New Delhi, Dec 16 Non-Indians involved in anti-India activities on foreign land, including Canada, the UK and the US, are prohibited from travelling to India in terms of the Visa Manual, Rules and Guidelines, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said on Tuesday.
He said there have been instances of participation and support by non-Indians in anti-India activities.
The Government of India, including through its diplomatic Missions and Posts, has engaged with the host governments and urged them to not only take action against these elements under their respective domestic laws, but also to ensure adequate safety of our diplomatic properties and personnel as per relevant international conventions, said Rai.
“Further, the travel of such non-Indians who are involved in these activities is prohibited in India in terms of the Visa Manual, Rules and Guidelines issued from time to time,” said the MoS.
He was replying to a Lok Sabha question: Whether the Government has taken any action against the property owned by non-Indian origin people, especially those in Canada, Britain and the US, involved in anti-India activities.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh wanted the Ministry to tell if any steps had been taken for freezing property owned by non-Indian origin involved in anti-India activities in Canada, the UK and the US.
In reply to another question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said that the new Criminal Laws that came into force from July 1, 2024, the section relating to sedition which had colonial origins has been deleted and replaced with section 152 of BNS, 2023, which makes acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India a punishable offence.
He was replying to a question by BJP MP Satish Kumar Gautam: Whether new criminal laws liberate people from a colonial mind.
Highlighting the provisions in the new laws for protection of women and child have, MoS Bandi Sanjay Kumar said in BNS, 2023, the age differential for minor victims of gang rape has been done away with.
Earlier, different punishments were prescribed for gang rape of a girl below the age of 16 years and 12 years. This provision has been modified and now gang rape of a woman below the age of 18 years is punishable with imprisonment for life or death, he said.
The MoS said women have also been recognised as an adult member of the family who can receive summons on behalf of the person summoned. The earlier reference to ‘some adult male member’ has been replaced with ‘some adult member’.
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