Evening NEWS
DIGEST
18
April 2017: 20 Rajab 1438: Vol: 8, No:168
Vande Mataram must in
schools, colleges: SC asks Centre to respond
New Delhi: The Supreme
Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Centre on a petition that asked the govt
to make singing Vande Mataram, the national song, mandatory in schools. The
Centre has 4 weeks to respond, and the next date of hearing is on August 23. On
a separate petition on the national anthem, the Centre told the top court
respect for the anthem was non-negotiable and it was unfortunate that some
people want to disrespect it.The court has allowed the petitioner in the case
to modify the plea demanding a law to punish those who disrespect the national
anthem.In Feb, the top court rejected the plea filed by senior Supreme Court
advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking direction to give equal respect to the
national song as given to the national anthem and observed there was no concept
of a national song under the law. The plea sought a direction to frame a
national policy to promote and propagate the national anthem, national song and
national flag in the spirit of Article 51A. hindustantimes
SC issues notice to Centre
on plea to make Vande Mataram mandatory in schools, colleges
SC Seeks Centre's Reply On
Plea For Policy On National Anthem, Song
Why Vande Mataram Isn't
Treated On Par With National Anthem, Court Asks Centre
National Anthem: SC Extends
Exemption To Several Categories Of Disabled; Order Recall Plea Admitted
The Supreme Court extended
the exemption granted to certain categories of disabled persons from standing while
national anthem is played in cinema halls to those affected with autism,
cerebral palsy, multiple disabilities, Parkinson disease, stenosis, leprosy and
polio cured. “Having heard learned counsel for the parties, we are inclined to
modify the orders and direct that the persons who are wheel chair users, those
with autism, persons suffering from cerebral palsy, multiple disabilities,
parkinsons, multiple sclerosis, leprosy cured, muscular dystrophy and deaf and
blind be treated notto be within the ambit ofthe orders passed by this Court.
As far as the other categories, which we have not referred to mentioned in the
application, are concerned, same may be considered by the Union of India”, said
Bench. livelaw
PERSONAL
LAW Vs UNIFORM
CIVIL CODE
Census puts Muslim divorce
rate at just 0.56% as compared to 0.76% among Hindus
The divorce rate among
Muslims in the 2011 Census is lower than among Hindus. And while there is no
survey on cases of ‘triple talaq’, the incidence could be as low as 1% of the
total. While PM Narendra Modi and his govt
, TV channels and the Supreme Court are all concerned over the ‘regressive’
practice of triple talaq, here are 10 facts that put the issue in perspective. Census
of 2011 had put the divorce rate among Muslims at 0.56% (0.76% among
Hindus).Neither the govt nor the Law
Commission has conducted any survey on the extent of triple talaq among Indian
Muslims. There is no survey on the extent of polygamy among either Muslims or
Hindus. Empirical evidence, however, puts the instances of polygamy among the
poorer sections of the 2 communities as high or as low as the other. While a
Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court is to hear a batch of petitions seeking
a ban on polygamy and halala and to decide whether triple talaq is against
Constitutional principles, several scholars have questioned the Govt’s
eagerness to flag the issue. national herald
Nearly 5 crore Muslims
declare support for triple talaq, object to uniform civil code
Triple talaq issue not
religious, related to social reforms:Naqvi
Rampur: Union minister
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today described the contentious issue of triple talaq as
"not religious, but one related to comprehensive social reforms"
which were the "need of the hour".Naqvis remarks came a day after Modi
made a strong pitch against triple talaq, insisting that
"exploitation" of Muslim women should end and justice should be meted
out to them. "Triple talaq is not a religious issue. Its related to social
reforms. Comprehensive social reforms are the need of the hour," Naqvi
said.PTI
Ban AIMPLB for endorsing
triple talaq: Adityanath's lone Muslim minister Mohsin Raza
New Delhi: UP minority
affairs minister Mohsin Raza on Tuesday dubbed All India Muslim Personal Law
Board (AIMPLB) as 'All India Maulawi (Cleric) Personal Law Board' and said the
organisation which endorses practices like triple talaq should be
banned."AIMPLB should not be called as Muslim Personal Law Board but a
Maulawi (Cleric) Personal Law Board. Such organization should be banned as it does
not work for the welfare of society but endorses practice like triple talaq
that is harassment to women. Triple talaq is somewhere against the Constitution
as it does not come within the prevalence of it. Any organization should work
according to the Constitution of India," Raza told ANI.Backing PM Narendra Modi and UP CM Yogi
Adityanath's stand on triple talaq, Raza further said that a new law should be
implemented putting an end to triple talaq practice.Meanwhile, reacting to
Raza's assertion, member of AIMPLB Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said
the political leaders are making political issue out of the triple talaq,
adding Muslim Personal Law Board is a registered organization."From the
very first day nothing Islamic or nothing religious is being said or done as
far as the issue of triple talaq is concerned. It has been completely made a
political issue. Anyone can see that from the time of the election campaigning
