India reiterates call for peace, stability in Indian Ocean region
Hanoi, Aug 28 : Pointing out that the seas around India have nurtured its links of commerce and culture with its extended neighbourhood over millenia, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said that nurturing a climate of peace and stability in this region is an important priority for New Delhi's foreign policy.
"This region is host to the world's busiest waterways and three quarters of that traffic is headed for destinations beyond our region," Sushma Swaraj said while addressing the Third Indian Ocean Conference here.
"As an important trade and energy waterway, carrying half the world's container shipment, one third of its bulk cargo traffic and two third of oil shipments, the Indian Ocean clearly assumes importance well beyond its immediate shores and its littorals," she said.
"Nurturing a climate of peace and stability in this region is therefore an important priority for our foreign policy." Stating that that though there is diversity within the region, Sushma Swaraj said challenges within it are "quite similar".
"Our vision for the region is one of cooperation and collective action," she said.
India, along with the US, Japan and Australia, are part of a quad revived last year that seeks to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Sushma Swaraj's remarks assume significance given China's belligerent attitude in the South China Sea region and Beijing's attempts to increase its footprint across the Indian Ocean.
"Hanoi is therefore a particularly appropriate setting for us to discuss developments in the Indian Ocean and the Indo-Pacific region," she said.
She said that India sees the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)regional bloc as central to the regional maritime architecture, reflecting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June.
Sushma Swaraj stressed on three priorities that New Delhi accords to the Indian Ocean region and referred to the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative of New Delhi.
"In its implementation, this approach includes: projects to promote hinterland linkages and strengthen regional connectivity; linking South Asia to Southeast Asia (under India's Act East Policy); and playing an active and constructive role in strengthening regional maritime security."
Sushma Swaraj said that the first part is India's focus on developing hinterland linkages and regional connectivity.
She said that India is devoting more resources and assigning greater priority to building connectivity, contacts and cooperation in its immediate neighbourhood.
"The second element is the expanded interpretation of what constitutes our neighbourhood," she said. "This is reflected in the renewed emphasis in our Act East Policy and the new Think West policy towards West Asia and the Gulf region."
Sushma Swaraj said that the Act East Policy is at the heart of New Delhi's eastward orientation and ties in with its broader approach to the Indo-Pacific.
She said that India accords high priority to key infrastructure projects such as the Kaladan multi-modal transport linking the Sittwe Port in Myanmar with Mizoram in India's northeast, and the Trilateral Highway linking India, Myanmar and Thailand.
"Our recent agreement with Indonesia to develop port infrastructure in Sabong is yet another step in this direction," she said.
"Coming to the third element, contributing to regional maritime security: we are working to ensure the safety and security of maritime traffic through the ocean by strengthening skills and logistics of our Indian Ocean neighbours," Sushma Swaraj said.
The Indian Minister arrived here on Sunday on the first leg of her two-nation tour to Southeast Asia that will also see her visiting Cambodia.
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Assam: RSS files police complaints against Kharge for 'derogatory' remarks at poll rally
Guwahati (PTI): The RSS on Wednesday said it has filed complaints at two police stations in Assam against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for allegedly comparing the ideology of the organisation and the BJP with a 'poisonous snake' at an election rally.
The complaints were filed to seek legal action over alleged ''derogatory, provocative, and communally sensitive statements made during a recent election rally in south Assam, a RSS spokesman said
In the complaints, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh alleged that the Congress chief had made controversial remarks during an election rally in Nilambazar under the Karimganj South assembly constituency in Sribhumi district.
"If a poisonous snake is moving in front of you while you are offering namaz, you must stop the prayer and rush to kill the poisonous snake first - that is what the Quran prescribes you to do. I tell you that the RSS and BJP are like that same poisonous snake,” Kharge was quoted as saying in the complaints.
The RSS expressed serious concern, claiming that such remarks were "inflammatory in nature and capable of inciting hostility, intimidation, and violence against workers and supporters of the RSS and the BJP".
The complaints pointed out that the statement constitutes a ''corrupt electoral practice under Section 83 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the remarks criminally intimidated the public and promoted enmity between supporters of different political and social groups''.
Describing the ideology of RSS and BJP as “poisonous” and calling for their elimination could encourage "bodily harm against members and supporters of these organisations", the complaints said.
Kharge's remarks attempt to promote ''communal division between Hindu and Muslim communities, potentially disturbing public peace and harmony in Assam and influencing the electoral environment", the RSS said.
The complainants also claimed that such statements might lead to communal tensions or clashes if not addressed promptly by authorities.
The complaints were filed by RSS' North Assam secretary Khagen Saikia at Dispur Police Station and South Assam's secretary Jyotsnamoy Chakraborty at Silchar PS.
The BJP had also filed complaints on the same allegations at the Basishta Police Station here and with the Election Commission on Tuesday.
