Evening NEWS DIGEST
15 Feb.2017: 17 Jamadiul Awwal 1438: Vol:8, No:117
Religious majoritarianism
and cultural nationalism key challenges confronting country: Hamid Ansari
New Delhi:Vice-President
Hamid Ansari has identified “religious majoritarianism” and “cultural
nationalism” promoted by “a section” as “key challenges” confronting the
country.“The operative principle for this is ‘national-civic’ rather than
‘national-ethnic’ though a segment of opinion today would want to modulate or
amend it and espouse instead an Indian version of ‘cultural nationalism’ premised
on ‘religious majoritarianism’,’’ he said in K Subrahmanyam memorial lecture.
“This would be in contrast to the hitherto accepted philosophy of liberal
nationalism that ‘celebrates the particularity of culture together with the
universality of human rights, the social and cultural embeddedness of
individuals together with their personal autonomy.’’Ansari said that threats
emanating from regional and social imbalances have given rise to and fuel
insurgencies, terrorism, sub-nationalism and communalism in India and they must
be dealt with appropriate policy initiatives. “7 decades after independence
there is widespread unrest, discontent and conflicts among sections of
population,’’ he said. “Economic disparities have created social tensions,
urban unrest, rural upsurge and youth disenchantment.’’ He added that problems
of deprivation, unemployment, poverty, hunger and food shortage, have given
rise to anger and crime. indianexpress
Ravi Shankar Prasad
crossing limits by pressurising Muslim community: Kamal Faruqui on triple talaq
New Delhi:Accusing Union
Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad of politicising the ‘triple
talaq’ practice, All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Wednesday said the
former has crossed his limits for trying to pressurize the judiciary as well as
threatening the Muslim community.“I am sorry to say that Law Minister have
crossed his limits by almost trying to pressurise the judiciary as well as
threatening the Muslim community which is highly objectionable and I hope he
will resist from making such remarks in future,” AIMPLB member Kamal Faruqui
told ANI over Shankar’s remark that the Centre is likely to take “a major step”
to ban triple talaq after the ongoing Assembly polls.“The very concept of divorce
is a very unpleasant thing which is not appreciated in our domain. We ask
people for reconciliation,”he added. Responding to the Supreme Court terming
‘triple talaq’ as an issue of human rights, and that it will not hear the
petitions related to Uniform Civil Code along with it as it was a different
matter altogether, the Muslim Law Board member said the matter is subjuidice
and that the apex court will take cognizance.“Unfortunately in our country some
of the people have tried to politicize triple talaq which is very unfortunate.
The matter is subjuidice and let us hope that Supreme Court will take
cognizance of all this. We will be putting or point of view as through the
legal compulsions and Sharias and related matters before the SC. We will also
say as to why this divorce is allowed,” he added.Asserting that triple talaq is
an easy route to end a bitter marriage, Faruqui said that Islam is a religion,
which has bestowed the women with many rights.ANI
No to extravagant wedding?
Bill in LS seeks cap on guests invited, dishes served; spending above Rs 5 lakh
has to contribute 10% amount on poor girls marriages
New Delhi: A Bill in the
Lok Sabha seeks to put a limit on the number of guests to be invited and dishes
to be served in weddings to check "show of wealth" and wants those
spending above Rs 5 lakh to contribute towards marriages of poor girls.If a
family spends above Rs 5 lakh on a wedding, it has to contribute 10% of the
amount on marriages of girls from poor families, according to the Bill
introduced by Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan, wife of MP Pappu Yadav.Marriages
(Compulsory Registration and Prevention of Wasteful Expenditure) Bill, 2016,
may be taken up as a private member's Bill in the upcoming Lok Sabha
session.The purpose of this Bill is to prohibit extravagant and wasteful
expenditure on marriages and to enforce simpler solemnisation, Ranjeet
said."Great importance should be assigned to the solemnisation of marriage
between two individuals. But unfortunately, these days a tendency of
celebrating marriages with pomp and show and spending lavishly growing in the
country.”It says that after this proposed legislation comes into force, all
marriages shall be registered within 60 days of the solemnisation.PTI
ELECTIONS & POLITICS
Team Sasikala meets governor,
team Panneerselvam up next
Governor C Vidyasagar Rao is likely to move
this evening to end the transition era that Tamil Nadu has been struggling
with, courtesy competing claims from within the ruling party over who should be
CM. Sources say the front runner is the faction of the AIADMK that's headed by
E Palanisamy. On the other side of the ring is O Panneerselvam, currently
Acting CM. Both were invited to meet the Governor this evening - the meeting
with Palaniswamy is over.NDTV
Tamil Nadu crisis: Governor
likely to invite Sasikala loyalist Palaniswami, end of road for Panneerselvam?
