Gogoi seeks Sonia’s intervention

By Our Correspondent GUWAHATI, June 13 – In view of the changed guidelines for admission into National Institutes of Technology (NITs) issued by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has taken up the matter with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, requesting her intervention so that students’ from Assam are not deprived of seats in NITs outside the State. The Chief Minister has also written letters to the Prime Minister and the HRD Minister Arjun Singh in this regard. Earlier, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) today flayed the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development for its decision to change the seat allotment pattern into the NITs.The Ministry, through a notification issued on June 9, it may be mentioned, had decided that from 2008-09 onwards, admissions into the NITs for outside the State (non-domicile) seat would be on all India merit basis.Earlier, though 50 per cent of the seats in the NITs were reserved for the domicile students, the rest were filled up by the non-domicile students from across the country. Moreover, an equal number of seats were also kept reserved in the other NITs of the country. The country, at present, has 20 NITs.Asserting that the change in pattern of the seat allotment in the NITs would adversely affect the cause of the students in Assam and other backward States in the country, the students’ body alleged that the decision is a part of the step-motherly treatment meted out to the people of Assam both by the United Progressive Alliance Government at Delhi and the Congress-led State Government.“The new guidelines mean that the State would be deprived of as many as 230 seats in NITs, which will have a deterrent impact on the career prospects of the local students,” stated AASU general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi.“Such an unfair step would never be accepted and we warn both the Central and the State Government not to play with the sentiments of the people of Assam,” he pointed out.“It is because of the lacklustre attitude of the Tarun Gogoi Government that the decision was taken even without the consent of the State Government,” rued Gogoi.

Source: assam tribune

Sankaradeva’s ideals relevant today: Sonia

By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, June 13 – Srimanta Sankaradeva, the founder of the neo-Vaishnavite movement of Assam, epitomised the great tradition of this part of the country in the fields of knowledge and culture. His teachings have become more relevant these days. This was the observation made by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi here today while presenting the Srimanta Sankaradeva Awards for 2005 and 2006 to noted journalist BG Verghese and noted Sankara scholar Prof Kesavananda Dev Goswami. She said that the great Vaishnava saint of the State worked for unity of the mankind. There is a need to spread the ideals of this great saint all over the country to isolate the forces of division and separatism, which are trying to eat into the vitals of the country, she said.The award consisted of a cheque of Rs 3 lakh, a gold medal, a citation, a silken gamocha, a muga cheleng chadar and a sarai. Accepting the award, Verghese said that the foremost thing for Assam today was flood moderation. This requires some vital steps also in Arunachal Pradesh, he said.He also suggested a special economic zone involving Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with the Central Government collaborating with them, along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border as an initiative for economic uplift of the two states. To combat the problem of cross border influx, the noted journalist suggested ‘non-territorial electoral constituencies’ in the State.Prof Dev Goswami in his acceptance speech pleaded for Government support to the efforts at projecting Sankaradeva and spreading his messages for restoration of peace in the strife-torn State.Addressing the function, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi described Sankaradeva as a great son of the country. His ideals can help develop India in to a strong country, said Gogoi. Cultural Affairs Minister Gautam Bora and Chief Secretary P C Sarma also addressed the function.The State Government instituted the Srimanta Sankaradeva Award in 1986 to honour persons of eminence in the fields of journalism, arts, culture and literature in the name of Srimanta Sankaradeva. The underlying aim of the award is to give recognition to those who have dedicated themselves for making a new society free from class differences and religious intolerance and for establishing universal human values, said an official publication. With the presentation of the awards to BG Verghese and Prof Dev Goswami today, 23 persons of eminence have been honoured with the award so far. Source: assam tribune

Assam Congress ready to welcome Sonia with big rally

Assam Congress ready to welcome Sonia with big rally

A mammoth security arrangement is in place in view of Sonia Gandhi's visit to Guwahati on Friday. is arriving in Guwahati on Friday. The UPA chairperson and Congress president is arriving in the city at around 11 in the morning. Just after her arrival, she is schedule to address a a farmers’ rally at the Khanapara Veterinary Playground.Towards afternoon, Mrs Gandhi will attend a function to give away the prestigious Srimanta Sankardeva award to veteran journalist BG Verghese and Kesavananda Deva Goswami at the Rabindra Bhawan. The Award, presented in every two years by a national-level leader, has been instituted by the Government of Assam since 1986. It carries a cash of three lakh rupees, a gold medal, a shawl and a citation.Bsides, she is also scheduled to meet the Congress MLAs later in the day.Meanwhile, preparation to make the kishan rally a successful one is going on at war footing speed. Security in and around has also been tightened for the visit.According to information, she could announce a slew of bonanzas for the state farmers targetting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.She is also scheduled to address a Congress Party workers' meeting at Hotel Brahmaputra Ashoka on Friday. Ms. Gandhi is also scheduled to visit Mizoram on Saturday.On Thursday afternoon, AICC general secretary in charge of Assam, M Veerappa Moily, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, state Congress president Bhubneswar Kalita and senior leaders inspected the Khanapara veterinary playground and took stock of the progress of the preparations.

