Dear reader,
By now you already know about the three-phase assembly elections that concluded in Assam and the ADC polls that took place in Tripura earlier this week. In Assam, the final phase of assembly polls concluded Tuesday with 82.28 percent voter turnout. The polls have seen a direct fight between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Congress-led Mahajot in at least 20 seats. In several others, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), a regional party formed 35 years after AGP, is being considered a strong challenger. Results of the polls are scheduled to be announced on May 2.
In Tripura, general elections to the autonomous tribal council (TTAADC) were held on April 6, nearly a year after they were first scheduled. Polls for the TTAADC were held across 1244 polling stations with an 85.14 percent turnout. There are 28 elected seats in the 30-member tribal council, which covers 70 percent of the state’s geographical area and houses nearly one third of the state’s population from 19 tribal communities. Counting of votes currently underway Saturday suggest the royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma-led TIPRA Motha, a joint forum of nearly all major tribal parties except BJP’s ruling ally IPFT, have made a clean sweep in the district council polls. This was their debut attempt.
Meanwhile, Pradyot Kishore was allegedly attacked at Mohanpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s (SDM) office in West Tripura last night. The SDM office was pelted with stones despite security presence. Police said they are investigating the matter. Read more here.
With a recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Tripura, Chief Minister Biplab Kuma Deb and his deputy Jishnu Devvarma have tested positive. Read more here. In a separate development, two youths were arrested in Tripura over a social media post about the chief minister.
In Assam, a student of IIT Guwahati was suspended over allegations of ‘serious sexual assault’. The accused was arrested for assaulting his peer, who was admitted to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). More here.
Assam writer Sikha Sarma was arrested on April 7 under various charges including section 124 A of the IPC – sedition - for questioning, in her Facebook post, the use of the term ‘martyrs’ for CRPF jawans killed in the Maoist attack in Chattisgarh. More details here.
In Mizoram, the state government said they did not get any ‘clear-cut direction’ about handling Myanmarese nationals who took refuge in the state since the coup across the border. This, even after Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre will provide food and medicines to such refugees. Meanwhile, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying his dispensation “can’t remain indifferent” to the plight of Myanmar nationals, especially those from the Chin community, as they share the same ancestry with Mizos. Read more here.
In Manipur, staff of the only state-run medical college – Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS), Imphal resigned in protest over salary issues. They have been, for a while, demanding the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission but after talks failed between three employee bodies and the government, they turned in their papers.
Finally, don’t miss out on how a conservation initiative called Air Gun Surrender Abhiyan in Arunachal Pradesh is working to save birds by getting people to surrender air guns. The initiative was organised through an event where over 400 air guns were surrendered. Read more here.
Stay safe,
Debraj Deb
3 days ago
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