Sushma's statement on Doklam hides more than it reveals: Congress
New Delhi, Aug 1 : The Congress on Wednesday said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajs remarks in the Lok Sabha about status quo on Doklam was "a dubious ploy" to make headlines and it "hides more than it reveals."
In a statement, Congress communications incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala said the "denials, half-truths and doublespeak" on Doklam were endangering India's national security and strategic interests.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make a statement in Parliament placing all facts and tell his government's policy on de-militarising the Doklam plateau.
The Congress leader said Sushma Swaraj's statement on Doklam is covered with a "sheet of misleading opaqueness" and fails to provide the larger picture of Chinese presence in South Doklam.
Surjewala said China was staring at the "Siliguri Corridor - the Gateway to India's northeast" -- and Modi government was almost "ducking the Doklam question."
Sushma Swaraj had said that there has been no change in the status quo at the site of the military face-off with China in Doklam and the issue was resolved with diplomatic maturity in August last year.
"Modi government and Sushma Swaraj were conspicuously silent on the Chinese military buildup and new road construction in the south Doklam region, overlooking the Siliguri corridor," Surjewala said.
Surjewala said Modi had met Chinese President Xi Jinping thrice during the last four months but there is "no conclusive reaction" from his government to the reports about the Chinese military build-up in the region.
He said no word on Doklam emanated during visits of Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to China in April this year.
"Sushma Swaraj's vacuous statement on Doklam in Parliament today speaks volumes about the Modi government's uncertain foreign policy and continuous flip-flops to the Chinese misadventure in Doklam which is harming India's strategic interests," he said.
Surjewala said that External Affairs Ministry statement of August 28 last year had said that both India and China have agreed on "expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam" but the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement had said that the "it shall continue to patrol the Doklam area through its Armed Forces".
The Congress leader said that the party had pointed to heavy Chinese military presence in Doklam in January this year based on satellite images, the External Affairs Ministry had issued a vague statement that initially denied the Chinese military presence in the region.
He said media reports and satellite imagery had suggested that the Chinese Army has not only built a full-fledged Chinese Military Complex in Doklam but also occupied the entire Doklam plateau right upto 10m from Indian Army post.
The images had shown concrete posts, seven helipads, new trenches and several dozen armoured vehicles close to the point where the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops were locked in a 73-day confrontation last year, he said.
Surjewala said Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed the veracity of these satellite images and Sitharaman had belatedly accepted in parliament that PLA had "constructed sentry posts, trenches and helipads in Doklam area to maintain troops during winter".
He also referred to visit of Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to Bhutan in July and said he had discussed Doklam issue.
Sushma Swaraj had told the Lok Sabha that there was dispute between China and Bhutan about north Doklam and it was for not India to comment.
"The BJP is utterly consumed in managing headlines for domestic expansion and has completely forgotten the Chinese presence in north and south Doklam," he said.
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UPSC cheating case: Puja Khedkar seeks pre-arret bail, moves SC
New Delhi, Jan 14: Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination, has moved the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma is scheduled to hear the plea on January 15.
Khedkar has challenged the December 23 2024 Delhi High Court order which refused to grant her anticipatory bail.
The high court said a strong prima facie case was made out against Khedkar and an investigation was required to unearth the "larger conspiracy" to manipulate the system and a pre-arrest bail would adversely impact it.
"Anticipatory bail plea is dismissed. Interim protection from arrest is vacated," the high court said.
Khedkar was granted an interim protection from arrest when the high court issued notice on her anticipatory bail plea on August 12, 2024, and it was extended from time to time.
The UPSC examination was the most prestigious test and the case was a classic instance of fraud committed on a constitutional body as well as the society, the high court said.
Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC civil services examination, 2022, to get reservation benefits.
She refuted all the allegations against her.
The anticipatory bail plea was opposed by the Delhi Police counsel and the complainant, the UPSC, in the high court.
While Khedkar's counsel argued she was willing to join and cooperate in the investigation and as all the material was documentary in nature, her custody was not required, Delhi Police said her custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the involvement of others.
The UPSC opposed the plea and said Khedkar committed a fraud against it and the public, and her custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the "magnitude" of the fraud which couldn't have been done without the help of others.
The UPSC initiated a series of actions against Khedkar, including lodging of a criminal case, for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking her identity whereas Delhi Police lodged an FIR for various offences.
