Kathua barbaric rape: Did Arun Jaitley pass insensitive comment?
Here is the fact check about the viral poster
Did the Finance Mnister Arun Jaitley pass a lowly, insensitive remark over the gang rape, torture and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua which has sparked growing outrage across the nation?
A poster with Arun Jaitley’s name and picture was being spread virally on social media platforms throughout the day on Saturday.
The content of the poster is:
The poster in Kannada language carries the heading as ‘Maanaviyathe illada mrugagalu’ (Animals without humanity). The content of the poster followed by a quote of Arun Jaitley allegedly. The tranlsation of the quote is “The rape of an eight-year-old girl is a small incident. This issue is costing India billions in tourism,” Arun Jaitley.
Mr. Jaitely, would you have spoken in the same way if your daughter was there in the same place instead of that eight year old girl? Asks the poster. The poster has been spread virally on Facebook and WatsApp.
While sharing the poster, the users commented: “Jaitley being a senior leader have behaved very irresponsibly by giving such a statement.”
When Varthabharati.in tried to check if the finance minister has truly said so, no authentic information regarding his statement was found. Even there was no such video or post on his Twitter account or any of the TV channels have telecasted it so far.
But a report has been found on NDTV’s website which was published on August 22, 2014. Here is the link https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/one-small-incident-of-rape-arun-jaitley-clarifies-after-controversy-over-remark-652203 and screenshot.
This report says about a remark passed by the senior BJP leader at a tourism ministers’ conference which had sparked a controversy. "One small incident of rape in Delhi advertised world over is enough to cost us billions of dollars in terms of global tourism," Jaitley had said while speaking at the conference.
The comment had sparked a massive outrage that Jaitley had issued an insensitive statement on the gang rape and murder of a young woman in Delhi in 2012.
Jatiley, while clarifying his statement had said, "I regret that some word that I used was construed as insensitive, that was never my intention. I have been always been very outspoken about issues relating to crime against women. I am very sensitive to these issues myself,"
At present, Jaitley who is suffering from Kidney ailment is undergoing dialyses therapy at AIIMS in Delhi. Neither he is coming to office nor has taken oath of office after being re-elected to the Rajya Sabha. It is reported that he will be taking the oath on Sunday. In these circumstances, it is too difficult to believe that he had stated about the Kathua incident.
The possibilities of miscreants modifying the 2014’s statement to circulate on social media cannot be ruled out. Many have believed the post. The support of local BJP MLA in the favor of rape accused and the prime minister making delay in condemning the heinous crime might have also forced the people to believe the Arun Jaitley’s poster to be true.
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India submits nomination of Meghalaya's living root bridges for UNESCO World Heritage site
Shillong (PTI): India has submitted to UNESCO in Paris the nomination dossier of Meghalaya's living root bridges for consideration to include in the World Heritage list 2026-27, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Thursday.
The dossier was handed over by India's Ambassador Vishal V Sharma to UNESCO's World Heritage Centre Director Lazare Assomo Eloundou, a statement said.
"We are hopeful that the living root bridges will be inscribed this year, ensuring that the indigenous communities, the true guardians of this living heritage, receive the global recognition they so richly deserve," Sangma said on X.
While submitting the dossier, Sharma, the Permanent Representative to UNESCO, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Meghalaya CM for their support to the nomination, the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO said in a statement.
Sharma also acknowledged the role of Meghalaya Principal Secretary Frederick Kharkongor, officers of the Archaeological Survey of India, the Ministry of External Affairs, experts and the local communities in safeguarding the property and preparing the nomination.
Located across the southern slopes of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of the northeastern state, the nominated property represents a living cultural landscape shaped over centuries by indigenous Khasi and Jaintia communities.
"The landscape reflects a deep-rooted and harmonious relationship between people, nature and spirituality, embodied in traditional systems of land use, governance and ecological stewardship," the statement said.
The indigenous worldview underpinning the cultural landscape is anchored in principles of respect, reciprocity and responsibility towards Mei Ramew (Mother Earth), it said.
"The submission of this nomination underscores India's commitment to recognising and preserving living cultural traditions and indigenous knowledge systems, and to advancing global heritage conservation efforts through UNESCO," the statement added.
