Gunfight breaks out between Assam Rifles, Naga insurgents in Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Naga students' group to step up stir over FMR, border fencing
Imphal: United Naga Council (UNC) has announced plans to intensify its agitation against the Manipur and Central govts over the unilateral abrogation of the free movement regime (FMR) and the construction of border fencing in areas it identifies as part of the Naga homeland, reports Ngathingkhui Jagoi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a statement issued following its presidential council meeting on Tuesday, the apex Naga body said the expiry of its 20-day ultimatum to the authorities had compelled it to escalate its movement. It accused both the govts of displaying "indifferent" attitudes despite repeated public rallies, demonstrations, and the submission of memoranda through democratic means. The UNC said the mode and operational plan of the agitation will be announced within 15 days. It has called upon all constituent, subordinate, and associate units to mobilise resources and prepare for collective action.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Time of India
After Jhansi ki Rani, another queen fought the British
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Start of Rani Gaidinliu's journey Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Rise of Gaidinliu and her capture Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads 'Rani' and the Road to Freedom After Independence: A lonely struggle While everyone knows about Jhansi ki Rani Laxmibai, who fought with British forces in the battlefield, sword in hand and fire in her eyes, very few know about another Indian queen who too fought the British. Far from the spotlight, a 'rani' from the misty hills of the North East rallied her people, challenged the Crown's might, and ignited a centuries, powerful dynasties in India's Northeast stood as unyielding guardians, keeping at bay wave after wave of invaders -- from the Delhi Sultanate to the mighty Mughals, and even the early British. But that long-standing shield finally cracked when Burma stormed in, seizing control of Assam and Manipur. What followed was a brutal clash of empires -- a high-stakes power struggle between the Burmese and the British. The British, relentless in their imperial ambitions, ultimately crushed Burma after a series of bloody confrontations known as the Anglo-Burmese Wars, changing the fate of the region annexation of the Ahom kingdom by the East India Company in the early decades of the nineteenth century has loomed large as an important moment in the establishment of the British Raj in Assam. The Treaty of Yandabo (1826) gave the British East India Company an opportunity to establish its commercial and political interests in the frontier region of India. Amid the waves of the Civil Disobedience Movement and rising resistance across India, a fiery seventeen-year-old from the Northeast was quietly shaking the foundations of the British Raj. Leading a defiant tribal uprising, Rani Gaidinliu , a Naga, played a key role in the Indian freedom Gaidinliu's journey began when her cousin and spiritual mentor, Jadonang, claimed to have seen a divine vision from a revered god of the hills. The message was powerful: revive the ancient faith of their ancestors and resist the soon found himself surrounded by tribal communities desperate for hope amid fears of crop failure. His growing spiritual authority and anti-colonial message quickly caught the attention of British authorities by 1927 who arranged for a meeting with him, which also led to brief arrest of the Naga leader. As his influence grew strong, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's Civil Disobedience Movement, he urged his followers to withhold British taxes and instead pay him, positioning himself as a liberator of the Nagas. But in February 1931, with whispers of rebellion in the air, the British arrested him on flimsy grounds. Failing to produce solid evidence, they falsely accused him of murdering Manipuri traders and hanged him publicly at the banks of the Nambul River in his death, Nagas hoped that another messiah would rise to lead them. The prophecy came true sooner than expected -- this time in the form of a seventeen-year-old girl, the British had met her during Jadonang's arrest and dismissed her as a 'sullen little unmarried girl of seventeen,' clearly underestimating her potential. However, this mere dismissal soon turned to be a grave mistake for the colonisers in the North East. With the followers of Jadonang regarding her as a goddess figure, Gaidinliu's revived spiritual movement had spread like wildfire across the Naga Hills, Manipur and the North Cachar Hills. Mirroring Gandhi's defiance, she urged her people to stop paying house taxes and reject British authority. However, with her growing influence, the British were on alert, launching an all-out operation under the Deputy Commissioner of the Naga Hills. Just like Jadonang's arrest, they resurrected an old case -- accusing Gaidinliu of murder, human sacrifice and cult arrest, Gaidinliu moved like a shadow across villages with her militia. Her bottled healing potion, famously called "Gaidinliu water," became a symbol of hope and February 16, 1932, a brutal clash erupted in Hangrum village. Assam Rifles stormed the area, killing villagers, burning homes, destroying granaries, and torching fields. A month later, another fierce encounter near Hangrum left heavy casualties. But once again, Gaidinliu slipped away. Frustrated by repeated failures to capture the teenage rebel, the British unleashed brutal retaliation, torching entire villages, destroying crops and torturing innocent villagers for information. Even Gaidinliu's native village, Lungkao, was not spared from this mid-1932, 29 guns were confiscated and Rs 2,920 collected in fines. British patrols tightened their grip, cutting off village communication and movement. Her name became a threat. The colonisers went so far as to harass girls who shared Gaidinliu's name, pushing many to abandon it out of fear. Even Gaidinliu herself adopted the alias 'Dilenliu' to stay hidden from British the flame of resistance flickered on. Her story echoed through whispered prayers, rebel songs and the dreams of a free Naga nearly five months, Gaidinliu and her band of rebels roamed the jungles of the trans-Barak basin, moving camp constantly. Disguised, she even visited her own village. Eventually, she chose Pulomi village as her base. Nestled between Zemi, Rongmei and Liangmei Naga tribes, her strongest support, Pulomi offered