Senior AIADMK leader
Edappadi K Palaniswami is set to take over as Tamil Nadu’s new CM in a couple
of days after sources confirmed on Wednesday that he would likely be called by
the governor to form the next govt. Palaniswami – the state minister for
highways, public works and minor ports – might be called by governor C
Vidyasagar Rao late on Wednesday. 62-year-old has claimed the support of 123
MLAs, more than the majority mark in the 234-member assembly. Palaniswami was
elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party on Tuesday soon after party
chief VK Sasikala was convicted by the Supreme Court in a two-decade-old
corruption case.Sources said legal advisers told the governor that in the
present circumstances, there was no alternative but to invite Palaniswami to
form the next govt and prove his majority on the floor of the assembly. Though
Palaniswami has claimed support of 123 MLAs, the exact number would be known on
the floor of the House, they said.Panneerselvam camp celebrated the conviction
of Sasikala on Tuesday with the hope of large-scale defections from her camp,
allegedly held captive at Golden Bay Resorts near Chennai.But nothing of that
sort had happened and except for one MLA, S Saravanan representing Madurai
South, who filed a kidnap case against Sasikala, no other MLA from her camp
shifted their loyalty to Panneerselvam. hindustantimes
Sasikala, Ilavarasi sent to
jail; Sudhakaran surrenders
VK Sasikala and Ilavarasi
have been sent to jail after their surrender before sessions judge Ashwath
Narayana at the Parappana Agrahara jail complex, Tamil news channels report.
The third convict VN Sudhakaran Sudhakaran surrenders before Benagluru special
court with sessions judge Ashwath Narayana rejecting his request to surrender
tomorrow.Thehindu
Uttarakhand Election: 68%
Overall Voter Turnout In 69 Assembly Constituencies As Voting Ends
Voting has ended in Uttarakhand's 69 constituencies
spread across 13 districts (7 in Garhwal region and the remaining 6 in Kumaon
region of the state). Residents of Uttarakhand voted today to decide who will
form the next government in the state. The overall voter turnout was 68%, which
is 1.2% higher than the 2012 Assembly election (66.8%).NDTV
Uttar Pradesh second phase
registers 65 per cent polling
Lucknow: Around 65 per cent
polling was recorded in the second phase of the UP assembly elections on
Wednesday, officials said."Polling for the second phase in up ended
peacefully with around 65 per cent polling," an election official
said.Maximum voting was reported from Saharanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri.Barring
some places where EVMs developed some snags, polling was smooth and peaceful in
most of the 67 assembly constituencies across 11 districts.IANS
Shia Leader Kalbe Jawad praises
BJP, protests 'Secular Alliance' and prefers BSP:HuffPost India
Lucknow: Maulana Syed Kalbe
Jawad Naqvi is one of the most influential leaders of Shia Muslims in India
today. From his seat in Lucknow, he makes proclamations that influence and sway
the Shia community who constitute around 25 percent of the Muslim population in
the country.During election time, Jawad's directives on which party to choose
carries much weight. The cleric has advised his community against voting for
the alliance between the Samajwadi and Congress parties in the ongoing U.P.
