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Thus was made history at the UN by Dr. Jitendra Singh || By Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo || LIVE IMAGE |
The United Nations
General Assembly made history by listening to the son of the soil of Jammu and
Kashmir when it observed a special session on June 5, 2021. The Minister of
State in Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh called for a strong and
aligned international cooperation to combat the challenge of Fugitive Economic Offenders
and Assets.
Addressing the United
Nations General Assembly Special Session on Challenges and Measures to fight
Corruption on representing government of India from New Delhi in virtual mode,
Dr. Singh said, India has made it clear that the world is presently combatting
another serious emerging challenge of Fugitive Economic Offenders and Assets
which flee across national jurisdictions.
He called for a strong
international cooperation on the return of persons and assets sought for such
offences, consistent with international obligations and domestic legal systems.
The Minister said, the accused take shelter in foreign countries conceal the
proceeds of crime in complex legal structures spread over different countries
and jurisdictions. The gaps and weaknesses of international cooperation in this
area are fully exploited by such fugitives to their advantage.
When Dr. Singh was
addressing the UNGA, almost the same time, Pakistan made misadventure of
‘airdropping’ illlegal weapons via their drone systems in the parts of Jammu
and Kashmir. Immediately after the episode, the Jammu Kashmir Police in a
joint operation with other security agencies on Saturday (June 5) recovered a
huge cache of arms and ammunition from a vehicle on the national highway near
the Qazigund area in Kulgam district and arrested two persons.
A top police official of
Jammu and Kashmir Police confirming the news said, “On 05 June 2021, a
checkpoint was established at lower Munda crossing (ps Qazigund) by Kulgam
police & security forces. While checking a dumper truck (tipper) bearing
registration no. JK 02 BB 0949, two individuals behaving suspiciously were
taken aside along with their vehicle for questioning/search. The individuals
(terror associates) are: Zahid Nabi R/O Samboora, Kakapora, Pulwama and Mehraj
ud din Dar R/O Samboora, Pulwama. During the search of the vehicle, the
following arms/ammunition were recovered:- 2 AK 56 rifles, 8 AK
mags, 10 9mm pistols, 18 pistol mags, 90 9×19 mm ammunition and 9
grenades.
The mischief of Pakistan
continued unabated and it continued while Dr Singh was preparing for his
historical presentation. He conveyed India’s appreciation to all the countries
who are taking this fight ahead in the right direction by intensifying efforts,
sustaining political commitment and decisive action, at all levels, against
preventing and combating corruption by way of endorsing the United Nations
Political declaration.
He added that India
provided Mutual Legal Assistance to the widest possible extent and it had
strengthened its domestic law and widened the scope for international
co-operation. The Doctor of Medicines, professionally, said that India had a
zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and the motto of the Government is
minimum government, maximum governance with emphasis on transparency and
citizen centricity.
It is for the second
time in history that the UN was addressed by any personality of Jammu and
Kashmir. Sheikh Abdullah’s February 5, 1948, speech in the UN Security Council
is also historical. There is a coincidental mischief of Pakistan relating to
both the developments.
Following India’s
complaint to the United Nations, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was discussed
extensively by the UN’s General Assembly and Security Council. Participating in
these discussions, the then Prime Minister of the State’s emergency government,
Sheikh Abdullah made a speech in the Security Council on February 5, 1948,
criticizing the Pakistan-sponsored tribal invasion of the State.
He said, “I have
heard with patience, attention and respect the statements made by the
representatives of Pakistan and members of the Security Council, as well as the
statements made on various occasions by the members of my own delegation… I
have heard patiently to the debate in the Security Council, but I feel that I
am rather confused. After all, what is the point in dispute? The point in
dispute is not that the sovereignty of the Prince is in question, as the
representative of Pakistan stated yesterday…..
The subject of the
dispute before the Security Council is not the maladministration of the
Princely State of Kashmir… the dispute revolves around the fact that Kashmir
acceded legally and constitutionally to the Dominion of India…the tribesmen
across the border have poured into my country. They have been helped and are
being helped by the Pakistan Government, with the result that there is the
possibility of a greater conflagration between India and Pakistan….
I and my organization
never believed in the formula that Muslims and Hindus form separate nations. We
do not believe in the two-nation theory, nor in communal hatred or communalism
itself. We believed that religion had no place in politics. The situation was
worsening day by day and the minority in our State was feeling very nervous….
While the raiders came
to our land, massacred thousands of people — mostly Hindus and Sikhs, but
Muslims too — abducted thousands of girls, Hindu, Sikhs and Muslims alike,
looted our property and almost reached the gates of our summer capital,
Srinagar, the result was that the civil, military and police administration
failed. The Maharaja, in the dead of the night, left the capital along with his
courtiers, and the result was absolute panic. There was no one to take over
control. This is the manner in which the administration changed hands. We
were de facto in charge of the administration. The Maharaja, later on, gave it
a legal form….
I was explaining how the
dispute arose — how Pakistan wanted to force this position of slavery upon us.
Pakistan had no interest in our liberation…..Pakistan would have supported us
when thousands of my countrymen were behind bars and hundreds were shot to
death. The Pakistani leaders and Pakistani papers were heaping abuse upon the
people of Kashmir who were suffering these tortures.
Then, suddenly, Pakistan
comes before the bar of the world as the champion of liberty of the people of
Jammu and Kashmir….I had thought all along that the world had got rid of
Hitlers and Goebbels, but, from what has happened and what is happening in my
poor country, I am convinced that they have only transmigrated their souls into
Pakistan….
If Pakistan comes
forward and says, “We question the legality of the accession,” I am
prepared to discuss whether or not the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India
was legal. Under those circumstances, both the Maharaja and the people of
Kashmir requested the Government of India to accept our accession.
The Security Council
should not confuse the issue. The question is not that we want internal
freedom; the question is not how the Maharaja got his State, or whether or not
he is sovereign. These points are not before the Security Council. Whether
Kashmir has lawfully acceded to India — complaints on that score have been
brought before the Security Council on behalf of Pakistan — is not the point at
issue. If that were the point at issue then we should discuss that subject. We
should prove before the Security Council that Kashmir and the people of Kashmir
(J&K) have lawfully and constitutionally acceded to the Dominion of India,
and Pakistan has no right to question that accession. Then at that time
it would be for us to prove that the charges we have brought before the
Security Council are correct to the last word. That is the only help, we want,
and no other help”.
History got created
after 73 years on June 5, 2021 when Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS in PMO outreached
the same platform and made it known to the world that India has travelled a
long distance and Jammu and Kashmir has prospered like any other state or UT of
India for the last seventy three years while Pakistan continues to be busy in
its old tricks and treachery.
He after his historic
address told the waiting group of officers of the government and the media
representatives, “At a time when the world is faced with the problem
of fugitive economic offenders trying to escape by running across the
countries, thus posing economic and security challenges, this is indeed
the most appropriate time for all the countries to come together and strengthen
the international cooperation to prevent and combat this menace. India
and the Government headed by our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is ready to work
with all other nations in this context”.
By – Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo
(The author is a senior BJP & KP leader, Incharge: Deptt of Political Feedback, BJP-J&K and can be reached at: ashwanikc2012@gmail.com)
