ports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "Govt doesn't intervene in affairs of sports bodies, they are autonomous. But when an issue is related to the country's sentiments, then the interest of the nation has to be kept in mind. I would like to request BCCI to take up the matter with ICC.

Kiren Rijiju: Govt does not intervene in affairs of sports bodies

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/kiren-rijiju-takes-oath-as-cabinet-minister-222915&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjLwL7_38_iAhWHLY8KHTeOBRAQFjAEegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1A0ic9XH-5VovK182MvAxj">Kiren Rijiju</a> on Tuesday finalised the blueprint of the National Sports University which will be set up in Imphal.

The sports minister in a meeting said that the work must begin at the earliest and the project must be expedited.

A detailed presentation was made to the minister regarding the design, layout and architectural specifications of the project.

The construction work of the university is expected to start at an early date.

The National Sports University is going to be first-of-its-kind and it will be a specialised sports university which will impart courses on sports science, sports technology, sports management, sports coaching.

It will also function as the national training centre for select sports disciplines, at par with international practices.

The foundation stone of the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/countrys-1st-national-sports-university-to-be-set-up-in-manipur-141754&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiMqIig4M_iAhVO73MBHeKICk8QFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0yQ4NmeP-Fo0SnxIbGy5S9">first sports university</a> in the country was laid in March 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kiren Rijiju was announced as the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports on May 31.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday finalised the blueprint of the National Sports University which will be set up in Imphal.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday finalised the blueprint of the National Sports University which will be set up in Imphal. The sports minister in a meeting said that the work must begin at the earliest and the project must be expedited. A detailed presentation was made to the minister regarding the design, layout and architectural specifications of the project. The construction work of the university is expected to start at an early date. The National Sports University is going to be first-of-its-kind and it will be a specialised sports university which will impart courses on sports science, sports technology, sports management, sports coaching. It will also function as the national training centre for select sports disciplines, at par with international practices. The foundation stone of the first sports university in the country was laid in March 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kiren Rijiju was announced as the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports on May 31.

Sports minister Kiren Rijiju finalises blueprint for National Sports University

Kiren Rijiju takes oath as cabinet minister. To know more watch the video

Kiren Rijiju takes oath as cabinet minister

Minister of State, Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju spoke to WION's political editor Kartikeya Sharma amid the heatwave of the ongoing general elections.

Exuding confidence, on behalf of Bharatiya Janata Party, of registering a landslide win in this general polls, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kiren-rijiju-accuses-congress-of-using-illegal-bangladeshi-infiltrators-as-vote-bank-in-northeast-197400">Rijiju attacked Congress party</a> for spreading falsehood and claimed that "there is no alternative to the leadership of PM Modi".&nbsp;

WION: Your thoughts on Congress as the opposition this Lok Sabha polls

Kiren Rijiju: See, the country can't be tied in Congress' falsehood. Congress' slogans are just rhetorical statements and people of India are tired of the party. No one takes the party seriously, no one takes Rahul Gandhi seriously.&nbsp;

Congress' 'Garibi Hatao' campaign, has poverty gone anywhere? It has only increased.&nbsp;

There is no alternative to the leadership of PM Modi. There should be not even an iota of doubt that Modi ji is the man of the moment.&nbsp;

WION: Your thoughts on the candidature on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pragya-says-nia-order-on-her-candidature-victory-of-truth-213299">Pragya Thakur</a>

Kiren Rijiju: Any trial in India has its own process. I'm not gonna dwell on history, but the investigation was carried out under the guided supervision of the court... unless a person is prevented by the law why should that person be questioned?

The question is whether she is permitted or not? If she has been permitted then why should anyone make an issue of it?&nbsp;

WION: BJP's prospects in the northeast?

Kiren Rijiju: The region offers 25 Lok Sabha seats and with the help of our allies we should be able to touch 20. This is my fifth election and I'm going to increase my margins.&nbsp;

WION: Issues faced by the party in the region

Kiren Rijiju: Other than the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the party did not face any issue in the region. We have clarified that it is not northeast specific. Without a discussion, no bill will be brought. We introduced the bill knowing and assuring the people that there will be no damage.&nbsp;

WION: Is this election PM Modi versus the rest or against Rahul Gandhi?

Kiren Rijiju: There is no question of PM Modi being put with someone else. He must lead the nation, this country deserves him as a leader, needs him.&nbsp;

WION: So, do you think our parliamentary elections have become presidential in nature?&nbsp;

Kiren Rijiju: You have got to have a leader who has a vision, a mission and that is all.&nbsp;

WION: Does the BJP sees Rahul Gandhi as a contender?&nbsp;

Kiren Rijiju: Rahul Gandhi is a young leader of the oldest political party in the country. I don't want to comment, just want to say that people do not take him seriously and this is the reality. He takes politics as a part-time job. He comes, campaigns and goes for vacations. Politics can't be a part-time job, it is a full-fledged job, service to the people. He is not a person who can stir up a political party, he has crumbled under his own failure.

WION: Your thoughts on the Grand Alliance

Kiren Rijiju: These parties have come together only because Modi ji and the BJP have&nbsp;become popular. Why else will SP and BSP come together? Tell me, could there be any other reasons? Congress has failed, if it doesn't side with these parties, it will alienate; if it goes with them, it will begin to shrink.&nbsp;

WION: Any thoughts on the Kashmir issue?

Kiren Rijiju: See, it is not easy to comment on such a complex issue. The PM has already spelt out his mission and vision, let's hope it works. The BJP has given scope for everybody to come on board.&nbsp;

WION: Do you think GST and demonetisation gave the opposition something to pick on?

Kiren Rijiju: Those could be implemented only because of the strong leadership, it was not easy but necessary. People who were hit hard, naturally they were the ones to create an issue.

WION: Do you think Rafale is an election issue?

Kiren Rijiju: It was never an issue for the people, it was an issue for Rahul Gandhi. We have an honest PM, people know that.&nbsp;

WION: What about the Naga Accord?&nbsp;

Kiren Rijiju: It has moved, there has been progress. If things get delayed because of something, doesn't mean it has failed. I agree we could not sign the final accord, certain reasons are there but we have moved much more than what people had thought.&nbsp;

Minister of State, Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju spoke to WION's political editor Kartikeya Sharma amid the heatwave of the ongoing general elections. Exuding confidence, on behalf of Bharatiya Janata Party, of registering a landslide win in this general polls, Rijiju attacked Congress party for spreading falsehood and claimed that "there is no alternative to the leadership of PM Modi".

Minister of State, Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju spoke to WION's political editor Kartikeya Sharma amid the heatwave of the ongoing general elections. Exuding confidence, on behalf of Bharatiya Janata Party, of registering a landslide win in this general polls, Rijiju attacked Congress party for spreading falsehood and claimed that "there is no alternative to the leadership of PM Modi". WION: Your thoughts on Congress as the opposition this Lok Sabha polls Kiren Rijiju: See, the country can't be tied in Congress' falsehood. Congress' slogans are just rhetorical statements and people of India are tired of the party. No one takes the party seriously, no one takes Rahul Gandhi seriously. Congress' 'Garibi Hatao' campaign, has poverty gone anywhere? It has only increased. There is no alternative to the leadership of PM Modi. There should be not even an iota of doubt that Modi ji is the man of the moment. WION: Your thoughts on the candidature on Pragya Thakur Kiren Rijiju: Any trial in India has its own process. I'm not gonna dwell on history, but the investigation was carried out under the guided supervision of the court... unless a person is prevented by the law why should that person be questioned? The question is whether she is permitted or not? If she has been permitted then why should anyone make an issue of it? WION: BJP's prospects in the northeast? Kiren Rijiju: The region offers 25 Lok Sabha seats and with the help of our allies we should be able to touch 20. This is my fifth election and I'm going to increase my margins. WION: Issues faced by the party in the region Kiren Rijiju: Other than the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the party did not face any issue in the region. We have clarified that it is not northeast specific. Without a discussion, no bill will be brought. We introduced the bill knowing and assuring the people that there will be no damage. WION: Is this election PM Modi versus the rest or against Rahul Gandhi? Kiren Rijiju: There is no question of PM Modi being put with someone else. He must lead the nation, this country deserves him as a leader, needs him. WION: So, do you think our parliamentary elections have become presidential in nature? Kiren Rijiju: You have got to have a leader who has a vision, a mission and that is all. WION: Does the BJP sees Rahul Gandhi as a contender? Kiren Rijiju: Rahul Gandhi is a young leader of the oldest political party in the country. I don't want to comment, just want to say that people do not take him seriously and this is the reality. He takes politics as a part-time job. He comes, campaigns and goes for vacations. Politics can't be a part-time job, it is a full-fledged job, service to the people. He is not a person who can stir up a political party, he has crumbled under his own failure. WION: Your thoughts on the Grand Alliance Kiren Rijiju: These parties have come together only because Modi ji and the BJP have become popular. Why else will SP and BSP come together? Tell me, could there be any other reasons? Congress has failed, if it doesn't side with these parties, it will alienate; if it goes with them, it will begin to shrink. WION: Any thoughts on the Kashmir issue? Kiren Rijiju: See, it is not easy to comment on such a complex issue. The PM has already spelt out his mission and vision, let's hope it works. The BJP has given scope for everybody to come on board. WION: Do you think GST and demonetisation gave the opposition something to pick on? Kiren Rijiju: Those could be implemented only because of the strong leadership, it was not easy but necessary. People who were hit hard, naturally they were the ones to create an issue. WION: Do you think Rafale is an election issue? Kiren Rijiju: It was never an issue for the people, it was an issue for Rahul Gandhi. We have an honest PM, people know that. WION: What about the Naga Accord? Kiren Rijiju: It has moved, there has been progress. If things get delayed because of something, doesn't mean it has failed. I agree we could not sign the final accord, certain reasons are there but we have moved much more than what people had thought.

