India not immune to ISIS threat, says UAE

February 8, 2016

Abu Dhabi, Feb 8: Warning that India is not immune to the threat from Islamic State (ISIS), the UAE, which has deported about a dozen Indians with suspected links to the terror group, said today that its anti-terror cooperation with India is going to get "more institutionalised".

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"There are no grey areas. We need to tackle this (ISIS) threat and nobody is immune. If you think you are immune (and) you are going to be negligent, you are going to be hit. Everybody.... whether India or the UAE," Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said here.

Ahead of the UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's three day State Visit to India starting Wednesday, Gargash told NDTV in an interview that strengthening bilateral cooperation against terrorism would be an important component of the royal visit.

Bilateral cooperation on terror was "working very well" and in the coming 12 months "it will be more institutionalised and work even better," he said in the backdrop of the Gulf nation having deported to India a dozen Indians with suspected links to ISIS in recent months.

Such cooperation was an important part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's discussions with the UAE leadership during his visit here in August, Gargash said.

Underlining the threat posed by ISIS, the minister said, "no country was immune, no city is immune..... We need greater cooperation and zero tolerance for any sort of extremism, terrorism in order to confront this threat."

Asserting that there should be no distinction between one terror group and another, the minister said that there are no good terrorists and bad terrorists. The battle against terrorism was a "generational fight and the UAE is a worthy partner in this fight."

Answering a question about the joint statement issued after Modi's visit here in which India and the UAE condemned efforts by some states to use religion to support and justify terrorism, which was seen as a veiled reference to Pakistan, Gargash his country doesn't see "grey areas" in relation to terrorism.

"In our rejection of terrorism, whether that is done by a non-government group or whether it is sponsored by governments, we put all that in the same pile. Terrorism is terrorism," he said. He emphasised that UAE was not playing Pakistan against India or the vice versa. India was a big power both globally and regionally and relationship with it was not related to third parties.

Describing Indo-UAE ties as "fantastic", the minister said that Modi's visit could see a "window of strategic shift" in the relationship. Modi was a very practical person and everybody was impressed with his 'can-do' attitude. "This is what we want to build on."

He underlined the commitment of the UAE, whose current investments in India are about USD 10 billion, to step up the investments, particularly in the infrastructure.

Turning to problems faced by investors in India, Gargash said "we need to work together to cut some of the red tape, make things smoother."

"I want to see clearer laws, smoother implementation, greater reception of foreign investments, not just UAE investment but foreign investment in general," he said. There was a huge potential in bilateral economic ties but that has to be "unlocked".

Comments

Jaber
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016

Also curb RSS camps in UAE. Beware of growing sangis in UAE.

Mani
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

I Appreciate Mr.Gargash ,,,but pls also include Mr.MODI's RSS in this boundary . May be Mr.Gargash is not aware that Mr.MODI's RSS is the killer of innocent Muslims in gujarat riots

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News Network
March 28,2024

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Mangaluru, Mar 28: A fish meal factory in the Baikampady Industrial area in Mangaluru was gutted in a fire incident on Thursday, officials said.

The factory is owned by the company 'Shihar Enterprises', they said.

According to the locals, the fire was first noticed at 4.45 am today, which was immediately reported to the fire department.

The fire engines reached the spot and tried to douse the fire, but it had already spread to other parts of the factory. After almost four hours of fire-fighting operation, the blaze was completely doused, officials.

The reason for the blaze is still being probed, the fire department officials said, adding that they suspect an electric short circuit could have triggered it.

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March 15,2024

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Bengaluru, Mar 15: Work from home to using toilets in malls, residents of India's 'Silicon Valley' Bengaluru are exploring all options to combat the unprecedented water crisis. People across various neighbourhoods have been forced to order food from restaurants and take bath on alternate days due to the water scarcity.

Even those in high-rise apartments equipped with water harvesting systems now find themselves reliant on water tankers for basic needs, leading to stringent usage restrictions.

Eateries are mulling over use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water.

Educational institutions are also feeling the pinch. Recently, a coaching centre in the city asked its students to attend classes online due to an 'emergency' for a week. Similarly, a school on Bannerghatta Road was also closed, asking students to attend classes online just like they did during the Covid pandemic.

Residents have come with up new methods to try and conserve water. With temperature rising, it is difficult to avoid a daily shower but they are left with no option but to take bath on alternative days, said Sujatha, a resident of KR Puram.

"What to do? Clean vessels, cook food, wash clothes....so, we have started using paper plates, that way we have cut down on our water usage. And we order food twice a week. We are using the washing machine only once in a week now," she said.

Some others have resorted to visiting a mall to take a shower or use the toilet facilities.

Lakshmi V, an IT professional living in Singasandra, has been requesting her firm to allow WFH option so that she and her family can temporarily shift to her native place in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu until the situation becomes better.

"If the situation persists, we are thinking of seeking a work from home option. We are planning to move to our native place in Tamil Nadu temporarily till rain arrives here," she said.

Bengaluru primarily gets its water supply from two sources - Cauvery river and groundwater. For most non-drinking uses, recycled water processed by sewage treatment plants is used. With no rain for a while now, the primary sources have been stretched to their limits. Bengaluru needs 2,600-2,800 million litres of water daily, and the current supply is half of what's required. The result is a daily struggle for the city's residents.

The brunt is also being borne by people living in the outskirts of Bengaluru, especially in 110 villages that were merged with the city in 2007.

The crisis has also turned into a political battle between the state's ruling Congress government and the opposition BJP with Lok Sabha just weeks away. While the BJP has held several protests blaming the government, the Congress has accused the BJP-ruled federal government of not providing financial assistance to drought-hit Karnataka.

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March 16,2024

Mangaluru: In the wake of complaints regarding middlemen menace, sleuths of Lokayukta on Friday, March 15, conducted a raid at the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority. 

The Lokayukta team found unaccounted money and several files, which were not disposed of for a long period.

Lokayukta SP CA Simon said that the Lokayukta has received complaints that middlemen have been interfering in the MUDA office, and files pertaining to the public are not being cleared on time.

A raid that commenced in the evening on March 13, lasted for 18 hours. During the raid, Lokayukta officials found cash in a bag in MUDA office, and also with officials and others. MUDA officials could not inform the source of money found in their office, the SP said.

Further, he said that many people gathered at the MUDA office during the Lokayukta raid, and have raised complaints about the harassment at the urban development authority. “We have gathered evidence for MUDA officials carrying out file disposal processes through brokers on phone calls. The investigation on the MUDA network will be continued,” he said.

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