Media Center

Transcript of Weekly Media Briefing by the Official Spokesperson (September 02, 2021)

September 03, 2021

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Namaskar! And a very good afternoon to all of you. Thank you once again for joining our weekly presser . Nice to see the hall now, regular format and with COVID restrictions. I don't have any particular announcement to make so I can see hands going up and we have already issued some of as you know, the External Affairs Minister is abroad we issued a press release on that and we shared some more details, Foreign Secretary has also abroad. We may have some more events etc., which we will announce as the time goes by. So with that, let me open up the floor for questions. Okay, I see these two people first okay.

Pranay: Sir Pranay from ABP News. There are reports that,Taliban ki government jaldi hi kabul mein form hone waali hai, to kya india ko kisi tareeke ka invitation mila hai, aur kya us mein agar invitation milta hai to koi participation india ki taraf se hoga? (Questioned in Hindi;Approximate translation) There are reports that the Taliban government is going to form in Kabul soon, so has India received any kind of invitation, and will there be any participation from India if the invitation is received?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you.

Sharendra: Sir Sharendra from Network 18, Aisee reports aa rahee hai ki jo kuchh indians vahaan phanse hue the, unko evacuate karne ke liye dobaara operation chalaaya ja sakata hai. Kya aisee koi information aap share kar sakte hain? (Questioned in Hindi;Approximate translation) There are reports that for some Indians who are trapped there, operation can be started again to evacuate them. Can you share any such information?

Speaker 1: Sir we know that the meeting has happened, there has been official announcement by the MEA, between Taliban and the Indian envoy. Are we expecting more such meetings in the future?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: ok, maybe we will take the question from this side.

Speaker 2: Sir, Taliban led government may be formed soon. Does the Government of India have any inkling or any information about whether it will be a representative government which involves people from non-Taliban organisations? Or will it be entirely Taliban?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Maybe one more question before I go through the round. Somebody raise the hand and then I'll come back to you. Yeah, please.

Ashok: Hi sir I’m Ashok from ANI. Kya jo Afghani India mein hain unko wapas bhejne kee kisi tareeke ki kuchh koshish ho rahee hai jo log jaana chaahate hain? (Questioned in Hindi;Approximate translation) Is there some way of trying to send back those Afghans who are in India and who want to go back?

Speaker 3: "Jo Afghani yahan already hain aur jinka visa khatam ho gaya hai, unke liye kya Bharat sarkar koi vyavastha kar rahi hai, unke visa badhaane ki ya kya? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate translation) For those Afghans who are already here and whose visas have expired, is the Indian government making any arrangements, to extend their visas or what?”

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Same issue or I'll come back to another round of question. I think I've already taken a lot. Pause. Let me just get back to. Let me start with the evacuation question. I think you asked on that one. Look, as you know, we have been prioritising the evacuation of our national, of our people there as well as some Afghans who we could bring out. Currently, of course, the Kabul airport is not operational. So I don't have any update on when we will be able to do more flights, I think we will be able to revisit this issue once we have Kabul airport operational, once the airport operations resume there, so I think we'll have to wait for that. Meanwhile, of course, our special Afghanistan cell continues to operate and is in touch with whoever is in Kabul and in Afghanistan. So that's what I would say about the evacuation part.

