Among the prominent contenders who filed their papers was Congress MLA and Health Minister Deborah C Marak from Rongrengiri constituency in East Garo Hills district. Sitting Congress legislators Tonsing N Marak from Songsak seat, Elstone D Marak from Kharkutta and Sengman Marak also filed their papers on the first day of filing of nominations.

In East Khasi Hills, two sitting legislators Pynshai Manik Syiem (NCP) and John Anthony Lyngdoh (UDP) filed their nominations from Mylliem and Nongspung constituencies respectively. THS Bonney (MDP) from Sohiong, Ampareen Lyngdoh (UDP) from Laitumkhrah, Sanbor Shullai (NCP) from Laban and Donkupar Massar (UDP) from Nongshken were the other candidates to file their nominations in the district.

In Ri-Bhoi district, only Jemberson R Marak (MDP) filed his papers from Jirang constituency, while former minister Maysalin War (Ind) filed her nominations from Mawthengkut, West Khasi Hills.

Six nominations were filed in West Garo Hills. Three of them came from former minister Atul C Marak (Ind), David Ch Marak (Ind) and Moses Ch Sangma (UDP), all from Selsella seat. The others were Pilarson G Momin (Ind) from Tikrikilla constituency, Pius R Marak (Ind) from Dadengiri and former FKJGP leader Ludwig Sangma (UDP) from Rongram.

Interestingly, no nominations were filed in Jaintia Hills and South Garo Hills districts.

TURA: In the first incident of poll-related violence in Garo Hills, suspected GSU members set on fire a vehicle which was used by Congress MLA from Dalu, Samual M Sangma, on Friday.

Police said the Tata Sumo (ML-05 B- 0788) was set ablaze in front of the GSU office in Dapgre, Dalu during the afternoon, but no one was injured. Police have reportedly identified the student activists involved in the incident.

Police sources also said a group of student members had approached the MLA for a vehicle to travel to an annual religious congregation in another district.

The students, who had also sought expenses for the journey, were reportedly angered when the MLA provided them with a vehicle that was not in a travelling condition. They allegedly set the vehicle on fire.

The Election Commission of India has already passed strict directions to the district administrations to act tough against anyone found involved in anti-social activities in the run up to the State elections.

Extra security forces comprising central units from BSF and CRPF have already been deployed Garo Hills to deal with any untoward incidents.

SHILLONG: The State Congress on Friday unveiled its poll manifesto, laying stress on peace and harmony, rural development, generation of employment avenues for youth and improvement of the lot of the poor and farming sector in Meghalaya.

Releasing the Congress election manifesto, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi described HNLC chairman Julius Dorphang's surrender as a feather in the cap of the DD Lapang-led Government and said the party would do everything possible to restore peace and reduce communal tension in the State.

Interestingly, Congress did not spell out any further strategic measures to bring back to the mainstream other top leaders of the outfit most of who are holed up in Bangladesh.

While saying the party was committed to working for stability, peace and prosperity in Meghalaya, Congress said it would take up development activities in rural areas through the district councils.

In view of 80 per cent of the State's population living in villages, it is necessary to focus on rural development so that rural life can attract the youth of today, specially educated ones who would like to go back to live and work in their respective villages, the party said.

Congress would welcome constructive criticism and join hands with all those who are working to improve the lot of the poor and downtrodden.

Top priority will also be given to agriculture and irrigation and extension of financial assistance to small farmers to help them adopt new agricultural methods for maximum yield, the manifesto pointed out.

On protection of forest and environment, the party said it would ensure that farmers were in a position to plant more trees and cut only mature trees for climatic conditions suitable for agriculture.

Horticultural development will be another important area through which Congress would facilitate plantation of a wide variety of crops helping farmers make additional income through export of their produce.

Congress will lay emphasis on removing poverty by generating employment opportunities for youth.

It also hopes to promote the role of NGOs in fighting social evils.

Speaking to reporters on Friday KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said in the meeting the political parties would be asked to declare their stand on the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment's clearance to mine uranium in West Khasi Hills. The KSU has been spearheading the movement against the proposed uranium mining in the State.