for the UP election till now. We think it will continue till 2019. Muslim Personal
Law Board is a registered organization under the Society Act," Mahali
said.TOI
Forced imposition of
majoritarian view on religious practices of minorities will be wrong: JD(U)
New Delhi: Janata Dal (U)
on criticised any “forced imposition” of a majoritarian view on the religious
practices of minorities amid a raging debate over triple talaq. Its
spokesperson K C Tyagi said the state should work to bring in the Uniform Civil
Code but insisted that it must be based on a broad consensus and not imposed in
an authoritarian way.“Any attempt to impose the Uniform Civil Code without
consultation and a consensus, especially on minorities, could lead to social
friction and an erosion of faith in the constitutional guarantee of the freedom
of religion,” he said in a statement.PTI
Muslim leaders question
"newfound" concern of Modi Adityanath for Muslim women
The debate on Muslims that PM
Narendra Modi launched over the weekend
has assumed a sharp edge and got yoked to seemingly unrelated yet inseparable
topics. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind secretary-general Salim Engineer said: "Let
the courts decide. Are they trying to interfere in the court proceedings...? It
is highly objectionable that when the matter is in court, such influential
people in the govt are speaking in such a manner." Both Assadudin Owaisi
and Engineer questioned the "newfound" concern of Modi and Adityanath
for Muslim women."If they are so concerned about the well-being of Muslim
women, why not ensure justice for Zakia Jafri or the Muslim women who were
raped during the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013?" Engineer added that if the
two were so concerned about divorced Muslim women, they should enact a law
mandating govt jobs for them within 6 months of divorce."Why is Modi govt showing
no compassion towards JNU's missing student Najeeb's mother who is also a
Muslim. Modi speaks about backwards among Muslims but attack on slaughterhouses
in UP is affecting the Quraishi community the most," Owaisi said.According
to Owaisi, data collected by the Muslim Mahila Research Kendra (MMRK) through
RTI applications in family courts in Muslim concentration districts showed the prevalence
of divorce among minority community to be lower than Hindus, contrary to the
perception that is sought to be made about his community being a perpetually
divorcing lot.Asma Zehra of the MMRK and a member of the AIMPLB said a random
sample survey of 13,000 women across the country showed 100 cases of divorce,
of which a dozen were through instant triple talaq. Reacting to Adityanath's
statement, AIMPLB member Zafaryab Jilani said: "The community is not ready
to give up the Sharia at any cost. We have decided on our own to boycott those
who don't follow it during the triple talaq. But some people, including PM ,
are issuing strange statements on this matter." Telegraph
Stay away from triple talaq
issues:Fatehpuri Shahi Masjid Imam Mufti Mukarram
New Delhi: Fatehpuri Shahi
Masjid Shahi Imam Dr Mufti M Mukarram Ahmed on Monday made a fervent appeal to
all the political parties to sway away from the contentious triple talaq issue,
saying neither any govt nor any
political party has any right or authority to meddle in the religious practices
followed by any community. He urged the govt to set up a centralised centre for
registration of Qazi’s who could solemnise marriages of the Muslim community.Dr
Ahmed said the triple talaq issue was dominating political and public space
only because people were not well informed about the religious teachings of the
Quran. “If a person says talaq just once, it is a divorce. But after giving a
thorough thought, the person can again live with his wife. If there are serious
differences between the couple after first talaq, one can give a second talaq
as well. Even after second talaq, Islam says, the couple can again lead their
marriageable life. But on the third occasion, the marriage is bound to end.”Dr
Ahmed said that talaq is solemnised under Muslim laws and it was in no way, a
human rights issue. “Govt has no religion. Like Muslims should stay away from
interfering in the religious practices of Hindus and Sikhs, same way other
religious figures should not meddle in our practices.” Asked why triple talaq
was not being practised in an Islamic state like Pakistan, Dr Ahmed said the
marriage in the neighbouring country is solemnised through registered Qazi by
the govt machinery. “Nikkah (marriage is
registered in Pakistan) with certain conditions and rules. And for talaq also,
they follow the guidelines with prior information to the govt .” asianage
Triple talaq, other
Shariyat issues should be left to Muslims to handle: Azam Khan
Lucknow: Minutes after UP CM
Aditya Nath Yogi questioned those silent
on the issue of triple talaq, equating it with the Draupadi's cheerharan on
Monday, Samajwadi Party's Muslim face, Azam Khan said issues related to
Shariyat should be left to Muslims to handle."Muslim clerics never
questioned the system of sati; nor do they have the authority to decide how
mantras should be recited and how the marriage rituals should be performed by
the Hindus," Azam said in Rampur, adding that similar mutual respect
should be shown towards the religious practices of the Muslims. "How
Muslims are to offer namaaz, observes fasts, perform Nikah (marriage) or talaq
(divorce) should be left to us," he said. Timesofindia
Fresh PIL In Supreme Court
For Uniform Civil Code
Advocate Farah Faiz, has
filed a PIL seeking the Centre to enact the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to bring
all communities on the common platform in the light of diverse personal laws in
