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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Crossing Lines

A protest for a genuine cause or problem earns public sympathy by appealing to the nation’s conscience. It begins to lose it the moment its members indiscriminately start abusing the nation’s institutions. That is where the CJP agitation now stands. It has outlived its purpose. The movement began with a legitimate grievance against the NEET paper leak and demanded some systemic education reforms. Millions of students deserve an examination system that is transparent, secure and immune to...

Crossing Lines

A protest for a genuine cause or problem earns public sympathy by appealing to the nation’s conscience. It begins to lose it the moment its members indiscriminately start abusing the nation’s institutions. That is where the CJP agitation now stands. It has outlived its purpose. The movement began with a legitimate grievance against the NEET paper leak and demanded some systemic education reforms. Millions of students deserve an examination system that is transparent, secure and immune to manipulation. The government has acknowledged that imperative. Activists Sonam Wangchuk has ended his fast after receiving assurances that the Centre is prepared to engage. The issue has dominated headlines for weeks. But success in a democracy is not merely forcing the government to listen, it is also knowing when to stop shouting. The CJP agitation has disturbingly drifted into something altogether different. What started as a student movement has resembled a full-blown political mobilisation with students as its public face. For nearly three weeks the protests remained largely peaceful. The escalation coincided with Parliament’s session and the arrival of political parties eager to turn a campus issue into a national confrontation. Equally disturbing was the descent in public discourse. Protesters were heard using obscene and deeply offensive abuse against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In any democracy, citizens are free to criticise their elected leaders in the strongest political terms. But vulgar personal abuse is not dissent. The inevitable question now is whether this remains a movement of students or one increasingly directed by professional agitators and political interests. How many of those leading confrontations are candidates anxious about competitive examinations? How many are seasoned protesters who migrate from one agitation to another, regardless of the issue? Those are legitimate questions that deserve answers. The law must distinguish carefully between peaceful dissent and criminal violence. Students marching peacefully deserve protection. Those who assaulted police personnel, vandalised public property or incited violence deserve prosecution. Organisers who encouraged lawlessness should face accountability irrespective of their political affiliations. Governments, too, have obligations. They must deliver credible examination reforms, prosecute those responsible for paper leaks and restore confidence in institutions that determine the futures of millions of young Indians. But the protesters have an obligation as well. A movement that has secured national attention, compelled governmental engagement and placed its concerns firmly on the public agenda has achieved its strategic objective. Persisting with confrontation serves diminishing public interest and growing political opportunism. Every successful protest reaches a moment when continuing becomes counterproductive. The CJP agitation has reached that moment. It should end before history remembers it not for the students who began it, but for the disorder that consumed it.

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

  • PTI
  • Feb 14, 2025
  • 3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

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