Tag: MHA

  • Home Ministry To Issue Helpline Numbers To Assist Applicants For Indian Citizenship Under CAA |

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on Wednesday that it will soon launch helpline numbers to help people applying for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA-2019). Applicants can get information about the CAA-2019 for free by calling these numbers. The service will be available from 8 am to 8 pm. MHA posted about this on X. “Helpline number to assist applicants for Indian citizenship under CAA -2019 will be launched soon. Applicants will be able to get information related to CAA-2019 by calling free of cost from anywhere in India. The service will be available from 8 am to 8 pm,” MHA posted on X.

     

    Helpline Number to assist applicants of Indian citizenship under #CAA -2019 is being started soon. Applicants can make free calls from anywhere in India & get info. related to CAA-2019. Helpline to be available from 8 am to 8 pm.@HMOIndia @PIB_India @ddnewslive @airnewsalert pic.twitter.com/UR54yuTVIp
    — Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) March 13, 2024

     

    New Rules Aim To Aid Refugees

    The MHA recently notified the CAA Rules, 2024, which remove legal barriers for refugees seeking rehabilitation and citizenship under the act. This move aims to provide a better life for refugees who have faced hardship for many years.

    Web Portal And Mobile App To Facilitate Applications

    Previously, the MHA launched a web portal where eligible non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, fleeing religious persecution, could apply for Indian citizenship. Additionally, they will soon introduce a mobile app called ‘CAA-2019’ to make the application process more accessible.

    Who Can Apply?

    Persecuted individuals from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, belonging to six minority communities—Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—can apply for Indian citizenship if they sought shelter in India before December 31, 2014. The application process is entirely online through the “Indian Citizenship Online Portal.”

    Application Process

    Applicants must submit their applications to an Empowered Committee via a District Level Committee headed by a designated officer. All necessary documents and photographs are to be uploaded online, and applications undergo a security check. Additionally, applicants must appear in person to subscribe to the application and take an oath of allegiance.

    Documents Required 

    Applicants must provide various documents, including those issued by government authorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. These documents establish the applicant’s identity and their eligibility for citizenship under the CAA.

    Proof of Entry

    Applicants must prove that they entered India before December 31, 2014, to be eligible for citizenship. This initiative aims to streamline the citizenship application process for eligible individuals seeking refuge in India.

  • MHA gets more funds for infra & arms to counter terror, border, cyber threats

    Express News Service

    With a major focus on national security the Government earmarked Rs 1.96 lakh crore in the 2023-24 budget allocation to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responsible for India’s internal security, border management, intel gathering and counter terror offences, in view of the increased challenges.

    This increase of about Rs 10,000 crore over last year’s (2022-23) revised allocations of Rs 1,85,777 crore comes at a time when the ministry is looking at arming counter insurgent forces with better equipment and arms, creating a robust cyber patrolling system and strengthen intel gathering and coordination amongst law enforcement agencies and counter terror forces.

    A substantial amount has been allocated this time for improving infrastructure for the patrolling of international borders amidst increased enemy drone attacks, upgradation of law enforcing infrastructure and modernisation of police besides the paramilitary forces.

    The MHA is responsible for matters concerning internal security, central armed police forces, border management, disaster management, census, and centre-state relations.  In addition, the Ministry makes certain grants to union territories (UTs), since they are not covered by the Finance Commission’s recommendations on devolution and, thus, do not have any share in central taxes.  

    In the current budget major portions of the allocation amounting to Rs 1.28 lakh crore, has been earmarked for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) comprising the Assam Rifles (AR), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF),Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). The figure last year stood at Rs 1.19 crores.

    The increased allocation has come as a refreshing development for the CAPF that has been expecting more funds for infrastructure, technological advancement and security-related equipment — which includes drones, early warning systems, equipment to enhance reaction time, for better training, intelligence gathering and operations.

    The CRPF which is entrusted primarily with the task of internal security duties and fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Maoists backed left winged extremists (LWE) and other ultra outfits has been allocated Rs  31,772.23 crore in comparison to Rs 31,495.88 crore given in 2022-23.

    The Border Security Force (BSF), which guards India’s border with Pakistan and Bangladesh besides handling internal security assignments, has been given Rs 24,771.28 crore in comparison to Rs 23,557.51 crore given in the current fiscal.

