Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: Good afternoon and welcome to this weekly press briefing. I am sorry to have this late on Friday evening but it was very busy for all of us. Thank you all for joining in. I
do not have any announcement therefore we can straightaway go to Q & A session.
Question: My question is on Maldives, this is the first briefing after the crisis. What is the present situation, what India makes of this situation? We saw our Ambassador meeting Foreign Secretary of Maldives, what transpired,
can you just give us some brief?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: Any other question on Maldives?
Question: Maldives par hi mera sawaal ye hai ki, China ki taraf se bhi chaahe wahan ka sarkari media ho ya fir wahan ke videsh mantralaya ne indirectly jo Maldives mein interfere ki jo doosare desh koshish kar sakte hain,
uska virodh kiya hai, to Bharat isko kis tarah se leta hai aur doosara jo Maldives ke poorv Rashtrapati ne interfere karne ki maang ki thi, Bharat us disha mein kya sochata hai?
(Whether it is from the government media in China or it is their foreign ministry which has spoken about being against the intervention which other countries could do in Maldives. So how does India react to it and secondly the request which the past President
of Maldives had made to India to intervene in Maldives, so what does India think about that?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Thank you for those two questions. Our position on the situation in Maldives has been reflected in the two statements which we have issued in February 2018. You are aware that we have called on the government of Maldives to lift the state of Emergency and restore
the democratic process including the functioning of judiciary which is free of intimidation.
We have noticed that the emergency which has been declared in Maldives is valid for the next few days and we will wait to see the steps which will be taken by government of Maldives after this.
You mentioned the China angle, I can only say that we have commented on that, I think there was a response from our side where we have indicated our stance, in fact I can just read that out to you. We had said that we note that China has said that the Maldives
government has the ability to protect the security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Maldives. We had said that we hope that all the countries can play a constructive role in Maldives instead of doing the opposite. In fact if you have been following
the comments made by Chinese spokesperson, I think he has made it very clear that China is not looking at any intervention and the Maldives government is capable of looking after its interests.
Question: Today the MEA has declared that the Passport office has issued the suspension orders of Mr. Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Would we, by any chance, have any idea about their last location as to where they are because
now that their passport is suspended they would not be able to move ahead?
Question: Just to clarify sir, have Modi and Choksi been in touch with anyone in the Indian government, if they are in a certain country, with the Ambassador, with the Consul General, if they are in a city which has a consulate
at all in these last few days and hours especially since the passport suspension must have happened quite a while ago?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Taking the two questions together, if you have gone through our press statement which we issued earlier today afternoon, we have, on the advice of ED, suspended the validity of the passport and if you are familiar with the Passports Act of 1967, this is step
towards the revocation of passport. Normally a period of four weeks is given which is also mentioned in press statement and they have to reply within four weeks why their passport should not be impounded or revoked under certain sections of the Passport Act.
If they fail to respond within the stipulated time then we will go ahead with the revocation.
On the first question I can say with confidence that this gentleman is not in touch with any of MEA officials and frankly at this stage we are not aware of his location. In fact it is difficult for me as the spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs to
kind of track where he is moving and in which country he is. We will act based on the advice which we receive from our agencies. We received the advice to revoke the passport, we have done that and subsequently we will see what is to be done in this matter.
Question: There has been a dramatic surge in pro-Khalistan radicalism in Canada and Canadian Prime Minister is visiting India this week. Have we been in touch with Canada on this, are we going to take up this issue forcefully,
do you suspect foreign hand specifically that of Pakistan?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
I can only tell you that this is an important visit which is going to happen from Canada. The Prime Minister will be here for almost a week from 17 February to 23 February and I can tell you that all issues that are of interest to us, which are of bilateral
interest will be up on the agenda between the two sides.
Question: Aaj Congress Party ne press briefing mein kaha ki MEA ne Nirav Modi ke saath Pradhanmantri ki photo aur anya CEOs ki photo tweet kar ke kaha "Together we can” jabki Sarkar ke pass iski jaankari pehle se thi, bahut
saari shikayatein Nirav Modi ke liye pehle se file thi, aapka response kya hai is maamle mein?
(Today Congress party in their press conference has said that MEA has tweeted the photograph of Nirav Modi and other CEOs with Prime Minister and said "Together we can” while the government has prior information about this, a lot of complaints against Nirav
Modi were there since earlier, what is your response on that?)
