Govt takes pre-emptive moves against newly formed UPFKL

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 21: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said the government has increased manpower along the inter-state border following the alleged formation of a new militant group called United People’s Front of Karbi Longri (UPFKL).

Replying to a call attention moved by UDP MLA from Mokaiaw Nujorki Sungoh, Sangma said though reports are coming in but there is no specific intel or specific complaints by any of the people that they have received extortion notes (served by the UPKFL)

“(However), based on newspaper clippings on the formation of the new militant outfit, we have increased our manpower in the border areas,” he said.

He said that a letter had also come to the government from the Jaintia Students Movement (JSM) on the matter based on which actions have been taken adding that the government, the police and the district administration are working tirelessly to ensure peace prevail in the border areas.

Sangma said that the concerns expressed by the members are very important. The history of Block I and II is aware that for administrative convenience the transfer of Block I and II was done. This is very much available with the Government of Meghalaya, the Government of Assam and the Government of India.

“Keeping all these in mind, we have started engaging with the Government of Assam and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). I will refrain to go into the discussion and how we are moving forward. For the first time never we have seen this kind of efforts taken by the Government of Assam and Government of Meghalaya (to resolve the issue of boundary dispute),” he said.

Informing that the two States will be meeting in the first or second week of October for another round of talks, the chief minister said, “There will be a special focus given to Khanduli, Psiar, Block I and Block II keeping in mind the slight tension prevailing out there.”

On Sungoh’s request for the construction of the road from the Khatkhasla and Mojem area, Sangma said, “I have spoken to the deputy chief minister who informed that the detailed project report (DPR) is in the preparation stage. So action has been taken. But if any portion of the road comes under the disputed areas, some complications could come up.”

With regard to the request for setting up of a primary health centre at Psiar and Moolber, Sangma said these are areas which fall under the areas of difference but the government will ensure that the people don’t suffer.

He said that even previous governments have also tried to focus on this matter to ensure development activities do not stop.

“We are trying to find out a solution in the long run to this and we are aware of the difficulties that are there in the area and many projects are being taken up,” Sangma said while assuring to examine all proposals given by the MLA.

“Regarding the new militant outfit, official complaints have not come to us in the form of FIRs. Intelligence reports have also not come to us and we are relying on newspaper clippings (about the arrest of two members of the militant group). But we don’t take anything lightly. We are taking things seriously to ensure protection required is given to our people,” the chief minister assured regarding the new outfit, officials’ complaints have not come to us in the form of FIR. intelligence reports have not come to us we are relying on the newspaper – two arrested – but we don’t take anything lightly we are taking things seriously to ensure the protection required is given to our people.

Earlier, Sungoh had alleged that the intention of the new militant group was to create fear among the Khasi-Pnar people living in teh disputed Block I on the border between West Jaintia Hills and West Karbi Anglong specifically in the Elaa Labang-Nongphyllut-Pangam Raliang area.

Vasco da Gama Goa and Mirch Masala

by Parag Ranjan Dutta

To the present generation, the liberation of Goa from the Portugues could be a myth. A 1969 movie, Saat Hindustani by Khwaja Ahmed Abbas on Goa liberation, depicted the struggle of Maria and five others picked up from different locations and backgrounds to liberate Goa from the Portuguese. This was the debut film for the great Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan where he portrayed the character of the poet Anwar Ali. The real incident that cost the Portuguese very dearly was a firing incident at a fishing boat near the coastal area by the Portuguese army that killed an Indian fisherman. On December 19, 1961, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru sent armed forces to this coastal state. A joint operation by the navy, air and land forces for thirty-six hours forced General Manual Antonio e Silva to sign a surrender treaty. Long before this incident Goa Liberation Army, founded by an Indian Army officer, Shivajirao Desai in 1950 made attempts to end colonial rule by revolutionary tactics and direct action.

On July 8, 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon on a mission to India through the Cape route and Indian Ocean to reach the spice World and India. He sailed with a fleet of four ships and reached Calicut, present Kozhikode on the Malabar Coast, on May 20, 1498 on board the flagship Sao Gabrial. After a long voyage Vasco da Gama reached the port of Mombasa in East Africa. It is highly interesting that da Gama met a Gujarati sailor Kanji Malam at Mombasa and sought his help to explore the sea route to India.