    The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which protects vital installations such as nuclear projects, airports and metro networks, has been given Rs 13,214.68 crore in comparison to Rs 12,293.23 crore allocated in 2022-23.

    The Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards India’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan, has been allocated Rs 8,329.10 crore in comparison to Rs 8,019.78 crore given in 2022-23.

    The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which guards the Sino-Indian border, got Rs 8,096.89 crore in comparison to Rs 7,626.38 crore given in the current fiscal.

    The Assam Rifles, which is deployed along the India-Myanmar border and for anti-insurgency duties in the Northeast, has been allocated Rs 7,052.46 crore in comparison to Rs 6,561.33 crore given in the current fiscal.

    With a major focus on national security the Government earmarked Rs 1.96 lakh crore in the 2023-24 budget allocation to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responsible for India’s internal security, border management, intel gathering and counter terror offences, in view of the increased challenges.

    This increase of about Rs 10,000 crore over last year’s (2022-23) revised allocations of Rs 1,85,777 crore comes at a time when the ministry is looking at arming counter insurgent forces with better equipment and arms, creating a robust cyber patrolling system and strengthen intel gathering and coordination amongst law enforcement agencies and counter terror forces.

    A substantial amount has been allocated this time for improving infrastructure for the patrolling of international borders amidst increased enemy drone attacks, upgradation of law enforcing infrastructure and modernisation of police besides the paramilitary forces.

    The MHA is responsible for matters concerning internal security, central armed police forces, border management, disaster management, census, and centre-state relations.  In addition, the Ministry makes certain grants to union territories (UTs), since they are not covered by the Finance Commission’s recommendations on devolution and, thus, do not have any share in central taxes.  

    In the current budget major portions of the allocation amounting to Rs 1.28 lakh crore, has been earmarked for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) comprising the Assam Rifles (AR), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF),Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). The figure last year stood at Rs 1.19 crores.

    The increased allocation has come as a refreshing development for the CAPF that has been expecting more funds for infrastructure, technological advancement and security-related equipment — which includes drones, early warning systems, equipment to enhance reaction time, for better training, intelligence gathering and operations.

    The CRPF which is entrusted primarily with the task of internal security duties and fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Maoists backed left winged extremists (LWE) and other ultra outfits has been allocated Rs  31,772.23 crore in comparison to Rs 31,495.88 crore given in 2022-23.

    The Border Security Force (BSF), which guards India’s border with Pakistan and Bangladesh besides handling internal security assignments, has been given Rs 24,771.28 crore in comparison to Rs 23,557.51 crore given in the current fiscal.

    The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which protects vital installations such as nuclear projects, airports and metro networks, has been given Rs 13,214.68 crore in comparison to Rs 12,293.23 crore allocated in 2022-23.

    The Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards India’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan, has been allocated Rs 8,329.10 crore in comparison to Rs 8,019.78 crore given in 2022-23.

    The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which guards the Sino-Indian border, got Rs 8,096.89 crore in comparison to Rs 7,626.38 crore given in the current fiscal.

    The Assam Rifles, which is deployed along the India-Myanmar border and for anti-insurgency duties in the Northeast, has been allocated Rs 7,052.46 crore in comparison to Rs 6,561.33 crore given in the current fiscal.

  • Need to separate ‘grain from chaff’, says SC, asks MHA to seek report on attacks on Christians 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Observing that it needs to separate “grain from the chaff”, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to call for reports from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand on alleged attacks on members of the Christian community, rejecting remonstration by the Centre.

    The top court said though it believes crime against an individual does not necessarily mean crime against society, even if 10 percent of the cases alleged in the PIL are true, then it needs to go to the bottom of the issue.

    The Centre told the court it should not entertain the PIL based on “self-serving reports” as it could have wider ramifications.

    “We need to separate grain from the chaff, even though we believe that an attack on individuals does not mean it is an attack on the community.

    We need to verify the claims of any such incident claimed in the public interest litigation (PIL),” a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli said.

    Deprecating the court’s stand, the Centre contended 162 of the cases mentioned in the PIL have been found to be fake on verification at the ground level.

    Responding to the contention, the bench said, “This is a PIL and we are starting with a presumption that what is being claimed may be true.