"Invitation letters have been sent to all the political parties," Dohling said adding, "the KSU hopes the leaders will respect the invitation as the issue is a major one."

SHILLONG: MPCC would perhaps have expected a better launch to its election campaign from one of its topmost functionaries Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi. But that was not to be as Mr Dasmunshi, who is also the Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, made no pretence about "the shortcomings," in the State party owing to the leadership struggle within the party for the last two years.

Mr Dasmunshi, who was here to release the Congress party's manifesto, admitted that the leadership tussle within the state unit of the party has had an impact on the party's image.

Though he did not name any leader for the mess within the party, he dropped enough hints to suggest that the Congress high command is still not too happy with some of its top functionaries in Meghalaya.

"This was one of the shortcomings which affected governance in Meghalaya," the Congress leader said even as he tried his best to hide his worries about the party's prospects in the State.

Congress, which is the leading partner in the ruling MDA coalition, had won a total of 22 seats in the last Assembly elections. Four of the five Independent MLAs joined the party as associate members. Later the party teamed up with UDP, MDP, KHNAM and HSPDP to form the MDA.

However, the Congress has not had the best of times in governance during its reign as the MDA leader.

Tussle for leadership between Chief Minister DD Lapang, JD Rymbai, Mukul Sangma, RG Lyngdoh and other senior party functionaries dominated most of last year and the year before.

However, the party took some comfort from Mr Dasmunshi's speech, when he said despite the shortcomings, the Congress "would win a clear majority," in the coming elections.

He said the Congress has put in place a machinery to look into the implementations of all the programmes mentioned in the party's manifesto. "With this machinery in place, the people can be best assured that all the programmes and commitment mentioned in the manifesto would be implemented," Mr Dasmunshi stated.

"Peace, harmony and unity are the backbone for the overall development of the State. Other states should follow the footstep of the people of Meghalaya," Mr Dasmunshi said.

Meanwhile, Union Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah said he too is confident that Congress would win with a clear-cut majority.

"If this happens then this would be for the first time that the State would be ruled by a non-coalition government," Mr Kyndiah said adding that since 1978 coalition governments are ruling the State.

By Our ReporterSHILLONG: In a new twist to the recent election of Cleophas B Syiem as KHADC CEM, the Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court has ruled that Mr Syiem's appointment is subject to the outcome of the hearing scheduled for February 14 on the writ petition filed by former Council chief HS Shylla.

In an order passed on Friday, Justice T Vaiphei said the appointment of Mr Syiem as KHADC CEM "shall be subject to the outcome of the writ petition" filed by Mr Shylla.

Justice Vaiphei also stated that February 14 was set as the date for disposal of the matter "at the motion's stage" due to the "urgency of the case" and counsels of both the rival parties agreeing to expedite hearing of the case.

Mr Shylla had earlier moved the court against State Government and KHADC chairman Martamlin Pyrbot over the issue of holding the February-5 KHADC special session without prior approval of the State Governor.

SHILLONG: The controversy over circulation of counterfeit currency in the State has taken a curious turn, with a rural bank allegedly issuing counterfeit notes to a staff of Inspectorate of Electricity in the city.

An employee of Inspectorate of Electricity one Stefan Rapthap on Friday claimed that Meghalaya Rural Bank, Police Bazaar issued and then refused to take back seven counterfeit notes of Rs 1,000 denomination which he had withdrawn as his salary on February 1.

He said he had already spent Rs 6,000 before learning about the counterfeit notes issued by the bank.

"On Friday, I went to Nazareth Hospital for a check-up. When I wanted to make the necessary payment with the remaining Rs-1,000 note, the hospital authority refused to take the money, saying it was a counterfeit note," Mr Rapthap said.

He then rushed to the bank with the fake note and was shocked at being told by the bank that it had not issued him any counterfeit note.

When contacted, senior manager of Meghalaya Rural Bank head office K Gupta said he was not aware of the matter, pointing out that it was the Bank's branch offices that dealt with customer-related matters.

