Isolate the forces of violence; end political killings: Vice President

Agencies
February 17, 2018

Kozhikode, Feb 17: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today condemned political killings and asked people to isolate the forces of violence.

"Progress will not be possible without peace. I appeal to the people of Kerala to isolate the forces of violence," he said, speaking at the release of the 100th book of senior BJP leader in Kerala, P S Sreedharan Pillai. 

The Vice-President's statement assumes significance in the backdrop of killing of a Youth Congress leader Shuhaib, allegedly by ruling CPI(M) workers, at the politically sensitive Kannur district on February 13. 

Coming down heavily on political clashes, Naidu said such attacks were not good. "Murder and violence affect the social fabric. They will divert attention. I request the Kerala state to isolate violence," he said. 

"If there is tension, there cannot be attention towards development", Naidu said and exhorted the people to use the power of the ballot and not that of the bullet. "Everything should be decided by the ballot because the ballot is stronger than the bullet", he said. 

Urging for a "full stop" to the violence, Naidu said people should strengthen the democratic process in the country. "We have a long illustrious heritage spanning more than a million years. We as a nation are very young, but as a civilisation, we are very old." 

Indians believed in "Vasudeva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family, the Vice President said. Naidu said the essence of Indianness has been defined by noted American writer and philosopher Will Durant, who said "India will teach us the tolerance and gentleness of mature mind, understanding spirit and a unifying, pacifying love for all human being". 

"We may differ in language, religion, region and in worshipping Gods and Goddesses. But India is one and we are proud to be Indians", Naidu said. He said secularism in India was safe not because of the politicians, but because it is bred in the minds of the people. "It is in the DNA of the Indians who have concern for all others", he said. 

"People in Kozhikode are concerned about the people in Jammu and Kashmir and people in Kashmir are concerned about their brethren in Kanyakumari", Naidu said. 

On the economic front, Naidu said that in seven years, the economy would be the third largest in the world." To achieve this, everyone should make their contribution, he said. 
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi Naidu said "cleanliness is much more important than political freedom. Mana, Gana and Dhana should be clean". "If money is clean there will be no tension.

If the money earned is not clean then there will always be tension", Naidu said. India continued to make progress in various fields, he said, adding the country also has challenges in some sectors, including in public health care and education.

Comments

A Kannadiga
 - 
Sunday, 18 Feb 2018

Mr. Naidu, you should have changed your tune before becoming Vice President of India.

Bhageertha Bhaira
 - 
Saturday, 17 Feb 2018

Mr vice president, you should be well aware that forces of Gujarat genocide are ruling the country and you also came from same back ground.

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News Network
May 20,2020

United Nations, May 20: Highlighting India's long-standing history of promoting inclusive and peaceful societies, a top UN official on Tuesday voiced concern over incidents of "increased hate speech and discrimination" against minority communities in the country following the adoption of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Under-Secretary-General and UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng, however, welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for unity and brotherhood in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.

Dieng said in a note to the media on Tuesday that he is "concerned over reports of increased hate speech and discrimination against minority communities in India" since the adoption of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December 2019.

The Indian government has maintained that the CAA is an internal matter of the country and stressed that the goal is to protect the oppressed minorities of neighbouring countries.

The CAA, which was notified on January 10, grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh till December 31, 2014, following persecution over their faith.

"While the objective of the act, to provide protection to minority communities is commendable, it is concerning that this protection is not extended to all groups, including Muslims. This is contrary to India’s obligations under international human rights law, in particular on non-discrimination,” Dieng said.

The Special Adviser recognised "India’s long standing and well recognised history of promoting inclusive and peaceful societies, with respect for equality and principles of non-discrimination.”

He also welcomed recent statements by Prime Minister Modi that the COVID-19 pandemic “does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or border before striking and that our response and conduct...should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood.”

Dieng encouraged the Government of India to "continue to abide by this guidance by ensuring that national laws and policies follow international standards related to non-discrimination and to address and counter the rise of hate speech through messages of inclusion, respect for diversity and unity.”

He further reiterated that he would continue to follow developments and expressed his readiness to support initiatives to counter and address hate speech.