Taliban government formation invite, is par sawal tha, Taliban Sarkar ban rahi hai, iska invite, doosra, (Answered in Hindi; Approximate translation) There was a question on the formation of Taliban government, its invite, second I think the question about is it representative government? I have actually no update in either issue. We're not aware of the invite. I've seen media reports on the government formation, but we don't have any update on anything on the invitation. And I don't have any details I can share with you regarding the nature of what government could form in Afghanistan. People who have return to Afghanistan. No, I mean, we were focusing on bringing people out of Afghanistan, I haven't heard anything about people, any case flight mechanisms don't work. I mean, I presume you mean people who want to return to Afghanistan or are you talking about deportation? Jo vaapis jaana chahte hein? abhi ki sthiti mein to koi aisee flight bhi nahin chal rahi hai, to hamare pas koi aisee update nahin hain. kuchh journalists jaana chahte hein, but vo alag cheej hai. Kya karen jab tak kabul airport oprational na ho, abhi ispe to I think koi update nahin ho paega. Aur visa ke bare mein aapne poochha, dekhiye, ye aisa ek mudda hai jispe decision lena padega. Abhi ke liye to jo e-visa system hai, usmein 6 mahine ke visa diye ja rahe hain. Aur jo yahan pe hain Covid ke hote hue kuchh logon ke visa automatically extend ho gaye the. Par specific issues abhi disccussions mein hain, internal discussions chal rahe hein. Flight vagairah nahin ho rahi hai. Aur ek tha, hamaree Doha meeting ke baare mein. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Those who want to go back, in the present situation even, No flights are operational, then we do not have any such update. Some journalists want to go, but that is a different thing. What to do, until the Kabul Airport becomes operational, I think there will be no update on it. And you asked about visa, see that it is such an issue on which a decision has to be taken. For now, in the e-visa system, visas of 6 months are being given. And the visas of some people were automatically extended through Covid who are here. But the specific issue is currently being discussed, internal discussion is going on. There is no flight etc. Another one was about our Doha meeting. Doha meeting if there are any other plan. All I know, I can tell you is there was a meeting and regarding that meeting we have shared with you details of what the meeting is. I have no further update. I would not like to speculate about the future. Okay, let me have another round of questions. Let me start with here. One second we'll start with gentlemen there. So, I know most of you but I don't want to call you out by name. Better you introduce yourselves.

Sachin: Hi, Sachin from Times of India, given the Taliban itself, according to MEA, had asked for a meeting on Tuesday with the Indian Ambassador, does it not strike as odd that you know, until now, there's not even a word from the Taliban on the meeting. There's no confirmation, no announcement, even though they have confirmed meeting with several other Ambassadors in the last two days. And is it also true that the Taliban didn't want a photo of the meeting? Did they insist on not releasing or even taking a photo of the pick. Thanks.

Uma Shankar: Uma Shankar ndtv se, Doha mein Taliban ke neta ke anurodh par hamare Ambassador ne vahaan pe mulaakaat ki unse, ek aupacharik baatcheet ki prakriya shuroo hui hai, mera savaal ye hai ki kya bharat ke pas koi roadmap hai ki aage kis tarah se baat karni hai ya jab- jab taliban approach karega, tab-tab hi ham baat karenge, hamare pas apna koi roadmap hai? aur usi se juda hua ek savaal hai ki haqqani network ke jo neta hain unki taraf se kal ek bayan aaya hai ki vo bhi Bharat ke saath achchhe rishte chaahate hain to kya haqqani network pe bhee utna hi bharosa …………….? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate translation) Umashankar from NDTV, at the request of the leader of Taliban in Doha, our ambassador met him there, a formal dialogue process has started, my question is, does India have a roadmap on how to talk next or whenever Taliban will approach, then only then we will talk, do we have our own roadmap and a question related to that is that yesterday a statement has come from the leaders of Haqqani Network that they too are for India. They want a good relationship with India. So do we have same trust on Haqqani Network also?

Sanjeev Triwedi: Mein Sanjeev Triwedi News24 se, bharat mein is mulaakaat ke baad yeh savaal uth rahe hain ki kya ham Taliban ko aatanki sangathan maante hain ya nahin maante hain aur ye jo mulakaat hui thi, kya ye mulakaaton ki shrinkhala ki ek kadi hai ya phir ye pahli mulakaat hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate translation) I Sanjeev Trivedi from News24, after this meeting in India, questions are being raised whether we consider the Taliban as a terrorist organization or not and this meeting was a part of a series of meetings or is it the first meeting?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Okay, who had a related question, please.

Smita Sharma: Hi, Smita Sharma. Sir just to follow up on the question, because for India, for the longest, there have been red lines, that there is no distinction between good and bad terror and the Taliban has been a terror group. So where does India's official stand visibly, the Taliban actually stand today or does engaging also essentially mean that we are a step closer towards recognising them?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Could you repeat, I thought that they are two different questions. Did you say about terror or recognition, they are two different issues right?