different religions.Filing the PIL, the petitioner lawyer said the Uniform
Civil Code is the urgent need of the day “to abolish the discrimination among
citizens on the basis of region and to end the vote bank politics.” Livelaw.com
OTHERS
Hindu Yuva Vahini Calling
Shots On UP's Streets Now That Yogi Adityanath Is CM: Reuters
Unnao : One recent
afternoon, dozens of young Hindu men, swords drawn and saffron scarves draped
around their necks, rode motorcycles through a Muslim neighbourhood near the
capital of India's most populous state and chanted "Hail Lord Ram!"In
the preceding weeks they and their peers had acted as informers, police
officials say, helping them identify thousands of Muslim-run butchers' shops
that have since been shut and urging officers to stop Muslim youths talking to
Hindu girls in the street.Their organisation is the Hindu Yuva Vahini (Hindu
Youth Force), a private militia set up in 2002 by Yogi Adityanath,a local
priest and politician, to assert the dominance of India's main religion which
he felt was being eroded by minority faiths.Since Adityanath's promotion last
month to CM of UP , home to 220 million
people of which a fifth are Muslims, the group has become emboldened, openly
proclaiming its Hindu roots and putting pressure on police.The appointment of the
44-year-old, known for his fiery anti-Muslim rhetoric and a campaign against
"Love Jihad" - or the conversion of Hindu women to Islam - has
shocked some Indians, who say it undermines the country's secular status.They
worry that PM Narendra Modi's "development for all" agenda will be
overtaken by radical, Hindu-first policies with the potential to stoke communal
tensions that have erupted sporadically through India's 70-year history.Adityanath
declined to be interviewed for this article."Blood can be shed, and
Muslims will feel the pain," Pankaj Singh, a senior leader of the Hindu
Youth Force, told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the rally in
Unnao, an hour's drive southwest of the capital Lucknow. Such comments have
sent a chill through some in the Muslim community, on the defensive in UP since this year's election in which Adityanath
rallied the Hindu majority and delivered a resounding victory to the ruling BJP.
'Will fight with swords if
Muslims touch Hindu girl': Hindu Yuva Vahini call the shots on streets of UP
Hardline Hindu youth call shots
on streets of northern India
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti
And Shiv Sena Seek Ban On Use Of Loudspeakers In Mosques
Sonu Nigam's rant on
Twitter against Azaan or the Muslim call for prayer seems to have resurrected a
demand that has often figured in the agenda of the Hindu right-wing.According
to a report in the Indian Express, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has released a
statement saying that the use of loudspeakers by mosques causes noise pollution
and is in violation of rules laid by the govt . The statement says that even
though the Mumbai High Court has ordered all loudspeakers at mosques to be
taken down, the Mumbai police department has not managed to do it yet because
they fear doing so may cause "a law and order situation."ANI
Mosque's loudspeakers
mightier than law: Sanatan Sanstha accuses Mumbai Police of no action
It's not about azaan or
aarti but loudspeakers: Sonu Nigam
After his angry rant on
twitter on 'forced religiousness', and the backlash he received for targeting
just one religion, Sonu Nigam has clarified his stance. The singer has
justified his statement saying that those tweets were not against any religion
but usage of loudspeakers.Standing by his statement, Sonu wrote, "Your
stand exposes your own IQ. I stand by my statement that loudspeakers should not
be allowed in Mosques & Temples. News18.com
Mufti Mukarram questions
Sonu Nigam's 'motive' for rant on azaan
Muslim cleric Sayeed Mufti
Mukarram on Monday condemned Sonu Nigam's rant against azaan, the muslim call
to prayer, saying the singer wants to attract media attention and that's why he
is making such 'objectionable' comments.ANI
Zafaryab Jilon sympathises
with Sonu Nigam's 'individual' Azaan problem
After Sonu Nigam shared how
he was forced to wake up early because of the sound of morning Azaan from a
local mosque, AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilon Monday suggested the former to
directly talk to the Muslims of his locality.Jilani said, "If Sonu Nigam
has any problem, then he should talk to the concerned people of that area. He
can ask them to lower down the volume of the speaker facing his
house.""It is his individual problem and I personally sympathise with
him," he added.Talking on the same, however, Congress said that be it
Azaan at the mosques or prayers at the temples and churches, these are old
traditions. Its spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said if the 43-year-old singer does
not find it pleasing, then it is his "point of view.""These are
parts of pluralistic society. When I hear the Bhajans coming from the nearby
temple at 5 o'clock in the morning, it's music to my ears. But if Nigam ji does
not find Azaan soothing, then that's his personal view," he said.ANI
Alwar lynching: Pehlu
Khan’s uncle threatens to commit suicide with entire family
Jaipur: As alleged accused
in the lynching of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in Alwar roam free, victim’s uncle
Hussain Khan on Monday threatened to commit suicide along with his entire
family if “justice” eludes them for long.55-year-old dairy farmer from Nuh in
Haryana was grievously assaulted by self-styled cow vigilantes near Behror in
Rajasthan on Delhi-Alwar highway on April 1, branding him as a cattle smuggler.
He succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital on April 3.Even more than
two weeks after the incident, police have failed to trace 6 absconding accused,
infuriating the bereaved family, who staged protest in Jaipur along with other
members of their community.“My nephew was beaten mercilessly to death even
though he had the documents to prove he legally purchased the. Govt , instead
of arresting the accused, is trying to protect them. If we don’t get justice
soon, I along with all my family members will commit suicide,” Hussain told the
HT on the sidelines of agitation at police Commissionerate in Jaipur.
‘Justice for Pehlu Khan’
dharna from April 24-26
Cow Vigilantes Should Be
Booked Under Anti-Terror Laws: Swami Agnivesh
Jaipur: Social activist Swami
Agnivesh sought to equate cow vigilantes with terrorists and demanded they
should be booked under the stringent anti-terror laws for allegedly terrorising
people.The way cow vigilantes are terrorising people, their act should be
considered a crime committed by a terrorist, and booked under the sections of
law similar to that are applicable on terrorists, he said addressing a
gathering here.Social organisations today organised a protest at Shahid PTI
BJP’s Goa ally, Congress
protest VHP beef ban call
Panaji: A day after a VHP
functionary called for a ban on beef in Goa, BJP ally Goa Forward Party (GFP)
as well as opposition parties asked the Manohar Parrikar govt to ensure that the state’s communal harmony is
not disturbed. On Sunday, VHP’s Acharya Radha Krishna Manori called for a ban
on beef consumption in Goa. Stating that he did not need the state govt ’s help
in converting Goans’ food habits, he said the Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini will
“awaken the Goans” the way they have been doing in the rest of the country.
Manori was speaking at a VHP event on Ram Mandir.On Monday, GFP leader Vijai
Sardesai spoke to Parrikar over phone and sought a ban on “leaders who make
careless and polarising statements” from entering the state. “Individual
liberty is not a state subject. Constitution protects a citizen on his food
habits and no politician can dictate terms,” Sardesai said. “We already have a
law which states cow slaughter is banned in the state.”Congress leader Luizinho
Faleiro asked the govt if there was any
“hidden agenda” behind such statements. indianexpress
Goa: GFP sends a strong
message to VHP, says will deal with those who create communal disharmony
Toeing Adityanath’s
footsteps, Bhopal mayor to act against illegal meat sellers
Bhopal:Toeing line of UP CM CM Yogi Adityanath, Bhopal mayor has decided to
start a crackdown on illegal meat sellers. Mayor Bhopal Alok Sharma on Monday
told reporters that Bhopal Municipal Corporation has identified 100 meat
sellers in Bhopal who were found selling in violation of the laid down norms.
He said he has also received many complaints regarding already dead poultry
being sold from some meat shops in Bhopal.“We are not sparing those who violate
the norms. We will conduct raids on illegal meat sellers and seize the animals
and poultry. Such seized animals and birds will then be sent to Van Vihar
National Park Bhopal”, he said.HT
video: Muslim youths
assaulted for not saying “jai shri ram” in Chikkadpally, 10 arrested
Hyderabad: 2 days back an
incident had taken place in Suryanagar Colony of Chikkadpally area, Hyderabad,
wherein Muslim youths who were going on bikes were stopped and asked to say
“Jai Shri Ram”. When they did not raise this slogan, the miscreants beat them
and caused injuries to their bodies. They also damaged the vehicles passing
through that road. In this incident, 5 youths were injured and they were sent
to hospital for treatment.Police arrested 10 persons and posted police pickets
in Surya Nagar area. Police also registered cases against both the communities
alleging violence and attempt to murder.Task Force arrested 10 persons and
presented them before the court. siasat
Zakir Naik has permanent
resident status in Malaysia: Deputy PM
International preacher from
India, Dr Zakir Naik, has a permanent resident status in Malaysia and not a
Malaysian citizen, said Deputy PM Datuk
Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the
preacher did not reside in Malaysia but stayed in several other
countries."He (Zakir) obtained the permanent resident status five years
ago, but he is not a Malaysian citizen," he said when asked whether Zakir
was a Malaysian citizen. He said this to reporters when approached after
officiating the Human Ecology International Conference 2017, here today.
