In his letter Sarma also urged the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to inquire into the financial irregularities of NRC updating process and probable money laundering. Sarma has requested, “The National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe if any foreign money was involved in the process to pave the way for inclusion of foreign nationals’ name in the NRC Assam.”

Sarma has also stated that an affidavit has been filed with the Supreme Court for the reverification process. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has meanwhile stated that the final phase of the NRC is the task of the central government as of now, as the state government has completed its work in this phase.

On August 31, 2019 the final NRC was published with a total of 19,06,657 applicants left out from the NRC, with 3,11,21,004 inclusions.

Sarma, an officer in the Assam civil services, was appointed as the state coordinator of the NRC in 2019 after the previous coordinator, Prateek Hajela got a transfer to his home state, Madhya Pradesh. Sarma details that in 2013 he was debarred from the NRC office due to internal reasons. But on November 11, 2019 he was appointed as NRC state Coordinator after the deputation of Prateek Hajela. The current NRC coordinator is IAS officer, Partha Pratim Mazumdar.

Internal bureaucratic conflicts

The ruling central government led by BJP has notably been at loggerheads with Prateek Hajela after the publication of the final NRC. In the months running up to August 31 2019, Prateek Hajela had been rendered virtually dysfunctional in his post as NRC State Coordinator with the Government of Assam adopting a policy of non-cooperation with him. After the transfer of Prateek Hajela by the Supreme Court, the Government of Assam took a prompt decision to reinstate Hitesh Dev Sharma in a more senior position than before. Hitesh Dev Sharma is also known to be very close to the ruling party, BJP.

May 19, 2022 in a shocking turn of events in the already complicated journey of the NRC, Hitesh Deb Sarma had filed an FIR against Former NRC Coordinator Pratik Hajela. He alleged that the process of Family Tree Verification was conducted in a flawed manner under Hajela, with several “imposters” allegedly using “fraudulent” documents to establish linkage to genuine citizens. He also accused Hajela of deliberately using a software that prevented proper quality checks and permitted names of “foreigners” to be included in the NRC. In his letter to the PM, he has also stated that he discovered during sample checks that over 50,000 names of Indian citizens were missing.

Sarma and Hajela have not seen eye to eye. As per The Print, in a Facebook post in 2023, Sarma had alleged the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leader Samujjal Bhattacharya would take 16 lakh rupees per month from Hajela. Both Hajela and the AASU had decried these statements. As late as February 2024, the AASU’s Samujjal Bhattacharya has filed a defamation case against Sarma.

In 2022, four Left parties in Assam had demanded the removal of Hitesh Dev Sarma as the National register of Citizens (NRC) coordinator, as they relayed shock and anger over his First Information Report (FIR) against his predecessor Prateek Hajela. They further blamed him for stalling the NRC process. The parties who stated this were the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPIM), Communist Party of India – Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) and the Revolutionary Communist Party of India (RCPI).

NRC process continues at snail’s pace 

Meanwhile, data shows that a number of cases remain pending. As per an affidavit submitted by the Union Government to the Supreme Court on December 11, 2023, it has been stated that till October 31, 2023, a total of 3,34,966 cases had been disposed of by the 100 Foreigners’ Tribunals operational in Assam. In addition to this, the affidavit stated that a total of 97,714 cases remained pending in the FTs. Furthermore, it was also stated that till December 2023, 1,8,461 cases arising out of FTs had been pending before the Gauhati High Court.

The Foreigners’ Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies in Assam to decide the status of an individual as Indian or foreigner. Its members can be a retired judicial officer of the Assam Judicial Service, a retired civil servant or an advocate with a minimum of seven years of experience.

The NRC has been done under the supervision of the Supreme Court by employing more than 55,000 government employees after multiple hearings, re-verification and examination.

What of the people of Assam?

An important point above all is that while NRC was published at the expense of public funds from taxpayers, the people of Assam have been stuck in the citizenship crisis. Despite doing all the required procedures, the names of about 42 lakhs people were excluded from the first draft list. Ever after that the people of Assam have given their complete cooperation without any agitation or expression of frustration demanding for a permanent solution.

In the name of claim and objection, religious minorities and linguistic minorities, especially Bengali-speaking Muslims and Bengali speaking Hindus have been continuously harassed, facing severe socio-economic hurdles and psychological despair.

