Month: January 2020

India on Thursday slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his call for international intervention to prevent a conflict between the “two-nuclear armed countries” over Kashmir, saying that such remarks made by the Pakistani leader was “desperate” and reflects a “growing sense of frustration”.

At a weekly briefing here, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the global community has realised Pakistan’s double standards with regard to terror and said that Islamabad should focus more on taking irreversible and credible action on tackling terror.

“We have seen reports about certain remarks on India and India-Pakistan relations made by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan at Davos.

We are hardly surprised by the content and tone of his remarks. There is nothing new in what he said. His remarks shows that he is desperate and losing hope. The comments are not only factually inaccurate and contradictory, but also demonstrate a growing sense of frustration,” he said.

“Pakistan has to realise that the global community has seen through their double-standards. While they pretend to be victims of terrorism on the one hand, they support terrorists and extremist groups to carry out terror acts in India and other countries on the other hand,” Kumar said.

The MEA spokesperson said that if Pakistan is indeed serious to normalise its ties with India, the onus is on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere free from terror and hostility.

“They have to take credible, irreversible and verifiable action against terror groups operating from its soil rather than making misleading and alarmist statements to divert the attention of international community. He should focus on what is happening in his own country. We do not need his advice on what is going on in India,” Kumar further said.

Kumar’s comments came a day after Khan said that the world cannot have two nuclear-armed nations “at such sensitive relations,” in an apparent reference to the Kashmir issue.

“You cannot have two nuclear-armed countries even contemplating a conflict,” he said during an interview with the International Media Council on the sidelines of WEF in Davos.

He also said that countries like the UN and US “must act” to prevent tensions between the “two nuclear-armed countries” from reaching a “point of no return”. “This is why I asked for international overseers to come to the LoC,” Khan asserted here.

Meanwhile, Kumar spoke about the next month’s FATF meetings which will review Pakistan’s progress on tackling terror funding.

ANI

In a significant success, 644 militants of eight militant groups on Thursday surrendered in presence of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Assam Police DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta told ANI that it was an important day for the state specially when terrorist activities were on the rise and elections will also be held soon.

“Six hundred and forty four cadres of 8 militant groups laid down their arms and joined the peace process formally in presence of Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal,” Mahanta said.

The surrendered militants also laid down their arms and ammunition including AK-47, AK-56 rifles, bombs and explosives.

Mahanta said “these people” will be helped in rehabilitation under the Swavalamban Scheme run by special branch of Assam police. (ANI)

“They should go wherever they want,” Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar said on Thursday when asked of Prashant Kishor and Pavan Verma’s repeated questions about the party’s stand’s on the newly enacted Citizenship Act.

“It is their personal decision. They should go wherever they want. We don’t have an objection. Don’t look at JDU in the context of statements by some people. JDU works with determination. We have a clear stand and don’t have any confusion,” the Chief Minister told reporters in Patna.

“If they have something to tell, they should come and discuss it within the party. They should go wherever they want. They have my good wishes,” he said.

JDU spokesperson and national general secretary Pavan Verma has questioned his party’s alliance with the BJP in Delhi Assembly polls while Kishor has more than once made his differences with the party known on the issue of the amended Citizenship Act, and National Register of Citizens.

(ANI)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted the Central government four weeks’ time to file a reply on the petitions regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and indicated setting up a Constitution Bench to hear the pleas.

The top court did not put a stay on the newly enacted law, as demanded by some petitions.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde, Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna passed the order while hearing more than 140 petitions challenging or supporting the newly amended citizenship law.

The law fast-tracks the process of granting citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who fled religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and took refuge in India on or before December 31, 2014.

During the course of hearing, Chief Justice Bobde said, “We may ask the government to issue some temporary permits for the time being.”

Attorney General K K Venugopal asked the apex court to freeze filing of further petitions, as over 140 petitions have been filed and others who wish to be heard, may file intervention applications. “Centre has prepared a preliminary affidavit that will be filed today,” he further said.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the Assam Advocates Association, sought an ex-parte order from the court with respect to the implementation of the Act in Assam. He told the court, “The situation in Assam is different, 40,000 people have already entered Assam since the last hearing.”

