BNO居留權︱Fact Check︱鄭若驊葉劉錯引言論屈英國違《聯合聲明》 ｜ 蘋果日報
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政府及建制派連日批評英國為BNO持有人提供「5+1」入籍路徑，政司司長鄭若驊上月31日在其網誌以「正確理解《中英聯合聲明》和英方備忘錄」為題撰文，借英格蘭及威爾斯前總檢察長高仕文勳爵2008年的言論，批評英方讓BNO持有人擁有英國公民資格的做法無理。一直倡處理「雙重國籍」的行會成員、新民黨主席葉劉淑儀亦有引用高仕文言論，指控英方違反《聲明》，但其實高仕文去年2月已作公開澄清，表明英方即使給予BNO持有人全面居英權，亦不會違反英方在《聲明》的承諾。
鄭若驊早前在上述網誌中指：「英格蘭及威爾斯前總檢察長高仕文勳爵在2008年的國民資格檢討中認為，若賦予英國國民（海外）護照持有人自動擁有完整的英國公民資格，會違背中英雙方在《聯合聲明》中的承諾，並認為『唯一的辦法……是讓現時持有英國國民（海外）護照的人擁有完整英國公民資格……但根據意見，這會違背中英雙方1984年在《聯合聲明》有關香港前途的承諾……』」。
葉劉今早於港台節目亦再次引述相關言論，指高仕文2008年已指出，若予BNO持有人英國國籍將會違反《聲明》中的承諾。
高仕文去年去信英內相 嘆舊論長年被錯引
《蘋果》翻查資料後發現，高仕文其實早於去年2月已經公開去信英國內政大臣彭黛玲，指由於其有關英國國籍的報告，長年被人錯誤引用，故特別更深入研究該問題。根據他可取得的資料，他認為英國政府即使給予BNO持有人全面居英權，亦不會違反英方在《中英聯合聲明》的承諾（it is my view that the UK government can extend full rights of abode to BN(O) passport holders without breaching its side of the Sino-British Joint Declaration）。
民主黨國際事務委員會主席劉慧卿回覆《蘋果》查詢時指，英國政府當年亦一度錯誤理解高仕文有關給予BNO持有人英國國籍的分析，故此高仕文特別去信英方澄清，怎料鄭若驊及葉劉淑儀等人至今仍是繼續錯誤引述高仕文言論。劉指「高仕文嗰份嘢（公開澄清信件）唔係秘密嚟，反映佢哋（鄭若驊、葉劉）好論盡囉！總之佢哋邊樣嘢就手、邊樣嘢啱就攞嚟用」。
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Fact Check: This image of men in police gear and civil clothes is not linked to farmers’ stir
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Delhi Police has confirmed to India Today that the men seen with protective gear in the viral image are part of a specialised unit called Anti-Auto Theft Squad.
Security has been strengthened in sensitive places across the Capital since protesting farmers clashed with police on Republic Day, and with some locals at Singhu border two days later.
On social media, several users have picked on an image of a group of men in civil dress, donning helmets and other protective gear usually worn by law enforcement agencies. Many have sarcastically remarked that Delhi Police is deploying its personnel for the farmers’ protests in jeans and sweatshirts. Others in comments section said they are BJP and RSS workers.
One such claim in Hindi translates to, “The great Delhi Police where people are sent on duty at the farmers’ agitation wearing jeans and sweatshirts.”
The same picture has also been shared with tweets in Punjabi asking which state’s police have jeans as their new uniform.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claims to be misleading. The picture is over a year old and was taken during anti-CAA protests in Delhi. The men belong to the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS), whose members mostly operate in plain clothes while controlling an unruly mob.
The archived versions of the posts can be seen here, here, and here.
AFWA probe
Upon reverse-searching the viral image, we found it in a report by “The Free Press Journal” dated December 17, 2019.
The headline of the article reads, “Cop or RSS volunteer who’s the guy in plain clothes seen during CAA protests in Delhi?”
