[ NATIONAL ]

India criticizes China for ‘unilateral’ move to bring new land border law

Last week, China’s national legislature adopted the new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas, which could have bearing on Beijing’s border dispute with India.

‘National Security Can’t be Bugbear…’ What SC Said on Pegasus Snooping Row | Top Quotes

The Supreme Court of India on Wed appointed an expert committee to look into Pegasus snooping controversy. The scandal had allegedly compromised the privacy of individuals and institutions.

India shelves Bangladesh artist Rokeya Sultana’s exhibit, cites ‘anger’ over Durga Puja riots

The solo exhibition by Rokeya Sultana was to have been held in Delhi and Kolkata from Oct 23 to Dec 11. It has been indefinitely postponed.

US Senators urge Biden administration to waive sanctions against India for buying Russian S-400 missile defense system

ANI-Two US Senators have urged President Joe Biden to waive Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions against India for buying military arms from Russia.

NIA raids multiple locations in J-K in Jamaat-e-Islami case

ANI-In its ongoing investigation against the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) group in a terror funding case, National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wed carried out searches at the residential premises along with J&K Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from 6 am against its cadres in Jammu and Kashmir.

Additional clarifications needed for Emergency Use Listing of COVAXIN, assessment to reconvene on Nov 3: WHO

ANI-The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that additional clarifications from the manufacturer are needed to conduct a final Emergency Use Listing (EUL) risk-benefit assessment for global use of India-made COVAXIN.

Air India to add US nonstops post-Nov 8 when Uncle Sam reopens for fully vaccinated travelers

This could be the last expansion of services by state-owned Air India before it transits to the Tata Group and the big bang expansion then. The Maharaja will be adding its highly popular US nonstops from next month as Uncle Sam reopens for fully vaccinated foreign travelers starting Nov 8.

[ NEIGHBORHOOD ]

China continues to bully its neighbors, not conducive to free & open Indo-Pacific: Pentagon

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said China bullies its neighbors in an attempt to coerce them into behavior more in keeping with its security & economic interests. “China continues to bully its neighbors to try to coerce them into behavior that is more in keeping with China’s national security or economic interests. And we don’t believe that that is conducive to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Kirby said.

Australia promises more aid to ASEAN, seeks stronger ties, and gives assurance on Aukus

Canberra will donate at least 10m more Covid-19 vaccine doses and offer $126 m in financial aid.

The US bans China Telecom over national security concerns

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that China Telecom “is subject to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government and is highly likely to be forced to comply with Chinese government requests without sufficient legal procedures subject to independent judicial oversight.”

China’s Global Times editorial says the US is opening ‘new offensive’ on Taiwan

China rebuked US efforts to boost Taiwan’s participation in UN organizations, saying the self-ruled island has “no right” to join the world body a half-century after it was booted out. “The United Nations is an international governmental organization composed of sovereign states,” Mr Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, told a regular news briefing on Wed (Oct 27). “Taiwan is a part of China. The People’s Republic of China is the sole legal govt representing the whole of China. Taiwan has no right to join the UN.”

Rupee rebounds on $4.2 billion Saudi support package, gains Rs2.27 in intraday trade

The currency market bounced back on Wed to gain Rs 2.27 against the US dollar in intra-day trading in the inter-bank market after Saudi Arabia announced a support package of $4.2 billion for Pakistan, traders and bankers said. The Saudi money will help shore up the country’s foreign reserves, which have been shrinking. The dollar was being quoted at Rs 173.00/173.11 around midday. On Tue, it was being traded at a record Rs175.27 in the inter-bank market. The local currency has depreciated around 13.6% since May.

Four policemen shot dead in KP’s Lakki Marwat: The assailants targeted a police van patrolling a few km away from Lakki City and fled, police say.

India criticizes China for ‘unilateral’ move to bring new land border law

India on Wed hit out at China for its “unilateral” decision to bring about a new land border law and said it is a matter of concern as the legislation can have implications on the existing bilateral pacts on border management and on the overall boundary question said Arindam Bagchi, Spokesperson, External Affairs Ministry

Added that India expects that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of the law that could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas.

He said such a “unilateral move” will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier – be it on the boundary question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Last week, China’s national legislature adopted the new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas, which could have bearing on Beijing’s border dispute with India.

“China’s unilateral decision to bring about a legislation which can imply our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us,” Bagchi said in response to a media query on the matter.

