As a follow up of the process that began Saturday, attended by leaders of various political parties, NGO and intellectuals from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh but boycotted by separatist groups including Hurriyat, it was decided that the seocond round-table conference would be held in Srinagar in second helf of May.

Singh also asked Home Minister Shivraj Patil to form a high-level group of officials to examine all current cases of detention and release all those detenues not facing serious charges by the end of next month.

At the end of the seven-hour long meeting, the round table adopted a statement welcoming the Prime Minister's initiative.

In his concluding remarks, Dr Singh said a variety of views have been expressed on the issue of autonomy and self-rule.

"I recognise that there are many differing views and perception on this issue. There is a need to evolve a common understanding on the issue of autonomy and self-rule for the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"I am confident that working together with all groups, both within and outside the mainstream, we can arrive at arrangements with the vast flexibilities provided by the constitution, arrangements which provide real empowerment and comprehensive security to all people of Jammu and Kashmir," Mr Singh said.

The conference agreed that the views expressed should contribute to taking forward the resolution process and that the Centre will continue its ongoing efforts to engage various sections and groups across the political spectrum and civil society.

"This journey is a long one and requires patience and fortitude and above everything else, the involvement of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Participants hoped that those who chose to stay away from today's conference will participate in future meetings," the statement said. Noting the absence of certain groups outside the mainstream electoral process in the conference, Singh said this was a long term process and he was sure they will participate in the future.

"The proces of reconciliation in the long run will be the foundation on which the future of Jammu and Kashmir can be built," the Prime Minister said. (PTI)

Nagpur: Stating that the country's nuclear policy should be more transparent, the RSS on Saturday demanded that the Congress-led UPA Government discuss it with all politicial parties, including the allies and opposition.

"Congress should convene a meeting of all political parties, nuclear experts and the three services chiefs and discuss the long term nuclear policy," RSS spokesman Ram Madhav told reporters on the second day of the three-day Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (All India General Council) meet of the organisation.

Without any elaboration, Madhav said it seemed India was under "pressure" from the Bush administration.

"The Government should mobilise our resources of uranium which will help reduce dependency on other countries. There is no need for the government to succumb to any pressure since we are not bound by the non-proliferation treaty (NPT)," Madhav said.

"Even the President A P J Abdul Kalam in his address to the science congress had advocated exploitation of available resources," Madhav claimed.

Nuclear experts in Delhi and elsewhere are voicing concern over Centre's proposed move to sign the nuclear deal which was not in the national interest, the sabha opined. (PTI)

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Congress on Saturday gave a new turn to the audio CD controversy involving Amar Singh by demanding the SP General Secretary's arrest and consideration of imposition of President's rule in the State.

PCC President Salman Khurshid said that Amar Singh be arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the wake of purported conversations in the CD in which he had allegedly talked about some "give and take".

He said that Amar Singh enjoyed Cabinet status in UP being Chairman of the State Development Council and could be proceeded against immediately in view of what he has "admitted" in an interview on the issue of the audio CD.

Besides, he said Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has also been "involved" in "controversial exchanges" about courts and judges, which raised questions of governance.

"If this is not violation of the Constitution, then what is it?," he asked adding that the development straightaway brings to the fore Article 356. At the same time, he said that the issue has to be deliberated and decided by those concerned.

A leading television channel had earlier this week said that it had audio CDs of his alleged conversations with a host of persons including one with Yadav in which the "removal" of a High Court judge figured. Singh, however, has contended the tape could be "doctored, morphed and fabricated". (PTI)

Kakkad, a former city secretary of the SP, had left his home on Friday night on the pretext of attendng a wedding function, they said. The motive behind the killing was yet to ascertained, sources said adding that the matter was being investigated. (PTI)

Acting on a tip-off a police party intercepted the duo near the village last night and asked them to surrender, sources said adding the criminals opened fire and were killed in the ensuing encounter.

One nine mm pistol, two country made pistols and some cartridges were recovered from the slain criminals.