The hate speech and the dehumanisation of others goes against international human rights norms and values, he added.

“In these extraordinary times brought about by the COVID-19 crisis it is more important than ever that we stand united as one humanity, demonstrating unity and solidarity rather than division and hate,” he said.

Dieng also expressed concern over reports of violence during demonstrations against CAA in some regions of India.

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Agencies
February 7,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 7: Kerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac on Friday began presenting the fifth budget of the CPI(M)-led LDF government for the 2020-21 fiscal by making remarks against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the unanimous resolution passed by the state assembly against it.

Stating the amended act was posing a threat to the basic credentials of the Constitution, he said the country was witnessing the biggest protests ever in the post-Independence era.

Students and women are at the forefront of the anti- CAA agitations and the hope of the country lies in the youth who hit the streets vowing they would not let the country down, he said.

Coming down heavily on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, Isaac said a communalised government machinery, leaders who talk only about "disgust and hatred" and their party workers who consider violence as their duty was the current reality in the country.

"Generally speaking, it is the present India...The concerns triggered by Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are beyond words. The fear of detention centres are hanging above the head of over 19 lakh people of Assam who have lived as Indians till yesterday," he said.

Quoting from a poem 'Fear' by a 15-year old boy from Wayanad Dhruvath Gautham who wrote 'fear is country and silence is an ornament!,' Isaac said "even the imagination of our children is now filled with fear".

Referring to the stringent opposition raised by the Left government in the state against the CAA and NRC, the finance minister lavished praise on the joint protests led by the ruling LDF and opposition UDF against the central act.

Setting aside political differences, the rival fronts in the state had joined hands to protest when the country had faced existential threat which had become a model for other states, he said.

When Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala jointly protested at the same venue against CAA, Kerala became a model to other states, the senior leader added.

The state showcased the same unity while passing a resolution requesting the centre to repeal the CAA and filing a suit in the apex court against this under the Article 130, he said.

"The country's economy is heading towards a severe economic crisis like that witnessed in 2009," he said.

Earlier, the references to anti-CAA protests had found a place in the Pinarayi Vijayan government's policy address also.

While presenting the policy address in the House, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had read out references to anti- CAA resolution passed by the house, despite disagreeing with it.

Reading out the the anti-CAA stand of the state government, the Governor said "our citizenship can never be on the basis of religion as this goes against the grain of secularism which is part of the basic structure of our constitution.

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News Network
January 18,2020

New Delhi, Jan 18: Senior advocate Indira Jaising urged the mother of Nirbhaya to pardon the men on death row who were convicted for the 2012 gang rape of her daughter.

Jaising took to Twitter to make the request shortly after Asha Devi on Friday expressed her disappointment following a Delhi court postponed the date of the execution of the four convicts.

"While I fully identify with the pain of Asha Devi I urge her to follow the example of Sonia Gandhi who forgave Nalini and said she didn't not want the death penalty for her. We are with you but against the death penalty," Jaisingh tweeted.

Asha Devi lashed out at Jaisingh suggesting pardon for the convicts. "I can't believe how Indira Jaising even dared to suggest such this. I met her many times over the years in Supreme Court, not once she asked for my wellbeing and today, she is speaking for convicts. Such people earn livelihood by supporting rapists, hence rape incidents don't stop," Asha Devi told ANI.

Nalini was arrested and convicted for her role in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

Earlier on Friday Asha Devi had lashed out at the courts and the government stating that "the same people who had in the year 2012 gone around participating in rallies and raised slogans for women's safety are playing with the death of my daughter for their political gains. They have stopped the execution for their political gains."

The death-row convicts who were earlier slated to be executed on January 22 at 7 am are set to be hanged on February 1 at 6 am.

Asha Devi rued that the convicts got what they wished for. "I will not be satisfied until they are hanged," she added.

Four convicts, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan and Mukesh were convicted and sentenced to death for raping a 23-year-old woman in a moving bus in the national capital on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012.

The victim, who was later given the name Nirbhaya succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Singapore where she had been airlifted for medical treatment.

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