Smita Sharma: Two different. So official stand on Taliban as a terror group and engaging with them, is it a step closer to recognizing them?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Fair enough. I’ll try to answer that okay. Maybe this side.

Kadambini Sharma: Kadambini Sharma from NDTV India. Jo sawal yahan par poochha gaya usi se juda hua hai ye, jo mulakaat hui hai Doha mein Bharat aur Taliban ke representatives ke beech mein to sirf aashvaasan diya gaya hai ki ham usako positivaily dekh rahe hain ya koi time period diya gaya hai, that we will get back to you about jo bhi indians wahan pe stranded hain? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate translation) The question that was asked here is related to the meeting that took place in Doha between the representatives of India and the Taliban, only an assurance has been given that we are looking at them positively or a time period has been given, that we will get back to you about the Indians stranded there?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Let me try to answer a few of this. See some of the questions, I have already answered. Poocha gaya tha ki ye koi shrinkhla hei? (Answered in Hindi;Approximate Translation) It was asked it was a series?. Are there more meetings? I just answered. I have no update to share on that. I don't want to speculate. Is it not odd they haven't said?Well that's up to them. No photo, I think it just didn't happen, Its just a meeting, It wasn't really that kind of an event where photos are taken. I presume, I mean there's nothing, I don't think any thought behind it, we don't have a photo of it. I think neither side took a photo. Regarding, Abhi ki koi road map hai? road map poochha tha aapne usmein. Dekhiye yes or no sawal nahin hai ye, bina soche to kuchh kiya nahin hoga hamne .Nahin main lamba javab, yes or no mein nahin dena chaahta hoon. Aapne doosra poochha terrorism ke baare mein, us pe kaafi baaki sawaal bhi aaye hain, dekhie let me just say hamara jo main concern hai,(Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Is there any road map right now? You asked for a formal meeting Road Map. See, YES or NO is not a question, we wouldn’t have done anything without thinking. No, I do not want to give a long answer in YES or NO. You asked the second one about terrorism, many other questions have also come on that, see let me just say our main concern, One of the primary immediate concern is that Afghan soil should not be used for terror, anti-Indian activities or terrorism against India. I think you saw that in our press release, hamne us baare mein kafi keh diya, ye hamara ek main mudda hai aur ispe mah itna hi kehna chaahunga, ki hamara focus yahee hai, to mein specific issue pe comment nahin karna chaahoonga. Hamaare road map ke baare mein dekhte hain kaise aage kya badhta hai. Issi baat pe, i think some people asked about (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) We have talked about that a lot. This is one of our main issues and I would like to say only this, that this is our focus. So I would not like to comment on a specific issue. About our road map, let's see how it progresses. Some people asked about the same thing, is it terrorist organisation. That's not our focus .The focus is, let me reiterate is that Afghan soil should not be used for terrorist activities, of any kind of anti-Indian activities. And we will try to focus on that element. There was a question about recognition or something like that. Let's just read the Doha meeting for what it is. It is just a meeting. And I think these are still very early days. And I don't have further on that. And is there a time frame for assurance? Look, we used that opportunity to convey our concerns, whether it is on getting people out or on the issue of terror and anti-Indian activities, we received positive response. Of course, as I mentioned earlier in some of the questions, a lot of this evacuation or repatriation of people or movement of people will depend on how we open the airport, kabul airport jab tak nahin khulega tab tak commercial flights ki dikkat hai aur ye nikalne ki baat par abhi clarity nahin rahegi. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Till the time Kabul Airport does not open, there is a problem with commercial flights and there is no clarity on the matter of exit.” Yes, next round. I think we close this with Afghanistan on this last round a few I think similar questions will come up okay.

Bramh Prakash: "Bramh Prakash dubey Zee News se,” mera sawal Pakistan ko lekar hai, abhi beete dinon phir se aisee tasveerein aaye krishn janmaashtamee ki,(Questioned in Hindi;Approximate Translation) I am Brahm prakash Dubey from Zee-News, my question is about Pakistan, just in the past such pictures came again of Krishna Janmashtami,…..