Assembly polls. The Shias had backed the SP in the 2012 Assembly elections.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Shias were with the Bharatiya Janata
Party.Jawad has recently announced his support for the Bahujan Samaj Party. A
week earlier, while speaking to HuffPost India at his home in old Lucknow,
Jawad said, "The people must choose between the BSP and the BJP."The
question that stood out was why a Shia cleric should be open-minded about the
BJP. This was a political party, not only rooted in the ideology of Hindutva,
but which had not fielded even a single Muslim candidate in the ongoing polls.
Jawad told this reporter that the Muslims were safe under the Modi government.
He was dismissive of "gharwapsi," "Love Jihad" and
"Anti-Romeo Squads" as the talk of some "crackpots" in the
party.Referring to Modi, Jawad said, "When his government came to power,
people thought there would be communal riots everywhere. Nothing like that
happened. Where has there been the most communal strife? Here in UP, more than 500
episodes in 5 years."
Maya’s dream of
Dalit-Muslim unity soars on BJP ‘vision’ to ban slaughterhouses: The Hindu
Business Line
Kanpur/ Unnao: BSP chief Mayawati’s endeavour to forge a
Dalit-Muslim alliance in UP has received an inadvertent push from the BJP’s
“vision” to ban all mechanised slaughterhouses in the State. BSP’s hope is that
anger among Muslims and Dalits — two communities mainly associated with the
slaughter trade — helps its cause is further fuelled by BJP’s aggressive
campaign around this issue.It is estimated that three crore people are directly
or indirectly involved in the meat, leather and cattle trade. Workers and
owners of Kanpur’s age-old leather-tanning industry, which is already under
duress because of demonetisation and the anti-pollution drive along the Ganga,
are worried about their livelihoods if the BJP comes to power. Party, however,
believes the issue holds the potential to consolidate the Hindu vote. The
promise in the manifesto to ban slaughterhouses is thus an aggressive campaign
issue. “All slaughtering units will be closed down if the BJP comes into power.
Crores of farmers will benefit as milk and milk products have become the only
source of income for them due to farm distress. We will not allow the
‘slaughtering’ of their only income,” said Om Prakash, in-charge of BJP’s
election campaign in 52 constituencies in and around Kanpur.When asked about
the possible job losses due to closing down of the abattoirs, he said Centre
and the State government will take adequate steps to prevent this. “Centre is
already providing subsidies for cattle shelters. The tanning industry can
sustain itself with the leather of dead buffaloes as it did in the past,” he
added.While 80% of workers in mechanised slaughterhouses are Dalits and
Muslims, more than 90% of the workers in tanning units belong to these
communities.
Slow death of Kanpur’s
leather economy has fuelled UP’s job crisis
Slow death of Kanpur’s leather
economy & UP’s job crisis
Muslims, Dalits hold key in
11 seats of Haridwar dist.TOI
In all 11 assembly
constituencies in Haridwar district, Dalits and Muslims are in a position to
decide the winner, and candidates of various parties are leaving no stone
unturned to woo these sections of voters. According to 2011 Census, of the
total population of 18,90,422 in Haridwar district, there are 6,48,119 Muslims
(34.28%). There are 13,05,266 voters in these 11 constituencies, and Muslims,
on an average constitute 20% of the voters in each assembly seat of the
district.There are more than 6 constituencies such as Roorkee, Piran Kaliyar, Bhagwanpur,
Manglaur, Khanpur, Jwalapur, etc where the percentage of Muslim voters can be
as high as 25%.
