Guwahati: As assumed, senior Indian Administrative Service officer Prateek Hajela, former State coordinator to National Register of Citizens (NRC), was approved by Assam government to proceed with the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) application with effect from 1 August 2023 under All India Services Rules 1958, even though with some conditions. Two criminal cases are pending against Hajela in connection with NRC updation The Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS officer, who had completed his three-year inter-cadre deputation in Madhya Pradesh (from 13 November 2019 to 12 November 2022), applied for an early retirement after the MP government released him on 31 March 2023…
Author: Nava Thakuria
Guwahati: As one more first information reports (FIR) was lodged against the corruption and money laundering by concerned officials while updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and the petitioner, Gitika Bhattacharya, a Guwahati-based social worker, in her complaint at Dispur police station demanded legal actions against the government officials along with the private parties as well as some individuals, it added more dimensions to the controversy. The complaint, received on 13 July 2023, also categorically highlighted the matter of exploitation to nearly 8000 contractual workers, who were denied legalised monthly salaries during the process of NRC updation…
Guwahati: Bharat Raksha Manch (Save India Forum, a non-government organisation) reiterates its demand for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) with the base year 1951 across the country. The recently concluded its national executive meeting at Jammu (J&K) also extended support to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The nationalist forum also appealed for peace in Manipur which has been facing relentless turmoil since 3 May last. Graced by BRM national president Satyanarayan Jetia, working president Bhusan Dewan, national coordinator Suryakanta Kelkar with others, the meeting also observed that a correct nationwide NRC could have prevented the Manipur mayhem. Speakers expressed…
Guwahati: A week long summer theatre camp, organized by KimDaula Media in association with Jirsong Theatre (JT) for the first time in Dima Hasao district in central Assam, concluded successfully at Haflong with the presentation of three short plays in Hindi and Dimasa languages by local artistes. Presented by Swapna Daulagupu on behalf of KimDaula Media and supported by the Dima Hasao autonomous council, the camp (3 to 9 July 2023) was held at Don Bosco higher secondary school. Coordinated by Kulendra Daulagupu, an FTII, Pune alumnus and mentored by Robijita Gogoi, a National School of Drama, New Delhi alumnus…
Guwahati: Emphasizing on a correct National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the State, Assam branch of Bharat Raksha Manch (Save India Forum, a non-government organization) demands a complete reverification of the NRC draft and also appropriate actions against all the individuals who were involved in intentional inclusion of illegal migrants’ name in the draft list and also in money laundering to the tune of Rs 260 crores. Submitting a memorandum to Assam Governor, Gulab Chand Kataria at Raj Bhawan on 10 July 2023, a delegation comprising BRM officials including Suryakanta Kelkar, Sujit Pathak, Rakesh Gupta, Sunil Singh etc appealed to…
Guwahati: A city-based Assamese daily newspaper has been trolled in social media for using a fake photograph to narrate the horrible story of Manipur in the front page of 19 June 2023 issue. The social media users slammed the editor of Amar Asom for using a photograph, which has been lifted from Myanmar’s influential Mizzima newspaper, with a completely different content. The original news related to the announcement of the National Unity Government (of Burma) to take strict action against any member of the people’s defence force (PDF), who would be found guilty for killing the concerned lady in the…
Guwahati: The continuous violence that is going on in Manipur for the last 45 days is extremely worrisome. The violence and uncertainty that started in the Satte after the protest rally organized in Churachandpur on 3 May 2023 at the time of Lai Haraoba festival is to be condemned,” said Dattatreya Hosabale, Sarkaryavah of Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In a media statement issued on Sunday, the RSS Sarkaryavah added, “It is very unfortunate that the spate of unrest and violence that erupted afterwards among those who have been living a peaceful life with mutual harmony and co-operation for centuries has not…