Zakir Naik has held
permanent residence status in Malaysia for at least 5 yrs: deputy PM
Naik’s sister says she
acted as front for his firms
In her statement to ED,
Zakir Naik’s sister Nailah Noorani said that she acted as front for companies
established by her brother after 2013. According to an Indian Express report,
Noorani in her statement said that she “acted as a front” in Harmony Media, the
firm set up by Naik in 2005, which produced videos of his “provocative
speeches”.Noorani told ED officers that she was associated with 5 companies the
Harmony Media Ltd, Long Last Construction Pvt Ltd, Magestic Perfumes Pvt Ltd,
Right Properties Pvt Ltd and Alpha Lubricants but she was unaware from where
the money for buying these properties came.According to HT report, the ED
claimed that Naik and his wife Farhat had the majority of shares in these
companies, which they transferred to Noorani in 2013 after they became NRI.
Since 2013, Noorani has held 95% of shares in Harmony Media and Long Last
Construction.
ED Files Case Against Zakir
Naik's Aide Aamir Gazdar
New Delhi:ED filed a
prosecution complaint against Zakir Naik's close aide Aamir Gazdar for money
laundering. Based on the investigation conducted, Gazdar was arrested by the ED
under Section 19 of the PMLA on Feb.16 and is currently in judicial custody.The
ED said during the investigation, it was found that certain dummy companies
were established by Naik for routing the proceeds of crime. IANS
Vijay Mallya arrested in
London, gets bail within hours
New Delhi: Businessman
Vijay Mallya was arrested by the Scotland Yard in London on Monday on India’s
request for his extradition on fraud charges. He was released on bail a few
later after he appeared at a central London police station. “Officers from the
Metropolitan Police’s Extradition Unit this morning arrested a man on an
extradition warrant. Vijay Mallya was arrested on behalf of the Indian
authorities in relation to accusations of fraud,” said the Scotland Yard.The
London Metropolitan Police said Mallya was arrested after attending a central
London police station. He appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court in London
and was seen walking out with his legal team a few hours later after being
granted bail.PTI
‘Usual Indian media hype.
Extradition hearing as expected,’ Vijay Mallya tweets after arrest, bail
To win 2019 polls, Modi
govt can fight war with Pak: Digvijaya
New Delhi:Digvijaya Singh launched
another tirade against the BJP Govt . Casting grave doubts on the intention of
the Modi dispensation, Singh mentioned there is an attempt to build an
atmosphere in the direction of war with Pakistan."BJP govt is not fulfilling the promises it made to the
people. So, there is no alternative left in the country to win the election.
So, in this situation, Modi govt can
fight a war with Pakistan. This kind of an atmosphere is being built to win the
2019 elections."livemint
Kashmir on the boil as
stone-pelting, poll boycott mark India's loosening grip over state: IANS
Srinagar: An alarming spurt
in violence in early spring has been marked by attacks on civilians by
militants, the army using a civilian as a shield against stone-pelters, the
lowest ever voter turn-out in a parliamentary by-election and the use of social
media as a tool to stoke passions.These are all indications of bad days ahead
for Kashmiris, who were looking forward to a calmer summer in 2017. If this is
the bad news, what is even worse is that the situation appears to be slipping
out of the hands of both the state and the non-state actors in Kashmir's sordid
drama of pain and suffering.
Varsities, colleges closed
in Kashmir Valley:PTI
Srinagar: Universities,
colleges and higher secondary schools today remained closed across Kashmir on
the orders of the divisional administration in view of the widespread student
protests in valley. Universities, colleges and classes XI and XII remained
closed today following orders to this effect issued by Divisional Commissioner
Kashmir Baseer Khan yesterday, officials said.They said these educational
institutions were closed as a precautionary measure to prevent further
protests.