    “We can have a verification exercise and start with at least 4-5 states and ask the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to submit a report after collating the data on what action has been taken on such incidents of violence, status of FIRs and arrests made and whether any charge sheet has been filed in these cases or not.”

    The court directed the chief secretaries of all eight states to ensure these details are submitted to the MHA. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta asserted majority of the alleged cases mentioned in the PIL were found to be false and based on “self-serving articles” published on a web portal upon verification.

    He insisted the court should not entertain such PILs and pass orders that will open a Pandora’s box and could have wider ramifications.

    “First, there was an era when PILs were written on a postcard, then came an era when PILs were filed on the basis of newspaper reports and the courts had taken steps to curb that practice.Now, the third era is that PILs are being filed on the basis of a self-constituted fact-finding committee and reports which are being published on some web portals,” he said.

    Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioners, said in majority of the attacks against the members of the Christian community, there is a pattern, and are being done with the connivance of police authorities.

    Mehta dubbed the claims as exaggerated, insisting government verification at the ground level found no such incidents with communal overtones had taken place as was being claimed by the petitioners.

    Gonsalves argued that in most cases Christian priests have been booked by police and attackers allowed to go scot free.

    “In the last one year, more than 700 cases of violence against the members of Christian community have been reported,” he said.

    Mehta said since none of the affected parties are before the court but the petitioners, who claim to represent their cause, are are present, the court should not entertain the plea and instead allow the victims to move the court or lodge a FIR in case of violence against them.

    At this point, the bench noted, the victims may not have the means or could not be in a position to lodge a complaint against the perpetrators.

    Mehta said if the petitioners can approach the Supreme Court, they surely can provide all possible legal assistance to the victims to help them lodge cases against the perpetrators.

    The bench gave two months to the MHA to seek reports from the states.

    It said the court is concerned about its earlier verdicts like the 2018 judgement in the Tehseen Poonawala case on appointment of nodal officers for reporting and monitoring such incidents and whether they are being complied with by states.

    It added the court has not formed any opinion with regard to any submission made in the PIL.

    The court’s order came on a PIL filed by Rev.Dr.Peter Machado of National Solidarity Forum, Rev.Vijayesh Lal of Evangelical Fellowship of India, and others claiming violence against the members of the Christian community in the country.

    The MHA, in its reply affidavit, said it is a recent trend that certain organisations start planting articles and preparing self-serving reports themselves or through their associates, which eventually become the basis of a writ petition/PIL.

    The plea has claimed that in May this year alone, 57 cases of violence and attacks on Christian institutions and priests took place, and sought implementation of the guidelines issued by the apex court in the Tehseen Poonawala judgement under which nodal officers were to be appointed to take note of hate crimes and register FIRs.

    In 2018, the apex court had come out with a slew of guidelines for the Centre and the states to tackle such crimes including fast-tracked trials, victim compensation, deterrent punishment, and disciplinary action against lax law-enforcing officials.

    NEW DELHI: Observing that it needs to separate “grain from the chaff”, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to call for reports from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand on alleged attacks on members of the Christian community, rejecting remonstration by the Centre.

    The top court said though it believes crime against an individual does not necessarily mean crime against society, even if 10 percent of the cases alleged in the PIL are true, then it needs to go to the bottom of the issue.

    The Centre told the court it should not entertain the PIL based on “self-serving reports” as it could have wider ramifications.

    “We need to separate grain from the chaff, even though we believe that an attack on individuals does not mean it is an attack on the community.

    We need to verify the claims of any such incident claimed in the public interest litigation (PIL),” a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli said.

    Deprecating the court’s stand, the Centre contended 162 of the cases mentioned in the PIL have been found to be fake on verification at the ground level.

    Responding to the contention, the bench said, “This is a PIL and we are starting with a presumption that what is being claimed may be true.

    “We can have a verification exercise and start with at least 4-5 states and ask the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to submit a report after collating the data on what action has been taken on such incidents of violence, status of FIRs and arrests made and whether any charge sheet has been filed in these cases or not.”

    The court directed the chief secretaries of all eight states to ensure these details are submitted to the MHA. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta asserted majority of the alleged cases mentioned in the PIL were found to be false and based on “self-serving articles” published on a web portal upon verification.

    He insisted the court should not entertain such PILs and pass orders that will open a Pandora’s box and could have wider ramifications.

