The Evening Wrap: Sixth accused arrested in Parliament security breach case

The Delhi Police have arrested the sixth accused Mahesh Kumawat on December 16 for the security breach in Parliament on December 13. The Delhi police produced the sixth accused in the Patiala court and said that the security breach in Parliament was being planned for the last two years. They added that Mahesh Kumawat and other accused have met at several places including Mysuru, Gurgaon and Delhi. The Delhi police sought 15-day custody but the court granted 7-day police custody for Mahesh Kumawat the sixth accused in the parliament security breach case. Mahesh Kumawat had come on his own to a police station along with Lalit Jha Thursday night and both were handed over to the Special Cell, the officer said. He was being interrogated since then. He was a member of the now deleted Bhagat Singh Fan Club page created by the accused, the person said. Kumawat has been arrested on charges of destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy, the officer said. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has informed members of the House that he had formed a “high-powered committee” to review various aspects of security in the Parliament complex and formulate an action plan to ensure that the December 13 incident is not repeated. In a letter to Lok Sabha members, Mr. Birla also said the report of the high-level inquiry committee set up by the Union Home Ministry will “soon” be shared with the House. “In addition, I have also constituted a High Powered Committee which will review various aspects of security in the Parliament Complex and formulate a concrete action plan to ensure that such incidents do not recur,” he said in the letter. Parliament security breach | Unemployment and inflation are main reasons, says Rahul Gandhi Unemployment and inflation, brought about by the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are the main reasons behind the security breach in Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on December 16. “There has definitely been a security breach and that’s there. But why did it happen? The biggest issue before the country is unemployment and it’s simmering across the country because of the policies of Modi ji’s policies,” Mr Gandhi told reporters at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters after attending a meeting of the political affairs committee on Gujarat. Subsequently, in a post on X, Mr. Gandhi said,“Where are the jobs? The youth are disappointed. We have to focus on this issue and provide jobs to the youth,” he added. His comments come just days after the government accused the Congress and other INDIA partners of politicising a “grave national issue”. Hitting back at the government, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said only the BJP and Home Minister are “politicising” the issue. “The Home Ministry is telling that it is an issue of Parliament under the Speaker. What exactly is Delhi Police telling the court? That it is a terror attack. Delhi lolice is under the Home Minister, isn’t it,”asked Mr. Venugopal. The Congress leader said those people who keep talking about national security all the time can’t even protect Parliament House. “We didn’t politicise. We didn’t say it’s a terror attack. We only said it’s a serious security breach,” he noted. Mr. Venugopal also said that while BJP MP Prathap Simha, who had recommended the passes for the intruders, faced no action, the government is getting Opposition MPs suspended for raising questions. “Now, a major role for the presiding officers is to suspend Opposition members,” he said. Indian Navy counters hijacking incident in Arabian Sea The Indian Navy has said it swiftly responded to a maritime incident in the Arabian Sea involving the hijacking of a Malta-flagged vessel with 18 crew members on board. The Navy’s maritime patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden were deployed to locate and assist the vessel — MV Ruen — after receiving a distress call from it. The hijacking attempt was reported on December 14 and the Indian Navy sent its mission deployed platforms to the area of the incident early on December 15, officials said. The Navy said its aircraft flew over the hijacked vessel and it has been continuously monitoring movement of the vessel, which is now heading towards the coast of Somalia. “Responding swiftly to the developing situation, the Indian Navy diverted its naval maritime patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and assist MV Ruen,” an Indian Navy spokesperson said. “The aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel on early morning of December 15 and the aircraft has been continuously monitoring movement of the vessel, which is now heading towards the coast of Somalia,” he said. The official said the Indian Navy’s warship deployed in the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy patrol also intercepted the MV Ruen on Dec. 16 morning. The overall situation is being closely monitored, in coordination with other agencies in the area, he said. “The Indian Navy remains committed to being a first responder in the region and ensuring safety of merchant shipping, along with international partners and friendly foreign countries,” the official said. Congress announces crowdfunding campaign ahead of Lok Sabha polls Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Congress has announced a nationwide crowd funding campaign, ‘Donate for Desh’, to generate resources for the party. It claimed that the initiative was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s historic ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’, which was launched over a hundred years ago in 1920-21. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will formally launch the digital mode of the campaign on December 18, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal and the party treasurer Ajay Maken said in a press conference at party headquarters on Saturday. The physical mode of the campaign, including a door-to-door collection drive, will start on December 28, the party’s 138th foundation day. Sending a political signal ahead of next year’s general election, the Congress also announced a mega public rally to be held on its foundation day at Nagpur, where the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is headquartered. “All the senior leaders will be there. We expect about 10 lakh people at the rally,” Mr. Venugopal said. The Congress treasurer said that any Indian citizen above the age of 18 could donate a minimum of ₹138, or its multiples, to the party. “Once someone makes a payment, they will get a certificate signed by the Congress president,” Mr. Maken said. “Our inaugural campaign, ‘Donate for Behtar Bharat’, commemorates the 138-year journey of the Indian National Congress. Embracing our history, we invite supporters to donate multiples of ₹138 (e.g., ₹138, ₹1,380, ₹13,800, or more), symbolising the party’s enduring commitment to a better India,” Mr. Venugopal added. The party has created two channels for this online crowdfunding. While one is a dedicated website (donateinc.in), the party’s own official website will also allow a person to make a donation. All State units have been asked to raise awareness through press conferences and social media. Party workers and volunteers will be given a target to reach at least ten houses in every booth for contributions of ₹138 and above. In Brief: COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 detected in Kerala The COVID-19 subvariant JN.1, a descendant of BA.2.86, has been detected in parts of Kerala, triggering concerns about its impact. The India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), which is a multi-laboratory, multi-agency, pan-India network tasked with sequencing and keeping an eye on new threatening Covid-19 variants, has done surveillance where JN.1 has been found in Kerala. According to Rajeev Jayadevan, the National Indian Medical Association COVID Task Force’s co-chairman the JN.1 variant is capable of spreading faster and evading immunity. “JN.1 is a severely immune-evasive and fast-spreading variant, markedly different from XBB and all other prior versions of this virus. This enables it to infect people who had previous Covid infections and also people who were vaccinated,” he said. ‘Israeli hostages killed mistakenly in Gaza were holding white flag’ Israel on Saturday mourned the deaths of three Gaza hostages killed when troops mistook them for a threat, with the military expressing remorse over a “tragic” incident that sparked protests in Tel Aviv. The IDF said that the hostages had been holding up a white cloth on a stick. The hostages were fired upon against Israel’s rules of engagement, an IDF official said.The Israeli Army said Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz and Samer El-Talalqa — all in their twenties — were shot during operations in a neighbourhood of Gaza City. The trio were among an estimated 240 people taken hostage during Hamas’s October 7 raids into Israel, which also killed an estimated 1,200 people. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 16 December 2023 [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]( Parliament security breach | Sixth accused arrested, sent to 7-day police custody The [Delhi Police have arrested the sixth accused]( Mahesh Kumawat on December 16 for the security breach in Parliament on December 13. The Delhi police produced the sixth accused in the Patiala court and said that the security breach in Parliament was being planned for the last two years. They added that Mahesh Kumawat and other accused have met at several places including Mysuru, Gurgaon and Delhi. The Delhi police sought 15-day custody but the court granted 7-day police custody for Mahesh Kumawat the sixth accused in the parliament security breach case. Mahesh Kumawat had come on his own to a police station along with Lalit Jha Thursday night and both were handed over to the Special Cell, the officer said. He was being interrogated since then. He was a member of the now deleted Bhagat Singh Fan Club page created by the accused, the person said. Kumawat has been arrested on charges of destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy, the officer said. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has informed members of the House that [he had formed a “high-powered committee” to review various aspects of security in the Parliament]( complex and formulate an action plan to ensure that the December 13 incident is not repeated. In a letter to Lok Sabha members, Mr. Birla also said the report of the high-level inquiry committee set up by the Union Home Ministry will “soon” be shared with the House. “In addition, I have also constituted a High Powered Committee which will review various aspects of security in the Parliament Complex and formulate a concrete action plan to ensure that such incidents do not recur,” he said in the letter. Parliament security breach | Unemployment and inflation are main reasons, says Rahul Gandhi Unemployment and inflation, brought about by the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are the main reasons behind the security breach in Parliament, [Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said]( on December 16. “There has definitely been a security breach and that’s there. But why did it happen? The biggest issue before the country is unemployment and it’s simmering across the country because of the policies of Modi ji’s policies,” Mr Gandhi told reporters at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters after attending a meeting of the political affairs committee on Gujarat. Subsequently, in a post on X, Mr. Gandhi said,“Where are the jobs? The youth are disappointed. We have to focus on this issue and provide jobs to the youth,” he added. His comments come just days after the government accused the Congress and other INDIA partners of politicising a “grave national issue”. Hitting back at the government, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said only the BJP and Home Minister are “politicising” the issue. “The Home Ministry is telling that it is an issue of Parliament under the Speaker. What exactly is Delhi Police telling the court? That it is a terror attack. Delhi lolice is under the Home