Several petitions were filed in the top court and high courts across the country for and against the CAA. There have been protests in different parts of the country against the Act. It has also been challenged by the Kerala government in the Supreme Court.

Kerala and West Bengal have also said that they will not implement the amended law. However, Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and Salman Khurshid have said that state governments cannot legally refuse to implement a law passed by the parliament. (ANI)

The Congress has released its list of star campaigners for the Delhi Assembly polls and named 40 leaders including party chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Interestingly, Sidhu, who has made it to the list and is known to be an outspoken leader, has been away from the limelight, since his resignation as a minister in the Captain Amarinder Singh-led cabinet in Punjab in July last year.

Sidhu had grabbed headlines for his hug with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s swearing-in ceremony in Pakistan in August 2018.

He also addressed several rallies in the past attacking the BJP-led central government on a host of issues.

Apart from Sidhu and the Gandhi family, the list includes Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states including Captain Amarinder Singh (Punjab), Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh), Kamal Nath (Madhya Pradesh) and V Narayanasamy (Puducherry).

Also, Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has made it to the list of star campaigners.

Another interesting inclusion is actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who joined Congress after resigning from BJP in April last year.

Other prominent leaders include — Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra, Ajay Maken, Meira Kumar, Raj Babbar, Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kirti Azad and Sushmita Dev.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee is also mentioned in the list.

Delhi, which has 70 seats, is slated to go to polls on February 8. The counting of votes will take place on February 11.

(ANI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that the opposition is free to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but the law will not be rolled back.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has today granted an opportunity to the persecuted minorities from the neighbouring countries to start a new life. I declare here in Lucknow, that whoever wants to protest against CAA is free to do so but this law will not be rolled back,” Shah said while addressing a gathering at the Jan Jagaran Abhiyan being conducted by BJP here.

“The opposition parties do not want to hear the truth on this matter. Mahatma Gandhi had said that the minorities in Pakistan should be given an opportunity to settle in India. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad and Sardar Patel also said the same thing on different occasions,” he added.

Shah further explained the need for this law by linking it to the status of minorities in Pakistan.

“After India’s partition several Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Christians were left behind in Pakistan. They were exploited, tortured and forcefully converted there. I want to say to Rahul Gandhi that the partition on the basis of religion was caused due to the misdeeds of the Congress party. On July 16, 1947, the Congress party accepted the proposal to divide the country on the basis of religion,” he said.

“At the time of partition, 30 per cent religious minorities were there in erstwhile East Pakistan and 23 per cent religious minorities were there in West Pakistan. Today, the figure has come down to 3 per cent in Pakistan and 7 per cent in Bangladesh. I want to ask the protesters against CAA, where did they go,” he added.

The Union Home Minister further questioned the opposition party leaders for their stance on the citizenship law.

“Akhilesh Yadav should not say anything on this matter as he uses rhetoric on this issue. I also ask Mamata Banerjee what is the problem with CAA. Mamata had supported the idea of providing citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries in 2003,” he said.

“We removed the Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. We also brought in a law to curb the social evil of triple talaq in the Muslim community. The opposition is protesting against that as well. The Narendra Modi government also conducted a surgical strike and air strike against terrorists in Pakistan. Even on that the opposition raised questions and said why should misled people be bombed. If they are misled, my suggestion to the opposition is that they enlist them as their members. For us such elements are terrorists and we will treat them like that,” he added.

Shah also spoke on the proposed Ram temple at Ayodhya, “After the Supreme Court gave its order on the Ayodhya matter, we resolved to build the Ram temple in three months. The opposition also protests against this.”

Shah drew a parallel between the opposition and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and said that they speak the same language.

“In effect, the opposition speaks the same language as Imran Khan. They ask for proof of surgical and airstrikes, they oppose abrogation of Art 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and they oppose the CAA,” he said.

