Hurriyat should be included in dialogue process: Aiyar
Srinagar, Aug 25: Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said on Saturday that Hurriyat should be included in every dialogue process, adding that Article 35A must remain a part of the Constitution to ensure that the people of Kashmir do not feel threatened.
Aiyar was delivering a lecture at a seminar organized by the Centre for Peace and Progress in summer capital Srinagar.
"A right that Kashmiris have for the last so many years should remain with them so that they do not feel threatened," he said.
"It is in our Constitution and one must not make any attempt to revoke it. Some people are unnecessarily raking up the issue which is not in anyone's interest," he said.
"The matter is in the Supreme Court, but I hope the court would take the national interest into account before taking any decision," Aiyar said.
Later, talking to reporters, Aiyar said: "When we came here in May last year, we had invited the Hurriyat. We met everyone who was ready to meet us. We could not meet Yasin Malik. Yesterday, I got a friend to call him saying I was coming again, if I could meet him. He replied saying that he would meet me in Delhi and not here."
"I agree with you that Hurriyat should also be included in all the dialogues. Dialogues should be held with everyone. I also know many Kashmiris who want to be with India. I consider Kashmiris as one of my own and myself as one of them," he added.
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Retired govt official becomes victim of 'digital arrest', duped of Rs 40 lakh
Faridabad: A retired government official from Faridabad was duped of Rs 40 lakh by fraudsters posing as TRAI and Mumbai Police officials, who placed her under 'digital arrest' for 18 days, police said on Sunday.
The victim, Monika, who retired from her post as Labour Welfare Commissioner with the Central Ministry, lives with her 90-year-old mother in Faridabad, while her daughter resides in Delhi, police added.
On November 11 last year, she received a call on her mobile from an unknown number and was held hostage for the next 18 days, police said.
According to the victim's complaint, the caller introduced himself as a representative of the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) and informed her that an account had been opened in Canara Bank, Mumbai, using her Aadhar card and phone number. The caller also mentioned a large transaction made from that account involving the CEO of a private aviation company.
The victim denied opening any account in Mumbai, to which the caller replied that a huge transaction had been made from the account.
The caller then transferred the call to another individual, who introduced himself as a Mumbai Police officer. During a video call, the alleged officer showed documents related to a loan from the bank account and sent her an arrest warrant via WhatsApp.
The fraudster, claiming to cooperate with the investigation, insisted on house arrest and kept WhatsApp voice calls active day and night, instructing the victim not to tell anyone about the situation or she would be arrested, police said
During this period, the accused transferred Rs 40 lakh from her account, promising to return the money after the investigation was complete, police said.
On the 18th day, when the accused stopped responding during a video call, Monika realised she had been duped. Due to fear I did not complain to anyone for about 15 days but finally now moved to police", she said in her complaint.
A senior police officer said that an FIR has been registered and an investigation is underway.
