REGIONAL

GUWAHATI : AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal took oath as a member of the Assam assembly on Monday, a month after other newly elected legislators were sworn in, officials said. Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass administered the oath to Ajmal, who was elected from the Binnakandi constituency in central Assam. The ceremony was held in the meeting room of the speaker’s office, with assembly secretary-in-charge Rajiv Bhattacharjya conducting the proceedings, according to a post on the assembly’s social page. Members of the newly elected assembly had taken oath on May 21, the first day of the session of the new government. An AIUDF leader said Ajmal was away on Haj when the other MLAs had taken oath. “He had informed the assembly secretariat that we would not be present during the oath-taking ceremony. After returning from Haj, he once again wrote, seeking a date and time to take his oath. Accordingly, it was arranged today,” the leader said. Ajmal, a former three-time MP, has returned to state politics for a second time as an MLA. He was first elected to the assembly from the South Salmara seat in 2006. The NDA, comprising the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front, won 102 seats in the 126-member House in the recent assembly polls. The BJP secured 82 seats, while the AGP and BPF won 10 each. The Congress and Raijor Dal, which were part of a six-party opposition alliance, won 19 and two seats, respectively. The AIUDF and Trinamool Congress contested separately and won two and one seats, respectively. (Source: PTI)    

AGARTALA : BJP’s Northeast coordinator Sambit Patra has exhorted the party’s state leadership to hold all key organisational meetings every month to further strengthen the organisation, a party leader said on Monday. The directive came during a core committee meeting held at the party headquarters here, which was attended by Patra, Chief Minister Manik Saha, state BJP president Abhishek Debroy and other senior leaders. Talking to reporters, Debroy said the core committee emphasised the need to hold meetings of the core committee, district units and mandals every month. “The core committee also decided to constitute the state and district-level party committees at the earliest,” he said. The state and district committees could not be reconstituted for over a year due to a stalemate over the election of the state BJP president. Debroy, an MLA from Matabari Assembly constituency, was appointed state BJP president on May 28. He said there was no discussion on the electoral understanding with Tipra Motha ahead of the village committee elections. Earlier in the day, Patra met the chief minister at his official residence and discussed organisational issues related to the state, which is set to go to polls for the village committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in September. “BJP’s Northeast Coordinator Sambit Patra, along with party state president Abhishek Debroy, had a fruitful discussion on organisational issues. We exchanged views on how to further enhance the organisational strength and make it more people-centric,” Saha wrote in a Facebook post. (Source: PTI)      

GUWAHATI : European Union (EU) member-states have withdrawn their negative travel advisory for Assam, except for the three districts under the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act or AFSPA, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday. EU Ambassador to India Herve Delphin informed the Assam chief secretary that the restriction has been lifted from Friday, he said. “After reviewing the situation in Assam, they have withdrawn the negative travel advisory from yesterday. All the 27 member-states of the EU have lifted the restrictions for its citizens travelling to our state, barring the three districts of Charaideo, Tinsukia and Sivasagar which are under AFSPA,” Sarma said on Facebook Live. He said that the USA and Canada are yet to lift the travel restrictions for Assam, and the state government was pursuing the matter with them. Australia and Japan had earlier withdrawn similar advisories for their citizens last year, the CM said in a post on X. “This development, following the recent visit of EU diplomats, is a strong vote of confidence in Assam and bodes well for deeper EUAssam engagement. It will further strengthen tourism, business, and people-to-people ties,” he said, expressing gratitude to Delphin for his support in taking it forward. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI : A suspected transnational wildlife trafficking network has been busted by Assam Police, leading to the arrest of nine people and rescue of endangered Golden Langurs in Chirang district, an official statement said on Saturday. The arrests and rescue were made by the Special Task Force (STF) of the state police on Friday night, it said. Acting on specific information regarding illegal trafficking of Golden Langurs, STF launched the operation with the assistance of Chirang Police. “During the intervening night of 19th and 20th June, STF, Assam apprehended nine wildlife traffickers and rescued eight Golden Langurs from their possession at Bamungaon Road under Sidli Police Station in Chirang district,” the statement said. The rescued Golden Langurs are an endangered species notified under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, with an estimated black market value of around Rs 16 lakh. The STF said the animals were captured from the Ultapani area of Kokrajhar district and were being trafficked through local intermediaries in Chirang for delivery to prospective buyers. During the operation, two vehicles, 13 mobile phones and documents were seized. STF, Assam, has lodged a formal complaint before the Forest Range Officer, Runikhata Range under Chirang Wildlife Division and handed over the arrested persons, rescued Golden Langurs and seized articles to them for necessary legal action and further investigation into the organised interstate and transnational wildlife trafficking network, the statement said. (Source: PTI)    

