The Nagaland Press Association (NPA) is shocked to learn about the assassination of Gauri Lankesh, a senior journalist and Editor of the weekly *Gauri Lankesh Patrike* – a magazine which has been described as an ‘anti-establishment’ publication. She was shot to death by unknown assailants outside her home in Bangalore on September 5, 2017. Gauri was known for being not just a critic of right-wing Hindu extremism but also someone who had raised her voice against powerful organisations.
She paid the price for standing up for her beliefs. Violence and killing is not the way to confront our differences. In a democracy, which we have adopted, dissent is legitimate and part of free speech. If there is anything that is contrary to the spirit of our democracy and rule of law, the judiciary is there to address grievances and give justice. Resorting to violence is not only undemocratic but it makes us unworthy as humans—valuing life and order. The NPA is of the firm belief that dialogue remains the best way forward to resolve whatever differences people may have.
The NPA stands with the rest of the media and human fraternity in demanding that those found guilty must be brought to justice. The NPA is also concerned by the manner in which the killing of Gauri Lankesh has been politicized even to the extent that the media has been divided along so called ideological lines. The media is acknowledged as the fourth pillar of democracy and we should remain conscious of our duties—to stand for truth, fairness and dialogue.
7 Apr 2012 - 3:19am | editor
There seems to be no end of anomalies in the HSLC and AHM examinations this year.
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Assam Engineering College, Hostel-6 was established in the year 1963 to provide accommodation to the students of the College. From the day of its establishment, it has been "a home away from home"...
Yet another IED was found at Goreswar Gasbari area on Thursday morning. The IED was planted by suspected anti-talk faction group of National Democratic Front of Bodoland near a culvert of Baihata-Goreswar road. Investigation is gong on. ULFA and NDFB are among ten outfits who have called a general strike on Jan 26 and urged people to boycott the Republic Day celebrations.
A powerful Improvised Explosive Devices was recovered ahead of the Republic Day celebrations in Darrang district on Thursday.The bomb was found near the Mangaldoi police station and Republic Day parade ground in the morning. Police suspected it a handiwork of ULFA for triggering explosion targeting security forces. Later army bomb squad team defused the bomb.
Guwahati Police have arrested 8 persons including a Mizoram forest department official and recovered some rare species of snake in Guwahati. These persons were arrested on Monday night from a building in Mathuranagar area in the city.A tortoise has also been seized from their possession on Wednesday midnight. Later they has been taken to the Dispur police station.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Army court had taken a lenient view of the crime. He told reporters in Jorhat that he would urge the defence ministry to review the case to ensure proper justice to the 19-year-old victim. According to Gogoi, the army court has been insensitive to the seriousness of the crime and has taken a lenient view.He said that imprisonment for only three months is far less than the heinous crime committed by the armyman. Notably, an Army court had on Monday sentenced Anil Kumar Upadhaya, a lance naik with 287 Field Regiment, to three months of rigorous imprisonment in military custody and demoted him to the rank of sepoy who was arrested after he was caught...
Delhi police have arrested a local youth on Tuesday charging him with beating up an Assamese girl in the national capital on Monday. The incident took place near the Dwaraka metro station after the victim met one of her friends in the evening. Immediately after she met her friend, a youth called her and as he looked at him, the youth started beating up her and left the spot. Later Uttam Nagar police registered a case at the initiatives of the Delhi University’s North East Cell against the accused identified as Sumit Gupta whom she knows.
Security forces are spreading tentacles along the Assam-Meghalaya border against ULFA and GNLA who are preparing to launch dangerous offensive during the Republic Day.Two suspected hardcore GNLA were killed at an encounter with army and police in Goalpara district on Tuesday. Security forces launched a major offensive against militants at Khardang bordering Meghalaya. The heavy exchange of firing took place when three youths attacked the security forces. In retaliated firing, two militants were killed on the spot and another managed to escape from the spot. Police further claimed to have recovered two 7.65 MM pistols along with four rounds of live bullets from the spot.
ULFA’s anti talk faction on Tuesday claimed the responsibility of the attack at a police station in Sonari where a policeman was injured and several vehicles have been damaged on Monday midnight.In a statement ULFA’s publicity wing said that it was launched to retaliate the killing of the innocent youth in Tinsukia district in the name of encounter with ULFA. Policemen Lila Chetia was later shifted to hospital and his condition is stable. Security forces rushed to the spot and a combing operation is going on. But the militants are believed to have left for the neighbouring Nagaland.
ULFA steps up attack in the run up to the Republic Day slated for January 26. The banned insurgent outfit launched a major offensive in Sivasagar district on Monday midnight leaving a policeman injured and damaging a police station.The incident took place on Mondayu midnight at Namtula in Sonari police station where the ULFA militants sprayed bullets at the police station for around 20 minute leaving a commando jawan injured.Amid firing the militants lobbed a powerful grenade at the police station. But it missed the target and fell at a stranded truck which caught a huge fire. On the other hand, three vehicles inside the police station campus were riddled with repeated bullet injuries....
A round the clock-vigil is in place in all district to thwart any ULFA attempt in the run up to the Republic Day slated for January 26. Security forces have been deployed in vital public places including oil and gas installations. According to inputs available with police, two groups of ULFA militants have been hiding in the dense jungles along the Assam-Meghalaya border and Assam-Nagaland border.Chief minister Tarun Gogoi has already asked the Assam Police chief to beef up security measures to thwart any subversive activity by the militant groups ahead the R-Day celebration.
Ulfa hardliners' faction, along with 10 other militant outfits from the northeast, has announced general strike on Republic Day. These outfits have also called for a boycott of Republic Day in the region.
In a joint statement to assamtimes, Arunodoy 'Asom' said that they have asked people to abstain from trade and travel on January 26 till dusk. Two two banned outfits of the poll-bound state of Tripura - the National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) and the Tripura People's Democratic Front (TPDF) - have also joined hands with the Ulfa’s anti-talk faction in the boycott along with the anti-talks NDFB faction and Corcom.
The e-mail statement also slammed the government for encouraging...
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