Monthly Archives: August 2018

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, July 29

A New York state trooper, who is a Sikh, was allegedly denied permission to grow beard by his supervisors, despite a 2019 state law that ensures such religious accommodations, reported Associated Press.

Charanjot Tiwana, a state trooper for six years, had sought to grow his beard for his wedding, but was denied permission due to safety reasons, according to New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association.

Sikh men wear a turban and do not cut their hair or beard as part of their religious commitment. This custom has, however, clashed with the state police grooming rules of keeping short hair and a shaved look.

A photo provided by Sam Verstandig showed New York State assemblyman David Weprin with members of the Sikh community speaking during a news conference addressing dress codes within the state police, on July 24, 2023, in New York.

“All New Yorkers, including law-enforcement officers, must be free from employer oppression when practising their religion,” AP quoted him as saying.

An NYSP spokesperson has declined to comment on the details though the cops confirmed Tiwana’s request.

Deanna Cohen, police spokesperson, said the department values diversity and inclusion among its ranks and engages in reasonable accommodation process. According to her, NYSP is also working on a turban policy.

In 2022, a federal court ruled that the Marine Corps cannot deny entry to Sikh recruits sporting a beard and a turban.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), one of the largest civil society groups in the strife-torn state, organised a massive rally in Imphal today to protest the demand by Kukis for ‘separate administration’.

Victim’s mother wants death for accused

Imphal: The mother of one of the girls disrobed and paraded by a mob in Manipur on May 4 has sought death for the culprits while wishing to see the remains of her son and husband who died that day. She said she trusted the Centre, not the state government. PTI

Thousands of protesters from five valley districts of the state participated in the rally, demanding no interference with the territorial integrity of Manipur where ethnic violence erupted in the beginning of May. The rally began at Thangmeiband in Imphal West district and culminated at Hapta Kangjeibunand in Imphal East, covering a distance of 5 km, officials said.

Publisher held for remarks on judiciary

Chennai: A publisher-blogger, Badri Seshadri, was on Saturday held for remarks on judiciary while discussing Manipur violence in an interview on a YouTube channel on July 22. PTI

They said the protesters were holding aloft placards and raised slogans against those who demanded separate administration, and against “illegal immigrants from Myanmar”. The rally passed off peacefully as it was organised on a day when a delegation of 21 MPs from the opposition coalition INDIA was in the state to assess the ground situation.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29

Former Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane (retd) has said the involvement of foreign agencies in the Manipur violence “cannot be ruled out”. He flagged the “Chinese aid to various insurgent groups”.

Chinese Aid

Chinese aid has been helping these groups for years and will continue to do so even now.

Gen MM Naravane (retd), former army chief

General Naravane said instability in border states is bad for the country’s overall national security.

He was responding to questions on Manipur while interacting with journalists at the India International Centre on the topic ‘National Security Perspective’ on Friday night.

“The involvement of foreign agencies, not only I say, cannot be ruled out but I will say they are definitely there, especially Chinese aid to various insurgent groups,” he said.

The former Army Chief said the Chinese aid has been helping these groups for years and would continue to do so even now.

On a question about the role of drug trafficking in the ongoing violence in the Northeastern state, the General said drug smuggling has been there for a very long time and the amount of drugs which has been seized has only increased over years.

Myanmar, he opined, was always in a state of disarray and military rule. Even at the best of times in Myanmar, the government only had control over central Myanmar, not really on the borders states whether with India or with China or with Thailand.

General Naravane was asked about Army recruitment scheme Agnipath on which he said: “The scheme was launched after a great deal of deliberations.”

MPs belonging to the INDIA alliance meet people affected by the Manipur violence at a relief camp in Imphal East district. PTI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29

The CBI today took over the investigation into the alleged sexual assault on two women in Manipur by a mob on May 4, the development coming on a day when 21 opposition MPs from 16 parties reached Imphal to assess the ground situation in the strife-torn state.

Biometrics of ‘illegal’ immigrants being taken

The Manipur Government on Saturday resumed its campaign to capture biometrics of ‘illegal’ Myanmar immigrants in the state on MHA’s directions, said an official statement.

A video clip of the alleged assault purportedly showed two women from one of the warring communities in the state being paraded naked by men from the other side. The clip went viral on social media on July 19, leading to a massive uproar across the country on crimes allegedly being committed in the state.

Painful for all of us

Whatever happened in Manipur was not good… That gives pain to all of us.

Om Birla, Lok Sabha Speaker

The MPs visited Kuki-inhabited Churachandpur district by helicopter from Imphal and met the community members living in relief camps after fleeing from Meitei-majority areas. Later, they also visited the relief camps in Imphal where Meitei refugees have been putting up.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is part of the delegation, told reporters in Imphal that the ethnic conflict in Manipur had “dented India’s image internationally”. “We want the end of violence and restoration of peace at the earliest. The entire world is watching what’s going on in Manipur,” he said.

