29 December 2019: PIB Summary & Analysis

1. Dada Saheb Phalke Award
2. CAA, NRC and NPR
3. 49th Border Co-ordination Conference between Director Generals of BSF 
and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) held in New Delhi

Context:

President of India presents the Dada Saheb Phalke Award to Amitabh Bachchan.

About the Dada Saheb Phalke Award (Dadasaheb Phalke Award):

• It is an annual award given by the Indian government for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
• It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered the father of Indian cinema. Phalke directed the first Indian film ‘Raja Harischandra’ (a silent film released in 1913).
• The award is given along with the National Film Awards every year.
• The first awardee was Devika Rani (1969).
• The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus medallion), a shawl and a cash prize of Rs.1,000,000.

Context:

Vice President calls for enlightened, meaningful and constructive debate on CAA, NRC and NPR.

Details:

• In a function observing the birth centenary of the late Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh, Dr. M. Channa Reddy, the VP said that violence and democracy do not go together and cautioned the people to not get carried away in this age of fake news.
• He called for an enlightened and constructive debate on issues such as CAA, NRC and NPR and urged the people to study in-depth and fully understand the background before reacting to any issue.
• Stating that dissent or disagreement has to be expressed in a constructive, democratic and peaceful manner, he recalled that Mahatma Gandhi had eschewed violence in all its forms even in the face of most daunting challenges.
• In this regard, he mentioned the Chauri Chaura incident after which Gandhiji called off the Non-cooperation Movement.
• The Vice President stressed the need for maintaining the dignity of Parliament and Legislatures and raising the standards of the debates. He said that personal attacks should not be made, while policies could be criticised.

Context:

The border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh held Directors General level talks in December 2019 in New Delhi.

Details:

• The agenda items for talks related to all issues related to the border including but not limited to smuggling of drugs, gold, fake currency, cattle, action against remnant of Indian Insurgent Groups, construction of fence within 150 yards of IB, developmental works within 150 yards of IB, deaths and injuries to civilians and BSF personnel along the IB, death/injuries to Bangladeshi civilians, human trafficking and illegal immigration.
• Highlights of the Joint Record of Discussions signed by both D’s G are:
  • For injuries or loss of life of BSF personnel on borders while preventing criminal activities, both forces agreed to make all possible efforts to curb the menace of cattle smuggling or any other criminal activity and to ensure tranquillity on the borders.
  • For the concerns of BGB regarding the death of Bangladesh Nationals on borders, it was told that non-lethal weapon policy is strictly followed by BSF personnel on the border. Firing is resorted to only in self-defence, when BSF patrols are gheraoed and attacked by Dahs, etc. It was specified that BSF does not discriminate between criminals based on nationality.
  • For the camps of Indian insurgent groups in Bangladesh, the BGB had informed that Bangladesh does not allow its soil to be used by any entities or elements hostile to any country but agrees to take action against miscreants, if there are any.
  • Both sides agreed to take strong measures for the prevention of illegal border crossing and to intensify the simultaneous coordinated patrol in vulnerable areas.
  • For the concerns of BGB regarding the smuggling of drugs, narcotics, arms, etc., both sides reviewed the steps being taken for prevention and agreed for sharing of real-time information, if any, including the relevant information of the apprehended criminals.
  • Sharing the importance of Coordinated Border Management plan in dealing with issues related to Border Security grid, it was reiterated that a joint vulnerable mapping of the area is to be carried out keeping in view the crime statistics and trends.
• The DG level talks are held twice every year – once in India and once in Bangladesh.
• The talks follow the methodology of border level coordination conferences.

About the Border Security Force (BSF):

For more on the BSF, click here.

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