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India denounces BBC documentary on Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Indore

Prominent Indian-origin UK citizens condemned the series. Prominent UK Citizen Lord Rami Ranger said the “BBC caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians.”…reports Asian Lite News

India on Thursday denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described it as a “propaganda piece” that is designed to push a discredited narrative.

Addressing a weekly media briefing External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said this documentary show, based on some internal UK report, shows the colonial mindset. “We think this is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias and the lack of objectivity and frankly continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible,” Bagchi said in response to the question on the PM documentary series.

UK’s National broadcaster BBC aired a two-part series attacking PM Narendra Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister during the Gujarat riots of 2002. The documentary sparked outrage and was removed from select platforms.

Prominent Indian-origin UK citizens condemned the series. Prominent UK Citizen Lord Rami Ranger said the “BBC caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians.”

The MEA spokesperson said the documentary is a reflection of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. He even raised questions on “the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it.” “The documentary is a reflection of the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. It makes us wonder about the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it; frankly, we do wish to dignify these efforts,” he added.

Referring to apparent remarks made by former UK Secretary Jack Straw in the documentary series, Bagchi said “He (Jack Straw) seems to be referring to some internal UK report. How do I have access to that? It’s a 20-year-old report. Why would we jump on it now? Just because Jack says it how do they lend it that much legitimacy.”

“I heard words like inquiry and investigations. There is a reason why we use the colonial mindset. We don’t use words loosely. What inquiry they were diplomats there…investigation, are they ruling the country? Bagchi asked. (ANI)

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India assures protection of S. Korean vlogger harassed in Mumbai

The YouTuber, a South Korean national, was harassed and molested by two people on Tuesday night while she was Live Streaming from the Khar area of Mumbai…reports Asian Lite News

India on Thursday assured that the South Korean vlogger who was harassed in Mumbai will be given due attention and protection by the local authorities and if it becomes a Consolate aspect, then MEA will certainly be involved in it.

“I am not aware whether the Korean Embassy has reached out to us or not. It’s still a developing story. I’m sure she’d been given all attention & protection that she requires by local authorities,” Bagchi said. He added, “If there is something further to that which involves MEA, or if it becomes a Consolate aspect, we will certainly be involved in it.”

Reportedly, the YouTuber, a South Korean national, was harassed and molested by two people on Tuesday night while she was Live Streaming from the Khar area of Mumbai. The Mumbai Police on Thursday arrested two people accused of harassing a South Korean woman YouTuber in the Khar area of Mumbai.

A video surfaced on Wednesday showing the woman being sexually harassed by a young man in the Khar area of Mumbai and it went viral on social media.

The accused have been identified as Mobeen Chand Mohd Shaikh (19) and Mohd Naqib Sadarialam Ansari (20). After the video went viral, the Khar police registered a case under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and arrested the accused youths.

Taking to Twitter, Mumbai Police wrote, “Mumbai Police’s Khar Police station has taken a Suo Moto action in an incident that happened with a Korean woman (foreigner) in the jurisdiction of Khar West. In this regard, both the accused have been arrested and booked under relevant sections of the IPC”.

In the video which has gone viral, it can be clearly seen how both youths were forcing the Korean woman to sit in their car. Later, one of them even put his hand on the shoulder of the woman and also tried to kiss her cheeks.

The victim woman in her tweet wrote, “Last night on stream, there was a guy who harassed me. I tried my best not to escalate the situation and leave because he was with his friend. And some people said that it was initiated by me being too friendly and engaging in the conversation. Makes me think again about streaming”. (ANI)

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MEA in damage control mode

The six-point memo was sent to all the heads of mission (HOMs) in OIC countries on Sunday, hours after the Ambassadors in Qatar and Kuwait had been summoned…reports Asian Lite News

In its responses to the diplomatic storm over the comments made by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar, the government took a stern view of the statement by the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), but it subsequently made a special effort at ensuring that Indian Ambassadors based in every OIC country were briefed and sent “talking points” to deal with the situation on June 5.

Significantly, the reference to the leaders as “fringe elements” was not in the brief by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), sources said. It had possibly emerged from a telephone conversation and was used “mistakenly” in the press statements issued by the embassies in Doha and Kuwait.

