The Indian Panorama

Tag: MHA

  • Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s ‘Sikhs for Justice’ banned for another 5 years

    Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s ‘Sikhs for Justice’ banned for another 5 years

    The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal upholds ban on the pro-Khalistani group

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal has confirmed a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) banning pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-led ‘Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)’ for a period of five years.

    The UAPA Tribunal of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court, ruled that the evidence given by the Centre established SFJ’s connections with Khalistani terror groups such as Babbar Khalsa International and Khalistan Tiger Force, as well as its collaboration with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to revive militancy in the Punjab.

    It added that the evidence highlighted SFJ’s involvement in recruiting and radicalizing youth using social media platforms, financing terrorism through smuggling networks to procure weapons and explosives, and issuing death threats to political figures, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.

    In a notification issued on July 9, 2024, the MHA extended the declaration of SFJ as an unlawful association for another five years, saying that Pannun-led SFJ’s activities have the “potential of disrupting peace, unity, and integrity of the country”.

    Thereafter, a reference was made to the UAPA Tribunal for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there was sufficient cause for declaring the association unlawful.

    According to the MHA, SFJ is involved in anti-national and subversive activities in Punjab, with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. The MHA also said that SFJ is in “close touch with militant outfits and activists, and is supporting violent forms of extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan out of the territory of Union of India”.

    The pro-Khalistani outfit “can escalate its subversive activities including attempts to carve out Khalistan Nation out of the territory of Union of India by destabilizing the Government established by law”, it added.
    (Source: IANS)

  • French journalist forced to leave India as MHA refuses to renew his work permit

    French journalist forced to leave India as MHA refuses to renew his work permit

    NEW DELHI (TIP): French journalist Sebastien Farcis, working in India since 2011, said he has been forced to leave the country after being denied the renewal of his work permit without providing any reason.

    Sebastien Farcis, who is married to an Indian and has the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status since 2021, said he was deeply attached to India, which had become his second homeland. “But with no more work nor income, my family has been pushed out of India without explanation, and uprooted overnight for no apparent reason,” Mr. Farcis said in a post on social media platform X.

    When asked to comment on the matter, there was no response from the MHA.

    Earlier this year, French journalist Vanessa Dougnac, who had been living in India for 22 years, left the country after the MHA sent a notice citing “malicious reportage” and visa violations, asking why her OCI card should not be cancelled.

    Mr. Farcis was the South Asia correspondent and bureau chief of Radio France, a national public broadcaster, and its world service, Radio France Internationale, a government-funded, independent broadcast organization.

    He had earlier received permits from the MHA to visit restricted areas, had reported from Sikkim on organic farming, and attended a G20 meeting in Jammu and Kashmir.

    He had previously been granted a journalist permit on September 1, 2022 for a period of one year. Upon applying for its renewal on August 9, 2023, he was informed on March 7, days before the recently concluded General Election was announced, that his application had been denied. No reasons were cited. His appeal against the decision in April did not elicit a response from the MHA.

    “On 17th June, I was forced to leave India, a country where I had lived and worked as a journalist for 13 years. Three months ago, on March 7, MHA denied the renewal of my journalist permit, preventing me from practicing my profession and depriving me of all my income. No reason has been provided to justify this work ban, despite formal and repeated requests made to the MHA. I have tried to appeal also, but to no avail so far,” Mr. Farcis said in a statement on X.

    He added that he had been working as a journalist in India since 2011 and obtained all the necessary visas and accreditations. “I have respected the regulations imposed in India for foreign journalists and never worked in restricted or protected areas without a permit. On several occasions, the MHA even granted me permits to report from border areas. Therefore, this work ban comes as a big shock: it was communicated to me on the eve of the Indian general elections, the largest democratic elections in the world, which I was hence forbidden to cover. This appeared to me as an incomprehensible censorship,” he stated.

    “This denial comes in a worrying context of increasing restrictions on the work of foreign journalists: after Vanessa Dougnac, I am the second French journalist in four months having to leave India under these conditions. At least five OCI foreign correspondents have been banned from working as journalists in less than two years. I have now applied for a new work permit and hope it will be accepted. In the meantime, as I am not able to work, I am forced to return to France,” Mr. Farcis said.

    Meanwhile, the New York based Journalists Beyond Borders has deplored that journalists are being harassed in India. The organization’s President Prof. Indrajit S Saluja has called upon the media fraternity to convey its displeasure to government of India.