    “First, there was an era when PILs were written on a postcard, then came an era when PILs were filed on the basis of newspaper reports and the courts had taken steps to curb that practice.
    Now, the third era is that PILs are being filed on the basis of a self-constituted fact-finding committee and reports which are being published on some web portals,” he said.

    Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioners, said in majority of the attacks against the members of the Christian community, there is a pattern, and are being done with the connivance of police authorities.

    Mehta dubbed the claims as exaggerated, insisting government verification at the ground level found no such incidents with communal overtones had taken place as was being claimed by the petitioners.

    Gonsalves argued that in most cases Christian priests have been booked by police and attackers allowed to go scot free.

    “In the last one year, more than 700 cases of violence against the members of Christian community have been reported,” he said.

    Mehta said since none of the affected parties are before the court but the petitioners, who claim to represent their cause, are are present, the court should not entertain the plea and instead allow the victims to move the court or lodge a FIR in case of violence against them.

    At this point, the bench noted, the victims may not have the means or could not be in a position to lodge a complaint against the perpetrators.

    Mehta said if the petitioners can approach the Supreme Court, they surely can provide all possible legal assistance to the victims to help them lodge cases against the perpetrators.

    The bench gave two months to the MHA to seek reports from the states.

    It said the court is concerned about its earlier verdicts like the 2018 judgement in the Tehseen Poonawala case on appointment of nodal officers for reporting and monitoring such incidents and whether they are being complied with by states.

    It added the court has not formed any opinion with regard to any submission made in the PIL.

    The court’s order came on a PIL filed by Rev.Dr.Peter Machado of National Solidarity Forum, Rev.Vijayesh Lal of Evangelical Fellowship of India, and others claiming violence against the members of the Christian community in the country.

    The MHA, in its reply affidavit, said it is a recent trend that certain organisations start planting articles and preparing self-serving reports themselves or through their associates, which eventually become the basis of a writ petition/PIL.

    The plea has claimed that in May this year alone, 57 cases of violence and attacks on Christian institutions and priests took place, and sought implementation of the guidelines issued by the apex court in the Tehseen Poonawala judgement under which nodal officers were to be appointed to take note of hate crimes and register FIRs.

    In 2018, the apex court had come out with a slew of guidelines for the Centre and the states to tackle such crimes including fast-tracked trials, victim compensation, deterrent punishment, and disciplinary action against lax law-enforcing officials.

  • MHA wanted to shift Rohingya to Bakkarwala EWS flats in capital 

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Union Home Ministry on Thursday denied giving any direction to provide EWS (economically weaker section) flats to Rohingya illegal migrants, moves to resettle at least 250 of them at Bakkarwala in West Delhi were in the works since at least March 2021.

    A series of correspondence between the Home Police-II department of the Government of National Capital Territory (GNCT) of Delhi and the NDMC Chairman indicate that attempts were made to move a section of Rohingya living at Shahzada Bagh and Lampur to “suitable accommodation for permanent restriction centre for foreign inmates at Bakkarwala village” since June 2021.

    ALSO READ | Sounds from Rohingya colony over flats row: From hope to fear in a matter of hours

    A copy of a letter is in the possession of TNIE. The letter reveals that the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), itself had requested the GNCT Home Department and the NDMC to “allot the Baraat Ghar along with all EWS flats, Bakkarwala Village, Delhi, to them to accommodate the foreign inmates, along with basic minimum housing facilities”. This, sources said, referred to Rohingya migrants.

    ALSO READ | ‘Rohingya migrants are threat to national security’: BJP on ‘flats for refugees’ row

    The June 2021 letter was followed by at least two more meetings between the MHA, Delhi government officials and senior police officers in January and July 2022. In both meetings, the police officers pushed keeping the 250 Rohingya at one place for effective surveillance.

    The Delhi Home Department letter of June 23, 2021, reveals that plans were afoot to “restrict the movement of foreign inmates” at Shahzada Bagh and Lampur. On February 21 last year, a “joint inspection with representatives of (the) social welfare department” was made to “search for a suitable accommodation for (a) permanent restriction centre for foreign inmates at Bakkarwala village, Delhi.” The site had almost 240 flats built under EWS category and owned by the NDMC.