The phrase “fringe elements” had caused some consternation within the MEA as well as among officials in the countries that lodged protests against the comments, as it appeared to be misleading, given that Sharma and Kumar were prominent leaders of the BJP before the party took action against them.

The six-point memo was sent to all the heads of mission (HOMs) in OIC countries on Sunday, hours after the Ambassadors in Qatar and Kuwait had been summoned. The missive, which was cleared by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and sent by the MEA’s Gulf Division, The Hindu reported.

It also counselled them to draft a statement in case they were summoned by the host government, which made all the points: that the Indian government respects all religions; that the comments denigrating a religious personality did not represent the government or the BJP, that “strong action” had been taken against those making the comments, and that the BJP had issued its own press release reiterating these points.

In addition, the government asked the HOMs to caution their hosts that “vested interests” that are against bilateral relations are “inciting” people and that India and the host country must “work together” against such “mischievous elements”, without naming India’s concerns about Pakistan.

In Islamabad on Tuesday, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood met all OIC Ambassadors and “briefed them on the developments regarding the highly derogatory remarks by two senior officials of India’s ruling party BJP”, indicating that Pakistan intends to continue to pursue the issue.

Alarm bells really went off on Sunday morning, however, when the Qatari Foreign Ministry summoned Indian Ambassador Deepak Mittal to hand him a stern demarche and to demand a “public apology” from the Indian government in the matter, a rare and even unprecedented occasion while an Indian dignitary was in Doha.

Another big worry for the MEA was the impending visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, who landed in Delhi on Tuesday for a three-day, three-city tour, which is his first visit to India since the elections last year.

Officials said they hope the interventions will help resolve the issue now. By Tuesday, at least 15 countries — Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Malaysia. the UAE, Jordan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Maldives, Libya and Indonesia — had issued formal protests, along with the OIC, and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

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MEA sets up control room to help Indians in Ukraine

The MEA said a control room has been set up in the ministry to provide information and assistance…reports Asian Lite News

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday set up a control room to provide information and assistance to Indian nationals in Ukraine in view of the prevailing situation in that country over its tensions with Russia.

In addition, the Indian embassy in Ukraine has also set up a 24-hour helpline for the Indians in the eastern European nation.

Separately, the Indian embassy in Kyiv said it has been receiving calls about the non-availability of flights from Ukraine to India and advised Indians not to panic, but book the earliest available and convenient flights to travel home.

“The embassy of India has been receiving several appeals about non-availability of flights from Ukraine to India. In this regard, students are advised not to resort to panic, but book the earliest available and convenient flights to travel to India,” it said in a statement.

It said the Ukrainian International Airlines, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai and Qatar Airways are operating flights at present from Ukraine.

“To meet the additional demand, more flights are being planned in the near future, including from Ukrainian International Airlines, Air India, etc. Details on the same would be shared by Embassy as and when confirmed,” the embassy said.

The embassy on Tuesday advised Indian citizens, especially the students, to temporarily leave that country in view of the uncertainties of the current situation.

It also asked Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Ukraine.

The MEA said a control room has been set up in the ministry to provide information and assistance.

The contact details of the control room in Delhi are: Phone +91 11 23012113, +91 11 23014104, +91 11 23017905 and 1800118797 (toll free). Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in.

The contact details of the helpline in the Indian embassy in Ukraine are: Phone, +380 997300428 +380 997300483, Email: cons1.kyiv@mea.gov.in.

Official sources said the government is exploring the possibility of increasing the number of flights between India and Ukraine to facilitate the return of Indians from that country.

Discussions are underway with civil aviation authorities and various airlines on how to increase the number of flights between India and Ukraine, the sources said.

According to an official document in 2020, Ukraine had a small but vibrant Indian community and there were about 18,000 Indian students studying in that country. The data is likely to vary in view of the pandemic.

The embassy issued the advisory amid escalating tension between Moscow and the NATO countries over Russia’s increasing military build-up close to the Ukrainian border.

The US has already sent extra troops to Europe to support its allies in the backdrop of fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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MEA lauds President Kovind’s Bangladesh visit

On December 16, as per the MEA, the President attended the Victory Day parade in Dhaka as the Guest of Honour…reports Asian Lite News.