Question: We seem to have information that he is in New York Five Star hotel in three bedroom suite. So is there anything the government would like to say about it or do about it?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
I think I will have to take additional responsibility on my shoulder if I start doing investigation. There are agencies meant for that let them do the investigation, let them come up with certain advice or request for us and then MEA comes into the picture.
On the first question, I can tell you two things basically. One is that this gentleman was not part of the official delegation, people who are familiar with Prime Minister Delegations they know that it comprises of officials and few official media and any business
delegation is not part of any Prime Minister’s delegation abroad and that was the case in Davos as well.
The other thing that I wanted to put on record that there was no meeting with the Prime Minister and this gentleman. What the photograph you are referring to is basically a very impromptu thing which happened as we came out of the meeting and the Indian CEOs
they are present there on their own, they registered themselves, they have been going there for last several years and this was a very impromptu thing which just happened as we were going from one meeting to another, no agenda, no meeting but it was a very
impromptu thing which took place between the group of Indian CEOs who were there and the Prime Minister.
Question: Day before yesterday when Prime Minister Modi was visiting Arunachal later Chinese statement has come warning against visiting the Arunachal. Is there any action reaction from MEA side?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
You know our reaction. I have time and again when our dignitaries have visited Arunachal Pradesh I have said that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and our leaders and people have the right to visit Arunachal Pradesh.
Question: Before this scam came in light, MEA had any idea that Nirav Modi was there in that particular photograph?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: As I mentioned that it was a very impromptu thing. It was not something which was planned, it was not part of the program if you have understood me correctly it just happened.
There was no meeting, it was only a photo-op. Prime Minister went there, he stood there for maybe five seconds and he left. There was no exchange of words, there was no exchange of greeting because it just happened to be in the way between two meetings and
that is how this photo came about.
Question: Is ghatna ko prakaash mein aaye hue ab itni der ho gai hai aur tarah tarah ki locations saamne aa rahe hain. Wo ek taareekh ko yahan se gaya hai is baare mein certain hain. Wo aapko Davos mein picture mein dikhata
hai uske baad se wo Belgium mein hai, US mein hai, kahin bhi. To ye ek swabhaavik sawaal MEA ki taraf hai ki aakhir ek vyakti jiske passport ke cancellation ke liye aapne sifaarish kari hai, aakhir wo hai kahan, kya is baare mein koi jaankaari nahi hai aapke
pass?
(Quite a lot of time has passed since this incident has come into light and so many of his locations are now being reported. It is certain that he left India on 1 Feb. He is seen in a picture in Davos, after that he is said to be in Belgium then to USA. So
an obvious question to MEA is that where is that person for whom you have requested to cancel/revoke the passport. Don’t you have any information on this?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Mujhe lagta hai ki aap galat aadami se pooch rahe hain. Jaisa maine pehle kahaa ki hum picture mein tab aate hain jab hamaare pass advice aati hai kisi agency se. Ye investigating agencies ka kaam hai ye pata karna ki wo kahan hai. Sirf main itna batana chahunga
ki jo implications hote hain passport cancel aur revoke karne ke who kya hote hain. Ab koi travel document hai nahi to ab wo jahan bhi hain wahan se wo kahin aur nahi jaa sakte hain, ye clear ho jaati hai baat ki ab wo jis country mein hain usi country mein
rahenge aur uske baad dekhate hain, jaise jaise hamaare pass kuch aur jaankaari aayegi. Videsh Mantralay doosare agencies ke behalf pe aur unki advice pe kaam karega.
(I think you are addressing this question to the wrong person. As I said earlier, we come into picture when we receive advice from any agency. This is the job of investigating agencies to find about his whereabouts. I would only like to tell you what the implications
of revoking or cancelling a passport are. Since there is no travel document now so he will not be able to move from his present country. Now this thing is very clear that he will stay in whichever country he is present now. We will further decide as and when
we get more information. Ministry of External Affairs will work on behalf and advice of other agencies.)
Question: My question is regarding FATF. There are so many industrialists who have taken money from the banks and now sitting abroad. What are you planning to do in FATF because don’t you want to take their cases in FATF
because that is the right forum to increase international pressure on various friendly countries to return our people to us?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar: I don’t think today every question has to be linked to all the questions which have come up earlier. I can only tell you what is going to happen at FATF and I think what the agenda
is going to be. You are aware that it is an inter-governmental body and this meeting is going to take place from 18 February onwards. Of course the cases of money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of international financial
system do come up for discussion.
