Traders' body CAIT demands ban on China's Huawei, ZTE from India 5G rollout

The traders' body has written a letter in this regard to Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Sunday urged the government to not allow Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE to participate in 5G network rollout in India, raising concerns on data security.

The traders' body has written a letter in this regard to Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
The 5G refers to the next-generation mobile networks that promise super-fast download speeds and the ability to support critical infrastructure and, therefore, is more critical from the point of accruing data, it said.

"We may like to mention that in several countries both Huawei and ZTE Corporation have been charged with a laundry list of crimes including conspiracy, money laundering, bank and wire fraud.

"We are sure that our above request will be considered by you and necessary decision will be taken to protect not only the security of the country but also the privacy of the people of India through data and as such both Huawei and ZTE Corporation will not be allowed to participate in 5G network rollout in India," CAIT said in the letter to Prasad.

E-mails sent by PTI to Huawei India and ZTE India did not elicit any response till the time of filing the story.

US Federal Communications Commission recently designated Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE as "national security threats", saying the major step was aimed at protecting American communications networks from security risks.

Cabinet approves ordinance to make instant triple talaq a criminal act

The Union cabinet is learnt to have cleared an ordinance to make the practice of instant triple talaq a penal offence, Law Ministry sources said Wednesday.

The Union cabinet has cleared an ordinance to make the practice of instant triple talaq a penal offence, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Wednesday, citing compelling necessity for the move as the practice annulled by the Supreme Court continues unabated.

Addressing a press conference, he accused the Congress party of not cooperating in the passage of the 'Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, pending in the Rajya Sabha, because of vote bank politics.

Citing details of the ordinance, he said a woman or her blood relative will have to file a case before a police station to make the offence cognizable.

The offence is compoundable. A compromise can also be reached before a magistrate after the affected woman consents to it, he said.

"It is my serious charge that despite having a woman leading the Congress, the did not lend support to the bill," he told reporters.

Describing the practice as "barbaric and inhuman", he said nearly 22 countries have regulated triple talaq. However, gender justice was given a complete go-by in a secular country like India because of blatant vote bank politics.

"I will again appeal to Sonia ji that this ordinance has been brought in the interest of the country to bring gender justice. I appeal to you to rise above vote bank politics and help pass it in the interest of justice for women," he told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

The Union minister also appealed to Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee to help in the passage of the bill pending in Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks numbers. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill.

The Supreme Court last year banned the practice. But since the practice was still prevalent, a bill was brought to make it a penal offence.

Article Source BS