‘Govt to review release of politicians’
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 26 : BJP general secretary Ram Madhav today said that the internet services will be restored after security assessment and broadband service will be resumed gradually.
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Speaking to reporters here in Srinagar, Madhav said: “See, internet, I mean broadband is gradually being restored in hotels etc. J&K administration will take a call on restoring internet at an appropriate time.”
He said that the release of political prisoners will also depend on the J&K Government’s review. “It is an ongoing process. Several people have been released from house arrests and some from preventive detentions. The administration will take appropriate decision based on the security assessment at an appropriate time,” he said.
Madhav said that they are in touch with the local administration regarding the erratic power supply and wanted authorities to provide uninterrupted power supply to the people. “We are constantly in touch with administration regarding the power supply particular during winters. We want administration to ensure that people get power supply for maximum time and if possible round the clock. There are some shortage but administration is trying hard to ensure maximum electricity. We keep on harping from our side as it is our promise,” he said.
He said neither the CAA nor the NPR has any link with the NRC and alleged that the Opposition is carrying out a false propaganda to malign the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government.
Seeking to dispel fears that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is against Muslims, he said in the past too India has granted citizenship to those fleeing persecution in their native countries.
“The Prime Minister has made it clear that there is no link between the CAA or the NPR and the NRC. It is premature to discuss what will happen when NRC comes… so far, there has been no discussion on the NRC,” Madhav said.
Asked about the link between the CAA and the NRC drawn by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the past, the BJP leader said, “The Prime Minister has clarified the position only two days ago.”
Madhav said a false propaganda has been unleashed by the opposition parties to malign the BJP-led Government at the Centre as they have no issues to raise.
“NPR is a routine exercise which was first started by the UPA Government in 2010 but had to be reviewed in 2015 as the first exercise was not extensive. NPR is an extension of the Census which will be next held in 2021,” he said.
Madhav said the Government needs to update its data so that the benefits of its policies reach the intended beneficiaries.
“People keep migrating from time to time. Some people living in Srinagar five years ago might have moved to Jammu and those in Jammu might have moved to Delhi and elsewhere. The updated data is needed for benefitting the people, especially the poor and the downtrodden, from the policies of the Government,” he said.
Speaking about the CAA, Madhav said, “When (Indian-origin) people started fleeing Uganda during the rule of Idi Amin, we granted citizenship to them. CAA is just a similar provision.”
“We are otherwise also granting citizenship to those who desire, if they fulfil the required criteria. Adnan Sami was granted citizenship,” he added.
Madhav refuted allegations of high-handedness by police in the handling of anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh. “There was no high-handedness by police. They have acted as per the powers they have got… many police personnel have been injured while dealing with the violent protests. Rest is false propaganda,” he added.
Madhav said the loss in Jharkhand Assembly elections was unexpected and the party will analyse the reasons for it.
“The Jharkhand results were below our expectations. We knew it was going to be a tough election as Jharkhand has a tendency to change Governments every five years,” Madhav said.
The party will analyse the reasons and set things right there.
Madhav further said that the results in Maharashtra were in favour of the BJP-led alliance “but our alliance partner ditched us”.
“The mandate was the BJP led alliance in Maharashtra. It is a case of the winner becoming loser and the loser becoming the winner,” he said.
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