Abrogation of Article 370 will help curb terrorism, says European Parliament member

Agencies
September 2, 2019

Brussels, Sept 2: A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) has said that the abrogation of Article 370 will help in rooting out several terrorist organisations operating in Kashmir.

In an article published in the European Parliament's monthly newspaper EP Today, MEP Tomas Zdechovsky said that "such terrorist groups are spreading violence in the Kashmir valley and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK)".

These armed groups were reportedly responsible for attacks on persons affiliated or associated with political organisations in Jammu and Kashmir, including in the killings of at least six political party workers and a separatist leader.

In the lead up to the local elections in October 2018, these armed groups threatened Kashmiris who were attempting to participate in the elections, and warned of "dire consequences" if those running for elections did not immediately withdraw their nomination papers and publicly apologised for their actions.

"While armed groups have sporadically threatened political workers in previous elections, the number of attacks in 2018 is amongst the highest in recent times," said Tomas.

Pakistan-based armed groups that operate mostly in Kashmir have also been accused of harassing and threatening nationalist and pro-independence political workers in PoK.

On August 2, last year, members of an unknown armed group attacked and burned down at least 12 schools in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district. At least half of these were girls school.

On February 14, this year, a suicide bombing targetting the Indian security forces in Pulwama, was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

"India blamed Pakistan for continuing to support the group's activities. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi confirmed to an international news organisation that JeM founder Masood Azhar was present in Pakistan," the article read.

On May 1, the United Nations Security Council Da'esh and al-Qaida Sanctions Committee announced that it had added Azhar to its list of individuals or entities subject to assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

Pakistan's endorsed engagement and support of state-sponsored terrorism has also been confirmed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). (The FATF is an inter-governmental organisation that monitors money laundering and terrorist financing.)

The organisation had stated in February that Pakistan "does not demonstrate a proper understanding of the Terror financing risks posed by Da'esh, al-Qaida, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), Lashkar-e -Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Haqqani Network (HQN), and persons affiliated with the Taliban."

It urged Pakistan to address its "strategic deficiencies" and complete its action plan.

The 2019 report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the human rights situation in Kashmir and PoK covering the period from May 2018 to April 2019, noted that "since the late 1980s, a variety of armed groups have been actively operating in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, and there has been documented evidence of these groups committing a wide range of human rights abuses, including kidnappings, killings of civilians, and sexual violence.

The UN report said, "while in the 1990s there were reportedly over a dozen armed groups operating in Kashmir, in recent years, four major armed groups are believed to be operational in this region: Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and Harakat Ul-Mujahidin. All four are believed to be based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir."

Furthermore, the report states that "two armed groups have been accused of recruiting and deploying child soldiers in Kashmir."

The MEP said in his article, "In its fight against terrorism, and against acts of violence in Kashmir and also in India by Pakistani based terrorists and armed groups, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi had to act. His choice of action, whilst harsh and direct, was criticised by many who failed to understand his motive. On the August 5, this year, PM Modi revoked Article 370 through a Presidential Order and the passage of a resolution in Parliament."

Article 370 of the Indian constitution gives a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, thereby allowing it to have a separate constitution, a state flag and autonomy over the internal administration of the state.

This article, along with Article 35A, defined that the Jammu and Kashmir state's residents live under a separate set of laws, including those related to citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental rights, as compared to the residents of other Indian states.

"The removal, temporarily or permanently of these articles, should be seen as a global stance against terrorist activities, where today terrorists exploit the principles of democracy, freedom of speech and human rights practised by the majority, whilst at the same time imposing fear, violence and killings as justification for their causes," said the MEP. PM Modi understood the challenge he was undertaking with his sudden revocation of Article 370, although for those following his election campaign, he had already committed to undertake this initiative if his electorate were to appoint him.

Tomas Zdechovsky said, "With his landslide victory, his focus on genuinely protecting his people by prioritising the fight against terrorism remains unshaken... providing almost immediate justification to his actions, on 6th August, the day after his announcement to revoke Article 370, the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khangave a dramatic speech that invited and incited further terrorist activity in India."

"Incidents like Pulwama are bound to happen again, I can already predict this will happen," Khan said, calling to his Parliament, people and Pakistan based terrorist groups. At the same time his Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, stated that Pakistan's military will "go to any extent" to protect Kashmir.

Masood Azhar, chief of the Jihadi group, further explained that "now is the time that Kashmiris need to come out with unity so that the enemy will beg for peace and negotiations."

"It is hoped that by the equal inclusion of Jammu and Kashmir state under the same constitution as India's other twenty-eight states, India can ensure that its values of free and fair elections without intimidation, its values of diversity and religious harmony, and its fight against terrorism, can provide greater stability and security not only for the people of India, but for those throughout South Asia," Zdechovsky concluded.

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News Network
September 16,2024

war.jpg

The Israeli regime is recruiting African asylum seekers to kill Palestinians in the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in exchange for permanent residency status, according to a report.

The report, ran by the Israeli paper Haaretz on Sunday, revealed that the project is conducted in an organized manner, with the guidance of military establishment legal advisers.  

