Evening NEWS
DIGEST
INDIA
Playing with fire: RSS organises arms-training camp for Hindus in
Murshidabad
RSS has started a camp in Cossimbazar in West Bengal's Murshidabad
district, to train Hindus in the use of weapons and martial arts. The camp
began on 30 May and will continue till 10 June. According to RSS' West Bengal
general secretary Jishnu Bose, “If Hindus want to protect themselves, they will
have to learn how to use weapons and protect themselves from jihadi forces”.
Ever since it began it's expansion drive in West Bengal, RSS, BJP and outfits
like Hindu Samhati have been casually using the label “jihadi forces” against
myriad Muslim entities.On being asked what he meant by “jihadi forces”, Bose
was vague: “Anyone who oppresses Hindus is a jihadi”. Choice of Murshidabad is
not coincidental as Muslims form 66% of the population in the district, the
highest among all the districts in the state. Sources in RSS said that they
have received an enthusiastic response for the training camp and around 100
youngsters from all over the state are participating in it.According to a
senior RSS pracharak, who is the in-charge for Murshidabad, “Most of the
participants were from the border districts of of Murshidabad, Nadia, Bongaon.
We told them about the atrocities that are being perpetrated on Hindus. They
also told us about several incidents in which Hindus were targetted by the
police did nothing”.According to Bose, the state Govt is turning a blind eye to the shenanigans of
“jihadi forces”.“Therefore we are trying to organise such camps to increase our
base in the state and to protect Hindus,” he said.Bose revealed the the
“training camps” have the blessings of the top RSS leadership in the country. catchnews
Journalists detained in Rajasthan after they tried to report on Bajrang
Dal’s weapons training camp
Delhi:3 journalists from Delhi were arrested yesterday in Hanumangarh
district of Rajasthan, after they tried to report on a Bajrang Dal’s weapons
training camp, which was being operated in the same area. Anupam Pandey, Asad
Ashraf and Vijay Pandey were detained without any proper explanation and were
made to sit in the Hanumangarh Junction police station for hours. The
journalists have alleged that police has also misbehaved with them. 3
journalists got a lead earlier that Bajrang Dal, a radical Hindu outift famous
for carrying out violence in Public and for its role in Gujarat riots, is
running a training camp on weapons operations in Hanumangarh. The journalists
headed to the area and started interviewing the trainers and association
leaders. When they finished getting the most crucial part, which is the
testimonies, for the story, the people at the training camp started becoming
suspicious. They stopped the journalists from leaving and called the Police. Police
from Hanumangarh junction police station reached the hotel where journalists
were staying and asked the journalists to come up to Police station, the
request to which journalists complied. As journalists report, Police hurled
abusive words at them. When journalists answered the police’s questions about purpose
of their visit, they were told that they would have come after talking with PRO
of Police administration. In a testimony published on ‘Democracia‘, Asad
Ashraf, wrote, “Police came in civil dresses and we were not told of any reason
for our arrest or detention. When I called my friends and colleagues from the
police custody, my phone was taken away. But by then politicians, journalists
and human rights activists have already started calling them (Police) and that
helped us in getting released.”Moreover, photojournalist Vijay Pandey and
Anupam Pandey told their real name to the Bajrang Dal members, while Asad
Ashraf hid his real name to be safe of any kind of possible violence, as
Rajasthan recently faced a dark episode of PehluKhan’s lynching.Journalists
have claimed that the they have gathered enough proof of Bajrang Dal arming and
giving training of firearms in Hanumangarh area. They gathered the story’s key
points after taking Bajran Dal goons in their confidence, but they became
suspicious about the time when the journalists were about to leave to Delhi.TCN
Cops suspect Delhi journalist Ashraf, detain, as he was covering story
on training in handling arms by Bajrang Dal
Circulation of RSS journals up by 40% since BJP came to power
New Delhi: There has been a growth of almost 40% in the circulation of
magazines linked to the RSS since the BJP Govt rode to power in 2014.The publishers of Organiser
in English and the Panchajanya in Hindi, considered as the mouthpieces of the
Sangh, however assert that the growth has been an outcome of a concerted
“publicity exercise and revamped content and design over the past 5 years”.Both
publications, which have had on their editorial board senior BJP leaders such
as former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK
Advani and KR Malkani, have also gained as beneficiaries of advertisements from
public sector units including the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and
the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Bhim Army slowly gaining ground among Dalits locally: Indian Express spl
report
Saharanpur: At the 6 ft by 10 ft office of Karanveer Singh, the gram
pradhan of Budhakheda village in Saharanpur, UP, a fading sketch of BSP chief
Mayawati hangs on the wall by the side of stacks of ‘Zalim Lotion’ that he
sells for a living. His door outside, in bold, colourful letters, declares,
‘Chamar Ji’, a former pejorative now proudly embraced by him.40-year-old is an
old supporter of the BSP but, like many here, a recent convert to the Bhim
Army, which has hit headlines as a new face of Dalit uprising. Dalits form a
majority in Karanveer’s village, but have long found themselves powerless in a
land tussle with Rajputs.“We had gone for help to local BSP leaders, but they
could not do anything saying they were not in power. Chandrashekhar (chief of
the Bhim Army) is helping us fight in court now.Today almost 75% of Chamars in
the village are with the Bhim Army,” Karanveer says.About 10 paces away from
his office lies a village wedding hall that doubles up as a school in the
evening. Pointing to the white board in the classroom with ‘Jai Bhim’ and ‘Da
Great Chamar’ scribbled on it, Karanveer says it was put up by Bhim Army.“They
have been running this school for two years. It has helped children of all
communities in the village,” says Karanveer.Of UP’s 21% Dalit population, 54%
are Jatavs, BSP’s core base, and most of them are concentrated in this region. With
Mayawati increasingly keeping to Lucknow and of late focusing on other
