Union Home Minister Archives - Lokmarg

Shah Takes Jibe On Split In Shiv Sena, NCP In Maharashtra

By LokMarg 15th March 2024

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said “putra-putri moh” had caused the split in the Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and the BJP cannot be blamed for it.

“I differ from the remarks that we broke parties. We have not broken any parties. Kai sari partiyan apne putra-putri ke moh me tut gayin…main phir se doharata hoon ki NCP aur Shiv Sena, dono partiyan putra, putri moh mein tut gayin. (Many parties fell apart due to thrust on promoting daughters and sons. I repeat NCP and Shiv Sena broke due to thrust on promoting son and daughter),” Amit Shah said responding to a query at India Today Conclave 2024.

He also said that the BJP and other parties in the ruling alliance in Maharashtra had worked a seat-sharing agreement and it will be out in a few days.

Amit Shah said Uddhav Thackeray wanted to make his son Aditya Chief Minister of Maharashtra and former Union Minister Sharad Pawar wanted to make his daughter Supriya Sule leader of NCP.

“Uddhavji wanted to make Aditya Thackeray Chief Minister. Many people left his party because they were not ready to accept Aditya Thackeray as their leader. People who have been working in Shiv Sena since Balasaheb Thackeray’s time first accepted Uddhav as their leader, now they had to accept Aditya as well. It was not acceptable for them. Sharad Pawar also wanted to make his daughter Supriya Sule as the NCP leader. Sharad Pawar also wanted to make his daughter Supriya Sule as the NCP leader,” he said.

“Many people, who were not ready to accept this, left the parties,” he added.

BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde are part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra. BJP has often attacked its political rivals for practising dynastic politics.

The dates for Lok Sabha and assembly elections in some states will be declared on Saturday. (ANI)

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Shah Asks Persecuted Refugees To Have Faith In Modi-Led Govt

By LokMarg 14th March 2024

Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured persecuted refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to have faith in the Narendra Modi government and said that under the rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), everyone will be given equal rights as they will now become citizens of India.

“There are a lot of people, there is no count as of now. Due to the wrong campaign going on, many people will hesitate to file an application. I want to assure everyone to apply here and have faith in the Narendra Modi government that you will be given citizenship with retrospective effect. This law is accepting you as a refugee. If you have entered India illegally, there will be no criminal case against you…There is no need for anyone to get scared. Everyone will be given equal rights as they will become the citizens of India,” Amit Shah said in an interview with ANI on being asked about the number of people getting citizenship after CAA.

The Home Minister said there is no need for any section or any person to fear because there is no provision in CAA to take away anyone’s citizenship.

“CAA is only to give rights to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Christians and Parsi refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan…”

Answering a query, he said those who get citizenship under CAA will be added to the citizenship list like every common citizen of India. “They will have as many rights as you or I have. They can contest elections and become MP, MLA, CM and Ministers.”

“All those people who have entered India between 15th August 1947 and 31st December 2014 are welcome here. As per my knowledge, there are 85 per cent people who have relevant documents. We will find a solution for those who don’t have the documents. Even Muslims have the right to apply for citizenship in India under the rules of the Constitution,” he added.

The Home Minister assured the minorities that there was no case for their rights to be taken away by the implementation of the CAA.

“I have spoken on CAA at least 41 times on different platforms and spoken on it in detail that the minorities of the country need not be afraid because it has no provision to take back the rights of any citizen. The CAA aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants–including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians–who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014, and through this law, their sufferings can be ended” he added.

The Home Minister was critical of opposition leaders like AIMIM’s Asaddudin Owaisi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for claiming that the CAA was anti-Muslim.

“You cannot see this law in isolation. On August 15, 1947, our country was partitioned. Our country was partitioned into three parts; this is the background. Bharatiya Jan Sangh and BJP were always against the Partition. We never wanted that country to be partitioned based on religion,” he said.

“So when the country was partitioned on the basis of religion, minorities faced persecution, they were being converted, women in the minority section were being tortured and came to India. They came to our refuge; don’t they have a right to get our citizenship? Even Congress leaders during the partition in their speeches said that those minorities should stay wherever they are due to the widespread bloodshed and they will be welcomed later in our country. Now they started doing vote bank politics and due to appeasement,” Shah added.

The Home Minister said that it was the moral duty of the government to ensure the rights of those who were persecuted.

