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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Himanta in Assembly: DCs can ‘push back' into Bangladesh anyone they find is a foreigner
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Monday announced in a special one-day session of the Assam legislative assembly that the state government has decided to bring a 1950 Act into action to 'push back' into Bangladesh anyone who District Collectors prima facie find to be foreigners – without going through the state's existing system of Foreigners Tribunals. The CM claimed the state had been empowered to do so by the Supreme Court. He said this will be implemented in addition to the ongoing 'pushbacks' of people who have been declared foreigners by the Foreigners Tribunals (FTs); around 330 such declared foreigners have been pushed into Bangladesh in the past couple of weeks. Speaking in the assembly, Sarma referred to the October 2024 judgement of the Supreme Court in which a majority of a five-member Constitutional Bench headed by then Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had upheld the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, which makes March 24, 1971 the cut-off date for citizenship in Assam. 'Four judges said 1971 is the cut-off date. But one thing the Supreme Court said repeatedly was that the people brought after 1971 should not be spared in any way. They will have to be deported… In that judgement, the Supreme Court gave the Assam government a sweeping power… The Supreme Court in this judgement affirmed that the 1950 expulsion Act remains valid and operative. That means for expelling foreigners, the government does not have to go to tribunals. The 1950 Act says that if the DC says that prima facie this person is a foreigner, he can be evicted from the state of Assam,' Sarma said. 'By the order of the Supreme Court, every Deputy Commissioner is empowered to evict anybody whom he feels is a foreigner. This is the law of the land… This power has been given to the state of Assam by the Honourable Supreme Court… It says in the Act itself that it will not be applicable to those who came for reasons like religious persecution,' he said. Sarma was speaking after multiple opposition MLAs, including Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia and AIUDF MLA Ashraful Hussain, spoke at length in the assembly during Zero Hour and Special Mention raising concern over the manner in which these pushbacks have been taking place, alleging that in multiple instances, Indians are being 'persecuted' in the name of a drive against foreigners. 'These pushbacks will be intensified. Because the way Pakistani elements have entered our state, Bangladesh fundamentalist elements have entered, to save itself, the state has to become more proactive than before. That's why the state government has decided that we will bring the Illegal Expulsion Act into action, and whoever the DCs think are foreigners, we will push back without referring to tribunals… Deportation will now be a reality. Even if their names are in the NRC,' he said. Sarma's statements led to a furore in the assembly, with opposition MLAs questioning the validity of the actions. Congress MLA Zakir Hussain Sikdar asked on what basis the DCs would identify 'foreigners' under this course of action, to which Sarma replied, 'The DC has to be satisfied about it.' This drew more opposition, with Sikdar shouting, 'That can't be the system.' Speaking in the assembly after Sarma, Leader of Opposition Saikia said the Act in question 'does not mention anything about pushback.' 'We are a state of India and in the Parliament of India, Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar had said it is the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad. This is, however, subject to an unambiguous verification of their nationality. This is not a policy practised only in India; it is a generally accepted principle in international relations. Therefore, if Bangladeshis come to India, they have to go back, Bangladesh has to accept them and they have to be proved to be Bangladeshis,' he said. He said that even when the Act had first been introduced in 1950, it did not remain in force for very long. 'The Act they are talking about had been used for only a couple of days in Assam because at that time, it invited trouble for many Bengali Muslims and after an old resident was asked to leave his residence in Upper Assam town within a few days, Nehru was furious and wrote to Gopinath Bordoloi (the then Chief Minister) on April 10 to suspend the enforcement of the Act. It was in force for only a few days, and it was stopped,' he said. The system at present and the 1950 Act Under the existing system in the state, the identification and declaration of 'foreigners' is done through Foreigners Tribunals (FTs). FTs are quasi-judicial bodies that determine whether a person presented before them – usually referred by the border police or listed as 'D-voters' in electoral rolls – is a 'foreigner' or an Indian citizen. Those declared foreigners by these tribunals have the option to appeal against the order by approaching the Gauahti High Court and the Supreme Court. One of the 13 questions that had been framed for and deliberated by that Constitutional Bench had been: 'Whether the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 being a special enactment qua immigrants into Assam, alone can apply to migrants from East Pakistan/Bangladesh to the exclusion of the general Foreigners Act and the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964 made thereunder.' In the judgement, after upholding the validity of Section 6A, the court had issued a set of six directions, of which one was: 'The provisions of the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 shall also be read into Section 6A and shall be effectively employed for the purpose of identification of illegal immigrants.' The Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 had commenced from March 1, 1950 and stated that if any person had been an ordinary resident of a place outside India and entered Assam, and the Central government is 'of opinion… that the the stay of such person or class of persons in Assam is detrimental to the interests of the general public of India or of any section thereof or of any Scheduled Tribe in Assam', then the central government may 'direct' them to 'remove himself or themselves from India or Assam within such time and by such route as may be specified in the order.' It states that the Central government can delegate this power to any officer of the Central government or the Assam government.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Union ministry seeks report on wildlife sanctuary violations in Raj