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Union Home Ministry on Thursday denied giving any direction to provide EWS (economically weaker section) flats to Rohingya illegal migrants, moves to resettle at least 250 of them at Bakkarwala in West Delhi were in the works since at least March 2021.

    A series of correspondence between the Home Police-II department of the Government of National Capital Territory (GNCT) of Delhi and the NDMC Chairman indicate that attempts were made to move a section of Rohingya living at Shahzada Bagh and Lampur to “suitable accommodation for permanent restriction centre for foreign inmates at Bakkarwala village” since June 2021.

    ALSO READ | Sounds from Rohingya colony over flats row: From hope to fear in a matter of hours

    A copy of a letter is in the possession of TNIE. The letter reveals that the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), itself had requested the GNCT Home Department and the NDMC to “allot the Baraat Ghar along with all EWS flats, Bakkarwala Village, Delhi, to them to accommodate the foreign inmates, along with basic minimum housing facilities”. This, sources said, referred to Rohingya migrants.

    ALSO READ | ‘Rohingya migrants are threat to national security’: BJP on ‘flats for refugees’ row

    The June 2021 letter was followed by at least two more meetings between the MHA, Delhi government officials and senior police officers in January and July 2022. In both meetings, the police officers pushed keeping the 250 Rohingya at one place for effective surveillance.

    The Delhi Home Department letter of June 23, 2021, reveals that plans were afoot to “restrict the movement of foreign inmates” at Shahzada Bagh and Lampur. On February 21 last year, a “joint inspection with representatives of (the) social welfare department” was made to “search for a suitable accommodation for (a) permanent restriction centre for foreign inmates at Bakkarwala village, Delhi.” The site had almost 240 flats built under EWS category and owned by the NDMC.

  • MHA gives security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson, paving the way for him to take charge of the airline, a government official said.

    The MHA nod came after a thorough background check.

    The move comes almost two months after Tata Sons, which took over the loss-making airline from the government on January 27 this year, announced Wilson’s appointment. The announcement of Wilson appointment as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India was made by Tata Sons on May 12.

    However, for Wilson to takeover, a nod from the MHA was needed.

    “The Ministry of Home Affairs has given security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson,” a senior government official told ANI.

    Under civil aviation rules, MHA clearance is mandatory for the appointment of key personnel at airlines, especially foreigners.

    An aviation industry veteran with over 26 years of experience, Wilson began as a management trainee with Singapore Airlines.

    Wilson has also worked as the CEO of Singapore Airlines’ wholly-owned subsidiary Scoot Air. He was the founding CEO of Scoot, which he led until 2016. Significantly, Singapore Airlines is a partner of the Tata Group in the joint venture Vistara.

    Wilson also served as the senior vice president of sales and marketing of Singapore Airlines, where he oversaw pricing, distribution, e-commerce, merchandising, brand and marketing, global sales and the airline’s overseas offices, before returning for a second stint as the CEO of Scoot in April 2020.

    Weeks after taking over the carrier, Tata Sons, on February 14, named Turkish Airlines’ former Chairman Lyker Ayci as Air India’s MD and CEO. However, Ayci, who was to take over on April 1, declined to join the group amid concerns expressed over his appointment in certain quarters. 

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson, paving the way for him to take charge of the airline, a government official said.

    The MHA nod came after a thorough background check.

    The move comes almost two months after Tata Sons, which took over the loss-making airline from the government on January 27 this year, announced Wilson’s appointment. The announcement of Wilson appointment as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India was made by Tata Sons on May 12.

    However, for Wilson to takeover, a nod from the MHA was needed.

    “The Ministry of Home Affairs has given security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson,” a senior government official told ANI.

    Under civil aviation rules, MHA clearance is mandatory for the appointment of key personnel at airlines, especially foreigners.

    An aviation industry veteran with over 26 years of experience, Wilson began as a management trainee with Singapore Airlines.

    Wilson has also worked as the CEO of Singapore Airlines’ wholly-owned subsidiary Scoot Air. He was the founding CEO of Scoot, which he led until 2016. Significantly, Singapore Airlines is a partner of the Tata Group in the joint venture Vistara.

    Wilson also served as the senior vice president of sales and marketing of Singapore Airlines, where he oversaw pricing, distribution, e-commerce, merchandising, brand and marketing, global sales and the airline’s overseas offices, before returning for a second stint as the CEO of Scoot in April 2020.

