Akhil Gogoi likely to contest from Sivasagar
Jailed activist Akhil Gogoi is likely to contest the Assam election. “We said it earlier, and we say it again that our advisor Akhil Gogoi will contest the upcoming polls. People want him to contest from Sivasagar,” said Dhaijya Konwar, the general secretary of peasants’ body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti. As many as 70 organisations floated a regional party, Raijor Dal, a few months ago. Gogoi was arrested in December last year when the protests against CAA turned violent in Assam. Later, the NIA took his custody, in connection with a case pertaining to his alleged nexus with the CPI (Maoist).
BJP’s stellar show in council polls erodes Cong base
For a party that hardly had any presence in Bodoland Territorial Region till about five years ago, BJP’s stellar performance in two autonomous council elections hints at the party’s preeminence ahead of next year’s Assembly polls. The saffron party bagged nine seats in the Bodoland Territorial Council election, eight more than its 2015 tally of one. It also swept the Tiwa Autonomous Council election held in parts of Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, and Kamrup (Metro) districts in central Assam. The party won 33 of the council’s 36 seats. Its ally Asom Gana Parishad bagged two while one went to the kitty of Congress, whose popularity has depleted even as the BJP has emerged as a powerhouse. The Congress has been hit by factionalism also.
NCC cadets’ courage aboard burning train
Hard disaster management training had steeled the nerves of the NCC cadets, and when crisis came, they were not found wanting. A bunch of cadets was aboard the Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express when a coach caught fire. In no time, the NCC cadets started evacuating the trapped passengers. “This life-saving task, undertaken by the cadets, is the result of disaster management training... It came in handy in a practical situation. The actions displayed by the cadets were highly appreciated by the people. Due to their courage, there was no casualty,” defence spokesman Lt Col P Khongsai said
‘Mechanisation at the expense of animals’
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde said that mechanisation has relegated animals from a position of importance. Speaking at an orientation programme on Protection of Wildlife in Guwahati recently, he said that animals’ importance has been ignored despite the history of our civilisation being the one where humans were closely associated with animals. After arriving in the city, and staying overnight, the CJI visited the Kamakhya Temple perched atop the Nilachal Hills. He also visited Mizoram and Tripura. In Mizoram, he laid the foundation stone of a project envisaged to protect the flora and the fauna. In Tripura, he offered prayers at the Tripura Sundari Temple, and attended a programme at the Tripura High Court.
prasanta mazumdar
Our correspondent in Guwahati prasantamazumdar@newindianexpress.com