India is a member of this body and we are committed to the objectives of this body. We believe that UNSCR 1267 Sanction Regime and FATF standards pertaining to money laundering and terror financing must be implemented in letter and spirit by all nations and
those nationals and nations who are found wanting in implementing their obligations and are freely allowing UN designated entities and individuals to operate and raise funds and have access to assets for nefarious activities must be held accountable and subjected
to appropriate action.
Question: Sunjunva attack ke baad Defence Minister ne ek press conference ki thi jismein unhone kaha tha ki jo tamaam saboot hain wo ek dossier ki shape mein Pakistan ko saunpa jaayega. Kya wo dossier saunp diya gaya hai
ya wo MEA ke pass aa gaya hai ki wo aage forward kiya jaa sake?
(After Sunjuvan attack Defence Minister in a press conference said that all the related evidences will be handed over to Pakistan in the shape of a dossier. Has that dossier been handed over or has it come to MEA to be forwarded ahead?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Mujhe iske baare mein jaankari nahi hai, maine bhi hamare Raksha Mantri ka comment suna tha aur mujhe nahi lagta hai ki unke bayaan ke baad mere liye kuch bach jata hai usmein add karne ke liye par ye jo dossier ki baat hai, ye jaankaari mere pass abhi nahi
hai, main pata karke aapko batata hoon.
(I do not have information on this. I had also gone through the statement of our Defence Minister and I don’t think after his statement there is anything that I can add to it. Further regarding dossier, I do not have information at this moment. I will get back
to you on this.)
Question: Pakistan ki taraf se kal claim kiya gaya ki border ke upar Bharat ne kai civilians ko target kiya hai, unhone kai videos bhi post kiye hain. Ismein Bharatiya post jo hain unke upar bambaari dikhaai gai hai aur
isi se juda hua sawaal hai ki is border violence ke beech mein Pakistan ne Hafiz Saeed ke khilaaf ek action liye hai jahan par unhone apne anti-terror law ko amend kiya hai. Hum ise kis tareeke se dekhate hain?
(Yesterday Pakistan made claims that India has targeted civilians on the border and they have posted some videos also in which Indian posts could be seen being bombarded and the second question related to that is that in the midst of this border violence Pakistan
has taken an action against Hafiz Saeed in which they have amended their anti-terror laws. How do we see it?)
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
You have very smartly put two questions into one but I will answer both the questions. On the second, on border and ceasefire violations our stand is very clear. We do react to incidents of and to actions of ceasefire violations by the Pakistani side and wherever
such violations have been initiated by them we do take counter action on those violations.
On the action taken by Pakistani side against Hafiz Saeed, you know that he is a proscribed UN designated terrorist and he is also prime organizer of Mumbai terror attack. It is quite surprising that it took Pakistan ten years to figure out which was known
by the entire world that he is a terrorist. I think this is something which is globally known. In any case I think the timing of such declaration of Hafiz Saeed as a terrorist is very suspect. We will have to see if they are willing to walk the talk and take
concrete measures against terrorists and terror outfits which are operation from the soil of Pakistan.
Question: Is India going to make specific case against Hafiz Saeed in FATF meeting?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Let me share with you the agenda of FATF. There is a proposal by some countries as part of the FATF process to put Pakistan in the grey list. Now this grey listing happens because the commitment which was given by Pakistan on the action which it was supposed
to take that has not happened. We have shared our views with the member countries of FATF in this regard. We of course would like to ensure through this that the government of Pakistan take effective measures in letter and spirit to curb terror financing,
to curb fund raising activity of UN designated and other terror entities and individuals which are operating from their soil.
Question: What is India’s view on allowing pilgrims from both countries to visit, is it a fact now, after the Jammu terror attack, decided not to permit Pakistani pilgrim to visit and our own pilgrims to go there? What
is the official position?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
It will be very difficult to give a categorical answer. I think you are referring to the recent incident regarding the Katas Raj Temple and I think this is something which came in media as well. We have seen the statement made by the Pakistani spokesperson
where he put the onus on us. Granting of a visa is the sovereign right of any nation. If a group of Indian pilgrims want to visit Pakistan, nobody had stopped them from issuing a visa. I don’t know from where this question of NOC has come in. So if they wanted
and they were keen on issuing a visa they would have issued the visa and the pilgrims would have gone.
Question Contd.: We did not impose any restrictions?
Official Spokesperson, Shri Raveesh Kumar:
Of course not.
Thank you all very much for joining in. Have a good evening.
(Concludes)