The pile of jute sticks arranged cone-like and glistening in the sun stood tall over the congregation as they offered prayers at the janaja of Syed Ali. It was around noon, the time Ali died yesterday, felled by a police bullet in the head. He and other jute cultivators had gathered at the Bechimari weekly market like they did every Monday with their produce of jute fibre; fibre that is meticulously shorn...

-The Telegraph   The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), which is fighting against big dams, today asked outsiders engaged in the construction of the NHPC dam at Gerukamukh to leave the region immediately, warning that goons might attack them taking advantage of the ongoing protest. “I appeal to all the workers at the NHPC site in Lower Subansiri to stop working for the construction company and help in the fight against big dams....

-The Telegraph   The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and the All Assam Students Union today launched statewide protests against the movement of turbines meant for lower Subansiri hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh. Two Bangladeshi vessels, carrying the NHPC turbines, which had remained stranded for months at Bongshichar in Dhubri district following anti-dam protests, had yesterday set sail for Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district to offload the consignment. In Guwahati, about 200 KMSS members, led by...

-The Telegraph   Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today came out in support of movements against corruption, but said that the rule of law alone cannot check corruption even as the relay hunger strike by supporters of Anna Hazare entered its fifth day here. Admitting to corrupt practices in government offices, Gogoi said his government was taking action to check corruption, but the effort would be rendered futile if the public did not...

Not a comprehensive draft, says Medha Patkar The first major opposition to the draft National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011 will be in the form of a three-day dharna here beginning on Wednesday by the project-affected people. Various peoples' movements under the banner of SANGHARSH have decided to stage a dharna at Jantar Mantar protesting the new draft and demanding that the government come up with a comprehensive National...