Home Minister Shah Assures Mizoram CM Of Providing Aid For Refugees

by Shambhu Datta Mishra

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Home Minister Shah also told Chief Minister Lalduhoma that the Assam Rifles battalion set up would be relocated from central Aizawl to the proposed new headquarters at Zokhawsang, which is located around 15 km east of capital Aizawl, the officials said

Aizawl, June 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma that the Central government would provide humanitarian assistance to refugees sheltering in the state, officials said here Saturday.

The Mizoram Chief Minister, who has been in Delhi since Thursday, separately met Union Home Minister Shah, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and DoNER and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in the national capital and discussed various state-related issues including developmental schemes.

An official at the Chief Minister's office in Aizawl said that the Union Home Minister has promised to the Chief Minister to provide assistance for the refugees.

The Chief Minister during the meeting also submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister detailing the damage caused by Cyclone Remal in May-June.

The Home Minister told the Chief Minister that a Central team would be sent for verification, and financial assistance would follow based on their report, the official said.

After the military junta seized power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, around 34,000 people including women, elderly and children, from the neighbouring country took shelter in 11 districts of Mizoram.

Over 1,900 Bangladeshi refugees including 505 women and 810 children have also taken shelter in Mizoram since November 2022 after the ethnic troubles in Chittagong Hill Tracts of that country.

Besides, Mizoram is also providing shelter to around 9,000 Kuki-Zomi-Hmar tribals who were displaced after the ethnic strife began in the neighbouring Manipur in May last year.

The Myanmar, Bangladeshi and Manipur refugees, all tribals, have close ethnic ties, and traditional and cultural similarities with the Mizos of Mizoram.

All the refugees are now staying in relief camps and the houses of relatives or friends across Mizoram, which shares 518 km and 318 km of unfenced borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh respectively.

(IANS)

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We Were Fortunate To Get Virat Kohli's Wicket On That Delivery, Says William O'Rourke

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Bengaluru, Oct 18: New Zealand pacer William O'Rourke feels that he was fortunate to take Virat Kohli's dismissal on the ball which was going down the leg in the first Test against India on Thursday.

Kohli departed on a nine-ball duck as he edged the ball which was taken by Glenn Phillips at the leg gully on the second day in Bengaluru. India had an abysmal outing in the first innings under overcast conditions as they were bowled out for just 46 runs, their lowest-ever Test score at home and their third-lowest in history.

"I think just with my angle back in, having that leg gully in place was meant to bring him into play. It was obviously an attacking option for us. We were fortunate to get the wicket. I don’t think that was exactly the delivery I intended, but it worked and I got his wicket, so I’m happy about it," O'Rourke told JioCinema.

The weather conditions and moisture on the pitch supported Kiwi seamers and O'Rourke said he felt like playing at home. "Very similar to the conditions back home. I think we weren't expecting too much assistance in the morning. We were probably going to bat as well if we won the toss. So, it was nice to see the ball nipping around, and I could just run in and do my thing," the pacer said.

"I think we were excellent in the field today. A few diving chances and I think that's what we pride ourselves on. We probably haven't been as good as we wanted to be in the last few Tests. So, coming out here and putting on a show like that was really special," he added.

Playing for the first time in India, O'Rourke returned with the figures of 4-22 in his 12 overs and credited the Sri Lanka series for getting a sense of the subcontinental conditions.

"It’s my first time playing in the subcontinent so it’s obviously a little bit different from back home, but playing those first two Tests in Sri Lanka really helped prepare me to come out here and just focus on doing my own thing," he said.

After dismissing India for a dismal total, the visitors ended day two on 180 for 3, leading by 134 runs. Devon Conway was the standout for the visitors, scoring 91 runs, while Will Young contributed 33. Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja bagged one scalp each but India face an uphill task to recover from their nightmare start in the series opener.

Home Minister Shah Assures Mizoram CM Of Providing Aid For Refugees

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