Meanwhile, police said they had not received any complaint about counterfeit currency.

State Police recently arrested a person from Boko, Assam for possessing counterfeit currency notes worth several crores which, according to the arrested, were supposed to be used by politicians during the Meghalaya Assembly elections.

SHILLONG: MPCC would not admit it, but its manifesto which was released today looks more like a story of basking in someone else's glory.

The Congress party's manifesto, which was released here on Friday by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, has very few achievements to showcase ahead of the coming Assembly election. Therefore, the easier way out for MPCC appears to be to project just about everything, from internationally aided projects to music concerts held in Shillong as its own.

The mention of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) funded Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS) and international rock bands like Michael Learns to Rock, Fire House and the Scorpions as an achievement of the Congress party in its manifesto has invited sharp criticism from different quarters, including some political parties.

Criticising the Congress party's tendency to make false claims and "mislead people," chairman of the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong OH Oflyn Dohling said Congress which had ruled the State more than any other political party, should focus more on plans and programmes that it would take up during the next five years.

He was of the opinion that Congress should be ashamed of itself for tom toming about past achievements, that too of some other groups.

Incidentally, the IFAD project was initiated in Meghalaya during the UDP-led Government under EK Mawlong. Other projects such as the 126-MW Leshka Hydro Electric Plant in Jaintia Hills which the Congress claimed as one of its success stories was also initiated during the Mawlong-led Government.

"How can the Congress party claim success over rock concerts? This certainly reflects on the national party," a group of elderly citizens of the city said. However, what these elderly citizens may not be aware of is that some Congress ministers were perhaps influenced to cough up huge sums of money from the public exchequer for the concerts.

The only rock concert -- Fire House -- which was organised by the Sports and Youth Affairs Department too was embroiled in a controversy over alleged financial bungling.

Meanwhile, State BJP leader AL Hek said this was not the first time Congress had made such claims. "Personally, I am not surprised because the Congress party does not have any shame to claim on the good works undertaken by others," Mr Hek said, adding that "This can be expected from a party where there is infighting for the sake of power."

In a statement issued here on Friday, secretary, Block Congress Committee Dalamgre Reuben N Marak stated that Mose P Sangma "did not resign from the party, but was expelled for mismanagement of party funds and irregularities in carrying out contractual works of MLA Schemes".

The dropping of Mose P Sangma took place after a meeting of Congress members from 18 Polling Stations under 56 Dalamgre legislative assembly constituency at Rongbilbanggre last year, he asserted. "The so-called mass resignation of the block Congress leaders as claimed by the NCP was baseless".

The party, however, claimed that more members of the NCP had joined the Congress including former NCP leader, Augustin Marak, Mr Nicholas Marak, Mr Mingran M Marak and prominent leaders of NCP from different areas.

Speaking at function organised at Pyrdiwah under the aegis of 121 Bn BSF for distribution of school furniture as well as sports items, Mr Mishra said the projects will include a ring well for water supply scheme at a cost of Rs four lakh and footpath for Pyrdiwah, community sheds at Nayabazar and distribution of school materials for border villages. The function was attended by local people, school staff and students, village headman. Other highlights of the programme include songs and dance by the school children and youth club.

Search operations have been conducted in places where he is suspected to have taken shelter. According to neighbours account, the couple had a fight on Thursday and informed the police in the afternoon. On reaching the spot, the police found Mrs Dorjee dead.

Meanwhile, the police are awaiting for post-mortem to confirm her death.

According to the police, the incident stems out of personal grudge between the two parties.

Police said Mr Rymbai had lodged complaints to a local headman against the youth for breaking the bulb of the streetlights near his residence recently. An FIR was lodged by Mr Rymbai with the police in this regard.

In the news report under the caption 'MLA's marriage mantra to protect Khasi women' (ST 8, Feb), it was erroneously reported that women are encouraged to get married at a young age. It should have read as 'the MLA encourages Khasi women to register their marriages with any competent authority' (the church, local court or any local authority).