The leaders of the ruling BJP, meanwhile, hit out at the visit, calling it an act of “show-off and political tourism”. “When Manipur used to remain shut for months, they didn’t speak a word. When the delegation returns from Manipur, the members of the team will not allow Parliament to function. I request Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to take the same delegation to West Bengal where atrocities are happening against women,” said Union Minister Anurag Thakur.

The alleged sexual assault case, said CBI officials, was handed over to it following a reference from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The CBI has already been roped in to probe six cases related to the conspiracy leading to the violence in Manipur.

On May 18, the state police had registered a case of abduction, gang-rape and murder at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unidentified armed people. The officials said the central agency had taken over the FIR registered by the Manipur Police as its own case, in accordance with the procedure established under the law.

The CBI has already stationed its special investigation team (SIT) under a DIG-rank officer in Manipur as the agency would dispatch some more women officers, besides forensic experts, to probe the case, the officials said. The video was doing the rounds on social media on the eve of a planned protest march announced by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum to highlight the plight of tribals in Manipur.

PTI

Islamabad, July 27

Pakistan has criticised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks that India is ready to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to maintain its honour and dignity, saying the “belligerent rhetoric” is a threat to regional peace and stability.

Speaking at the Kargil War Memorial in Ladakh’s Drass town on the occasion of the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas on Wednesday, Singh said no compromise would be made in protecting the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country.

“We can go to any extreme to maintain the honour and dignity of the country…if that includes crossing the LoC, we are ready to do that…if we are provoked and if the need arises, we will cross the LoC,” Singh said.

“The Kargil war was imposed on India. At that time, India had tried to solve the issues with Pakistan through talks…we were backstabbed by Pakistan,” he said, adding that the armed forces had been given a free hand to eliminate the “nation’s enemies”.

Responding to Singh’s remarks, the Foreign Office in Islamabad said Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself against any aggression.

“We counsel India to exercise utmost caution as its belligerent rhetoric is a threat to the regional peace and stability, and contributes to destabilising the strategic environment in South Asia,” it said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Moscow, July 27

A helicopter crashed in the Siberia region of Russia on Thursday, killing four of the people on board and injuring 10, Russian emergency officials reported.

The Mi-8 helicopter caught fire as it was landing in southern Siberia’s Altai Republic and brushed against a power line, the Altai branch of the Russian Emergency Ministry said. It released a photo showing the chopper’s wreckage.

The branch’s initial statement said the helicopter carried 13 people and six were killed and seven were injured. Officials revised the numbers later in the day, saying a total of 16 people were on board and four died.

It turned out two people who were believed dead had left the crash site on their own and went to the nearest hospital, an updated statement said.

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the country’s civilian aviation regulator Rosaviatsia, that the helicopter belonged to a private company and was carrying a group of tourists.

The Mi-8 is a two-engine helicopter designed in the 1960s. It is used in Russia, where crashes have been frequent, as well as in neighboring countries and many other nations. AP      

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Subhash Rajta

Tribune News Shimla

Shimla, July 26

As many as 15 bridges have been washed away and 34 substantially damaged in flashfloods triggered by heavy rain over the past 15 days, snapping vehicular and pedestrian movement in several parts of the state. Along with the bridges, the number of damaged roads has gone past 1,000 with 566 yet to be restored to traffic.

Most of the bridges have been washed away in the Mandi and Kullu circles of the Public Works Department. While five bridges were washed away in the Mandi circle, the Kullu circle lost four bridges.

Four bridges have been washed away in upper Shimla and Kinnaur. “The loss of bridges has adversely affected the day-to-day life of people. The department is trying to repair the damaged bridges and provide an alternative where these have been washed away,” said a senior PWD official. “To begin with, we are trying to provide an alternative, a bailey bridge for example, wherever possible. We have already built one in Kotkhai. We are also setting up spans to ensure that at least the supply of essential commodities is restored,” the official said. The PWD has assessed the loss caused by the washing away of bridges at Rs 54.47 crore and due to damage to other bridges at Rs 41 crore. “These are preliminary estimates; we will know the actual cost when the DPRs are made for the new bridges,” the official said. Meanwhile, the department is struggling to restore roads to vehicular movement, especially district and link roads. On Wednesday, 566 roads still remained blocked, with the highest 363 in Shimla district. “The damage to roads has been the maximum in Shimla district. As these are interior roads, it has not caught much attention. Efforts are underway on a war footing to restore these roads to traffic,” said Surinder Pal Jagota, Chief Engineer, Shimla Zone.

