New Delhi:

Amid reports of tension in Bangladesh’s Chittagong following provocative social media posts, India on Thursday urged Dhaka to take action against “extremist” elements and ensure the safety of the country’s Hindu community.

During a weekly media briefing here, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the alleged attack on the members of the Hindu community in Chittagong.

The tension was the result of “incendiary posts” on social media, he said.

“We have seen many videos circulating on social media. It is condemnable,” Jaiswal said.

The MEA spokesperson underlined that it is Dhaka’s “special responsibility” that the minorities be given security.

“In Chittagong, incendiary posts were made on social media. Those provocative things were related to the Hindu community. A disturbance happened and some members of the Hindu community were threatened and many properties were looted,” he said.

“Extremist elements” are behind this and such things can lead to an increase in communal tension, Jaiswal told reporters.

He also said, “It is our request to the government there to control and take action against these elements and take strong measures to ensure the safety of people of the Hindu and other minority communities.” India on October 12 said it had noted with “serious concern” the reported attack on a Puja mandap and theft at a revered Kali temple in Bangladesh and urged Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship.

To a query on a statement posted on the Awami League’s verified social media handles in which Sheikh Hasina congratulated President-elect Donald Trump, with the words ‘prime minister’ in parenthesis affixed before her name, Jaiswal said, “What I have said before, you consider that our position.” “We have said from this place before that she is a former prime minister of Bangladesh, so that is where it stands,” the MEA spokesperson said.

Hasina fled to India from Bangladesh on August 5 after being ousted from power following an unprecedented anti-government resistance.

To a query on a workshop being organised by Delhi-based think-tank Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), he shared details and the context of the event.

“As an important neighbouring country of India, developments in Myanmar are of interest to us and other stakeholders, including the academic community, think tanks and our business community,” Jaiswal said.

On November 5-6, one particular workshop on Indian experience in constitutionalism and federalism was held, where “they invited stakeholders from various segments of the Myanmar society”, he said.

“It is our understanding that such interactions, we hope, will contribute to deliberations on developing a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned solution to address the country’s current challenges,” the MEA spokesperson said.

“India remains on its part, a steadfast supporter of democracy, peace and stability in Myanmar,” he added.

Jaiswal was also asked about the way forward after the recent disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops at two friction points in eastern Ladakh.

“Disengagement has moved forward, patrolling has commenced at both Depsang and Demchok. Patrolling has started at places as per the agreement. Some reports have come that there were some roadblocks in it. But those reports are not correct. I think, the (Indian) Army has also issued a clarification on this, that report is not correct,” he said.

On India-US economic ties and the existing issues in it, Jaiswal said, “Talks are going on between the two countries and whatever issues are there in economic ties, both countries need to think deeply and find agreements and work will be done on it.” “We would want to have talks on the issues, so our ties become stronger,” Jaiswal added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal slammed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim on “extortion, homicide and violent acts by New Delhi”. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal slammed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday (October 17, 2024) as “cavalier” over his handling of the disastrous diplomatic fallout following the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist in Canada.

New Delhi held firm its defiant stance towards Ottawa — an approach in sharp contrast to its compliant attitude this week towards the United States, where India is also accused of directing a separate assassination plot.

Canada has alleged that India arranged the killing of a Sikh separatist, naturalised Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, murdered in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Vancouver in June 2023. India has called the allegations “preposterous”.

Mr. Jaiswal said on Thursday (October 17, 2024) that they had not seen that evidence.

“Canada has presented us (India) no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats,” he said in a statement.

“The responsibility for the damage that this cavalier behaviour has caused to India-Canada relations lies with Prime Minister Trudeau alone.”

But Mr. Trudeau, at a parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday (October 16, 2024), said Canada had “clear… indications that India had violated Canada’s sovereignty”.

Canada’s top envoy to New Delhi, Stewart Wheeler, who India has ordered to leave by Saturday (October 19, 2024) night, has said Ottawa had provided “credible, irrefutable evidence of ties between agents of the Government of India and the murder of a Canadian citizen”.