No one takes Rahul Gandhi seriously, he is crumbling under his own failure: Kiren Rijiju to WION

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Thursday hit out at the Congress, accusing the party of settling refugees in protected lands in the Northeast and using illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators as a vote bank.&nbsp;

Rijiju said the BJP and the NDA government will do its best to protect the linguistic and cultural identities of the indigenous people of the Northeast.&nbsp;

“It is tragic that Congress did blunder by settling refugees in protected lands and made all illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh as their vote bank. We won’t allow it anymore,” he told reporters here.

The Union minister of state for home hails from Arunachal Pradesh, where several thousand Chakma refugees have been allegedly settled during the then Congress government.&nbsp;

Local people of Arunachal Pradesh have been opposing the “settlement” of Chakma refugees, who came from Bangladesh, in the state.

The issue of illegal immigration has been dominating the political landscape for several decades in Assam, which has witnessed an influx of people from neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century.&nbsp;

A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the AASU in 1979. It culminated in the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985.

During the update of the NRC, a massive Supreme Court-monitored exercise to identify genuine Indian nationals living in Assam, have excluded over 40 lakh people from the draft list published on July 30, creating a huge political controversy.&nbsp;

Illegal immigration is also a major cause of concern for the people of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Thursday hit out at the Congress, accusing the party of settling refugees in protected lands in the Northeast and using illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators as a vote bank.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Thursday hit out at the Congress, accusing the party of settling refugees in protected lands in the Northeast and using illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators as a vote bank. Rijiju said the BJP and the NDA government will do its best to protect the linguistic and cultural identities of the indigenous people of the Northeast. “It is tragic that Congress did blunder by settling refugees in protected lands and made all illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh as their vote bank. We won’t allow it anymore,” he told reporters here. The Union minister of state for home hails from Arunachal Pradesh, where several thousand Chakma refugees have been allegedly settled during the then Congress government. Local people of Arunachal Pradesh have been opposing the “settlement” of Chakma refugees, who came from Bangladesh, in the state. The issue of illegal immigration has been dominating the political landscape for several decades in Assam, which has witnessed an influx of people from neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century. A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the AASU in 1979. It culminated in the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985. During the update of the NRC, a massive Supreme Court-monitored exercise to identify genuine Indian nationals living in Assam, have excluded over 40 lakh people from the draft list published on July 30, creating a huge political controversy. Illegal immigration is also a major cause of concern for the people of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura.

Kiren Rijiju accuses Congress of using illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators as vote bank in Northeast

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday lashed out at the Congress party, saying no agency can snoop on citizens and that misinformation is being spread to hamper the country`s image and security.

This comes amid reports of BJP-led Central government giving a free hand to 10 agencies to intercept information on computers.

The MoS also sought an apology from the Congress party in the connection and asserted that the latest Home ministry notification was an initiative to enable Internet service providers to help in serious cases of uploading of child pornography and jehadi contents.

Taking to his twitter handle Rijiju underlined that his government has implemented the rules framed by the Congress in 2009.

"No agency can snoop on citizens. Rules framed by UPA Government in 2009 have been put by MHA in public domain to prevent misuse by unauthorised persons, agencies or service providers. And to enable ISPs to help in serious cases of uploading of child pornography and jehadi contents," he tweeted.&nbsp;

"Congress should apologise to the nation for terming Orwellian State. Not a single word is added or deleted but MHA has simply notified the rules which were made when P. Chidambaram was the Home Minister," he added.

The issue came to fore after Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad on the floor of the house alleged that "undeclared Emergency has taken final shape" and "all federal agencies have been let loose".

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday lashed out at the Congress party, saying no agency can snoop on citizens and that misinformation is being spread to hamper the country`s image and security.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday lashed out at the Congress party, saying no agency can snoop on citizens and that misinformation is being spread to hamper the country`s image and security. This comes amid reports of BJP-led Central government giving a free hand to 10 agencies to intercept information on computers. The MoS also sought an apology from the Congress party in the connection and asserted that the latest Home ministry notification was an initiative to enable Internet service providers to help in serious cases of uploading of child pornography and jehadi contents. Taking to his twitter handle Rijiju underlined that his government has implemented the rules framed by the Congress in 2009. "No agency can snoop on citizens. Rules framed by UPA Government in 2009 have been put by MHA in public domain to prevent misuse by unauthorised persons, agencies or service providers. And to enable ISPs to help in serious cases of uploading of child pornography and jehadi contents," he tweeted. "Congress should apologise to the nation for terming Orwellian State. Not a single word is added or deleted but MHA has simply notified the rules which were made when P. Chidambaram was the Home Minister," he added. The issue came to fore after Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad on the floor of the house alleged that "undeclared Emergency has taken final shape" and "all federal agencies have been let loose".

Snooping row: Rijiju tears into Congress, demands apology for hurting India's image

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that China and India are constantly sharing information over the threats posed to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the wake of a landslide in Tibet. "You can't say it is a conspiracy," the minister added.

"Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities and Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy," he stated.

He said that the Siang river is a very big river and "any natural calamity like earthquake or landslide possess a danger to people who live downstream."

Rijiju's comments come a day after Arunachal Pradesh government sounded an alert in the East Siang district of the state and for the regions bordering China's Tibet region owing to a landslide in Tibet.

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Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities &amp; Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju
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A landslide that occurred in China on Wednesday created an obstruction on river Yarlung Tsangpo, which is known as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and as the Brahmaputra in Assam.

The landslide blocked the flow of the Yarlung Tsangpo, creating a lake that poses a threat to the inhabitants of the downstream areas, including those living in Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

Following the landslide, as many as 6,000 people were evacuated in Tibet.

Congress Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, Ninong Ering, had earlier written a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal seeking their intervention with regards to the blockage.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that China and India are constantly sharing information over the threats posed to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the wake of a landslide in Tibet.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that China and India are constantly sharing information over the threats posed to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the wake of a landslide in Tibet. "You can't say it is a conspiracy," the minister added. "Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities and Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy," he stated. He said that the Siang river is a very big river and "any natural calamity like earthquake or landslide possess a danger to people who live downstream." Rijiju's comments come a day after Arunachal Pradesh government sounded an alert in the East Siang district of the state and for the regions bordering China's Tibet region owing to a landslide in Tibet. Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities & Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju — ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2018 × A landslide that occurred in China on Wednesday created an obstruction on river Yarlung Tsangpo, which is known as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and as the Brahmaputra in Assam. The landslide blocked the flow of the Yarlung Tsangpo, creating a lake that poses a threat to the inhabitants of the downstream areas, including those living in Arunachal Pradesh. Following the landslide, as many as 6,000 people were evacuated in Tibet. Congress Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, Ninong Ering, had earlier written a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal seeking their intervention with regards to the blockage.