communities to increase the BSP’s social base, many Dalits who continue to see
her as their political messiah but feel slighted, have started looking at the
Bhim Army with interest. “It was only after Bhim Army’s Delhi rally that
Mayawati thought of coming to Shabbirpur. She was scared of a new player in
Dalit politics,”says Khubchand of Shabbirpur village, the epicentre of the
Saharanpur violence. Almost a month after that clash between Dalits and
Thakurs, leading to the death of one Thakur youth and a Dalit, and torching of
Dalit homes, the region continues to be on the boil. In the latest incident, on
May 30, Dalits were accused of being behind the desecration of an idol of
Goddess Kali. indian express
Saharanpur: After 10 days, Internet services return violence-hit
district
I have been demonized by Indian Govt,media:Zakir Naik
Dr Zakir Naik has spoken about the controversies that surround him, and
how the Indian govt, with the help of Indian media tried to project him as a
demon figure. In an interview with KTV Al Majlis, a TV channel run by
state-owned Kuwait TV KTV, Naik talks about how the Indian Govt tried to pin him down and his organisation
after the terrorist attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh last year. He claimed that if
he was planning or inciting terrorism through his videos, which are online
since last 10 or 15 years, why did the govt only look into the matter now?He
said, “It is shocking that many times, the Indian Govt had invited me to give lecture on religion in
National Academy of Hyderabad. Sometimes, I was even put under the pressure to
give a talk in the National academy.”Naik pointed towards Yogi Adityanath’s
selection as UP’s CM and said that the state of democracy in India is such that
the one who asked to dig graves of Muslim women and rape the corpses has become
the CM of the largest state. He said
that Indian police wanted to interrogate him physically, but he denied their
demand as everyone is aware of what Indian police does to suspects. He said
that Indian law allows to preach and propagate the ideas of a religion.“I did
not break a single law of the Indian constitution”, said Naik. He also pointed
towards the hypocrisy of Indian administration after lynching incidents. He
said that people get killed in public, but instead of investigating into the
murder, they instead focus on whether it was beef or meat.TCN
Delhi’s Trilokpuri tense as dispute between 2 families takes violent
turn, police deployed
New Delhi: Tension gripped east Delhi’s Trilokpuri area on Saturday
after two families, belonging to different communities, clashed. Police sources
said trouble erupted after a woman and her son allegedly tried to force another
woman to eat the flesh of a dead animal to “ward off evil”. They added that
Rojo and her son 23-year-old son Vishal were arrested but security personnel
had been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward situation. Police said
that Rojo and Vishal of Khoda Colony allegedly barged into Najma’s house with
the piece of flesh and a knife.“By the time I could understand (anything), they
started abusing me. Vishal held my hand from behind and his mother tried to put
the piece of flesh into my mouth. I started shouting and other residents gathered
outside my house. On seeing the people, they fled, throwing the piece of flesh
in my room,” complainant said in her FIR.Soon, people gathered in the locality
and police were informed. Anticipating that the situation may worsen, police
were deployed in the area and a peace committee was asked to help to ensure
peace as Najma and her relatives went to the Mayur Vihar police station and
demanded action. JCP (eastern range) Ravinder Yadav said:“During investigation,
it was found that the accused family used to live in the neighbourhood of the
victim but shifted to Khoda following minor disputes. They told us that they
were instructed by some ‘tantrik’ to make Najma eat the flesh, if they want to
ward off evil.”Indian Express
VHP: ‘No new mosque in Ayodhya’
Lucknow: VHP has decided that it will not allow any new mosques to be
built in Ayodhya.VHP’s topmost body, Margdarshak Mandal, in a resolution
adopted on Friday in Haridwar also rejected the suggestion to settle the Ram
temple issue outside the court and demanded that the Centre should take
initiative in this regard.“Mandir wahin…Ayodhya mein koi nai masjid nahin…Babar
ke naam par Bharat mein kuch bhi nahin (Temple at the same site… no new mosque
in Ayodhya…nothing in the name of Babar in India anymore),” the resolution stated.When
contacted, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said enough mosques
already existed in Ayodhya. “VHP will oppose if any new mosque is be built
there,” he added.“In support of the resolution in the meeting, the sants argued
‘will any Hanuman temple be allowed in Vatican City or Mecca’.Ayodhya holds
relevance to non-Hindus as well and only temple should be allowed there,” said
Jain.“The idea of settling the Ram Mandir issue out of the court amicably was
rejected because Muslims had every time stepped away from talks in the past. It
was resolved in the meet that Ram temple could be built only by enacting a law
through Parliament and the Centre must initiate the process. The sants had
supported BJP in the hope that a Ram temple would be built and the Govt should work for it,” he added. These
resolutions will be discussed in Ayodhya on June 7, when birthday celebrations
of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas president Nritya Gopal Das —an accused in the Babri
Masjid demolition case — is set to conclude.A ‘Sant Sammelan’ will be
oraganised same day.VHP spokesperson in Awadh prant, Sharad Sharma, said the
event will be attended by UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and Cabinet Minister
Mukut Bihari Verma, MP Minister Kunwar Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya and Rajya Sabha
member Subramanian Swamy. Others attending the event include VHP working
president Pravin Togadia and general secretary Champat Rai. indian express
Ram temple will certainly be built in Ayodhya: Union minister Jayant
Sinha
Jamshedpur:A grand Ram temple will certainly be built at Ayodhya, Union
minister Jayant Sinha said Saturday. “If it is a land of Lord Ram, I’ll say the
temple will certainly be built there. We will certainly build a grand temple in
Ayodhya,” the minister of state for civil aviation told a function organised by
the local BJP workers here.“As far as promotion and preservation of our
culture, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has recently visited Ayodhya.