Mulayam rakes Babri Mosque
issue to unite Muslim votes in favour of SP
In an attempt to unite
Muslim electorates in favour of the Samajwadi Party, party patriarch Mulayam
Singh Yadav on Wednesday raked up the Babri Masjid issue and said that his
government took up extreme measures to safeguard the interest of the minority
community. While addressing a rally in Lucknow, Yadav said, ?Whatever happened
in Ayodhya made few people angry but our priority was to stop the demolition of
the Babri mosque because we could have not let a minority community and their
interest suffer.?ANI
Jagran CEO’s new claims on
exit poll being ‘paid content’ are even more serious
Jagran Group CEO and editor
of the Hindi daily, Sanjay Gupta, has reportedly claimed that the exit poll,
published in favour of the BJP soon after the first phase of Uttar Pradesh
elections, was carried by the paper’s advertising department.“The exit poll
didn’t appear in the newspaper. It was carried by the advertising department on
our website. We have removed it now,” Gupta was quoted by Indian Express.Many
would find Gupta’s claims an acknowledgement of having received money for an
editorial that was carried as an exit poll. jantakareporter
OTHERS
India playing with ‘fire’
over Taiwan stand and ‘one-China’ policy: State media
China:India is playing with
fire and will suffer losses by challenging the one-China policy and increasing
engagement with Taiwan,nationalistic tabloid Global Times said on Wednesday. Beijing
considers Taiwan a breakaway province which could be reunited by force if
necessary.India doesn’t maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, an
island off the southeastern coast of China, that follows democracy and has a
free press.A rare women’s parliamentary delegation from Taiwan began an India
visit on Monday, a possible sign that both countries are attempting to increase
political engagement without New Delhi changing its “one-China” policy.It did
not go unnoticed by China and its state-run media.HT
India dismisses China
protest over Taiwanese delegation’s visit, says nothing new
India on Wednesday
dismissed Chinese protest against the visit of a Taiwanese parliamentary
delegation in New Delhi, saying that there is nothing unusual and no “political
meanings” should be read into these trips.“We understand that a group of
Taiwanese academics and business persons, including a couple of legislators, is
visiting India. Such informal groups have visited India in the past as well for
business, religious and tourist purposes.”“I understand that they do so to
China as well. There is nothing new or unusual about such visits and political
meanings should not be read into them,” external affairs ministry spokesperson
Vikas Swarup said.TOI
Pakistan to boycott South
Asian Speakers meet in India
Pakistan has decided to
boycott a key meeting of South Asian Speakers to be held in India later this
month.2-day meet begins on Feb.18 at Indore in Madhya Pradesh. It will discuss
poverty, development, environment and gender concerns in South Asia, home to
more than 25% of the world population.Pakistan has decided to give it a slip in
an apparent tit-for-tat over India’s refusal to attend a Saarc summit in
Islamabad in November last year that got axed after many other member countries
too pulled out.IANS
Record 27 US Congressmen
travelling to India this month
Washington:A record number
of 27 US Congressmen will visit India later this month, reflecting the
increased efforts by American lawmakers for strengthening ties with New Delhi.
The top lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties are visiting
India in two separate delegations.PTI
ISRO creates history with
launch of 104 satellites, breaks Russia’s record
Space agency ISRO today
scripted history by successfully launching a record 104 satellites, including
India’s earth observation satellite, on a single rocket from the spaceport in
Sriharikota. This is the highest number of satellites ever launched in a single
mission. PSLV-C37 blasted off at 9:28 AM from the first launch pad at the
Satish Dhawan Space Centre and first injected Cartosat-2 series satellite into
orbit followed by the other 103 nano satellites, including 96 from the US, in a
gap of about 30 minutes.PTI
After Major's Death In
Kashmir, Army Chief's 'Anti-National' Warning To Locals
New Delhi: A day after four soldiers -- among them an
army major -- died in Kashmir, Army Chief Bipin Rawat indicted it was time
terror was controlled from the grass-root level in Kashmir. The army, he said,
was not getting support from the local population despite trying to conduct
"people-friendly operations". At a time the terrorists have
"graduated" to villages, "harsher measures" were needed to
control the local boys, he said."We request local population... people who
have picked up arms, local boys, if they continue with these acts of terrorism,
displaying flags of ISIS and Pakistan, they will be treated as
anti-nationals," General Rawat said. "We request the parents of these
boys to counsel them... We will have to continue with harsher measures if need
be."NDTV
Those who display ISIS, Pak
flags will be treated as anti-nationals: Army chief Bipin Rawat
Restrictions in parts of
Kulgam ahead of separatist march
Srinagar:Authorities have