China, India constantly sharing information, can't say it's conspiracy: Rijiju on Brahmaputra river blockage

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday said that no illegal procurement of Voter-ID cards by Rohingya refugees will be allowed by the government.

Replying to a question on the alleged illegal procurement of various Indian identification cards such as Voter-ID and Aadhaar card, Rijiju said, "If anyone has procured Voter ID card illegally, action will be taken. It will be detected. The situation is not like before. Our government is strictly monitoring the situation. Action will be taken against any person who procures Voter ID or any other document by illegal means."

Responding to West Bengal Minister Purnendu Basu's claim of the Dum Dum Nagar Bazar blast being similar to the ones orchestrated by the RSS, Rijiju said, "They keep making statements like these. They speak so because of political reasons."

Rijiju also said that the activists who are under house arrest in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case need to be explained that sloganeering against the country while being a part of the same country is not right. "Having an anti-national ideology is not the right thing," he added.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday said that no illegal procurement of Voter-ID cards by Rohingya refugees will be allowed by the government.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday said that no illegal procurement of Voter-ID cards by Rohingya refugees will be allowed by the government. Replying to a question on the alleged illegal procurement of various Indian identification cards such as Voter-ID and Aadhaar card, Rijiju said, "If anyone has procured Voter ID card illegally, action will be taken. It will be detected. The situation is not like before. Our government is strictly monitoring the situation. Action will be taken against any person who procures Voter ID or any other document by illegal means." Responding to West Bengal Minister Purnendu Basu's claim of the Dum Dum Nagar Bazar blast being similar to the ones orchestrated by the RSS, Rijiju said, "They keep making statements like these. They speak so because of political reasons." Rijiju also said that the activists who are under house arrest in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case need to be explained that sloganeering against the country while being a part of the same country is not right. "Having an anti-national ideology is not the right thing," he added.

Illegal ID procurement by Rohingyas won't be permitted: Kiren Rijiju

WION interviewed Kiren Rijiju in Nagaland on the eve of elections in the Northeast. He spoke on the issues ranging from Naga Accord to separate time zone for the Northeast. Kiren Rijiju, in an exclusive interview, said that talks with the Naga leaders are in the last stage and could be announced soon. However, he did not give a timeline.

Q: How important is the Northeast for BJP?

A: Any election is important but NE is important because PM has set the agenda of Act East policy which can only be implemented by an honest government. Many governments in this region in past indulged in corruption. This time BJP has gone full steam to rest the power from the Congress. We are not giving a token fight. We have made an arrangement with the newly formed NDDP. We have a seat-sharing arrangement with them. I&rsquo;m overseeing the entire election and response has been tremendous.

Q: Earlier there was an impression that BJP was primarily focused on Tripura?

A: Tripura came into focus by the national media because it has been ruled by the Left party for decades and BJP unexpectedly took CPM head on. When BJP picked up, it became a big news. In Nagaland, the talks are also going on and it is a 70-year-old political problem. We need to tell the people that we are committed to solving the Naga problem. As a minister from NE, I&rsquo;m right now concentrating on Nagaland.

Q: In NE BJP did not show a leap of faith which it showed in Maharashtra and Haryana

A: In the context of Nagaland, we could have gone alone but we took sensitivities into account. We wanted a regional party to be part of &lsquo;us&rsquo; to implement the Naga Accord as and when it is signed which we are expecting soon. If we had gone alone, it would have given the impression that we are only interested in wresting away power. In Meghalaya, we are going alone. We only have an understanding.

Q: When do you intend to announce the Naga Accord? The term of the government would expire next year?

A: It is not a question of tenure. It is a question of commitment. PM from the day one has said that he wants to solve the issue. The talks are progressing smoothly and nearing the agreement which we are looking forward too. I feel that it should not take too much time. Some critical issues remain and they need to be settled and once they get resolved, we can implement it.

Q: There is lot anxiety about the details of the draft agreement or what would the accord look like

A: It was not an agreement. It was a framework agreement on which the talk would progress. It was a confidence-building measure. It is on that basis the talks have progressed. Some political parties like Congress tried to give a spin but did not work.

Q: Are you saying that by this year it could be announced?

A: If you give a timeline, the problem starts. It is not the question of how soon. It is a question of commitment and we are committed to it?

Q: NBCC wrote a letter to various political parties referring to BJP and Hindutva. Your response on it?

A: Nagaland would be governed by the Nagas. It is a Christian state. The CM, elected representatives and ministers are all Christians, so where is the question of imposition? The Constitution would guide us. No one can be discriminated on the basis of identity. Everyone is an Indian. Bringing religion into politics is not at all appreciated. If you target BJP, then someone benefits. I have said that we are a&nbsp;secular party functioning under a constitution which is secular in nature and there is no question of imposing faith on other people. Nagaland would be ruled by Naga people and there would not be any bearing on adverse impact on faith.

Q: Are you saying that church has become a political player in Nagaland?

A: We do not blame the church as not all the churches are of the same opinion. Maybe one or two people have raked up the issue to benefit a political party but we have effectively communicated to people that politics is about governance and has nothing to do with faith which is about an individual choice. No one should interfere with people&rsquo;s faith.

Q: Lot of people would say that BJP becomes another person when in the Northeast unlike what it is in the mainland

A: Obviously, India is a large country and every community has its own say in its domain area. If someone from J&amp;K goes to Tamil Nadu to say that their customs should be followed, the people will not listen. People in Nagaland have different food habits and lifestyle and they are entitled to it.

Q: Is Congress still a force in the Northeast?

A; Congress is paying a price for its misrule. They have been in Meghalaya for a long time. In Nagaland, Congress was strong but today they are not at all in the fight.

Q: Is your Mission the Northeast in line?

A: Yes, it is. One day we will be there in all the states.

Q: Elections in the Northeast are about everything but development why? It takes 3 hours to reach Kohima from Dimapur which is only 70 km away

A: Yes, I know. It is pathetic. Development has never been the agenda in an election and it was always about identity, regionalism and emotions. We are bringing back the agenda of good governance.

Q: Should Northeast have a separate time zone? What are you doing on this front?

A: This is an issue which has been raised many times. There is a concern that 1.5-hour difference leads to daytime loss. I handle a ministry which looks into this issue, so I would not like to comment on it but as a member from NE, I would say that if all the CMs from NE come forward with a coherent plan then we can think about it. But it needs to be discussed. It will have to be managed. Bhutan is half&nbsp;an hour ahead of the Indian time and Arunachal Pradesh is on the east of Bhutan still goes with the Lucknow time.

Q: Has PNB bank scam affected BJP&rsquo;s election campaign?

A: These are the scams which have genesis in Congress&#39;&nbsp;regime. If something stumbles out from our tenure then we would be responsible. It is having a positive impact on us as it did not happen during our tenure.

