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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Assam arms licence policy recipe for communal violence: Akhil Gogoi
GUWAHATI Assam activist-turned-MLA Akhil Gogoi said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government's arms licence policy was a recipe for communal violence ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The MLA, who represents the Sivasagar Assembly constituency and is the president of Raijor Dal, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was pushing a 'dangerous political strategy' by paving the way for indigenous communities to acquire guns legally. He said the policy was a calculated attempt to stoke Hindu-Muslim tensions in the name of protecting those deemed to be original inhabitants of Assam. 'In a way, it is an admission that the government cannot protect the indigenous community. If this is the case, the Chief Minister should resign,' Mr Gogoi told journalists on Thursday (May 29, 2025) evening. He claimed that the licences would be issued to empower members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and drive fear among the minorities, particularly the Muslims. 'This decision can divide Assam and destroy peace before the 2026 elections, he said. He also expressed concern over marking people, including teachers, as illegal immigrants and trying to deport them without any extradition agreement with neighbouring countries. 'The administration is being used to target certain communities and keep them under pressure,' he said. Mr. Gogoi sniffed a pattern in the 'sinister' steps being taken by the Assam government, demanding the revocation of the arms licence policy. 'If the government really cares for the indigenous communities, it should deploy more security forces and improve the law and order. 'Giving arms to the common people and RSS members is not the solution,' he said. Former Assam Congress president, Bhupen Kumar Borah, also slammed the State Cabinet's nod for the arms license policy in some districts where Muslims are in the majority. 'The Chief Minister is trying to incorporate a gun culture similar to that of America, where even students carry firearms,' he said.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Congress Slams Government's 'Sindoor Campaign', Calls It a Political Gimmick
New Delhi: The Congress party on Thursday criticized the Modi government for what it called a "shameful" attempt to use sindoor (vermilion) as a shield to cover up political and diplomatic failures. Speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak said, "Sindoor is a symbol of marital commitment, respect, and prosperity, but the Modi government is misusing it for petty political purposes." Referring to the BJP-led government's plan to launch a nationwide "sindoor distribution campaign" from June 9—the day Narendra Modi is expected to take oath for a third term—Nayak questioned its relevance and intent. "Who will benefit from this state-sponsored sindoor?" she asked. "Do the self-proclaimed guardians of Hinduism not know that sindoor is traditionally given by the husband, in-laws, or as a blessing from temples and Shakti Peeths? How can BJP and RSS members distribute sindoor when the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack remain unpunished?" Nayak also questioned the branding of 'Operation Sindoor' with images of Narendra Modi on train tickets, hoardings, and petrol pumps, rather than honoring military personnel. "Why not showcase Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Colonel Sophia Qureshi, or the Army Chief instead? How low will the Modi government stoop to take credit for the armed forces' bravery?" she asked. The Congress further condemned derogatory remarks made by BJP MP Ramchandra Jangra against the widows of soldiers killed in the Pahalgam attack, as well as comments by Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah targeting Colonel Sophia Qureshi. Nayak stated that unless such individuals are removed from the party, BJP has no moral right to distribute sindoor in the name of women's honor. She also referenced the online trolling of martyr Vinay Narwal's wife for advocating Hindu-Muslim unity, criticizing the toxic political climate being fostered by the ruling party. Nayak rebuked BJP MLA R.S. Pathania for calling the Air Force "incompetent" and hit out at Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Deora for saying that the army bows at Modi's feet. "Modi remains silent on these statements," she said, "highlighting the BJP's hypocrisy—praising the armed forces when seeking votes, and insulting them when not." The Congress spokesperson also highlighted the plight of widows from the periods of demonetization, the COVID-19 crisis, and the farmers' protest. "Will the government distribute sindoor to those women too?" she asked, while also pointing to the suffering of widows of farmers and laborers who committed suicide due to unemployment and inflation. In a direct appeal to Indian women, Nayak urged them to question BJP and RSS workers who come to distribute sindoor. "Ask them who is responsible for the Pahalgam attack. Who leaked information to Pakistan? Why was sindoor politicized under pressure from former US President Donald Trump? And why are the symbols of the armed forces and womanhood being used for political gains?"