imposed restrictions in parts of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district as a
precautionary measure in view of separatists’ call for a march to protest the
death of two civilians there on Sunday. Restrictions under Section 144 of the
CrPc have been imposed in some sensitive areas of the district, including
Kulgam town, to maintain law and order, said Deputy Commissioner Kulgam,
Showkat Aijaz Bhat,.PTI
Kulgam encounter: Army
searched home before gunbattle several times, couldn’t find militants hiding
underground
MP man sent money to Jammu
duo held for ‘spying for ISI’, say cops
Lucknow: Balram Singh, main
suspect in SIM box fraud racket busted by MP ATS, had deposited around Rs
30,000 on four different dates in accounts of Satwinder and Dado, arrested in
Jammu in the same case in November last year, a top MP officer said Tuesday.“In
the money deposit slips, Balram had mentioned his telephone number, which
corroborated his links with those arrested in Jammu,” Superintendent of Police,
ATS (MP), Pranay Nagvanshi said. indianexpress
Kanpur train derailment:
NIA arrests two from Motihari
New Delhi;NIA got a shot in
the arm on Tuesday after two fresh arrests were made in Ghorasahan, Motihari
case.While the agency is probing the role of ISI, which has allegedly conspired
to cause derailment of Indian trains by use of explosive and IED's, the NIA
will soon be able to lay its hands on Gajendra Sharma, who on Tuesday
surrendered in the court of SDJM Raxaul at Motihari.On the petition filed by
the NIA, the special NIA court, Patna issued a production warrant for the
accused.
Shehla Rashid exploded
media’s silence on BJP’S man links with ISI
New Delhi: Shehla Rashid
blasted the media for ignoring BJP member Dhruv Saxena news who was caught
along with 11 others by ATS for their links with ISI. JNU Student Union Leader
questions Media and BJP for keeping silent over 11 ISI agents arrested in
Madhya Pardesh on spying charges. According to a news item published by Irony
of India, Indian media which ran a media trail on JNU student Umar Khalid
linking him with Pakistan and JeM with doctored videos, which led to his arrest
on sedition charges are silent on 11 ISI helpers who were arrested from MP, according
to source one of the accused arrested by ATS is identified as Dhruv Saxena was
a BJYM member and had worked for BJP IT
Cell.siasat
BJP disowning ‘ISI spy’
Dhruv Saxena is Hindutva hypocrisy at its worst: Angshukanta Chakraborty
Madhya Pradesh Jail
department empowers guards to shoot to stop jailbreaks: Indian Express
Bhopal:Madhya Pradesh Jail
department has issued orders empowering guards to fire to foil jailbreaks and
weapons snatching attempts. The orders were issued after two under-trials
escaped from Morena district jail on Monday even as the government had claimed
that jail security had been stepped up following the alleged escape of SIMI
activists from a Bhopal prison in October.“The jail guards are usually scared
to fire during emergencies because there are no orders and no seniors to
sanction it. The written orders will make them feel confident,’’ Additional
Director General (Jail) GR Meena said. .
Setback for Shahabuddin,
Supreme Court orders Bihar govt to shift RJD leader to Delhi’s Tihar Prisons
The Supreme Court on
Wednesday ordered Mohammad Shahabuddin from Siwan (Bihar) to Tihar Jail in
Delhi. According to the direction of the apex court, the controversial RLD
leader Shahabuddin is to be shifted to Tihar Jail in Delhi and further trial in
the cases registered against him are to be conducted through video
conferencing. The court also stated that no special treatment will be given to
Shahabuddin in prison. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy ordered
Bihar government to transfer the criminal-turned-politician to Tihar Jail
within a week, saying that it is the obligation and duty of the court to ensure
free and fair trial. “We direct the state of Bihar to transfer Shahabuddin from
district jail Siwan to Tihar jail Delhi,” the bench said.The order by the
Supreme Court came in the wake of the pleas filed by Siwan-based Chandrakeshwar
Prasad, whose three sons were killed in two separate incidents, and Asha
Ranjan, wife of scribe Rajdeo Ranjan who was murdered in Siwan, seeking to move
the RJD leader from Siwan jail. For a free and fair trial in the cases pending
against him, the petitioners told the apex court that Shahabuddin should be
transferred from Siwan jail to any other jail outside Bihar. financialexpress
ATS committed murder,
claims Malegaon blast accused Purohit
Mumbai: The lawyer of
Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit has told the Bombay high court that key
accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, Ramji Kalsangra and Sandip Dange, were
allegedly killed by the Maharashtra ATS during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The
duo has been accused of planting the bomb. Purohit’s lawyer Shrikant Shivde
told the court, “I have unimpeachable evidence which can prove my
allegation.”In August 2016, suspended police inspector of ATS, Mehboob Mujawar,
had submitted an application in a Solapur court, claiming that Kalsangra and
Dange, who are wanted in 3 other blast cases, were killed by ATS officials.