 
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&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kiren Rijiju spoke to WION on issues ranging from the Naga Accord to separate time zone for Northeast

WION interviewed Kiren Rijiju in Nagaland on the eve of elections in the Northeast. He spoke on the issues ranging from Naga Accord to separate time zone for the Northeast. Kiren Rijiju, in an exclusive interview, said that talks with the Naga leaders are in the last stage and could be announced soon. However, he did not give a timeline. Q: How important is the Northeast for BJP? A: Any election is important but NE is important because PM has set the agenda of Act East policy which can only be implemented by an honest government. Many governments in this region in past indulged in corruption. This time BJP has gone full steam to rest the power from the Congress. We are not giving a token fight. We have made an arrangement with the newly formed NDDP. We have a seat-sharing arrangement with them. I’m overseeing the entire election and response has been tremendous. Q: Earlier there was an impression that BJP was primarily focused on Tripura? A: Tripura came into focus by the national media because it has been ruled by the Left party for decades and BJP unexpectedly took CPM head on. When BJP picked up, it became a big news. In Nagaland, the talks are also going on and it is a 70-year-old political problem. We need to tell the people that we are committed to solving the Naga problem. As a minister from NE, I’m right now concentrating on Nagaland. Q: In NE BJP did not show a leap of faith which it showed in Maharashtra and Haryana A: In the context of Nagaland, we could have gone alone but we took sensitivities into account. We wanted a regional party to be part of ‘us’ to implement the Naga Accord as and when it is signed which we are expecting soon. If we had gone alone, it would have given the impression that we are only interested in wresting away power. In Meghalaya, we are going alone. We only have an understanding. Q: When do you intend to announce the Naga Accord? The term of the government would expire next year? A: It is not a question of tenure. It is a question of commitment. PM from the day one has said that he wants to solve the issue. The talks are progressing smoothly and nearing the agreement which we are looking forward too. I feel that it should not take too much time. Some critical issues remain and they need to be settled and once they get resolved, we can implement it. Q: There is lot anxiety about the details of the draft agreement or what would the accord look like A: It was not an agreement. It was a framework agreement on which the talk would progress. It was a confidence-building measure. It is on that basis the talks have progressed. Some political parties like Congress tried to give a spin but did not work. Q: Are you saying that by this year it could be announced? A: If you give a timeline, the problem starts. It is not the question of how soon. It is a question of commitment and we are committed to it? Q: NBCC wrote a letter to various political parties referring to BJP and Hindutva. Your response on it? A: Nagaland would be governed by the Nagas. It is a Christian state. The CM, elected representatives and ministers are all Christians, so where is the question of imposition? The Constitution would guide us. No one can be discriminated on the basis of identity. Everyone is an Indian. Bringing religion into politics is not at all appreciated. If you target BJP, then someone benefits. I have said that we are a secular party functioning under a constitution which is secular in nature and there is no question of imposing faith on other people. Nagaland would be ruled by Naga people and there would not be any bearing on adverse impact on faith. Q: Are you saying that church has become a political player in Nagaland? A: We do not blame the church as not all the churches are of the same opinion. Maybe one or two people have raked up the issue to benefit a political party but we have effectively communicated to people that politics is about governance and has nothing to do with faith which is about an individual choice. No one should interfere with people’s faith. Q: Lot of people would say that BJP becomes another person when in the Northeast unlike what it is in the mainland A: Obviously, India is a large country and every community has its own say in its domain area. If someone from J&K goes to Tamil Nadu to say that their customs should be followed, the people will not listen. People in Nagaland have different food habits and lifestyle and they are entitled to it. Q: Is Congress still a force in the Northeast? A; Congress is paying a price for its misrule. They have been in Meghalaya for a long time. In Nagaland, Congress was strong but today they are not at all in the fight. Q: Is your Mission the Northeast in line? A: Yes, it is. One day we will be there in all the states. Q: Elections in the Northeast are about everything but development why? It takes 3 hours to reach Kohima from Dimapur which is only 70 km away A: Yes, I know. It is pathetic. Development has never been the agenda in an election and it was always about identity, regionalism and emotions. We are bringing back the agenda of good governance. Q: Should Northeast have a separate time zone? What are you doing on this front? A: This is an issue which has been raised many times. There is a concern that 1.5-hour difference leads to daytime loss. I handle a ministry which looks into this issue, so I would not like to comment on it but as a member from NE, I would say that if all the CMs from NE come forward with a coherent plan then we can think about it. But it needs to be discussed. It will have to be managed. Bhutan is half an hour ahead of the Indian time and Arunachal Pradesh is on the east of Bhutan still goes with the Lucknow time. Q: Has PNB bank scam affected BJP’s election campaign? A: These are the scams which have genesis in Congress' regime. If something stumbles out from our tenure then we would be responsible. It is having a positive impact on us as it did not happen during our tenure.

Regional support crucial to implement Naga Accord: BJP leader Kiren Rijiju to WION

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday defended RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rss-has-power-to-form-army-within-3-days-rss-chief-mohan-bhagwat-32530"> for his remarks </a>that the organisation had the power to form an army within three days while the Indian army would take six months to prepare society.

The minister of state for home affairs said that what the RSS chief meant was that it took six to seven months for a person to be trained soldier and RSS cadres also had the ability to contribute if the constitution so permitted.

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Indian Army is our pride. In emergency situation(not congress emergency) every Indian must volunteer to stand with Defence Forces. Bhagwat ji only said it takes 6-7 months for a person to be a trained soldier &amp; if Constitution permits RSS cadres has the ability to contribute.
&mdash; Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/962929997253152768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Kiren Rijiju also slammed the Congress for politicising the issue and said the party had also politicised the surgical strikes by the Indian Army against Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016. After his remarks, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had accused Mohan Bhagwat of &quot;disrespecting&quot; the Army and those who have laid down their lives for the country.&nbsp;

Also read - <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bhagwats-statement-was-misrepresented-clarifies-rss-32571">Bhagwat&#39;s speech being misrepresented: RSS</a>

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Who had asked for proof of surgical strike from Indian Army? Never try to politicise Indian Army. Congress tried to dilute the Army in 2004 on religious lines by head counting but Army firmly stood the ground. <a href="https://t.co/7nNI1BHR2x">https://t.co/7nNI1BHR2x</a>
&mdash; Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/962937800000720896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Trinamool Congress (TMC) was quick to criticise Rijiju, with TMC leader Derek O&#39;Brien calling him a &quot;minister of Sangh.&quot;

&quot;Kiren Rijiju is not a minister of state but a minister of Sangh. A minister of the government is supporting and defending the RSS,&quot; O&#39;Brien told the press.

&quot;After the tweet of Rijiju, it has become even more evident that this government is being remote controlled by the RSS,&quot; he added.

Derek O&#39;Brien also tweeted his criticism:

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The MoS (Minister of State) has now become the Minster of Sangh
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The RSS has claimed that its chief&#39;s speech has been misrepresented and that Bhagwat had not compared the Indian Army with the Sangh.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday defended RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his remarks that the organisation had the power to form an army within three days while the Indian army would take six months

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday defended RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his remarks that the organisation had the power to form an army within three days while the Indian army would take six months to prepare society. The minister of state for home affairs said that what the RSS chief meant was that it took six to seven months for a person to be trained soldier and RSS cadres also had the ability to contribute if the constitution so permitted. Indian Army is our pride. In emergency situation(not congress emergency) every Indian must volunteer to stand with Defence Forces. Bhagwat ji only said it takes 6-7 months for a person to be a trained soldier & if Constitution permits RSS cadres has the ability to contribute. — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) February 12, 2018 × Kiren Rijiju also slammed the Congress for politicising the issue and said the party had also politicised the surgical strikes by the Indian Army against Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016. After his remarks, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had accused Mohan Bhagwat of "disrespecting" the Army and those who have laid down their lives for the country. Also read - Bhagwat's speech being misrepresented: RSS Who had asked for proof of surgical strike from Indian Army? Never try to politicise Indian Army. Congress tried to dilute the Army in 2004 on religious lines by head counting but Army firmly stood the ground. https://t.co/7nNI1BHR2x — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) February 12, 2018 × The Trinamool Congress (TMC) was quick to criticise Rijiju, with TMC leader Derek O'Brien calling him a "minister of Sangh." "Kiren Rijiju is not a minister of state but a minister of Sangh. A minister of the government is supporting and defending the RSS," O'Brien told the press. "After the tweet of Rijiju, it has become even more evident that this government is being remote controlled by the RSS," he added. Derek O'Brien also tweeted his criticism: The MoS (Minister of State) has now become the Minster of Sangh — Derek O'Brien (@derekobrienmp) February 12, 2018 × The RSS has claimed that its chief's speech has been misrepresented and that Bhagwat had not compared the Indian Army with the Sangh.

Kiren Rijiju comes to Mohan Bhagwat's defence

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Friday moved a privilege motion in Rajya Sabha against Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs &nbsp;Kiren Rijiju over his Facebook post.&nbsp;

Rijiju posted a video clip from the serial Ramayan, which Modi had referenced during his speech.

The Union minister posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who at one point burst into loud laughter. Modi then urged the Rajya Sabha chairman not to stop Chowdhury, saying: &ldquo;Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hasi sunne ka ab saubhagya mila hain.&rdquo;

Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such &quot;unruly behaviour&quot;. He also told her to go to a doctor &quot;if you have any problem&quot;.