At least 100 students
injured in Kashmir as latest anti-India protests lead to more violence in
contested state
Mobile internet remain
suspended in Kashmir: uni
China says CPEC has ‘no
direct link’ with Kashmir issue
Beijing:China on Monday
sought to allay India’s concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,
saying it has “no direct link” with the Kashmir issue and New Delhi was welcome
to participate in the ‘One Belt One Road’ project. Chinese Foreign Minister
Wang Yi, at press conference on One belt One Road (OBOR) summit to be held here
from May 14-15, said, “Although (an) Indian leader will not be here but India
will have a representative” at the OBOR summit.PTI
Army camps in Kashmir have
succumbed to ‘Mandir’ culture: Parvez Imroz, Chief, JKCSS
A Civil Rights activist for
decades and well-known lawyer, Parvez Imroz is the Chief of the J&K
Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and possesses a long-standing experience of
human rights activism in Kashmir. He also represents ‘the International
People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir’ and is accorded with
international recognitions for efforts carried out to bring anomalies of
conflict in Kashmir to the outside world. net
Kashmir: Girl student
suffers skull fracture from stone hurled from CRPF bunker
Modi will be 1st
PM to visit Israel; confirms trip in July
PM Narendra Modi on Monday
for the first time spoke about his impending visit to Israel – a first by an
Indian Prime Minister – thus stamping the official seal on the shift in Indian
foreign policy.Modi will be visiting Israel on July 5 and even as his itinerary
has not been made public, he in all probabilities will be skipping Palestine
during his visit.He made the announcement of his visit to Israel during an
event in Surat: “I am soon going to Israel, in fact, I'm the first Prime
Minister to go to Israel, and I'm going there on your behalf. You have trading
relations with that country.” Modi’s visit will be coinciding with 25th
anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries.
PM to diamond barons: Going
to Israel as your representative
BJP not anti-Muslim, Centre
working on schemes for them:Naqvi
Nagpur:Union Minister Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi condemned the opposition parties for terming the BJP as
“anti-Muslims”, while rejecting doling out more reservation to the community
saying the demand has no “constitutional” merit. He said the Muslim community
has indicated that they will not let the anti-BJP forces “mislead or befool”
them for “political benefits”.Naqvi said central govt is working on programmes for establishing
education and skill development facilities for the community and trying to get
more industries set up to generate more employment opportunities. PTI
Centre headed for
confrontation with EC over funds for paper trail machines
The govt and the election
commission seem headed for a confrontation over funds for the purchase of
devices that leave a paper trail of votes cast on an electronic machine.Sources
in the govt said on Monday the delay in
release of money was a logistic holdup, even as the poll panel complained its
request for funds to buy voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines
had remained unheeded.The confrontation comes at a time when opposition parties
are demanding the poll panel go back to paper ballot and discontinue the use of
EVMs, alleging the devices can be tampered with.Both the govt and election commission have denied the charge
and said EVMs were completely safe. hindustantimes
Plea in HC to use VVPAT
equipped EVMs for MCD polls
New Delhi: A plea was today
moved in the Delhi High Court by the AAP seeking a direction to the Election
Commission to use VVPAT machines attached to EVMs in the upcoming MCD polls in
the national capital. petiTion for urgent hearing was mentioned before a bench
of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra who agreed to hear
it today itself. Petition filed by Mohd. Tahir Hussain, who is contesting as a
councillor in the MCD election, and AAP was mentioned by senior advocate Indira
Jaising, who urged the court to list the matter for today in view of the recent
alleged incidents of EVM manipulation in various states.PTI
Techie who questioned EVMs
back: ‘EC’s latest challenge is a mistake’: indianexpress
New Delhi: It has
been almost 8 years since Hari K Prasad tried to prove that the electronic
voting machine used in India is not tamper-proof. The face of EVM sceptics
movement in 2009, however, had been keeping a low profile during the current
controversy over EVMs being vulnerable to tampering.
NIA relief signal on
Malegaon suspects
New Delhi: NIA told the Supreme Court that there was no
need to keep the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case in judicial custody as
a chargesheet had been filed.The agency's counsel appeared before a bench of
Justices R.K. Agrawal and A.M. Sapre and said it was not pressing any more for
the custody of accused. "Chargesheet has been filed in the case, arguments
on framing of charges are going on and at the moment the agency is not pressing
for custody of the accused," counsel said. The bench then adjourned the
matter. Lt.Col. Shrikant Purohit and another accused, Sudhakar Dhar Dwivedi,
had moved the SC saying the investigation had remained incomplete, NIA had
failed to file a chargesheet and, therefore, their detention without trial was
illegal. telegraphindia
Further custody of Malegaon
case accused not needed: NIA
We don't need custody of Lt
Col Purohit, NIA tells SC
Ajmer blasts case: NIA to
hear litigant
Jaipur: NIA Special Court
here will hear the complainant in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast case before
deciding on the closure report filed by NIA,
which clears senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar, key accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh
Thakur and 2 others of all charges.Special Judge Dinesh Gupta said on Monday
that he would first hear the complainant, Syed Sarwar Chishti, a khadim
(worker) in the dargah, on whose statement the FIR was registered in the case.
