CBI, departmental probes on in illegal enemy properties sale: MHA

NEW DELHI: The home ministry on Tuesday said that it has initiated CBI and departmental enquiries against its own staff, employees of UP government and the Custodian of Enemy Property of India (CEPI) as well as private persons, based on complaints regarding illegal leasing and sale of enemy properties.
Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, junior home minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said while no enemy property is being utilised by the government for any purpose, the leasing or sale of enemy property is provided for under the Enemy Property rules, 2015 and the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017. "Complaints (regarding illegal sale and leasing of these properties) are received from time to time which are addressed as per existing procedure," he said adding. There exist a total of 12,611 enemy properties, including 12,485 relating to Pakistani nationals and 126 to Chinese nationals, across 23 states and Union territories. The maximum enemy properties are located in UP (6,255), followed by West Bengal (4,088) and Delhi (659).
Govt says its efforts helped curb feeling of alienation
The government on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that the inclination of the people of India towards radical ideologies was "minuscule" when compared to its population, even though some "inimical" foreign agencies have joined forces with the global terrorist groups to try and radicalise people here. The government in reply to a question said the reasons for minimal radicalisation can be attributed to efforts of the government to prevent and minimise any feeling of alienation among the minorities. These efforts include ensuring universal coverage of various government welfare schemes without any discrimination, special schemes for unserved and underserved communities and areas and promotion of composite culture and coexistence among diverse communities, constitutional safeguards to minorities, institutional efforts to ensure fair representation of minorities in all spheres of life and having an exclusive ministry of minority affairs. Rai said the government had also created a counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation division to coordinate with various security and law enforcement agencies, besides proscribing many terrorist and unlawful organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
29,806 recruited in public sector in J&K since 2019
The J&K government has carried out recruitment of 29,806 people in the public sector since 2019, besides generating employment for an estimated 5.2 lakh people through self-employment schemes from August 2019, when Article 370 was nullified, and June 2022, the home ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
229 terrorist incidents in J&K in 2021, lower than 2020
There were 229 terrorist incidents in J&K, in which 41 civilians were killed and 42 security forces personnel martyred, and one terrorist attack in the hinterland in 2021, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Replying to a question, MoS (home) Nityanand Rai said that the year 2020, in comparison, recorded a higher number of terrorist incidents at 244 and security forces' fatalities at 62, though civilians killed were lower at 37. On holding of assembly polls in J&K, he said the Election Commission had initiated the revision of electoral rolls for the UT based on the newly-delimited constituencies.