(File photo) Father Tom Uzhunnalil
Who rescued Father Tom Uzhunnalil?
by Pratul Sharma
There was a collective sigh of relief when Kerala priest Father Tom Uzhunnalil was rescued from the militants in Yemen on Tuesday. He was in captivity since March 2016. The news was broken by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter. However, Oman authorities too put out the news saying the priest was rescued owing to their efforts that Vatican priest has been rescued.
Swaraj, who has been instrumental in securing the release of other Indians stranded abroad, also listed other Christians rescued by her government, including Father Alexis Prem Kumar from Afganistan, Sister Sally from Yemen and even Judith D'Souza, the Indian woman kidnapped in Kabul. Swaraj said she had spoken to Father Tom who had thanked the Indian government and prime minister for the efforts to rescue him.
However, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari was quick to contest minister's claims.
Tewari said the credit for rescuing Father Tom should go to Oman and not Swaraj or Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Soon, other BJP and RSS leaders jumped into the discussion to remind Tewari that he had earlier hit out at NDA government, claiming that Father Tom had been crucified by the ISIS and the government hadn't done anything to rescue him as he was a Christian. Tewari was panned for not acknowledging Indian government's efforts.
Swaraj did not directly respond to Tewari's barbs, instead, she retweeted and put out old tweets to serve as a counter. As the controversy raged even four days after the release, Swaraj even put out an old news item on Saturday about church delegation meeting her for the release and she had assured them that all efforts were being made for his safe return.
The government appeared to be in no mood to give up claims over the rescue of Father Tom, even as Tewari contested that Modi and Swaraj had no role in it.
The priest, meanwhile, had reached Vatican and may soon visit his home in Kottayam, Kerala. Given the sensitivities of the case, Father Tom would once again be in news when he comes to India. In all likelihood, he would then meet Modi and Swaraj.
Being a man of God, he is expected to thank everyone and not restrict himself to taking sides.
(File photo) Representational image
Rohingya crisis: MEA plays it safe, home ministry plays hardball
by Namrata Biji Ahuja
The union home ministry can surely take some lessons in handling national security issues from its neighbour on Raisina Hill.
If the ministry of external affairs led by Sushma Swaraj was at its diplomatic best last night, assuaging Bangladesh that it has asked Myanmar to stop atrocities against Rohingyas, the ministry of home affairs was doing just the opposite. It was busy justifying why Rohingya refugees are indeed a national threat and should be sent out of India at the earliest.
Swaraj had been on a phone call with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday evening, and according to reports in the Bangladeshi media, she was supportive of Bangladesh's concern over the plight of Rohingyas flowing into its territory owing to atrocities in Myanmar forcing them to flee.
But at the same time, the home ministry was rushing into a damage control exercise after it inadvertently sent off its internal communication to the advocate in the Supreme Court handling the Rohingya citizenship case, listing out in detail why India should not show sympathy to Rohingya rebels.
From alleging that the refugees have ISIS links to calling them a strain on national resources, the home ministry showed no sympathy. If this wasn't enough, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has been most vocal in aying all Rohingyas within Indian territory must be deported, drawing criticism from the UNHCR. The UN refugee agency is of the view that not sending back refugees to a place where they feel threatened is part of a customary law and binding on all states.
The MEA surely was aware that tactful diplomacy was the need of the hour since it enjoys good relations with governments in both Myanmar and Bangladesh. If Bangladesh was receiving an influx of Rohingyas, India was also tackling threats of an influx; government figures already said there are more than 40,000 Rohingya migrants living in India.
(File photo) PM Narendra Modi
PM finds a novel way to promote his pet projects
by Vijaya Pushkarna
The Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration were instituted and first given away in 2007 to civil servants who had contributed with innovative ideas and put in a lot of effort to solve problems of society and governance. Now, the Modi government has added its touch to this.
For the first time, the government has announced the areas wherein the officers would have to show special work, in order to win these awards. Jitender Singh, Mos in the PMO, Public Grievances and Pensions, said for next year's awards, the officers have to show motivation in improving governance and delivery of services in the Pradhan Mandtri Fasal Bima Yojana, the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushaly Yojana, Promoting Digital Payments and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (rural and urban)
The awards are usually presented on the Civil Services Day on April 21 every year.