The court will then decide whether the closure report is to be accepted or
rejected. thehindu
Ajmer blast case: How a key
evidence lost value due to mistakes committed by investigators
A key piece of evidence
which could have provided some insights into how the prime conspirators in a
larger Hindu terror conspiracy were connected to each other lost its value as a
proof in the Ajmer blast case due to goof up by investigators. In the trial,
only two accused, out of nine, were convicted by a special NIA court in Jaipur.
Those acquitted included Swami Aseemanand, an alleged mentor of the Hindu
extremists involved in a series of blasts in Malegaon, Hyderabad’s Mecca Masjid
and the Samjhauta Express train. hindustantimes
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
Abandoned women vastly
outnumber victims of triple talaq & it’s time Modi spoke up for them: Abusaleh Shariff And Syed Khalid
Time for PM to speak up as
abandoned wives outnumber Triple Talaq victims
Triple talaq will not be
addressed by political rhetoric, trial by media or social boycotts. It will
take strategic legislation to bring genuine reform: Tahir Mahmood
Batakh Mian vs Nathuram
Godse: How has India forgotten about the man who refused to poison Gandhi?Ajaz
Ashraf
In Bengal, Left parties'
secular ideology, posturing has done nothing for development of Muslims:
Sharjeel Imam , Saquib Salim
Discussing Kashmir, I
almost felt like an ‘anti national’ speaking for Jewish rights in Nazi Germany:
Rajdeep Sardesai
Let’s not go back in time:
Suspending democracy, imposing governor’s rule, would undo political progress
in Kashmir: Wajahat Habibullah
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/lets-not-go-back-in-time-kashmir-elections-4617180/
Australia abolishes visa
programme used largely by Indians
Indian trains smash records
in running late, 800% jump in number of trains arriving more than 15 hours late
WORLD
Monitor says suspected US
coalition air strikes kill 23 in Syria: Reuters
Beirut: A war monitor said
air strikes, thought to be by planes from a US-led military coalition, killed
at least 23 people in two parts of the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zor
on Monday.There was no immediate comment from the coalition which has said it
tries to avoid civilian deaths in its bombing campaigns against Islamic State
militants in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.Jets “believed to belong to the
international coalition” struck the town of al-Bukamal in the south of the
province near the Iraqi border, killing three militants and 13 civilians
including children, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
Britain-based war monitoring group said air strikes also killed seven civilians
in the town of al-Husainiyah further north along the Euphrates river.
US troops deployed deep
into Syria
'Deadly US air strike in
Syria hit peaceful mosque'
US forces failed to take
necessary precautions before launching a lethal drone strike in northern Syria
last month that hit a mosque full of worshipers, 3 separate investigations have
revealed. Research by HRW, London-based Forensic Architecture and open-source
investigative unit Bellingcat reveal that US air strikes hit a western Aleppo
mosque on March 16, killing at least 38 people and injuring dozens of others. US
Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed they targeted "an al-Qaeda in Syria
meeting location", killing "dozens of core al-Qaeda terrorists"
after thorough surveillance. But interviews with locals, coupled with
photographs and video of the building, show it was a well-known mosque in the village
of al-Jinah that hosted lectures every Thursday evening, according to investigation.
Researchers also allege that US launched "Hellfire" missiles at
civilians as they fled the mosque.Ole Solvang, lead researcher on HRW probe,
told Al Jazeera that "US forces failed to take necessary precautions to
minimise civilian casualties".
"Based on statements from US military personnel, they didn't know
this was a mosque, which reflects poorly on their intel."HRW interviewed
by phone 14 people with first-hand knowledge of the attack, including 4 who
were in the mosque at the time of the attack. In carrying out the
investigation, HRW used research provided by Bellingcat, which analysed video
footage and photographs from the attack, and Forensic Architecture, which
created models of the mosque and a reconstruction of the attack. 3
organisations conducted "separate but complimentary" investigations
into attack, said Solvang."Our analysis reveals that contrary to US
statements, the building targeted was a functioning, recently-built mosque
containing a large prayer hall, several auxiliary functions and the Imam's
residence," according to Forensic Architecture. Aljazeera
Iran intervenes to stop fighting
between Kurdish & Shia militias in Iraq
The commanding officer of
Al-Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps has visited Kirkuk and
met with a number of politicians in order to prevent fighting between the
Kurdish Peshmerga militia, which effectively rules the Iraqi city, and the Shia
militias beyond the city boundaries, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported on Monday.A
Kurdish political source said that Major General Qasem Soleimani’s visit to
Iraqi Kurdistan lasted for several days. “During this visit,” explained the
source, “Soleimani was a political official, not an army officer.” He pointed
out that the general would be informing Baghdad of his vision for the
situation. middleeastmonitor
Iran’s Republican Guards
send message to Trump about Khamenei’s failing health
Sources in Iran have
revealed that a secret message has been sent from the Iranian Republican Guards