The hate campaign unleashed against north Indians by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, 38-year-old Raj Thackeray, took an ugly turn late on February 3 night when his supporters, taking a cue from his vitriolic stand, hurled bottles at veteran filmstar Amitabh Bachchan's residence, 'Prateeksha,' at Juhu in suburban Mumbai. Goons belonging to MNS had stormed two cinema halls screening Bhojpuri films and assaulted taxi-drivers and vendors hailing from north India. Buoyed by an across-the-board support from political parties, the Samajwadi Party retaliated early on February 4 morning by lodging an FIR against Mr. Raj Thackeray for instigating violence against north Indians.

The general secretary of the Samajwadi Party, Mr. Amar Singh, has filed a petition before the Election Commission seeking the MNS' de-recognition on the ground that "it did not believe in the Indian Constitution" and that Mr. Raj Thackeray had issued both veiled and open threats against non-Maharashtrians.

With the controversy generated by MNS' anti-north Indian tirade threatening to snowball into a major political row, which had the potential of wrecking Mumbai's, and, indeed, the entire Maharashtra's social fabric, the Centre was constrained to direct the Maharashtra government to tackle the situation in earnest and take all possible steps to maintain law and order. The state chief minister, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh, has put the entire metropolis on high alert. Following violent clashes 25 persons have been taken into custody, and remanded to judicial custody till February 18.

Mumbai as the largest economic metropolis of the country is often called the city of dreams, and it attracts people from every part of the country. The phrase refers not just to Bollywood, but also to the potential the city offers to people for jobs. But dreams can also give rise to delusions. And, one of the delusions persistently kept alive by some political outfits in Mumbai is that it is being swamped by "outsiders", that is, people from other states. Migration figures clearly show this is a myth.

In fact, the proportion of out-of-state migrants has considerably gone down over the decades. In the 1960s, when the "sons of the soil" slogan was first raised, the share of out-of-state migrants in Mumbai's population was over 36 per cent. In 2001, it had dropped to 26 per cent. In fact, within the state migrants from other districts of Maharashtra too has gone down from 27 per cent to 19 per cent of the population. As a consequence, even by a strict definition, Mumbaikars now constitute over 57 per cent of the city's population compared to 34 per cent in 1961. The migrants in Mumbai are now mostly from north Indian states, unlike in the past when Gujaratis and south Indian states made up the largest share.

This is attributed to the rise of Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai, as centres of employment and the high economic growth in Gujarat. This indicates that migration can be reduced if jobs are created nearer home.

Another feature of migration to Mumbai is that the new migrants are mostly settling down in Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Mira-Bhayander areas. They live in these areas, and if necessary, travel to the main city for work. Thus, the perception that they are putting an unsustainable load on the civic infrastructure is not completely true. The unsustainability is arising due to a total mismatch between the growing population and myopic urban development policies.

Perhaps the most important feature of migrants' lives in Mumbai is the nature of their employment. According to a study by S. Parasuraman, director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, over 49 per cent of male migrants coming to Mumbai do production-related jobs. A majority of them work in industries and occupations that need semi-skilled or unskilled workers with minimal educational qualifications. In contrast, the non-migrants have dominated white-collar professional, technical, executive and managerial jobs, in various service-based industries.

Mumbai's economic structure has undergone a drastic change over the past decades. Over 81 per cent of its employment is in the tertiary sector today. This mostly comprises the unorganized sector, including construction, hospitality, personal services, retail and wholesale trade and financial services. Experts say migrants, apart from working in industries, are involved in providing 48 types of services in the city-ranging from selling milk, vegetables and provisions to driving vehicles, working as security guards and so on. While these are mostly low paying jobs, their contribution to maintaining the standard of life in this affluent city cannot be discounted.

According to NSS reports, the share of the self-employed in the city has increased from about 35 per cent in 1993-04 to more than 40 per cent in 2004-05 among men. The share of casual labourers too has risen in that period from about 2 per cent to 8 per cent for men. Most of these jobs are being done by migrants.