Terming it as a visit of “historical significance”, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said President Ram Nath Kovind’s three-day (December 15 to 17) maiden trip to Bangladesh on the occasion of the 50th Vijay Diwas “is a testimony to the high priority that both counties attach to each other and their desire to further strengthen this relationship based on shared values, mutual trust and understanding.”

The MEA said India’s relationship with Bangladesh is one of the main pillars of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East Policies’.

India and Bangladesh enjoy robust and multifaceted bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, including trade and connectivity, energy and power, water resources, border management, defence and security, culture and people-to-people links, the MEA added.

With reference to President Kovind’s visit, the MEA added that it commenced by paying homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War at the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar. “He also paid his respects to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum,” it maintained.

Calling it a visit of historical significance given the 50th anniversary of the shared sacrifices of the people of the two countries during Bangladesh’s struggle for liberation in 1971, the MEA said several key announcements were made during the visit.

As per the MEA, these announcements included gifting of the Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition to the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka; announcement of the first occupant of the Bangabandhu Chair at Delhi University; and extension of the Nutan India – Bangladesh Maitree Muktijoddha Sontan Scholarship Scheme for a period of five years. A 1971-era MiG-21 aircraft was gifted to the National Museum of Bangladesh. A replica of the aircraft was handed over by the President to the President of Bangladesh.

The MEA said that during the President’s first overseas visit, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina called on Ram Nath Kovind and recalled the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March 2021.

“The leaders highlighted the importance of the spirit of 1971 and the legacy of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” the MEA said, adding that Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, also called on the President and updated him on the ongoing bilateral cooperation.

On December 16, as per the MEA, the President attended the Victory Day parade in Dhaka as the Guest of Honour.

“A 122-member tri-service contingent of the Indian Armed Forces also participated on this historic occasion. In remembrance of the bravery and the supreme sacrifices made by the Indian Armed Forces during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, Wing Commander T. Asha Jyotiramai performed a para jump unfurling the flag of the Indian tri-services along with the paratroopers from the Bangladesh Armed Forces at the Victory Parade.” The Ministry said.

“In the evening, the President delivered an address at a special event held to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh and culmination of Mujib Borsho at the South Plaza of the Bangladesh Parliament in the presence of the President and Prime Minister of Bangladesh and other distinguished dignitaries,” the Ministry informed.

On December 17, the President inaugurated the newly reconstructed Sree Sree Ramna Kali Mandir in Dhaka that had been destroyed in March 1971 by Pakistani forces.

“In keeping with the spirit of the occasion, he also interacted with Indian war veterans and Muktijoddhas of Bangladesh. He later addressed a gathering of friends of India representing different walks of life from the Bangladeshi society and members of the Indian community,” the MEA said.

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MEA seeks experts to take on China

With the Chinese making unilateral changes at the Line of Actual Control since May last year, India has revamped security and mechanisms to deal with the emerging threat…reports Asian Lite News.

Amid the India and China border dispute, the Ministry of External Affairs has sought experts on China for special projects and research but they should be retired Joint Secretary and Major General rank officers.

The experts would be working at the ministry’s Centre of Contemporary China Studies (CCCS) division. They want one expert for special projects and another for research. For special projects, they want a military officer of retired major general rank. And for carrying out research, they want either a retired Joint Secretary level officer or a Major General rank officer.

The ministry has specified that these experts should have knowledge of China and issues related to China including India-China relations. They should also have experience of engaging or working with the Chinese system.

Most importantly, they should have “experience of living in or serving in China” apart from knowledge of the Chinese language.

With the Chinese making unilateral changes at the Line of Actual Control since May last year, India has revamped security and mechanisms to deal with the emerging threat.

Two weeks ago, China took a unilateral decision to bring about a legislation on land boundary law. India clearly stated that the Chinese decision can have implications on existing bilateral arrangements on border management.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said, “We have noted that China has passed a new “Land Boundary Law” on October 23, 2021. The law states among other things that China abides by treaties concluded with or jointly acceded to by foreign countries on land boundary affairs. It also has provisions to carry out reorganisation of districts in the border areas.”

China’s unilateral decision, Bagchi said, to bring about legislation which can have implications on our existing bilateral arrangements on border management as well as on the boundary question is of concern to us.