Shivde added, “I have a post-mortem report of 2 dead people who didn’t die due
to bullet injuries during the 26/11 terror attack. Those two bodies are of
Kalsangra and Dange.”Questioning Shivde’s claims, the NIA lawyer, Sandesh Patil
told the high court that Shivde had not submitted any documents in the court to
prove his allegation. He further added, “If the accused, Purohit feels that
there is any change in circumstances, then he should withdraw his plea and file
a new bail application before the trial court.”A division bench of Justice
Ranjit More and Justice Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi was hearing a bail plea filed
by 2008 Malegaon blast accused Purohit.Asian Age
Jaipur court sends IS
suspect to 4-day police custody
Jaipur: A Jaipur court on
Tuesday sent alleged IS suspect Mohammad Iqbal, 32, in 4-day police custody.
Iqbal was arrested from Tamil Nadu-AP border on Feb.4. Rajasthan ATS Chief
Umesh Mishra claimed that Iqbal has confessed to sending money to Islamic State
through China.“How he used to send it is a part of the investigation. He had a
hawala network and was also involved with gold and currency smuggling rackets
in various countries, including India, Myanmar and Bangladesh,’’ he said. “He
was a frequent flyer.’’indian express
Blasts case: 7-day
emergency parole for 2 convicts
Mumbai: 2 convicts in
terror cases, serving life imprisonment, have been granted 7-day parole by the
Bombay high court to participate in the 40th day rituals of their deceased
family members. Mushtaque Tarani has been found guilty in the 1993 serial
blasts case, while Wahid Ansari, a former medical practitioner, has been
convicted in the 2003 Mulund train blast case. In August last year, the state
government issued a notification banning parole for convicts in rape, narcotics
and terror cases and brought in Maharashtra Prisons (Mumbai Furlough and
Parole) Amendment Rules, 2016, after Sajjad Mughal, the convict in Wadala
lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha's murder case, jumped parole. The parole period for
all categories of prisoners has been reduced from 90 to 45 days—it can be
extended up to 60 days once in three years only in exceptional circumstances.In
the second case, Ansari first filed an application for parole before the prison
authorities, but it was rejected. Later, he approached the HC for a 10-day
parole to attend the 40th day rituals of his mother Maimunnisa's death. The
jail granted only one day emergency parole. TOI
Human rights body writes
petition to President for repealing UAPA
National Confederation of
Human Rights Organizations (NCHRO), an umbrella body of various human rights
and civil rights organisations, has launched a petition requesting President
Pranab Mukherji to repeal the draconian UAPA.The petition, which can be read
and signed here, states that misuse of draconian laws has been so widespread
that “one is inclined to believe that these enactments are instruments of
harassment and repression with political objectives.”“UPA government in 2008
silently pushed through much more controversial amendments to UAPA in the Lok
Sabha, making it as draconian as laws like AFSPA, POTA, and TADA. The
amendments have made this law more stringent and law enforcement agencies less
accountable, despite substantial proof of misuse of the repressive and
arbitrary powers of the act,” the petition reads. twocircles
Collector’s notice to
Rohith Vemula’s mother: prove caste or forgo your SC certificate
Hyderabad: The district
collector of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, has issued a third and final showcause
notice to Rohith Vemula’s mother, Radhika, to prove her claim within 15 days