The criminals were wanted in connection with several cases of loot, extortion and murders, sources added. (PTI)

NCB Zonal Director Shankar Jiwal said here in a release on Saturday that the officers intercepted two persons - Abdul Rahim, the actor and Sehik Babu at a bus-stand in Madurai, on Thursday and seized the contraband concealed in two water bottles. The heroin was meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka, he said.

Jiwal said a total of 25.5 kgs of heroin valued at over Rs 25 crore was seized on three different days (Feb 19, 21 and 23). (PTI)

The deceased, an old woman, was hit by a bullet when the rival groups clashed and fired at each other after an altercation, police said. Four injured were admitted to a hospital, they added. (PTI)

The incident occurred on April 17, 2002 when the victim Shahista was burnt alive by the convicts in their house in the Chandni Mahal area of the walled city.

From the deposition of the witnesses the prosecution was able to establish before the court that the convicts used to harass the victim to press their demand for cash and also for having borne a girl child. (PTI)

The victim, Vinayak Khandu Gawli was returning to his village from a field yesterday when the leopard attacked him, police said. He was, admitted to Cantonment Hospital in Devlali camp, police added. (PTI)

The youths had put on music in their car at a high volume due to which they could not hear the sound of the approaching train, leading to the mishap, police said. (PTI)

Mr Kyndiah had a meeting with the NEC Secretary HV Lalringa, its Member Dr (Mrs) I.K. Barthakur and other senior members of the Council, including the sectoral advisers of the Secretariat in the Conference Hall on Saturday. The meeting reviewed the progress of various NEC schemes and projects, which were implemented during the current annual plan 2005-2006.

Mr Kyndiah apprised the Council officials that the Centre had a perception that whatever funds sanctioned and released in the North East, "the utilization is poor and therefore there is a need to have a strong monitoring system".

He stressed that whatever funds released for utilization should reflect in physical outcome.

The Union Minister suggested that a mechanism should be developed for on the ground evaluation of schemes implemented under the NEC Annual Plan.

He even exhorted the need to streamline the procedure of sanctioning schemes to avoid delay - both in terms of sanctioning a project and the subsequent release of funds to the member states of NEC and other executing agencies.

The meeting also reviewed the core sectors of the plan as presented to the Chairman. It was observed that the level of release of funds against approved schemes during the current year has been almost 80 per cent. It was suggested that during the remaining month of the current financial year, the percentage of fund release should be cent percent.

NEC secretary presented an overall position of the Annual Plan 2005-06 and the funds released to the member states during the first three years of the Tenth Financial Year and Annual Plan 2005-06 as on February 24.

GSU South Zone information secretary, Mr NM Shynthang, flayed Dr Mukul Sangma for accusing the GSU members of being playing in the hands of NCP during the by-poll.

"Dr Mukul has taken into account that GSU is a tool or a ladder. We want to make clear that we have no political affiliation. Neither have we any association with any political parties or their leaders, nor we ever eyed on any political parties", he said.

The Union leader pointed out that politicians were misleading the people of Garo Hills by politicising all the issues.

The GSU, however, felt ashamed for those GSU leaders, who resigned from their respective posts without any reason "to work as field workers for some political parties or the politicians".

"In fact, we reiterate that no particular party can mould us, nor lure us to serve them as tools. Moreover, we want nothing else but peace and harmony all around and development of the society as a whole", Mr Shynthang said.

The GSU asserted that it had no hand in the defeat of Dr Mukul Sangma in the last by-election.

This decision was taken at a meeting of the Shillong Press Club, which even resolved to meet the BSF Inspector General and other officials on Monday for registering a formal complaint.

The Shillong Press Club would also hand over a memorandum to the State Home minister, Mr HDR Lyngdoh, seeking necessary action from the State government in this matter.

It may be mentioned that four media persons, including a cameraman, were allegedly assaulted by BSF personnel in front of a magistrate and other State government officials in Dawki when they accompanied a joint survey team comprising the district administration and the NGOs on border fencing.

The GSU executive committee, which met on Friday, raised its voice against the extension of Bazeley's service as the chief of State executives, besides resenting extension of services of the MeSEB employees.