While there are no authoritative studies to quantify the migrants' contribution to the economy of cities like Mumbai, international studies of immigrants clearly show their significant contribution to host economies. According to a study, the contribution of immigrants to the economy of the United Kingdom was about $5.4 billion and they also generated over 200,000 jobs through their spending within the UK. Another study on the impact of immigrants on the US economy estimated that these "outsiders" contribute more than $10 billion every year. In fact, unskilled jobs within US would have declined by 3-4 per cent per annum if poor immigrants, mostly from Mexico, had not been filling them up.

The desperation to carve a vote bank nurtured by the Shiv Sena ahead of next year's Lok Sabha and Assembly elections may have triggered Raj Thackeray's verbal volleys against north Indians. Raj quit the Shiv Sena in November 2005 over differences with cousin Uddhav after Sena chief Bal Thackeray chose his son as his political successor. He launched his party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, in March 2006.

Raj, who shares not only his fiery oratory but also his love for political cartooning with his 81-year-old uncle, pitched his party as one with a moderate outlook. Instead of borrowing the Sena's ideology and its saffron colour, he created his own tri-coloured flag, with three horizontal stripes in saffron, blue and green. The last two colours represented Dalits and Muslims.

Before the party's launched, he toured the state to gauge the mood of voters. He harped on the need to recruit young, educated Marathi voters, at ease with English and moderate in views. At party meetings, he lectured on dressing well and behaving politely. While Raj had some militant elements of the Shiv Sena in his fold, his party didn't protest against Valentine's Day, a recurrent theme of agitation for the Sena.

The first key test for Raj's party was the municipal polls in 10 cities, including Mumbai, on February 1, 2007. But the MNS bagged only seven seats in Mumbai compared with the Shiv Sena's 79. It won 35 across the state. "Our party has reached every home. It looks like it has attracted first-time voters. It is important to reach out to people. Votes and seats will come eventually," Raj had then said.

Since those polls, the party has struggled to carve its own identity. Preparations have now begun in the state for the 2009 Assembly polls. Mayavati's BSP was the first to launch its campaign, trying to repeat the Dalit-Brahmin-Muslim combination that clicked in Uttar Pradesh last year. BJP president Rajnath Singh has led a yatra to six Vidarbha districts affected by farmer suicides.

Raj's new agenda clearly seems to be to snatch away the hardline Marathi voters from the Shiv Sena. Raj was always a mirror image of Balasaheb but this time he is positioning himself as his successor for protecting the Marathi agenda. North Indian voters were never on Raj's agenda. The Shiv Sena has also learnt that playing the Hindutva card brings them more seats than the Marathi card. Raj is taking advantage of the Sena's silence on the sons-of-the-soil issue.

Mumbai's problems are not linguistic or religious. It is a city bursting at its seams and increasingly locals feel that the influx is affecting their quality of life. The Shiv Sena supremo, Mr. Bal Thackeray also feels that immigrants should be stopped from entering Mumbai, but no political party can afford to do so because politically North Indians form a large chunk of the voters and can't be ignored.

There is nothing new in Raj's hardline approach to migrants from north India. His supporters in the Shiv Sena had allegedly attacked students from Bihar travelling to Mumbai for a railway recruitment exam at Kalyan station and vandalised examination centres, forcing the test to be postponed. The attack derailed Uddhav's "Mee Mumbaikar" campaign-that Mumbai belonged to all its residents, irrespective of origin. The fracas sent the wrong signals to migrants and later prompted the Sena to wind up the campaign.

Raj's verbal attack on Amitabh Bachchan (saying the actor's loyalties lie in Uttar Pradesh), and the celebration of Chhath puja and Uttar Pradesh Divas in Mumbai are reminiscent of Bal Thackeray's campaign against south Indian migrants in the 1960s. Alleging marginalisation of the Marathi population after the state's formation in 1966, the Sena had targeted mushrooming Udipi restaurants and the recruitment of south Indians in public sector undertakings before the party moved on and embraced Hindutva.