“The people who were part of Akhand Bharat and who were prosecuted or tortured those people should be given refuge in India and this is our social and Constitutional responsibility. Now if you look closely at the statistics, in Pakistan when the partition happened there were 23 per cent Hindus and Sikhs but now only 3.7 per cent of Hindus and Sikhs are left. where are they? They have not returned here. They were converted, tortured, and insulted they were given second-class status. Where will they go? Will the country not think about them, will Parliament will not think about them, and should the political parties not think about them?” the Home Minister said.

On March 11, the Union Home Ministry notified rules for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants–including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians–who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. (ANI)

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Modi Govt To Fence Entire 1643 KM Indo-Myanmar Border: Shah

By LokMarg 6th February 2024

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday that the government has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer-long Indo-Myanmar border to facilitate better surveillance and ensure a patrol track along the border.

Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s dedication to fortify national borders, Amit Shah announced that the government has chosen to erect a fence along the entire India-Myanmar border.

“The Modi government is committed to building impenetrable borders.It has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1643-kilometer-long Indo-Myanmar border. To facilitate better surveillance, a patrol track along the border will also be paved,” Home Minister posted on X.

Out of the total border length, the Minister said, a 10-kilometre stretch in Moreh, Manipur, has already been fenced.

Furthermore, the Minister said, two pilot projects of fencing through a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are under execution, and they will fence a stretch of 1 km each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

“Additionally, fence works covering approximately 20 km in Manipur have also been approved, and the work will start soon,” Shah further said.

Officials, privy to the development, had earlier indicated that the Central government is mulling to terminate the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar in an effort to curb the influx of illegal migrants and insurgents.

The plan is part of consideration to end a point of contention as local residents complain that the FMR policy has become a major subject of contention as it is often misused and facilitates “illegal immigration, drug and arms trafficking”. Manipur government as well as other northeast states facing the issue has also raised the matter with the Central government earlier.

The 1,643-km-long India-Myanmar border, spanning Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, currently operates under the FMR, which permits individuals living near the India-Myanmar border to travel 16 km into each other’s territories without a visa. Initiated in 2018, the FMR policy was a component of India’s Act East policy.

As per FMR policy, those belonging to the hill tribes, being citizens of either India or Myanmar and residing within a 16 km radius on either side of the border, can cross with a border pass valid for one year, allowing a stay of up to two weeks per visit.

“We plan to terminate the FMR along the Indo-Myanmar border shortly. Our aim is to install fencing along the entire border, a project expected to be completed in the next four-and-a-half years. Individuals entering will be required to obtain a visa,” stated an official privy to the plan being prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“The objective is not only to halt the misuse of the FMR, which insurgent groups exploit for attacks on the Indian side before escaping to Myanmar, but also to stop the inflow of illegal immigrants and disrupt networks involved in drug and gold smuggling.”

Another official shared that the process of “tendering for an advanced smart fencing system covering 300 km of the India-Myanmar border is already in progress, and the project’s implementation will commence shortly.”

Allegations claim that following the military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, a considerable number of Myanmar’s tribal population crossed into India, particularly Manipur and Mizoram, and remained illegally. It’s alleged that these individuals sought refuge on Indian territory and subsequently engaged in unlawful activities, notably drug smuggling.

In September 2023, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had appealed to the Centre to terminate the FMR. The state government contends that insurgents exploit this regime to advance their activities.

Manipur shares approximately 390 km of a porous border with Myanmar, with only about 10 km fenced as of now. In July last year, the state government disclosed data indicating that approximately 700 illegal immigrants had entered the state. Additionally, following the military coup in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, Mizoram has witnessed an influx of thousands of anti-Junta rebels. Government estimates suggest that several thousand refugees have settled in various parts of Mizoram since the coup.

Mizoram has a porous border spanning 510 kilometres with Myanmar.

The Manipur Chief Minister mentioned incidents where individuals from Myanmar attempted to enter his state but retreated upon encountering a substantial presence of security personnel. Manipur shares a 398-kilometer border with Myanmar.

Arunachal Pradesh shares a 520-kilometre border with Myanmar, whereas Nagaland’s border with the country spans 215 kilometers. (ANI)

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Shah Asks Farmers To Make India Self-Reliant In Pulses Production

By LokMarg 4th January 2024

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah has appealed to the farmers to focus on the production of pulses to make India self-reliant in this sector before December 2027.

Taking another step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India), Shah launched the ‘e-samridhi portal’ for registration, purchase and payment of ‘tur dal’ producing farmers here today.

“Produce pulses and make the country self-reliant in this sector. It is necessary to make India self-reliant in pulse production. I assure you that before December 2027, India will become self-reliant in the production of pulses,” Shah said at the event.

“Beginning by you is going to bring drastic changes in the field of agriculture”, Shah assured the farmers.