In a statement issued here, GSU general secretary JPK Marak said the union also opposed the extension of service of Mr DS Nongbri, the member Finance and Chief Accounts Officer of MeSEB and Mr DP Bhattacharya, member Hydro, MeSEB.

Earlier, the KSU threatened agitation in the event of Mr Bazeley getting an extension. The FKJGP also joined the bandwagon in protest against such a move.

SHILLONG: House of one Jeralina Nongrum of Nongrah village was completely destroyed in a fire on Saturday night.

Police said the house caught fire at 8.30 pm and was completely devastated due to the inferno. There was no casualty, police said.

According to the National Policy on Education 1986, it provides the establishment of a Navodaya in each district of the country. The JNVs envisage identification and development of talented children predominantly from the rural areas who may otherwise be denied good education. The total numbers of JNVs in the country has grown to 516 with over 1.40 lakhs students.

In Meghalaya, all the seven districts have been provided with one JNV each including Mawphlang in the East Khasi Hills District which is the seventh.

The main objective of the Navodaya Vidyalayas is to provide good quality modern education including strong component of culture, inculcation of values, and awareness of environment, to ensure students attain a reasonable level of competency in three languages, first language-regional language, second language-English and third language-Hindi for non-Hindi speaking areas, to promote national integration.

The JNV Mawphlang was established in October 2005 and presently functioning in a temporary site given by the Block Development Officer and Hima Mawphlang. The total student strength at present is 78. The school is also affiliated to the Central Board of School Education (CBSE), New Delhi.

Chief Minister D D Lapang while speaking at the function held to mark the laying of foundation stone of the JNV at Mawphlang lauded the Hima Mawphlang for having donated the land for setting up of the school. He said that the establishment of the school is a landmark in the road map of educational institutions in the State.

Among others who spoke on the occasion were, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy, J A Lyngdoh and P J Bazeley, Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills District D P Wahlang.

Later, Mr Lapang unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.

The Pynthorumkhrah Hindu Dharma Samaj in a meeting held on Saturday strongly condemned the brutal murder of Biplab Das, a Mass Communication student of St. Anthony's College, Shillong. The meeting condoled his death and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul. The meeting also lauded the police for its prompt action in the case resulting in the arrests of all the accused.

The general meeting of the MeSEB Pensioners' Association will be held on Monday at the State Central Library seminar hall at 1 pm to discuss the activities and other important issues of the Association.

The valedictory function was graced by Deputy Commissioner Jaintia Hills Frederick Kharkongor, who is also the Chairman of the SSA programme in the District.

The programme was conducted by the District Institute of Education and Training, Thadlaskien.

The army's task in the North-east is not an easy one. It has to fight the armed insurgents and, at the same time, ensure that innocent civilians are not harassed. The tragedy in Assam's Tinsukia district shows how difficult the balancing act can prove to be for the army and the state administration. The death of a farmer allegedly in the army's custody has sparked a wave of popular protests that led to the killing of nine others in police firing.

The actual facts of the alleged custodial death and its tragic consequence may still be somewhat unclear. But the government has enough reasons to be worried. This is not the first time that the army has been accused of human rights abuses in the North-east. Similar complaints keep surfacing periodically from Manipur and Nagaland. It is not that the army is unaware of the risks to civilians in the course of its counter-insurgency operations. It would be unfair to deny the crucial importance of the army's role in protecting the rule of law and in securing the lives of common people in the region.

However, the army cannot afford to be seen as lenient to its errant men who are found to be guilty of violating human rights. Ms. Sonia Gandhi has, therefore, done the right thing in asking the defence minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, to ensure that the "guilty" army men be punished. The chief minister, Mr. Tarun Gogoi, must follow the example by ordering an inquiry into the police firing. Tragic as the events were, they must not be seen as the end of the peace process in Assam. In fact, the biggest challenge that the events have thrown up to the peace-negotiators is to keep the dialogue alive. The people's consultative group that the banned militant outfit, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), has appointed to negotiate with New Delhi has to take the main initiative in this respect.

