The election scenario like the monsoon rain is unpredictable with the sun shining throughout the day, while the rain and storm lashing out at midnight till dawn. Political parties are in a state of disarray, inspite of their attempts to consolidate. For a long time elections in the state have produced results of a hung assembly, resulting in last minute patching up of political parties in the formation of coalition governments, which have done more harm in the day to day administration including implementation of schemes and other developmental activities.
Former Bihar Governor, the BJP-led NDA candidate won the Presidential polls on 20th July with 65.6% with an accurate number of 702,044 electoral college votes against the UPA candidate Meira Kumar with 34.35% which is 367,314 votes. Counting happened under the supervision of Lok Sabha secretary general Anoop Mishra, who is also the Returning Officer.
Interestingly Ram Nath Kovind is the second Dalit President of India after K.R Narayanan. “Ram Nath Kovind, himself a Dalit and a BJP MP from UP, expressed a more positive view recently, stating that “open” discrimination against dalits has decreased dramatically over the last decade, while the number of persons who genuinely care about helping dalits has increased.
NAGALAND POLITICAL DRAMA Zeliang Holds On The Edge
Xavier Rutsa
Nagaland is again in the limelight for the wrong reasons in political history, having witnessed the change of guard for the post of Chief Minister twice in five months in 2017. Nagaland Governor PB Acharya on July 19 dismissed the 147 day old government of Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu and invited TR Zeliang to form the new government the same day.
The Governor asked Zeliang to prove majority before July 22, however it proved the majority on July 21, with 47 legislators voting in his favour and 11 legislators against it. The Speaker Dr. Imtiwabang Aier did not vote, while one seat is lying vacant.
EXPLAINING THE DECISION TAKEN, GOVERNOR SAYS ACTED UPON CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION
TWIPRALAND MOVEMENT An Instigating Politics of Innocent Mind
By-Biswendu Bhattacharjee
The demand of a separate state for tribal within the state of Tripura appears to be a dream for Indigenous Peoples’ Front of Twipra (IPFT) when BJP is looking to make inroads into power; CPI-M is trying to retain one of its last bastions. Innocent tribal minds were initially polluted by CPI-M during 90s with anti Bengalee propaganda in the hill to come in power but the communal hatred remain in their mind, which is now being exploited by a group of tribal leaders with abetment of leftists.
The recent standoff between India and China at the Doklam plateau which lies at a tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan has gained much attention. It has turned into the biggest military stand-off between the two armies in years. There are many who even fear for war. The offensive stand of China on Doko La (Doklam) and India’s strong warning in return, is the latest addition to the worries that spoil Indo-China relations. It started when India (Indian Army) objected a road construction by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China in the Doklam plateau which China claims to be a part of its Donglang region. However, India and Bhutan recognise Doklam, as a Bhutan territory. Later, China accused Indian troops of entering in its territory and India accused the Chinese of destroying its bunkers (People’s Liberation Army bulldozed an old bunker of the Indian army stationed in Doklam). Thereafter China stopped the pilgrim passage heading towards Kailash-Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass, Sikkim. The route is a better alternative to Lepu Lekh route via Uttarakhand and had been opened for pilgrims in 2015. Hereafter, both India and China increased the presence of their troops and since then there has been a war of words especially from the Chinese state media. Although a military standoff was averted, diplomatic negotiations have not yielded many results to cool-off the passions across the border.
OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO DISPUTE BETWEEN INDO-CHINA
Sri Lanka signed a USD 1.1 billion deal to sell a 70% stake in the strategic Hambantota port to China which draws major concerns over the massive debt the island nation incurred in the port’s construction.
There has been frequent public outcry against illegal quarrying and mining of sand from the river system of Barak Valley. This has been going on for decades without any action by the forest officials concerned or the administration. The situation has come to such a pass that even the forests and its wealth have become the target of timber-mafias. The media, both print and electronic, has been highlighting with graphic details and photographs how the greenery and the illegal mining and quarrying go on daringly. Of the three districts in this valley, Cachar is richest in natural resources.
According to a forest official who wants to remain anonymous, 90% of the quarrying of stones and mining of sand has been illegal. People, both tribal and non tribal, have often dared to speak out against the mafias.
Kerala Finance Minister deems Mizoram lottery tickets illegal in the state
Kerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac addressed that selling of Mizoram lottery tickets was illegal and it is without the state’s permission. The Government has assured investigation into it, of finding out who is behind the selling of Mizoram Lottery tickets by giving advertisements and have imposed restrictions on the sale of tickets from other states. It was alleged that the tickets coming into the state is not of Mizoram but of lottery king Santiago Martin. Efforts were made to sell the tickets after GST came into force.
IIM Shillong pays homage to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
The IIM Shillong fraternity marked the second Death Anniversary of the ‘People’s President’ with the 2017 edition of the Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Annual Lecture Series. Padma Vibhushan Shri G. Madhavan Nair, former Chairman, Indian Space Research Organization and Secretary to the Department of Space, Government of India was the Chief Guest for the session. Recently, PM Narendra Modi, on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's death anniversary on July 27, inaugurated a memorial built in Kalam's honour at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. The memorial has been designed and built by DRDO and has a replica of Agni missile installed at the site. While the memorial's main entrance resembles India Gate, the dome structure is similar to Rashtrapati Bhavan's.
An Extraordinary General Meeting of Vijaya Bank
An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders of Vijaya Bank was held at Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty Auditorium at Vijaya Bank, Head Office, Bangalore. Extraordinary General Meeting was conducted to elect Two Directors from amongst the shareholders of the Bank in terms of Section 9(3)(i) of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980. After the election proceedings, two candidates Shri Rajan Dogra and Shri Raghvender Gupta, who secured highest number of votes polled were elected as Directors to the Board of the Bank for a term of three years. The Bank has been at the forefront in ushering a new era of growth and all round progress.
Young man from Meghalaya qualifies as AIFF match commissioner
In a three-day seminar conducted by the All India Football Federation(AIFF) for aspiring Match Commissioners in July 2017, 50 candidates appeared for the examination which was held at Mumbai and Kolkata respectively. Among the successful list of 24 candidates, Meghalaya lad Pynshngainlang Nicholas Jyrwa qualified the course which entitles him to officiate in various AIFF competitions.
“If I’m not able to put forward the concerns of my weaker section in the Parliament, I don’t have the right to stay”.
– BSP Chief Mayawati while resigning as Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha.
“We are residing in India at a time when we do not know whether we have our democracy or not”.
– Mamta Banerjee while addressing the Martyr’s Day rally, commemorating the 1993 Kolkata firing.
Accused of corruption in land for hotel deals, “I was only 13 when the sale of railway hotels took place in 2004.I did not even have a moustache at that time. How can a 13 or 14-year old do all this?”
– RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav told reporters in Patna.
“I have proof that while the first 13 properties were transferred in his name when he was not yet 13, the rest came when he had already grown a ‘moustache and beard’, which makes him culpable,”
– BJP leader Sushil Modi addressing a press conference in Patna.
“Modi’s policies have created space for terrorists in Kashmir. Grave strategic blow for India #Amarnath TerrorAttack. Short term political gain for Modi from PDP alliance has cost India massively... Modi’s personal gain = India’s strategic loss + sacrifice of innocent Indian blood.”
– Slamming PM Narendra Modi, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi onTwitter
“Our society has found an able and competent contractor (PM Narendra Modi) for social welfare. But the danger is that we might put the entire onus on the contractor’s head and sleep. This shouldn’t happen. The people who work for public welfare have a feeling of worship for the country.”
– RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat addressing a function at New Delhi.