When Adityanathji visited Ayodhya, a Ram Temple will certainly be built there,”
he said. “If it is a land of Lord Ram and our culture, then I will proudly,
boldly and open heartedly say ‘Jai Sri Ram’, the minister said.PTI
As CBI court holds Babri hearings, temple issue hots up in UP
Rampur village: No loudspeakers at mosques and temples
Rampur: In rare show of communal amity, Hindus agreed to remove
loudspeaker from temples and Muslims from mosques in a restive Moradabad
village. According to police officials, tension was simmering in the village
for the past three years over loudspeakers at houses of worship of both
communities. Circle officer (rural) Chakramani Tripathi said,"Police and
district administration of Moradabad are full of praise for the initiative
taken by the elders of both the communities who amicably resolved the issue in
the holy month of Ramzan." Triyadan village under the jurisdiction of
Bhagatapur police station here has been in news for recurring communal violence
over the use of loudspeakers on places of worship of both the communities in
the past 3 years.Dinesh Singh, a 40-year-old village resident, said,
"Outsiders who had nothing to do with the village used to ignite communal
tension which would often lead to violence. Later, police cases were filed
against members of both the communities and many of us landed in jail. It took
us a long while to see through their game-plan. Once things became clear to us,
we decided to talk to each other which worked in everybody's favour."Zakir
Hussain, a 55-year-old villager, said, "Violence is an act of satan. In
the holy month of Ramzan, we decided to take loudspeakers off the minarets of
the mosques. Our Hindu brothers also decided to take loudspeakers off the
temples. Now, we all live in peace here."SP (rural) Uday Shankar said that
the initiative was taken by elders from both the communities who gathered
everybody along where the issue of recurring communal tension was discussed
threadbare. "Finally, they decided to do away with loudspeakers at the
religious places." Use of loudspeakers at places of worship have led to a
series of violence in the restive western UP in past few years, including Kanth in
Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Sambhal and other such places.TOI
In This UP Village, Hindus & Muslims Decide To Remove Loudspeakers
From Temples, Mosques
In Kerala cattle market, meat traders, farmers feel pinch of Centre’s
ban
Neyyattinkara: At the break of dawn, Aralammoodu Saturday cattle market
is busy. Cows and buffaloes occupy most of the space, as owners and prospective
buyers look to strike a bargain. In the middle of all the haggling at the
weekly cattle market, local MLA K Ansalan is administering an oath to a crowd.
