Christmas celebrated with gaiety and enthusiasm in northeast

Kohima / Guwahati, Dec 25 (ANI): People thronged the markets in North Eastern states as they celebrated Christmas with gaiety and enthusiasm.

The festival also brought together people from different faiths to celebrate the occasion.

There was peace in Nagaland and people celebrated the birthday of Jesus Christ, with enthusiasm. hoppers thronged crowded markets to buy gifts and cakes.

Devotees from all faiths visited Churches to offer prayers for the festival that is about spreading the message of love and brotherhood.

"Christmas is all about spreading love. It is about loving one another. It is about having a good time with family, having a blessed time," said Jack a local.

In Shillong, 'Society for Promotion of Peace and Friendship' marked the occasion by organizing a Family Christmas concert at the Cathedral Church.

Prominent musicians made the crowd groove to their tunes and left them in a joyous frame of mind.

Arcbishop Rev Dominic Jala sent out a message of peace and harmony during the occasion.

"This society is for the promotion of peace and friendship started in 2006 and this time we thought of bringing all Christian denomination bringing together and people of all faith should celebrate Christmas in every special way, said Rev Pius Shadap.

"In Shillong people love music and I think music is the best way to reach people. So we plan and thought that this is the best way of spreading message of thrive, peace and love," he added.

On Christmas, the World celebrates the birthday of the messenger of peace, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed his life for the good of others.

In Northeast India, people forget all their problems and troubles and came together to celebrate the birthday of lord Jesus. (ANI)

Migrants to North East fear militant threat |National[Imphal{Imphal, Dec 25 (ANI) : The migration of people in search of better opportunities has been an age long tradition. But in Manipur migrants fear being targeted by militants.

Recently, three migrants were killed in separate incidents in the state.

Migrant labourers say they don't feel safe in Manipur.

On December 16, assailants shot dead Gajinder Ram and Subhas Yadav in their house in Chingmeirong Kabui Khul on the outskirts of Imphal while they were asleep.

Gajinder was a tourist who had come to see his brother. Subhas Yadav was a manual laborer working in an ice candy factory.

On December 15, Deepak Kumar Sahu a hawker, was killed by militants near Pangei.op police officers met to assess the situation arising out of the violence.

"As a preventive measure, the state police has arranged a temporary refugee camp at Dharamsala. From time to time, we have to pick them up from several outskirt locations and kept over there. As they have come for earning, they cannot remain idle at that place. So they returned to their respective place and are coming out for earning for their livelihood," Mohammad Shahid Khan Sub Inspector, Lamphel Police Station.

The ruthless killing of migrants provoked anger among the people in Manipur. nder the aegis of Chingmeirong Women Society, locals protested the killings. Protestors criticized the killers and demanded justice.

"Even we can go outside the state, like in Delhi and Mumbai to earn our livelihoods. But such incidents are making us wary to even go outside the state," said Birkumar a local

"We are against killings of any person. Killing of petty laborers who are earning meager salaries won't bring any solution. We condemn it," he added.

Since February, 28 migrant workers have been killed in Manipur. Miscreants claim that migrant workers are a burden to the state's economy, but ignore the fact that many students and people from Manipur study and work in other parts of the country. (ANI)