The Evening Wrap: 13 Opposition leaders question PM Modi’s ‘silence’ over recent communal violence

Leaders of 13 Opposition political parties on Saturday expressed deep concern over the recent incidents of hate speech and communal violence in the country, and urged people to maintain peace and harmony. In a joint statement, the leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and her Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand counterparts M K Stalin and Hemant Soren, also raised concern over the manner in which issues relating to food, dress, faith, festivals and language “are being used” by the ruling establishment to polarise society. “We are shocked at the silence of the Prime Minister, who has failed to speak against the words and actions of those who propagate bigotry and those who, by their words and actions, incite and provoke our society. This silence is an eloquent testimony to the fact that such private armed mobs enjoy the luxury of official patronage,” they said in the joint statement. Reiterating their collective resolve to work together to strengthen the bonds of social harmony that “defined and enriched India for centuries”, the Opposition leaders said, “We reiterate our commitment to combat and confront the poisonous ideologies which are attempting to entrench divisiveness in our society.” “We appeal to all sections of the people to maintain peace and foil the sinister objective of those who wish to sharpen communal polarisation. We call upon all our party units across the country to independently and jointly work for maintaining peace and harmony,” they said in the joint appeal. Delhi court upholds order directing CBI to withdraw Look-Out Circular against Aakar Patel A Delhi court on Saturday upheld an order directing the CBI to withdraw the Look-out Circular against Amnesty International India Board chair Aakar Patel. Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann, however, set aside the direction issued to the CBI director to make a written apology to Mr Patel for the agency’s action against him. A magisterial court had on April 7 directed the probe agency to withdraw the LOC immediately and apologise to Mr Patel, and file a compliance report by April 30. Mr Patel had approached the magisterial court submitting that he was stopped by immigration authorities at the Bangalore International Airport while boarding a flight to the US. He had claimed that the action was taken despite an order by a Gujarat court granting him permission to travel abroad. Punjab announces 300 units of free power from July 1 The Punjab government on April 16 announced 300 units of free electricity from July 1, as per an official advertisement published in prominent newspapers. Providing up to 300 units of free electricity to every household in the State was a key promise made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during the 2022 Assembly election campaign. The announcement has come a month after the party formed its government in the State. “From July 1, 2022, each household in Punjab will get free electricity of 300 units per month. And it will be 600 units for two months,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said in a video message on Saturday. Mr. Mann further said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage. But the Scheduled Caste, backward caste, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for the usage over and above 600 units, the Chief Minister added. “For example, if they consumed 640 or 645 units, then they will pay for 40 or 45 units,” added Mr. Mann. In Punjab, at present, free electricity is provided to the agricultural sector. Also, 200 units of free electricity are given to all households in the Scheduled Caste, backward saste and BPL categories. Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply. Russia bans U.K. PM Boris Johnson, top Indian-origin Ministers British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several top U.K. Cabinet ministers and politicians are banned from Russia for their “unprecedented hostile actions” of imposing sanctions over the Ukraine conflict, the Russian Foreign Minister said in a statement on Saturday. The full list of 13 British politicians on the so-called “stop list” issued from Moscow includes Indian-origin ministers — UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Attorney General Suella Braverman — as well as Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and defence secretary Ben Wallace. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the list will be expanded in the “near future” to include more British politicians and parliamentarians. In Brief Russia stepped up air strikes on Kyiv on Saturday, hitting another military factory a day after Moscow warned it would renew attacks following two weeks of relative calm in the Ukrainian capital. Russia, which used sea-based long-range missiles to hit the Vizar plant on Friday, says that the Moskva missile cruiser sank while being towed back to port after ammunition exploded on board. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow [logo] The Evening Wrap 16 APRIL 2022 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( 13 Opposition leaders express concern over recent communal violence, question PM’s ‘silence’ Leaders of 13 Opposition political parties on Saturday expressed deep concern over the recent incidents of hate speech and communal violence in the country, and urged people to maintain peace and harmony. In [a joint statement]( the leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and her Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand counterparts M K Stalin and Hemant Soren, also raised concern over the manner in which issues relating to food, dress, faith, festivals and language “are being used” by the ruling establishment to polarise society. [Leaders of 13 Opposition parties including Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee have expressed deep concern over the recent incidents of hate speech and communal violence. File] “We are shocked at the silence of the Prime Minister, who has failed to speak against the words and actions of those who propagate bigotry and those who, by their words and actions, incite and provoke our society. This silence is an eloquent testimony to the fact that such private armed mobs enjoy the luxury of official patronage,” they said in the joint statement. Reiterating their collective resolve to work together to strengthen the bonds of social harmony that “defined and enriched India for centuries”, the Opposition leaders said, “We reiterate our commitment to combat and confront the poisonous ideologies which are attempting to entrench divisiveness in our society.” “We appeal to all sections of the people to maintain peace and foil the sinister objective of those who wish to sharpen communal polarisation. We call upon all our party units across the country to independently and jointly work for maintaining peace and harmony,” they said in the joint appeal. Delhi court upholds order directing CBI to withdraw Look-Out Circular against Aakar Patel A Delhi court on Saturday [upheld an order directing the CBI to withdraw the Look-out Circular against Amnesty International India Board chair Aakar Patel](. Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann, however, set aside the direction issued to the CBI director to make a written apology to Mr Patel for the agency’s action against him. A magisterial court had on April 7 directed the probe agency to withdraw the LOC immediately and apologise to Mr Patel, and file a compliance report by April 30. Mr Patel had approached the magisterial court submitting that he was stopped by immigration authorities at the Bangalore International Airport while boarding a flight to the US. He had claimed that the action was taken despite an order by a Gujarat court granting him permission to travel abroad. Punjab announces 300 units of free power from July 1 The Punjab government on April 16 [announced 300 units of free electricity from July 1]( as per an official advertisement published in prominent newspapers. Providing up to 300 units of free electricity to every household in the State was a key promise made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during the 2022 Assembly election campaign. The announcement has come a month after the party formed its government in the State. “From July 1, 2022, each household in Punjab will get free electricity of 300 units per month. And it will be 600 units for two months,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said in a video message on Saturday. Mr. Mann further said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage. But the Scheduled Caste, backward caste, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for the usage over and above 600 units, the Chief Minister added. “For example, if they consumed 640 or 645 units, then they will pay for 40 or 45 units,” added Mr. Mann. In Punjab, at present, free electricity is provided to the agricultural sector. Also, 200 units of free electricity are given to all households in the Scheduled Caste, backward saste and BPL categories. Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply. Russia bans U.K. PM Boris Johnson, top Indian-origin Ministers British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several top U.K. Cabinet ministers and politicians are [banned from Russia for their “unprecedented hostile actions]( of imposing sanctions over the Ukraine conflict, the Russian Foreign Minister said in a statement on Saturday. [British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a speech on immigration, at Lydd Airport, Britain on April 14, 2022. ] The full list of 13 British politicians on the so-called “stop list” issued from Moscow includes Indian-origin ministers — UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Attorney General Suella Braverman — as well as Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and defence secretary Ben Wallace. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the list will be expanded in the “near future” to include more British politicians and parliamentarians. In Brief [Russia stepped up air strikes on Kyiv]( on Saturday, hitting another military factory a day after Moscow warned it would renew attacks following two weeks of relative calm in the Ukrainian capital. Russia, which used sea-based long-range missiles to hit the Vizar plant on Friday, says that the Moskva missile cruiser sank while being towed back to port after ammunition exploded on board. 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