“Our food is our choice, our right. We will protect our food, our right come
what may,” crowd repeats after the law-maker, feverishly pumping fists in the
air in true Communist style.As the one-hour meeting draws to a close,
organisers distribute small packets of raw meat to register their protest.It is
not an isolated incident.The southern coastal state has seen a series of “beef
festivals” and noisy protests after the Centre on May 23 came out with a
notification banning sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for
slaughter. Kerala and several other states have criticised the Modi Govt ’s
cattle-trade rules as a backdoor beef ban, aimed at pushing the ruling BJP’s
Hindutva agenda.Some states are planning a legal challenge to the ban that will
hurt farmers and squeeze supplies to the country’s Rs 1 lakh-crore meat
industry. The ban is already hurting farmers and meat traders.In Kerala, 60% of
all meat consumed is beef, a cheap source of protein. Almost 60% of the
population eats beef and not just Muslims and Christians, a majority of Hindus
also consume buffalo and cow meat.According to the animal husbandry department
data, 1.17 million adult cattle and 70,000 young animals were slaughtered last
year. Kerala consumes 2.5 lakh tonne of beef, estimated to be worth Rs 6,500
crore, every year.“It is an unorganised sector but transactions worth lakhs of
rupees do take place here. Roughly 5 lakh people directly or indirectly are
involved in the sector,” said another trader.In Kerala at least 80% cattle for
meat are procured from livestock markets.HT
Stone-pelting MP dairy farmers unleash buffalo shield on police, choke
highway
Bhopal:Buffaloes are their livelihood and on Saturday, cattle were their
first line of defence. Dairy owners facing eviction for running businesses
illegally in Imlia village in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur let loose hundreds of
buffaloes on National Highway-7 to prevent the authorities from dismantling
their units.Members of the local administration, Jabalpur municipal corporation
and pollution board and a police team watched helplessly as dairy owners and
their staff stopped them in their tracks, shouting slogans from behind the
impenetrable buffalo wall.Animals took over the road, blocking JCB machines and
trucks brought by the civic body and also holding up vehicles on the busy
Jabalpur-Sihora stretch of the highway.The standoff continued for
one-and-a-half-hour, forcing the administration to call in for more police.But
dairy owners, planted firmly behind the buffalo wall, started throwing stones. Several
people, including a police inspector, were wounded and many vehicles damaged,
forcing police to cane protesters and fire teargas shells.HT
Bengal, Tripura were consulted about the cattle trade law: Harsh Vardhan
Agartala:Amid sharp criticisms from the rival parties regarding the
Centre’s cattle trade law, Union minister for science and technology Harsh
Vardhan said that many states, including West Bengal, Tripura, Bihar and
others, were consulted regarding the issue.Still, if, any state has problem
with the rule, they should present proposal with justification, it would be
considered, but that too, with the consent of the apex court. “There is no
mention of interference in people’s food habits or ban on cattle slaughter in
the new rule. In fact, many states like West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, UP ,
Rajasthan, Tripura, AP and Orissa were requested to file suggestions regarding
the issue and based on their suggestions, few amendments were also included in
the rule,” he said.“Surprisingly, now some political parties are opposing it
either intentionally, or failing to understand the rule properly,” said Union
minister in Agartala.
Open to suggestions on cattle slaughter notification: Govt
Beef ban has created anxiety in Goa:Union Minister
Panaji: Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik has conceded that there is a
“little bit” of anxiety in Goa about the beef ban.Interacting with reporters at
the BJP state headquarters here, Naik also said that the state BJP leadership
was trying to convince his party’s leadership about the situation in Goa, a coastal
state where more than 30% of the 1.5
million population is of minorities.“There is a little bit,” Naik said to
queries if there was anxiety amongst people in Goa, about the controversial ban
on beef.Asked about the apprehension amongst members of Goa’s minority
community over the ban, Naik said: “Govt will decide. We will think about it. We are
trying to convince them and explain the situation in Goa. And we will keep
doing it.”IANS
Gujarat law invoking life term for cow slaughter comes into force
Gandhinagar: Gujarat Govt on Saturday
brought into force the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act 2017,
providing for life imprisonment for cow slaughter, which was passed in the
budget session in March.Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja told the
media that the Govt was committed to
protection of cow and would issue a notification to declare the rules
shortly.“We have come out with the strictest law for the protection of our
sacred animal cow and the Govt is
committed to its protection.“There will be life imprisonment for those who
slaughter cow in the state and the vehicles used in transportation of
slaughtered cow or cows will be confiscated,” he said.Earlier, the violators of
this law used to get three to seven years of jail and Rs 50,000 fine, but now,
the minimum jail would be for 10 years up to life imprisonment and a fine up to
Rs 5 lakh, Jadeja said.IANS
Ow slaughter rumours: 270 people booked for violence in Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar: As many as 270 people have been booked here in connection
with the violence at Sherpur village on Friday in which 8 people, including 5
policemen, were injured, police said on Sunday. The violent episode unfolded
after a group of people resorted to stone-pelting when a police team raided
some houses in Sherpur on information of "cow slaughter". 270 people,
including the village head, is among the 270 people who have been charged with
rioting, participating in unlawful assembly, damaging public property, attempt
to murder and related offences, SP (City) Rakesh Kumar Singh said.When the
police did not find any suspicious item during the search, they started
searching nearby houses which angered the people, who opposed the police action
and started pelting them with stones.IANS
Kashmiri separatists will be taught real meaning of azadi: Union minister
New Delhi: Action against separatism in Kashmir won’t stop till the
separatists are taught the real meaning of ‘azadi’, minister of state for home
Hansraj Ahir said on Saturday.Ahir told ANI that India is a democratic country
where everyone has freedom, but it doesn’t mean that someone would get funds
from foreign countries and misguide youth and kill innocent people.The
minister’s statement comes after the NIA conducted raids at Kashmiri
separatists leaders’ residences and offices in a major crackdown on terror