Corps (IRGC) to US President Donald Trump concerning the deteriorating health
of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Former President, AbulHasan Bani Sadr gave
details of the “secret message” to the IRNA news website, Al-Arabiya has
reported.“IRGC is preparing to support conservative Iranian cleric Ibrahim
Raeisi to replace current President Hassan Rouhani,” added Bani Sadr. According
to Bani Sadr,IRGC has justified Raeisi’s presidential nomination by citing
Trump’s victory. Former US President Barack Obama “understood Rouhani” but Trump
does not understand the language of the current Iranian president, he
explained.The secret message apparently demanded that the new US president
should ease the sanctions on Tehran, so as not to affect the options of the
religious establishment, which may have to choose a conservative successor to
Rouhani.The sources pointed out that Tehran has promised that Washington’s
cooperation or understanding could contribute to the arrival of a more moderate
successor for Khamenei. Such a candidate, it is said, could play a role similar
to Shia leader Ali Sistani’s in Iraq. middleeastmonitor
Abbas threatens Gaza at
America’s request:Hamas
The threats made against
Gaza by the Palestinian Authority and Fatah head Mahmoud Abbas are in “response
to requests by America,” a senior Hamas official has claimed. According to
Palinfo.com, the Deputy Leader of the movement, Mousa Abu Marzook said that
Abbas had to make such threats ahead of his visit to the White House. “This is
regarded as his part in fighting ‘terrorism’,” he added.PA has cut the salaries
of staff in the Gaza Strip, noted Marzook, but he rejected the reasoning behind
the move. “Cuts due to the budget deficit must surely affect employees in both
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,” he insisted. “PA knows very well that its
payment to Gaza is declining continuously due to the halt of new recruitment
since the start of the [political] division.” middleeastmonitor
Almost 1,200 Palestinians
have ‘disappeared’ in Syria
A report on enforced
disappearances in Syria has said that almost 1,200 Palestinians have gone
missing in the war-torn country. Task
Group for Palestinians in Syria released the report on Monday to mark
Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, Quds Press has reported.The report pointed out that
the actual figure could be far higher than the 1,183 cases of disappearances
among Palestinian refugees in Syria due to the lack of official statistics. Furthermore,
said the organisation, many families do not provide information about enforced
disappearances, fearing a violent backlash by the Syrian regime. middleeastmonitor
Israel punishes
hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners
Israeli prison officials
have cracked down on Palestinian prisoners after more than 1,100 political
detainees launched an open-ended hunger strike on Monday.The Palestinian
Committee of Prisoners' Affairs released a statement on Monday saying that
Israeli Prison Service (IPS) officials had forcibly moved hunger-striking
prisoners to different sections of Israeli jails, confiscated clothes and
personal belongings and placed leading figures in solitary confinement. aljazeera
Pak Taliban leader
Ehsanullah Ehsan 'surrenders'
Islamabad: A prominent
leader of Pakistani Taliban's Jamaat-ur-Ahrar (JuA) faction, Ehsanullah Ehsan,
has surrendered to security forces, the military said.The announcement was made
on Monday by Asif Ghafoor, Pakistan's military spokesman, at a press briefing
in Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad. Ghafoor gave no further details
about the arrest, including when and where it took place."People, state and the institutions of Pakistan have
made considerable progress in the betterment of country's security
situation," said Ghafoor. "We have progressed to the point that the
people who've been planning attacks on Pakistan's soil from across the border
have started to see that the situation has changed. aljazeera
Turkey to extend state of
emergency by three months
Turkey's govt has extended the country's state of emergency
for 3 more months. Deputy PM Numan
Kurtulmus on Monday said the National Security Council had recommended extending
the state of emergency, set to expire on April 19, "to provide the
continuance of measures aimed at securing the rights and freedoms of
citizens."Parliament is to meet on Tuesday to vote on the
recommendation.It will be the third extension of the state of emergency in
Turkey since it was initially imposed following a failed coup attempt by a
group within the military in July 2016. The decision enables the govt to bypass parliament in enacting new decrees,
but critics say the move could suspend rights and freedoms. aljazeera
Theresa May calls snap
general election for June 8
British PM Theresa May called for an early general
election to be held on June 8, 2017, in a surprise announcement on Tuesday as
Britain prepares for delicate negotiations on leaving the European Union.May
said she will go to parliament on Wednesday to seek approval for the early
election. "We need a general election and we need one now. We have at this
moment a one-off chance to get this done ... before the detailed talks
begin," May said, speaking in front of 10 Downing Street."I have
concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years
ahead is to hold this election," she said.May added that the UK needed an
election because other parties are opposed to the Brexit plans to leave the EU.
May had previously said there would be no early election under her leadership. aljazeera
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:53 PM)
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