Broken and swept away

• Footbridge, Sunni, Shimla
• Bailey bridge, Ramni, Kinnaur
• Bailey bridge, Shong Brua road, Kinnaur
• Causeway, Kotkhai-Dalsar-Hatli road, Shimla
• Steel truss bridge, Sada Patan Kotli road, Mandi
• Steel truss bridge, Panchvaktra temple, Mandi
• Suspension bridge, Pandoh, Mandi
• Footbridge, Thalot, Mandi
• Aerial ropeway, Badanoo, Mandi
• Culvert, Jiun Bhaleri, Kanda Pattan road, Mandi
• Steel truss bridge, Banjar-Aut-Luhri road, Kullu
• Aerial ropeway bridge, Lahaul and Spiti
• Aerial ropeway footbridge, Kullu
• Aerial ropeway footbridge, Manali
• Bridge, Bhogrwan Thakurwara road, Kangra

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Julio Ribeiro

TWO Kuki women were sexually assaulted on May 4. The disturbances in Manipur had started a day earlier, after the High Court’s direction to the government regarding the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

A communal angle is sought to be introduced into the tragedy that has befallen Manipur.

The court order that led to the violence was only an excuse to kill and maim. The enmity between the Kukis and the Meiteis is as old as the hills where the Kukis reside. The Kukis (and other tribes) occupy 90 per cent of the landmass in the state. The Meiteis, who reside in the plains, occupy the remaining 10 per cent. But the Meiteis are more numerous and economically better off since political power has been in their hands since the state came into existence.

Yet, like Oliver Twist in the Charles Dickens novel, they want more — hence, the demand to be classified as an ST so that the Meiteis become eligible for tribal land, which at present cannot be owned by anyone other than a tribal. The court ruled in favour of the Meiteis. But is it for courts to say who is a tribal? That should be left to the elected government. If while deciding on the issue the government ignores the rules on the subject, only then should the judiciary intervene. I do not know if that state had been reached.

The Meiteis appear to be of Indo-Burman stock, like the Nagas, Mizos, Khasis and the Garos of Meghalaya and the Bodos of Assam. But they have been Hindu Vaishnavites for centuries. I learn that the Kukis originally wanted to be included in the Hindu fold, but were not welcomed because they were not born Hindus. In Hinduism, a caste can be assigned only by the accident of birth. If that test was applied, the Meiteis could not claim tribal status.

Tribal communities were basically animists. Most Kukis converted to Christianity two centuries ago in colonial times. Some Meiteis are Christians, converted from Hinduism much later. I learnt of their existence only when worshippers in my church began praying for them and for peace to prevail. It was said that some 300-odd churches in the valley were burnt or destroyed. I thought it was truly amazing that so many churches were built when believers counted for just over a lakh! I presume that Kukis staying in the plains added substantially to that number.

A communal angle is sought to be introduced into the tragedy that has befallen Manipur. I would have rejected that charge off-hand, knowing well that the Meitei-Kuki animosity preceded the conversions to Christianity. But the hate campaigns propagated by rabid extremist elements in the last decade sowed in me a seed of doubt.

Rajat Kumar Sethi had been appointed to guide the inexperienced N Biren Singh when he was installed as the Chief Minister of Manipur. What has happened to him? We have not heard of him nor read about him in the media for some time now. The complaint against Biren Singh is that, firstly, he is incompetent (that is proved) and secondly, he has aggravated the dissensions and distrust between the Meiteis and the Kukis by utilising religion as a tool (that sounds plausible).

Our Prime Minister said he was surprised when during his travels abroad he was asked about the ill-treatment of Muslims in India. He blamed critics of his government for his embarrassment. I refuse to believe that he is not aware of the fear generated in Indian Muslim minds due to the divisive hate politics that has taken root in our land in the last decade. His interest in consolidating Hindu votes for electoral gains and the parallel RSS agenda of doing the same to create a Hindu Rashtra necessitated the denigration of the minorities, forgetting that a country centred purely on religion could soon deteriorate into a failed state like our neighbour to our west.

The disrobing of the two Kuki women involved a mob of Meitei men, egged on by their womenfolk! The husband of one of the two women had served in the Army for 28 years. He was sorely disappointed that his own people had dishonoured his wife and he was not there to protect her. He had seen action in Sri Lanka and Siachen and this was what he got in return.

There are questions that Biren Singh and the DGP of Manipur must answer:

1. The incident occurred on May 4 in the presence of the police. When did the police party make its report? What did the party say?

2. If it did not report the ghastly incident of stripping of the two women and the subsequent rape of the younger woman, what action was taken against the policeman, especially as it is now alleged that it was the police who handed over the women to the mob?

3. A zero FIR of the incident was registered on May 18 at a nearby police station. Were the facts brought to the notice of the higher police authorities at least then? If not, who failed to inform them?

4. The zero FIR was finally transferred a month later to the police station under whose jurisdiction the crime was committed. Why did that take so long?

5. Why did the police not arrest the culprits earlier? They only acted when the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister were compelled to issue statements to condemn the perpetrators. Does it require the permission of the Chief Minister to prosecute or arrest such law-breakers?

It is not possible that the Chief Minister and the DGP did not know about the commission of this dastardly crime till a video clip of the incident went viral just before the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament last week. It shows that patriarchy is deeply imbedded in the psyche of most BJP leaders. That is why champion women wrestlers were forced to come out on the roads to protest and why murderers and rapists in the 2002 Gujarat riot cases were released after only a few years in jail, though they were sentenced to life imprisonment.