Politics is all about the ability to recognise vacant spaces and occupying them meaningfully. But, Raj Thackeray's supporters beat up taxi drivers and hawkers, seems to be content flogging the agenda of his alma mater, Shiv Sena: blame all of Maharashtra's ills on outsiders. But, this legacy strategy, besides being reprehensible and unacceptable in a civilised democracy, is also flawed. One, this is a desperate attempt to outwit his older and estranged cousin, Uddhav Thackeray, who now leads the Shiv Sena. But it is unlikely to endear him to the local Maharashtrian voter who prefers peace and economic well-being. Second, the numbers of non-Maharashtrian voters now outnumber Maharashtrians in Mumbai city. If Raj Thackeray sponsored violence was an attempt to consolidate the Maharashtrian vote, it is bound to fail.

Raj Thackeray will be celebrating his party's second birthday nearly a month from now. When he broke away from Shiv Sena, he made certain promises. For instance, being a watchdog for the local government and the Mumbai municipal corporation (ruled by Shiv Sena) was one of them. He also wanted to undertake a drive to protect Mumbai's open spaces from builders. Somewhere in between, he tried to reach out to farmers by promising them protection against land acquisition by SEZs. (INAV)

All States are on alert following the banner of regionalism unleashed in Maharashtra by the little-known Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), launched by Raj Thackeray, Shiv Sena ideologue Bal Thackeray’s nephew after he fell out with the parent Party in 2006. His out-of-the-blue bellicose war cry of "Maharashtra for Maharashtrians" and "throw out the North Indians" let loose violence not only on the streets of India’s commercial Capital, Mumbai but also in other parts of the State last week. Non-Maharashtrians were singled out and beaten in trains, their taxis and cars smashed. Even Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan was not spared and his house attacked. Significantly, the MNS outburst seems to have struck a chord with the locals, who feel marginalised by the influx of people from Bihar and UP in the State. Wherein, the police too are chary of taking action against the MNS, notwithstanding the arrest of 93 MNS and Congress clashing workers.

Shockingly, the Centre turned a virtual blind eye to the MNS attacks and the Congress-NCP State Government made half-hearted attempts to contain the violence. Asserted Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, "Violence against any community will not be tolerated….Cooperate with the Government and let the law take its own course." The Shiv Sena, the original protagonists of the sons-of-soil theory, felt betrayed by Thackeray Jr’s attempt to appropriate the Marathi constituency. Now with other parties like Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi and Laloo’s RJD taking up cudgels for people from their respective States, the issue of regional biases promises to snowball into a major controversy. Clearly, the last word on regionalism has still to be said.

Little did the Karnataka police know that the arrest of three Islamic militants would lead them to the chilling evidence of a massive terrorist operation in the dense forest area bordering Dharwad district in the State. The forest was being used as training camps to train militants in the use of firearms and latest techniques under fluttering Pakistani flags. True, the State has always been considered a safe haven for terrorists for the past 10 years, but it is the first time that a terrorist camp has been unearthed. In fact, sleeper terror cells are giving the State police sleepless nights. Recall, the terror trail started with the Deendar Anjuman sect unleashing a series of blasts across North Karnataka in 2001. Since then many more terror outfits have mushroomed and set base in the State resulting in terror attacks on the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad and elsewhere. Thus, exposing a serious chink in the country’s security and intelligence armour, no matter loud and empty rhetoric of snuffing out terrorism with an iron hand!

Governors are turning brazenly partisan, if one goes by the conduct of T V Rajeshwar in Uttar Pradesh. In fact, the Governor who is answerable only to the Constitution is being seen more as a Congress Party spokesman answerable to the Party High Command. When he came out in defence of two IAS officers, placed under suspension by the Chief Minister Mayawati recently for ‘glorifying’ members of the Gandhi family. Not only did Governor Rajeshwar disapprove the action, but made it public! Mayawati is correct and rightly objected by asserting that the Governor should have spoken to her instead. Remember it’s not the first time the former Intelligence Bureau Chief has played Party politics. It is high time a model code of conduct is put in place for Governors!