Tit-for-tat

Nijjar — who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen in 2015 — had advocated for a separate Sikh state, known as Khalistan, carved out of India.

He had been wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder. Four Indian nationals have been arrested in connection with Nijjar’s murder.

Last year, the Government briefly curbed visas for Canadians and this week both countries expelled each other’s ambassadors.

New Delhi’s response to Washington has been very different, with the U.S. State Department on Wednesday (October 16, 2024) saying India had told it that an intelligence operative accused of directing an assassination plot on U.S. soil was no longer in government service.

U.S. prosecutors charged an Indian citizen last November over a foiled attempt in New York to kill an advocate for a separate Sikh homeland.

The indictment described an “Indian government employee,” who was not publicly named, as recruiting the hitman and directing the assassination plot remotely, including by arranging the delivery of $15,000 in cash.

An Indian daily, quoting an unnamed U.S. official, said on Monday (October 14, 2024) that India not only removed but arrested the employee on “local charges.”

The State Department did not confirm the arrest.

New Delhi:

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday condemned the negligence in the treatment of Satnam Singh, an Indian worker who died in north Italy, stating that his employer, responsible for his medical care, has been arrested.

MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called for humane treatment of workers, adding that all possible assistance was being provided to the family of Satnam Singh.

“His employer who was supposed to provide him medical care has been arrested and the investigation goes on. We condemn such treatment. We call for the human treatment of workers. We are providing all possible assistance to his family,” said Jaiswal during a weekly briefing.

India has also raised this issue with Italy and has called for prompt action against those responsible for his demise.

The secretary (Consular Passport and Visa Division and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Muktesh Pardeshi raised the matter with Luigi Maria Vignali, Director General for Migratory Policies and Italians Abroad, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Muktesh Pardeshi further said that the Indian Embassy in Italy is in contact with the family of Satnam Singh for consular help and transportation of body to India.

“@SecretaryCPVOIA Muktesh Pardeshi conveyed to @LuigiVignali Italian DG our deep concern about death of Satnam Singh & called for prompt action against those responsible. Embassy is in contact with family of Satnam Singh for consular help &transportation of mortal remains @MEAIndia,” the Indian embassy in Italy posted on X on June 26.

Indian national Satnam Singh lost his life after being abandoned on the street following an accident, according to the Flai CGIL trade union.

The accident, which resulted in the severing of his arm, happened while he was working at the farm.

According to the Flai CGIL trade union, instead of receiving help from the employer, “Singh was dumped like a bag of rubbish near his home.”

Earlier last week, the Embassy said that it is in contact with local authorities and that efforts are being made to contact the family and provide consular assistance.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday condemned the negligence in the treatment of Satnam Singh, an Indian worker who died in north Italy, stating that his employer, responsible for his medical care, has been arrested.

MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called for humane treatment of workers, adding that all possible assistance was being provided to the family of Satnam Singh.

“His employer who was supposed to provide him medical care has been arrested and the investigation goes on. We condemn such treatment. We call for the human treatment of workers. We are providing all possible assistance to his family,” said Jaiswal during a weekly briefing.

India has also raised this issue with Italy and has called for prompt action against those responsible for his demise.

The secretary (Consular Passport and Visa Division and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Muktesh Pardeshi raised the matter with Luigi Maria Vignali, Director General for Migratory Policies and Italians Abroad, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Muktesh Pardeshi further said that the Indian Embassy in Italy is in contact with the family of Satnam Singh for consular help and transportation of body to India.

“@SecretaryCPVOIA Muktesh Pardeshi conveyed to @LuigiVignali Italian DG our deep concern about death of Satnam Singh & called for prompt action against those responsible. Embassy is in contact with family of Satnam Singh for consular help &transportation of mortal remains @MEAIndia,” the Indian embassy in Italy posted on X on June 26.

