New Delhi, May 3,2023: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has selected ‘Chirbhog’ by Nilesh Ambedkar for the first prize of Rs 2 lakh in its 8th Short Film Competition on human rights.
The film highlights the caste and vocation based continued discrimination in society through the story of a boy and his humiliating struggles till the point he decides to stand up and expose the contradictions in theory and practice to ensure the rights of liberty, equality, dignity, and education. It is in Marathi with subtitles in English, the Rights body said in a statement on Wednesday.
‘Enabled’ by Bhawani Doley Tahu has been selected for the second prize of Rs 1.5 lakh, it said.
The film, through the story of a differently abled child, emphasises the need to change mindsets about ‘Divyangjan’ and discrimination in their upbringing by parents undermining their rights to life, liberty, equality, and dignity. It is in the Assamese language with subtitles in English.
‘Atcham Thavir’ by T Kumar has been selected for the third prize of Rs 1 lakh, the release said.
The film through the story of a girl student pitches in for building awareness among students about any inappropriate touch and sexual harassment in school and the need for the teachers as well as the school administration to be vigilant about it to ensure their right to dignity and education are not violated. It is in Tamil with subtitles in English.
The Commission has also decided to give a cash award of Rs 50,000 each to the films selected for the ‘Certificate of Special Mention’.
The Commission chaired by the NHRC Chairperson Justice (Retd) Arun Mishra selected the award-winning films.
The aim of the NHRC Short Film Award Scheme is to encourage and acknowledge cinematic and creative efforts toward the promotion and protection of human rights. A total of 123 short films were in the fray for the awards.
The Commission intends to organise a festival of award-winning films and the award ceremony sometime later, the statement said.
New Delhi, April 25,2023: In a fresh crackdown against the cadres of the banned Popular Front of India, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is carrying out searches at more than a dozen locations in parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The places being searched by the NIA include 12 in Bihar, two in Uttar Pradesh and one each in Punjab’s Ludhiana and Goa.
The agency is conducting raids in Darbhanga’s Urdu market in Bihar.
According to police sources, the team has reached there to investigate the activities related to the banned PFI organization.
The raid is being done on Dr Sarik Raza, a dentist located in the Urdu Bazaar of Darbhanga city and one Mehboob, a resident of Shankarpur village in Singhwara police station area, in connection with the banned organisation PFI.
In another place in Bihar, Motihari, the NIA team raided the Kuanwa village of Chakia subdivision in the East Champaran district.
A raid is being conducted at Sajjad Ansari’s residence in a case related to PFI. Sajjad is working in Dubai for the last 14 months, sources said.
The NIA team has confiscated Sajjad’s Aadhaar card, PAN card and some documents from his residence, sources added.
The Union Home Ministry had in September last year declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates an ‘Unlawful Association’.
It had said that PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been found to be involved in serious offences, including terrorism and its financing, targeted gruesome killings, disregarding the constitutional set-up of the country, disturbing public order etc. which are prejudicial to the integrity, security and sovereignty of the country.
The Home Ministry said it found it necessary to curb the nefarious activities of the organization. It declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) along with its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as “unlawful association” under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Guwahati, April 24 ,2023: Pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh has been placed under solitary confinement at the Dibrugarh central jail in Assam.
Amritpal Singh was brought to the Dibrugarh jail in Assam after Punjab police arrested him from the Moga district in the state on Sunday (April 23).
The radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh has been booked under the national security act (NSA).
The nine associates of Amritpal Singh, who are also lodged at the Dibrugarh jail in Assam, have also been booked under NSA.
Interestingly, Amritpal Singh and nine of his associates are the only prisoners in the Dibrugarh jail in Assam to be booked under the NSA.
New Delhi, Apr 21,2023: Assam and Nagaland have in-principle decided to go in for an agreement on oil exploration in the disputed areas for economic benefit, an official said on Friday.
The lastest development came after Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio met his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma at the Assam House here last night, the official said.
During their meeting, they discussed issues of mutual interests and collaboration on oil exploration along the inter-state border, he added.
“We have discussed about our border issue and development issues. Because we have to work together, support one another and how to go forward. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh signed an agreement on border dispute today, likewise we are also discussing how we should settle our border dispute outside the court with the (support of) ethnic groups from both sides,” Rio told reporters last night after the meeting.
The Nagaland CM further disclosed that both states have in-principle decided to go in for a MoU on oil exploration in the disputed areas along the inter-state boundary so that oil can be extracted and royalties shared between the neighbouring states.