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"240 Million Proud Indian Muslims": Asaduddin Owaisi Exposes Pak In Saudi
Exposing Pakistan's propaganda to project its conflict with India as a Hindu-Muslim binary, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has said more than 240 million proud Muslims live in India and India has many reputed Islamic scholars. "It is most unfortunate that Pakistan gives out a wrong message to the Arab world and the Muslim world that we are a Muslim country and India is not. There are 240 million proud Indian Muslims living in India. Our Islamic scholars are much better than any scholar in the world. They can speak the best of the Arabic language... This is Pakistan's false propaganda that India is hurting them because they are a Muslim country," he said, adding that if Pakistan stops backing terrorist groups, there will be stability in South Asia. Mr Owaisi was speaking at an interaction in Saudi Arabia, which he is visiting as part of an Indian delegation for the government's mega global outreach in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Calling out Pakistani propaganda about the prowess of their military power, he said, "What happened on (May) 9th? Their nine airbases were targeted. If India had wanted, we could have completely damaged those airbases. But we wanted to show them a mirror and say, 'we are warning you, don't do it, don't force us to go on that path'... nine terrorist organisation headquarters were targeted. Another shocking thing was the person who led the namaz of the terrorists killed is a designated US terrorist." Pakistan, he said, must be put back on the Financial Action Task Force's grey list to curb terror funding. "Pakistan must be brought back to the FATF grey list. That is how we will be able to control this terror financing of all these terrorist organisations. When this person (Asim Munir) was made a Field Marshal in Pakistan, a US-designated terrorist called Mohammad Ehsan was sitting right beside the Field Marshal. There are photographs of him shaking hands with this field marshal. There is clear evidence of Pakistan's involvement. These terror groups are prospering over there, they are being trained over there, and the whole task is to destabilise India to create more Hindu Muslim riots." Mr Owaisi also said that the Manmohan Singh government had handed over evidence to Pakistan after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. "After 26/11, my government, headed by the then Prime Minister, late Dr Manmohan Singh, the Indian investigators went to Pakistan, gave them all the evidence, but you will be surprised to know that nothing moved forward. What made Pakistan move forward in this terrorist trial was when Pakistan was put on the FATF grey list. One meeting was held in Germany, and India wanted one Sajid Mir to be indicted, but Pakistan said he's dead... Pakistan came up to the Committee of FATF and said Sajid Mir is alive. Can you imagine the country which was saying he's dead, suddenly, he's alive? And then the Pakistani government said that our courts have convicted him for some 5 to 10 years, but the main culprits of the 26/11 are still scot-free. They were convicted of money laundering, not for terrorism," Mr Owaisi said. "The Indian legal system followed all the due process of law, and Ajmal Kasab was sentenced to death, and he revealed many things. Our agencies were capable enough to record the audio conversations in which the terrorist group, sitting in Pakistan, were having with terrorists who were killing Indians in five-star hotels, and those conversations they were clearly told them not to lose heart, kill as many Indians as you can, and you will go to Jannat," he said. The delegation Mr Owaisi is part of is led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda and includes BJP's Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, nominated MP Satnam Singh Sandhu and former diplomat Harsh Shringla. This delegation has travelled to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
In Riyadh, Asaduddin Owaisi targets Pakistan Army chief: ‘US-designated terrorist sitting with Asim Munir'
Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) said there are "clear evidence" of Pakistan's involvement with terrorism. Speaking at an interaction in Riyadh, Asaduddin Owaisi, who is a member of the all-party delegation led by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Baijayant Panda, pointed out the promotion of Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir as Field Marshal and how a US-designated terrorist was seen sitting beside him at a celebratory event. The AIMIM chief also referred to a photo to prove his point. Citing the need to control the terror funding to terrorist organisations, Owaisi urged that Pakistan should be put back on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. "Pakistan must be brought back to the FATF grey list. That is where we will be able to control this terror financing of all these terrorist organisations. When this person (Asim Munir) was