UPA deported over 80,000 Bangladeshis in 2005-2013, NDA did 1,822 in 4 years: Congress
New Delhi, Aug 4 : The Congress on Saturday alleged that BJP President Amit Shah lied on the deportation of foreigners, claiming that the UPA government had deported 82,728 Bangladeshi foreigners between 2005-2013, while the count was only 1,822 in the last four years of the Modi government.
On deportation, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala recalled three replies given by the Home Ministry in Rajya Sabha on three different occasions in 2008, 2016 and 2018. These replies given in Parliament state that 88,792 Bangladeshi nationals were deported between 2005 and 2013 (during UPA rule). The reply also stated that from 2014 to 2017, 1,822 Bangladeshi nationals were deported during the NDA rule.
The first reply was in October 2008 by then Minister of State for Home Affairs V. Radhika Selvi (from DMK, UPA-I). She had said the number of deported Bangladeshis in 2005 was 14,916. In 2006, it was 13,692 and in 2007, the number was 12,135.
The second reply was given by Minister of State Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on March 9, 2016 in Rajya Sabha (from 2008 to 2014) and the third reply was given again by Rijiju on March 14, 2018 for the period 2013 to 2017.
Surjewala also accused Amit Shah and Modi government of duplicity, deception and double-speak.
Daring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah to clarify their stance on Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, Surjewala said: "On one side, they are shedding crocodile tears on NRC and claiming deportation of foreigners, and on the other, Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 seeks to give citizenship to foreigners undoing the entire process of NRC."
"Instead of fooling the people, Modi, Shah and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal must answer whether they support the NRC process or whether they support the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 as both are directly in conflict with each other.
"NRC process will fail once citizenship is given to everyone as per the Citizenship Amendment Bill," he added.
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.
Govt floats tender for new Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg
Mumbai (PTI): In the wake of collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, the Maharashtra government has issued a tender for the construction of a new 60-foot-tall statue there, nearly twice the size of the previous one, officials said on Wednesday.
The statue will be built at a cost of Rs 20 crore and the government has set a six-month timeframe for the completion of the work, they said.
A 35-foot-tall statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district on December 4 (Navy Day) last year, collapsed on August 26 amid strong winds.
The statue's sculptor, Jaydeep Apte, was later arrested.
The government has faced flak as the opposition parties alleged the decision to install the statue in Sindhudurg was taken haphazardly, which resulted in poor quality of work.
Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) had flagged concerns over rust gathering on Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and suggested permanent measures in a letter sent to a Naval official just six days before the structure collapsed.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.
He claimed winds were blowing at 45 km per hour when the statue collapsed.
A tender has been issued for the construction of a new statue and its height would be 60 feet, a PWD official said.
"The total cost would now be Rs 20 crore, including its engineering, installation and maintenance. The government has given six months to complete the work. The height of the statue would be 60 feet," the official said.
