Sri Vijaya Puram (PTI): A tribal delegation from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and raised concern over the proposed Great Nicobar Infrastructure project.
During the interaction on Thursday, the delegation expressed apprehensions about the potential adverse impact of the project on the fragile ecosystem of Great Nicobar Island and its indigenous tribal communities, according to a Congress statement issued here.
The delegation stressed that while development is essential, it must not come at the cost of ecological degradation or displacement and marginalisation of the tribal population. The members sought a balanced and sustainable approach that prioritises environmental conservation and safeguards the traditional rights and livelihoods of the native communities.
The delegation comprises members of the Tribal Council from Nicobar District, while Dr Vikrant Bhuria, national chairman of the All India Adivasi Congress, was also present at the meeting with Gandhi.
"The Leader of the Opposition (in Lok Sabha) gave a patient hearing to the delegation, acknowledging the gravity of the issues presented. He assured them that the concerns would be raised at appropriate fora," one of the tribal leaders from Great Nicobar said.
Gandhi also conveyed his intention to visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to directly engage with the people and better understand the ground realities, he said.
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Chandigarh (PTI): Madhu Kishwar has been booked following a complaint by a Chandigarh resident over the alleged circulation of forged and misleading content on social media.
An FIR has been lodged against Kishwar and some other social media users under relevant sections, including 196 (criminalises acts that promote enmity, hatred, or ill-will between groups based on religion, race, language), 336 (1) (forgery) and 356 (criminal defamation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act at Police Station Sector-26 here.
According to an official statement issued by the Chandigarh police on Monday, a city-based complainant on April 19 alleged that some forged and misleading social media posts and video clips with obscene text and content were being circulated by various social media users, misidentifying the person in the video.
Further investigation into the matter is underway.
As per the complainant, it is a deliberate act of creating a false electronic record using obscene words and phrases, having knowledge and sufficient reason to believe that the posts are misleading and false, with the intent to cause damage or injury.
The video, which circulated with the intent to cause harm to the reputation of a constitutional authority and to disturb public peace and tranquility, should be investigated, and appropriate action should be taken, according to the complainant.
As per the complainant, the person seen in the video is a travel vlogger whose wife regularly posts updates about their activities on social media. The original video was shared from her social media account.
"As per the statement of the woman, she disclosed that the person in the video shared from her account is her husband. Statements of her husband and another lady in the video have also been recorded during preliminary investigation," said police in the statement.
Meanwhile, Kishwar, in a social media post, said a team of Chandigarh police had visited her late Monday night to serve her notice regarding the FIR registered against her.
"Since the law forbids the police to visit or arrest women after dark and before sunrise, I spoke on phone to the leader of the delegation. She told me that their team has come to serve notice regarding an FIR registered against me in Chandigarh. I insisted that they go by the law and come in the morning," she wrote on X.