made a Field Marshal in Pakistan, a US-designated terrorist called Mohammad Ehsan was sitting right beside the Field Marshal. There are photographs of him shaking hands with this field marshal," Owaisi said. "There is clear evidence of Pakistan's involvement," he added. The AIMIM leader said that terror groups are prospering and being trained in Pakistan, and their aim is to destabilise India, to manufacture more Hindu-Muslim riots in the nation. According to the specially designated nationals (SDN) list on the official website of the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), "Ahsan, Muhammad (aka Ehsan Muhammad, aka Ihsan Muhammad, aka Ullah Ehsan), Sialkot, Pakistan, Islamabad, born in 1970, alternatively in 1971, and again alternative year 1972, in Sialkot, is designated under the "Secondary sanctions risk, section 1(b) of Executive Order 13244, as amended by Executive Order 13886 (individual)." He is linked to the terrorist outfit 'Lashkar-e-Taiba'. Meanwhile, Owaisi further backed his call to add Pakistan back to the FATF grey list and recalled that after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Indian investigators provided Islamabad with all the evidence, but still, they did not take any action. "What made Pakistan move forward in this terrorist trial was when it was put on the FATF grey list," Owaisi said. He further exposed Pakistan's lie about the Mumbai attacks' key accused, Sajid Mir. "One meeting was held in Germany, and India wanted one Sajid Mir to be indicted, but Pakistan said he's dead... Pakistan came up to the Committee of FATF and said Sajid Mir is alive. Can you imagine the country which was saying he's dead, suddenly, he's alive?" Owaisi asked. The AIMIM chief clarified and busted the rumour spread by the Pakistani government that Indian courts had allegedly convicted Mir for some 5-10 years, but the main culprits were still scot-free. "They were convicted for money laundering, not for terrorism," he added. The AIMIM chief added that Indian investigating agencies had recorded conversations between the 26/11 attacker and their handlers in Pakistan, providing it to Islamabad as evidence. "The Indian legal system followed all the due process of law, and Ajmal Kasab was sentenced to death, and he revealed many things. Our agencies were capable enough to record the audio conversations in which the terrorist group, sitting in Pakistan, were having with terrorists who were killing Indians in five-star hotels, and those conversations they were clearly told them not to lose heart, kill as many Indians as you can, and you'll go to Jannat. This was the conversation that was recorded," Owaisi stated. He further recalled that after the 2016 attack on the Indian Air Force's Pathankot Airbase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone to Pakistan uninvited and called on Islamabad to send its own team to India to get clear evidence and even then, nothing happened. "Pathankot happened, after my Prime Minister went to Pakistan, uninvited, and I want to put it on record, I was the one who criticised him for going over there. Many opposition parties criticised why my Prime Minister went uninvited from Afghanistan to Nawaz Sharif's place. Our air base was attacked, and we lost many personnel over there," he said in Riyadh. Owaisi added, 'The Prime Minister said Pakistan wants proof; you (Pakistan) send your own team. Can you imagine any country inviting a neighbouring country's spy agency? They were invited, they were given all the records, but nothing moved, nothing happened. If the question is - why don't we speak to Pakistan, who do we speak to in Pakistan?' In addition to Owaisi, the Baijayant Panda-led delegation includes Nishikant Dubey (BJP), Phangnon Konyak (BJP), Rekha Sharma (BJP), Satnam Singh Sandhu, Ghulam Nabi Azad; and Ambassador Harsh Shringla. These all-party delegation teams, the key part of India's global outreach program on Operation Sindoor, are tasked with briefing the nation's international country partners about New Delhi's stance on terrorism and its fight against the same. Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 by the Indian armed forces to carry out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The forces had destroyed nine terror camps, and killed over 100 terrorists in Operation Sindoor. This operation was launched as a response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
India Today
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Patron of abuse
Defence and geopolitical debates may saturate the space presently, but socially, no one was in doubt that the post-Pahalgam landscape witnessed a rare degree of Hindu-Muslim solidarity. Of the organic, human sort. The April 22 massacre drew equal, unequivocal condemnation across communities. The Centre even parlayed it off into a wise piece of high-visibility symbolism: choosing two women officers, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wg Cdr Vyomika Singh, to brief the media on Operation Sindoor. 'What's in a name?' is not a question anyone had to ask.
