Tejashwi mocks Nitish for questioning demonetisation benefits
Patna, May 27: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday mocked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying the latter had supported demonetisation but was now questioning it, and soon he will describe demonetisation as the biggest scam of India.
A day after Nitish Kumar questioned the benefits of the much-hyped demonetisation move to the common people and slammed banks that allegedly helped the rich and powerful to manage their cash following the central government's November 8, 2016 move, Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, said: "Our beloved Nitish Chacha took another sharp U-turn."
Tejashwi Yadav, the former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister tweeted: "He (Nitish Kumar) supported demonetisation but is now questioning it. He is always years behind in understanding the issues, difficulties and demands of common people. Don't be surprised if he calls demonetisation the biggest scam of India."
Nitish Kumar on Saturday surprised not only his ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders here but his own party leaders when he questioned the benefits of demonetisation.
"I was supporter of demonetisation... but how many people benefited from it? Some powerful people shifted their cash from one place to another," the Bihar Chief Minister said at a meeting with bank officials here.
It is for the first time that Nitish Kumar, who is also the president of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) -- a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally -- has questioned the demonetisation move of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Incidentally, Nitish Kumar's utterances against the December 2016 demonetisation move came on a day when the BJP was celebrating completion of four years of the Modi government at the Centre.
After the Chief Minister expressed his reservations about the benefits of demonetisation, senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who was also present, downplayed his statement, saying: "Nitish Kumar has been a supporter of demonetisation."
In 2016, Kumar, then part of the Grand Alliance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, had supported demonetisation, while RJD chief Lalu Prasad had opposed the move.
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India to pursue extradition of Khalistani separatist Arsh Dalla with Canada following his arrest
New Delhi, Nov 14: India on Thursday said it will pursue an extradition request with Canada for Arsh Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla, the de-facto chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, following his arrest in that country.
Dalla was designated in India as a terrorist in 2023.
In July 2023, India had requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest.
"In view of the recent arrest, our agencies will be following up on an extradition request," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"Given Arsh Dalla's criminal record in India and his involvement in similar illegal activities in Canada, it is expected that he will be extradited or deported to face justice in India," he added.
Dalla was reportedly arrested by the Canadian Police late last month.
"We have seen media reports circulating since November 10 on the arrest in Canada of proclaimed offender Arsh Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla, the de-facto chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force," Jaiswal said.
"Canadian print and visual media have widely reported on the arrest. We understand that the Ontario Court has listed the case for hearing," he added.
Jaiswal was replying to media queries regarding the arrest of Dalla.
"Arsh Dalla is a proclaimed offender in over 50 cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion and terrorist acts, including terror financing. In May 2022, a Red Corner Notice was issued against him," Jaiswal said.
"He was designated in India as an individual terrorist in 2023. In July 2023, the Government of India had requested the Canadian government for his provisional arrest. This was declined," he added.
Jaiswal said India had provided additional information in the case to the Canadian authorities.
"A separate request was also sent to Canada under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to verify Arsh Dalla's suspected residential address, his financial transactions to India, moveable/immovable properties, details of mobile numbers etc - all of which were provided to Canadian authorities in January 2023," Jaiswal said.
"In December 2023, the Department of Justice of Canada sought additional information on the case. A reply to these queries was sent in March this year," he added.
Our response to media queries regarding the arrest of a designated terrorist in Canada:https://t.co/c6CasRuteb pic.twitter.com/XfH4S5UzUr
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 14, 2024