    Weeks after taking over the carrier, Tata Sons, on February 14, named Turkish Airlines’ former Chairman Lyker Ayci as Air India’s MD and CEO. However, Ayci, who was to take over on April 1, declined to join the group amid concerns expressed over his appointment in certain quarters. 

  • Carry out safety audit of all ropeway projects: MHA to states and UTs

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: In the wake of the Deoghar ropeway accident, the Centre on Tuesday asked all states to carry out a safety audit of each ropeway project and put in place standard operating procedures to deal with such emergencies.

    In a communication to all states and Union territories, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla also said that for each ropeway project, a maintenance manual and programme must be in place so that the safety standards conform to good industry practices and such incidents do not recur.

    The entity operating the ropeways must maintain a record of all the activities undertaken as part of the maintenance programme, he said in the communication.

    “The state government must engage an experienced and qualified firm or organisation for carrying out a safety audit of each ropeway project. The entity operating the ropeway must comply with all the issues arising out of the audit,” the communication said.

    Three people were killed while being rescued from cable cars in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district after the ropeway connecting a hill malfunctioned on Sunday afternoon.

    The home secretary said BIS standards prescribed for the operation and maintenance of ropeway projects need to be scrupulously adhered to.

    He said the necessary guidance in this regard may be taken from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), which is the nodal organisation under the Ministry of Road, Transport, and Highways, Government of India.

    Asking the states and union territories to review the condition of all the ropeway projects in their respective state, Bhalla said SOPs and contingency plans for operation and maintenance of ropeways, and system of safety audits must be put in place.

    “It should also be ensured that mock drills, mock exercises for handling contingency situations involving ropeways are periodically conducted,” he said.

    The home secretary advised the states and UTs to designate a senior officer of an appropriate level to regularly review the preparedness measures in respect of ropeway operations as per the SOPs and contingency plan.

    The mishap in Trikut Hills in Deoghar in Jharkhand occurred on April 10, leaving 18 trollies carrying over 60 people stranded in the air.

    After the efforts made by Indian Air Force, NDRF, Indian Army, ITBP, and local administration, the trapped people were rescued.

    However, three lives were lost during the rescue operation.

    “This incident has highlighted the need to have a detailed SOP and a contingency plan on ropeway operations, so as to prevent the occurrence of any such incident in the future,” the communication said.

  • MHA calls meeting to finalise Assam-Meghalaya border pact on March 29; CMs asked to be present

    By PTI

    SHILLONG: The Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA) has fixed March 29 to finalise the border agreement signed between Assam and Meghalaya in January to settle the dispute in six of the 12 areas of difference, an official said on Friday.

    Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with senior officials of the two North-eastern neighbours, were asked to be in the national capital for the meeting.

    “We have received a formal communication from the MHA about the meeting on finalising the border agreement on March 29 in New Delhi. The CMs and border committee officials of both states have been asked to be prepared for the tripartite meeting,” an official of the Meghalaya Chief Minister’s Office here told PTI.

    The meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on March 27 but it was postponed by two days.

    The chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam signed a memorandum of understanding at Guwahati on January 29 to resolve the boundary dispute in six locations – Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillangkata and Ratacherra, in the first phase. It was then sent to the MHA for examination.

    Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state in 1972 and it had challenged the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, leading to disputes related to 12 areas in different parts of the shared 884.9 km long border.

    The boundary between the two states has witnessed flare-ups several times. In one such incident in 2010, four persons were killed in police firing at Langpih, one of the 12 areas of difference.

  • CPI(M) MP gives notice in Rajya Sabha to move privilege motion on Pegasus issue

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: CPI(M) MP V Sivadasan submitted a notice on Monday to move a privilege motion under rule 187 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha, accusing the government of “misleading” the House on the Pegasus spyware issue.

    In his notice, Sivadasan said on August 9 last year, responding to his question on whether the government had carried out any transaction with NSO Group Technologies, Minister of State, Defence Ajay Bhatt said there was no transaction between the ministry and the Israeli firm, while a report in the New York Times has stated that India and Israel agreed on “the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly USD 2 billion — with Pegasus and a missile system as the centrepieces”.

