More than 1,000 Scientists, Academics raise concerns over NIA probe in Elgar Parishad Case
Over 1,000 scientists and academics from India and abroad have endorsed a statement raising concerns over the actions of National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its investigation of the Bhima Koregaon violence.
Researchers from affiliated institutions such as Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Azim Premji University, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, Shiv Nadar University, Mumbai University, Calcutta University, among others, have alleged that instead of investigating those responsible for the violent clashes in Koregaon Bhima, the NIA (and earlier, the Pune Police) has focused on the Elgaar Parishad event, a large cultural and political gathering reportedly organised by two well-known retired judges.
“Surprisingly, in this process, the investigating agencies have arrested several illustrious citizens — including academics, lawyers and prominent activists. Most of the individuals taken into custody were not even present at the Elgaar Parishad event. So it is (very) unlikely that the government will secure a conviction in this case. However, by using the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the government has prevented those who have been arrested from obtaining bail,” read the statement.
“It appears to us that the NIA’s claims of investigating the “conspiracy” in the Elgaar Parishad case are actually a flimsy cover for cracking down on “urban Naxals” — who, in reality, are only dissident intellectuals — and keeping them in prison indefinitely,” it added.
After arresting Delhi Univeristy professor Hany Babu a few weeks ago, the NIA has continued to interrogate academics and activists, and even defence lawyers for some of the accused. Most recently, the NIA summoned the well-known scientist and activist, Professor Partho Sarothi Ray, of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, to Mumbai on September 10 for questioning in the case, the statement read.
Besides his outstanding scientific work, Ray has also been deeply involved in social causes. “He has worked extremely hard in coordinating efforts in the Nadia district to battle the Covid-19 pandemic, by helping to set up and operate the government-run COVID testing centre in the district,” the statement pointed.
The letter has demanded that the government should immediately end its crackdown on dissidents and release those arrested in the Elgaar Parishad case. It should focus on identifying and prosecuting perpetrators of the violence in Koregaon Bhima instead, it added.
Courtesy: Indianexpress.com
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2 LPG tankers sail through Strait of Hormuz, 16 still stranded
New Delhi (PTI): Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers have safely crossed the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are headed for Indian ports even as 16 other vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, officials said Monday.
LPG vessel Green Sanvi carrying 46,650 tonnes of LPG is scheduled to reach Indian port on April 7 while Green Asha with 15,500 tonnes of cargo is scheduled to touch Indian coast on April 9, said Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways at a news briefing.
"Indian maritime operations remain safe and uninterrupted amid West Asia crisis. 16 Indian-flagged vessels with 433 seafarers are in the region; two LPG carriers, Green Sanvi and Green Asha, safely crossed Strait of Hormuz," he said.
With this, eight Indian-flagged LPG tankers have safely transited through the strategic waterway, which has remained effectively shut since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's sweeping retaliation.
Of the vessels still stuck in the Persian Gulf, one is of a loaded liquefied natural gas (LNG), two are LPG tankers (one loaded and one empty), six are crude carriers (five loaded, one empty), three are container ships, one is a dredger, one is carrying chemical cargo and two are bulk carriers, he said.
Asked about reports of Iran charging a fee for letting ships cross the strait, Mangal said, "we have no information of such payments."
For a country that relies on imports from Gulf nations to meet as much as 60 per cent of its cooking gas needs, the arrivals will help ease the worst LPG shortage it is battling in decades. India consumed 33.15 million tonne of LPG last year, with imports accounting for about 60 per cent of demand. As much as 90 per cent of those imports came from West Asia.
The US-Israel attacks on Iran, and Tehran's sweeping retaliation have all but halted shipping through the strait - the narrow shipping lane that is the conduit for oil and gas exports from Gulf countries to the world. Iran has, however, stated that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the waterway after coordinating with Iranian authorities.
Last week, two LPG carriers, BW TYR and BW ELM, carrying combined LPG cargo of about 94,000 tonnes safely transited the region. While BW TYR reached Mumbai on March 31, BW ELM docked at New Mangalore on April 1.
Prior to that, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers had safely sailed through the strait. Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, carrying 92,612 tonnes of LPG, reached Indian ports between March 26 and March 28. MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi, carrying about 92,712 tonnes of LPG, had reached Mundra port in Gujarat on March 16 and Kandla port in the state on March 17.
Originally, there were 28 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz when the war in West Asia broke. Of these, 24 were on the West side of the strait and four on the East side. Eight vessels from the west side and two from east have managed to sail to safety.
Besides the eight LPG tankers, the Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki, with 80,886 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, reached Mundra on March 18.
Another tanker, Jag Prakash, carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, had previously safely crossed the strait and is en route to Tanzania.