Modi, however, told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that &quot;he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial&quot;. &nbsp;

&quot;Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;

Chowdhury said the PM&#39;s &quot;personal remark&quot; was &quot;denigrating the status of a woman&quot;.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Rijiju posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Friday moved a privilege motion in Rajya Sabha against Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju over his Facebook post. Rijiju posted a video clip from the serial Ramayan, which Modi had referenced during his speech. The Union minister posted a clip of the character Shurpanakha from the 1980s serial. It was later deleted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was interrupted by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury who at one point burst into loud laughter. Modi then urged the Rajya Sabha chairman not to stop Chowdhury, saying: “Ramayan serial ke baad aisi hasi sunne ka ab saubhagya mila hain.” Reacting to her laughter, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu asked her not to indulge in such "unruly behaviour". He also told her to go to a doctor "if you have any problem". Modi, however, told Naidu not to say anything to Chowdhury, adding that "he had not heard such laughter since the Ramayan serial". "Sabhapati Jji meri aapse vinti hai Renuka ji ko kuch mat kahiye. Ramayan seriel ke baad aisi hansi sunne ka saubhagya aaj jaake mila hai," Modi said. Chowdhury said the PM's "personal remark" was "denigrating the status of a woman".

Renuka Chowdhury moves privilege motion in Rajya Sabha

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju took to&nbsp;Twitter Thursday to clarify that his account had been hacked.

&quot;Despicable &amp; mischievous act. Is this the way to tarnish a character by creating fake pictures?&quot; he tweeted, referring to the hacking.&nbsp;

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Despicable &amp; mischievous act. Is this the way to tarnish a character by creating fake pictures? <a href="https://t.co/rFdZ8mUmqj">pic.twitter.com/rFdZ8mUmqj</a>
&mdash; Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/961536378566729733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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That was because the hacker had sent out an invite to a Valentine&#39;s day party from Rijiju&#39;s account.&nbsp;

&quot;All the single boys and girls of Arunachal, You can come to my house this Valentine for a party. No couples allowed. Sharmana mat,&quot; the invite had read.&nbsp;

A number of Twitter accounts -- including of BJP national secretary <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-bjp-national-secretary-ram-madhavs-twitter-account-hacked-32011" target="_blank">Ram Madhav, Anupam Kher</a>, and Abhishek Bachchan -- have been hacked in the recent past.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-anupam-kher-abhishek-bachchans-twitter-account-gets-hacked-32183" target="_blank">After Anupam Kher, Abhishek Bachchan&#39;s Twitter account gets hacked</a>

'All the single boys and girls of Arunachal, You can come to my house this Valentine for a party. No couples allowed. Sharmana mat,' the invite read

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter Thursday to clarify that his account had been hacked. "Despicable & mischievous act. Is this the way to tarnish a character by creating fake pictures?" he tweeted, referring to the hacking. Despicable & mischievous act. Is this the way to tarnish a character by creating fake pictures? pic.twitter.com/rFdZ8mUmqj — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) February 8, 2018 × That was because the hacker had sent out an invite to a Valentine's day party from Rijiju's account. "All the single boys and girls of Arunachal, You can come to my house this Valentine for a party. No couples allowed. Sharmana mat," the invite had read. A number of Twitter accounts -- including of BJP national secretary Ram Madhav, Anupam Kher, and Abhishek Bachchan -- have been hacked in the recent past. Also read: After Anupam Kher, Abhishek Bachchan's Twitter account gets hacked

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's Twitter account hacked, invite for Valentine's party sent out

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has cited reports indicating that a radical outfit has been trying to expand its network in regions of Assam and Manipur.&nbsp;

He said some areas of the northeast are vulnerable to radicalisation and accessible to jihadist and terrorist&nbsp;activities from across the border.&nbsp;

He replied the answer to a written question.&nbsp;

He said that the security and intelligence agencies were aware of the threat of radicalisation in the area and were taking measures to counter it. He added that such radical activities were being closely monitored. 
&nbsp;

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Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has cited reports indicating that a radical outfit has been trying to expand its network in regions of Assam and Manipur

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has cited reports indicating that a radical outfit has been trying to expand its network in regions of Assam and Manipur. He said some areas of the northeast are vulnerable to radicalisation and accessible to jihadist and terrorist activities from across the border. He replied the answer to a written question. He said that the security and intelligence agencies were aware of the threat of radicalisation in the area and were taking measures to counter it. He added that such radical activities were being closely monitored.

Areas of Assam-Manipur prone to radicalisation: Government

Union Minister&nbsp;Kiren Rijiju had to make an emergency helicopter landing in Itanagar due to inclement weather, but is safe on the ground, ANI reports.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a> MoS Home Kiren Rijiju&#39;s chopper made preventive landing in Itanagar, due to bad weather. <a href="https://t.co/b4SkcIN8mm">pic.twitter.com/b4SkcIN8mm</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/882211031220576257">July 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The helicopter carrying Rijiju and seven other passengers and crew was heading to Arunachal Pradesh&#39;s Ziro from Guwahati when heavy rains and fog forced it to touch down, NDTV reports.

The pilots, members of the Border Security Force, manouevred for about ten minutes, before making an emergency landing on a small field.

&quot;I was lucky enough to be landed safely, thanks to the BSF pilots who are very experienced,&quot; Kiren Rijiju said to the Press Trust of India.

Rijiju was travelling to Ziro to attend the Dree harvest festival.

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Heavy rains and fog forced the helicopter carrying the union minister of state for home and seven others to land in a field in Itanagar

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had to make an emergency helicopter landing in Itanagar due to inclement weather, but is safe on the ground, ANI reports. #WATCH MoS Home Kiren Rijiju's chopper made preventive landing in Itanagar, due to bad weather. pic.twitter.com/b4SkcIN8mm — ANI (@ANI_news) July 4, 2017 × The helicopter carrying Rijiju and seven other passengers and crew was heading to Arunachal Pradesh's Ziro from Guwahati when heavy rains and fog forced it to touch down, NDTV reports. The pilots, members of the Border Security Force, manouevred for about ten minutes, before making an emergency landing on a small field. "I was lucky enough to be landed safely, thanks to the BSF pilots who are very experienced," Kiren Rijiju said to the Press Trust of India. Rijiju was travelling to Ziro to attend the Dree harvest festival.

Watch: Indian minister Rijiju's chopper makes emergency landing in Arunachal

Gurmehar Kaur has hit back at both cricketer Virender Sehwag who had mocked her on Twitter, and minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju who had asked who was &quot;polluting&quot; her mind.&nbsp;

&quot;I am heartbroken,&quot; she tweeted, &quot;these are the ppl you yell for in matches &amp; they troll you at the expense of your father&#39;s death.&quot;&nbsp;

And to Rijiju, she said: &quot;I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national.&quot;&nbsp;

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I am heartbroken, these are the ppl you yell for in matches &amp; they troll you at the expense of your father&#39;s death: Gurmehar Kaur on Sehwag <a href="https://t.co/uW02FGNYTf">pic.twitter.com/uW02FGNYTf</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/836239212852609024">February 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national: DU student Gurmehar Kaur on MoS Home Kiren Rijiju <a href="https://t.co/zMwM6Gv75z">pic.twitter.com/zMwM6Gv75z</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/836238007841800195">February 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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A&nbsp;Facebook post by Kaur had gone viral last week. In the post, she holds up a placard saying: &quot;I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me. #StudentsAgainstABVP&quot;.&nbsp;

Her post had come after violence on Delhi Univesity&#39;s Ramjas College campus by students of the ABVP, the students&#39; wing of the BJP.&nbsp;

The ABVP students had forcibly shut down a seminar at Ramjas at which the JNU student Umar Khalid was to speak on Bastar, the subject of his PhD.

