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KOLKATA: The Nagas of Manipur are at it again. Following a clash of the Nagas with the Manipur police at a village in the Naga-dominated Ukhrul district, in which two Nagas were killed and several injured, the United Naga Council (UNC) an umbrella organization of different Naga bodies of Manipur, started an indefinite economic blockade from September 4.

Several initiatives have been taken to increase the number of jails and barracks in India to reduce overcrowding. The Union Government in the Ministry of Home Affairs had launched a Non-Plan Scheme of Modernisations of Prisons at a total outlay of Rs.1800 crore on a cost-sharing basis in the ratio of 75:25 between the Central Government and State Governments respectively.

Civil nuclear energy deal is one that matters to an energy starved country like India. Though a deal of this nature could not be signed during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendrabhai Damodardass Modi to Japan, a similar pact was waiting to be signed in the country on his return. An agreement for cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear deal was signed during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Pakistan is haunted by a hydra-headed monster whose aim is to exterminate the process of democratic evolution and renewal in the country. The outer manifestation is the occupation-Wall-Street-style agitation by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), led by the former Pakistan team cricket captain and Lothario-turned conservative politician Imran Khan and a Canadian-Pakistani activist Sufi cleric Tahir ul-Qadri led Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) demanding resignation of the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz).

What signal does appointment of the Chief Justice of India as Governor send? It is an unprecedented move as never before a CJI, after retirement, was chosen for a gubernatorial post. Appointment of justice Sathasivam, who retired four months back as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, as the Governor of Kerala, has evoked sharp criticism in judicial as well as political circles. Most revealing criticism has come from eminent jurist, Fali Nariman. He says: “I do not appreciate or approve of the idea of a former CJI, or a judge of the Supreme Court, accepting sinecure appointment, like that of a Governor”.

Coal mining issues are getting murkier increasingly in the country. Like the previous Congress led-government, the incumbent NDA too seems groping into holed-up challenges and cannot find much light beyond the tunnel. The opportunity is unique this time in the NDA government as the main party BJP is now armed with the single largest mandate, enough to institute its bold decisions, albeit through a consensus for the sake of the country’s unchallenged efforts towards energy security.

Is Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Mamata Banerjee about to join regional leaders like Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ms Mayawati, Ms Jayalalithaa or Mr, Lalu Prasad Yadav, with the CBI probing the Saradha chit fund scam ?

LUCKNOW: BSP decision to back independents has made the by-elections for 12 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency more interesting.

Prime Minister Modi’s honeymoon with the public continues even as he completes 100 days in office. There are mixed reports about his performance as the opposition is looking for loopholes while his supporters are jubilant. But if one has to sum up his 100 days in office it could be described as “so far so good” as he has not committed any big blunder. He has kept some promises and some remain. His supporters point out that after all the mandate is for five years and 100 days are nothing to talk about.

During his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi‘s aim was to attract Japanese investment in Gujarat. He visited Japan twice before- 2007 and 2012. As Prime Minster of India, Mr Modi tries to re-write a new chapter on India- Japan relation with a paradigm shift from strategic economic relation to global partnership. He reiterated that India and Japan were the two oldest democracies in Asia and were among the three biggest economies. He asserted that 21st Century is to be decided by Asian countries and India and Japan bilateral relation would be the engine for 21st Century growth. Mr. Modi is one of the three twitters having largest following. Mr Shinzo Abe follows. The commentators hailed Modi as “India Abe”.