Several social media handles had also shared the same picture on December 17, 2019, linking it to the protests against Citizenship Amendment Act. Many had then alleged that it was right-wing activists in police gear.
This makes it clear that the viral image is more than a year old and not related to the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Who are the men in civil dress?
In 2019, the same picture was shared along with the Facebook profile of one ABVP member “Bharat Sharma”, with the claim that the man in red sweatshirt in the viral image is him.
At that time, AFWA had spoken to MS Randhawa, then DCP (Central), and Delhi Police public relations officer to figure out the identity of the man seen in the picture.
Randhawa had confirmed to AFWA that the men seen with protective gear in the viral image are part of a specialised unit called Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS), whose members mostly operate in plain clothes while controlling an unruly mob.
He added that the man in red sweatshirt is Arvind, a constable posted with AATS, and the group was deployed near New Friends Colony to control the violence that broke out at Jamia Millia Islamia University on December 15, 2019, in connection with the anti-CAA protests.
Hence, it is clear that the viral picture is over a year old and not related to the ongoing farmers’ agitation. The men in the picture are part of Anti-Auto Theft Squad, whose members are mostly deployed in civil dress.
READ | Fact Check: No, 200 policemen in Delhi haven’t resigned in support of farmers
READ | Delhi Police prepared with ‘anti-sword squad’ in case of violence during farmers’ protest
WATCH | Farmer unions announce 3-hour nationwide ‘chakka jam’ on Feb 6
INDIA TODAY FACT CHECK
Claim Picture shows men in civil dress deployed by Delhi Police at farmers’ protest. Conclusion This picture is from the 2019 Jamia violence and the men belong to the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) whose members mostly operate in plain clothes. JHOOTH BOLE KAUVA KAATE The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie. 1 Crow: Half True
2 Crows: Mostly lies
3 Crows: Absolutely false
Fact check: John Adams quote about Congress stems from 1969 Broadway musical
Social media users have been sharing a quote online attributed to the second president of the United States, John Adams. This quote originated from a musical that premiered in 1969 on Broadway; it was not said by Adams.
Reuters Fact Check. REUTERS
Examples can be seen here and here .
The quote reads: “In my many years, I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress.”
The quote does not exist in the U.S. National Archives database, which includes thousands of records from the founding fathers here , or in The Adams Papers here , a database containing correspondence from Founding Fathers.
Gwen Fries, production editor of The Adams Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society, told Reuters via email that the quote is from the 1969 Broadway musical “1776”.
The Tony Award-winning musical shows the events that took place before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, following John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, who try to convince the Second Continental Congress to vote for independence from the British (www.mtishows.com/1776).
The script for the musical and its 1972 film adaptation can be seen here and here . It was written by Peter Stone and the songs composed by William Edwards. The character of John Adams was played by actor William Daniels both on stage and on screen (here). An interview featuring Daniels about his experience playing Adams and which includes the quote circulating online can be seen here . At the very start of Scene 1 (fourth page on Scribid, here ), John Adams’ character says: “I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a congress.”
The script continues: “And by God, I have had this Congress! For ten years King George and his Parliament have gulled, cullied, and diddled these Colonies with their illegal taxes - Stamp Acts, Townshend Acts, Sugar Acts, Tea Acts - and when we dared stand up like men, they have stopped our trade, seized our ships, blockaded our ports, burned our towns, and spilled our blood - and still this Congress refuses to grant any of my proposals on independence, even so much as the courtesy of open debate! Good God, what in hell are you waiting for?”
The scene from the 1972 film can be seen at 1:50 here or 0:15 here .
“The real John Adams never spoke those words,” Fries said. “The quote should be attributed to playwright Peter Stone.”
“You can instantly spot that it’s not the real John Adams because he had the highest respect for the legal profession and those who practiced it,” she added.
Reuters Fact Check has previously debunked false or misattributed quotes from Founding Fathers here , here and here .
VERDICT
Partly false. There is no evidence these words, spoken by the John Adams character in the Broadway musical ‘1776’, were actually spoken by the second president of the United States.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here .