The Northeast celebrates Republic Day

Republic Day was celebrated in the northeast amidst calls for boycott of the celebrations by several militant outfits. The newspapers in the region provided prominent coverage to the incident along with detailed reports on the security arrangements. The vernacular Aji (23 January) reported: “In order to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations in Guwahati, a three member ULFA group led by Sergeant Major Rubul Ali is waiting to enter the city.” Quoting police sources, the report further said, “The militants are hiding in a place few kilometres away from Guwahati.” The Northeast Reporter (24 January), commenting on the security arrangement in Assam, in a lead item ‘Aerial surveillance for R-Day’ reported: “On request from the Assam government, Army has started aerial surveillance of all the vital installations in the State.’ The same newspaper, in its 26 January issue, reported: “With militants’ threat looming large, unprecedented security arrangements have been made through out the Northeast for an incident-free Republic day celebration. At least 60,000 soldiers have been deployed in the entire northeast.”

The Imphal Free Press (24 January) reported: “In Imphal, police commandos, civil police and IRB personnel have been put on maximum alert conducting regular patrolling and frisking at vulnerable points.” The Shillong Times (25 January) quoting the State Director General of Police reported: “Elaborate security arrangements had been made to ensure smooth and peaceful celebration of Republic Day in the State. One more company of CRPF had been brought to deal with any untoward incident.”

Economic development of Tripura

The second Northeast Business Summit, held in New Delhi, on January 20 and 21 received prominent coverage in the Agartala based newspapers. In a front page item, the Tripura Times (16 January) reported: “Tripura will get yet another chance to project itself as an ideal investment destination. The Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, industries minister Pabitra Kar, Chief Secretary R K Mathur and top officials of the industries department will represent the state in the business cum investment summit.”

Separately, reporting on the speech of the State minister for Agriculture, Tapan Chakraborty on the proper utilisation of the State’s land resources the Tripura Times (30 January) said: “Only sixty percent of the total land is available for farming in the state. This land will be used maximum to attain self-sufficiency in food. The State needs seven thousand MI of food grains annually to meet the demand.”  

Private investment in Nagaland

Nagaland Page (21 January) in a front page report said: “Harping on Naga people’s simple, hospitable, receptive, cooperative and accommodating nature, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today assured the private investors in the State a rewarding investments, besides also wooing them with a promise to create an investor friendly environment in the State, provision of infrastructure and institutional support, attractive incentive packages and optimum utilisation of existing resources in order to gainfully exploit emerging opportunities in the national and international markets.” The Nagaland Page (23 January) in its editorial ‘The Glass is half full’ said: “It is possible to usher in an era of peace, progress and prosperity in the northeast if and when those of and outside the northeast endeavour to change perceptions and perspectives about this region and be resolute to look at the Northeast with completely new eyes- unbiased, sincere, selfless, sacrificing, understanding, patient, tolerant and generous.”

The Nagaland Post (21 January), in a front page report, quoting the State Minister for Planning and Urban Development, Dr Shurhozelie, reported: “The State’s transition towards urbanisation has been rapid and Nagaland has become part of this increasing global trend.”

Development bottlenecks in Arunachal Pradesh

The activities of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh have emerged as a challenge for the State administration. The Northeast Herald (23 January), in a front page news report, said: “Arunachal Pradesh Minister for Land Management, Trade and Commerce, Anok Wangsa has urged the NSCN cadres not to throw a spanner in developmental activities carried out by the government in Tirap and Changlang districts of the State.” The report further said: “While asking the people to avail of all developmental schemes, he urged the village elders to execute strict implementation of schemes and compliance of guidelines and specifications before withdrawal of final payments.”  

AGP elects its leader

The election of the president of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) received prominent media coverage in Assam.  Commenting on the involvement of the surrendered ULFA (SULFA) cadres in the electioneering process, vernacular daily Asamiya Khabar (22 January), in a lead item ‘SULFA AGPr Sabhat’ (SULFA cadres in AGP meeting) reported: “On Wednesday in Guwahati, before the start of the AGP’s General Body Meeting a group of more than thirty SULFA cadres reached the AGP Office in Ambari locality of the city and shouted slogans against Prafulla Mahanta. They termed the former AGP President and Chief Minister Mahanta a ‘secret killer’ and shouted slogans that ‘a killer can not be the President’.” The re-election of Brindaban Goswami as the AGP President was hailed as a victory of morality by vernacular daily from Guwahati, the Asamiya Pratidin. In a front-page report, ‘Abasheshat agapat shubha shaktir bijay’ (The victory of goodness at last) the newspaper (31 January) said: “The machinations of Prafulla Mahanta failed as Brindaban Goswami was elected as the leader of AGP.”