• “Such unilateral move will have no bearing on the arrangements that both sides have already reached earlier, whether it is on the boundary question or for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas,” he said.
• Xinhua news agency reported last week that the law, which becomes operational from January 1 next year, stipulates that “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China are sacred and inviolable”.
• “We have noted that China has passed a new ‘Land Boundary Law’ on October 23. The law states among other things that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs,” Bagchi said.
• He said the legislation also has provisions to reorganize districts in the border areas.
• The MEA – India, and China have still not resolved the boundary question, and that both sides have agreed to seek a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution to it through consultations on an equal footing.
• He said both sides have also concluded several bilateral agreements, protocols, and arrangements to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC in India-China border areas in the interim.
• The spokesperson said India expects that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law.
• “Furthermore, the passage of this new law does not in our view confer any legitimacy to the so-called China Pakistan ‘Boundary Agreement’ of 1963, which India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement,” he said.

‘National Security Can’t be Bugbear…’ What SC Said on Pegasus Snooping Row

A bench of Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli on Wed, appointed a committee of experts headed by former apex court judge RV Raveendran to inquire into the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of Indian citizens.

News18-An international media consortium (Shutterstock) had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus spyware.

(For details Pls see newsletter dated Sat, July 25^th 2021)

Citing national security, the Centre had refused to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.

The pleas are related to reports of alleged snooping by government agencies on eminent citizens, politicians, and scribes by using Israeli firm NSO’s spyware Pegasus.

“We issued notice to the government. We gave ample opportunity to the govt to give details of all action taken by it. But despite repeated chances, they gave a limited affidavit that does not give clarity. If they had clarified they would have reduced the burden on us. But that does not mean state gets a free pass every time national security is raised,” the Supreme Court said.

Supreme Court said:

• National security cannot be the bugbear that the judiciary shies away from, by its mere mentioning.
• If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself. [CJI Ramana quoting George Orwell]
• The attempt of the court is to uphold constitutional principles and steer clear of the political narrative. Some petitioners have been directly affected, the privacy of citizens important.
• In the age of technology, protecting the privacy of citizens is important.
• Despite multiple opportunities to the center, only limited information was shared. If the center had shared detailed information, the burden on the court would have been less.
• The center cannot get a free pass every time by raising national security concerns.
• No clear denial by the Centre on the use of Pegasus.
• The center should have justified its stand here and not rendered the court a mute spectator
• This is of particular concern when it relates to the freedom of the press, which is an important pillar of democracy. Such chilling effect on the freedom of speech is an assault on the vital public watchdog role of the press, which may undermine the ability of the press to provide accurate and reliable information.
• Privacy is not just for journalists and politicians but also about the rights of individuals. All decisions should be under Constitutional process.”

TOI-The Pleas filed before the court

• There were many pleas filed before the top court by senior journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas of Communist Marxist Party of India (Marxist) and advocate ML Sharma, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, and RSS ideologue KN Govindacharya.
• Journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, SNM Abdi, Prem Shankar Jha, Rupesh Kumar Singh, and Ipsa Shatakshi, who are reported to be on the ‘potential list’ of snoop targets, had also approached the top court along with The Editors Guild of India (EGI) among others.
• The pleas sought inquiry headed by a sitting or retired judge of the top court to investigate the alleged snooping.
• The plea said that the targeted surveillance using military-grade spyware is an unacceptable violation of the right to privacy which has been held to be a fundamental right under Articles 14, 19, and 21 by the Supreme Court in the KS Puttaswamy case.

NIA raids multiple locations in J-K in Jamaat-e-Islami case

ANI-In its ongoing investigation against the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) group in a terror funding case, National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wed carried out searches at the residential premises along with J&K Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from 6 am against its cadres in Jammu and Kashmir.

A fresh set of searches is conducted on the premises of JeI cadres and their supporters across J&K: These raids are in continuation to the anti-terror agency’s 61 raids conducted by its sleuths on Aug 8-9 in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, and Rajouri districts.

(Sources)- these searches were carried out after the NIA investigator found “some more leads” in connection with the case during last month’s questioning of over a dozen JeI suspects linked to the banned organization.

• The NIA examined over a dozen JeI suspects for over a week at the agency headquarters here last month.
• Those JeI suspects examined by the NIA sleuths belonged to Ganderbal, Srinagar, Kupwara, Bandipora, Rajouri, and Doda districts, the sources said.
• “We are looking for some more people linked to the JeI case and they will be summoned very soon as the examination is an ongoing process”.

The security forces had conducted searches at 56 locations on Aug 8 at 14 districts of J&K and at 5 locations on Aug 9^th, included the premises of office bearers of the JeI, its members, and also offices of trusts purportedly run by the proscribed organization.