It would be unfortunate if the group pulls out of the talks in response to the tragedy in Tinsukia. For the dialogue aims at a much larger goal and should not be the casualty of isolated incidents, however unhappy. Also, the group will not help the peace process if it uses the deaths to insist on the suspension of the counter-insurgency operations in Assam. It was realistic enough not to raise the issue during the recent talks with the Centre.In fact, both sides were anxious to avoid contentious issues in the larger interest of peace. The latest crisis has to be tackled in the same spirit of mutual understanding and accommodation. 

Assam is an arena of cross-border terrorism. The terrorist links ULFA and Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) with the ISI have been established time and again. The ruling UPA at the Centre has called for an end to political negativism, to work for reconciliation and 'emotional harmony' of all Indians and full protection of minorities. Since the UPA has received the mandate of the popular vote to form the government it is expected that their agenda will be pursued in right earnest.The trouble-torn state is the nerve centre of the north-eastern region of India. It is strategically located because of its geographical closeness to Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and China. It is connected to India by a narrow stretch of territory less than 100 km wide. That is why it is easy for the terrorists to span off the links with the rest of the country with a bomb blast.

Assam has an area of 78,400 sq km with a population of 24,200,000. Of these, 12 million are Assamese Hindus, 5 million Bengalis (mainly Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh) and 2 million indigenous people (Christians and traditional religion). The biggest of the 'seven sisters' of North-East, Assam is the former North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA). It came under the British rule in 1826, and in 1874, and in 1874, was made a separate province. At the time of Independence, the Sylhet area of Assam, which had a Muslim majority opted to merge with East Pakistan? Assam was included in the Dominion of India at the time of Partition.

During the Chinese aggression in 1962, when the Indian Army faced defeat at Se-La and Bomdila passes, the Assamese plains were exposed to the Chinese army. The common resentment has been that, "Nehru was abandoning us to our fate". Ethnic unrest also started in the Sixties when the Assamese was declared the official language. After protests from different groups like Garo, Khasi and Jainitia tribal hill districts became the state of Meghalaya in 1976. In due course, all the Seven Sisters of North-East became constituent states of the Indian Union.

One major problem is the migration of Bengalis into Assam. According to estimates, during the last 25-years, over 5 million people from Bangladesh have entered Assam and settled there. During 1964-65, the Jana Sangh formed an anti-infiltation committee which submitted its report and a memorandum to the governor of Assam and the prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. The Central government instituted special tribunals and consequently 20,000 migrants were pushed back. But the problem remained far from solved. Subsequent years saw a divide between Assamese and Bengali Hindus. Since 1979, resentment has been brewing among the youth of Assam on account of influx of foreigners.West Bengal and Assam have 5 million Bangladeshis each. According to the 1981 census, five districts of West Bengal and six districts of Assam have become Muslim majority areas due to infiltration from across the border. But the Left Front in West Bengal and the ruling Congress Party in Assam do not want to displease their Muslim Bangladeshi votebank by taking up the issue.

Clearly, the Assam Accord of 1975 and the Illegal Migration (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983, have proved inadequate to address the problem. The NDA prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had shown some willingness to solve the issue. But the current UPA prime minister Manmohan Singh instead of looking into the grievances issued an executive order on migrants' protection, which seeks to override an Act of Parliament on the vital issue of who will bear the onus of proof. While the Foreigners Act 1946 imposes the onus of proof on the person concerned, the order notified in the first week of February under the same law shifts the burden to the police in cases booked in Assam.

This follows the Cabinet decision on February 10 to take recourse to a notification under the Foreigners Act, dropping the plan of bringing a fresh legislation in place of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act (IMDT), which had been scrapped last year by the SC. Section 9 of the Foreigners Act, dispensing with the general presumption of innocence, says that on the question whether a person is a foreigner or not, the burden of proof "shall lie upon such person."

But the Foreigners (Tribunals for Assam) Order, 2006 notified on February 10 reverses the sequence of the proceedings. Police will first have to establish prima facie before a judicial tribunal that there is "sufficient ground" to proceed against the person concerned. It is only then that the tribunal will serve on the person a copy of the "main grounds" on which he is alleged to be a foreigner.Such political expediency apart, the peace process seems to have received a fresh threat from the revival of dormant Indo-Burma Revolutionary Front by ULFA and the NSCN-Khaplang. The captured ISI agents have revealed that already 1500 activists of various militant organisations have been trained by Pakistan and 200 of them belong to ULFA itself. The Operation Topac envisaged by Zia-ul-Haq, which aimed at disintegrating the country, is a real, continuing threat.