funding.HT
NIA continues raids against Hurriyat leaders in 5 more locations in
J&K
In continuation of Saturday's searches by NIA at multiple locations here
and in Haryana with regard to terror funding by Pakistan, the probe agency on
Sunday took up fresh searches at five more locations.According to NIA sources,
searches are underway at four locations in Kashmir and one in Jammu.ANI
J-K separatists condemn NIA raids as ‘blackmailing’, warn of ‘dire
consequences’
Srinagar:Denouncing the raids by NIA in Kashmir on Saturday, the
separatist camp in Srinagar warned of “dire consequences” and street protests
against such “arbitrary measures” by the Union Govt . NIA conducted the raids
at 23 locations in Kashmir, Haryana and Delhi in connection with a case of
alleged funding received by separatist groups for carrying out subversive
activities in the Kashmir valley.“The current raids being conducted by NIA and
the hype and sensationalism around it just goes on to show the desperate
attempt by Indian Govt to vilify and
discredit the resistance leadership and in turn discredit the people’s freedom
movement.“We warn Delhi of dire consequences if all these harassing measures
are not stopped forthwith. If these unnecessary raids are not stopped, people
will take to streets and resent these arbitrary measures with their full might
and will,” chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference - Syed Ali Shah Geelani
and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq - and JKLF chief Yasin Malik said in a joint statement
in Srinagar.It said the raids over the past 24 hours, showed the “frustration”
of the Govt which has launched a pre- planned
“psychological crackdown” to force them into surrender.“It is blackmailing, a
ploy and a character assassination campaign against leadership so that they
surrender and stop voicing the sentiments of their nation, thereby covering and
shielding the atrocities and barbarism against common and unarmed people,” the
statement said.The separatists asked the Govt to desist from the “misadventure” as “these
“inhuman, immoral and undemocratic tactics will not deter the people from
advocating their just cause”.However, they said “it is their (Govt’s)
frustration and we will continue to pursue our cause and won’t budge in front
of such dogmatic elements”Accusing the Govt of “disturbing trade and business community”
in the valley, the separatists said “they feel very desperate to cripple our
economy and to see us with a begging bowl in our hand”.PTI
Pak Army says killed 5 Indian soldiers on LoC, India denies claims
Pakistan Army on Saturday claimed to have killed 5 Indian soldiers while
retaliating to India’s “unprovoked” ceasefire violation in Tatta Pani sector
along the LoC.Indian bunkers were also destroyed in the firing, the ISPR
claimed, adding that Pakistani troops “violently responded”. Indian Army said a
statement by the Inter Services Public Relations, the Pakistan military’s media
wing, was “wrong”.PTI
Pakistan Army releases video claiming destruction of Indian posts across
LoC
Congress blames BJP for 172 terror incidents in 3 years
Kolkata: Congress has alleged that the country’s defence preparedness
was at an “all-time low” under the Narendra Modi Govt and soldiers had become a “shield to play
politics and hide failures”.“For Modi, the soldiers have become a shield to
play politics and hide his failures. The country saw 172 terror- related
incidents in the last three years, which was
unprecedented. As many as 578 jawans and 877 civilians were killed in
terror attacks in the country in the last 35 months,” Congress spokesperson
Abhishek Manu Singhvi told a press conference here.“In J&K alone, 203
jawans were killed in the last three years,” he added. PTI
Indo-Pak cricket: ‘Don’t play with Pakistan’ say family of BSF jawan;
Hindu Sena burn Kohli’s effigy
New Delhi: Family members of BSF Head Constable Prem Sagar, who was
killed and his body mutilated by Pakistani forces, appealed to PM Narendra Modi to stop India from playing
Pakistan in the Champions Trophy.“We are opposing cricket match between India
and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. Govt must understand the pain of the
aggrieved family of the martyr. India should not play the match with Pakistan
in the Champions Trophy and should not have any relationship with that
country,” Ishwar Chandra, son of the slain BSF head constable told reporters
here.Meanwhile, workers of the Hindu Sena workers on Saturday protested the
Indian cricket team playing against Pakistan at 2017 ICC Champions trophy.Hindu
Sena President Vishnu Gupta said that they demonstrated at Jantar Mantar to
protest against India playing with Pakistan and express solidarity with the
Army which is fighting cross-border terrorism supported by Pakistan. hindustantimes
Chinese helicopter violates air space in Uttarakhand
New Delhi:A Chinese helicopter has violated Indian air space in Barahoti
area of Chamoli district along the India-China border in Uttrakhand on Sunday.
Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched a probe to ascertain the details.“One
chopper was sighted hovering over Barahoti area violating Indian airspace at
9.15AM. It remained inside the Indian airspace for nearly four minutes,”
Chamoli SP Tripti Bhatt told PTI. SP added that there have been similar
incidents in the past and it has to be ascertained the latest incident was “a
deliberate act of recce or an unintentional deviation.”The Hindu/PTI
President urged to protect livelihood rights of over 40,000 residents of
Narmada Valley
New Delhi: Activists from across the country, on behalf of some 40, 000
villagers, have urged President Pranab Mukherjee to stop the submergence of 193
villages in the Narmada Valley in MP due to the Sardar Sarovar dam till the
state Govt compensates and rehabilitates
all the affecting families. The delegation that met the President has alleged
that the state BJP Govt and the
authorities are not implementing the Supreme Court order dated 8th Feb,2017, in
which the apex court had asked the govt. to provide compensation to and
complete rehabilitation of the affected villages before submergence." As
per Supreme Court order, eviction should be done before 31st July and villagers
should be served notice 6 months prior. Neither rehabilitation sites are
prepared, nor has any survey for rehabilitation been done yet. This is inhumane
to uproot all these villages without the rehabilitation of the people,"
said Vimal, member of Matu Jan Sangathan. The SC had fixed 8th May, 2017 as the
last date for giving compensation and ensuring complete rehabilitation. But the
state Govt has not done any survey to enlist all the project affected families
entitled to compensation and rehabilitation as per the rehabilitation policy.Hannan
Mollah, General Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha and former MP said: "On
31st of July they (govt.) are going to close the gates of the Sardar Sarovar
dam. But no rehabilitation has been done yet. People are being asked to leave
villages forcefully. They (Govt.) are ignoring the interest of the farmers.
