Fear, welfare, and weak opposition: Why BJP expects Muslim votes in Assam
The BJP-led government plans to set up a new battalion headquarters of the state police on the plot. Since assuming office in May 2021, the Sarma government has carried out several eviction drives across Assam, clearing land from Bengali-speaking Muslims — who are often labelled by the ruling BJP and others as 'Bangladeshi migrants' and a 'threat' to the identity of the indigenous Assamese.
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New Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Busted Pakistani propaganda among OIC nations: Shrikant Shinde
NEW DELHI: India succeeded in busting the Pakistani narrative on Operation Sindoor, particularly among the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) member nations, where Islamabad sought succour after carrying out terror activities across the border, Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde said. Shinde, who led a multi-party delegation to the UAE and West African countries as part of the government's global outreach efforts after Operation Sindoor, said the unique initiative provided an opportunity to convey India's message of zero tolerance for terrorism forcefully in nations that have a distinct voice in multilateral fora such as the OIC and the United Nations Security Council. The delegation led by Shinde visited the UAE, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Congo and interacted with senior representatives of the government, parliaments of the respective nations, think tanks and the Indian diaspora during its 14-day visit. "I think the propaganda Pakistan tried to sell to these nations, we were able to bust it. It was Pakistan that sent terrorists across the border into India to carry out attacks. We provided all facts and evidence. It was a very successful outreach programme," Shinde, who represents Kalyan parliamentary seat in suburban Mumbai in the Lok Sabha, told PTI Videos. The delegation led by Shinde comprised Bansuri Swaraj (BJP), E T Mohammad Basheer (IUML), Atul Garg (BJP), Sasmit Patra (BJD), Manan Kumar Mishra (BJP), former union Minister S S Ahluwalia and former diplomat Sujan Chinoy.
India Gazette
10 minutes ago
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Fund money is going to Pakistani Army, not being used for development of people: AIMIM MP Owaisi
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], June 5 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi, part of an all-party delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, said the funds given to Pakistan by countries like Saudi Arabia and the IMF are being used by the Pakistani Army, and not being used for public welfare. He said the Indian government must now work to get Pakistan back on the FATF grey list. Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said, 'All of us have tried our had come from different parts of the country. In Saudi Arabia, we were told that, in 2022, Saudi Arabia had given $2 billion and renewed a loan of $30 million recently. The IMF is giving $2 billion. We had requested and explained to them the monitoring of all these funds. This money is going to the Pakistani Army. This money is not being used to develop the people of it is now the responsibility of our government to bring Pakistan back to the FATF grey list.' He further added that all countries were worried about terrorism. He also said that they reminded them that Pakistan claims its false bogey of being a Muslim country, while 240 million Muslims are living peacefully in India. 'All these countries were definitely worried about reminded them that Pakistan claims its false bogey of being a Muslim country. I reminded them at many places that, 240 million Muslims are living in India, so this argument of Pakistan is completely gave them the exact scenario of what happened in Pahalgam and how people were shot dead based on their religion by the terrorists from hope that Pakistan will be brought back into FATF (grey list)...India has a very strong case against Pakistan,' Owaisi said. Owaisi also responded to Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Operation Sindoor, in which Gandhi had questioned US President Donald Trump's interference in the matter. He said that his party is competent enough to reply to him, but the information about the cessation of shelling and firing should have been announced by the Indian government, not the US President. 'His party is competent enough to reply to him. But, my initial reaction after the cessation of shelling and firing was that our government should have announced that cessation, not the US President, because he is not the political head of our country. That has been my stand and that continues to be my stand...I am proud of my defence forces for what they have done...I hope that in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, the government will have a debate on Pahalgam. We must fix the accountability for the Pahalgam incident. If the Modi government says tomorrow that it is a very sensitive issue and can't be debated. Then the rules and procedure of the Parliament allow the government to discuss a sensitive subject in camera,' Owaisi said. He also said that there should be a discussion on the Pahalgam attack in the forthcoming monsoon session of parliament. 'In this forthcoming monsoon session, we must have a debate on Pahalgam (attack). Why was there a security lapse? Who is accountable for it? What is our deterrence policy? This will be our main demand in the forthcoming monsoon session', Owaisi said. The delegation, led by Panda, included BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak and Rekha Sharma; AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi; Satnam Singh Sandhu and Ghulam Nabi Azad; and former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla. During their visit, the delegation briefed international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, highlighting the broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. (ANI)
India Gazette
11 minutes ago
- India Gazette
All-party delegation led by Ravi Shankar Prasad interacts with Brussels-based think tanks; discusses Op Sindoor
Brussels [Belgium], June 5 (ANI): The all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad interacted with Brussels-based think tanks and deliberated on the wide-ranging menace of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism directed against India. In a post on X, the official handle of India in Belgium posted, 'Insightful interaction with leading Brussels-based think tanks. The members of the All-Party Parliamentary Delegation had a wide-ranging discussion on the menace of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism directed against India.' 'They discussed India's counter-terrorism efforts, including Operation Sindoor, with members of the think tank community in Brussels. The delegation conveyed a unified and unequivocal message of zero tolerance against terrorism,' said the post. After meeting the delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, Jan Luykx, Senior Associate at Egmont Institute and Former Envoy to India, said, 'I think the delegation's message was very clear. Several important points were raised regarding the recent developments in Kashmir and the terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam.' 'We received a lot of information and insights that will contribute to our understanding of India's evolving role on the global stage and its ongoing fight against terrorism. People were deeply horrified by the Pahalgam incident, where innocent civilians and tourists were killed. There is a strong sense of empathy and understanding toward the grief,' he said. After the meeting, Garima Mohan of the German Marshall Fund also spoke to ANI and said, 'It was very insightful to hear perspectives from across the Indian political spectrum. As I mentioned, there hasn't been much coverage of Operation Sindoor in the European media due to the ongoing media crisis.' 'So, it was valuable for us to understand the operation clearly, its implications, and how it may influence policy dynamics. We also learned that India's response through Operation Sindoor was very targeted, specifically focusing on terrorist camps,' she added. EU Foreign Policy Advisor Stefania Benaglia also spoke to ANI and said, 'It was a valuable meeting, and we gained significant insights from it. The key takeaway is that we need to engage in more frequent and deeper dialogue to understand one another truly. At times, even with good intentions on both sides, the messages may not be perfectly aligned or communicated.' 'There was a strong condemnation issued on May 8 by all 27 members. While unanimity can be difficult to achieve, the fact that all members came together on this sends a powerful signal. Going forward, this conversation must continue, especially around the question: what role does India envision for itself, and how can the EU support that?' she stated. The delegation arrived in Brussels on Wednesday after concluding their visit to the United Kingdom. During the two-day visit, the delegation is scheduled to hold several meetings aimed at consolidating global consensus against cross-border terrorism. The delegation includes BJP MPs Daggubati Purandeswari and Samik Bhattacharya, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress MPs Ghulam Ali Khatana and Amar Singh, former Union Minister MJ Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran. Earlier, the delegation visited the UK to garner widespread support for India's fight against terrorism and highlight Pakistan's role in fostering terrorism. The team received support from British parliamentarians, think tanks, and the Indian diaspora. Ravi Shankar Prasad noted that they met UK leaders, including the Speaker of the House of Commons and Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel, and underlined the need for greater global accountability in terrorism financing, while reinforcing India's democratic approach. The diplomatic effort is part of India's broader global outreach following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as a military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, which claimed 26 lives. Subsequently, the Indian Armed Forces carried out strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
