REGIONAL

GUWAHATI, SEP 5: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday welcomed the United Nations for designating November 27 as International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage, maintaining it was an affirmation of this northeastern state’s firm steps against underage weddings. He also said that the designation of the date coincides with the Assam government announcing an “unapologetic campaign” against child and forced marriages, continuing its crackdown against it. “Even the UN now agrees to what we in Assam have been saying and professing since our last term — child or forced marriage has no place in our society and needs to be cracked down upon,” Sarma said in a post on X. He maintained that the declaration of November 27 as International Day for Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage will act as a global support for eliminating the vice, he said and shared a copy of the UN announcement with his post. The chief minister said the state government’s efforts against the vice in the past few years have led to over 12,000 cases being registered, more than 11,000 arrests and an 81 per cent drop in child marriages across 20 districts, along with drastic reductions in teenage pregnancies and increases in female higher education enrollment. “Coincidentally, we had already announced that in the month of November, we will be taking up an unapologetic campaign against child and forced marriage and bring all the perpetrators to justice, securing the future of our daughters,” he said. Sarma said the UN declaration shows that Assam’s efforts were never in isolation; it was about eliminating a crime which is a global problem. “Assam’s fight against child marriage ignited a national narrative, and now carries the weight of global recognition. Our commitment remains unchanged — a society free of child marriage,” he added. The Assam government had launched its intensified crackdown against child marriage in 2023, during the first term of Sarma as chief minister. (Source: PTI)    

IMPHAL, SEP 5: Manipur Congress Legislature Party leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh on Saturday said the BJP government has not come up with a roadmap to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn state. The opposition leader’s comment comes after state Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said in the assembly that the ethnic conflict which erupted in May 2023 between the valley-based Meitei and the hill-based Kuki communities has claimed at least 306 lives, with 49 individuals remaining missing. Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader alleged, “There is no roadmap for the restoration of peace so far. There is no concrete plan from the state government.” Singh vowed to continue his fight to ensure justice for the violence-hit people in the state. “Day before yesterday, there was a lot of hue and cry in the state assembly while discussing restoration of normalcy and demand for NRC in the state,” he said. Manipur had recently witnessed protests over demand for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the commencement of census exercise. The Centre had on Monday deferred the census operations in the northeastern state, considering the demand by civil society organisations. Singh said Congress MLAs have been seeking discussion on the core issues of the state in the assembly. “People’s demand for 1951 as the base year for NRC has been denied by the BJP government,” he alleged. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL, SEP 4: The opposition Congress in Manipur on Friday condemned the bomb blast outside the residence of its legislature party leader Keisham Meghachandra, describing it as an “attack on democracy”. Senior Congress spokesperson Hareshwar Goswami said differences in a democracy should be resolved through dialogue and peaceful negotiations. “We take the bomb blast at the residence of the Congress legislature party leader as an attack on democracy. If there are different views, it should be negotiated and discussed peacefully,” Goswami said, addressing a press conference. “We strongly condemn the attack. The attack is not just on Meghachandra but the Congress as a whole. Such things should not happen again,” he added. Goswami said the party was yet to receive any information about the motive behind the attack, alleging that it was the handiwork of miscreants “who may have been instigated by someone”. Unidentified men triggered a blast near the gate of Meghachandra’s residence in Thoubal district on Thursday evening, police said. The explosion took place around 8.15 pm near the wall of Meghachandra’s residence at Yairipok Bishnu Naha in Wangkhem constituency. The explosive is suspected to have been a grenade, they said. No one was injured in the incident, and Meghachandra was not home at the time of the blast, police said. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, SEP 4: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the Karbi Peace Accord, signed five years ago, has accelerated development of Karbi Anglong district. He said the district was progressing in growth parameters, a testimony that dialogue leads to a resilient future. “Today, we commemorate the historic signing of the Karbi Peace Accord — a pivotal milestone that forever transformed the socio-political landscape of Assam and turned a page from conflict to lasting harmony,” Sarma said in a social media post. The Accord was signed in New Delhi in 2021 between the Centre, state government and five major insurgent groups. The pact brought to an end years of violence, killings and abduction in the rebels’ fight for a separate homeland in Karbi Anglong, a territory of ethnic Karbi tribals. Sarma maintained that the Accord fulfilled the long-standing aspirations of the Karbi people while safeguarding the territorial integrity of Assam. From infrastructure upgrades to targeted tribal welfare, the agreement opened new doors for youth, art and local entrepreneurship, he said. “As Karbi Anglong marches ahead on the path of prosperity, we salute the spirit of peace and unity that made this agreement possible. A shining example of how dialogue builds a resilient future,” the chief minister added. He affirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring the fast paced growth of the region and the welfare of the people, while safeguarding their distinct identity. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI, SEP 4: Seven people were arrested and Yaba tablets worth Rs 1.4 crore and over 1.2 lakh Myanmarese cigarettes were seized from their possession in separate operations in Assam, officials said on Friday. The Yaba tablets were seized in Sribhumi district and the smuggled cigarettes in adjacent Cachar, both in southern Assam’s Barak Valley. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a social media post, said, “At Badarpur, @sribhumipolice intercepted 2 vehicles and seized 14,000 Yaba tablets worth Rs 1.4 cr.” He said five accused have been apprehended, lauding the police for the successful operation. Yaba tablets are illegal in India as they contain methamphetamine, a Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act. The chief minister’s office (CMO), also in a social media post, said another operation was carried out at an inter-state border checkpoint in Cachar district. “ZERO tolerance against smuggling and illegal trafficking continues. At Dighorkhal Check Post on the Assam-Meghalaya border, @assampolice intercepted a vehicle and seized 1,20,000 Burmese cigarettes concealed in a secret chamber,” it said. The CMO added that two persons have been apprehended and legal action initiated against them. (Source: PTI)      