All is not well in Arunachal Pradesh. On the heels of the Prime Minister’s visit to the State, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) has insisted that it be included in the negotiations, if any, with China, over the border issue. Besides, it has warned that it would not tolerate any compromise of its territory. In its memorandum to the PM, the AAPSU has also opposed the NSCN’s claim over two districts of Tirap and Changang. Moreover, it has made plain its opposition to these districts being traded during a possible settlement. Also, it has called for the setting up of another Central Boundary Commission to resolve the boundary dispute with Assam, as it does not recognize the Bordoloi Committee report. The demands, if carefully viewed suggest that the people of Arunachal don’t trust the Centre.

A map showing West Bengal as a part of the North-East has rung warning bells in various quarters of the region. Drawn by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the map was displayed at the North East Investment Summit in Guwahati, hosted by Assam and sponsored by the Department of North-East Region (DONER) last month. Be it the North-East Students’ Organisation, the North Eastern Tea Association and the North-East Chamber of Commerce — all saw it as a "diabolic attempt to deprive the North-Eastern States of their due" and "a conspiracy by the CII, West Bengal and Central Government to extend DONER initiatives and funds to North Bengal!" According to the CII State Council much was being read into a simple "mistake." Well, investments will reveal whether it was deliberate or a faux pas.

If regional bias is the flavour in Maharashtra, caste rules the roost in Madhya Pradesh. Scandalously, more than 77% of various castes and communities continue the horrific practice of marrying of children with all the pomp, customs and traditions in the State compared to 41% in Rajasthan and a mere 10% in Uttar Pradesh. These shocking revelations came to the fore in a survey by the Delhi-based Centre for Social Research. But more disturbing was the fact that over 71% of the respondents were aware of the illegality of child marriages and were conversant with the Child Marriage Prohibition Act. Besides, most child marriages took place among the upwardly mobile social groups and were not registered. It is another matter that the Supreme Court has asked all States to frame rules for mandatory marriage registration. But this was more an exception than a rule. (INFA)

Sir,

Apropos the news item State Government to dismantle all toll gates (ST, Feb 6), I would like to congratulate B Dhar, the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, Shillong for his bold step to dismantle all illegal toll gates in the district. I also would like to request other district administrations to take similar step, particularly East & South Garo Hills; where lots of such illegal gates (which include V.D.P. gates) do exist which would immensely benefit the people in general (in terms of price rise) and truck owners in particular.

Yours etc.
S. R. Marak,
Addl. Deputy Commissioner,
Ri-Bhoi

Sir,

I just wonder who is a real Khasi?

1. A person whose father is a non- tribal, mother is a Khasi and takes the mother's title?

2. A person whose father is a Khasi, mother a non-tribal but who has been given a new Khasi surname, and takes this new title?

3. A person whose father is a Khasi, mother also a Khasi, but takes up the father's title?

Who is the real Khasi/tribal among these three?

Yours etc.,
I. Watre
Via e-mail

Sir,

The recent riot in Orissa is not good for the country. It's going to tarnish the image of our country before the world. The country has already witnessed riots in Gujarat and Assam. A lot of innocent people have been killed.

Now we don't have any expectations from the government and our political leaders that they will do something to prevent it. In stead of preventing the people to go for the riots, they will encourage them in order to get the political benefits.

Therefore, we have to be smart now. We have to think and decide what is right and what is wrong. We cannot dance to tunes of politicians anymore. We must understand that peace is our strength and if we all unite together forgetting all our differences like caste, creed and religion, no power can stop us from being the superpower in the world.

We must understand each other. There must be a good understanding among us in order to create peaceful and living environment in our country.

Yours etc.,
Shailesh Kumar

Guwahati: Two bordering districts of Arunachal Pradesh - Tirap and Changlang - are reeling under the illegal activities of the two factions of the NSCN that are in truce with the Centre within Nagaland.

The latest incident of abduction of 39 school children from different villages of Tirap district by the NSCN(K) insurgents has created social tension in the area. The students, who were abducted at gunpoint by insurgents last month, have remained untraced so far.