In Gaza, the death toll passes 41,200 with close to 100,000 more injured in almost a year since the Israeli regime forces launched their genocidal war. However, the continued violence is prompting some Jewish Israelis to leave the occupied Palestinian land.

To make up for the loss, Tel Aviv is offering the incentive of permanent residency status to asylum seekers who agree to join the Israeli regime forces ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Haaretz has learned that some people have expressed objections to the practice, arguing that it exploits people who have fled their countries due to war. However, according to those sources, these voices have been silenced.

“This is a very problematic matter,” one source was quoted as saying by Haaretz.

According to the report, there are currently some 30,000 African asylum seekers living in the occupied territories, most of them young men. Around 3,500 are Sudanese citizens with temporary status granted by the court because the regime has not processed and ruled on their applications.

Unnamed sources who spoke with Haaretz also revealed that while there were some inquiries about granting status to asylum seekers who assisted in the genocidal war in Gaza, none were actually given status.

Haaretz also learned that the Interior Ministry explored the possibility of drafting the children of asylum seekers, who were educated in schools in the occupied territories, into the Israeli military.

In the past, the regime allowed the children of foreign workers to serve in the military in exchange for granting status to their immediate family members.

African refugees, who came to the occupied territories seeking asylum, were previously kept in internment camps and deported without their own consent.

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News Network
September 17,2024

Kalaburagi: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that alleged role of "outsiders" belonging to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in the violence at Nagamangala will be examined and action taken based on the probe report.

Clashes broke out between two groups during a Ganesh idol procession in the town in Mandya district following which mobs went on a rampage targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension on September 11 night.

"Everything will be examined, investigation will be done, on getting the report we will decide. We will not protect anyone, and unnecessarily no one will be punished. We will look into the facts based on the inquiry report and take action accordingly," Parameshwara told reporters here.

He noted that two officials -- Deputy Superintendent of Police and Inspector -- have already been suspended, and added that further action will be taken based on the report.

The Minister said the government has taken the Nagamangala violence seriously and there is no question of taking such incidents lightly. "BJP makes such allegations, but we too have responsibility, we don't take anything lightly."

On allegations that "outsiders" were involved in the violence, Parameshwara said if inquiry reveals complicity of such elements, it would be examined and action taken accordingly.

Regarding claims that those belonging to the banned PFI were involved, he said: "It will be known from the probe."

On demand for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into Nagamangala violence by BJP which alleged "failure" of state's home department, Parameshwara said: "they keep saying such things, we will not listen to all that."

According to police, an argument had broken out between two groups, when the procession by devotees from Badri Koppalu village reached a place of worship on September 11, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation.

Following the clashes between the two groups, a few shops were vandalised and goods torched and vehicles set on fire, they added.

To allegations from some BJP leaders that the party MLA Munirathna was arrested "hurriedly", Parameshwara said, police acted after the complaint was given, "what's wrong in that?"

Munirathna, who represents Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly segment here, was picked up from Nangli village in Kolar’s Mulbagal on Saturday evening on charges of harassing a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor for bribe, casteist slurs on a former corporator, and also cheating, criminal intimidation and insulting a woman’s modesty.

Asked about "illegal items" seized from the prison here recently by officials, he said an investigation has begun on this.

When a photo of actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who was lodged in Parappana Agrahara Prison here, hanging out with other inmates surfaced recently, action was taken based on the probe report and eleven officials were suspended.

"I will look into recent seizures made too and action will be taken; also probe is on at other prisons in the state and action will follow if anything wrong is found," the Minister added.

Police raided the high-security wing of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison here on Saturday and seized smartphones and other illegal goods.

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News Network
September 20,2024

Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, private universities in Karnataka offering professional courses will no longer conduct separate entrance exams. This decision follows a directive from the state’s Higher Education Department, prompting private universities to form an association and agree to this significant change.

In a recent meeting with Higher Education Minister Dr. M. C. Sudhakar, representatives from 17 private universities confirmed their decision to discontinue individual entrance tests. Of the 27 private universities in the state, 17 offer professional courses, and they have collectively agreed to accept scores from existing national or state-level entrance exams.

“Some universities will consider JEE scores, others will rely on KCET, and a few are inclined towards COMEDK,” Dr. Sudhakar stated, leaving the choice of examination to the universities themselves. However, the department has also suggested that the universities consider a unified entrance test for admissions.

Looking ahead, Dr. Sudhakar hinted that the government may introduce a common entrance test for general degree courses at private universities as well. "As government colleges and universities currently don’t require entrance exams for general degree courses, we haven’t made any decisions on this yet," he explained.

The meeting also addressed concerns over the high fees charged by private universities. To regulate this, the universities were instructed to establish fee fixation committees, headed by retired judges, as required by law. These committees will be responsible for determining tuition fees. Additionally, the government will continue to regulate fees for 40% of seats in professional courses that are filled through KCET.

In an effort to bring greater uniformity among private institutions, the government is considering enacting a common law for all private universities, which would replace the individual acts currently governing each university. This would place all private universities under a single regulatory framework.

This move is expected to streamline the admissions process and create a more standardized system for both professional and general degree programs across Karnataka's private universities.

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