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: ek kaam karenge Afghanistan pe koi do, teen hai, main ab aapake paas aata hoon .(Answered in Hindi;Approximate Translation) let me finish 2-3 more questions on Afghanistan and I will get back to you .

Vijay Lakshmi: Sir, vijaylakshmi hoon India TV se, thoda late thi agar repitition ho to please maaf kijiega, kya hamaare paas numbers hein kitne bharteeye wahaan par phanse hue hain aur usko lekar ke bharat sarkar kya kar rahee hai kyonki airport vahaan par tamaam operations band hain aur uske alaava afghan minorities ko lekar ke jo hamne baat ki thi taliban ke representative se to kaha tha ki minorities wahaan se aana chaahti hain, to koi data figure hai ki kis tarah ke wahan se hamare pass log approach kar rahe hain ki kitne abhi tak hua hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir, I am Vijaylakshmi from India TV, please forgive me if there is a repetition, do we have numbers of how many Indians are stranded there and what is the Indian government doing about that because all the operations are closed at the airport and apart from that, regarding the Afghan minorities that we had talked to the representative of the Taliban, that the minorities want to come from there, then is there any data figure as to how many people are approaching us from there, how many have approached so far?

Maha Siddiqui: I’m Maha Siddiqui from CNN News 18. Sir the statement released by India on the meeting in Doha in the first paragraph it says the meeting was on the request of the Taliban side. But the subsequent two paragraphs mentioned what India said. Why did the Taliban seek a meeting? It doesn't mention that. Why were they seeking a meeting?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: And please we have two people that oh you also okay. I think that’s the last we will take. Yes, please.

Neeraj: Sir, Neeraj from News 18 India se, ek hamara sawal hai ki kitne log abhi bhi phanse hue hain Afghanistan mein aur ek kanpur ki ladki hai Hina khan unhone shayad videsh mantralay se sampark kiya hai, wahaan se jo khabaren aa rahee hain, aisi koi jankaari aap tak hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir, Neeraj from News 18 India, one of our questions is how many people are still trapped in Afghanistan and there is a Kanpur girl Hina Khan, she has probably contacted the Ministry of External Affairs based on the news coming from there. Do you have any information?

Irka Sood: Irka Sood CNN. Just want to know how many Afghan nationals have applied for a visa approximately any figure that you have for us. Thank you.

Speaker 4: Jab is tarah ke halaat kisi country mein hote hain to jaan aur maal ki suraksha ki jyaada chinta hoti hai. Jaan to aap matlab bacha kar le aa rahe hain. Evacuation kar rahe hain. Lekin jo wahaan unka business hai, dukaane hain, ya aur unke outlets hain, kya uski suraksha ka bhi koi aashvaasan is Doha meeting mein mila hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Under these circumstances in a country, there is more concern about the safety of life and property. You are bringing them back and saving life, undertaking evacuations, but what about their business, shops, or other outlets there, has there been any assurance of their safety in this Doha meeting?

Akhilesh Suman: Sir I’m Akhilesh Suman from Sansad TV. Do we have a clear cut refugee policy about Afghans those who are coming from there on the E- visa, will they have refugee status or something else?