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During that period spice trade was very lucrative that earned handsome profits. When the Ottoman Empire of Turkey was at the zenith of its power they took control of sea routes to the spice islands of South East Asia. But that did not discourage the Europeans. Instead in the quest of finding new fortunes, they sailed the mighty oceans to find the black pepper pods called the “Black Gold”. Seven years before Vasco da Gama launched his fleet to reach India, Christopher Columbus too set sail to reach India. But destiny drove him elsewhere to the Caribbean nation island of Haiti and then to America. While on his way to find the East Indies he dropped anchor offshore from South America and found chili instead of black pepper. Chili is a native of South America which used to grow in the wild and later domesticated by the natives.
It is believed that Vasco da Gama brought along with him a number of crop plants that included bell pepper, commonly known as capsicum and was later planted in Goa for the first time. From there it gradually spread to Bombay where locals called it Gova mirch. Chilli, known as mirch in India is a South American fruit was introduced by the Portuguese. Chili spread rapidly throughout the world. Before chili was introduced in India Indians were using black pepper growing wild in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka. Red chilli, an important ingredient of the Indian cuisine did not originate in India. A native of Mexico it was brought to India by the Portuguese traders. Two of the most important ingredients to make Indian cuisine special, red chili and tomato are actually not native to India. of the most important ingredients to make Indian. Prior to the coming of the Portugues, the Indians used to consume a number of grains like rice, wheat, bajra and maize. A number of crop plants belonging to the Solanaceae or the nightshades that include tomato, potato, pepper etc. were introduced in India by the Portuguese, mainly from Latin America, or the New World. Two of the most important ingredients to make Indian cuisine special tomato and red chili are not native to India. Prior to the coming of the Portuguese, not too many fruits found their way into Indian homes. A number of fruit trees like pineapple, papaya, cashew nuts etc. were brought by the Portuguese and extended the cultivation in the new environment. Some 8000 years ago potato was domesticated in the Andes of South America from where it was brought to Europe. Potato was introduced in the early 17th century by the Portuguese sailors and later spread to the northern part of the country, courtesy the British.

Indians in the olden days also consumed a lot of animals which were found in abundance in tropical forests. Archaeological evidence found in the Harappan civilization amply proves this food habit of the Indians.

It was Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer who discovered Goa in 1524 when King John III of Portugal nominated him as the Portuguese Viceroy in India. It was the Portugues General, Admiral Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from Adil Shah, the Sultan of Bijapur Sultanate. In 1492 Goa was annexed to Adil Shah’s Bijapur Sultanate. Though da Gama discovered Goa it was Albuquerque who laid the foundation of Portuguese power in India. The entire purpose of conquering Goa was to find a strategic location for Portugal’s naval base and to control maritime business in the Indian Ocean. To the Portuguese Panjim, a small village located at the mouth of the Mandovi river had a very strategic location. After the liberation of Goa Panjim was renamed Panaji. The Portuguese rule lasted 450 years.Goa finds a mention in Mahabharat where Goa has been mentioned as Gomantak. Portuguese is the language spoken by most Goans till it was liberated from Portugal in 1961. But today Marathi is widely spoken and the Goans recognise Marathi as their mother tongue. But the legacy of the Portuguese is still found with the earlier generation.

Without hesitation it can be well said that without the Portuguese coming to India we would have been poorer so far as our food habits are concerned.

The author is the former Head Department of Geography, St. Edmund’s College

Militancy at its lowest, says State DGP

Director General of Police (DGP) Dr LR Bishnoi has stated that the law and order situation in the state is more or less peaceful.

“It is under control and we are getting full cooperation from the people,” Dr Bishnoi told reporters after a meeting at the police headquarters.

He said in the districts, most of the crimes are not directly linked to the law and order.

“Fortunately, militancy is also at its lowest level and whatever remnant groups are there, they are in the peace process they are talking to the central interlocutors also,” Dr Bishnoi said while adding “Not much problem as of today but future challenges will remain and for that we are trying to strengthen our law and order branch so that they can deal with the situation immediately.”

The Meghalaya High Court was not happy with the performance of the state police especially in regards to the illegal transportation of coal, the DGP said, “We are going as per the high court orders wherever the mistakes are pointed out we are trying to plug the loopholes but again you know the area is so much and the police strength is not proportionately adequate to dominate each and every inch of the land of the state so sometimes you know through the jungle route some may indulge in the transportation of illegal coal etc for that also we are trying to dominate it by the patrolling.”

“So by and large it is under control now and whatever the direction from the court or government given to the police department we will definitely try to follow those,” he added.