Indian national Satnam Singh lost his life after being abandoned on the street following an accident, according to the Flai CGIL trade union.

The accident, which resulted in the severing of his arm, happened while he was working at the farm.

According to the Flai CGIL trade union, instead of receiving help from the employer, “Singh was dumped like a bag of rubbish near his home.”

Earlier last week, the Embassy said that it is in contact with local authorities and that efforts are being made to contact the family and provide consular assistance.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New DelhI:

As leading universities across the US continue to witness protests against Israeli military action in Gaza, India on Thursday said there has to be a right balance between freedom of expression, sense of responsibility and public safety in every democracy.

Hundreds of students were arrested by the US authorities with an aim to quell the protests.

“We have seen reports on the matter and have been following related events. In every democracy, there has to be the right balance between freedom of expression, sense of responsibility and public safety and order,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.

“Democracies in particular should display this understanding in regard to other fellow democracies. Afterall, we are all judged by what we do at home and not what we say abroad,” he said replying to a question.

Randhir Jaiswal said neither the Indian embassy in Washington nor any Indian consulate in the US has been approached by Indian students or their family seeking assistance regarding any disciplinary action for participation in protests in the universities.

“We expect all our citizens at home and abroad to respect local laws and regulations,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A member of United Hindu Front organisation holds a banner depicting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, believed to be based in Canada and designated as a Khalistani terrorist,, during a rally in New Delhi. File photo
| Photo Credit: AFP

A day after The Washington Post named an Indian official for allegedly plotting to eliminate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the External Affairs Ministry on April 30 said the report made “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” imputations on a serious matter.

The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, named a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer in connection with the alleged plot to assassinate Pannun.

ALSO READ | India summons Canadian diplomat after pro-Khalistan slogans raised in Trudeau’s event

“The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

“There is an ongoing investigation of the high level committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others,” he said.

Mr. Jaiswal was responding to media queries on the report.

“Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful,” Mr. Jaiswal said.

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun, a Sikh extremist on American soil.

Pannun, wanted in India on terror charges, holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada.

On December 7, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in Parliament that India instituted an inquiry committee to look into the inputs received from the U.S. in the case as the matter has a bearing on national security.

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
| Photo Credit: AP

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the world body “hopes” that in India and any country that is having elections, people’s “political and civil rights” are “protected” and everyone is able to vote in a “free and fair” atmosphere.

Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric made these remarks on March 28 while he was responding to a question on the “political unrest” in India ahead of the upcoming national elections in the wake of the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the freezing of the opposition Congress Party’s bank accounts.

“What we very much hope that in India, as in any country that is having elections, that everyone’s rights are protected, including political and civil rights, and everyone is able to vote in an atmosphere that is free and fair,” Mr. Dujarric said at the daily press briefing on March 28.

The response from the United Nations comes a day after the U.S. also reacted to a similar question on Mr. Kejriwal’s arrest and freezing of the Congress party’s bank accounts.

On March 27, hours after India summoned a senior U.S. diplomat to protest remarks on Mr. Kejriwal’s arrest, Washington reiterated that it encourages fair, transparent, timely legal processes.

On the U.S. diplomat being summoned in Delhi, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said “I’m not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations. But of course what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don’t think anyone should object to that, and we’ll make the same thing clear privately.” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officials summoned Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena to their office in South Block in the Indian capital. The meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes.

On March 28, India said the U.S. State Department’s recent remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are “unwarranted” and asserted the country is “proud of its independent and robust democratic institutions” and committed to protecting them from any form of undue external influences.

Any “external imputation” on India’s electoral and legal processes is “completely unacceptable”, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in New Delhi during his weekly press briefing.

In India, legal processes are driven “only by the rule of law”, Mr. Jaiswal said on March 28.

Earlier on March 27, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in a statement that India took strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department about certain legal proceedings in India.

“India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted,” the MEA had said. The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy ‘scam’.

The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 which was later scrapped.