Minister, isn’t it,”asked Mr. Venugopal. The Congress leader said those people who keep talking about national security all the time can’t even protect Parliament House. “We didn’t politicise. We didn’t say it’s a terror attack. We only said it’s a serious security breach,” he noted. Mr. Venugopal also said that while BJP MP Prathap Simha, who had recommended the passes for the intruders, faced no action, the government is getting Opposition MPs suspended for raising questions. “Now, a major role for the presiding officers is to suspend Opposition members,” he said. Indian Navy counters hijacking incident in Arabian Sea The Indian Navy has said [it swiftly responded to a maritime incident in the Arabian Sea]( involving the hijacking of a Malta-flagged vessel with 18 crew members on board. The Navy’s maritime patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden were deployed to locate and assist the vessel — MV Ruen — after receiving a distress call from it. The hijacking attempt was reported on December 14 and the Indian Navy sent its mission deployed platforms to the area of the incident early on December 15, officials said. The Navy said its aircraft flew over the hijacked vessel and it has been continuously monitoring movement of the vessel, which is now heading towards the coast of Somalia. “Responding swiftly to the developing situation, the Indian Navy diverted its naval maritime patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and assist MV Ruen,” an Indian Navy spokesperson said. “The aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel on early morning of December 15 and the aircraft has been continuously monitoring movement of the vessel, which is now heading towards the coast of Somalia,” he said. The official said the Indian Navy’s warship deployed in the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy patrol also intercepted the MV Ruen on Dec. 16 morning. The overall situation is being closely monitored, in coordination with other agencies in the area, he said. “The Indian Navy remains committed to being a first responder in the region and ensuring safety of merchant shipping, along with international partners and friendly foreign countries,” the official said.  Congress announces crowdfunding campaign ahead of Lok Sabha polls Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the [Congress has announced a nationwide crowd funding campaign]( ‘Donate for Desh’, to generate resources for the party. It claimed that the initiative was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s historic ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’, which was launched over a hundred years ago in 1920-21. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will formally launch the digital mode of the campaign on December 18, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal and the party treasurer Ajay Maken said in a press conference at party headquarters on Saturday. The physical mode of the campaign, including a door-to-door collection drive, will start on December 28, the party’s 138th foundation day. Sending a political signal ahead of next year’s general election, the Congress also announced a mega public rally to be held on its foundation day at Nagpur, where the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is headquartered. “All the senior leaders will be there. We expect about 10 lakh people at the rally,” Mr. Venugopal said. The Congress treasurer said that any Indian citizen above the age of 18 could donate a minimum of ₹138, or its multiples, to the party. “Once someone makes a payment, they will get a certificate signed by the Congress president,” Mr. Maken said. “Our inaugural campaign, ‘Donate for Behtar Bharat’, commemorates the 138-year journey of the Indian National Congress. Embracing our history, we invite supporters to donate multiples of ₹138 (e.g., ₹138, ₹1,380, ₹13,800, or more), symbolising the party’s enduring commitment to a better India,” Mr. Venugopal added. The party has created two channels for this online crowdfunding. While one is a dedicated website (donateinc.in), the party’s own official website will also allow a person to make a donation. All State units have been asked to raise awareness through press conferences and social media. Party workers and volunteers will be given a target to reach at least ten houses in every booth for contributions of ₹138 and above. In Brief: COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 detected in Kerala The COVID-19 subvariant [JN.1, a descendant of BA.2.86, has been detected in parts of Kerala]( triggering concerns about its impact. The India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), which is a multi-laboratory, multi-agency, pan-India network tasked with sequencing and keeping an eye on new threatening Covid-19 variants, has done surveillance where JN.1 has been found in Kerala. According to Rajeev Jayadevan, the National Indian Medical Association COVID Task Force’s co-chairman the JN.1 variant is capable of spreading faster and evading immunity. “JN.1 is a severely immune-evasive and fast-spreading variant, markedly different from XBB and all other prior versions of this virus. This enables it to infect people who had previous Covid infections and also people who were vaccinated,” he said. ‘Israeli hostages killed mistakenly in Gaza were holding white flag’ Israel on Saturday mourned the deaths of three Gaza hostages killed when troops mistook them for a threat, with the military expressing remorse over a “tragic” incident that sparked protests in Tel Aviv. The [IDF said that the hostages had been holding up a white cloth on a stick](. The hostages were fired upon against Israel’s rules of engagement, an IDF official said.The Israeli Army said Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz and Samer El-Talalqa — all in their twenties — were shot during operations in a neighbourhood of Gaza City. The trio were among an estimated 240 people taken hostage during Hamas’s October 7 raids into Israel, which also killed an estimated 1,200 people. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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