Khalid had last year been charged with sedition after allegedly anti-national chants were raised on JNU.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kaur has been provided security -- two women constables will now be stationed with her -- after she alleged rape threats online. &nbsp;

Sehwag had earlier today mocked an earlier video of Kaur&#39;s, in which she holds up a placard saying: &quot;Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him.&quot;&nbsp;

Gurmehar&#39;s father, Captain Mandeep Singh, had been killed in the 1999 Kargil war.&nbsp;

Sehwag replied to Gurmehar&#39;s video by holding up a placard of his own which said, &quot;I did not score two triple centuries. My bat did.&quot;&nbsp;

Sehwag&#39;s tweet was retweeted by actor Randeep Hooda, who later said she was being used as a &quot;political pawn&quot;.&nbsp;

In similar vein, minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju had earlier tweeted: &quot;Who&rsquo;s polluting this young girl&rsquo;s mind? A strong Arm Force prevents a war. India never attacked anyone but a weak India was always invaded.&quot; &nbsp;

(WION)

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She adds nobody is 'polluting' her mind after Rijiju wonders who might be. Has been given security after she alleged rape threats online

Gurmehar Kaur has hit back at both cricketer Virender Sehwag who had mocked her on Twitter, and minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju who had asked who was "polluting" her mind. "I am heartbroken," she tweeted, "these are the ppl you yell for in matches & they troll you at the expense of your father's death." And to Rijiju, she said: "I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national." I am heartbroken, these are the ppl you yell for in matches & they troll you at the expense of your father's death: Gurmehar Kaur on Sehwag pic.twitter.com/uW02FGNYTf — ANI (@ANI_news) February 27, 2017 × I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national: DU student Gurmehar Kaur on MoS Home Kiren Rijiju pic.twitter.com/zMwM6Gv75z — ANI (@ANI_news) February 27, 2017 × A Facebook post by Kaur had gone viral last week. In the post, she holds up a placard saying: "I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me. #StudentsAgainstABVP". Her post had come after violence on Delhi Univesity's Ramjas College campus by students of the ABVP, the students' wing of the BJP. The ABVP students had forcibly shut down a seminar at Ramjas at which the JNU student Umar Khalid was to speak on Bastar, the subject of his PhD. Khalid had last year been charged with sedition after allegedly anti-national chants were raised on JNU. Meanwhile, Kaur has been provided security -- two women constables will now be stationed with her -- after she alleged rape threats online. Sehwag had earlier today mocked an earlier video of Kaur's, in which she holds up a placard saying: "Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him." Gurmehar's father, Captain Mandeep Singh, had been killed in the 1999 Kargil war. Sehwag replied to Gurmehar's video by holding up a placard of his own which said, "I did not score two triple centuries. My bat did." Sehwag's tweet was retweeted by actor Randeep Hooda, who later said she was being used as a "political pawn". In similar vein, minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju had earlier tweeted: "Who’s polluting this young girl’s mind? A strong Arm Force prevents a war. India never attacked anyone but a weak India was always invaded." (WION)

Gurmehar vs Sehwag, Rijiju: 'I am not anti-national,' she says

In an exclusive interview with WION&#39;s Kartikeya Sharma, Kiren Rijiju, minister for state in the central government blamed the Congress party for the current turmoil in the state. He accused the party of tarnishing the BJP&#39;s image by saying it was trying to alter Manipur&#39;s border with Nagaland. 
&nbsp; 
Q: Why are BJP leaders at pains to explain that the Nagaland peace accord will not lead to territorial realignment of Manipur?

A: Why should we mix up issues. Problems of Manipur are different and the state is reeling under tremendous pressure because of various forces and is working like an obstacle to the path of development. Manipur has the potential but the root cause of its problem is the Congress Party. Whether it is the Naga issue or local issues, Congress has created it. We have to start afresh.

&nbsp; 
Q: How do you express the anxiety in Manipur&rsquo;s civil society on Nagalim?

A: It is because Congress Party has launched a malicious campaign that BJP is going to alter the boundary with Manipur. The talks with the Nagas have been taking place from a long time. There are other stake holders also and it cannot be linked with Manipur state elections. They are creating false alarm to divert the attention of the people of Manipur from lack development.

&nbsp; 
Q: Then what is the truth of the Naga accord? North East Chief Ministers met the President and said that they were not taken into confidence?

A: On the day of the signing of the framework agreement, all the Congress chief ministers congratulated. After three days Sonia Gandhi called up the chief ministers asking them as to why are they congratulating the BJP government. She asked them to oppose it. This is on official record. Congress chief ministers had tweeted congratulating us. Suddenly after three days, Congress President made the call?

Q: Are you saying that Sonia Gandhi churned a political turmoil?

A: It is absolutely visible. I&rsquo;m not saying it. It is on record. You see the statements and tweets. After three days, they took a U-turn. It was childish.

Q: New districts were created by Ibobi Singh (Manipur chief minister) before the elections and the blockade happened. But the feeling is also there that Centre didn&#39;t do enough to ameliorate the condition?

A: This is totally unbecoming on part of the Congress chief minister. When he signed the letter in 2011, we were not part of it. Then P Chidambaram was the home minister. He came to Manipur and the Chief Minister Ibobi Singh said that new districts wouldn&rsquo;t be formed till all communities were on board. Then he created the district. He created the problem. Why did he give this commitment earlier? He is responsible for the present situation.

Q: If your government comes to power then how will you address this issue?

A: This is an administrative matter. We will look at them after formation of the government.

(WION) 
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Kiren Rijiju accused the party of tarnishing the BJP's image by saying it was trying to alter Manipur's border with Nagaland

In an exclusive interview with WION's Kartikeya Sharma, Kiren Rijiju, minister for state in the central government blamed the Congress party for the current turmoil in the state. He accused the party of tarnishing the BJP's image by saying it was trying to alter Manipur's border with Nagaland. Q: Why are BJP leaders at pains to explain that the Nagaland peace accord will not lead to territorial realignment of Manipur? A: Why should we mix up issues. Problems of Manipur are different and the state is reeling under tremendous pressure because of various forces and is working like an obstacle to the path of development. Manipur has the potential but the root cause of its problem is the Congress Party. Whether it is the Naga issue or local issues, Congress has created it. We have to start afresh. Q: How do you express the anxiety in Manipur’s civil society on Nagalim? A: It is because Congress Party has launched a malicious campaign that BJP is going to alter the boundary with Manipur. The talks with the Nagas have been taking place from a long time. There are other stake holders also and it cannot be linked with Manipur state elections. They are creating false alarm to divert the attention of the people of Manipur from lack development. Q: Then what is the truth of the Naga accord? North East Chief Ministers met the President and said that they were not taken into confidence? A: On the day of the signing of the framework agreement, all the Congress chief ministers congratulated. After three days Sonia Gandhi called up the chief ministers asking them as to why are they congratulating the BJP government. She asked them to oppose it. This is on official record. Congress chief ministers had tweeted congratulating us. Suddenly after three days, Congress President made the call? Q: Are you saying that Sonia Gandhi churned a political turmoil? A: It is absolutely visible. I’m not saying it. It is on record. You see the statements and tweets. After three days, they took a U-turn. It was childish. Q: New districts were created by Ibobi Singh (Manipur chief minister) before the elections and the blockade happened. But the feeling is also there that Centre didn't do enough to ameliorate the condition? A: This is totally unbecoming on part of the Congress chief minister. When he signed the letter in 2011, we were not part of it. Then P Chidambaram was the home minister. He came to Manipur and the Chief Minister Ibobi Singh said that new districts wouldn’t be formed till all communities were on board. Then he created the district. He created the problem. Why did he give this commitment earlier? He is responsible for the present situation. Q: If your government comes to power then how will you address this issue? A: This is an administrative matter. We will look at them after formation of the government. (WION)

Exclusive - Sonia Gandhi had asked chief ministers to oppose Nagaland peace accord: BJP

India&#39;s Border Security Force (BSF) said on Tuesday that it was probing the allegations made by a BSF jawan of its troops being treated with &quot;cruelty.&quot;&nbsp;

The BSF called the action an act of &quot;indiscipline,&quot; and said an enquiry had been ordered into the incident and strict action would be taken if lapses were found. It also said that the soldier, Tej Badur Yadav of the 29 battalion Seema Suraksha Bal, was a frequent discipline breaker and was to be court-martialed in 2010 because of &quot;an action of indiscipline.&quot;

Deputy Inspector General of the BSF, MDS Mann called the complainant a &quot;bad hat&quot;, and said he was a regular offender who had not been promoted even once in his 20 years of service. He also said the standard of food, quality and quantity of all the posts will be checked within the next few days.

