01-03-2021 The Asian Independent

16 01-03-2021 to 15-03-2021 NEWS
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
FALSELY implicated, as I was successful in
generating support for farmers: Nodeep Kaur
The 24-year-old Dalit activist’s bail plea accuses Haryana police of severely beating her up, denied medical
examination, in violation of section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code, bail hearing in HC today
Dalit activist Nodeep Kaur, who
fights for the rights of labourers and was
actively supporting the ongoing farmers
agitation, has in her bail plea before the
Punjab and Haryana High Court
claimed that she was “severely beaten
up at a police station after her arrest by
the Sonipat police last month.”
According to a report in the Telegraph,
Kaur, has also claimed on record that
her “medical examination was not conducted
in violation of section 54 of the
Criminal Procedure Code.”
She remains lodged in Haryana’s
Karnal jail. The Punjab and Haryana
High Court adjourned her bail hearing
and posted the matter for February 26.
The bail plea was filed through her
counsels Arshdeep Singh Cheema and
Harinder Deep Singh Bains, where
Kaur has stated that she was “falsely
arraigned as accused in an FIR lodged
under various sections, including 307
(attempt to murder) of the IPC” adding
that she was “targeted and falsely implicated”
in the case as she was successful
in generating massive support for the
ongoing farmer movement against the
Centre’s three new farm laws.
On Monday February 15, Justice
Arun Kumar Tyagi of the Punjab and
Haryana High Court took suo motu cognisance
of the alleged ‘illegal confinement’
of the 24-year-old labour activist
Nodeep Kaur. Kaur, who has been
lodged in Karnal Jail since her arrest on
January 12, 2021, by the Haryana
Police, was granted bail by a sessions
court in Sonepat that day. However, the
24-year-old Dalit labour rights activist
of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan
(MAS) remains behind bars for now.
This bail was granted in connection
with a case registered against her in
January. This is the second of three
cases in which she has been granted
bail.
The bail plea (that was taken up on
February 24 for hearing but got
adjourned to February 26) states that on
January 12, the petitioner and MAS
members marched towards a factory
demanding payment of pending wages
of some workers.
The Telegraph reported that the HC
was informed that “they were manhandled
by a group formed by the Kundli
Industrial Area, an association of industrial
owners. In the meantime, a team
from Kundli police station led by the
station house officer reached there and
immediately on their arrival, they
grabbed the petitioner by her hair and
dragged to the side, according to the
plea. This angered the protesters and the
situation became worse when the police
resorted to lathi charge on peaceful protesters.
A scuffle ensued and the petitioner
tried to pacify the situation but to
no avail… The petitioner alone was
caught and arrested by police officials.
She was beaten, tortured and suffered
multiple injuries.”
Kaur was then taken to the police station
allegedly in the absence of any
woman police official and was beaten
up by police officials, she was arrested
in Haryana’s Sonipat on January 12.
According to the Telegraph, the Sonepat
police officials have alleged that “a
police team was attacked with sticks
when they reached the site and some
policemen sustained injuries in the incident.”
Jail authorities have not allowed
Nodeep’s family to meet her. “I have
only met her once, the day she was sent
to jail. I was not allowed to meet her,”
her sister Rajveer Kaur told
SabrangIndia. The jail authorities had
told her that as Covid protocols were in
place family meetings were not allowed
anymore. “I managed to speak to her
whenever she was allowed a short
phone call, every 4-5 days, today
(Friday February 12,),” said Rajveer.
Important aspects of Nodeep’s arrest
may be read here.
CJP has moved an online petition to
highlight how the young activist was
allegedly assaulted in Karnal jail. The
petition demands her immediate release
and dropping of all trumped up charges
against her. Further, CJP also urged
those who sign the petition, to write to
the Karnal jail authorities and protest
the atrocities against the Dalit, trade
union activist. The petition has since
been shared by actor Sushant Singh and
child rights activist Harish Iyer. Those
who want to sign the petition may click
here.
Nodeep’s sister Rajveer, who is
fighting to get justice along with a team
of lawyers, had raised the pertinent
question in an exclusive interview to
SabrangIndia in January: Why was
Dalit labour rights activist, Nodeep
Kaur, arrested from Singhu Border? It is
yet to be answered by the Haryana government
and Haryana Police.
Courtesy : Sabrang
INDIA, PAK agree for strict
observance of all LoC agreements
New Delhi : India and Pakistan
reviewed the situation along the Line of
Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir,
and agreed for strict observance of all
agreements, and understandings, Indian
Army said on Thursday.
A joint statement was issued in New
Delhi and Islamabad. It stated that the
Director Generals of Military
Operations of India and Pakistan held
discussions over the established mechanism
of hotline contact.
"The two sides reviewed the situation
along the Line of Control and all
other sectors in a free, frank and cordial
atmosphere," the statement said.
It further pointed out that in the interest
of achieving mutually beneficial and
sustainable peace along the borders, the
two DGMOs agreed to address each
other's core issues and concerns which
have the propensity to disturb peace and
lead to violence.
Both sides agreed for strict observance
of all agreements, understandings
and cease firing along the LoC and all
other sectors with effect from midnight
February 24 and February 25, 2021.
"Both sides reiterated that existing
mechanisms of hotline contact and border
flag meetings will be utilised to
resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding,"
the statement said.
On Wednesday, Indian Army Chief
General M.M. Naravane, while speaking
at a webinar organised by the
Vivekananda International Foundation,
said that there is definitely a great
improvement in the internal security situation
in Jammu and Kashmir. He, however,
stated that Pakistan-promoted terror
still remains a threat.
Indian Army
Chief said that
Pakistan is committed
to the strategy
of supporting
terrorism in all its
forms as terrorist
launchpads continue
to be operated
and terrorists continue
to be there on
the other side of
the LoC looking
for an opportunity to cross over.
General Naravane expressed confidence
that with continued engagement
with Pakistan, there could be some sort
of an understanding because unsettled
borders and violence on the borders
help no one.
"We always want peace and tranquility
in our border areas, whether it be the
western front or the northern front and
the Line of Actual Control. Or whether
it is on the Indo-Myanmar border, we
are always looking for peace and tranquility
and our role is to ensure that so
as the rest of the nation can develop," he
said. Talking about terrorism, General
Naravane said the winter months are
always a little bit of a lull period when
the passes are closed and snowfall is
heavy. He said with the waning of winter,
as the passes open and the onset of
summer, the army is always prepared
for a fresh influx from across the border.
"But having said all that, there is definitely
a great improvement in the internal
security situation in the union territory
of Jammu and Kashmir. When I say
that, I don't say that just based on the
emotion but on various parameters you
can judge the figures," General
Naravane said.