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                    Vol.2, No.56 [*] November 21, 1997
                    ----------------------------------

                    He was a coward to the strong:
                     He was a tyrant to the weak.
                              - Shelly
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

1  CBI DENIES REPORTS ON MAHANTA			   [S:20-NOV-97]
   -----------------------------
   
   Ending  all  speculations in political circles in the State triggered
   by reports in a section of the Press, the CBI denied that it had ever
   recommended the name of Chief Minister P.K.Mahanta  for  sanction  to
   the Union  Law  Ministry  for  prosecution in the LoC case.  This was
   confirmed by the CBI in a letter to the State Government on  November
   19, official sources said in Guwahati.
   
   Highly  place CBI sources also told newsmen that the officials of the
   agency were reading with 'a great deal of  amusement'  reports  in  a
   section  of  the  local Press that the agency had named Mr Mahanta in
   the LoC case, and the wild speculations that were being made  on  the
   basis of these reports about the fate of Mr Mahanta.
   

2  ADIP PHUKAN QUITS AGP				  [AT:20-NOV-97]
   ---------------------
   
   Mr Adip Kumar Phukan, former general secretary of Assam  Jatiyatabadi
   Yuva  Chhatra Parishad, who had resigned from the organization on the
   eve of the last general elections and joined AGP, resigned  from  the
   AGP  on  November  19,  levelling a host of charges against the party
   president and Chief Minister P.K.Mahanta.  Mr Phukan was inducted  as
   a member of the central executive committee of the AGP.
   

3  ULFA-LTTE-SIKH ULTRAS NEXUS SUSPECTED		  [AT:21-NOV-97]
   -------------------------------------
   
   In a development having wider  ramifications  for  militancy  in  the
   Northeast,  the  Union  Government  has  noted  the Jain Commission's
   observations that the threats posed by ULFA-LTTE-Sikh insurgent nexus
   could have resulted in elimination of the former Prime Minister Rajiv
   Gandhi.  The Union Government's reactions  are  part  of  the  Action
   Taken  Report  (ATR)  that  was  tabled  at  the  Parliament  by  the
   Government in New Delhi on November 20.
   
   Meanwhile, the Union Government admitted that the ISI of Pakistan  is
   actively indulging in anti-India activities from Bangladesh, inciting
   Northeast based rebel groups including ULFA, NSCN and Bodo militants.
   The  Minister  of State for External Affairs, Mr Saleem Sherwani said
   that India is concerned at the use of Bangladeshi  territory  by  the
   insurgents.   Reacting  to  a  news  report attributed to Assam Chief
   Minister P.K.Mahanta who alleged that Bangladesh was  under  pressure
   to help the Northeast rebels, Mr Sherwani said that the Government is
   not   aware  of  any  foreign  country  pressurizing  the  Bangladesh
   Government.
   

4  AASU ULTIMATUM TO ELECTION COMMISSION		  [AT:21-NOV-97]
   -------------------------------------
   
   The  All  Assam  Students Union (AASU) has served an ultimatum to the
   Election Commission of India, threatening to launch an  agitation  in
   the State, if the Commission goes ahead with its plans to publish the
   draft rolls  on  December  9.  The AASU's warning was conveyed to the
   Deputy Election Commissioner,  Mr  S.Sen,  by  a  delegation  of  the
   students  body,  let  by  its president, Mr Sarbananda Sonowal in New
   Delhi on November 19.  AASU cannot allow the EC to  publish  a  final
   draft roll full of names of foreigners, the Commission was told.
   

5  ULFA LETTER TO ALIPURDUAR COLLEGE FAKE		   [S:20-NOV-97]
   --------------------------------------
   
   The Assam Police denied the Calcutta datelined PTI report quoting the
   RSP MLA of Alipurduar, Mr Nirmal Das, who had alleged that  the  ULFA
   chairman  Arabinda  Rajkhowa had threatened to blow up the Alipurduar
   College if 10 girls from the girls hostel of  the  College  were  not
   provided  to  the  outfit,  and  said that the note from the ULFA was
   fake.  Police sources said this after they obtained a faxed  copy  of
   the note  from their counterparts in West Bengal on November 19.  The
   Police in Guwahati believed that  this  might  be  the  handiwork  of
   people,  who are opposed to the authorities in the college, and was a
   typical case of local politics involving the college.
   

6  NO DECISION ON PROPOSAL TO HAND OVER BRPL 		   [S:20-NOV-97]
   -----------------------------------------
   
   The  Central Government has not taken any decision on the proposal to
   hand over the Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemical Limited (BRPL) to
   the private sector.  Stating  this  to  newspersons  in  Guwahati  on
   November  19,  Mr  Gunin  Hazarika,  Industry Minister reiterated the
   State Government's resolve to oppose, tooth and  nail,  any  move  to
   implement the proposal.

7  WCPA HONOUR TO STATE RANGERS				   [S:21-NOV-97]
   ----------------------------
   
   The World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) has announced approval
   of  the  Park Valour Awards to two Range officers from Assam, an WCPA
   communique said.  They are A.K.Brahma,  range  officer,  Manas  Tiger
   Reserve  and  Mr  D.D.Boro,  range  officer, Kaziranga National Park.
   This award has been instituted to recognize outstanding contributions
   in the service of protected areas, above and beyond the call of duty.
   Each award carries a certificate and a cash prize of 500 dollars.
   

8  FREE MAGAZINE BY NANWANI CHARITABLE TRUST	          [AT:21-NOV-97]
   -----------------------------------------
   
   A  bimonthly  magazine  called  Nanwani  in  English  and  Hindi   is
   distributed  free of cost by St John's School, Barama in an endeavour
   to make a little difference in the life of  the  rural  poor  in  the
   area.   The  magazine  is  brought  out  by Nanwani Charitable Trust,
   Bangalore, started by an NRI, Mr Suresh Nanwani.  The magazine  deals
   with  health,  agriculture,  legal  aid,  environment and opportunity
   available for earning livelihood.
   

9  POSTAGE STAMP ON 150 YEARS OF NEWSPAPERS	          [AT:21-NOV-97]
   ----------------------------------------
   
   The  Department  of  Post  and  Telegraph  has  decided  to  issue  a
   commemorative postage stamp to mark the momentous event of 150  years
   of newspapers in Assam. The postage stamp is likely to be released on
   January  29, 1998 on the occasion of the release of a book on History
   of Newspapers in Assam.

______________________________[Mozz-BG]_________________________________
Compiled from newspaper and agency reports for private circulation only.
      [S=Sentinel, AT=Assam Tribune, Agencies = UNI, PTI, PIB]
              http://www.cyberspace.org/~mozz/aol.html  
  http://piglet.uccs.edu/~kalita/assam/news/news-from-assam-index.html
________________________________________________________________________