What is needed is a pragmatic approach to tackle the rising tide of dissatisfaction in the state. Development of the North-East, especially of Assam, should be undertaken immediately. INAV

Sir,

So much have been written about healthcare facilities in Meghalaya, especially the interior/rural health system. Everyone has been talking bad about it blaming the people working therein. True, it's bad but so far has anyone even tried to find out what the real problems are? The doctors are blamed and called for when something goes wrong but has anyone even bothered to help them? Only those who have tried to know will understand the burden of working in rural areas. First of all, medical staff being human after all require water. Many PHCs and CHCs don't have proper water supply. How can we stay healthy and set an example to the villagers when we have to sit for 3-4 days without taking a bath? The available water is not enough. The concerned District Health officers and DCs will just have one thing to say-stay in station. Have they made things available for us to be at the place of posting all the time? There aren't enough quarters, water and electricity supply. Why isn't anyone bothered when the department concerned has failed to make essential things available. Not only that, many PHCs cover large areas and there are sub-centres too. If we try to cover those areas we have to walk for at least 15kms. And even then, no TA/DA is paid for the workers, particularly those working in West and South Garo Hills. We are willing to go and work in those areas if fund or a vehicle with fuel is provided to us. People at the top level with the luxury vehicles will sulk at the low performance but if that kind of vehicle could be used just for a single field visit it could have fetched a high immunization rate. People must be aware of so many outreach programmes coming up these days on malaria, TB, Immunization etc, but surprisingly no fund has been sanctioned for the purpose. So how can the Medical officers and the staff run these outreach programmes alone?

Public is now becoming aware of all the shortcomings of the Government supply-like inadequate supply of drugs and staff, quarters, ambulances, poor indoor facilities, no emergency facilities, no proper laboratory facilities etc. These days public has to go to a private clinic for almost all the tests, even for malaria. Malaria dept. has been supplying any blood-slides for the last 6 months. The Family Welfare department doesn't have any oral contraceptives for long time. How can field workers go and talk about small family? These issues are needed to be looked into.

Yours etc,
A concerned Rural Medical Officer
Via e-mail

Sir,

The acquittal of all the nine accused in the Jessica Lal's murder case certainly shows that there are endless loopholes in the Indian justice delivery system. It is extremely unacceptable that even the criminals can easily escape the punishment. What could be more disgusting is that due to no solid ground to substantiate the case many criminals in the country are freely walking as any other normal persons. There is a need to overhaul our justice delivery mechanism. One can't help but wonder how great trauma Jessica's family members must have gone through for seven long years.

Yours etc,
Salil Gewali
Shillong-2

Sir,

Court-verdict on infamous Jessica Lal murder case of the year 1999 acquitting all the nine accused was on expected lines ever since the main accused was released on bail by Delhi High Court as rightly pointed out by victim's sister. Our country for all practical means has two sets of law, one for rich and influential, and the other for commoners. This is the reason no rich or influential one has ever been sentenced to death despite open knowledge of many such crimes having been committed or planned by high-society people.

Similar more such verdicts are expected in future where money and terror of killers will ultimately prove to be more powerful than real justice to buy witnesses, investigating authorities and legal system to weaken case/s against killers. In interest of justice, judicial process should be mechanised to check human flaws. Lie-detecting machines should be commonly installed to make witnesses speak real truth. Even accused persons can be checked by lie-detectors. Judiciary in higher courts should also be made accountable so that judges may not find easy to grant bails to accused openly known for having committed crimes. Supreme Court and Government should make Jessica Lal murder case a test-case by putting all power to punish the culprits so as to be lesson for high-handedness of rich and influential criminals amongst high-society people.

Yours etc,
Madhu Agrawal
New Delhi

The AASU activists earlier in the day went on a rampage and ransacked the SEBA office in Bamunimaidan to protest the incident.