Pradeep: Sir, Namaskar, main Pradeep, total news se, Afghan naagarik jo yahaan par Bharat mein hain, aise log pradarshan kar rahe hain UNHRC par, wo immigration ki maang kar rahe hain, aise certificate ki maang kar rahe hain. Wo letter unko jaari kiya jaye uske alaava Refugee status card ki maang kar rahe hain, to kafi pradarshan kiya hai aise logon ne, kya iss par nazar hai bharat sarkar ki aur kya unki madad karne ki koi planning hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Sir, Namaskar, I am Pradeep from Total News, Afghan citizens who are here in India, they are protesting in front of UNHRC, they are demanding immigration, they are demanding such certificates and letters, apart from that they are demanding refugee status card, so such people have demonstrated a lot, is the Government of India keeping an eye on it and is there any plan to help them?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Okay, let me try to answer some of these. Kafi different type ke questions aaye hain. Dekhiye pahle hain, how many people are left in Afghanistan? kitne rah chuke hain. Dekhiye it is difficult to share a specific number. Maine pichle hafte bhi yahi kaha tha. Particularly given the changes that have taken place. Pichhle hafte, 2 hafte ke andar. Jaise maine pahle kaha tha, the vast majority of Indians jo nikalna chaahte the wo nikal gaye hain wahaan se. Exact number mere paas abhi hai nahin. Thoda oopar neeche bhee hota rahata hai, kuchh log aana chahate the, kuchh ho sakta hai aur nikal gaye hon. Hamari jo Afghanistan special cell hai unse contact mein hain par let me emphasize vast majority nikal gaye hain. Bahut kam log baaki honge, Indians. Hain kuchh pakka, we are in touch with them and jaisa maine kaha nikaalne ke baad poochh rahe the kya kar sakate hain. Jab tak hamare yahaan kabul airport operational na ho, hamen abhi aur kuchh wait karna padega, jab tak kabul airport operational ho jae, fir ham dekhate hain ki kis tarah se vo nikal aa paate hain. Jaisa maine kaha tha Doha meeting mein, hamne is baat pe hamaari jo concern hai usko ye hamne convey to kar diya hai. Aur dusra ye Hina khan vaala case main nahin jaanta hoon, mujhe avagat nahin hai ki ismein koi likha hai ya contact kiya hai, ye kya Afghanistan pe hai, pata nahin, i dont have any information. Visa ki baat kar raha hoon, Visa ke baare mein dekhie, visa ke detail, e-visa wala system kareeb 16 taareekh ki sham se open hua tha par iska jo data base hai wo hamare grah mantraalay ke paas hai, MHA ke paas hai. To mere paas koi data nahin hoga. Uchit nahin hoga ki main kuchh is par kahoon. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Quite different types of questions have come. Look first, How many people are left in Afghanistan. How many are left? See if it is difficult to share a specific number as I said the same thing last week also. Particularly given the changes that have taken place last week or within 2 weeks. Like I said earlier, the vast majority of Indians who wanted to leave have left. I don't have the exact number yet. A little up and down also happens, some people wanted to come, some may have already left. Our Afghanistan Special Cell is in touch with them but let me emphasize. Vast majority has gone. Very few Indians are left, but some are for sure, we are in touch with them and as I said after evacuating they were asking what can we do. Then we will see how they can come out.

As I said in the Doha meeting, we have conveyed our concern regarding this matter. And this Hina Khan case I do not know, I am not aware. Whether someone has written or contacted, whether she is in Afghanistan, I don't have any information.

Look at visa details, e-visa system was opened from the evening of 16th, but its data base is with our Ministry of Home Affairs, with MHA. So I won't have any data. It would not be appropriate for me to say anything on this.