The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

(ANI)

A delegation of protestors, including elderly women from Shaheen Bagh area, which met Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal on Tuesday regard to their over month-long protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) said they were not pressurised to meet anyone.

An elderly woman, who was among the delegation said they will continue their protest and block roads on January 29 if the proposed CAA and NPR are taken forward by the government.

Earlier today, Baijal called for maintaining peace and order and urged the protestors to call off their agitation in view of continued inconvenience to locals due to the blockade of road.

“Met delegation of protestors from Shaheen Bagh. Assured them to convey their concerns to appropriate authorities. Appealed to call off their agitation in view of continued inconvenience to locals due to blockade of road. I once again request all to maintain peace and order,” the LG tweeted.

Three elderly women — Bilkis, Sharvari and Nurnesha — were part of the delegation which met Baijal today.

“We were not coerced by anyone. He (Baijal) listened to us. If (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is our son, then why did he not meet us and chalk out a solution,” the woman said.

They also said that their concerns have been forwarded to the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah through a letter.

Meanwhile, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking directions to the police to open Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch, which has been closed since December 15 due to ongoing protests against the CAA.

The petition said that the public at large is facing huge inconvenience and hardship as the road is blocked and residents, shopkeepers, children, and patients are facing extreme difficulties.

Recently, the Delhi High Court asked the Delhi Police to look into the matter of blockage of Kalindi Kunj road due to the protest at Shaheen Bagh.

Also, on Tuesday the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) took up a complaint on viral videos of children participating in protests at Shaheen Bagh. It wrote to the district magistrate of South Delhi asking the authority to submit a detailed report within 10 days.

The letter read: “As per the complaint, there are children shouting that their elders have told them that the Prime Minister and Home Minister of India will ask them to produce documents of citizenship and if they fail to produce they will be sent to detention centres where they will not be allowed even food and clothing.”

The child rights body requested the district magistrate to direct the “District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) along with Police Child Welfare Officer/SJPU to identify children, shown in the viral videos, and arrange a counselling session for them and their parents if deemed fit”.

Protests are going on across the country against CAA which grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

(ANI)

Pakistan is running dozens of deradicalisation camps and 80 per cent of the people in such camps are below the age of 35, government sources said.

The sources told ANI that Pakistan is running dozens of such camps where thousands are being deradicalised.

“There are more than 80 per cent people in these camps who are less than 35 years, while 12 per cent of them are less than the age of 18,” the sources added.

Sources said that radicalisation is a state wherein a person exhibits extreme behaviour in the social, religious and ideological domains.

Noting that such people disregard constitutional and social norms and are a risk to society, the sources said deradicalistaion is not a one-time effort but a multi-layered process to dilute and sanitise their personal biases.

Deradicalisation includes vocational training and also provides for economic sustenance measures.

The sources said that the Pakistan Army has also catered to the demands of the Muslim religious fanatics who radicalise the youth.

(ANI)

Inspired by the women-led agitation in New Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, women here on Tuesday started an indefinite sit-in protest at Gomti Nagar’s Shaheed Turkmaan-e-Hind Mazar against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).

The protesters, mostly Muslim women clad in burqas, were seen holding placards that read “No CAA No NRC No NPR We Reject”, “You can’t impose 144 on our speech, freedom and truth” and “Fight for an equal India”.

“We are protesting against the CAA and NPR. This is our country. They cannot ask for proof of our citizenship. We will live here. Something has happened in the country under the Modi government that women have to come out of their country. Our future is not safe. I am here for my children. We will not go from here until the CAA, NPR and NRC are withdrawn,” a woman protester told ANI.

The stir also took inspiration from another protest against CAA, NPR and NRC spearheaded by women at Lucknow’s Ghanta Ghar.

“We are protesting peacefully. This is our right. We are around 150 women and will continue our protest until CAA, NPR and NRC are withdrawn,” a protester said.

The protest in Shaheen Bagh has gained nationwide attention as women have been braving Delhi’s cold winter for over a month now against the contentious law enacted in December last year.

(ANI)