India trashes Pakistan's claim of denial of overflight to send aid to Sri Lanka
New Delhi (PTI): India on Tuesday trashed as "ridiculous" Pakistan's claim that its request for using Indian airspace to send humanitarian aid to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka was denied by New Delhi.
"We reject the ridiculous statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, which is yet another attempt of spreading anti-India misinformation," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
The request for overflight clearance for a Pakistani aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka was received by the Indian high commission in Islamabad at around 1 pm on Monday, he said.
"Given the urgency of humanitarian assistance, the government of India processed the request expeditiously the same day and granted the overflight permission as per the itinerary proposed at 5:30 pm on December 1," Jaiswal added.
"India remains committed to assisting the people of Sri Lanka in these challenging times through all available means," he said in response to media queries on the issue.
Jaiswal's remarks came hours after Pakistan alleged that its relief operations for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka were being "hampered by lack of cooperation" by India as it delayed permission to use its airspace.
"India continues to block humanitarian assistance from Pakistan to Sri Lanka. The special aircraft carrying Pakistan's humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka continues to face delays for over 60 hours now awaiting flight clearance from India," the Pakistan Foreign Office alleged.
Sri Lanka has been reeling under flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse triggered by a cyclone.
India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to help the island nation recover from the devastation.
At least 410 people were killed and 336 missing till Tuesday morning in the catastrophic floods and landslides, according to Sri Lankan authorities.
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RSS man's defamation case against Rahul: Key witness unavailable, hearing adjourned to Dec 20
Thane (PTI): A court in Bhiwandi in Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the criminal defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker to December 20 due to non-availability of a crucial prosecution witness.
Advocate Narayan Iyer, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, confirmed the adjournment, stating that the witness, Ashok Saykar, currently Deputy Superintendent of Police in Barshi in Solapur, could not remain present due to personal reasons.
Saykar's evidence is now likely to be recorded on December 29.
His testimony is considered key because he, as police sub inspector in 2014, conducted the preliminary inquiry into the private defamation matter under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
It was on the basis of Saykar's submitted report that the court subsequently issued process (summons) against Rahul Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The criminal defamation case was filed by local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte following a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014.
The case stems from the Congress leader's alleged statement that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."
The matter is being heard by Bhiwandi Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, P M Kolse.
The hearing had previously been adjourned on November 15 after the complainant's counsel, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant, moved an application seeking permission to examine Saykar, who had submitted the probe report to the court.
The matter was originally scheduled for November 29 but was deferred to December 6 after Rahul Gandhi's legal team sought an adjournment citing their non-availability. The proceedings will now resume on December 20.