“It’s a guarantee from Modi that if you register with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Ltd (NCCF), we will purchase your pulses. It is the responsibility of the Modi government to purchase your pulses on MSP (Minimum Support Price),” Shah said, adding that the current ‘tur dal’ MSP rate is Rs 7,000 compared to Rs 4,350 in 2014-15, a 65 per cent increase.

Addressing the national symposium organized on self-reliance in pulses, Shah said the farmer-centric initiative aims to empower ‘tur dal’ producers with better prices through procurement, streamlined processes and direct bank transfers by NAFED and NCCF to boost domestic pulses production and reducing import dependence.

“Under this, the buffer stock of pulses will be purchased from the farmers registered on the portals of NAFED and NCCF as per the guidelines of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India and MSP or market price, whichever is higher, will be paid to the farmers,” Shah said.

“The process of registration, purchase and payment on the portal will be available on a single medium. Portal registration of farmers can be done directly or through the Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) and Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO). The payment to the farmers will be made by NAFED directly into their mapped bank account and no agency will be involved in between. The entire process is farmer-centric in which farmers themselves can track the activities from registration to payment,” said the Home Minister.

This initiative complements the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” campaign, Shah added, pointing “the multilingual electronic portal https://esamridhi.in will connect farmers, NAFED and concerned government departments, streamlining processes for better accessibility.”

The launch of the ‘tur dal’ procurement portal symbolizes the government’s comprehensive vision of a new green revolution that will include pulses and oilseeds along with traditional crops like wheat and rice, the Minister said, adding “this will be beneficial for Indian agriculture and the bright future of millions of farmers towards self-reliance in all food categories.”

The portal will streamline the entire process for ‘tur dal’ growers in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka and Jharkhand, simplifying the registration, procurement and payment processes.

The portal aims to reduce dependence on imports by purchasing 80 per cent of the buffer stock directly from farmers. This will not only secure food production but will also ensure the future food security of the nation. (ANI)

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Teachings Of Bhagavad Gita Should Reach All Parts Of World: Shah

By LokMarg 22nd December 2023

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that teachings of the Bhagavad Gita should reach all parts of India and the rest of the world.

Addressing the ‘Sant Sammelan 2023’ on the occasion of Gita Jayanti Mahotsav, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Prime Minister Modi wished for an annual International Gita Mahotsav, which CM Manoharlal Khattar fulfilled in 2016. The teachings of Bhagavad Gita should reach all parts of India and the world.”

“The Mahotsav has been a huge success since 2016. For the last seven years, Gita Jayanti Mahotsav has been successfully organised and is achieving its objectives,” he added.

International Gita Jayanti Mahotsav is underway in Haryana’s Kurukshetra. The event began on December 7 and will conclude on December 24.

The celebration of Gita Mahotsav brings a moral and cultural resurgence among the people. It becomes even more relevant today as we are living in challenging times.

The prime objective of celebrating the festival of Gita Jayanti is to enlighten the people with the immortal and intangible heritage of Bhagavadgita- the song celestial.

The Government of Haryana has been celebrating the Gita Mahotsav festival in collaboration with the Kurukshetra Development Board in the city of Kurukshetra since the year 1989.

Earlier in the year 2016, the Government of Haryana took a decision to celebrate the festival of Gita Jayanti as International Gita Mahotsav in which more than two million people visited Kurukshetra which in fact proved a milestone in the history of the celebration of Gita Jayanti in Kurukshetra.

Again in the year 2017, 2018 and 2019, the festival of International Gita Mahotsav was organized in Kurukshetra. (ANI)

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Shah Approves Rs 1658-Cr Recovery, Reconstruction Plan For Joshimath

By LokMarg 30th November 2023

A high-level Committee, under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah on Thursday approved the Recovery and Reconstruction (R&R) plan of Rs 1658.17 crore for Joshimath in Uttarakhand which has been affected by landslide and ground subsidence, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.

Under the plan, the MHA states, that Rs 1079.96 crore of central assistance will be provided from the Recovery and Reconstruction window of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). The State Government will provide Rs 126.41 crore from its State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) towards relief assistance and will provide Rs 451.80 crore from its state budget, including land acquisition cost for resettlement of Rs 91.82 crore.

Joshimath has been affected by landslide and ground subsidence and the central government has extended all necessary technical and logistical support to the state government, said the MHA in a statement.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MHA said, all technical agencies under the guidance of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) were put into action and they helped the state government in preparing the recovery plan for Joshimath expeditiously.

“The recovery plan for Joshimath would be implemented in three years, following the best practices, Build Back Better (BBB) principles, and sustainability initiatives. Thereafter, Joshimath will emerge as an excellent example of ecological sustainability,” it added.

