RSS 'very nationalistic', has kept India united: Kiran Bedi

January 21, 2015

New Delhi, Jan 21: A rare BJP leader with no RSS link, Kiran Bedi, the party's Chief Ministerial nominee for Delhi, today described the Sangh as "very nationalistic" that has kept India united.KIRAN BEDI

The 65-year-old Bedi, who has been pitchforked to a leadership role within days of joining BJP, also felt that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing organisation, was a very disciplined outfit and has been contributing significantly to nation building.

"They( RSS) are very nationalistic. I would think here is an organisation which kept India together, which has kept India neat," Bedi told  in an exclusive interview.

The former IPS officer, who was a core member of Team Anna till about two years back along with Kejriwal before they parted ways, said the AAP leader's agitation at Rajpath within a month of becoming Chief Minister(on December 28, 2013) had "ticked" her off very much.

It was after Kejriwal's protest at Rajpath that she thought of joining politics to save Delhi from "confrontational politics", she said.

"The city of Delhi was the reason for my joining politics. Delhi has gone through a huge upheaval ever since this man's (Kejriwal) entry (into politics). It stood still and it's been only on an agitation mode which left a very bad taste in the mouth of Indians.

"Because whatever happens in Delhi, happens in India. It affects India, it impacts India. It's been all about confrontation, it's all about Rajpath Dharnas. What kind of person is he (Kejriwal) who says I am an anarchist?. Three days Delhi was standstill (when Kejriwal was on dharna as Chief Minister)," she said.

While she was severely critical of AAP, she was full of praise for RSS and said people do not know the "real" RSS.

"You do not know them. I have seen it all..I saw very disciplined people and being very very strongly nationalistic. Teaching discipline to youngsters," she said.

Asked why she was not accepting Kejriwal's debate challenge as she herself two years back had asked Sonia Gandhi to go for a US Presidential campaign-like debate with the then BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Bedi said she did not want to participate in a "drama".

"That is not a challenge. It was for drama as I am in positive politics and not in bickering politics," Bedi said.

Rejecting criticism against her for joining politics when she herself was critical of Kejriwal when he floated AAP, Bedi said, "Politics is a vehicle for change, vehicle for reform and vehicle for governance" and that she joined BJP for a cause.

"The Anna Hazare movement had come to an end. It reached its logical conclusion. We should not waste time anymore. People are waiting for development and progress. They are waiting for good governance, growth and investment. I have come for positive politics," she said.

On whether BJP brought her to shield Prime Minister Narendra Modi from any blame in case BJP is defeated at the polls, Bedi said," The party leadership is bringing people like me to sow seeds of new kinds of politics."

Asked whether she talked to Anna Hazare before joining BJP, Bedi said she tried to contact him but was not successful.

Queried how she would want herself to be remembered, Bedi's reply was--"somebody who brought positivity to politics".

On growing resentment among the BJP leaders over her sudden entry as Chief Ministerial candidate, she dismissed the issue, saying she has conveyed to all leaders that they have to "walk together" towards victory.

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News Network
February 12,2020

New Delhi, Feb 12: Unidentified people opened fire at the convoy of the newly elected Aam Aadmi Party legislator Naresh Yadav in Southwest Delhi when he and his supporters were returning home after visiting a temple after his victory, killing a party volunteer, police and a senior AAP leader said.

The firing incident happened in Kishangarh village late Tuesday night.

Police said they have detained a person for questioning and the incident appears to be a case of personal enmity. Sources said seven rounds were fired at the MLA's convoy.

Another person injured in the incident has been admitted to a hospital.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh identified the dead party volunteer as Ashok Mann.

“Convoy of MLA Naresh Yadav attacked in Mehrauli, Ashok Mann killed. Naresh Yadav was returning home after visiting a temple,” Singh said in a tweet in Hindi.

“At least one volunteer has passed away due to bullet wounds. Another is injured,” AAP tweeted.

Ankit Lal, AAP's social media in-charge, added that miscreants in another car opened fire on the MLA's convoy near Fortis Hospital.

