"FATF important to deter, stop inflow of funds to terrorist organisations in Pakistan": Former FS Shringla
Algiers [Algeria], June 2 (ANI): Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, is very important to 'deter and stop the inflow of funds to terrorist organisations' and also the Pakistan government's 'utilisation of funds,' said former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla here on Monday.
Pakistan was included in the grey list in 2018 and removed from it in 2022. India has stated that it will leave no effort to bring Pakistan onto the grey list again.
India has sent seven political delegations to various countries to 'project India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations,' following the Pahalgam terror attack and India's counter, 'Operation Sindoor,' against Pakistan-based terrorists and the terror infrastructure.
Shringla, who is part of the all-party delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda, underscored discussions on Algeria's influence in international fora like the UN Security Council and the African Union, expressing India's intent to counter Pakistan's potential misuse of its non-permanent UNSC membership amid India's global outreach in countering cross-border terrorism.
'The issue of terrorist financing was very much a part of all of our conversations. The leader of our delegation and individual members also explained that as long as Pakistan was on the grey list of the FATF, they were responsive; they were forced to be responsive and to the extent that Sajid Mir, a very wanted person under the UN Security Council's list, had been declared dead by Pakistan but when the FATF took up the issue and there was some serious financial pressure brought to bear on Pakistan, then they declared that he was alive. So terrorists who are dead have suddenly become alive thanks to the FATF. So the Financial Action Task Force is very important. It is important to deter and stop the inflow of funds to terrorist organisations and also the Pakistan government's utilisation of funds,' the former Foreign Secretary stated.
The Indian government sources had said that New Delhi will send a detailed dossier to the FATF, outlining evidence and concerns regarding the involvement of certain entities and individuals in terror financing and money laundering activities. The dossier will highlight India's findings and demand strict scrutiny and action by the FATF under international protocols.
'The conversation was a lot about Algeria's actions in international and multilateral fora like the UN Security Council, where Algeria is currently a member, and the African Union, where Algeria exercises significant influence as the second-largest economy in Africa. And as a member of the OIC, also their influence on the Financial Action Task Force for the FATF process... We also pointed out to them that in the past, when we were members of the UN Security Council, we had been receptive and had worked closely with the Algerian delegation and that we would like to ensure that Pakistan does not take advantage of its current membership as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, which can influence the outcomes of the Security Council in any way detrimental to India's interests,' Shringla elaborated on the delegation's discussions with their Algerian government.
Reflecting on the visit's success, Shringla added, 'I think the Algerian leg of the visit was very, very successful from our point of view. We had some very good interactions with the Algerian government representatives, but also with media, think tanks, friends of India, officials from the Algerian government and the Indian community. As far as the government is concerned, the chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of Algeria conveyed at the end of a fairly long and satisfying meeting.'
The delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, also includes BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak and Rekha Sharma; AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi; MP Satnam Singh Sandhu and Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The delegation aims to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
6 minutes ago
- India Today
‘The Hindu Manifesto': Dharma for a distracted world
In an age dominated by short-termism, polarised discourse and identity reduced to the optics of vote-banks, Swami Vigyananand's The Hindu Manifesto comes as both a philosophical reset and a civilisational roadmap. It is neither a polemic nor a policy wishlist—it is something far more ambitious: a call to revive dharma as the foundation of a just, prosperous and harmonious liberally from Hindu itihasa—particularly the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Arthashastra, Manusmriti and Shukranitisar—Swami Vigyananand constructs an eight-point framework for what he calls a 'dharma-centric state'. This isn't just spiritual rhetoric dressed up as governance theory. Each of the eight sutras in the manifesto grapples with concrete challenges facing Indian society today: economic exclusion, social fragmentation, environmental degradation, institutional apathy and moral first sutra, Dharmasya Moolam Arthah, reframes wealth creation not as an end in itself but as the foundation for ethical governance. The second, Shatrun Jaya Praja Raksha, makes a bold case for national security and robust state capacity through the lens of raj dharma, invoking Lord Ram's model of righteous authority. Subsequent chapters advocate reforms in education (Nasti Vidya Samam Chakshuh), gender dignity (Agri Eti Yuvatir Aharayana), environmental conservation (Sarvam Shantih), and social harmony beyond caste barriers (Ek Varnastada Loko).What is striking is the manifesto's tone—neither nostalgic nor fatalistic. Unlike many ideological texts that either romanticise the past or lament the present, Swami Vigyananand's outlook is one of practical optimism. His analysis of the caste question, for instance, avoids defensiveness and instead returns to first principles—explaining how varna was historically a dynamic and functional classification, distorted under colonial rule and social ossification. His call to reimagine Indian democracy as Avishramoyam Loktantradhikarah—a constantly striving, dharma-rooted system—resonates deeply at a time when democracies worldwide are under For those unfamiliar with the author, Swami Vigyananand is not just another spiritual commentator. He is joint general secretary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and leads the organisation's international operations. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, Swami Vigyananand's life journey bridges the worlds of science, spiritual inquiry and civilisational name is synonymous with efforts to build a globally networked Hindu consciousness—visible through platforms such as the World Hindu Congress, the Hindu Economic Forum and the World Hindu Foundation, all of which he helped conceptualise and who have worked with him describe Swami Vigyananand as a thought leader of deep Hindu consciousness, equally comfortable quoting Rishi Yajnavalkya or strategising with CEOs. Yet he is not bound by orthodoxy. His approach is widely viewed as pragmatic, structured and futuristic, recognising that the Hindu civilizational message must evolve in form to remain eternal in essence. He is credited with uniting Hindus across the globe not through doctrinal purity but purpose-driven platforms that foreground economic empowerment, cultural exchange and policy that sense, The Hindu Manifesto is more than a book—it is the distillation of decades of civilisational thought leadership, now channelled into a concise framework that policymakers, thought leaders and community builders can reflect upon. It offers answers to not just what needs fixing in India but how those fixes must be rooted in our own intellectual policymakers, it offers a new lens for thinking about development—not merely in GDP terms but in the spiritual and moral health of a nation. For entrepreneurs and professionals, it offers a dharma ethic of ambition without avarice. For students and the young, it offers an antidote to the cultural rootlessness that often shadows modernity. It pushes back against the deracinated policy frameworks inherited from colonial and post-colonial paradigms, and offers instead a deeply Indian vocabulary of Vigyananand's manifesto also repositions the role of Hindu dharma as an enabler of global engagement rather than insular retreat. His chapter on respecting nature (Sarvam Shantih) urges a civilisational approach to ecological consciousness, long before it became a buzzword in the West. His vision of gender dignity is drawn not from imported discourses but from Shruti and Smriti texts that exalt women as seers, teachers and strength of The Hindu Manifesto lies not only in its ideas but in its structural clarity. Each sutra is rooted in scriptural precedent and paired with a modern application, offering the reader a seamless blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary relevance. For instance, the focus on 'quality education' is not just a nostalgic call to restore the gurukul system, but a substantive argument to create an education model rooted in Bharatiya values, scientific rigor, and global competitiveness. The manifesto does not merely critique the present system—it offers a structured path for reinvention, with an emphasis on character, competence and compelling is the manifesto's exploration of democracy—not as a Western import, but as a civilisational impulse. Swami Vigyananand positions dharma not as religious dogma but as an ethical compass that predates modern constitutionalism. In his view, a truly functional democracy is one where raj dharma guides governance, and where public life is infused with the pursuit of satya (truth), seva (service) and shanti (peace). This idea of democracy resonates with India's lived civilizational experience—from the sabhas of the Vedic era to the republics of ancient Hindu Manifesto also includes reflections on global Hindu engagement—how Bharat must become both a spiritual anchor and a strategic ally to Hindus worldwide. Through soft power, economic collaboration and cultural diplomacy, Swami Vigyananand envisions a future where Hindus from Fiji to Florida, from Mauritius to Malaysia, find a point of cultural convergence in Bharat's rise. He urges India's institutions to embrace this responsibility—not as a hegemonic impulse but as a dharma-centric duty to the wider global the manifesto does not shy away from political ambition. It is clear that the Hindu worldview, long kept out of mainstream policy discourse, is being offered as a legitimate—and necessary—alternative to the prevailing paradigms. And in doing so, Swami Vigyananand challenges not only the ideological Left but also the inertia of the establishment will, of course, be critics. Some may see the call for a 'dharma-centric state' as vague or as a veiled attempt at majoritarianism. Others may dismiss it as moral romanticism in a world governed by realpolitik. But that critique only underscores the very void the book seeks to fill. In sum, this is not just a manifesto for Hindus. It is a call to civilisational revival with universal a time when identity politics threatens to fragment societies, The Hindu Manifesto dares to offer a unifying ideal: not majoritarianism but shared purpose. Not nostalgia, but vision. The Hindu Manifesto is not about exclusion—it is about civilisational self-respect, grounded in pluralism, service and a sense of cosmic stands today at a turning point. Its economic trajectory is upward, but its social and institutional architecture often lags. In this context, The Hindu Manifesto is an invitation to introspect, to question inherited models, and to imagine governance that is not just efficient but ethical. It is a blueprint not for domination but for integration—of India's ancient soul with its modern Vigyananand, through this work, offers India not just a vision of what it can become, but a reminder of what it already is—and what it must never forget. The Hindu Manifesto is not merely a document of ideas. It is a call to action—deeply Indian, unapologetically universal and urgently to India Today MagazineMust Watch
News18
6 minutes ago
- News18
'This Was An Opportunity To Capture PoK': Mamata's Message On Op Sindoor In Bengal Assembly
Last Updated: Launching an attack on the BJP, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said the government at the Centre should go as it failed to provide security to people of India West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday questioned why none of the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack had been captured. She suggested that the military standoff with Pakistan had been an 'opportunity to take control of PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir)". Mamata Banerjee was addressing members of the West Bengal Assembly during the adoption of a resolution lauding the valour of the armed forces during 'Operation Sindoor', although the term was never mentioned in the tabled resolution. 'There was a need to teach (terrorists) a lesson, we salute bravery of armed forces," Banerjee said in the Bengal assembly, hailing India's military action. The Indian military conducted strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK under the operation, which was a retaliation to the deadly strike in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. The BJP questioned why the word 'sindoor' was missing from the resolution. Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari said the Pahalgam attack specifically targeted a religious community, which had not been mentioned in the resolution. Launching a blistering attack on the BJP, Banerjee said the government at the Centre should go as it failed to provide security to the people of India. 'The Pahalgam terror attack was a result of the Centre's callousness. Why were security personnel absent from the site of the terror attack in Pahalgam?" she asked. The chief minister accused the BJP of trying to politicise the valour of the armed forces with an eye on elections. 'PM Modi is only busy advertising about himself," she alleged. The House unanimously adopted the resolution condemning the Pahalgam attack and lauding the valour of the Indian armed forces for the anti-terror strikes. (With PTI inputs) First Published: June 10, 2025, 16:21 IST
India Today
6 minutes ago
- India Today
Is Newton Das Mamata's new Achilles heel on illegal Bangladeshis in Bengal?