A number of people have even been driver to suicide, thinking that their name off the NRC means that their life is finished. Citizens for Justice and Peace has observed that over 29 people have died in detention camps in the state. Meanwhile, more than a hundred people have lost their lives while struggling to prove their citizenship, as they hang between the label of de-voters, FT cases, detention camps, NRC etc.

However, the names of more than 19 lakhs people have been excluded from the final NRC. Many have pointed out loopholes in the list. Shockingly, in several cases the names of the parents are included though children were excluded. Similarly some members of the family were included, while other members of the same family were excluded for no known reason.

Furthermore, observers point out that the rejection slip to the 3 crores left out of the NRC is supposed to be given within 120 days. Yet it has now been almost 5 years, and no rejection slip is given nor is the reason for the exclusion of these individuals given.

Over 27 lakhs people in Assam have been deprived of their Aadhaar card due to the NRC process, where they provided their biometric details during the re-verification process. The issue is another one that the people of the state have been grappling with and is a huge issue for the marginalised, who face the brunt of the NRC process. In the run up to the general assembly elections of 2024, civil society groups of Assam demanded for the Aadhaar card of these 27 lakhs to be issued at the earliest.

Therefore, as the people of Assam grapple with these issues, it is yet to be seen whether the plea by Hitesh Dev Sarma, who is said to be close to the BJP, will be heard.

Related:

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SC directs Centre to deport 17 foreigners detained in Assam Detention Centre

Assam gov’t adamant on NRC reverification

Was the entire Assam NRC process in vain?

Yet another NRC reverification plea moved before SC

The post Former NRC State Coordinator of Assam urges PM Modi for re-verification of NRC appeared first on SabrangIndia.

As the next General elections are approaching the RSS-BJP have activated their attempts to woo the Christian community. As such the present plight of Christian community is reflected in various national-international reports and indices of religious freedom. Two incidents of persecution take place every day as per Vada Na Todo Abhiyan (Don’t break your promise, Campaign). In UP “…100 pastors and even ordinary men and women, are in jail under charges of illegal conversions when all they were doing was celebrating birthdays or conducting Sunday prayers.”

Government is also investigating agencies against Cardinal and Pastors as per the memorandum cited above. As per United Christian Forum 302 attacks took place against Christians in the first seven months of 2022. A petition filed by Archbishop Peter Machado, National Solidarity Forum and Evangelical Fellowship of India states that “state has failed to take immediate and necessary action against groups that have caused widespread violence and used hate speech against the Christian community, including attacks at their places of worship and disruption of prayer meetings.”

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has for the fourth consecutive year declared India as a country of particular concern and asked the US Administration to make their policies accordingly.

As per Open Doors, “Since the current government came to power in May 2014 pressure on Christians has risen dramatically… Hindu extremists attack others with impunity, using extreme violence in some area…Increasing numbers of states are also implementing anti-conversion laws, supposedly to stop Hindus being forcibly converted to other religions, but in reality, they are often used as an excuse to harass and intimidate Christians…Being a pastor is one of the riskiest vocations in the country today. Hindu extremists target them with violent attacks to sow fear in the wider Christian community.”

The present plight of Christian community is rooted in the Hindu Nationalist discourse where Islam and Christianity are regarded as foreign religions. RSS’s second Sarsanghchalak, M.S. Golwalkar in his book Bunch of Through states that Muslims, Christians and Communists are an internal threat to Hindu nation.

The RSS propaganda in Shakhas is conducted on these lines. With the increase in intensity of Hindu nationalist activities the anti-Christian violence began in the Adivasi areas to begin with. The propaganda was that Christian missionaries are doing conversion through force fraud and allurement. As such Christianity is one of the oldest religions of India. One account says that it began with St Thomas arriving on Malabar Coast and setting up a Church in AD 52. Other accounts date it to somewhere in 4^th Century AD. Today the percentage of Christians in India, as per the population census is 2.3% (2011). Interestingly there is constant drop in this from 1971 data, 1971- 2.60%, 1981-2.44%. 1991-2.34%, 2001- 2.30%, 1911-2.30% (Population census figures.)