Such a 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 tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China Border areas.

“We also expect that China will avoid undertaking action under the pretext of this law which could unilaterally alter the situation in the India-China border areas,” the MEA spokesperson had said.

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 the Government of India has consistently maintained is an illegal and invalid agreement, he added.

India and China have been engaged in a border dispute for the last 18 months.

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Lekhi, Uzbek FM discuss need for close consultations on Afghanistan

MoS Lekhi conveyed India’s full support to the current Uzbek Presidency of the SCO. …reports Asian Lite News.

India and Uzbekistan have discussed the importance of maintaining close and regular consultations on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and the need to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not allowed to be used for any terror activities.

The issue was discussed by visiting Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi during her meeting with Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.

They discussed important areas of bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release issued on Monday.

The visit from September 23-26 was Lekhi’s first official visit to any Central Asian country after assuming charge.

The MoS emphasised on expeditious implementation of development projects in Uzbekistan under the USD 1 billion Line of Credit given by India, the MEA stated.

Both sides also agreed on concluding the ongoing negotiations for the proposed Bilateral Investment Agreement at the earliest.

MoS Lekhi conveyed India’s full support to the current Uzbek Presidency of the SCO.

During the visit, she also met with Uzbekistan’s Culture Minister Ozodbek Nazarbekov.

They had a productive discussion on further intensifying cooperation in different spheres of culture given the deep cultural and civilisational connect between India and Uzbekistan, the MEA said.

These included cooperation in the field of archives, films, preservation of Buddhist sites, creation of ‘India Study Rooms’ in different Universities of Uzbekistan, and translation of literary works.

According to the MEA release, the Cultural Exchange Programme for the period 2021-25 was signed during the visit.

A 50-member strong Indian delegation comprising film personalities of India will be participating in the Tashkent Film Festival next week.

MoS Lekhi had a number of speaking engagements during her visit.

These included a lecture on ‘India’s democratic traditions’ at the Tashkent State University of Law and an address on ‘India-Uzbekistan relations- Strengthening Strategic Partnership’ at the Bukhara State University as part of ” Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, it further mentioned.

She met distinguished indologists from the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies and other institutions and discussed ways to further promote India studies and philosophy in Uzbekistan.

MoS also had interactions with members of the Indian community in Tashkent and Indian students at Samarkand State Medical Institute.

She highlighted the positive contribution of the Indian diaspora abroad in strengthening of India’s relations with other countries including Uzbekistan.

According to the MEA release, the Indian community was also encouraged to participate actively in the celebrations of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The visit provided further momentum to our strategic partnership with Uzbekistan by maintaining regular political exchanges and further consolidating our cultural ties, it added. (India News Network)

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NE states urged to promote export to achieve $400bn target

“This is especially significant in the context of realising the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated during his address to the Nation on August 6, 2021,” the MEA release said…reports Asian Lite News.

Minister of State for External Affairs Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh urged the North Eastern states to proactively harness the goodwill for India around the world in promoting export and attracting foreign investment into the region to achieve the target of USD400 billion export per annum.

The Minister said so while interacting with Resident Commissioners of the North-Eastern region in New Delhi on Friday.

The first of its kind meeting was held to understand first hand from the States in the North-East Region as to how the Ministry of External Affairs can facilitate their international engagement, the MEA said in a statement.

“This is especially significant in the context of realising the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated during his address to the Nation on August 6, 2021,” the MEA release said.

The Residential Commissioners and Nodal Officers from eight North-Eastern States – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura Nagaland and Sikkim- attended the meeting.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, C. Rajasekhar, OSD (States), said the MEA’s focus on the North-Eastern Region is key to the nation’s security and prosperity.

Secretary (ER) Shri Dammu Ravi summed up the productive deliberations and guided the meeting on the next steps. These include a North East Round Table to be launched for the first time in Imphal, Manipur, later this year. (India News Network)

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Obtaining accurate info about Indians in Afghanistan our priority: MEA

“We have been issuing periodic travel and security advisories for all Indian nationals in Afghanistan, given the deteriorating security situation there,” it noted…reports Asian Lite News.

India on Tuesday said its immediate priority is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently in Afghanistan.