Every family has 15-20 cattle too, so not just people will be affected, the
cattle will also die. This Is a crime against humanity. So, we have urged
President to intervene into the matter."IndiaTomorrow
At Delhi’s Jama Masjid, nobody goes hungry during iftar
NewDelhi: It is another evening of Ramzan. Around 5 minutes before
sunset, 28-years-old Mohammad Uzair is hovering around a never-ending dining
spread in the northern corner of the courtyard of Delhi’s Jama Masjid. “Khaala,
paani piyo filhaal (aunty, take water as of now),” he tells an elderly woman,
who wants a portion of the iftar meal. Uzair’s supply is over after arranging
iftar platters — each containing two dates, one banana, pakodas and a glass of
shikanji — for over 300 people on the dastarkhwan (dining spread). Apart from
families who carry their own iftar meals, roughly 500 people come to the Jama
Masjid every evening empty handed, with the hope of getting an iftar platter.
Uzair’s family hosts one of the four mass iftar meals in the mosque’s
courtyard, primarily for such people. “In the initial days, we organise iftar
meals for 200 people. We keep increasing the number every week thereafter. By
the last Friday of the month, we have iftar meal arrangements for around 1,000
people,” says Uzair, who procures fruits in bulk from Azadpur mandi and has a
chef at his house, who cooks snacks every day throughout the month.According to
one Hadith or narration from the life of Prophet Muhammad, he is believed to
have encouraged his followers to arrange iftar meals, in whatever capacity
possible. Thousands of Muslims have been organising mass iftar programs
worldwide since then. In the Middle East, USA and the UK, there are
institutions, committees, organisations and even Govt bodies that organise mass iftar programs.HT
Mumbai: ATS questions Muslim youth as he ran away 3 months ago to work in
Nashik
Mumbai: ATS is questioning the 20-year-old Ashraf Sayyad who ran away 3
months ago and was working in Nashik. The police will also be visiting the
various cyber cafes where he spent time before running away. The officials will
also be scanning the CCTV footage of the cyber cafes and also asked them to
submit user logs to find out what the youngster was doing. Sayyad, went missing
from his house in Mahim on Feb.27. While initially the family thought that he
might have fled due to fear of exams, they started panicking after he did not
return calls and did not even come home after a few days.“Family approached us
and filed a missing person’s report following which we began investigating. We
have spoke to his friends but we found no trace of him initially, he had even
switched off his phone and the location was not determinable,” said a police
source.ASIAN AGE
EVM challenge over, CEC rules out going back to paper ballot system
New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Saturday ruled out
going back to the paper ballot system, saying paper trail machines will usher
in more transparency in future elections."Once the EVMs are used with
VVPATs (or paper trail machines) where a voter can see (cross check) the vote
he has cast, it will usher in more transparency. Then there is no scope of
going back to ballot (paper) system," he told reporters here, on a day
when no opposition party took part+ in the EVM challenge held by the Election
Commission to allow parties to try and hack the electronic voting machines.The
voters see voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slip for 7 seconds. Slip then
drops in a box but the voter cannot carry it away. Parties want the slip to be
visible for 15 seconds.PTI
GST rate for gold fixed at 3%, biscuits 18%, bidis 28%; states, except
West Bengal, agree to 1 July rollout
New Delhi: Footwear below Rs 500 will be taxed at 5 % under the Goods
and Services Tax, while the rest would be in the 18 % bracket once the new
regime is rolled out from 1 July. Currently, footwear priced from Rs 500-1,000
attracts 6 % excise duty. Besides, states also levy VAT.Gold, on the other
hand, will be taxed at 3 % and biscuits at 18 percent.GST Council, chaired by
finance minister Arun Jaitley and comprising his state counterparts, on
Saturday decided on tax rates for six goods including footwear, textiles,
biscuits and gold.Solar panels will be taxed at 5 percent. Packaged food items
will be taxed at 5 percent.Beedis will be taxed at 28 % and tendu leaves at 18
percent. A nominal rate of .025 % will be imposed on rough diamonds.Natural
yarn will be taxed at 5 percent, while man made yarn will be taxed at 18
percent.PTI
WORLD
HRW condemns Israel's '50 years of occupation abuses'
50 years into the occupation, Israel controls Gaza Strip and the West
Bank through repression, institutionalised discrimination, and systematic abuses,
US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. The rights group said that Israeli
violations included unlawful killings, forced displacement, abusive detention,
unjustified restrictions on movement, and continued development of illegal
settlements, along with accompanying discriminatory policies against
Palestinians. HRW said that many of Israel's abusive practices were carried out
in the name of security, adding that Palestinian armed groups have carried out
scores of lethal attacks on Israelis, also in violation of international
humanitarian law."Whether it's a child imprisoned by a military court or
shot unjustifiably, or a house demolished for lack of an elusive permit, or
checkpoints where only settlers are allowed to pass, few Palestinians have
escaped serious rights abuses during this 50-year occupation," Sarah Leah
Whitson, Middle East director at HRW, said. Although Israel unilaterally
withdrew from Gaza in 2005, currently more than half a million Jewish settlers
reside across the West Bank and East Jerusalem in over 230 settlements. Since
1967, Israeli authorities have expropriated thousands of square km of
Palestinian land for settlements and their supporting infrastructure, the group
said.According to HRW, Israeli troops killed well over 2,000 Palestinian
civilians in the last three Gaza conflicts (2008-09, 2012 and 2014) alone.
