The European People’s Party (EPP) Group, the largest group in the Parliament that is backing the resolution, said the debate should go ahead as scheduled but voting should be postponed to the session beginning on March 2. This proposal was accepted by a vote of 271 to 199. An EPP representative said it wanted the postponement because India’s Supreme Court has asked the government to clarify issues and MEPs (Members of European Parliament) should wait so that they could fairly evaluate the law. The postponement will also give MEPs time to interact with Indian ministers visiting Brussels in February, the EPP said.
The Parliament, however, decided to go ahead with a debate which saw a couple of members insisting that India should be held to account for bringing in such a discriminatory law. India was not without friends either, with some MEPs insisting that there was no clear understanding of the CAA in the European Parliament. In the debate, a couple of the MEPs accused the European Union of capitulating to the India lobby and prioritising yet another trade summit over the European Parliament’s commitment to human rights. This was said in reference to the upcoming India-EU Summit in Brussels on March 13 that will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Now that the vote has been deferred, India is hoping to be able to work further with the MEPs over the next month-and-a-half to bring over the critics and soften the blow if any. External affairs minister S Jaishankar is expected to visit Brussels next month to prepare the ground for the EU-India Summit, which is expected to be held on March 13. People familiar with developments said the voting is now expected to be held after the summit. A potentially adverse outcome in the voting could have cast a shadow on the summit.
This story is from the NbN 03 February 2020 edition of News behind the News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the NbN 03 February 2020 edition of News behind the News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TROUBLED TIME FOR MODI
The students’ unrest, however, which is spreading like wildfire across the nation, and the protests by large sections of people against the citizenship law, have belied the BJP’s hopes of having a free run in the foreseeable future in presiding over the country’s destiny from panchayats to parliament, as Union home minister Amit Shah once said.
MUST-WIN FOR BJP IN DELHI POLLS
Having failed to perform satisfactorily in the Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections, the BJP realizes that its rank and file will be hugely demoralized if it does not fare well in the forthcoming Delhi polls.
MILITARY MIGHT AT R-DAY PARADE
Anti-satellite weapon ‘Shakti’, lethal artillery gun ‘Dhanush’, and newly-inducted helicopters Apache and Chinook were among the key military assets showcased by India for the first time at the Republic Day parade on 26 January.
INDIA - PAKISTAN: DEALING WITH PAKISTAN'S AMBITIONS ON KASHMIR
Pakistan’s diplomatic offensive on Kashmir has gained some traction with the EU Parliament debating the issue along with the controversial Citizen’s (Amendment) Act (CAA).
EXPERT ANALYSES UNION BUDGET 2020-21: A MIXED BAG
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s second Budget presented three themes -- aspiring India, economic development, caring society. And it seeks to cater to the demand side of the economy by trying to put more money in the hands of individuals.
DELHI ELECTION: BJP HOPES TO GAIN FROM CAA INSTILLED POLARISATION
The anti-CAA protests took a violent turn as a 17-year-old teenager Thursday shot a Kashmiri protester near Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi.
CAA DEBATE IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: INDIA UNDER PRESSURE
Much to the relief of India, the European Parliament Wednesday decided to put off a vote on a resolution critical of India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to a session beginning on March 2. The move is being seen as linked to the upcoming India-EU Summit next month.
JAMMU AND KASHMIR: BJP IN A TIGHT CORNER
The government’s policies on Kashmir give the impression that it has bitten off more than it can chew. This is also probably true of the citizenship issue as well, but more of that later.
LAYING A ROAD MAP FOR THE FIRST CDS
Laying a road map for the first CDS, General Rawat, Gurmeet Kanwal (former director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi) suggests the first item on the agenda “should be the formulation of integrated operational plans.
JAMMU AND KASHMIR: ‘FUNDAMENTAL DISAFFECTION' HAS NOT GONE AWAY
A convoy of three dozen Union ministers descended on the newlycreated Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir last week to promote development plans of the Centre.