AASU general secretary Tapan Gogoi told PTI that the students would carry on with their protest till the people responsible for the leak are identified.

''This is a question concerning the future of the students and the AASU would not allow this to happen time and again,'' he said.

The paper leak came close on the heels of the controversy generated by state Governor Lt Gen Ajai Singh's order to give grace marks to some MBBS students which led to a protest forcing him to withdraw the order.

The alleged paper leak came to light after the SEBA here received a fax of a handwritten copy bearing the questions similar to those appearing in Saturday's mathematics examination.

The opposition Asom Gana Parishad and BJP also protested the leak with the former burning the effigies of state Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Education minister Hemprakash Narayan. (PTI)

Rev Dr Lunkim, founder of Tru-Lock Theological College, Imphal has been "in the custody" of the Kuki Liberation Army since Jan 17.

While the wife of Rev Dr Lunkim alleged that her husband had been kidnapped by the KLA cadres, the later reacted by saying that Dr Lunkim was not abducted but summoned to sort out some matters.

Rev Lunkim's wife Mrs C Lunkim in a statement issued on Saturday appealed to all social organisations, government authorities, general public, relatives and friends to initiate necessary measures to secure his release.

"That, a particular UG group had kidnapped my husband on January 17, 2006 and has wrongly accused my husband of wrong doing and has kept on insisting that unless a heavy sum of money is paid as fine, my husband will not be released. After the transfer of my son to Delhi last year, my husband and I are staying alone," stated Mrs Lunkim.

"My husband has been working tirelessly for the cause of the Kuki people and the people of Manipur in general throughout his life. His pioneering works for the Church of Christ, his wholehearted stand of the integrity of Manipur and his bold stand for safeguarding people's right and many other of his active witness are known by all right thinking persons," the statement added.

Few days ago the KLA said that Dr Lunkim was summoned in connection with a case relating to the outfit. (NNN)

Reports of killings have given great concern for the human rights organisations of the State. Every day there have been not less than a couple of killing incidents. Underground organisations killing security personnel or vice-versa have become the routine affairs.

However, the general public continue to strive on with their daily chores. Any visitor to the State will witness in one place or the other a group of people sitting under the make-shifts with play-cards and banners protesting against on issues.

Multiplication of issues has compounded the situation of the State.There has also been mushrooming of social organisations of late in Manipur.

After dark the markets in Imphal and even in the hill towns get deserted due to the grim law and order situation.

On the other hand the political class has started warming up for the next Assembly election in the State.The Assembly election is likely to be held sometime in the month of December or early next year.Politicians have been already adjusting their activities to suit their vote wooing.Talks of the next assembly election have begun to take centre stage.

Speculations are going on that atleast four new regional political parties may be floated before the next assembly election.Manipur State Congress Party, Federal Party of Manipur, Naga National Party, Manipur Peoples Party and Democratic Peoples Party are the few regional parties of Manipur at the moment. (NNN)

Police sources informed that the Land Cruiser traveling in a very high speed from Guwahati to Korimari skidded off the road and plunged into a ditch while trying to negotiate a passenger-laden bus coming from the opposite direction. All the 18 persons traveling in the ill-fated vehicle died following the mishap, 14 of them died on the spot. The deceased included a two-day old infant and mother.

According to reports, one cadre was killed and another injured in the clash that occured between 8-9 pm on Friday night but could not be ascertained as to which faction the killed and the injured cadres belonged.

It may be mentioned that a new team led by senior leader Kughalu Mulatonu of the NSCN (K) took charge of its Ceasefire Supervisory Board on Saturday.

The fierce factional clashes between the NSCN(IM) and the NSCN(K) has again erupted in various parts of Nagaland last month.

A good number of cadres belonging to both the factions. Tuensang, Mon, Kohima and Peren districts are the worst affected parts of the ongoing factional clashes. In the Nagaland capital, Kohima clashes had erupted a week ago killing three cadres. (NNN)

Official sources said that the militants of outlawed All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) waylaid an AR patrol party which was on a special operation to flush out the extremists. (UNI)