Amnesty India chair Aakar Patel says he was stopped from flying to US due to CBI lookout notice
Bengaluru(PTI): The Amnesty International India chair Aakar Patel alleged on Wednesday that he was stopped from leaving India at the airport here as Immigration officials told him that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued a lookout circular against him.
The CBI raided the premises of human rights watchdog's offices in Bengaluru and New Delhi in November 2019.
About 15 CBI officers had visited Amnesty office in Indiranagar, a posh locality near the central business district in Bengaluru taking away details pertaining to multiple compliances, organisation structure and others.
In 2018, the Enforcement Directorate raided the Amnesty International India office in connection with a foreign exchange contravention case.
The searches were in connection with the alleged violation of foreign direct investment norms linked to a previous case of revocation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of the NGO by the Home Ministry in 2010.
Back then, the Amnesty International India alleged that a pattern of harassment has emerged every time Amnesty India stands up and speaks out against human rights violations in India.
It said that it stands in full compliance with Indian and international law.
Patel said on Wednesday when he went to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here in the morning to catch a flight from Bengaluru to Boston, Immigration officials stopped him saying that he was on the lookout circular by the CBI.
"I don't know why I am on the lookout circular. I did not know about it that I could not fly. I missed my flight and now I am back home. They (Immigration officials) did not let me go," Patel told PTI. Patel alleged that there was a case filed against him by a BJP MLA in Surat for which his passport had been impounded. He got the passport back from the court. He wanted to fly to the USA to deliver lectures in three universities-- Michigan University, Berkley University and New York University, Patel said.
"The talks are this month. The court released my passport. I got my Visa. I went to the airport. I was stopped at Immigration. I was told that I am on a lookout circular, that's the word that was used, from the CBI for the case that they had filed against the Amnesty in which I have neither been arrested nor I am on bail," the Amnesty International India chair said. Wondering why he was on the lookout circular, he said he had no clue that he could not fly.
Patel said he will see what legal options were available because he has to speak to his lawyers.
"This issue suddenly came up. Last time they (CBI) had called me was 14 months ago and I went there," he added.
CBI officer called to say I am on the Look-Out Circular because of the case Modi govt has filed against Amnesty International India
— Aakar Patel (@Aakar__Patel) April 6, 2022
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
