Sitharaman asks Cong to speak in one voice on Kashmir
Chennai, Sep 10 : Describing abrogation of Article 370 as a path breaking decision of the Centre, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Congress should speak in one voice on Jammu and Kashmir and matters of national security.
The opposition party should evaluate the situation, she told reporters here to a question about a reported Pakistan dossier to the UN Human Rights Council purportedly having remarks of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah against the Centre's action in scrapping special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
"The Congress leadership should please look at what is happening within the country and speak in one voice as regards to issues like Jammu and Kashmir and as regards to issues which matters to the country's national security", she told reporters.
The Finance Minister was addressing a press conference on "100 days of bold initiatives and decisive actions taken by the government".
Abrogation of Article 370 was a major path breaking decision of the Centre which gave the opportunity of reservation benefits to Scheduled Castes, and Schedule Tribes, she said.
Addressing the 42nd session of the UNHRC at Geneva, Pakistan on Tuesday said the UN Human Rights Council, the repository of the world's conscience on human rights, must not remain "indifferent" to the situation in Kashmir after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
The Centre last month removed special status under Art 370 to Jammu and Kashmir and announced that the state would be divided into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh.
Congress had last month slammed Pakistan for "mischievously" dragging Rahul Gandhi's name in its petition in the UN.
As reports of Pakistan using his August 10 comments that "there are reports of violence, there are reports of people dying in Jammu and Kashmir" became public, Gandhi had said he disagreed with the BJP-led government on many issues but is clear that Kashmir is India's internal issue, and violence there was "instigated and supported" by Pakistan. .
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Owaisi dismisses Pak PM's 'threats' on Indus Water Treaty, says it won't impact India
Hyderabad, Aug 13 (PTI): AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday dismissed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's "threats" over the Indus Water Treaty, saying they would not have any impact on India.
Speaking to reporters here, Owaisi also said the BrahMos missile is India’s answer to Pakistan.
“You (Sharif) are the Prime Minister of a country… You are using such a language that it will not have any impact on us. The (Indian) government has kept the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance. Instead of showing some change, you are threatening. Threats will not have any impact on India. Enough of it,” he said, in response to a query on the remarks of Sharif, its army chief Asim Munir and other leaders on the treaty.
Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said India would not be allowed to snatch "even one drop" of water belonging to Pakistan, amid tensions between the two neighbours.
A day after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India took a series of punitive measures against Pakistan that included putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960 in "abeyance".
On Special Intensive Revision undertaken by the Election Commission in Bihar, the Hyderabad MP alleged that the names of many legitimate voters were being deleted.
He noted that the Centre has not specified which documents prove citizenship.
“The ministry responsible for citizenship is not stating what documents are admissible as proof of citizenship. Then, on what basis is ECI taking responsibility (for SIR). That's why, we say there is a lot of confusion. If name is not part of the SIR, it will be said you (concerned person) are not a citizen (of the country). What will people do then?” Owaisi asked.
Responding to a Congress leader’s allegations of fake voters in the assembly constituencies represented by AIMIM, he said election authorities have conducted verification and found nothing amiss when similar charges were levelled in the past.
Noting that many municipal corporations across the country have ordered the closure of slaughterhouses and meat shops on August 15, he termed it "unconstitutional" and sought to know the link between meat consumption and Independence Day celebration.
“These meat bans violate people’s right to liberty, privacy, livelihood, culture, nutrition and religion,” he added.
