Delhi Police probing JNU incidents, action will be taken against perpetrators, says Kishan Reddy

The country needs a proper Citizen Card like elsewhere. Talks with other countries for pacts to investigate abroad during attacks on Indian citizens

Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy in Hyderabad on Thursday, January 9, 2020.

Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy said on Thursday that the Delhi Police is investigating the violent incidents inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and action will be taken soon against the perpetrators. “A FIR has been filed and we are trying to identity the culprits behind the incidents,” he said.

Mr. Reddy was answering questions at a press conference organised by the Telangana Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ). Listing out the various programmes and initiatives taken up by the BJP- led NDA Government in the last six months, the Minister said necessary changes have been made in the NIA Act to permit the premier investigative agency to take up probe in countries abroad during any terror attacks on Indian citizens.

No substitutes for Citizenship Card

“We have already got into pacts with a few countries and talks are on with few other countries,” he said. The country also needs a proper Citizenship Card as is prevalent in most countries around the world,” he observed. Moreover, “Voter ID card, Aadhaar, and the likes cannot substitute for the Citizenship Card as necessary legal changes have not been made. Also, the Supreme Court has already put restrictions on the usage of Aadhaar on privacy issue,” he reminded.

Mr. Reddy admitted that certain strong measures are underway in Jammu & Kashmir but it was only to prevent violent and terror incidents. “We will start removing some of the restrictions like those on internet, gradually. Curfew has been lifted and Section 144 is restricted to a few places. Stone-pelting and terror incidents have come down drastically,” he claimed.

Scouting for land in Kashmir

The Government has been scouting for public land for permitting industries and other programmes. “There are fears of taking over J&K lands and handing them over to people from other States. It is because of this apprehension we had put off the investment summit. From next month, all the Union Ministers will be touring the State,” he said.

A toll free number to take care of grievances of freedom fighters is also on the anvil.