Will Arathi Krishna contest Karnataka assembly polls?

Tumakuru, Jan 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the Congress and its allies opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, saying they are against giving relief to those who have been brutalised and victimised in Pakistan.

"Pakistan was founded on religious grounds due to which atrocities on minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Christians have increased. But Congress and its allies don't speak against Pakistan," he said at a function here.

He also said the Congress and its allies take out rallies and stage demonstrations against the efforts to prevent atrocities on religious lines and save women from sexual assaults.

Modi wondered why those opposed to the CAA were not speaking out against Pakistan's atrocities and asked what stopped them from doing so.

Strongly defending the CAA, he said it was adopted by Parliament in a historic move, but that the Congress and its allies and the ecosystem created by his party's rival were now against the very institution.

He said India cannot leave the Hindus, Christians and Sikhs apparently fleeing Pakistan to "their fate" and added it was the country's responsibility to protect them.

Modi pointed out that the efforts are especially to protect the Dalits and tribals in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that the abrogation of Article 370 was a step towards ending terrorism and uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir.

Bengaluru, Feb 29: Gangster Ravi Poojary, who was arrested from Senegal earlier this week, and is being interrogated by the Cental Crime Branch (CCB) police, wants to evade the Mumbai police for any kind of inquiry. Claiming that there is a serious threat to his life, he is believed to have told his investigators that he should not be sent there. Poojary is being grilled by the CCB for his alleged involvement in numerous cases.

“He is aware that he will be given to the custody of Mumbai police as he had committed several crimes before fleeing India and also made hundreds of extortion calls to the well-heeled there. Hence, he has started requesting us not to send him to Mumbai. He claimed that he has many rivals there and they may go to any extent to get him killed,” a source said. Poojary was once an associate of dreaded underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Poojary has little option but to face Mumbai cops

Poojary had left Dawood’s gang and had joined Chhota Rajan, who split from D-Company and established his own network. There were also attempts by Dawood’s men to assassinate Rajan on a few occasions. During his days in Mumbai, Poojary was also reportedly facing threats from Dawood and other gangsters. “Since Poojary had jumped bail in the murder case of a gangster in Mumbai and f l e d the country, he has no option but to face trial again. Besides, he has made over a hundred extortion calls to businessmen and celebrities in Mumbai in the last two decades.

It’s inevitable for him to face inquiry by the Mumbai police,” an official said. “Now that he knows his options are limited, he is requesting us not to send him to Mumbai under any circumstance, claiming that he faces a serious threat to his life by Dawood’s aides and others. However, when we are done with questioning him, and if Mumbai police approach the court, it will decide whether to give him to their custody or not,” the official added. Poojary, who was brought to India on February 24, has been remanded to police custody till March 7. The police are likely to seek extension of his custody as he is facing close to 100 cases in Karnataka.

Cases filed in 4 states the gangster, originally from Malpe in Dakshina Kannada, has cases against him in Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. At least 46 cases are registered in Bengaluru alone.