that she belongs to a Scheduled Caste community. The notice, issued last week
and received by Radhika on Sunday evening, states that if she fails to prove
her claim then the SC certificates issued to her family members by a Mee Seva
centre in Guntur would be cancelled.Recalling their last visit to the Guntur
DC’s office in November last year, Radhika’s son, Raja Chaitanya said, “They humiliated
us — their line of questioning was very humiliating. They cast aspersions on my
mother’s character.”Chaitanya, Rohith’s brother, said, “Inquiry committee was
supposed to ask us about our caste. Instead, they asked my mother how she
brought up her children, as she was separated from her husband and was without
a job. It was all planned and aimed at denying that we are Dalits.”Raja said
they had received notices earlier, had replied and showed the authorities
certificates issued by Mee Seva centres. “They are now trying to prove that
certificates issued by them (Mee Seva) are false,’’ he said. indianexpress
During Rajan tenure, RBI
said demonetisation was ‘not a wise move’: Chidambaram
RBI was opposed to the
recall of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and conveyed its reservations to PMO 2
months before the decision was announced, former finance minister P Chidambaram
has suggested.In an interview with HT on Tuesday, he said the central bank,
then headed by Raghuram Rajan, had sent a 5-page note to PMO, saying that
demonetisation was “not a wise move”. Prime Minister Modi, however, announced
the decision on Nov.8 last year.“It’s fairly reliable that about the time Dr
Raghuram Rajan demitted office, on behalf of RBI, a 5-page note was sent to the
PMO on demonetisation. Now whether it’s correct or not, it’s for the government
to confirm or deny. If such a paper exists, the government must make it public
so that we could have an informed debate on demonetisation. I don’t know what
the note contains but conclusion I believe was that demonetisation is not a
wise step,” Chidambaram told HT.HT
‘Splintered Justice’ in Aftermath
of Communal Violence: Mohammad Sajjad, associate prof. AMU
WORLD
UN chief: 'No alternative'
to Palestine-Israel solution
UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres has warned that there was "no alternative" to a
two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, after a White House
official said peace did not necessarily have to entail Palestinian
statehood."There is no alternative solution for the situation between the
Palestinians and Israelis, other than the solution of establishing two states
and we should do all that can be done to maintain this," Guterres said
during a visit to Cairo, echoing statements by Palestinian officials on
Wednesday.On Tuesday, a senior White House official said that administration of
Donald Trump would no longer seek to dictate an eventual peace settlement by
insisting on a Palestinian state alongside Israel."Whether that comes in
the form of a two-state solution if that's what the parties want, or something
else," the official said at a press briefing, adding that Trump, while
giving peace "high priority" would not try to "dictate" an
agreement. Palestinian officials also issued their warnings to the US against
abandoning a two-state solution."If the Trump Administration rejects this
policy it would be destroying the chances for peace and undermining American
interests, standing and credibility abroad," Hanan Ashrawi, a senior
member of the PLO, said in response to the US official's remarks.Trump and
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu are due to meet in Washington later on Wednesday
for the first time since the US election in November that brought the
Republican to office.