The constant propaganda on these lines led to rise in anti-Christian violence manifesting in Dangs (Gujarat, December 25 1998 to January 3, 1999). This was followed by the most ghastly burning alive of Pastor Graham Stains on the night of 22^nd January 1999 by RSS affiliate Bajrang Dal’s activist Rajendra Pal aka Dara Singh, who is currently undergoing life term. This act was described by the then President of India Dr. K.R. Narayanan is the one belonging to the “World’s inventory of black deeds”. Stains was an Australian missionary working in Keonjhar, Manoharpur, Orissa. When he was sleeping in the open jeep with his two sons Timothy and Philip, Dara Singh mobilized people to burn him, the charge was that in the garb of work for Leprosy patients, he was doing the conversion work.

The Wadhva Commission formed in the aftermath concluded that Pastor Stains was not involved in the work of conversions and that there was no increase in the population of Christians in the area where he was working. The incidents of anti-Christian violence continued in remote areas mostly around Christmas time. The violence which flared up in Kandhamal in August 25, 2008 was the most horrific and led to the killings of over 100 Christians, many acts of heinous rape and many Churches were burnt.

The anti-Christian violence is a low radar activity where the priests working in remote areas are apprehended when they are conducting the prayer meetings in particular. The Bajrang Dal and its clones obstruct these meetings and many of the priests are arrested and harassed.

One such act of prolonged violence is currently going on in Manipur for the last seven months. The Kukis, who are predominantly Christians, are under the hammer with double Engine Sarkar, I Manipur and Centre both it is BJP Government. The Prime Minister clearly indicated that controlling this ongoing anti-Christian violence is not among his priorities. He has been travelling all over but no time for Manipur. The social activists and brave journalists have made some efforts to visit the area and douse the fire, but with an apathetic Government such deep cleavages cannot be repaired.

The present effort of Prime Minister Modi is primarily aimed at image creation optics for electoral gains. In Kerala many affluent Christians are being lured by this Hindu majoritarian politics. Surely some of the top religious leadership is also tempted to associate with the present regime to save their skin from the pangs of ED-IT etc.

We need to realize the strategy being employed by Modi and company to on one hand marginalize the Christian community and on the other to woo them for electoral benefits.

The post Modi’s Attempt to Woo Christian Community appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The public campaign, titled Not in our Name, Christmas Celebrations with Prime Minister, galvanised 3,100 signatures in just a few days. Evocatively worded, the statement speaks of the ongoing tensions in Manipur (since May 3, 2023) when Kuki Zo and Meitei Christians have been a special target as also the targeted attacks on the community in Uttar Pradesh and even Chhattisgarh.

The statement affixed to the signature campaign states:

“We are in the Christmas Season: a time when we are all called to internalize and actualize the gifts of joy, love, peace, truth, justice and hope which Jesus our Saviour offers to us!

“Today we also need to take legitimate pride in the fact that Christians in India have contributed significantly to the country: in the freedom struggle, as members of the Constituent Assembly, and ever since independence, in every sphere of public life particularly in the educational, medical, social, cultural and political sectors. The services of the Christian community to the poor and marginalized, the excluded and the exploited, irrespective of caste and creed, is unparalleled in the nation today. This fact has been duly and consistently acknowledged by citizens from all walks of life.

“However in the recent past, particularly since 2014, Christians in India have been victims of continued attacks and vilification from members of the ruling regime, all over the country. Christians and Christian schools and institutions have been hounded and harassed, their places of worship destroyed, they have been denied their ordinary rights as citizens and been subject to denigration and demonization. The anti-conversion laws which have been put into place in BJP-ruled States are used as weapons against the fundamental right to preach, practise and propagate one’s religion. Celebrations in schools have been stopped and Christians have been arrested without any warrant and put behind bars for no offence of theirs.

“Since May 3, 2023, the Christians of Manipur have been subject to constant attacks which still continues unabated and with apparent approval from the BJP Governments both in the State and at the Centre.

“In the wake of all this, it is ironic that the Prime Minister hosted around 100 Christian representatives of different denominations on Christmas morning for a celebration. While it is certainly within his right as Prime Minister to host a reception for whomsoever he wishes one naturally would question the intention of this reception when he has not condemned a single attack on the Christians, under his Prime Ministership. Interestingly, while he praised Jesus Christ and waxed eloquent about the services of the Christian community, he did not share  remorse or empathy for the situation of the Christians in the country today.

 “Those invited to the Christmas reception were a select group of Christians. While the invitation was from the Prime Minister, here was an opportunity for them to courteously decline the invite in the light of what has been happening to the Christians in Manipur and elsewhere. 

