As the year draws to a close, Rediff's Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya takes a look at the hits and misses, the highs and lows, the newsmakers and the dealbreakers in alphabetical order.
A United Kingdom auction house has withdrawn a 'Naga Human Skull' from its lots for a live online sale on Wednesday following outcry in India over the issue.
Records stretching back to 1947 suggest a consistent strategy by Pakistan's military and intelligence apparatus, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), of using terrorism as a state policy against India.
Speaking at Camp Hebron, the NSCN-IM's central headquarters, Swu said New Delhi's recognition of the 'unique history and situation' of the Naga people had not been translated into reality.
'Chief Minister Rio is holding the Naga Peace Accord hostage with his tacit support to the NSCN-IM, egging them to refuse to accept a solution within the Constitution.'
Naga Chaitanya's father and top Telugu actor Nagarjuna strongly condemned the minister's remarks.
The Centre on Monday decided to extend the ban imposed on the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang [NSCN-K)] along with all its factions, wings and front organisations for five more years due to its involvement in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The prime minister is likely to arrive in Manipur on Saturday, in what would be his first visit to the northeastern state since the ethnic violence broke out between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo people in May 2023, which claimed over 260 lives and rendered thousands homeless.
Manipur minister Kashim Vashum said he and his family members were not at home when the grenade exploded.
An eight-member Assam-Nagaland Goodwill Team on Friday called on Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and conveyed that people of Nagaland wanted an amicable and peaceful solution to the vexed Assam-Nagaland boundary row outside the jurisdiction of the apex court.
'But at least the stepping stone has started.'
Churachandpur district in Manipur declared a 'no drone zone' amid speculation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit. The decision aims to strengthen security during the potential visit, which would be Modi's first since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023.
Around 20 MLAs belonging to the warring Meitei and Kuki communities of Manipur met in New Delhi on Tuesday for the first time since ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state 17 months ago, in a bid to hammer out a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict.
It said all necessary security arrangements would be made to ensure the security of people attending the Shirui festival.
Thousands of people joined a public rally organised by Nagaland People's Action Committee (NPAC) on Friday to demand an early solution to the Naga political issue.
'Legally clean farmland is difficult to find. It requires time, money, and legal effort to verify the title.'
The Centre's new interlocutor for Naga peace talks, A K Mishra, has held an 'informal' meeting with the Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), the bloc said on Thursday.
'PM Modi is not taking Kashmir's stance as far as the Naga issue is concerned.'
Three weeks after Nagaland governor and Centre's interlocutor for Naga peace talks R N Ravi said in the assembly that political negotiations have concluded, the NSCN-IM has claimed that his assertion was "reckless" and talk are back on the table.
Khaplang died following a cardiac arrest.
Discussions and deliberations need to be held on the purpose of imposing AFSPA and how to revoke it, Rio said during the public funeral of the 14 daily wage earners of a coal mine, who were shot dead by security forces on Saturday at Oting village on their way home from work.
The National People's Party (NPP) has withdrawn support from the BJP-led government in Manipur, citing the government's failure to resolve the ongoing crisis and restore normalcy in the state. The NPP, which has 7 MLAs in the Manipur Assembly, made the decision after recent incidents of violence and protests in the state. The BJP continues to hold a majority in the Assembly, with 32 legislators, and the withdrawal of support is not expected to affect the government's stability.
A political agreement by any group with the Centre to resolve the protracted Naga problem without the consent of the people would "only lead to more bloodshed among Nagas", the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang has said.
'This is leading to anarchy.'
There should not be any condition to re-conciliation among the Naga groups and the Nagas must strive for political settlement with the Centre based on their unique history and situation, Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland(Isak-Muivah) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah has said.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi written on February 25, but kept secret so far, Thuingaleng Muivah, the general secretary of the group and chief Naga negotiator in the talks with the government, also spoke about the framework agreement (FA) signed in 2015 and its proposal that the state should be allowed to have a Constitution and national flag.
Manipur has been under President's Rule since February after BJP leader N Biren Singh resigned as the chief minister, amid criticisms about his government's handling of the ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos, which broke out in May 2023.
One of the senior most leaders of the Congress party and former chief minister of Nagaland, S C Jamir on Thursday called for a change in approach on part of the Government of India in respect of Naga peace talks.
The Janata Dal-United state unit in Manipur has withdrawn support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Biren Singh government and the party has informed its decision to governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
'Sudip sir keeps telling me that what I have done is very Hollywood.'
It is the NSCN-IM which is having the last laugh as speculation grows that Nagaland Governor R N Ravi may have been replaced as Naga interlocutor.
'NSCN-IM leader Muivah warns that the NSCN-IM has come very close to an honourable solution to the peace process with the Government of India, but if it does not materialise, then the Nagas will go away so far that it would be difficult to bring them back to the negotiating table easily,' note Sandeep Pandey and Meera Sanghamitra.
Both the NSCN-IM and the government representatives have agreed to resume their peace dialogue on Wednesday in New Delhi to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue.
'These people got caught in Pakistan, and jailed for a year-and-a-half, their release was delayed due to various political factors that were happening during 2017, 2018 and 2019.'
The solution to Manipur's problems lies in the government giving concessions to Meitis in jobs and education and to accept autonomy for the tribal dominated areas inhibited by the Kukis, suggests Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Writers and creators are telling more authentic stories based in states and cities that we may not have seen much of in mainstream media, such as Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Or ones that we have some mistaken notions about like Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, highlights Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.
'I will never ever forget Paatal Lok 2 because I left for the shoot the night I got married!'
Seers from various 'akharas' took the first 'Amrit Snan' at the Maha Kumbh on Makar Sankranti on Tuesday as an unbroken stream of people converged at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion with around 3.5 crore devotees taking a dip.
Naga Accord is still nowhere to be found, sasy Rahul
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