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) has expressed anguish over the activities of the NSCN factions - NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) -- in the two districts having border with Myanmar where the Naga rebels have their bases.

The AAPSU on Tuesday set a ten-day deadline for Arunachal Pradesh Government to rescue the abducted students from the clutches of the NSCN(K) which has chose to keep mum over the entire episode. The AAPSU has threatened to launch a statewide movement in case the Government fails to meet the deadline.

The AAPSU president Kanu Bagang informed the media that armed NSCN(K) militants abducted 22 school students at gun point from their houses at Wakka and Chingkhow villages under Ponchu police station of Tirap district on January 9 last.

Again a fortnight later, the same group of militants kidnapped another 17 school students from Khasa, Jagan, Konnu and Konsa villages under Longding police station of the same district.

Arunachal Pradesh Police, however, claimed that 13 of the abducted children came back home, but no details were given. The AAPSU, which has submitted a memorandum to the newly-appointed governor, former Army Chief, General (retd) JJ Singh, contradicts the police claim saying that all the 39 students has remained untraced.

The AAPSU adviser and general secretary of North East Students Organisation (NESO), Gunjum Haider alleged that both the NSCN-K and NSCN-IM had been creating panic among the people in Tirap and Changlang districts.

He alleged that both the NSCN factions forced young local tribal boys from Tirap and Changlang districts to carry rations to their camp located in Myanmar across the virtually unmanned international boundary in the area.

The Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu had apprisded the Prime MInister Dr Manmohan Singh about the growing disturbances created by the insurgents in bordering Tirap and Changlang districts of the eastern most state in the country.

The Arunachal Pradesh Government has also requested the Centre to increase the present grant for State police modernisation from Rs nine crore per year to Rs 20 crore per year to facilitate rapid modernisation of the force to tackle the insurgents effectively.

The six youths were picked up from Mariani area while they were travelling in a vehicle from Nagaland into Assam.

The police seized two Italian made pistol and 11 cartridges from their possession and seized the vehicle. (PTI)

Imphal: The Manipur Secretariat Services Association (MSSA) on Friday decided to launch indefinite cease work from February 18 in protest against the Government's decision to recruit 25 fresh posts of section officers (SO) through Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) in the Secretariat.

Announcing this in a press conference in Imphal, MSSA president Y Joykumar said that the Manipur Cabinet decision to recruit 25 fresh post of SO in the secretariat service was 'demoralising' the secretariat employees.

He said the decision betrayed the existing employees' hope of promotion besides violating the Manipur Secretariat Sub-ordinate rule, which has been implemented since 1982.

Joykumar said the posts as advertised by the MPSC must be filled up through departmental promotion examinations from amongst the ASOs, UDAs/LDAs as followed by other Central departments. (NNN)

The cause of the blast was yet to be ascertained with the police not ruling out the possibility of explosives being used and further investigations were on.

According to initial reports the boiler inside the Assam Aluminium company at Lahoal in Dibrugarh district had exploded due to excessive heat.

The dead have been identified as Durgeswar Dubey and the injured have been shifted to the Assam Medical College Hospital here in a critical condition.

Extensive damage has been caused to the factory building, the sources added. (PTI)

Guwahati: Authorities in Assam have culled an estimated 40,000 poultry birds to prevent the spread of avian influenza from neighbouring West Bengal and have sent samples for tests to the specialised laboratory in Bhopal.

"Teams from the State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department have culled around 40,000 poultry in the two border districts of Dhubri and Kokrajhar. Another 80,000 more are expected to be culled by Sunday," Veterinary Director AK Kataki said.

As many as 26 Rapid Response Teams equipped with culling gear are on the job but the task has been made difficult because the targeted poultry are mostly backyard birds and not part of organised poultry farms, requiring personnel to visit homes of villagers.

The authorities have already paid an estimated Rs.700,000 to the affected farmers and villagers as compensation.

Veterinarians have collected samples for avian influenza tests to be conducted at the High-risk Security Diseases Laboratory at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. (IANS)