Hence their acceptance of this invite was not in our name!

“The Christian representatives who spoke, thanked the Prime Minister profusely for many things! The hard truth is that the Prime Minister and his Government have consistently disregarded their constitutional mandate, be it to the minorities, the Adivasis, the Dalits, the backward castes, the farmers, labourers, migrants, etc. 

Hence their gratitude to the Prime Minister was not in our name!

 “When these Christian representatives spoke at the reception, they were giving a tacit approval to the omission and commission of this government. 

Hence their words were not in our name!

“India today fares extremely badly on every global index be it in the economic, educational, health or social sphere. By their lack of prophetic courage to highlight the grim realities in the country today, these Christian representatives publicly betrayed the Gospel of Jesus and His values of truth, justice, joy, love, dignity and peace. Through their culpable silence, they failed to uphold the values enshrined in the Constitution of India. 

Hence their silence was not in our name!

“Today we the Christians of India together with conscious and committed citizens pledge to protect and promote the Constitution, Country and Citizens of India and to work with and work for all those who are victims of an unjust, insincere and authoritarian regime.”

Among others, the following prominent members of the Christian community are signatories including Derek O’brien, Member of Rajya Sabha, M.G.Devashayam IAS (retired) and John Shilsi IPS (retired). Others include Dr Astrid Lobo-Gajiwala, Ms Flavia Agnes , Ms. Pamela Philipose, Ms. Minakshi Singh, Sr Patsy Khan , Fr. M.J. George  SJ ( Rome), Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj SJ (Rome), Rajan Solomon, Fr. Anand IMS, Sr. Mudita Sodder RSCJ, Fr. Paulson Veliyannoor, CMF, Sr Molly Fernandes , Capt. Joseph C. D’Souza , Marine Consultant

The complete list of signatories may be read here:

Related:

United Christian Forum: Average two Christians attacked in India every day, 287 incidents reported from UP itself

Tripura: Indian Christians voice protest on rally on Christmas Day

Over 500 cases of attacks against Christians in 8 months of 2023

Irony of 2023: High persecution of Christians, PM hailed by some religious leaders

The post Not In Our Name, says Christians to some leaders who celebrated Christmas with PM Modi appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On February 7, Lok Sabha witnessed a fiery address by Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi wherein he questioned BJP’s connection with Gautam Adani, who has allegedly committed frauds in his business as per the Hindenburg research report. Gandhi, to prove his point, had even displayed pictures showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi sitting with Adani, thus disclosing a link between them. Further, during his speech, Gandhi put forth a few questions related to the links of Adani with Modi and the BJP.

It was these questions that were expunged from the Lok Sabha proceedings by the Speaker Om Birla. A total of 18 remarks made during his almost hour-long speech have been expunged and this has not gone down well with the Congress and nor does it align with our Constitution and our fundamental rights. By expunging these remarks unwarrantedly, not only is the right to freedom of speech and expression of Gandhi violated but as citizens, our right to know or right to information about the Parliament sessions also gets impinged. 

Gandhi pointed out that in 2014, Adani was at 609 ranks in the world’s richest people’s list and in recent times he became the 2^nd richest (before the Hindenburg report release) in the world. He said that when you speak of ports, airports, roads, everywhere you hear that it is owned or operated or made by Adani. “How did he get so big? How did he enter all these businesses?” he questioned. The remarks/ questions he asked after this have been conveniently expunged by the Lok Sabha. 

Gandhi even showed pictures of Modi with Adani during his speech:

He asked the following questions to Modi:

“On how many of your foreign trips did you and Mr Adani go together?

How many times did Mr Adani join you later on a visit?

How many times did Mr Adani travel to a country immmediately after you did?

And in how many of these countries after you visited did Mr Adani get a contract?

How much money has Mr Adani given to BJP in the past 20 years?

How much (money) has he (Adani) given in Electoral Bonds?

Who owns these shell comnpanies in Mauritius?

These shell companies are routing thousands of crores of rupees into India, who money is it?

Is Mr Adani doing all this for free?”

He said this was “national security issue”.