It’s shocking to report that a number of Guwahati-based scribes and RTI (right to information) activists have been facing interrogation and even arrest by Assam chief minister’s special vigilance cell following the allegations of Sewali Devi Sharma, the prime accused in Rs 105 crore State council of educational research and training (SCERT) scam, as being blackmailers to her in different occasions. The arrestees include a lady reporter (identified as Pujamoni Das alias Honey Kashyap, who reportedly took a large volume of money from Ms Sharma) along with a satellite news channel reporter named Bhaskarjyoti Hazarika. RTI activists namely Rabijit Gogoi…
Guwahati: The complainant, whose case relating to (National Register of Citizens) NRC updation scam in Assam was not entertained by Kamrup (metropolitan) chief judicial magistrate’s court citing the reason that it lacks the jurisdiction to investigate the allegations or direct the police to file a first information report (FIR), decides to re-approach the court with a different jurisdiction. Luit Kumar Barman, a well known Assamese entrepreneur turned acclaimed film producer, approached the court with the plea to direct Paltan Bazar police station to register his FIR. Barman, a visible social media user, sued the former NRC Assam coordinator Prateek Hajela…
First thing first. I never imagined to be a journalist (not to speak of a sports reporter) but destiny had a special script (prepared in a bad mood) for me. After appearing in the final year examination in Assam Engineering College (1990), I went to meet our unique Physics Professor Surendranath Medhi (many believe him as a most modern Assamese short story writer, Saurabh Kumar Chaliha) at his quarter. Medhi Sir, a thin gentleman with a soft voice, was however a terror for many AECIANs (as he was a very strict teacher after Principal AK Padmapati Sir). Going to his…
Guwahati: The former Chief Justice of India and currently a member of Rajya Sabha, Ranjan Gogoi faces a defamation suit in Assam for his objectionable views penned in a book relating to Aabhijeet Sharma, president of Assam Public Works (APW). Gogoi termed the APW chief as a threat to Prateek Hajela, IAS, then State Coordinator of National Register of Citizen for Assam, in his book titled ‘Justice for the Judge: An Autobiography’. Sharma has filed the Rs one crore suit (case no 261/23) against Gogoi and also the publisher of the book (Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi) at…
Guwahati: Assam water minister Piyush Hazarika on Thursday visited several places in Cachar district on the second day of his Barak valley visit. Hazarika first inspected the repair work of the dam in Badrighat area of Barak river and then visited Betukandi area. A sluice gate is already being constructed in the area and about 700 meters of dam is being raised and reconstructed. Hazarika directed the district magistrate to work expeditiously to resolve the land acquisition problems encountered in the construction of dams. He also visited Annapurnaghat area and inspected the ongoing erosion prevention works there. Later Hazarika visited…
Guwahati: Assam’s well known journalist Rupam Barua has been selected for the Prestigeous Devarshi Narad Jayanti award this year, which will be conferred on the nationalist media columnist on Saturday. Barua, who also edits popular Assamese children magazine Sofura, was recently selected for the coveted award, informs Kishor Shivam of Visva Sambad Kendra Assam. As part of the annual Maharshi Narad Jayanti celebration, three senior city-based journalists namely Jitendra Choudhury of Dainik Asom, Saumya Bharadwaj of Amar Asom and Sewali Kalita of Doordarshan Kendra Guwahati will also be felicitated in the function to be held at Sudarshanalaya in Barbori area.…
Guwahati: Appreciating Assam government for planning to set up an integrated judicial complex, which is expected to comprise the Gauhati High Court along with CJM & sessions courts of Kamrup (metropolitan) and Kamrup district in one campus, Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) reiterates its old demand for a media centre where the journalists can assemble for regular interaction and organisetraining/orientation programs, workshops, conferences for updating themselves with the future course of actions. State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while attending the closing ceremony of GHC’s platinum jubilee celebration on 14 April 2023 at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in the city, announced in…
Guwahati: Attending the closing ceremony of Gauhati High Court’s platinum jubilee celebration on 14 April 2023 at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in the city, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the State government was planning to construct an integrated judicial complex in Guwahati, which will comprise the GHC along with CJM and sessions courts of Kamrup (metropolitan) and Kamrup district in one campus. Sarma commented that the judiciary has been playing an important role in the democratic system of India. As the country has celebrated 75 years of its independence, Sarma opined…