I think I got a question how many Afghan visas, the same question. We don't have an exact number, at least with the ministry. This is the database where, the application goes directly into the Ministry of Home Affairs. I know we've received a large number of them, that I'm sure and we've issued some. We had a query regarding refugee policy, E visa, Dekhiye ye refugee policy vagairah ye home ministry ke under aata hai, ye visa 6 mahine ke liye e-visa issue kiya ja raha hai, uske baad dekhte hain kaise hota hai. Unka status kya hoga, yeh aapko Home Ministry se poochna padega kyunki ham to visa dete hain usmen, I don’t know uspe refugee status hota hai ya nahin hota. I think aapne poocha tha, aapne poocha tha ki woh pradarshan kar rahe hain. Dekhiye hamse to demand nahin kar rahe hain. Pradarshan hamaare khilaaf to nahin hai to ismen pata nahin ham kya madad kar sakte hain. Kar rahe hain pradarshan, I think unko refugee status chahie baki countries mein, ye to hamaare topic nahin hai. Ham kya kar sakte hain ismen. Ek question tha, Jaan maal kee aap suraksha ki baat kar rahe the. Dekhiye Doha meeting mein jo hua hamne aapko bata diya hai. Ismen usse jyaada mere paas hai nahin kuchh share karne ke lie. Ham chahenge, of course ki Afghanistan mein shanti rahe, peace aaye, wahaan par jaan aur maal surakshit rahen. Yeh to ham hamesha se chaahte hain, par woh doosre desh mein hain aur wahaan par abhee kaphee badlav chal rahe hain to main isse jyaada kuchh nahin keh paunga. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) This refugee policy, e-visa. See, this refugee policy etc. comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs, this visa is being issued as e-visa for 6 months, after that let's see how it happens. What will be their status, you will have to ask the Home Ministry because we give visa, I don't know whether there is refugee status on it or not. Sorry, I think you asked that they were demonstrating. Look, they are not demanding from us. The protest is not against us, so, then I don't know what help we can give. They are demonstrating, I think they need refugee status in other countries, this is not our topic. What can we do in this? There was a question, you were talking about the safety of life and property. Look, we have told you what happened in the Doha meeting. I have nothing more to share than that. We would of course like that, there should be peace in Afghanistan, life and property should be safe there. We have always wanted this but they are in another country and there are a lot of changes going on there so I can't say anything more than this.

Why a meeting was asked, why ask us, I would refer you to the other interlocutor in this. I presume they would like to reach out to all the countries who have an interest and are relevant in this, I presume, but I'm speculating and guessing and which I do not wish to do. What we had to say about the meeting, I think it has been amply clear in our press release that we have put out. And as I mentioned, I don't have any further. Somebody asked about further meetings. I think I don't have any further. That was it. If I missed any other thing, okay. Moving on from Afghanistan. Aapne Pakistan pe pucha? (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) You asked on Pakistan?

Speaker 5: Mera sawal yah tha ki abhi kuch din pahle hee aisee tasveeren aaee. Krishna janmaashtamee ke din wahaan par moortiyaan todi gayee , alpasankhyakon ko torcher kiya gaya. Is ko lekar Bharat ka kya rukh hai ? Kya aap ne virodh jataaya hai? Doosra - Pakistan se hee juda sawaal yah hai, pakistan ke pradhan mantri Imaran Khan ne Sayad Ali Shah Geelani ke nidhan par jo message kiya hai, tweet kiya hai, unko Pakistani batate hue kaha hai ki desh mein shok rahega 1 din, jhanda jhuka rahega. Pakistan ke pradhan mantri ke is bayaan ko Bharat sarkar kis tarah se dekhtee hai? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) My question was that such pictures came only a few days ago. On the day of Krishna Janmashtami, idols were broken there and minorities were tortured. What is India's stand on this? Have you objected? Second - the question related to Pakistan is that the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has tweeted the message on the death of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, calling him Pakistani, saying that there will be mourning in the country for 1 day, the flag will be on half mast. How does the Government of India views this statement of the Prime Minister of Pakistan?”

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: "Dekhie Pakistan mein monorities ke halaat par, un par attacks par, hamne kaafi statements kar rakha hai. Main aaj specific koi statement nahin dena chaahta hoon, Hamne kaafi baar ye issue raise kiya hai unke saath. Aapko bhi batayaa hai hamare is madhyam se, presser ke madhyam se, ya otherwise hamare statement bhi aaye hain. Hamara position iss pe kaafi clear hai. I don’t think I need to repeat that . Aur Imran Khan ne jataya hai uspe mera immediate comment nahi hai. I suppose unka statement hai. I don’t have an immediate comment on this. Unhonne unko Nishan-e-Pakistan, ya kuch bhi de rakha tha. Unki marji, mein kya kah sakta hun iss mein. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) See, we have made a lot of statements on the situation of minorities in Pakistan, on attacks on them. I do not want to give any specific statement today. We have raised this issue many a times with them. We have also told you that through this medium, through presser, or otherwise, our statements have also come. Our position is quite clear on this. I don't think I need to repeat that and I do not have immediate comment. On what Imran Khan has expressed. I suppose it is his statement. I don't have an immediate comment on this. I think he has conferred upon him Nishan-e-Pakistan also. It is his wish, what can I say in this case.