“We have already received requests from Afghan Sikh and Hindu community leaders, and are in touch with them,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.

As regarding withdrawal of staff and paramilitary personnel from the Indian embassy in Kabul, the Ministry said this withdrawal has been completed in two phases and the Ambassador and all other Indian personnel have reached New Delhi this afternoon.

“We have been issuing periodic travel and security advisories for all Indian nationals in Afghanistan, given the deteriorating security situation there,” it noted.

Those already in Afghanistan were urged to return immediately while others were advised not to travel there, the statement added.

Nevertheless,” we understand that a number of Indians are stranded in that country, some of whom are employed by third country organizations,” it mentioned.

Stating that main challenge for travel to and from Afghanistan is the operational status of Kabul airport, “it further said that this has been discussed at high levels with our partners, including by EAM Jaishankar with the US Secretary of State.”

The Government of India is committed to the safe return of all Indian nationals and will institute flight arrangements once Kabul airport is open for commercial operations, the statement reiterated.

It further said that as regards Afghan nationals, India’s visa services will continue through an e-Emergency visa facility, which has been extended to Afghan nationals. (India News Network)

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MEA official in Doha for talks on Afghan peace process

Govt says it hopes for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and will extend support to all peace initiatives in Afghanistan, reports Asian Lite News

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday informed that India is participating in a meeting on Afghanistan Peace Process in Doha. Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) JP Singh is currently there as he has been invited by Qatar Special Envoy Mutlaq Bin Majed Al-Qahtani during his visit to India last week from August 5 to August 8.

“The meeting will include several other stakeholders within Afghanistan. The meeting is underway today and we will share with you updates once the meeting is over,” the MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a media briefing.

During his visit to India, the Qatar envoy had met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during which the EAM had shared India’s perspectives on the recent developments in the war-torn country.

Jaishankar in a tweet had said that he was pleased to receive the Qatar special envoy. “Shared the Indian perspective on recent developments in Afghanistan. Also the concerns of the region that I had heard during the interactions”

Qahtani had also met Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla. The MEA Spokesperson noted that discussions were held on the situation in Afghanistan for a peaceful and stable country. The Qatar spokesperson also discussed bilateral relations with the Foreign Secretary.

As regards the situation in Afghanistan, Bagchi said that India hopes for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. “We are supporting all peace initiatives in Afghanistan. Primary concern is peace and stability in that country”, he said.

When asked about discussions with the Taliban, Bagchi said, “We are in touch with all stakeholders, various stakeholders. I would not like to say anything further”.

India closely monitoring developments in Afghanistan: MEA

Expressing hope that there will be an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it is closely monitoring the developments in the war-ravaged country.

“We are supporting all peace initiatives Afghanistan, our primary concern is peace and stability in that country and offering a prosperous future that is independent, sovereign, democratic,” said Bagchi.

Bagchi maintained that India was in touch with all stakeholders as the situation on the ground was evolving.

Speaking about the threats posed to safety and security of Hindu and Sikh minorities living in Afghanistan, the MEA Spokesperson said, “We are closely monitoring developments in this regard, we are concerned about the deteriorating security situation.”

Referring to Wednesday’s security advisory issued by India for its nationals, he said, “Our mission in Kabul issued an advisory for Indian nationals earlier this week, advising them to return to India via commercial flights.”

“Last year, our mission in Kabul had facilitated the return of more than 383 members of the Hindu and Sikh community in Afghanistan, to India, and our embassy, our mission Kabul continues to remain in touch with Afghan Hindu and Sikh community members and we will ensure the provision of all necessary assistance to them,” the MEA Speokesperson said.

Replying to a question on reports of Indian assisted projects in Afghanistan under attack by Taliban, Bagchi stated, “I think it’s wrong to term them as, you know, Indian projects. These are projects that were done with Indian assistance, Indian support, but are projects of the government and people of Afghanistan.”

“And once we hand over them, we don’t make any claim that these projects as our own, of course, these are very useful and important projects for the development of the people of Afghanistan and we certainly hope that they will not get damaged and will continue to provide the benefit,” he stated.

Denying claims made in media reports of Taliban gaining control of a Mi-24 helicopter India had given to Afghanistan, the MEA Spokesperson informed that it was not an Indian Air Force helicopter.

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