प्रधानमंत्री जी, आप लोकतंत्र की आवाज़ को मिटा नहीं सकते। भारत के लोग आपसे सीधे सवाल कर रहे हैं। जवाब दीजिए! pic.twitter.com/xlUdLylvUw

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 8, 2023

While the questions themselves have not received any response from the BJP or the PM, the fact that they have been expunged from the records of the Parliament can be said to be an unconstitutional act.

When are words expunged?

Removing certain words from a member’s address to the House is fairly routine but it is to be done strictly in accordance with the rules of the House and the authority to do so lies with the person who is presiding the House. IN the case of Lok Sabha, it is supposed to be the Speaker. 

While Article 105(2) of the Constitution gives immunity to members of Parliament from court proceedings for remarks made in the Parliament, that freedom of expression is limited as well.

Article 105(2) of the Constitution states as follows:

“(2) No member of Parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in Parliament or any committee thereof, and no person shall be so liable in respect of the publication by or under the authority of either House of Parliament of any report, paper, votes or proceedings”

At the same time, there are ‘Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha’ which the members have to follow. As per rule 380, only those remarks which are “defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified” are to be removed.

Rule 380 deals with expunction:

380. If the Speaker is of opinion that words have been used in debate which are defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified, the Speaker may, while exercising discretion order that such words be expunged from the proceedings of the House.

There is also a list of unparliamentary words that may not be spoken in the Lok Sabha by the members. Just before last year’s monsoon session words like words like ‘anarchist’, ‘Shakuni’, ‘dictatorial’, ‘taanashah’, ‘taanashahi’, ‘Jaichand’, ‘vinash purush’, ‘Khalistani’ and ‘khoon se kheti’ were declared an unparliamentary.

Here is the entire list of unparliamentary expressions:

If any of these words are uttered, they are deemed as unparliamentary and are expunged from the text of debate that is finally released after a particular session. Veen unedited text of debate is released every day after a session is concluded.

Can one report on expunged remarks?

However, even if these remarks are expunged, does that mean the people have no way of knowing what was said? There’s two ways to go about it, either one watches the Sansad TV while the proceedings are on but while many of us might not have the liberty of such time to sit and watch Sansad TV all day, that is what media houses are for!

There is no restriction on news media to publish these remarks even if they are expunged.

As per Article 361A of the Constitution, no one can be held liable for publishing true report of any proceedings of any house of the Parliament or Legislative Assembly. The Article states thus:

(1) No person shall be liable to any proceedings, civil or criminal, in any court in respect of the publication in a newspaper of a substantially true report of any proceedings of either House of Parliament or the Legislative Assembly, or, as the case may be, either House of the Legislature, of a State, unless the publication is proved to have been made with malice:

   Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to the publication of any report of the proceedings of a secret sitting of either House of Parliament or the Legislative Assembly, or, as the case may be, either House of the Legislature, of a State.

(2) Clause (1) shall apply in relation to reports or matters broadcast by means of wireless telegraphy as part of any programme or service provided by means of a broadcasting station as it applies in relation to reports or matters published in a newspaper.

   Explanation. — In this article, “newspaper” includes a news agency report containing material for publication in a newspaper.

Thus, in such cases, where remarks are unwarrantedly removed and with the people’s right to know about the proceedings in the Parliament, it becomes pertinent that media houses take advantage of this privilege bestowed upon by Article 361A and publish all that matters during the session. 

Kharge’s remarks in RS expunged

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks made in the Rajya Sabha were also expunged by the Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankar. Kharge had, in his speech made on Wednesday, raised similar questions as Gandhi did, related to Adani making big money in a short span, since BJP came to power. He also questioned why Modi had not made any comments about the hate speeches made by BJP leaders. Kharge had demanded formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the Hindenburg report alleging various frauds committed by Adani.

“I don’t think there was anything unparliamentary or accusatory against anyone in my speech… But a few words were misconstrued… If you had any doubt, you could have asked in a different way, but you have asked for my words in six places to be expunged,” Kharge said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. He also mentioned that similar remarks made by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee against former prime minister PV Narsimha Rao in the House continue to be part of the proceedings. 

Referring to Article 105(1) of the Constitution, Kharge wrote to Dhankar, “The institution of Parliament of India is a platform to fix the accountability of the Executive. This necessitates that the policies and the decisions of the government are discussed, dissected, and debated on the floor of the House. Any criticism of policies and decisions of the government and their fallouts cannot be construed as the allegation against any individual Member of the House”.  