Joshimath, situated at 6,000 feet in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand between Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, is in seismically active Zone V – a region with a high risk of earthquakes.

Residents of Joshimath, a sacred town in Uttarakhand, have become alarmed after noticing fissures in the town’s houses and roadways, which they described as the town “gradually sinking”.

Hundreds of houses have developed cracks in Joshimath, with more than 100 declared unsafe. (ANI)

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I Am Ready For Discussion: Shah On Manipur

By LokMarg 24th July 2023

Urging the opposition party MPs in Lok Sabha to let the House function smoothly during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that he is ready for discussion on Manipur issue and that it is important that the country gets to know the truth on this “sensitive” matter.

As the members of the Lok Sabha met at 2 pm after being adjourned at 12 pm, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stood from his seat to address the Lower House.
After the House reassembled at 2 pm, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, amid continuous sloganeering from the opposition party MPs, said, “Honorable members, you have been demanding discussion on Manipur for two-three days.” He then appealed to the Union Home Minister to address the House on the issue.

During his address, Shah said that he does not understand why the opposition does not want to allow discussion on the Manipur issue.

“I urge all the respected members of the opposition that on a very sensitive issue, many members have demanded a discussion by the ruling party and the opposition, I am ready for the discussion. I do not know why the opposition does not want to allow discussion,” Shah said.

“I request the leader of the opposition to let the discussion happen and this truth should be known to the whole country, it is very important,” he added.

While Shah was speaking sloganeering continued from opposition benches with a few MPs leaving their seats and raising placards in the House with “INDIA stands with Manipur people”, written on them.

The Lok Sabha Speaker also urged the members of the opposition parties to let the house function smoothly. With continuous sloganeering, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day to again meet at 11 am on Tuesday. (ANI)

Terrorists Using Dark-Net To Hide Identity, Spread Radical Material: Shah

By LokMarg 13th July 2023

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday raised concern at the two-day G-20 Conference here regarding terrorists using the dark net to hide their identity and spread radical material, and find solutions by understanding pattern of these activities.

The minister also warned of cyber-attack threat which he said is hovering over all the major economies of the world and “many countries of the world have become victims of it”.
To create a “robust and efficient operational system”, Shah said, “Terrorists are using the dark net to hide their identity and spread radical material, and we have to understand the pattern of these activities running on the dark net and find solutions for the same.”

The Home Minister also specified the need to think coherently to crack down on the use of various virtual assets.

Speaking at the G20 Conference on Crime and Security in the age of the Non-Fungible Token (NFT), Artificial Intelligence (Al) and Metaverse’, Shah further said “The Metaverse, once a science fiction idea, has now stepped into the real world.”

He said the metaverse may create new opportunities for terrorist organizations primarily for propaganda, recruitment, and training.

“This will make it easier for terrorist organizations to select and target vulnerable people and prepare material according to their vulnerabilities.”

“The metaverse also creates opportunities for true imitation of a user’s identity, known as “deep-fakes”. Using better biometric information about individuals, criminals will be able to impersonate users and steal their identities,” Shah further said.

The minister also pointed out that incidents ranging from ransomware attacks, the sale of critical personal data, online harassment, and child abuse to fake news and misinformation campaigns with ‘toolkits’ are being carried out by cybercriminals.

At the same time, Shah said, there is also a growing tendency to strategically target critical information and financial systems.

“Such activities are a matter of national concern, as their activities have a direct impact on national security, law and order, and the economy. If such crimes and criminals have to be stopped, then we have to think and also act by rising above the conventional geographic boundaries,” said Shah.

“The targets in digital warfare are not our physical resources, but our ability to act online. Disruption of the online network even for 10 minutes can be fatal.”

Noting that all the governments of the world are promoting digital means in governance and public welfare today, Shah said it is necessary in this direction that citizens have faith in digital platforms.

Insecurity in the digital space also raises questions about the “legitimacy and sovereignty” of the nation-state, Shah said while advising “Our internet vision should neither be one of excessive freedom threatening the very existence of our nations nor one of isolationist structures such as digital firewalls.”

Stating on cyber-attack threat hovering over all the major economies of the world, Shah cited World Bank estimate that “cyber-attacks could have caused losses of around $5.2 trillion to the world during the years 2019-2023.”

He also said the use of cryptocurrency by malicious threat actors further complicates its detection and prevention.

“The government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi has worked towards outlining a uniform cyber strategy, real-time reporting of cyber-crimes, capacity building of LEAs, designing analytical tools and setting up a national network of forensic laboratories, ensuring cyber hygiene, and spreading cyber awareness to every citizen. The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS) has been implemented in all the police stations of the country,” Shah said.