Jaipur: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has demanded a detailed report from the Rajasthan govt regarding alleged irregularities in Sariska and Nahargarh sanctuary areas, following concerns raised by Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The development came to light when Beniwal shared the ministry's communication on social media platform X on Monday. The letter to the Nagaur MP, dated May 7, 2025, was sent by Union minister Bhupender Yadav in response to issues raised during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha earlier this year. The controversy stems from allegations made by Beniwal during the March 12 parliamentary session, where he accused the state authorities of manipulating sanctuary boundaries under political patronage to favour hotel owners and mining operators, in direct violation of Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives. According to Beniwal, over two dozen hotels are currently operating in violation of court rulings - approximately twelve in Alwar's Siliserh area and another dozen in the Ajabgarh–Jamwaramgarh range. The MP claimed these commercial activities continue unchecked in eco-sensitive zones, with state officials limiting their response to merely issuing notices. In its communication to the Rajasthan forest department, the ministry has directed prompt examination of the matter and appropriate action, demanding updates on measures taken. While acknowledging that wildlife and habitat management primarily falls under state jurisdiction, the ministry's intervention signals growing concern over the alleged violations.
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
LDF govt. trying to mislead people on wildlife issue: Kerala Congress
A day after the Kerala Cabinet resolved to seek the approval from the Union government to cull wild animals that threaten human life and property, the Kerala Congress led by P.J. Joseph alleged that the move was aimed at influencing the Nilambur byelection. Addressing the media, Kerala Congress deputy chairman and Kottayam MP K. Francis George pointed out that the existing legal framework already empowered the State to cull animals and that the government made the latest decision with an intention to deceive people who are facing regular attacks by wild animals. 'In fact, when this issue was raised in Parliament, the Union Forest Minister had said that the State Chief Wildlife Warden has the power to hunt, kill or capture, Schedule 1 and 2 wildlife species that are harmful to human life and cause damage to agriculture, as outline in the sections 11 (i)a and 11 (i)b of the Wildlife Protection Act, as per the circumstances. The Union Environment and Forest Minister confirmed this in writing in Parliament on September 2, 2024 and April 8, 2025,' he said. 'Moreover, when I raised a demand to amend the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on March 12, 2025, the Forest Minister reiterated his statement and said the Union Forest Ministry has given a written instruction to the Additional Chief Secretary of the State Wildlife Department in this regard,' Mr. George said. 'The letter from the Union Forest Ministry to the State government specifically states that under section 11(i) a and 11(i) b, the Chief Wildlife Warden or the officer designated by the Chief Wildlife Warden must be given permission to cull wild animals that pose a threat to human life or property. This letter was sent to the State government by the Deputy Inspector General of Forests on April 3, 2025. The State government's decision to seek permission to shoot wild animals, despite the existence of such a clear directive, is an attempt to deceive the people,' he said.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Gujarat govt announces relief package for recession-hit diamond industry
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government led by chief minister Bhupendra Patel has introduced a relief package to support diamond artisans and micro-units facing global market challenges and reeling under recession. Minister of state for industries, Harsh Sanghvi, announced the initiative to ease financial strain and stabilise the state's diamond section, especially Surat's diamond trade hub. The decision comes after the government formed a high-level committee in March to look into the industry's issues and there was a strike in late March, led by the Diamond Workers Union Gujarat (DWUG), that prompted further discussions between government and industry representatives. The package will largely benefit the Surat industry where 85% of the world's roughs are processed and employs over 8 lakh diamond artisans. In addition to Surat, diamond manufacturing units are also located in parts of Saurashtra, including cities like Rajkot and Bhavnagar. Global disruptions, including supply chain issues, declining demand, and U.S. sanctions on polished diamonds made from Russian rough stones (33% of Surat's supply), have battered the industry, causing factory slowdowns and job losses. The Russia-Ukraine war deepened the crisis, driving a steep decline in India's diamond exports. DWUG, citing over 60 artisan suicides in the past year and over 50,000 job losses in the last three years due to financial distress, demanded higher wages, industry price support, a welfare board, and aid for education, and unemployed workers from the ruling BJP government. In a December video message, Govindbhai Dholakia, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and chairman of Shree Ram Krishna Exports with six decades in the