Further, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury wrote to Om Birla requesting that he revisit his decision to expunge remarks made by Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.

The Congress MPs staged a walkout in Rajya Sabha today over expunction of Kharge’s remarks.

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The post To what extent can an MP’s remarks be removed from Parliament records? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

International media have begun to report that civil society protests against the impending Bangladesh visit of India’s Prime Minister Narenda Modi. The Prime Minister’s Office has said that PM Modi is visiting Bangladesh on the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He will be in Bangladesh on March 26 and  27, 2021 in connection with the commemoration of “three epochal events – Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh; and 50 years of Bangladesh’s war of liberation” stated PMO.

Prime Minister Modi had last visited Bangladesh in 2015, and now will be the guest of honour at the National Day programme on March 26. He is also expected to hold bilateral consultations with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and call on the President Md. Abdul Hamid. According to news reports PM Modi is also scheduled to visit “a place outside Dhaka that is sacred to the Matua community of India’s West Bengal state.” Matua is a Hindu religious sect that according to news reports may have an impact on “at least seven constituencies” in West Bengal’s Assembly elections next month.

While India has stated that the PM’s choosing Bangladesh as the first visit to a foreign country since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic “highlights the priority India attaches to Bangladesh” a section of citizens of the neighbouring country differ.

A group of citizens, and student activists rallied in Bangladesh’s capital on Friday to “denounce the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the celebration of the country’s 50th anniversary of independence” reported the Dawn. According to the news report, after Friday prayers, about 500 Muslims marched onto the streets outside the country’s main Baitul Mokarram Mosque in downtown Dhaka amid tight security. The protesters carried no banners and did not declare if they have any allegiance to any political parties. However, “they took their shoes in their hands to show disrespect to Modi and chanted anti-India and anti-Modi slogans, asking him not to come to Dhaka,” stated the news report.

Another group of “about 200 left-leaning student activists marched through streets on Dhaka University campus where they called Modi “the butcher of Gujarat” it was reported by Dawn. Here some protesters carried posters reading “Go Back Modi, Go Back India” etc. The protesters also criticised Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for inviting Modi, saying the two countries had many disputed issues. According to the news reports  protesters said “Modi and his Hindu-nationalist party oppressed Muslims in India” and they “also criticised the killings of Bangladeshis by Indian border guards”. 

Ahead of the visit India’s Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has supplied 100 custom-designed “Mujib Jackets” that will be the attire of dignitaries during the visit of the Prime Minister announced the Press Information Bureau. “Mujib Jacket” is the signature garment worn by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, hailed as Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation. According to PIB, as Bangladesh celebrates “Mujib Borsho”, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, had placed an order for 100 Mujib Jackets, ahead of the PM’s visit.    

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The post Activists in Bangladesh are opposing Indian PM Modi’s visit appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
One Indian was captured by warlords in Afghanistan a couple of years ago, and was set free after many months, during which he had been handed over from captor to a new custodian every few days. No one has explained how his freedom was eventually secured. But there is reason to believe that other than diplomacy and prayers, a large amount of money was paid; by who remains a secret.
 
Tom Uzhunnalil, a 55-year-old Kerala born Catholic priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco congregation, could be one of these anonymous casualties, but for the fact that he suddenly has spoken seemingly from somewhere beyond the grave.
 
He was captured on March 4, 2016 in an Islamic State raid on an old people’s facility, the Aden Care Home, run by the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa. Four Nuns were killed, among them an Indian.
Since then, there have only been rumours about his fate. A report earlier this year quoted a Bishop saying he feared Tom would be crucified on Good Friday in imitation of Christ’s crucifixion. As there was no video, no message, no Facebook post subsequently, it was presumed that Tom survived Good Friday. The Bishop said he had been misquoted by the media. The Malayalam media carried follow up stories for a few days, frequently quoting External affairs Minister ShushmaSwaraj and the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.
 
There has been an information black hole from then till about a few days before Christmas 2016.
 
On December 24, a video appeared on Facebook, showing a bearded, bedraggled and very weary Indian-looking person haltingly read from a distant board or IPad that he was a prisoner, very ill, and appealing for release. He addressed the Pope, as well as the Indian President and the Prime Minister.
 
What made news was the statement by Tom, or his look alike if that be the case, that the Western world was silent because he was not a white European. If he had been one, he would be free by now. Fr Tom said a French woman journalist reportedly kidnapped in the city of Sanaa had been freed because she was a Westerner.
 
