1. Home
  2. Muslim group ‘India First’ calls for easing restrictions in Kashmir

Muslim group ‘India First’ calls for easing restrictions in Kashmir

Agencies
September 25, 2019

Jammu and Kashmir, Sept 25: A group of Muslim intellectuals on Wednesday called for the easing of restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir while asserting that the state is an integral part of India and national interest is paramount.

India First, a group of Muslim intellectuals, also issued a release saying that as members of the civil society, they are concerned at the current human sufferings, particularly in the Valley.

The group said the reorganisation of the state following the abrogation of Article 370 provisions has raised apprehensions "in a section of the society".

"India as a democratic and secular country is governed by its Constitution. Every Act of Parliament with no exceptions is binding on all of us. However, for seeking further amendments, the same forum is available with a set of mechanism," the statement said.

Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and there can be no compromise or surrender on that, it said.

The India First Group said the statement has been endorsed by 37 Muslim intellectuals such as India First convenor Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed, Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah (retd), former president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's son Dr Pervez Ahmed and Maulana Azad Urdu University Chancellor Firoz Bakht.

"We decided that we should speak out in national interest and windows should be opened...We have raised humanitarian issues that people should get food, they should be able to earn a living, they should be able to have access to medical facilities," Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed said.

The government would be focussing on those issues and the group also wanted to bring the focus on such areas, he said.

Restrictions need to be eased and eventually gone, and dialogue with the Kashmiri people should be started at all levels, Ahmed said.

The human factor must take precedence over everything else, he said.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
July 30,2020

Kochi, Jul 30: The Kerala High Court on Thursday refused to grant the extension for the stay of a 74-year-old US citizen, Johnny Paul Pierce, who had earlier said that he felt safer to remain in India than in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The single-judge bench of Justice CS Dias, which considered the writ petition, observed that the grant or extension of visa to foreign nationals fall exclusively within the domain of the Government of India (GoI) and that judicial review in such matters is minimal.

The power of the GoI to expel foreigners is absolute and unlimited, the bench said.

"In view of the categoric declaration of law by the Supreme Court, the plea of the petitioner to permit him to stay back in India cannot be accepted, as it falls within the purview of the guidelines and the discretion of the Government of India," the order said.

"The petitioner cannot be heard that the guidelines/policies/regulations formulated by the Government of India, that an American national though has been granted a visa having validity of five years has to leave India within 180 days, is irrational or unreasonable," it added.

The High Court, which was hearing a plea to permit the US citizen to stay in India for a further period of six months, said that the petitioner does not have a case that there is an infraction of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

"The petitioner was well aware of the visa conditions when he arrived in India, and it is too late in the day for him to raise a grievance on the visa conditions," the bench said noting that the petitioner's love for India was heartening.

The High Court also directed the Foreigners Registration Officer to consider the petitioner's representation within a period of two weeks in accordance with the applicable guidelines and policies.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
February 9,2020

Panaji, Feb 10: Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Rev Filipe Neri Ferrao, has urged the central government to "immediately and unconditionally revoke the Citizenship Amendment Act" and stop quashing the "right to dissent".

He also appealed to the government not to implement the proposed countrywide National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR).

Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, a wing of the Goa Church, in a statement on Saturday said, "The Archbishop and the Catholic community of Goa would like to appeal to the government to listen to the voice of millions in India, to stop quashing the right to dissent and, above all, to immediately and unconditionally revoke the CAA and desist from implementing the NRC and the NPR."

The CAA, NRC and NPR are "divisive and discriminatory" and will certainly have a "negative and damaging effect" on a multi-cultural democracy like ours, the church said.

There is serious concern that NRC and NPR will result in "direct victimisation of the underprivileged classes, particularly Dalits, adivasis, migrant labourers, nomadic communities and the countless undocumented people who, after having been recognised as worthy citizens and voters for more than 70 years, will suddenly run the risk of becoming stateless and candidates for detention camps," it said.

There has been widespread discontent and open protests throughout the country and even abroad against the CAA, NRC and NPR, which are "forecasting a systematic erosion of values, principles and rights" that have been guaranteed to all citizens in the Constitution, the release said.

Eminent citizens, including top intellectuals and legal luminaries, have taken a studied and unequivocal stand against the CAA, NRC and NPR, it noted.

Goa also witnessed several protests, which transcended the confines of religious and caste affiliation and brought people from all walks of life together on one united platform, said the statement.

It said Christians in India have always been a peace loving community and deeply committed to the ideals of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, enshrined in the
Constitution.

"We have always taken great pride that our beloved country is a secular, sovereign, socialist, pluralistic anddemocratic republic," the church said.

The very fact that CAA uses religion goes against the secular fabric of the country, it said.

"It goes against the spirit and heritage of our land which, since times immemorial, has been a welcoming home to all, founded on the belief that the whole world is one big family," the church said.

"We pray for our beloved country, that good sense, justice and peace prevail in the hearts and minds of all," it added.

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
August 4,2020

Ayodhya, Aug 4: Ramarchan puja begins at Ram Janmabhoomi site ahead of the foundation laying ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Ramarchan Puja is a prayer to invite all major gods and goddesses ahead of Lord Ram's arrival.

Mahesh Bhagchandka, one of the trustees of Ashok Singhal foundation as Yajman in the puja said, "This is being conducted at the temporary seat of Ramlalla. The pooja will be conducted in four phases."

Speaking about the third and fourth phases, he said: "In the third phase, Dashrath, father of Lord Ram with his wives will be worshipped and then all three brothers of Lord Ram - Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan with their wives. Lord Hanuman ji will too be worshipped. Whereas in the fourth phase, Lord Ram will be worshipped."
Meanwhile, security has been heightened in Ayodhya ahead of the foundation laying ceremony.

Temples across the city is decorated with lights, diyas and flowers ahead of the grand event. Patna's Mahavir Mandir Trust is preparing over 1.25 lakh 'Raghupati Laddoos' for the occasion. Thes laddoos will be distributed as 'prasad' to devotees.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday offered prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple during his visit to Ayodhya to take stock of the preparations for the 'bhoomi pujan'.
He along with officials also visited 'Ram ki Paudi' to inspect the arrangements ahead of the foundation stone laying ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5. 

Comments

Add new comment

About text formats
  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.