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News Network
May 18,2020

Muscat, May 18: An Air India special flight left for Hyderabad with a total of 182 stranded Indians from Oman on Monday.

"IX 818 departed for Hyderabad with total 182 passengers. We again express our gratitude to Omani & Indian authorities and wish all the passengers, safe journey home," Indian embassy in Oman said in a tweet.

Under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air India operated repatriation flight from Oman on Sunday to Kerala. It had brought back 183 Indians.

The phased evacuation is being done under the Centre's 'Vande Bharat' mission whose second phase started from May 16.

In order to facilitate the return of stranded Indian nationals in Oman, the Indian government has decided to operate more special flights to Bangalore, Calicut, Delhi, Kannur, Kochi, and Gaya on May 20, 21, 22 and 23.

Under the second phase, a total of 149 flights, including feeder flights, are expected to be operated to bring back stranded Indians from 40 countries.

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News Network
January 1,2020

Jammu, Jan 1: As many as 160 terrorists were killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year, while 250 terrorists, including 102 of Pakistani origin, were active in the Valley, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said on Tuesday, noting that terror incidents and the number of local youths turning towards terrorism have decreased.

"250 terrorists have been active in Jammu and Kashmir. There is a decrease in number of active terrorists as compared to last year," Mr Singh said at the annual press conference at police headquarters in Jammu.

The DGP said that there is 30 per cent fall in terrorist incidents, less civilian killings and 36 per cent decrease in law and order incidents as compared to 2018.

"218 such (local) youths joined militant outfits in 2018 but only 139 joined in 2019," he said. Out of these new recruits only 89 have survived.

"The rest have been eliminated as their shelf life is between 24 hours to 2-3 months after joining militancy. There are hardly few old terrorists surviving, which include Jehangir Saroori and Riyaz Nayikoo", he said.

There have been only 481 law and order incidents this year as compared to 625 last year, he said.

There were 80 per cent successful anti-terror operations in which 160 terrorists, including foreigners, have been killed during the year.

Mr Singh said 102 terrorists have been arrested and 10 terrorists surrendered during the year.

He said that 102 Pakistan origin terrorists are still operating in Kashmir.

"Eleven valiant police personnel from Jammu and Kashmir besides 72 from other other security forces have been martyred," he said.

There was no collateral damage during anti-terror operation as people fully cooperated. "There was zero law and order problem this year (during anti terror operations)," he added.

The DGP said that "there has been a high degree of incidents of infiltration attempts from across the border this year and also ceasefire violations. But security forces have successfully foiled these attempted as 130 infiltrators have entered in 2019 as compared to 143 last year".

He said Jammu and Kashmir Police has set an example by handling the law and order situation in the most "exemplary" way following the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.

It was the biggest challenge faced by the force in 2019, but "we handled the most critical phase in the best way" and there was no civilian casualty during the period, he said.

Dismissing claims of minors being arrested by police in Kashmir, he said that it is being used as propaganda by some people and asserted that the J-K police has acted within the limits of law.

"We are open to scrutiny. The issue reached the Supreme Court which referred it to Jammu and Kashmir high court. The matter was inquired by the HC committee. The SC said that there is no misuse of law by law enforcement agency. J-K police has acted within the limits of law," he said.

Replying to queries on restoration of internet, the DGP said it is under consideration. "I think J-K is moving towards such a situation (on law and order front). Very soon you will hear positive announcement," Mr Singh said.

He said that though some people will try to misuse internet, "in the past, we took care of them and we will take care of such people in the future too".

Internet services in all government-run hospitals and SMS to all mobile phones will be restored from December 31 midnight in the Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir official spokesman Rohit Kansal said on Tuesday.

On December 10, some short message service (SMS) were enabled on mobile phones in order to facilitate students, scholarship applicants, traders and others. It has now been decided to fully restore the service throughout Kashmir from midnight of December 31, Kansal said.

Mobile Internet services were restored in Kargil district of Ladakh on Friday after remaining suspended for 145 days in the wake of the Centre abrogating provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, officials said.

Internet services were suspended on August 4, a day before the Centre announced abrogation of Article 370 and division of the state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

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