• Various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects.
• JeI is an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and was banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Feb 28, 2019, after a case was registered against by NIA on Feb 5 this year.

NIA investigation has so far revealed that the members of JeI have been collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations particularly in the form of Zakat, Mowda, and Bait-ul-Mal purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities.

• The funds raised by JeI are also being channelized to proscribed terrorist organizations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and others through well-organized networks of JeI cadres.
• JeI has also been motivating the impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in disruptive secessionist activities.

Meenakashi Lekhi visits J-K’s Baramulla, interacts with public representatives: Continuing the Central Government’s public outreach program in J&K, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Lekhi on Tue visited Baramulla, informed J&K govt.

US Senators urge Biden administration to waive sanctions against India for buying Russian S-400 missile defense system

ANI-Two US Senators have urged President Joe Biden to waive Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions against India for buying military arms from Russia.

US Senators and India Caucus Co-Chairs Mark Warner and John Cornyn sent a letter to President Biden encouraging him to waive CAATSA sanctions against India.

India signed a USD 5.43-billion deal with Russia for the purchase of five S-400 surface-to-air missile systems during the 19^th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in New Delhi on Oct 5, 2019, for long-term security needs.

• Washington had indicated that the Russian S-400 systems may trigger CAATSA sanctions.
• While India has taken significant steps to reduce its purchases of Russian military equipment, it has a long history of purchasing arms from the Soviet Union, and later Russia.
• “We are concerned that the upcoming transfer of these systems will trigger sanctions under the CAATSA, which was enacted to hold Russia accountable for its malign behavior,” the letter read.

The Senators said that while they shared the administration’s concern regarding the purchase and the continued Indian integration of Russian equipment, such transactions between New Delhi and Moscow were declining.

“We share your concerns regarding the purchase and the continued Indian integration of Russian equipment, even with these declining sales. We would encourage your administration to continue reinforcing this concern to Indian officials, and engaging with them constructively to continue supporting alternatives to their purchasing Russian equipment,” the senators added.

India shelves Bangladesh artist Rokeya Sultana’s exhibit, cites ‘anger’ over Durga Puja riots

A solo art exhibition by Bangladeshi artist Rokeya Sultana in India has been indefinitely postponed over “safety and security” reasons in light of the Durga Puja communal violence against the country’s Hindu minority.

The exhibition has been canceled for the time being over concerns that her work could be vandalized, official sources told ThePrint.

The exhibition, which was an initiative of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) — an autonomous body under the Ministry of External Affairs — was scheduled to take place in Delhi and Kolkata, from Oct 23 to Dec 11.

• It was meant to showcase Sultana’s body of work from the past 40 years.
• Whenever the exhibition is scheduled next, it will first be held in Kolkata and then in Delhi, sources added.
• The original plan had been to have it first in the national capital, at the city’s esteemed Lalit Kala Akademi, and then in Kolkata.
• The latest episode of communal violence in Bangladesh began on Oct 13, during Durga Puja festivities.
• Suspected members of the religious fundamentalist group Jamaat-e-Islami, and its affiliate Islami Chhatra Shibir, vandalized several puja pavilions, torched villages, and desecrated temples.
• According to sources in Bangladesh, the “sudden cancellation” of the exhibition came as a “surprise” to Sultana, an award-winning printmaker, and painter.
• Official sources said, however, that Sultana had been informed in advance.

Commemorating 50 years of India-Bangladesh diplomatic ties: A curtain-raiser for the exhibition was organized in Dhaka on Oct 7, which was attended by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami.

• The exhibition was to be held to commemorate 50 years of India-Bangladesh diplomatic ties.
• Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has alleged that the exhibition was postponed without giving any appropriate reasons.

Additional clarifications needed for Emergency Use Listing of COVAXIN, assessment to reconvene on Nov 3: WHO

ANI-The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that additional clarifications from the manufacturer are needed to conduct a final Emergency Use Listing (EUL) risk-benefit assessment for global use of India-made COVAXIN.

• The vaccine is India’s indigenous COVID-19 vaccine by Bharat Biotech.
• WHO- the TAG expects to reconvene for the final risk-benefit assessment on Nov 3. “TAG expects to receive these clarifications from the manufacturer by end of this week
• Bharat Biotech has been submitting data to WHO on a rolling basis and submitted additional information at the UN health body’s request on Sept 27.
• Earlier this month, WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan had said that the UN health body’s technical advisory group will meet on Oct 26 to consider EUL for Covaxin.
• Last week, WHO had said a vaccine recommended by it for emergency use must be evaluated thoroughly.