&quot;He is a bad hat. In his service of twenty years, he has four bad entries, which includes intoxication, AWL, fighting with seniors, offending their orders. And, because of all these flaws, he has not been promoted even once, and this might be the cause of his frustration,&quot; said Mann. &quot;We have initiated an inquiry in the matter and in the span of four to five days, the standard of food, quality and quantity of all the posts, will be checked. A report will be formed after a detailed inspection which will be forwarded. If any of his allegations are found true we will certainly initiate action against the defaulters.&quot;

&quot;He indulged in action of indiscipline and he was to be court-martialed in 2010; considering his family he wasn&#39;t dismissed. It is a sensitive matter for us, we will probe the it and take actions accordingly. Can&#39;t comment on the allegations as yet, enquiry has been ordered. If any lapses found then strict action will be taken,&quot; said Inspector General, BSF, DK Upadhyay.

The senior officer of the BSF added that top officers of the BSF who have visited the camp in past have never received any complaint regarding allegations levelled in the video. &quot;I can agree that taste of the food might not be very great but have never received any complaint from jawans regarding the same,&quot; he said.

He also said the quality of the food was same for the officers and jawans deployed on forward posts.

&quot;The BSF itself purchases ration for its force deployed on the International Border, but for the deployment on the Line of Control, the ration is supplied by the army and nobody has ever complained about the quality of the food either on LoC or the IB,&quot; the IG said.

In a video posted on Facebook on Monday, the BSF jawan alleged that troops were being treated with &quot;cruelty&quot; because they were being served bad quality food and even slept on &quot;empty stomach&quot; at times.

The jawan has refused to remove the video from the social networking site.

&quot;It took a lot of courage to post the video and when it will be examined, the truth will come out,&quot; Tej Badur Yadav told News18. &quot;I was asked to take down the video but I refused,&quot; he said.

Minister of State (MoS) for Home Kiren Rijiju said the welfare of the security forces guarding the borders was &quot;absolute priority&quot; for the government. Rijiju, however, said that he found high level of satisfaction amongst the jawans during his regular visit to border posts.

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Taken serious note of a BSF Jawan video. But during my regular visit to border posts I find high level of satisfactions amongst the jawans.
&mdash; Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/818657971609681921">January 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Welfare of our Security Forces guarding the borders &amp; other difficult areas are absolute priority. Any anomaly will be dealt with firmly. <a href="https://t.co/oB3Ku9BKcO">https://t.co/oB3Ku9BKcO</a>
&mdash; Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/818659450542292995">January 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Federal home minister Rajnath Singh has sought a report from the home secretary and directed him to take appropriate action on the same.

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I have seen a video regarding a BSF jawan&#39;s plight. I have asked the HS to immediately seek a report from the BSF &amp; take appropriate action.
&mdash; Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/818493336965128193">January 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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In videos uploaded on social media platforms, the jawan, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle, claimed that while the government procured essentials 
for them, the higher-ups and officers &quot;sell it off&quot; in an &quot;illegal&quot; manner in the market, leaving them to suffer. 
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="755" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmr.partha.saha%2Fposts%2F10211293157622648&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe>

In the video, he says, &quot;We only get a &#39;parantha&#39; and tea as breakfast and this is without any pickle or vegetables... we slog for 11 hours and at times we have to stand throughout the duty hours. For lunch, we get &#39;dal&#39; (pulses) which only has &#39;haldi&#39; (turmeric) and salt... with roti. This is the quality of the food we get ... how can a jawan do his duty? I request the Prime Minister to get this probed. ... No one shows our plight,&quot; Yadav alleged, adding, &quot;It is atyachaar (cruelty) and anyay (injustice) against us.&quot; He also said he &quot;may not be here&quot;, hinting that action might be taken against him for shooting and uploading the video as he urged people to take the issue forward so that corrective action could be taken.

An official statement from the BSF rejected the soldier&#39;s claims, saying that even though conditions for soldiers were tough, they were provided with regular rations while asserting that the jawan, in particular, had a troubled past.

A senior BSF official said that Yadav was currently deployed along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and the BSF jawans there worked under the operational command of the army which also provides for &quot;food and other logistics of the jawans&quot;.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The BSF said strict action would be taken if lapses were found. It also said the soldier was a frequent discipline breaker

India's Border Security Force (BSF) said on Tuesday that it was probing the allegations made by a BSF jawan of its troops being treated with "cruelty." The BSF called the action an act of "indiscipline," and said an enquiry had been ordered into the incident and strict action would be taken if lapses were found. It also said that the soldier, Tej Badur Yadav of the 29 battalion Seema Suraksha Bal, was a frequent discipline breaker and was to be court-martialed in 2010 because of "an action of indiscipline." Deputy Inspector General of the BSF, MDS Mann called the complainant a "bad hat", and said he was a regular offender who had not been promoted even once in his 20 years of service. He also said the standard of food, quality and quantity of all the posts will be checked within the next few days. "He is a bad hat. In his service of twenty years, he has four bad entries, which includes intoxication, AWL, fighting with seniors, offending their orders. And, because of all these flaws, he has not been promoted even once, and this might be the cause of his frustration," said Mann. "We have initiated an inquiry in the matter and in the span of four to five days, the standard of food, quality and quantity of all the posts, will be checked. A report will be formed after a detailed inspection which will be forwarded. If any of his allegations are found true we will certainly initiate action against the defaulters." "He indulged in action of indiscipline and he was to be court-martialed in 2010; considering his family he wasn't dismissed. It is a sensitive matter for us, we will probe the it and take actions accordingly. Can't comment on the allegations as yet, enquiry has been ordered. If any lapses found then strict action will be taken," said Inspector General, BSF, DK Upadhyay. The senior officer of the BSF added that top officers of the BSF who have visited the camp in past have never received any complaint regarding allegations levelled in the video. "I can agree that taste of the food might not be very great but have never received any complaint from jawans regarding the same," he said. He also said the quality of the food was same for the officers and jawans deployed on forward posts. "The BSF itself purchases ration for its force deployed on the International Border, but for the deployment on the Line of Control, the ration is supplied by the army and nobody has ever complained about the quality of the food either on LoC or the IB," the IG said. In a video posted on Facebook on Monday, the BSF jawan alleged that troops were being treated with "cruelty" because they were being served bad quality food and even slept on "empty stomach" at times. The jawan has refused to remove the video from the social networking site. "It took a lot of courage to post the video and when it will be examined, the truth will come out," Tej Badur Yadav told News18. "I was asked to take down the video but I refused," he said. Minister of State (MoS) for Home Kiren Rijiju said the welfare of the security forces guarding the borders was "absolute priority" for the government. Rijiju, however, said that he found high level of satisfaction amongst the jawans during his regular visit to border posts. Taken serious note of a BSF Jawan video. But during my regular visit to border posts I find high level of satisfactions amongst the jawans. — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) January 10, 2017 × Welfare of our Security Forces guarding the borders & other difficult areas are absolute priority. Any anomaly will be dealt with firmly. https://t.co/oB3Ku9BKcO — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) January 10, 2017 × Federal home minister Rajnath Singh has sought a report from the home secretary and directed him to take appropriate action on the same. I have seen a video regarding a BSF jawan's plight. I have asked the HS to immediately seek a report from the BSF & take appropriate action. — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 9, 2017 × In videos uploaded on social media platforms, the jawan, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle, claimed that while the government procured essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers "sell it off" in an "illegal" manner in the market, leaving them to suffer. In the video, he says, "We only get a 'parantha' and tea as breakfast and this is without any pickle or vegetables... we slog for 11 hours and at times we have to stand throughout the duty hours. For lunch, we get 'dal' (pulses) which only has 'haldi' (turmeric) and salt... with roti. This is the quality of the food we get ... how can a jawan do his duty? I request the Prime Minister to get this probed. ... No one shows our plight," Yadav alleged, adding, "It is atyachaar (cruelty) and anyay (injustice) against us." He also said he "may not be here", hinting that action might be taken against him for shooting and uploading the video as he urged people to take the issue forward so that corrective action could be taken. An official statement from the BSF rejected the soldier's claims, saying that even though conditions for soldiers were tough, they were provided with regular rations while asserting that the jawan, in particular, had a troubled past. A senior BSF official said that Yadav was currently deployed along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and the BSF jawans there worked under the operational command of the army which also provides for "food and other logistics of the jawans". (WION with inputs from agencies)

India: Soldier refuses to take down Facebook video on 'shocking' duty conditions, BSF refutes allegations

Indian union minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress for &quot;doing politics&quot; over the resignation of Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung.