  • India restores e-tourist visa for 156 countries

    India restores e-tourist visa for 156 countries

    NEW DELHI/NEW YORK (TIP): India government has restored the electronic tourist visa (e-TV) facility for 156 countries, according to a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order. This decision follows the announcement a few days ago  of restoration of international flights from April 27. However, all land and riverine borders, including the Attari-Wagah post along Pakistan, will continue to remain shut, except for those with special permission. The Ministry said that the “instructions will not be applicable to Afghanistan nationals” who will continue to be governed by e-Emergency X-Miscellaneous Visa. “Order for opening of Land ICPs (Integrated Check Posts) and riverine routes will be communicated separately,” the order said. It said that in continuation with October 20 order and keeping in view the improvement in COVID-19 situation in India, the government has considered the need for further relaxation of visa and travel restrictions. “Currently valid e-Tourist Visa issued for five years, which was suspended since March 2020, shall stand restored to nationals of 156 eligible countries with immediate effect. Nationals of these 156 counties will also be eligible for issuance of fresh e-Tourist visa,” it said.

    The order said that valid Regular (Paper) Tourist visa with validity of 5 Years, issued to foreign nationals of all countries shall also be restored. “Fresh Regular (Paper) Tourist visa up to 5 years validity may also be issued to the nationals of the eligible countries subject to the restrictions imposed from time to time,” it said. The Long duration (10 years) regular tourist visa for the citizens of the U.S. and Japan, issued before March 2020 has also been restored. “Fresh Long duration (10 years) tourist visa can also be issued to the nationals of the U.S. and Japan,” it said. The Ministry said that foreign nationals who have tourist/ e-tourist visas may enter India only through designated sea immigration check posts (ICPs) or international airports.

    (Based on a press release)

  • Bad Weather, Farmers, Rallyists Play Foul with PM Modi

    Bad Weather, Farmers, Rallyists Play Foul with PM Modi

    • Ferozepur visit cancelled because of ‘security lapse’, says Home Ministry

    NEW DELHI /NEW YORK (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed event at Ferozepur in Punjab on Wednesday, January 5, had to be cancelled owing to a “security lapse”, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said. The Prime Minister was scheduled to lay the foundation stones for several projects.

    According to a Ministry of Home statement, Prime Minister Modi landed at Bathinda in the morning from where he was to go to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter. “Due to rain and poor visibility, PM waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out. When the weather didn’t improve, it was decided that he would go by road, which would take more than two hours. He then proceeded to travel by road after confirmation of necessary security arrangements by the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab,” the statement said, adding, “Around 30 km away from National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the PM’s convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protesters. The PM was stuck on the flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of PM.”

    The statement noted that the Prime Minister’s schedule and travel plan were communicated well in advance to the State government. “As per procedure, they have to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready. Also, in view of the contingency plan, Punjab Government has to deploy additional security to secure any movement by road, which was clearly not deployed. After this security lapse, it was decided to head back to Bathinda airport,” it stated.

    Punjab Chief Minister Channi, on the hand, said there was no security lapse on the part of the Punjab administration, and that Special Protection Group which is responsible for Prime Minister’s security took sudden decision to go by road, without the advance information to Punjab State authorities responsible for security of VIPs.

    Farmers have been opposing Modi’s visit to Ferozepur. Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), one of the largest farmer outfits in Punjab, was at the forefront of the protest against his visit and its members were seen demonstrating and blocking roads at several places across the State.

    Reports came in that huge arrangements were made for Prime Minister’s rally where a gathering of 100,000 was expected, but weather played foul and people just could not make it to the venue, leaving chairs and open spaces around unoccupied, and that was one of the reasons for Prime Minister to get back, in stead of waiting  for the police to clear the roads of protesting farmers and go ahead to address the rally.

    Punjab government has since submitted the report to Home Ministry of India. Meanwhile, many BJP leaders have demanded action against the erring Punjab administration officials, and some have gone further and demanded imposition of President’s rule in Punjab, alleging that the present Channi government is not able to maintain law and order, and that fair elections cannot be held with his government in power. The days to come are likely to witness interesting political jugglery, given the fact that Punjab is in no mood to welcome BJP.

    (With inputs from PTI)