diamond industry, called this the longest recession he has seen. He urged patience and expressed hope for a soon recovery. Surat MLA Mukesh Dalal, from the ruling BJP, raised the diamond industry's crisis in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour in March, urging government's intervention to support struggling workers and industries. The Gujarat government's package announced on May 24 offers targeted measures. Artisans unemployed from March 31, 2024, can have their children's school fees covered for one year, up to Rs. 13,500 per child, paid directly to schools via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) as per Education Department protocols. Eligible artisans must be over 21, have three years of diamond industry experience, and be currently unemployed. They must apply within two months of the announcement at District Industries Centres with a certificate from the District Labour or Employment Officer, a Diamond Association recommendation, or a school fee certificate. For micro-units, the package provides financial support to sustain operations. Units can access interest subsidies on term loans up to Rs. 5 lakh at 9% for three years, from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028, and a one-year electricity duty exemption starting July 1, 2025. Eligible units must have a capital investment in plant and machinery up to Rs. 2.5 crore, three years of diamond industry involvement (2022-25), a 25% or greater reduction in electricity use compared to 2023-24, and Udyam registration before March 31, 2025. District-level committees, led by the District Collector and including officials from labour, employment, education, banking, and diamond associations, will review applications, meeting at least twice monthly. The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) data shows that India's cut and polished diamond exports have recorded a continuous decline over the past three financial years. In 2022–23, exports were valued at USD 22.05 billion, down by 9.78% as compared to the previous year. The fall worsened to 27.58% in FY 2023–24, with exports dropping to USD 15.97 billion, and further dropped by 16.75% in 2024–25, reaching USD 13.29 billion, amid weakening global demand and inventory pile-up in key markets, as per GJEPC data. Meanwhile, the country's total gems and jewellery exports stood at USD 37.65 billion in 2022–23, which declined by 14.95% to USD 32.02 billion in 2023–24. In 2024–25, exports decreased once again, falling by 11.19% to USD 28.67 billion (USD 28,671.06 million), according to GJEPC's latest figures.
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Why December 13 and Parliament?': Delhi HC asks accused in 2023 security breach case
The Delhi high court on Tuesday questioned the accused in the 2023 security breach, asking why they chose December 13, the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, and why they targeted the complex instead of using designated protest sites. A division bench comprising Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar raised the query while hearing the bail pleas of accused Neelam Azad and Mahesh Kumawat, who are among those arrested in connection with the incident. The case pertains to a serious security breach that occurred on December 13, 2023 , the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack. On that day, accused Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D allegedly jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters, and shouted slogans before being subdued by MPs. Simultaneously, two other accused, Amol Shinde and Neelam Azad, allegedly sprayed coloured gas from canisters while chanting slogans such as 'tanashahi nahi chalegi (dictatorship won't work)' outside the Parliament premises. While reserving its order on the bail pleas, the court asked the accused, 'Why did you choose that date (December 13 which is also the date of 2001 Parliament attack) for your protest? Why did you choose that place when you know that it is the Parliament? When there are designated places to protest, why did you choose that day and place and then decide to hold your protest in and around the Parliament. Would that not amount to overawing the country?' Counsel for the accused responded that the actual intention behind the act would be established during the course of the trial. He further contended that the alleged actions did not fall under Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which defines terrorist activity. The court also directed the prosecution to clarify whether the grounds of arrest had been communicated to the accused at the time of their detention. It was informed that the trial court has scheduled the matter for June 5 to hear arguments on the framing of charges. Accordingly, the High Court asked the trial court to proceed with the hearing on charges as planned. The Delhi high court also cited hypothetical scenarios, observing that had the accused staged their protest at locations like the Delhi Zoo or Jantar Mantar, even with smoke canisters, it might not have raised serious concerns. However, their deliberate choice of Parliament as the protest site was deeply questionable. 'If you had gone to Jantar Mantar with smoke canisters, no problem. If you would have gone even in the boat club, even though it is prohibited… even then we would have seen it later on. But when you choose Parliament, and what makes it worse is that the Parliament is in session on a day when the attendance would have been the maximum and the parliamentarians pay homage to martyrs of the 2001 Parliament attack, then whether it can prima facie come under Section 15 of the UAPA is what we will have to consider. We will have to think very hard.' the bench observed. The court also asked the police to clarify whether carrying or using a smoke canister, inside or outside Parliament, falls under the definition of terrorist activity and attracts charges under the UAPA. Opposing the bail pleas, the prosecution said the preliminary inquiry revealed that accused Azad and Shinde were associates of Sharma and Manoranjan D, and that they had jointly carried out the act. With PTI inputs