&quot;I don&#39;t know what problems do the AAP and Congress have. When Jung was working, they were demanding resignation.&quot;

&quot;Now since he has resigned, they are questioning why he has resigned. Should Jung have resigned by taking permission from AAP and Congress?&quot; Rijiju said.

The minister said the AAP and Congress leaders have no locus standi to ask questions. He asked the two parties &quot;to give up doing politics&quot; over Jung&#39;s resignation.

Rijiju also refused to speculate on the reasons behind Jung&#39;s resignation saying only Jung could tell it. Raising questions over Jung&#39;s sudden resignation, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken had demanded that the Centre should explain the reasons behind his &quot;unceremonious exit&quot;, saying there is more to it than meets the eye.

The AAP had alleged that Jung worked under the &quot;influence&quot; of the Modi dispensation and questioned whether the power tussle between the Centre and Delhi government will continue even after the appointment of a new LG.

&quot;Modi government promotes its people. We hope he gets a better posting after this. I am unhappy that his tenure was disgraceful. Now that he has gone, good luck to him.&quot;

&quot;Najeeb Jung&#39;s behaviour was not his. He was under the influence of someone. We hope the next LG gives priority to issues concerning people and does not work under anyone&#39;s influence,&quot; AAP&#39;s Kumar Vishwas had said.&nbsp;

(PTI)&nbsp;

Rijiju said both the parties were demanding Jung's resignation and now that he has resigned, they're questioning why he resigned

Indian union minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress for "doing politics" over the resignation of Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung. "I don't know what problems do the AAP and Congress have. When Jung was working, they were demanding resignation." "Now since he has resigned, they are questioning why he has resigned. Should Jung have resigned by taking permission from AAP and Congress?" Rijiju said. The minister said the AAP and Congress leaders have no locus standi to ask questions. He asked the two parties "to give up doing politics" over Jung's resignation. Rijiju also refused to speculate on the reasons behind Jung's resignation saying only Jung could tell it. Raising questions over Jung's sudden resignation, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken had demanded that the Centre should explain the reasons behind his "unceremonious exit", saying there is more to it than meets the eye. The AAP had alleged that Jung worked under the "influence" of the Modi dispensation and questioned whether the power tussle between the Centre and Delhi government will continue even after the appointment of a new LG. "Modi government promotes its people. We hope he gets a better posting after this. I am unhappy that his tenure was disgraceful. Now that he has gone, good luck to him." "Najeeb Jung's behaviour was not his. He was under the influence of someone. We hope the next LG gives priority to issues concerning people and does not work under anyone's influence," AAP's Kumar Vishwas had said. (PTI)

India: Kiren Rijiju criticises AAP and Congress for 'doing politics' over Najeeb Jung's resignation

India&#39;s junior interior minister Kiren Rijiju hit back at allegations against him over a 450-crore power&nbsp;projects scam in the northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state saying that those who &quot;planted&quot; the story&nbsp;against him &quot;will be beaten up with shoes.&quot;

&quot;Those who planted the story will be beaten up with shoes when they will come to our area,&quot; the&nbsp;Tawang MP told the press reacting to media reports that he had written a letter to power minister&nbsp;Piyush Goyal seeking early clearance of bills related to a hydroelectric project in Arunachal&nbsp;Pradesh.

He also said writing the letter was his duty as a Member of Parliament to take action on&nbsp;representations given by his constituents.

&quot;I have written the letter to the power minister after I received presentations from some people in&nbsp;my constituency in Arunachal West regarding pending bills. I have done no wrong and there is no&nbsp;corruption,&quot; Rijiju said.

Rijiju has been accused of corruption in the construction of two dams in one of the biggest hydro-electric projects in the state, in a 129-page report by the power supply unit&#39;s chief vigilance&nbsp;officer.

The report by the PSU&#39;s chief vigilance officer Satish Verma claims that Rijiju, his &#39;distant&#39;&nbsp;cousin Goboi Rijiju and several top officials of the state-run North Eastern Electric Power&nbsp;Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) conspired to defraud the government of funds that &quot;may extend up to Rs&nbsp;450 crore.&quot;

The opposition party, Congress, alleged that the Rs 450-crore scam was committed by using false and&nbsp;inflated transportation bills. Its chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala, released an audio tape of&nbsp;a purported conversation of Goboi Rijiju with Verma, and Rijiju&#39;s letter recommending that held up&nbsp;payments be released.

Rijiju&#39;s party, the ruling BJP, slammed the Congress&#39; charge against its minister as &quot;political&nbsp;desperation.&quot; It claimed that the contract under question was awarded when the Congress was in power in both the centre and Arunachal Pradesh and that it was was only &quot;incriminating itself by referring to any irregularities in these projects.&quot;

The BJP also alleged Verma worked&nbsp;as a &quot;political fixer&quot; for Congress and that he was removed from the post on the Central Vigilance Commission&#39;s directions for &quot;misdemeanours and dereliction of duty&quot;.

Verma&#39;s report was sent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Central Vigilance Commission&nbsp;(CVC) and the ministry of power in July this year. The conspiracy allegedly involves contractors,&nbsp;NEEPCO officials and the West Kameng district administration. The site of the project, West Kameng,&nbsp;falls under the parliamentary constituency of Rijiju.

The Press Trust of India reported that the Central Bureau of Investigation made two &quot;surprise&nbsp;checks&quot;, but no first information report has been registered yet.

Soon after he filed the report, NEEPCO pulled up Satish Verma for &quot;unauthorised absence&quot; and got him&nbsp;transferred to Tripura state.

(With inputs from PTI)

'Those who planted the story will be beaten up with shoes when they will come to our area,' Kiren Rijiju said

India's junior interior minister Kiren Rijiju hit back at allegations against him over a 450-crore power projects scam in the northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state saying that those who "planted" the story against him "will be beaten up with shoes." "Those who planted the story will be beaten up with shoes when they will come to our area," the Tawang MP told the press reacting to media reports that he had written a letter to power minister Piyush Goyal seeking early clearance of bills related to a hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh. He also said writing the letter was his duty as a Member of Parliament to take action on representations given by his constituents. "I have written the letter to the power minister after I received presentations from some people in my constituency in Arunachal West regarding pending bills. I have done no wrong and there is no corruption," Rijiju said. Rijiju has been accused of corruption in the construction of two dams in one of the biggest hydro-electric projects in the state, in a 129-page report by the power supply unit's chief vigilance officer. The report by the PSU's chief vigilance officer Satish Verma claims that Rijiju, his 'distant' cousin Goboi Rijiju and several top officials of the state-run North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) conspired to defraud the government of funds that "may extend up to Rs 450 crore." The opposition party, Congress, alleged that the Rs 450-crore scam was committed by using false and inflated transportation bills. Its chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala, released an audio tape of a purported conversation of Goboi Rijiju with Verma, and Rijiju's letter recommending that held up payments be released. Rijiju's party, the ruling BJP, slammed the Congress' charge against its minister as "political desperation." It claimed that the contract under question was awarded when the Congress was in power in both the centre and Arunachal Pradesh and that it was was only "incriminating itself by referring to any irregularities in these projects." The BJP also alleged Verma worked as a "political fixer" for Congress and that he was removed from the post on the Central Vigilance Commission's directions for "misdemeanours and dereliction of duty". Verma's report was sent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the ministry of power in July this year. The conspiracy allegedly involves contractors, NEEPCO officials and the West Kameng district administration. The site of the project, West Kameng, falls under the parliamentary constituency of Rijiju. The Press Trust of India reported that the Central Bureau of Investigation made two "surprise checks", but no first information report has been registered yet. Soon after he filed the report, NEEPCO pulled up Satish Verma for "unauthorised absence" and got him transferred to Tripura state. (With inputs from PTI)

India's federal minister denies involvement in 450-crore power project scam

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