Rajesh Mishra: Namaskaar, Mein Rajesh Mishra, Kantipur publication Kathmandu se. Nepal ke sandarbh mein ek prashn hai mera. 30 july ko Nepal Bharat border Dharsula mein Mahakali nadi paar karte hue ek Nepali yuvak usmen gir gae aur wahaan ke pratyakshadarshiyon ka maanna hai ki us tween se vo paar kar rahe the, to tween ko SSB ke kisi jawan ne kaat diya aur vo gir gae aur laapata hain. Aur isko lekar ke Nepal sarkar mein aur wahaan jo kuchh virodh chal rahe hain to Nepal sarkar ne investigation committee banaee aur us committee ne kal report bheja hai jismen unhonne bhee SSB ke upar aashankaen jatai hain. Aur Bharat sarkar se unka aagrah hai ki is ghatna ka anusandhaan karen aur anusandhaan ke baad doshi par kaaryavaahee karen aur peedit ko kshatipoortee dein. To is sambandh mein kuchh bataen. (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Namsakar! I am Rajesh Mishra from Kantipur Publications Kathmandu. I have a question regarding Nepal. On 30 July, while crossing the Mahakali river in Dharsula, Nepal-India border, a Nepalese youth fell into it and eyewitnesses believe that he was crossing through that tween. The tween was cut by some SSB jawan and he fell and is missing. And regarding this and whatever protests are going on in the Government of Nepal, the Government of Nepal formed an investigation committee and that committee has sent a report yesterday in which they have also expressed apprehensions on the SSB. And he urges the Government of India to investigate this incident and after investigation, take action against the guilty and compensate the victim. So please share something in this regard.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Prasahn kya hai main samjha nahin.(Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) I could not follow the question.

Rajesh Mishra: "Wo jo ghatna hua Mahakali nadi mein, Jo border cross kar rahe the Mahakali nadi ka tween ke sahare to usko SSB ke ek jawaan ne tween ko kaat diya. (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate translation) The incident that happened in the Mahakali river, the person was crossing the border with the help of the tween on the Mahakali river, at that time a SSB jawan cut the tween.”

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Ye to aarop hai na? (Answered in Hindi;Approximate translation) This is the allegation, isn't it?

Rajesh Mishra: Haan aarop hai, wahee aarop hee bata raha hoon. Iske maamle mein Bharat sarkaar kya kuchh chhaanbeen kiya hai ismen? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate translation) Yes this is an allegation, I am telling the same allegation. Has the Government of India done some investigation in this matter?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: jee dekhie ismen hamne media reports dekhee hain. Hamne bhee is tarah ke reports dekhe hain. Par hamaare paas aisa koi khabar nahin aaya hai. Koi aisa detail to mere paas hai nahin ki official kuchh aaya ho ya phir hamaare paas apne kaafi kuchh kaha, unka internal report ya kuchh chhaanabeen huee hai. Par mere paas kuchh khabar nahin hai. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate Translation) Yes Look, we have also seen media reports on this. But we have not got any such information. I do not have any such detail that anything official has come or we have said anything on this, their internal report or some investigation has been done. But I don't have any news.

This is your second question?

Rekha Dixit: No, sir. Rekha Dixit from the Week magazine. I'm going back to Afghanistan.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Okay. Only if your question is something very different. Okay. Anyway.

Rekha Dixit: Yeah, it's different because everyone, I mean, you've conveyed what our issues were with the Taliban, but since the meeting was called at their request, what have they conveyed? Or what was the communication from that side? I know you'll say ask them, but I did like to say I mean, have they asked for anything I mean, for which we had to respond?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Look on that meeting, we've issued a press release. We have conveyed what we felt were the contours of the conversation. I don't have anything further to share for the moment. Yeah, please. I hope so. Afghanistan is done.

