Don’t mess with resurgent India to take steps for possible evacuation of Indians in China strong India: Rajnath to Pak
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said the brazen support to terrorist group operating on Pakistan’s soil inimical to Indian interests will not be allowed to function anymore
MANGALURU: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday sent out a strong message to India's estranged neighbour Pakistan reminding the Imran Khan regime there that it is dealing with a strong, resurgent country. India is now in line with powerful nations, which will not provoke anyone, but at the same time will not spare anyone that dares mess with it, he said.
“Hum kisi ko chedenge nahin, par jo hum ko chedega, hum usko chodenge nahin,” he noted.
Sending out this warning at well-attended CAA, NRC awareness campaign in this coastal city, Rajnath amidst chants of “Modi, Modi”, reminded Pakistan of this new India's resolve in carrying out surgical strike on terror launch pads across the international line of control. Noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen to see a prosperous neighbourhood, he said this has been the effort since he took over office in 2014 for the first time.
Noting that one can change their friends, but not neighbours, Rajnath said it was Modi who had directed him to invite heads of all SAARC nations including then Pakistan
PM Nawaz Sharif when he took oath of office for the first time. “India has been sincere in its effort for better relationship with all its neighbours including Pakistan since 2014 but is obvious to the world that Pakistan is not following its dharma of a peaceful neighbour,” he noted.
Demanding that Pakistan give up support to terrorist group operating on its soil, Rajnath said this brazen support for such groups inimical to Indian interests will not be allowed to function anymore.
Noting that this was evident for all to see in Jammu and Kashmir that was once the hotbed of terrorism from across the border, Rajnath said results of government's commitment to root it out since Article 370 was repealed is there for all to see.
Addressing a rally, the senior BJP leader also asserted that no power can now stop Kashmiri Pandits from returning to Kashmir as he strongly defended the Modi government's decision to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir and scrap its special status under Article 370.
Making a strong defence of the amended Citizenship Act, he said it is not a law to hurt the sentiments of any religion but to give relief to victims of religious persecution in nonsecular countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has given the slogan of ‘sabka sath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas' will never discriminate on the basis of religion, he said, adding that no harm will come to the citizenship of Indian Muslims.
The Opposition raises the question that if Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians can be given citizenship, then why not Muslims of these three countries, he said.
“Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are not secular states. These are theocratic states.
“Islam is the religion of these three states. India's religion is not Hindu. India is a secular country. That is why those who follow Islam can not be persecuted in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan,” he said.
Amid decision by many states ruled by opposition parties to not implement the CAA, he said it is a central law and has to be followed by everyone.
“Some opposition parties are passing resolutions in assemblies (where they have a majority) that their states will not implement the Citizenship Amendment Act. I want to appeal to them not to do such things. This is a constitutional blunder. Please do not do such blunder,” he said.
Accusing the Congress of misleading people on the issue, he said the party should not forget its “rashtradharma” (national duty) for the sake of its “vipakshdharma” (duties as opposition party).
NEW DELHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre on Monday decided to take steps for possible evacuation of over 250 Indians from Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, and announced a raft of precautionary measures to deal with suspected cases.
A meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba reviewed India's preparedness to deal with the virus amid mounting global concern over increasing number of cases in China and several other countries.
In India, no case has been detected so far though nearly 450 people have been kept under observation in the country, most of them in Kerala, following screening for possible exposure to the novel coronavirus. Some, who have returned from China in recent weeks, have approached medical authorities as a precautionary step.
The meeting in Delhi presided by the Cabinet Secretary decided to take a a series of precautionary measures including screening of people at international ports having traffic from China as well as at the integrated check posts across the border with Nepal. Officials said Ministry of External Affairs will make a request to the Chinese authorities for evacuation of Indian nationals, mostly students, stuck in Wuhan city.
"It was decided that steps may be taken to prepare for possible evacuation of Indian nationals in Wuhan. Accordingly, Ministry of External Affairs will make a request to the Chinese authorities," a government statement said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani have urged the Centre to take steps to bring back students from their states who are studying in Wuhan.
Wuhan along 12 other cities have been completely sealed by the Chinese authorities to stop the virus from spreading. The death toll climbed to 80 with 2,744 confirmed cases.
Over 250 to 300 Indian students are reportedly stuck in Wuhan triggering concerns over their well-being. The statement said the ministry of civil aviation and ministry of health will make arrangements
A student (L) who arrived from China sits beside her mother in an ambulance before leaving for Patna Medical College and Hospital for a check-up, in view of the novel coronavirus (COV) outbreak, from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna, Monday
for transport and quarantine facilities respectively.
The meeting also decided that the civil aviation ministry will issue instruction to airlines for managing and notifying anybody reporting illness on all flights with direct or indirect connectivity to China.
Officials said the civil aviation ministry will also ask the airlines to make in-flight announcements and distribute "health cards" to all flights with direct or indirect connectivity to China.
The home ministry will ensure that integrated check posts initiate screening of visitors across Nepal border.
"States have been requested to provide health staff for these check posts. SSB/ Bsf/immigration officers manning integrated check posts have been sensitised," the statement said.
Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan spoke to chief secretaries and police chiefs of the five states bordering Nepal -- Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim to review their preparedness for prevention and management of the coronavirus.
The Principal Secretary (Health) carried out a similar exercise with other states and Union Territories.
Till Sunday, 29,707 passengers arriving in India in 137 flights have been screened for novel coronovirus infection symptoms and no case has so far been detected in India, officials said.
The Union health ministry has also urged passengers who have a travel history to China since January 1 to come forward for self-reporting at the nearest health facility if they experience any symptoms such as fever, cough, respiratory distress etc.
A Chinese national on tourist visa in Kolkata has been kept in an isolation ward at the Beleghata ID Hospital since Sunday after she complained of high fever and rashes, and officials said they are awaiting her test reports.
They said the foreign national has mild fever and stomach ache, symptoms that do not necessarily suggest presence of the novel coronavirus
"She has been travelling for quite sometime and came to India from Madagascar a few months ago... As a part of precautionary measure, we have isolated the woman till her reports arrive," Principal Secretary of Health Department Vivek Kumar said.
According to the World Health Organisation, the common symptoms of the virus strain include respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
At least 436 people, who returned to Kerala from China in recent days, are under observation for possible exposure to the novel coronavirus (ncov), according to health officials in Thiruvananthapuram.
Five people are still under observation in isolation wards at various hospitals across the state, officials said, adding, all results of blood samples sent to the National Institute of Virology at Pune till now have been found to be negative for the virus.