hope. But the village was also home to Christianised Nagas who had turned away from tribal prophecies and aligned with British colonialism. Converted by American Baptist missionaries and educated in mission schools, many now served the these loyalists was Dr. Haralu, a well-educated physician from the Liangmai tribe and native of Pulomi. An ardent supporter of British rule and an ideological critique of Gaidinliu's movement, he volunteered to help track her down. Ironically, his own younger brother, Jinyi, was one of Gaidinliu's closest a desperate bid to tame the fiery rebel, the British turned to a subtler tactic -- marriage. They persuaded Haralu, a well-regarded bachelor, to propose to Gaidinliu, dangling the promise of freedom if she gave up rebellion for domesticity. But Gaidinliu saw through the ruse and she vanished into the forest once more. However, Haralu continued writing to her, promising a personal meeting, but she never let herself be caught between love and she stayed at Pulomi longer than usual, awaiting his arrival, it proved to be a fatal error. Haralu came, not with love, but with armed forces. Though Gaidinliu had begun fortifying Pulomi, the defenses were incomplete. A British spy and village elder, Ishejungbe, had earned her trust, only to betray her. He leaked plans for a final attack to Haralu, who coordinated with the avoid detection, the army misled villagers about their destination. On October 16, 1932, a hundred riflemen marched for Pulomi, while another force of Nagas, Kukis and Gorkhas prepared for backup. They regrouped at Dzulki and surrounded Pulomi before dawn. After capturing a few guards, they learned she was hiding in Hailung's was arrested and brought to trial, not for rebellion, but on similar charges that targeted her sibling, murdering four Meitei traders at Kambiron. She was sentenced to life imprisonment. Initially locked in Imphal jail, she was later transferred to Shillong and Lushai Hills. The British kept moving her from place to place, fearful of the legend that she would return in another form to continue her in prison, her myth lived on. Rumours of her reincarnation sparked minor uprisings led by those claiming to be her avatars and continued until the outbreak of World War 1937, five years into her imprisonment, a turning point arrived. Jawaharlal Nehru, then President of the Indian National Congress, visited Assam for an entirely different reason. But wherever he went, he kept hearing one name, Gaidinliu. Intrigued, he visited her in Shillong was so moved by her courage and unwavering belief in her cause that he pledged to fight for her release. In a powerful article for the Hindustan Times in December 1937, he christened her 'Rani'. The name stuck — and so did her would take another decade and countless appeals, but when India finally gained independence in 1947, one of the first acts of Prime Minister Nehru was to sanction Rani Gaidinliu's freedom came with fresh battles. Two political forces had emerged in the region — the extremist Naga National Council (NNC), which wanted a separate country, and the moderate Naga Peoples' Convention (NPC), which called for a Union supported her Gaidinliu envisioned a separate administrative unit for the Zeliangrong people within India. But her dream clashed with geography, it would mean redrawing boundaries across Nagaland, Manipur and Assam. Her vision conflicted with the agendas of both NNC, NPC as well as the Indian these tensions, Gaidinliu remained a respected figure. She was honoured with the Tamrapatra (1972), Padma Bhushan (1982), Vivekananda Sewa Summan (1983), and the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Puraskar posthumously in her memory, India issued a commemorative stamp in 1996. On her birth centenary in 2015, commemorative coins were released, and in 2016, the Indian Coast Guard commissioned the 'ICGS Rani Gaidinliu'. A museum named the Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum has also been sanctioned at her birthplace in Manipur.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt in 'toxic feud' with boss as show 'in crisis'
BBC Breakfast has been rocked in recent months and it's reported that hosts Naga and Charlie are now 'under review'. BBC Breakfast hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt are facing claims that they are involved in a 'toxic feud' with the show's editor Richard Frediani. Richard has reportedly made a return to work after taking extended leave as he faced allegations of bullying behaviour. Amid his return, it's been reported that relations between himself and presenters Naga 50, and Charlie, 63, have 'turned sour'. The BBC Breakfast boss has reportedly been told that he cannot directly manage the duo. An insider told The Sun: "Fredi now doesn't brief Naga and Charlie or any of that sort of thing and someone else is on the talkback to them from the gallery. The crew are entirely bemused and exhausted by it — in what world is it normal for a boss to be banned from talking to his staff?" The BBC said in a statement: "While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. "We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed." Representatives for Naga, Richard and Charlie are yet to respond to the claims, the Mirror reports. Talkback is where production staff can speak with presenters from the gallery via their earpiece. It's been claimed that Richard's editorial team now communicates with the presenting duo. The source added: "Bosses are desperate to get Breakfast back on an even keel and know the tension between Fredi, Charlie and Naga is at the heart of the rising crisis." The change was said to have been brought in as a method to "manage the situation in the hope it will all blow over". It comes after reports that Charlie Stayt may also face a probe following reports that Naga is "under review" over "bullying" claims. This comes after the BBC star allegedly "kicked off" at an intern over 'how they spread Marmite on her toast'. A whistleblower has also alleged Naga complained her porridge was "too hot" and she didn't like the blueberry topping on the dish. It was claimed last week that multiple colleagues have filed complaints over Naga's alleged bullying behaviour on BBC Breakfast and her BBC Radio 5 Live show, which she presents from Monday to Wednesday. It has been claimed the BBC has officially moved to "place the complaints under review". The insider told The Sun: "The review is to ascertain whether a full-on investigation is required and that could come in weeks". A BBC spokesperson said: "While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed."