The Vatican and other members of the Church have issued statements to say they have not been lax, and there has been much activity in the months since his capture, but of course it has not succeeded in getting his release.
 
MrsShushmaSwaraj, who has recently had a kidney transplant – that an increasing number of Indian Christian priests are turning kidney donors, is another story for another time – bravely tweeted she would be doing her best.
 
 
It is the prime minister who takes the final call on issues of foreign policy and major incidents such as the abduction of Fr Tom, an Indian citizen. It requires delicate and strong diplomatic pressure on the US government to out strong diplomatic pressure on Saudi Arabia and others to put strong diplomatic pressure on the Yemen government and then use those channels to get the IS to free the Indian priest.
 
In several such cases in the past, it is clear huge sums of money have changed hands, usually paid by the employers of the abducted persons.

It is the prime minister who takes the final call on issues of foreign policy and major incidents such as the abduction of Fr Tom, an Indian citizen. It requires delicate and strong diplomatic pressure on the US government to out strong diplomatic pressure on Saudi Arabia and others to put strong diplomatic pressure on the Yemen government and then use those channels to get the IS to free the Indian priest.

Above all, it is also a matter of luck, because IS is not a normal group that behaves according to rules. Some of this activity has indeed taken place, which is why the priest has been forcibly made to act before the camera and read out this script. We do not know when the tape was made.
 
MrsSwaraj as well as the Catholic hierarchy assure that to the best of their knowledge and belief, Fr Tom is alive.  “Even though we have no information about Fr. Tom’s present whereabouts, we have strong indications to believe that he is still alive, “an official Church statement said. The statement recalled that Pope Francis made a heartfelt appeal to the kidnappers to release Fr. Tom in April 2016, “In the hope given us by the Risen Christ, I renew my appeal for the liberation of all persons seized in areas of armed conflict: in particular, I desire to remember the Salesian priest, Tom Uzhunnalil, kidnapped at Aden in Yemen this past March 4th.”
 
The statement said Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, is in touch with the different channels who are working and are leading the dialogues to secure a safe release. “More details cannot be disclosed at this stage,” it said. 
 
In the video appeal, Fr Tom mentions his deteriorating condition. "If I were a European priest, I would have been taken more seriously. I am from India. I am perhaps not considered as of much value. Dear Pope Francis, dear Holy Father, as a father please take care of my life. I am very much depressed. My health is deteriorating," he said in the video.
 
He claimed his captors have made many contacts with the Government of India — president and prime minister. “I am very sad that nothing has been done seriously in my regard Reports had said everything has been done to get his release, but in reality, nothing has been done. Dear people, I pray you all, ask you all, beg you all to do you might to help me to save my life. I need hospitalisation soon. Please come to my help quickly," he said.
 
“Dear Pope Francis, dear holy father, as a father please take care of my life…I am very much depressed. My health is deteriorating, I may need hospitalisation soon, please come to my help quickly” he said in the video that was apparently released on Christmas Day.
 
The External Affairs ministry in New Delhi did some palliative damage control after the Kerala media amplified the priest’s cry for help. “You are aware of the circumstances currently prevailing in Yemen where fighting is going on with no central authority in that country. With regard to the safe release of Father Tom who was abducted some months ago, we have been in regular touch with countries in the region, especially Saudi Arabia as also the local Yemeni authorities. Efforts continue in this regard,” official spokesman VikasSwarup said.
 
The veracity of the video, also uploaded on Facebook, could not be independently verified. This is the second video featuring Uzhunnalil to be posted on social media, and the first one had emerged in July.

Related Articles:

 – Was Father Tom Crucified by ISIS on Good Friday? Catholic sources uncertain

  – Fate of ISIS Captive Indian Priest Fr. Tom Uncertain

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In the midst of the hubbub surrounding the secrecy of PM Modi’s plan to eliminate the currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, an image of a clipping from a Gujarati newspaper doing rounds on WhatsApp and Social Media is leaving readers perplexed.
 
The clipping from a Saurashtra-based Gujarati newspaper Akila dated April 1 declares that the government has taken a decision to remove the 500-Rupee and 1,000-rupee notes from circulation. This news dates back to a month before Modi government had even conceived the plan, which is said to have happened around six months ago, i.e. in the month of May, according to the news reports. 
 