    “This revelation confirms the apprehension that the reply by the Hon Minister was misleading the august House, thus constituting a breach of my privilege as a member of the House and of the privilege of the House as a whole. The matter has grave implications for the dignified functioning of Parliament,” he said.

    The Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP also said he had raised a similar question again, this time to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was rejected, but the MHA chose to “insultingly dub the question as hypothetical in remarks, thus trying to convey the message that there was no ground for such a question to arise”.

    “This response was received in the members’ portal. But the New York Times and several national and international media houses have published the news that Pegasus was bought from NSO group of companies as part of a billion-dollar deal with Israel. Thus, it is evident that the response of the Ministry of Home Affairs is misleading.”

    ALSO READ: Pegasus spy row: CPI MP submits notice to move motion against Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

    “As the minister heading the Ministry of Home Affairs, Amit Shah is responsible for the misleading response, which constitutes a breach of my privilege as a member of the House,” he said.

    Sivadasan also raised questions on the response of Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, who in his statement on the Pegasus issue had said, “NSO has also clearly rubbished the claims in the report.”

    This revelation confirms the apprehension that the statement by the minister was misleading Parliament, thus constituting a breach of the privilege of the House. The matter has grave implications for the dignified functioning of Parliament.

    The continuous accountability of the executive to the legislature is the distinguishing feature. And any attempt by the executive to mislead Parliament constitutes a grave attack on the democratic values.

    “It is a frontal attack on the concept of popular sovereignty, which constitutes the bedrock of our democracy,” the Left leader said in his notice.

    “It is condemnable that the ministers deliberately chose to mislead the House by giving vague and incorrect statements”, he said, adding, “Based on the facts above mentioned, I propose to move a motion to refer the said question of privilege to the Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha.”

  • MHA seeks more time to frame rules under Citizenship Amendment Act

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry has approached the parliamentary committees seeking more time for framing rules under the CAA through which the Modi government wants to grant Indian nationality to non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, officials said Monday.

    The Citizenship Amendment Act was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019 and the Presidential nod was received the next day.

    Subsequently, it was notified by the home ministry.

    However, the law is yet to be implemented as rules under the CAA are yet to be framed.

    According to the Manual on Parliamentary Work, the rules for any legislation should have been framed within six months of presidential assent or seek extension from the Committees on Subordinate Legislation, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

    Since, the home ministry could not frame rules within six months of the enactment of the CAA, it sought time for the committees — first in June 2020 and then four more times.

    The fifth extension came to an end on Monday.

    “We have approached the parliamentary committees seeking more time. Hopefully, we will get the extension,” a home ministry official told PTI.

    The Central government has already made it clear that the Indian citizenship to the eligible beneficiaries of the CAA will be given only after rules under the legislation are notified.

    The objective of the CAA is to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities like Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

    Those from these communities who had come to India till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants and given Indian citizenship.

    After the CAA was passed by Parliament, widespread protests were witnessed in different parts of the country leading to deaths of nearly 100 people in police firing and related violence.

  • TMC holds protest outside MHA against police action in Tripura

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A delegation of TMC MPs on Monday sat on a dharna outside the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) here over alleged police brutality and arrest of its youth leader in Tripura.

    The MPs also raised slogans against the home minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded an appointment with Amit Shah.

    “We want the home minister to listen to us. Both Shah and Modi need to answer for the violence that is happening in Tripura,” said TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray.

    TMC MP Saugata Ray said the protests were also against the arrest of party’s youth leader Sayani Ghosh in Tripura.

    The party alleged “mayhem” in BJP-ruled Tripura as Ghosh was arrested by the police and accused of attempt to murder.

    Party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also expected to arrive here later in the day.

    The Tripura Police on Sunday arrested actor-turned TMC leader Ghosh on charges of attempt to murder after she allegedly disrupted a meeting of state Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb by shouting “Khela hobe” (We will play) on Saturday night.

    Ghosh, the youth unit secretary of TMC West Bengal, was arrested after being called in for questioning in a police station in Agartala, a police official had said.

    The Supreme Court recently directed the Tripura Police to ensure that no political party is prevented from exercising its rights in accordance with the law for campaigning in a peaceful manner.

    The TMC has repeatedly alleged that its candidates were being prevented from campaigning by the ruling BJP supporters there.