Speaker 6: Sir, Australia mein ek Indian student jail mein the. Unki shaayad 15 October ko rihaii hone waali hai. Un par allegations the racial hatred failaane ke, jin ko hata liya gaya hai. Student ka naam Vishaal Jood hai. Aapke pass information hai Australiya se, is maamle mein? (Questioned in Hindi; Approximate translation) Sir, an Indian student was in jail in Australia. He is probably going to be released on October 15. His allegations were that he was spreading racial-hatred, which have been withdrawn. Student's name is Vishal Jood. Do you have any information about this from Australia?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Dekhie haan i think iss pe sawal aa chuka hai. Hamari jo jaanakaari hai ki aaj 2 taareekh ko wahaan Australia mein aaj ek sunavai hui aur wahaan par judgement paas ho gaya hai unke baare mein. ham aur jyaada ascertain kar rahe hain ki iske details kya hai aur we are in touch with aur jaisa aap jaante hain hamara High Commission aur Consulate ispe kaafi din se najar rakhe hue hain aur Consular access bhi hamein mila tha. To ab yeh judgement ke chalte ab kya uske saath aur further kya details hain, ham wo try kar rahe hain. Aaj hee hua hai kuchh der pahle par mujhe yeh baakee details ke baare mein nahin maaloom hai aap jo kah rahe hain date aur ye. Ye judgement hai, Iss mein privacy issues hain, par main yeh kah sakta hoon ki khabar hamaare paas yeh hai ki aaj judgement paas ho gaya hai Australian court mein. (Answered in Hindi; Approximate translation) Look, yes I think the question has already come on this. The information we have is that today on the 2nd there was a hearing in Australia and the judgement has been passed there. We are ascertaining more facts as to what the details are and we are in touch with and as you know, our High Commission and consulate have been keeping an eye on it for a long time and we got consular access also. So now, because of this judgement, we are trying to get more details. It happened today only a while back but I don't know about the rest of the details, what you are saying is the date etc . This is a judgement, there are privacy issues in this. But I can say that the news we have is that today the judgment has been passed in an Australian court.

Gautam Lahiri: This is Gautam Lahiri. There are some reports that air bubble would start very soon perhaps in this week, with the neighbouring countries, air bubble flight. So do you have any information on that whether this air bubble is going to resume within this week with the neighbouring countries.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Generally, all neighbouring countries?

Gautam Lahiri: Bangladesh.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Look on the air bubble as you know the air bubbles have been operational but then because of second wave, there was a pause with the neighbouring countries, specifically with Bangladesh, I think discussions are underway. I don't have a date yet. I think both sides are interested in resuming it as soon as possible. But I think talks are on as of right now I don't have a, I know I've seen some media reports, but we don't have exact date on which it can start. I think proposals are being discussed on that. With the other countries I think it's already on. With Sri Lanka, I think their flights on, with Nepal it has been on and off and on. So I think that if your question was about Bangladesh, yes talks are on, we don't have a date. Sorry, yeah.

Suchitra: Hi, sir Suchitra from News 18 Tamil and Bangladesh information minister to visit India. And I think in the upcoming week, I think, so what is the agenda for the meeting? He is likely to meet Jaishankar as well as Anurag Thakur? What is the agenda for that meeting?

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Sorry, you've told me a lot of information. I can't confirm any of those. Yes, I understand there is an event on which there is a proposal that we may have a visit. But I don't have a confirmation yet that I can share with you. There is an event in connection with the Bangabandhu centenary celebrations as well as with 50th anniversary. I think it's coming in connection with that. But I think let the Bangladeshi side perhaps, you know, announce that, but in other meetings I want to confirm as you know, as I just started my conversation saying both EAM is travelling, he may be meeting other dignitaries and leaders . We will certainly share with you more information. Okay, I think we managed to cover most of it. Thank you very much for being here today. Look forward to catching up with you again next week.

Write a Comment Write a Comment
Comments

Post A Comment

  • Name *
    E-mail *
  • Write Your Comment *
  • Verification Code * Verification Code