IMPHAL, SEP 4: Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Friday called for collective efforts to bridge the trust deficit among communities and create a peaceful environment for the younger generation. Singh made the remarks during a visit to L Champhai village in Kangpokpi district to inspect a water supply project. He urged the village chairman to extend full cooperation to government officials to facilitate the smooth discharge of their duties. Later, Singh attended a public interaction programme at Christian Center Church in Leimakhong in the district. During the interaction, Singh expressed pain over people having to leave their homes and being unable to return due to the crisis. He recalled that during his interactions with internally displaced persons (IDPs) from both the Meitei and Kuki communities, they had expressed the same desire to return to their respective homes. The chief minister said the crisis had caused similar pain and suffering to people from both communities. He appealed to everyone to “forgive and forget” what had happened and work towards bridging the trust deficit among the communities. Considering the future of the younger generation, Singh urged people to collectively shun violence and work towards creating a peaceful environment for youths. “We are all under the guidance of God and must, therefore, strive to live in harmony and refrain from causing hardship and suffering to one another,” he said. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL, SEP 3: At least 306 people have been killed, and 49 are still missing in the ethnic violence that broke out in May 2023, Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam told the assembly on Thursday. The violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities started on May 3, 2023, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribes status. Responding to a query by BJP MLA Sapam Ranjan Singh on the second day of the ongoing assembly session, Konthoujam said, “Since the violence started on May 3, 2023, 306 people have died, and 49 people are still missing as of August 31, 2026.” Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the hill districts. In view of the violence, President’s rule was imposed in the state on February 13 last year after the BJP-led government headed by Biren Singh resigned on February 9, following months of ethnic violence. The 60-member assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, had been put on suspended animation after the President’s rule was imposed. It was revoked on February 4 this year, hours before the formation of a new state government with BJP leader Y Khemchand Singh as the chief minister. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, SEP 3: The opposition Congress on Thursday announced the termination of all ties with Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal in Assam, citing “breach of alliance ethics”. The decision, taken on the direction of state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, came into immediate effect, the party said in a statement. A circular to this effect, signed by APCC General Secretary (Organisation) Ramanna Baruah, was issued on Wednesday, it said. The Congress said it had forged an electoral alliance with pan-India Left parties and several regional outfits, including Raijor Dal, ahead of the previous Lok Sabha and assembly elections, with the objective of presenting a united opposition against “communal forces”. “However, for a majority of this period, the leadership of Raijor Dal continuously engaged in malicious propaganda and character assassination against the Congress party, violating the norms and decorum of the coalition,” it alleged. No immediate reaction was available from the Raijor Dal leadership. The Congress and Raijor Dal were part of a six-party opposition alliance during the last assembly elections and won 19 and two seats, respectively, in the 126-member House. (Source: PTI)