Clarifying on the image of the report that has left many befuddled, Kirit Ganatra, managing editor, Akila Press told SabrangIndia, “The story was printed as a joke on April 1, since it was the April Fools' day. Many newspapers from Saurashtra follow the tradition of printing a spoof news report on April 1 and we do it every year. Coincidentally, it turned out to be true this year.”
 
When asked about the uncanny similarities between the spoof report and the actual decision to scrap the said currency, he said, “People have been discussing and suggesting this move as a solution since quite a long time. This solution seems pretty obvious when one thinks about the possible ways to deal with the black money in the country. That’s why we wrote so in the spoof report. We had no access to any inside information whatsoever.”
 
However, the details of the announcement by PM Modi mysteriously match with the information mentioned in the Gujarati article.
 
A Loose translation of the report is summarised below: 

‘Decision to Remove 500-100 Notes from Circulation’
 
Whoever has Rs 500 or 1000 notes, should go and change them before June 30. Transactions for higher than Rs 2,000 have to be done through electronic cards, debit cards and electronic means only. Cash more than a certain amount cannot be kept at home. These are some of the moves to stop the flow of black money and corruption, as decided by Narendra Modi on the conclusion of two years his government.
 
News of this historic decision has come to light. Use of fake currency for terrorist and anti-social activities will thus be stopped. Notes of these denominations in the possession of people should be surrendered by June 30.

By this move, black money will be cleaned and India will surge forward. The government’s move will have no impact on ordinary people and is only meant to expose the corrupt and those functioning with black money currency.

 
One of the differences between the spoof report and the real incident is that the spoof talks about a three-month-window to return the currency. But, the announcement by PM Modi on November 8 prompted overnight scrapping of the said currency, while he also introduced design of the new notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000. Nonetheless, the mention of one of the intents of the move to deal with terrorism remains the same in both the stories.

While the planning to execute the so-called biggest move was reportedly kept secret from Modi’s own cabinet until Tuesday afternoon, reading about its details in a paper from even before the conception of the plan raises eyebrows, and some hard questions.

Also read: Modi Government’s Move Insensitive to Common People, Reveals a Blinkered View of Black Money: Prabhat Patnaik
Also read: क्या है असली राज़ प्रधान मंत्री के सनसनीखेज कार्यवाई के पीछे? 9 सवाल

The post How A Gujarati Newspaper’s Story on Rs 500 & 1000 Note De-Monetisation Got it Right 7 Months Ago appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The decision was apparently taken by the ministry for revealing “strategically-sensitive” information while covering the Pathankot attack in January. The office-bearers from the Guild have called it a direct violation of the freedom of media and have said that it reminded people of Emergency.

Here’s the full text of the statement from the Editors Guild of India:

The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the unprecedented decision of the inter-ministerial committee of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to take NDTV India off the air for a day and demands that the order be immediately rescinded.

The ostensible reason for the order as reported is that the channel's coverage of the Pathankot terror attack on January 2, 2016 that the government claims gave out sensitive information to the handlers of terrorists. NDTV in its response to a show cause by the government has maintained that its coverage was sober and did not carry any information that had not been covered by the rest of the media, and was in the public domain.

The decision to take the channel off the air for a day is a direct violation of the freedom of the media and therefore the citizens of India and amounts to harsh censorship imposed by the government reminiscent of the Emergency. This first-of-its-kind order to impose a blackout has seen the Central government entrust itself with the power to intervene in the functioning of the media and take arbitrary punitive action as and when it does not agree with the coverage. There are various legal remedies available to both a citizen and a state in the Court of Law to have action taken for any irresponsible media coverage. Imposing a ban without resorting to judicial intervention or oversight violates the fundamental principles of freedom and justice. The Editors Guild of India calls for an immediate withdrawal of the ban order.
 

NDTV too issued a statement following the ministry's decision to ban its airing for a day. It expressed "shock" and claimed that NDTV's coverage was comparatively balanced.

It said, "The order of the MIB has been received. It is shocking that NDTV has been singled out in this manner. Every channel and newspaper had similar coverage. In fact NDTV's coverage was particularly balanced. After the dark days of the emergency when the press was fettered, it is extraordinary that NDTV is being proceeded against in this manner. NDTV is examining all options in this matter."

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