“Once it is formalised, there is huge potential for exploration of oil inside Nagaland also. And to move forward as the country needs oil in a big way,” he added.
Earlier, the Assam CM while apprising about the meeting in a tweet wrote,
“We had engaging discussion on bringing closure to the ongoing boundary issue and other areas of mutual gains and collaboration.”
On Thursday, government of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh signed a MoU to resolve the decades old boundary issues between both the state.
New Delhi, April 18,2023: Nearly a month after the national flag at the Indian high commission in London was pulled down during a protest by pro-Khalistan activists, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case to investigate the matter, sources said.
According to inputs, the case was handed over to the NIA by the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division of the Ministry of Home Affairs a few days back.
The anti-terror agency registered a First Information Report (FIR) based on the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and began its probe.
The agency took over the case from Delhi Police, which registered an FIR in the matter under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and is currently investigating it.
The MHA took the decision to hand over the case to the NIA following a meeting with UK representatives last week, the sources indicated.
It is learnt that a special team of the NIA, including a Deputy Inspector General rank officer, may visit London “very soon”, said a source privy to the development.
A tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission in London was grabbed at by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags and chanting pro-Khalistani slogans on March 19.
The national flag was pulled down during the protest by pro-Khalistani elements. Videos of the incident showed several protesters carrying the yellow and black Khalistan flag and calling for radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh to be “freed”.
The videos showed one of the protesters clambering onto a balcony and pulling down the Indian flag from a pole at the front of the high commission to cheers from the other men. British policemen arrived on the scene and prevented the protestors from approaching an entrance of the Indian high commission. The protesters shouted slogans and abused Indian officials within, the videos showed.
Centre amended the NIA Act in August 2019, empowering the agency to investigate terror activities against Indians and Indian interests abroad apart from cyber crimes and human trafficking.
In the fifth India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue held on April 12, India raised concerns on the misuse of the UK’s asylum status by the Pro-Khalistani elements aid and abet terrorist activities here and requested better cooperation with the UK and increased monitoring of UK based Pro-Khalistan Extremists and take appropriate proactive action.
India also pointed out its concerns over the breach of security of the Indian High Commission.
Both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security and global supply chains, drug trafficking, migration, extradition, and anti-India activities in the UK including Pro-Khalistan Extremism among other issues.
The Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the UK delegation was led by Permanent Secretary, of Home Office, Sir Matthew Rycroft. The meeting was also attended by other senior officials of both countries.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last month summoned the UK deputy high commissioner after pro-Khalistan protestors took down the Indian flag at the high commission in London. The pro-Khalistan groups were protesting against the Punjab police’s crackdown on Sikh hardliner Amritpal Singh.
Bengaluru, Apr 17,2023: Former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who quit the BJP on Sunday, formally joined the Congress party here on Monday.
He was welcomed by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar and LoP Siddaramaiah.
Shettar reached the Congress office in Bengaluru on Monday.
“There will be no demands from Jagadish Shettar, we don’t offer anything. He (Jagadish Shettar) will have to agree with the principles and the leadership of the party. We want to keep the country united and only Congress can do that,” Shivakumar said.
Bhopal, Apr 1,2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the country’s 11th and Madhya Pradesh’s maiden Vande Bharat Express conveying 300 children from Rani Kamalapati Station (Bhopal) to Hazrat Nizamuddin Station (Delhi).
The Prime Minister interacted with the minors on the decked-up platform – prior to the commencement of their journey – and smilingly waved as the train pulled out.
Later addressing a public meeting on the premises, Mr Modi mentioned the kids’ excitement and added that the train symbolises the enthusiasm of transforming India.
Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw; Governor Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, several of his ministerial colleagues and other public representatives.
The Prime Minister viewed the indigenously-designed and ultramodern train before its departure.
New Delhi, Apr 1,2023: Stepping up its attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over Adani issue, the Congress on Saturday categorically said the Opposition will keep continuing its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the matter.
The Congress has been spearheading the Opposition, demanding JPC into the Hindenburg Research report over Adani Group.
The Hindenburg Research report alleged the Adani Group had engaged in stock manipulation and accounting fraud schemes over the course of decades.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Congress general secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said, ” Nineteen Opposition parties are united. Our demand is that there should be a JPC on the Adani issue.”
“There has been no communication between the Government and Opposition. No attempt made by the ruling party. We will continue our demand ,” the Congress MP said in an apparent reference to ‘logjam’ in both the Houses of the Parliament.