rode on his back. In Manipur both Durga Puja and Panthoibi Puja is celebrated simultaneously with great fun-fare and festivity. However, Panthoibi Puja is a 11 day-long festival and starts 5 days before Durga Puja.

Manipur govt distributes agri equipment to farmers
NE TV Correspondent, Imphal
4 Oct

The Horticulture & Soil Conservation Department of Manipur distributed about 3 crores worth of Agricultural Equipments and high yielding winter vegetables seeds to the farmers from nine districts of the state. The agricultural items were distributed under the Prime Minister's special package for northeastern states under the scheme 'Technology Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture'.
With the implementation of the Technology Mission for Integrated Development in Manipur, local farmers are reaping the benefits of central financial assistance to buy agricultural implements such as power tilters, diesel water pumps, and winter vegetables seeds. The Dept of Horticulture of Manipur has distributed over 34 power tillers,18 diesel water pumps and several types of winter vegetables seeds to farmers. Manipur CM, Speaker and Horticulture Minister attended the equipment distribution ceremony held at the MR ground in Imphal.