As West Bengal gears up for a high-stakes electoral showdown next year, the BJP seems poised to make political capital out of a brewing controversy involving a youth with alleged dual nationalities. At the centre of the storm is Newton Das, a 32-year-old who has appeared as both a protester in Bangladesh's anti-quota agitation and a registered voter in West Bengal's Kakdwip in South 24 images that set off the furore show Newton wielding a stick and waving a flag during the July 2024 students-led agitation in Dhaka, which led to the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina government. So, the Opposition BJP in Bengal is asking: how could a man in the midst of a political movement in Bangladesh also hold voting rights in India?advertisementAccording to electoral records, Newton is a voter in Kakdwip, which falls under Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituency. His presence on the rolls dates back to 2014, and he claims to have exercised his franchise in the 2016 assembly elections in favour of Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Manturam Pakhira, who currently represents the Kakdwip assembly claimed that after misplacing his voter ID in 2017, local TMC leaders helped him get a duplicate card. The BJP is crying foul. Party leaders say Newton's participation in the protests in Dhaka was living proof of the systemic rot in voter enrollment in Bengal. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has raised the issue with the Election Commission (EC) as part of a broader complaint about Bangladeshi nationals allegedly finding a place in Indian electoral rolls using forged has dismissed the controversy as a case of mistaken interpretation, claiming the viral footage was doctored and that he had been to Bangladesh to resolve property inheritance. In a video message, he said: 'Yes, I was in Bangladesh but only due to inheritance matters. I had no intention of joining the protests. It was all circumstantial.'But his elder brother, Tapas Das, has confirmed that Newton was born in Bangladesh and had studied in Namkhana in Bengal during his teenage years after arriving in India. Tapas candidly added that their parents weren't Indian citizens and that Newton 'must be a voter in Bangladesh' as fuel to the fire, Newton's social media history shows active links with TMC leaders. He is seen celebrating birthdays and cutting cakes alongside Debasish Das, a prominent youth wing leader in the Kakdwip has acknowledged their acquaintance, saying they were schoolmates who reconnected in 2021, but denied any knowledge of Newton's activities across the BJP, predictably, is going all guns blazing. The party's state president Sukanta Majumdar lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government, alleging a full-fledged 'infiltration industry' under TMC patronage. 'This is not just about one Newton,' Majumdar said on social media. 'There are thousands like him—Bangladeshi nationals with Indian documents, voting in our elections and shielding the TMC's crumbling edifice.'advertisementMajumdar accused Mamata of using infiltrators as a vote-bank. 'The failed chief minister has made infiltration a part of her appeasement politics. With such 'voters' and lathi-wielders backing her, she is not governing West Bengal—she is drafting the blueprint of a Greater Bangladesh,' he controversy draws uncomfortable parallels with a past episode involving Alo Rani Sarkar, a TMC candidate who contested the 2021 assembly elections and was later found to be a Bangladeshi Kakdwip, panchayat members confirmed Newton appears in the voter list but professed ignorance about his Bangladeshi roots. While local officials in South 24 Parganas were tightlipped, an official source said no formal complaint had been lodged against Newton even as the BJP continued to drum up public attention on the issue. 'Unless we receive something officially, there's little to act upon,' the source timing of the flashpoint could not be more crucial. With assembly polls scheduled in 2026, the BJP has a fresh arrow in its quiver against the TMC. And as the party pushes its narrative of national security, cross-border infiltration and identity threat in Bengal, it is likely that Newton Das, once an obscure political foot-soldier, will find himself at the epicentre of a huge to India Today Magazine