Minister claims Netanyahu
and Trump to discuss Palestinian state in Sinai and Gaza
An Israeli minister has claimed
that PM Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump will discuss a
proposal put forward by Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to establish a Palestinian state
in the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. Such a state would not include the
West Bank, said Ayoob Kara of the Likud Party. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet
Trump on Wednesday in the White House.“Trump and Netanyahu will adopt the plan
of Egypt’s Sisi,” Kara wrote on Twitter. “A Palestinian state in Gaza and
Sinai. Instead of Judea and Samaria. This is how we will pave a path to peace,
including the Sunni coalition.”The minister in the prime minister’s office said
that the plan would revive a 2014 Egyptian proposal to resettle Palestinian
refugees in over 1,600square km of land in the Sinai Peninsula to be annexed to
the adjacent Gaza Strip. Israeli army radio reported the news at the time, but
said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejected the plan.middleeastmonitor
Israel quietly withdraws
embassy staff from Cairo
Israel has pulled its
ambassador and entire embassy staff out of Cairo, citing security concerns, the
Telegraph reported on Tuesday. Ambassador David Govrin left the Egyptian
capital at the end of 2016 over fears for his life.According to the British paper,
Israeli Shin Bet intelligence agency confirmed the withdrawal. “Due to security
concerns the return of the Foreign Ministry embassy staff to Cairo has been
restricted,” a spokesman said.In the meantime, Govrin is apparently carrying
out his mission from Jerusalem. Israeli government hopes that he will be able
to return to Cairo soon. Israeli foreign ministry, said the Telegraph, declined
to comment on the reports. The sources did not give any details of the security
concerns which pushed Govrin and his staff to return to Israel. middleeastmonitor
Americans Rate Jews
Highest, Muslims Lowest On 'Feeling Thermometer': huffingtonpost
A new survey asked
Americans to rate different religious groups on a “feeling thermometer” from
zero to 100.Results revealed that Americans are warming up to people to different
faiths.The survey, released Wednesday by Pew Research Center, found that
Americans rate Jews the warmest and Muslims the coolest. Pew surveyed 4,248
adults between Jan. 9 and 23, 2017, and found that Jews got an average rating
of 67 degrees, while Muslims came in at just 48 degrees.
UAE envoy al-Kaabi dies
after injured in Afghan blast
The ambassador of UAE to
Afghanistan died on Wednesday of wounds sustained in a bomb attack in Kandahar
last month that also killed 5 Emirati aid workers, the UAE's foreign ministry
announced. "With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn the martyr of the
nation and his duty, the righteous son Juma Mohammed Abdullah al-Kaabi, who
gave his pure soul for the sake of humanity," the ministry said. Taliban
denied carrying out the bombing, saying the attack was a result of
"internal local rivalry". aljazeera
Erdogan during gulf tour:
We need GCC support to achieve regional stability
Turkish President Tayyip
Erdogan is adamant that his country, Saudi Arabia and the international
coalition forces should work together on fighting ISIS terror in the Middle
East. In an interview with Al Arabiya General Manager, Turki AlDakhil, that
will be fully aired later this week, Erdogan said that Assad’s regime has
killed no less than one million people since the begining of the Syrian
conflict.Erdogan said that he informed newly-elected US President Donald Trump,
that beating ISIS will come through cleansing Al-Raqqa, which is the group’s
main stronghold. Turkish President said that he does not consider the Muslim
Brotherhood group to be a terrorist group, adding that Turkey would treat the
group as a terrorist in case the Brotherhood carries out armed
attacks.Alarabiya
Saudi, Turkey have
identical views on regional conflicts
Turkey’s Erdogan in Doha
for talks with Qatar officials
Much brings Turkey, Qatar
and Saudi Arabia together
Is Sudan abandoning the
Muslim Brotherhood to mend ties with Egypt?Al Arabiya
Strained Egyptian-Sudanese
relations appear to be easing amid reports that Khartoum has “expelled” Muslim
Brotherhood members to mend fences with Cairo.The two Nile River neighbors have
common bonds of history, language and religion. But diplomatic relations have
been frosty over the past years due to various reasons.Among them was
Khartoum’s alleged hosting of Muslim Brotherhood members who escaped Egypt
following the ouster of former Egyptian President Mursi -- a member of the now
terrorist-designated group. A news report by the London-based Al-Hayat
newspaper suggested that Khartoum expelled “tens of Egyptian Islamists” who
sought refuge in Sudan following the forceful dispersal of the pro-Mursi sit-in
at Rabaa al-Adawiya Square. The Sudanese authorities reportedly “expelled”
during the past two months tens of Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya
members, Al-Hayat quoted a source as saying. alarabiya
What happened to Egypt's
Muslim Brotherhood?byKhalil al-Anani, Associate Professor in Qatar.
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:50 PM)
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