Indian family to be deported from Israel amid crackdown on illegal migrant workers
Jerusalem: Four members of an Indian family, including two children, detained in Israel for staying illegally are likely to be deported soon after the completion of formalities, officials here said amidst a crackdown on illegal migrant workers.
Indian couple with two minor children were on Thursday arrested by Israel's immigration authority, according to a media report.
Inspectors of the country's Population and Immigration Authority broke into the home of Tina and Minin Lopez and arrested them along with their children- seven-year-old daughter Eliana and a one-year-old toddler, Ha'aretz Online reported.
The family from Karnataka was taken to the Beit Dagan detention facility in central Israel. They were released last night and are likely to be deported soon after the related formalities are completed, authorities said.
The couple reportedly came to Israel from India to work as nurses 12 years ago. Eliana, who is a second-grader in a school in Tel Aviv, and her one-year-old sibling were both born in Israel.
The family, except the younger child, had visited the Indian embassy in February 2018 for late birth registration of their elder child but did not complete the formalities.
Attorney David Tadmor, who represents the family, said, "the Immigration Authority, instead of adhering to instructions by the courts, continues its bullying actions."
"This is a scandal. The Immigration Authority has not begun implementing the instructions of the Justice Ministry and the appellate court. It isn't authorized at all to arrest children, and isn't allowed to put out arrest warrants. We will contact the Attorney General and demand that he immediately rein in the authority," Tadmor was quoted as saying in the report.
The arrest comes amidst a crackdown on illegal migrant workers throughout Israel. The Immigration Authority came under fire in recent weeks for arresting two Filipino children who were born in Israel while they were preparing to go to school.
Gena Antigo, 13, and Ralph Harel, 10, were released earlier this week on a USD 8,510 bail each after an appeals court ruled that their arrests and the decision to deport them and their mothers were wrong, the news report said.
The court ruling is said to be also based on the fact that the Immigration Authority had violated a new Justice Ministry regulation, which determines that minors under the age of 12 should receive a hearing before a decision is made to deport them.
A large number of students, teachers and parents demonstrated outside the Givon Prison against the detention of Antigo and Harel.
As the new school year began, the director general of the Immigration Authority, Shlomo Mor Yosef, promised that children of migrants would not be stopped during the school day, on their way to school or on their way home.
However, the Authority said the arrests of the Indian children do not violate this promise, as it does not apply to the time frame prior to leaving for school, the report said.
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Second anniversary of Ram temple's consecration to be celebrated on Dec 31, says trust
Ayodhya (PTI): The second anniversary of the consecration of the Ram temple will be celebrated on December 31, with flag hoisting ceremonies planned on the spires of seven sub-temples in the temple complex, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said on Friday.
According to the Trust, this year's anniversary will be marked as "Pratishtha Dwadashi". A meeting scheduled for Saturday will finalise the framework for the celebration.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are likely to attend the December 31 ceremony as chief guests, the Trust officials said.
Both leaders may jointly hoist the flags on the spires of all seven sub-temples, they added.
Trust sources said that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on November 25, when he hoisted the flag on the main spire of the temple, plans were also in place to hoist flags on the spires of Shiva, Surya, Ganpati, Hanumana, Bhagwati, Annapurna and Sheshavatara temples.
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"The plan was postponed due to unavoidable reasons," a source said, adding that finishing work on the temples was pending at that time.
"All seven temples have now been fully completed, including decoration work. Preparations are underway to hoist the flags during the 'Pratishtha Dwadashi' celebration," the source added.
Rituals for the celebration will begin on December 27, including the worship of the flags to be hoisted. The designs for these flags have already been finalised.
Trustee Anil Mishra said that the quarterly meeting of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will be held on Saturday, during which Ram Mandir Construction Committee Chairman Nripendra Mishra will review the progress of ongoing construction works in the complex.