JOWAI : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday lauded the artisans of Meghalaya’s Larnai village whose GI-tagged black clay pottery inspired her to try and mould clay under their guidance. Sitharaman describes it as an enduring symbol of cultural heritage and a source of livelihood for local communities. Interacting with artisans at the village in West Jaintia Hills district, Sitharaman witnessed the traditional process of crafting the distinctive black clay pottery and tried her hand at shaping clay alongside the craftspeople. “This remarkable craft is not only a reflection of Meghalaya’s rich cultural heritage but also an important source of livelihood for local artisans. Preserving and promoting such traditional skills is essential for sustaining rural economies and passing on invaluable knowledge to future generations,” she said. The Union minister also commended the artisans for keeping alive the centuries-old tradition despite changing times. “The dedication and craftsmanship displayed by the artisans of Larnai are truly inspiring. Their work deserves greater recognition and support so that this unique GI-tagged heritage can reach wider markets while continuing to empower local communities,” Sitharaman added. Later in the day, she visited the historic Nartiang Monoliths, one of the largest collections of megalithic monuments in the region, where she was briefed on the site’s archaeological and cultural significance. Sitharaman also inaugurated the newly developed Wahiajer Multi Sports Complex, including its football stadium, and said investments in modern sporting infrastructure would help nurture young talent while creating greater opportunities for youth participation and community development. Her engagements also included visits to the Shri Maa Jayantee Temple and the Nartiang heritage complex, where she said the Centre is focused on preserving Meghalaya’s cultural legacy while promoting tourism, traditional livelihoods and grassroots development. (Source: PTI)        

BHOIRYMBONG : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the Northeast has the potential to become India’s next engine of growth by leveraging its strengths in sustainable agriculture and premium organic produce. She also asserted that Meghalaya is uniquely positioned to lead because of the trust it commands in global markets. Inaugurating the Northeast’s largest organic spice processing plant of the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd here, Sitharaman said, “The future of agriculture increasingly belongs not to those who produce the most, but to those who produce the best — cleaner, more traceable, more trusted and more premium.” “When Meghalaya’s farmers rise, the Northeast rises. And when the Northeast rises, India’s growth acquires a new engine,” she said, congratulating the Meghalaya government, women collectives and entrepreneurs for driving the state’s organic farming movement forward. Emphasising Meghalaya’s competitive advantage, the finance minister said the state need not compete with large agricultural states in volume as the future increasingly belongs to trusted quality and trusted producers. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : As many as 115 people, including many minors, hailing from different parts of Assam, have been rescued from the clutches of a suspected human trafficking network in Bihar, and nine persons have been arrested, a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) official said here on Friday. He said all the victims have been brought back to Assam and are undergoing counselling. “The racket was targeting financially poor families in the state, especially along the Bhutan border in Assam. The victims were lured with the promise of government jobs,” the SSB official, who was part of the rescue operation, said. Many of the rescued victims, of whom 48 are females, are minors, he said. The official said some parents of the victims had approached the SSB, Tezpur, after they could not contact their children, taken by the traffickers. Coordinated operations conducted by multiple agencies, including the SSB and Bihar police, with the help of local intelligence network, led to the rescue from Samastipur district in the eastern state, the official said. He added that nine suspected traffickers have been arrested so far. “The victims have reached Assam and are currently undergoing counselling before heading back home,” the SSB official said. (Source: PTI)  

KOHIMA : The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) on Friday launched the first phase of its statewide agitation, observing ‘Black Friday’ across its affiliated colleges to protest the government’s failure to begin the construction of the long-pending 100-bed girls’ hostel at Kohima Science College (Autonomous), Jotsoma. The agitation follows the expiry of an ultimatum served by the students’ body to the authorities. ANCSU alleged that despite repeated representations and appeals, the government had failed to take any concrete action on the issue. As part of the protest, black flags were hoisted at affiliated colleges across Nagaland to symbolise what the union described as the government’s “continued indifference” towards a crucial educational infrastructure project affecting the welfare, safety and academic prospects of female students. In a statement, ANCSU said the widespread participation of its affiliated and associate units reflected collective resentment of the student community over the delay in implementing the hostel project. The students’ body reiterated that its demand for the immediate construction and completion of the 100-bed girls’ hostel was “non-negotiable” and accused the government of forcing students to resort to democratic forms of protest through prolonged inaction. Warning of an escalation of the agitation, ANCSU said responsibility for any further developments would rest with the authorities concerned if the issue remains unresolved.   The students’ body demanded immediate and concrete action from the state government and directed its affiliated units to remain prepared for the next phase of agitation. It said a massive statewide protest rally would be launched in the coming days if its demand continues to be ignored. (Source: PTI)