AJYCP, others set to greet Sonia visit with protest

Preparations are completing for Congress president Sonia Gandhi's visit to Guwahati on Friday even as students organisations are set greet the visit with a statewide protest. Talking to Assam Times, AJYCP leaders here said th UPA chairperson has never addressed the problems of the people they voted amd that misrule is what has been the style and culture of Congress.The protest has reached crescendo as soon as CBI arrested Ripun Bora while he was trying to bribe a CBI official to hush up a murder case where is is one of the suspect. "It's a damage repairing visit by the Congress president", said the students adding that it is particularly aimed at gaining back the confidence of the people of Assam.Will Mrs Gnadhi address the multi-faceted problems of the farmers of Assam", they said.The AJYCP has demanded an impartial probe in to the allegations against all tainted ministers in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet. Source: assam times

CBI may make Pathak its approver Bora’s bail plea rejected; to move High Court

From our Correspondent NEW DELHI, June 9:

Justice AP Garg of Tis Hazari Court of Delhi today rejected the bail plea of sacked Asom Education Minister Ripun Bora and his Delhi linkman Ramesh Maheswari. No bail petition has, however, been submitted to the court for journalist Mukul Pathak who was also arrested by the CBI in connection with the case.Ripun Bora’s advocate A Khan and Ramesh Maheswari’s counsel Harish Sharma jointly submitted the bail petition of the former minister and his linkman to the court on Saturday last. When the bail petition came up for hearing today, advocate Khan said: “Matters like as to why the CID gave Bora a clean chit in the Daniel Topno murder case need to looked afresh.” According to Khan, Bora had been in touch with CBI official AB Gupta since April last. Bora and the CBI official had separate meetings on April 16 and 26 in Delhi and Kolkata respectively. “Why didn’t the CBI arrest Ripun Bora then?” Khan questioned. He further said: “I said all these facts in accordance with the CBI’s case diary.” On the CBI’s statement that Bora had made an attempt to flee leaving the suitcase containing the cash near Room No. 213 of Jokashu Inn in Delhi on June 3, Khan questioned: “How can it be? Since Bora had been in touch with the CBI since April last, how could he change his mind all of a sudden on June 3 and try to flee?” He said the role of the CBI officer in the case needs to be examined.Maheswari’s advocate Harish Sharma wanted to know as to why his client was arrested as he was not on the spot where Bora and the CBI official met. CBI advocate BP Singh, on the other hand, argued that the duo should not be granted bail as there is every possibility of them tampering with evidence and witnesses if they are freed from judicial custody. After a patient hearing of all the sides, Justice Garg rejected Bora and Maheswari’s bail plea.Talking to newsmen later, Khan said: “We will move the High Court soon seeking bail for Bora.” It may be mentioned here that the Delhi High Court is closed till July 1.CBI sources, on the other hand, said the investigating agency is contemplating on making journalist Mukul Pathak the Government approver.

Gogoi set to showcase development before Sonia

By our Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, June 9: Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is preparing to showcase the developmental activities taken up by his Government during its two years to please Congress president Sonia Gandhi who is reportedly upset with the Government in the wake of the arrest of sacked Asom Education Minister Ripun Bora. According to highly-placed sources in the Congress, Sonia Gandhi is already disturbed due to the poll debacle that the party faced in a number of States. “The arrest of former Asom Education Minister Ripun Bora on the charge of bribing a CBI official at a time when the Lok Sabha election is nearing has disappointed the AICC chief. This is close on the heels of the anti-Gogoi lobby from Asom moving the party high command against Gogoi and a few of his Cabinet colleagues,” sources said, and added: “These developments have prompted the AICC president to pay a two-day visit to Asom.”Sensing the trouble ahead, the Gogoi administration has been racing against time to impress Sonia Gandhi with the developmental works done by his Government in his second term so far. According to party sources, the Chief Minister has already asked all the departments to submit reports of developmental activities done by them, and the report of all the developmental activities of the departments is being prepared by the Chief Minister’s Office. All the party MLAs have also been asked to make the June 13 farmers’ rally at Khanapara in Guwahati a grand success.The Congress MLAs, on the other hand, would have a tough time. According to party sources, the MLAs were the main crowd pullers in the May 25 celebrations on the completion of two years of the Congress-BPF Government in the State. “Bringing party supporters from faraway places to Guwahati is a matter of huge expenditure. As the MLAs had to spend huge amounts while pulling crowd from various districts of the State to Guwahati on May 25, pulling such crowd again in less than a month will be a financially burdensome for them,” party sources said. Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhubaneswar Kalita has requested all party MPs, MLAs, AICC members, PCC members, ZP members and District Congress Committee (DCC) members to ensure participation of farmers in large numbers from their respective areas in the June 13 rally in Guwahati. APCC’s media department secretary Amal Narayan Patowary said AICC’s Asom in-charge M Veerappa Moily will accompany Sonia Gandhi during the farmers’ rally in Guwahati. Moily is supposed to attend a party meeting on June 14 in Guwahati, he said. According to APCC sources, the farmers’ rally will highlight the farmers’ loan waiver scheme so as to boost agricultural production.

Sonia’s Asom visit may be cancelled

From our CorrespondentNEW DELHI, June 9: Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s proposed two-day Asom visit beginning June 13 may be cancelled. According to AICC sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a meeting with Sonia Gandhi on her proposed visit to Asom.Earlier in the day, former Asom Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar met the Prime Minister and sought his intervention in the current situation in Asom. Mahanta was followed by a delegation each of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the AGP which also drew the Prime Minister’s attention towards the situation in Asom. The Prime Minister talked to Sonia Gandhi only after his meetings with the delegations from Asom. Sources close to Sonia Gandhi told newsmen that the AICC chief’s Asom visit may be cancelled. Source: Sentinel Assam