Aljazeera
Hamas denies Qatar’s expulsion of group leaders
Gaza CITY:Palestinian resistance group Hamas has denied reports about
expelling a number of group leaders from Qatar. Media reports said Saturday
Doha had asked a number of Hamas leaders to leave the capital city due to
foreign pressures. According to the Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen television, a
Qatari representative gave Hamas a list of members who must leave Doha.“These
reports are groundless and untrue,” Hamas spokesman Hossam Badran said in a
statement on Sunday.He said such reports aim “to tarnish Hamas image and affect
the group’s foreign relations”.Anadolu
US-backed forces advance west of IS bastion Raqqa: Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights
Beirut: A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance has seized new territory west
of the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion Raqqa, bringing it closer to a
final attack on the city, a monitor said on Saturday. SDF launched an operation
to capture Raqqa in northern Syria last November, and have since surrounded the
city from the north and east while closing in from the west.The Britain-based
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the SDF captured the town of
Mansura late on Friday and the adjacent Baath Dam on the Euphrates River,
around 20 km west of Raqqa on Saturday.AFP
10,000 civilians escape Raqqa as major IS battle expected
About 10,000 civilians have fled to a camp just north
of Daesh’ bastion of Raqqa with hundreds more arriving each day as the battle
for the city nears, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said. Residents are escaping Raqqa under cover of night as
US-backed forces close in, taking their chances against minefields and hostile
fighters rather than risking death in a major battle expected to begin soon.It
is not a massive exodus, but about 800 people a day are arriving in Ain Issa
every day,"Natalie Roberts, an emergency doctor from MSF
France who had just returned from the region, said.The camp in Ain Issa village
is run by US-backed SDF, which is made up predominantly of Kurdish fighters,
who have now arrived to within 3 km of Raqqa and plan to press on with the
assault on Islamic State. Conditions have deteriorated especially due to the
summer heat.UN and other aid groups have yet to establish themselves
in the zone, she said. City’s population was estimated at 200,000
before the recent departures. middleeastmonitor
Syrian army seizes territory from IS around Damascus-Aleppo road
Syria: The Syrian army said on Saturday it had seized mountainous
territory from Islamic State to the east of the road linking Damascus to
Aleppo, helping to secure a critical lifeline for the Govt that has often come under IS attack.Govt forces supported by Iranian-backed militias
and the Russian army have stepped up attacks on Islamic State on several fronts
in recent weeks as a "de-escalation" deal brokered by Russia and
Turkey has reduced fighting in western Syria.The army said it had captured the
northeastern and central portions of a mountain range to the east of the
Khanaser-Ithriya road. "It certainly widens the circle of security around
the Damascus-Aleppo road," a military source told Reuters.Reuters
Daesh attacks kill 32 Iraqi soldiers in Mosul
Baghdad:At least 32 Iraqi soldiers were killed in Daesh attacks in
western Mosul in the past 24 hours, according to an Iraqi police officer. 3
bombers attacked army positions in Al-Shifa district, northwest of Mosul,
killing 12 soldiers and injuring four others, Lieutenant Ali al-Karbalai with
the Rapid Response Forces told Anadolu Agency on Sunday.13 soldiers were also
killed in a spate of car bombings in Zanjili district, west of Mosul, he said.“2
soldiers were also seriously injured in the bombings,” he said, adding that 11
military vehicles were destroyed in the attacks.Anadolu Agency
Iraq to probe use of white phosphorus in Mosul: aljazeera
Iraqi officials have said they will investigate allegations that their
forces used white phosphorus against areas held by ISIL group in western Mosul.
"[We] cannot deny nor confirm – we are investigating into this news and
will come up with a statement to clear things up for the public," spokesman
for Iraqi Ministry of Defence Brigadier General Yahiya Rasoul said.
