Paris,Oct 14,2020:In a sign of France’s greater focus on the Indian Ocean and the increasingly assertive behaviour of China across the region, President Emmanuel Macron has appointed the country’s first ambassador for the Indo-Pacific.
Christophe Penot, one of France’s most senior diplomats who till recently was the envoy to Australia, will take over the new position from October 15, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.
Beyond China’s aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific, there are other reasons for France’s focus on the region – the presence of 1.5 million French citizens on island territories, and the fact that 93% its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of more than 11 million sq km, the second largest in the world, is in the Indo-Pacific.France also has 8,000 soldiers stationed in the region.
France, which signed a defence logistics support agreement with India in 2018, also has plans for more joint patrols and operations with India’s military in the Indian Ocean to protect the interests of both countries and ensure a rules-based order.
The envoy will be based in Paris and is expected to travel widely across the Indo-Pacific to coordinate with France’s partners and to forge new initiatives such as the trilateral dialogue launched with India and Australia last month to enhance cooperation and strengthen multilateralism.
New Delhi/Chandigarh, Oct 14,2020: Farmers’ organisations from Punjab on Wednesday boycotted a meeting called by the Union agriculture ministry to resolve their concerns over new farm laws and accused the government of playing double standards with no minister present to hear them out.
Representatives from 29 farmers’ organisations, including Joginder Singh-led Bharati Kissan Union, were miffed at the absence of Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Agriculture in the meeting.
The meeting was convened at the Krishi Bhavan amid police security to avoid any protest. After the meeting, agitated farmers’ representatives were seen shouting slogans and tearing copies of new farm laws outside Krishi Bhavan.
Since there was no response from Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal, who was chairing the meeting, farmers’ organisations decided to boycott the meeting, he said.
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana and other states are protesting against new farm laws which they feel will lead to procurement in the hands of corporates and the end of MSP.
Hathras, Oct 13,2020: The Hathras victim’s family on Tuesday refused to immerse the girl’s ashes unless it gets justice.
The family returned late on Monday after recording their statement before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High court.
Speaking to the media, the victim’s father said, “We narrated our ordeal to the court. However, there was a conversation in English and we couldn’t understand much but we could make out that the Court was not happy with the Hathras district administration. We seek justice now, we will not be immersing the ashes until we get justice.”
The victim’s brother, who had also gone to Lucknow to record his statement in the court upon his return from the National Capital said, “There were questions related to the cremation of our sister. The court also asked if the cremation was done as per our wishes. The hearing lasted about an hour and most of the conversation was in English, but the court was definitely not happy with the DM.”
Meanwhile SSM Anjali Gangwar, who accompanied the family from Hathras to Lucknow and back, said, “All the necessary arrangements for the family members were taken care of, biscuits, chips, water bottles and other essentials were kept in all the vehicles and he family was also made to have lunch at Uttarakhand Bhawan in Lucknow. Ample security and comfort arrangements for the family members of the victim were made.”
On the other hand, Hathras District Magistrate Praveen Kumar Lakshkar also appeared before the Lucknow bench and explained that the gang-rape victim was cremated at midnight to “avoid violence and maintain law and order” in the district.
He further stated that there was strong evidence of the involvement of organisations like the PFI and some journalists in provoking the family.
“There was a huge gathering of anti-social elements outside the village who were bent on violence. Also, the condition of the body was deteriorating. Taking in view the above circumstances and after consulting other senior administrative and police officials, I, in the capacity of the district magistrate of Hathras, took the decision of performing the last rites of the victim in the night. The family of the victim was taken into confidence while performing the last rites under administrative supervision,” the DM said.
Confirming the conspiracy theory of instigating violence in the Hathras incident, DM further pleaded, “It also came to light that a website ‘Justice for Hathras’, through its instigating and inflammatory content was also trying to disturb the law and order in Hathras and adjoining areas.”
Srinagar, Oct 12 ,2020: Asserting that 18 militants were killed in eight different encounters with security forces in the summer capital, Srinagar this year so far, J&K police chief on Monday said that Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) has been trying to find foothold in the city.
However, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said security forces have been able to locate and neutralize the militants before they can setup base in Srinagar city.
“For the first time, Srinagar city has seen eight encounters so far in which 18 militants were killed so far this year,” Mr Singh told reporters during a press conference here on Monday.
Answering a question about militants roaming freely in the city, he said, “LeT has been trying to find foothold in the city. But our network is good and whenever they (militants) try to find foothold in the city, troops are able to local and neutralize them.”
“We can’t stop militants from coming into the city as we will have to put everyone coming in Srinagar through Xray machine which is not possible,” he said in response to a question.
Giving details about Srinagar encounter, he said a top LeT commander, a Pakistani national, was among two militants killed in the exchange of fire at Barzulla on Monday.
Jammu, Oct 10,2020: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday ordered a CBI probe into an alleged scam in the Roshni land scheme.
A division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal ordered the CBI probe into irregularities in the scheme.
The high court has asked the CBI to take over the probe and file a status report every eight weeks.
Petitioner Ankur Sharma of IkkJutt Jammu organisation alleged that an estimated loss of Rs 25,000 crore was cased to the state exchequer in the scam.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had in 2018 repealed the J&K State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, commonly known as the Roshni scheme.
The administration had also ordered a probe by the anti-corruption bureau into alleged instances of cornering high-value prime lands in Jammu and Srinagar cities by misusing the law.
The Anti Corruption Bureau of Jammu (Vigilance), which was investigating the matter so far, had registered 17 FIRs.
Mumbai, Oct 10,2020: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge-sheet against eight people, including activists Gautam Navlakha and 82-year-old Father Stan Swamy, for their alleged involvement in inciting a mob to violence in Bhima Koregaon near Pune on January 1, 2018, officials said.
Swamy, who said he has never been to Bhima Koregaon, was arrested from his home in Ranchi on Thursday evening and brought to Mumbai where he was produced before a court on Friday and remanded to judicial custody till October 23.
He is possibly the oldest person to be charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), officials said.
Barring one person Milind Teltumde who is absconding all other named in the charge-sheet for allegedly conspiring against the government are in judicial custody.
NIA spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General of Police in the agency Sonia Narang said the charge-sheet was submitted before a designated court here.
Oct 09,2020:Union Ministry of Home Affairs has empowered J&K government to impose the property taxes in the Union territory.
An order issued by Secretary MHA, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, said power has been vested after making certain amendments in J&K Municipal Act, 2000 and J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 through the J&K Reorganisation (Adaption of State Laws) order, 2020.
Explaining description and class of property tax, the section 72 of the order reads “unless exempted under this Act or any other law for the time being in force, property tax shall be levied on all lands and buildings or vacant lands or both situated within the municipal area.”
The property tax shall be levied at such percentage not exceeding 15% of the taxable annual value of land and building or vacant land or both, as the government may, by notification, from time to time specify, the MHA’s order reads.
Srinagar, Oct 5,2020: Virtual SIM cards pose a new headache for security agencies fighting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as their use in the valley has seen an increase among terror groups to connect with their handlers in Pakistan, officials said here.
The penetration of this new technology was found in 2019 when a request was sent to the United States to seek details from a service provider of “virtual SIMs” used by suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group involved in the Pulwama attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead.
However, a detailed investigation done by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other security agencies indicated that over 40 virtual SIM cards were used in the Pulwama attack alone, and there are probably more of them floating in the cyberspace of the valley, the officials said.
It is a fairly new modus operandi wherein terrorists across the border are using “virtual SIM” cards, generated by a service provider from a foreign country. In this technology, the computer generates a telephone number and the user downloads an application of the service provider on their smartphone.
The number is linked to social networking sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram or Twitter. The verification code for activating the service is generated by these networking sites and received on the smartphone.
The officials said the numbers used were pre-fixed with a country code or Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) number.
They said that, besides telecom companies in the US, Canada, the UK, Israel, numbers of Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island being controlled by the US, are doing the rounds in the market.
Every mobile phone instrument is sent for a detailed forensic analysis to have a thorough check to look for any telltale signs of use of virtual SIM cards, the officials said.
Technology has its pros and cons, and while fighting terrorism, the security agencies have to not only keep up the pace but also move a step ahead of those planning to misuse it, says an official.
The risk of forging identities during purchase of virtual SIM cards also runs high.
During investigation of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, it was found that an amount of USD 229 was wired to Callphonex, via Western Union Money Transfer receipt number 8364307716-0, for activating the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) used during the strikes.
The money was received from ‘Madina Trading’ located in Brescia in Italy and sender was claimed to be Javed Iqbal, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
However, after Italian police arrested two Pakistani nationals in 2009, it was alleged that the firm had made nearly 300 transfers in the name of Iqbal, who probably had never set his foot in Italy.
The Italian police, while concluding the probe, had said the Brescia-based company made several transfers using the identity of innocent, unsuspecting persons, whose identity cards or passports might have been stolen.