Dear all In this context I would like to bring to your attension to the following news item and lets ask the authority concerned about what generalisation can be drawn by taking cue from the assumption that there is high possibility of PWD Hajj pilgrimage begging.
Uttar Pradesh's Rampur gang smuggles gold by becoming Haj pilgrims Virendrasingh Ghunawat Mumbai May 11, 2017UPDATED 17:09 IST https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rampur-gang-gold-amuggling-haj-pilgrims-uttar-pradesh-976516-2017-05-11 Uttar Pradesh's Rampur gang is actively participating in a gold smuggling racket. (Image for representation) Uttar Pradesh's Rampur gang is actively participating in a gold smuggling racket. (Image for representation) Uttar Pradesh's Rampur gang is actively participating in a gold smuggling racket, and bringing in gold from Saudi Arabia by posing as Haj pilgrims, investigators have found. "Village Tanda in UP is now known for producing gold carriers for the syndication. These carriers are sent to Jeddah as a Haj Pilgrim and while returning they bring back smuggled gold on the direction of organised gang," a custom official told India Today. On May 7, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs got a tip from an informer that a group of 23 people arriving from Jeddah were bringing smuggled gold with them. That night, custom officials arrested 21 passengers for smuggling almost 6 kg gold worth Rs 1.70 crore. They had concealed 112 pieces of gold bars inside the caps of the water bottles. Then, on Wednesday night, the AIU of Delhi Customs arrested three more Rampur gang members, all belonging to Tanda village, with smuggled pieces of gold at Delhi airport. A probe has revealed that this "Rampur Gang" is quite active in gold smuggling racket in India. Sources told India Today that all the accused were "Haj Pilgrims," from Tanda village in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district. This was one of the rarest gold smuggling cases for Indian investigative officers. In earlier cases AIU has arrested one or two persons from Tanda village, but never in such big numbers. Based on statements by the accused, investigators have found all 21 accused were recruited by one single man, who is an old hand in gold smuggling. The accused is into supply of carriers for gold smugglers, and charges a commission of Rs 10,000-15,000 per person, per assignment. "We cannot disclose the name of the mastermind behind Rampur Gang, as the case is still under investigation. But this person was taking orders of smuggling consignment from a few Delhi-based handlers, especially those who are at the front end of pyramid, dealing with jewellers and bullion traders," an official said. Sources confirmed that after landing at Mumbai International Airport, all the accused "Haj Pilgrims" were scheduled to board a connecting flight to Delhi. "The entire smuggled gold was to be given to few Delhi based gold handlers," the official said. For further investigation and subsequent arrest of these handlers, all 21 accused have been summoned by Mumbai Customs next week. "We have informed the custom officials in Uttar Pradesh to make a visit to Tanda village, examine the situation and take required action," the official said. <div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br /> <table style="border-top: 1px solid #D3D4DE;"> <tr> <td style="width: 55px; padding-top: 13px;"><a href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail"; target="_blank"><img src="https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-round-orange-animated-no-repeat-v1.gif"; alt="" width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;" /></a></td> <td style="width: 470px; padding-top: 12px; color: #41424e; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Virus-free. <a href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail"; target="_blank" style="color: #4453ea;">www.avast.com</a> </td> </tr> </table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1" height="1"></a></div> On 4/12/18, avinash shahi <shahi88avin...@gmail.com> wrote: > How disgusting. There should be an all round condemnation of such mean > assumption by the Centre about prospective people with disabilities' > haj goers. > http://indianexpress.com/article/india/disabled-muslims-barred-from-haj-as-they-may-go-and-beg-centre-tells-delhi-high-court-5133802/ > THE CENTRE has said that differently-abled people have been barred > from going for Haj “in view of instances of many such people indulging > in begging, which > is strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia”. > > In an affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court, the Union Ministry of > Minority Affairs has said that the “screening” was advised by the > Consulate General > of India (CGI) in Jeddah in 2012. The case came up for hearing on Wednesday. > > Incidentally, Saudi Arabia imposes no such ban, but has, in fact, > enhanced facilities for the elderly and differently-abled. > > The ministry was responding to a notice served by a bench of Acting > Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Hari Shankar on a petition > challenging the new > Haj Policy 2018-2022, which bars differently-abled people from > undertaking the pilgrimage through the Haj Committee of India. The > petitioner, Gaurav Kumar > Bansal, a Supreme Court advocate, said the policy violates the Rights > of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016 as also Articles 14, 21 > and 25 pertaining > to equality, personal liberty and religious freedom. > > The petitioner also pointed out that the policy says that persons who > are “lunatic” and “crippled” are barred for going for Haj. Justifying > the use of > the language, the Centre said: “It is important to understand the > clientele which these guidelines target, a large number of whom are > not educated and > understand only Urdu or Hindi. Given this background, these wordings > might have been used for understanding of the common applicant.” > > In December 2017, The Indian Express had reported on the backlash from > disability rights groups after the ministry retained the clause > barring differently-abled > people from undertaking Haj as well as the offensive language in its > revised Haj policy 2018-2022. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas > Naqvi then ordered > the offensive lines to be deleted from the ministry’s website, but the > ban remained. > > The government’s choice of words in its affidavit has come under > criticism once again. “It’s not that people with disabilities go all > the way for Haj to > beg. Someone in the ministry has thoughtlessly worded the affidavit > when the RPWD Act clearly states that those with disabilities cannot > be discriminated > against in any manner,” said Bansal. > > Standing Counsel for Union of India and the Ministry of Minority > Affairs, Ajay Digpaul, said the affidavit must be read in its > entirety. “Our affidavit > also states that Haj is to be undertaken by those who are physically > fit, since it is a rigorous pilgrimage. Moreover, the government has > done a lot for > the cause of those with disabilities in its amended RPWD Act which > recognises 21 types of disabilities as against the seven earlier,” he > said. > > The Centre, in its affidavit, said the revised Haj policy, approved in > November 2017, simply retained a clause that has existed for 30 years, > and the ministry > initiated steps to align the Haj Policy guidelines with the RPWD Act > after the issue was brought to its notice. > > The ban is applicable on all such pilgrims who go through the Haj > Committee of India, a statutory body under the Ministry of Minority > Affairs. In 2017, > of India’s total quota of 1.70 lakh pilgrims, 1.25 lakh went through > HCI, while the rest went through private tour operators. > > “Even if the Jeddah CGI advised screening in 2012, it is the duty of > the Government of India to dispel these myths. It cannot make such a > generalisation > that most persons with disabilities go to Haj to beg,” said disability > rights activist Dr Satendra Singh. > > -- > Avinash Shahi > Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU > > > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. > Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
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