He also said the Government of India has established the Indian Cyber-Crime Coordination Center (14C) to ensure a comprehensive response against cybercrime. (ANI)

Modi Disburses Rs 27 Cr Mudra Loans To Women Entrepreneurs: Shah

By LokMarg 6th June 2023

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday lauded the efforts of Central government, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unfolded an era of nine years of women-led development with India registering a record disbursement of Rs 27 crore Mudra loans to women entrepreneurs who today empower the Indian economy.

Shah’s statement came in his series of messages posted on his Twitter handle.
“Transforming the tenet of progress PM @narendramodi Ji has unfolded an era of #9YearsOfWomenLedDevelopment for the world to marvel at. India registered a record of disbursing 27 Cr. Mudra loans to women entrepreneurs who today empower the Indian economy with their womanly force,” Shah tweeted.

The Home Minister also specifically mentioned that celebration of womanhood is not a mere slogan of PM Modi-led government and the growth can be seen in the last nine years.

“Celebration of womanhood is not a mere slogan for PM @narendramodi Ji. In #9YearsOfWomenLedDevelopment it is now a reality where women have shattered the glass ceiling in all walks of life from space to start-ups and defense to domestic affairs leading the nation to new heights,” Shah said in another tweet.

For reenforcing ‘Nari Shakti’ (woman power), Shah said, “Rs 27.7 crore loans were extended to women entrepreneurs under Mudra Yojana– a scheme launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on April 8, 2015 for providing loans upto Rs 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small and micro enterprises.”

Mudra loans under Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) are given by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks, Cooperative Banks, MFIs and NBFCs.

The borrower can approach any of the lending institutions mentioned above or can apply online through this portal.

Under the aegis of PMMY, MUDRA has created three products namely ‘Shishu’, ‘Kishore’ and ‘Tarun’ to signify the stage of growth and development and funding needs of the beneficiary micro unit, entrepreneur and also provide a reference point for the next phase of graduation and growth.

Under women reinforcement, Shah further pointed how the Modi government helped in providing Rs 15,922 crore orders delivered by over 1.45 lakh women-owned Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (MSMEs).

The Minister also said that 54 per cent women were certified under PM Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan, and 80 per cent women are beneficiaries under stnd-up India, as well as 47 per cent startups have atleast one woman director.

The Minister also informed that over 43 lakh women took part in STEM cources conducted in 2021 and 3.94 crore pregnant women were examined under PM Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan.

Amit Shah also said that India has the higheat number of women pilots.

As per a government statement, multiple initiatives of the PM Modi-led union government in the last nine years have played a very strong positive effect on empowering women through various pathways.

By invoking and facilitating the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst millions of women across India, the statement mentioned, the women empowerment schemes are making women more confident about financial decision-making, improved social networks, asset ownership and livelihood diversification.

“This is making India a glowing example of women empowerment globally,” the statement said. (ANI)

MHA Suspends IAS Narain On Charges Of Sexual Harassment

By LokMarg 17th October 2022

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday placed Jitendra Narain, a 1990-batch senior IAS officer of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) Cadre and then Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, under suspension with immediate effect over an allegation of an alleged sexual assault of a lady, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Joint Secretary (Union Territory Division) in MHA Ashutosh Agnihotri said that the action was taken the day after the MHA received a report on October 16 from Andaman and Nicobar Police regarding the alleged sexual assault.
“As the Report indicated the possibility of grave misconduct and misuse of the official position on the part of Jitendra Narain, the Union Home Minister directed to take immediate strict action against the officer concerned as per law,” he said.

The Home Ministry in a statement said, “The Ministry received a report on October 16, 2022, from Andaman and Nicobar Police regarding the alleged sexual assault of a lady by Jitendra Narain, IAS (AGMUT:1990), the then Chief Secretary, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and others. As the Report indicated the possibility of grave misconduct and misuse of the official position on the part of Sh. Jitendra Narain, IAS (AGMUT:1990), the Union Home Minister directed to take immediate strict action against the officer concerned as per law.”

“Accordingly, Jitendra Narain, IAS (AGMUT:1990) has been placed under suspension with immediate effect and disciplinary proceedings have been ordered against him,” it added.

The Home Ministry said that it is committed to ensuring zero tolerance towards the acts of indiscipline by its officials irrespective of their rank and status “especially with regard to incidents involving the dignity of women”.

“An FIR has been registered and active in the criminal case is being taken separately by the SIT of Andaman & Nicobar Police,” it said. (ANI)