Philippines' Duterte says IS not behind casino attack
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday that Islamic
State militants were not behind the deadly attack at a casino in the capital
Manila on Friday."That is not the work of ISIS," Duterte told
reporters, using an acronym for Islamic State. IS claimed responsibility on
Friday for the attack that killed at least 36 people, after Philippines
officials said there was no evidence of militant involvement.Reuters
People who worship have better health: US Researchers
Visiting a church, temple or a mosque may lower your stress levels,
boost physical health and increase life expectancy, a new study claims.
Researchers from Vanderbilt University in the US found that adults between the
age group of 40 to 65 years who attend church or other houses of worship reduce
their risk for mortality by 55 % .“Our findings support the overall hypothesis
that increased religiosity – as determined by attendance at worship services –
is associated with less stress and enhanced longevity,” said Marino Bruce,
research associate professor at Vanderbilt University.“We have found that being
in a place where you can flex those spiritual muscles is actually beneficial
for your health,” Bruce said.Researchers surveyed about 5,449 people of all races
and both sexes of which 64% were regular worshippers. They analysed the
subjects’ attendance at worship services, mortality and allostatic
load.Allostatic load is a physiological measurement of factors including
cardiovascular (blood pressure, cholesterol-high density lipoprotein ration),
nutritional/inflammatory (albumin) and metabolic (waist-hip ratio, glycated
hemoglobin) measures. The higher the allostatic load, the more stressed an
individual was interpreted as being.Researchers found that non-worshippers had
significantly higher overall allostatic load scores and higher prevalence of
high-risk values for three of the 10 markers of allostatic load than did
church-goers and other worshippers.PTI
Leo Vardakar, gay, son of Indian immigrant, all set to be youngest PM of
Ireland
Leo Varadkar, a gay son of an Indian immigrant is now all but certain to
become the next PM of Ireland. Fine Gael party chose Leo Varadkar to be its
leader, on Friday. This also means he will head the center-right governing
coalition. He is the first openly gay taoiseach (a term used in Ireland for
it’s PM ). He succeeds Enda Kenny, who is stepping down.The new Fine Gael
leader will have to be endorsed by the independent members of the minority
coalition Govt before he becomes the
Taoiseach. Varadkar beat his rival, Housing Minister Simon Coveney, with 60% of
the votes to lead Fine Gael – the biggest party in the coalition Govt . scrolltoday
At least 6 dead in terror attacks in London
At least 6 people were killed in in attacks late Saturday as a van mowed
down pedestrians on London Bridge before attackers then stabbed victims at
nearby Borough Market. Health officials said at least 30 victims were taken to
area hospitals for treatment. 3 male suspects were killed by police within 8
minutes after the first report of the attacks, according to Assistant Police
Commissioner Mark Rowley, who said authorities are treating it as a “terror
incident” as they proceed with a massive operation in central London. middleeastmonitor
Theresa May says the internet must now be regulated following London
Bridge terror attack
New international agreements should be introduced to regulate the
internet in the light of the London Bridge terror attack, Theresa May has
said.The PM said introducing new rules
for cyberspace would “deprive the extremists of their safe spaces online” and
that technology firms were not currently doing enough.PM made the comments outside Downing Street on
Sunday morning in the aftermath of the van and knife attack that saw seven
people killed and dozens injured. "We cannot allow this ideology the safe
space it needs to breed - yet that is precisely what the internet, and the big
companies that provide internet-based services provide,” Ms May said. independent
Muslim girls sent home by US school for wearing hijabs without 'note'
2 Muslim students were allegedly sent home by a US school for wearing
hijabs because they were not carrying a 'note' from parents to prove that they
had donned the headscarves for religious reasons.Hajah Bah and Fatmata
Mansaray, both cousins and students of Freedom High School, Virginia, allege
that the school administrators harassed them over their decision to don hijabs,
eventually prompting apologies from Prince William school division leaders.PTI
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
Never-ending dispute: Ram Janmabhoomi epic begins not in 1992 but at the
same time as Independence. Nehru may have been secular but his cabinet was not.
Hence the sneaking in of the idols late at night despite locks at the
site:Meghnad Desai
Communal Riot in Bhopal: In a Totally One Sided Action Police Rounds Up
500 Muslim Youths: Translated by Urdu Media Monitor from Millat Times
A little fact-check of Honourable Judge’s cow order in Rajasthan:Jay
Mazoomdaar
Of gau gundagiri and the closing of the Hindu mind, writes Ramachandra
Guha: Ramachandra Guha
Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy book review — (Don’t) Keep
Calm and Carry On: Roy’s second novel raises questions about our equanimity in
the face of everyday violence:Pratik Kanjilal
Muslims we don't see: Practising faith differently in times of Islamophobia:1.7
billion Muslims, yet they are put into one box, which de-humanises them: Sahar
Habib Ghazi, managing editor at Global Voices
Kerala High Court forcing adult married woman to live with her parents
is regressive, violates constitutional rights:Deya Bhattacharya
For Protecting Cattle, A 1% Problem May Have Led To A 100% Ban:Manas
Pratap Singh , Sonal Matharu, Sreenivasan Jain/ndtv
Sikh men serving rooh afza milk to fasting Muslims in Peshawar is
winning hearts in Pakistan
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:03 PM)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment