Evening NEWS
DIGEST
INDIA
Stones for building Ram Mandir start arriving in Ayodhya
Ayodhya: Even as the dispute regarding the title in the Babri
Masjid/Ramjanmabhoomi case remains pending before the Supreme Court, VHP has
sped up its preparations for the construction of a Ram temple on the Babri site
in Ayodhya.On cue with the VHP’s announcement that the mandir would be
constructed by the year’s end, two truckloads of stones, to be used to build
the temple, arrived in Ayodhya on Monday. This is to be followed by more than a
hundred trucks in the next few days. The trucks have been unloaded at the VHP’s
headquarters Karsewak Puram in the town.At a high-level meeting of the VHP in
June 2015 – attended by late leader Ashok Singhal – the radical Hindutva outfit
had announced that it would run a nationwide drive to collect stones for the
building of the mandir.Senior VHP leader Triloki Nath Pandey said, “Today two
truckloads of stones to be used in the Ram mandir have arrived from Bharatpur
in Rajasthan, we need more than a hundred truckloads to give final shape to the
proposed temple.” In a similar move a year and a half ago, on Dec.20, 2015, two
truckloads of stones for the same purpose had been brought to Ayodhya. The then
Samajwadi govt in UP promptly banned the
entry of more stones, by denying VHP ‘form 39’ of the commercial tax dept,
required for the import. But that impediment has been removed with Adityanath
as CM “A month back we contacted the officer of the commercial tax dept, he
immediately issued the form 39 that they were holding since a year,” said
Pandey, adding, “There is a BJP Govt in
the state so now there is no hurdle in the way of the construction of the Ram
mandir.” Reacting to this move by VHP, Khaliq Ahmad Khan, who a party to the
case from the side of the Babri masjid, said, “The arrival of stones is just to
send out a message to voters that the saffron forces are serious about the
construction of the Ram mandir. The arrival of stones or any other activity of
the VHP will not affect any other sentiments as the matter is in the Supreme Court,
and the title of the land is yet to be decided,” he said. Ex-V-C of Lucknow
University Roop Rekha Varma, said “As the Ayodhya issue is sub judice, such
activities are illegal, and anti-national, and it may give rise to communal
tension and disturb the peace and law and order, so the import of stones to
Ayodhya in the name of the Ram mandir must be banned, and it is the
responsibility of the state Govt to do
so.”The Wire
Ayodhya Ram Mandir issue: 2 trucks carrying stones arrive at VHP
office:PTI
15 Muslim villagers arrested in MP for cheering Pakistan cricketers;
slapped sedition charges
Indian police said Tuesday they have arrested 15 Muslim villagers and
charged them with sedition -- punishable by life in prison -- for celebrating
Pakistan's victory over India's cricketers in the Champions Trophy. The
villagers were arrested in thr Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh state on
Monday after police received a complaint that they set off firecrackers and
shouted slogans following Pakistan's dramatic win on Sunday."We received a
complaint from a local Hindu man who accused them of celebrating after India
lost the match," Burhanpur police chief Raja Ram Parihar told AFP.The
accused have also been charged with criminal conspiracy, the officer said,
adding the celebrations continued for hours in the sensitive locality.The
village has a large Muslim population and a history of communal clashes between
2 communities.AFP
15 arrested for cheering Pak in Champions Trophy:Bbc
Sedition charges against 15 Muslim men for raising pro-Pak slogans after
Champions trophy match
Karnataka police arrest 3 men for celebrating Pak victory, BJP member filed
complaint
A day after India lost to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final that
was held in London, three youngsters from Karnataka were arrested for
"celebrating" Pakistan's victory.The incident occurred in Suntikoppa
police station limits in Kodagu. Riyaz, Zahair and Abdul Samaan allegedly burst
crackers at a public junction reportedly to celebrate the victory of the
winning team.With emotions running high on India-Pakistan rivalry, the act
earned the ire of some local residents. Chengappa, a local BJP member, filed a
complaint with the Suntikoppa police on Monday. The same day, the police
arrested the three men. "The accused does not belong to any political
party, but they burst crackers and celebrated when Pakistan won in the cricket
match.Some locals took objection to this and filed a complaint. A case has been
registered against the three youth under section 295 (a) of the IPC,"
Suntikoppa inspector told TNM, confirming the arrest. The section criminalizes
“Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any
class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs”.thenewsminute
Journalist beaten up in Delhi by ‘Hindu mob’ for ‘being a Kashmiri
Muslim’
An independent Kashmiri journalist based in Delhi, who writes for
Caravan Magazine, has been assaulted allegedly by Hindu fanatics for being a
Muslim on Sunday.The young journalist Basit Malik who was doing a news story on
a mosque located in Ambay Enclave near Sonia Vihar in Delhi, which was
demolished by members from the Hindu community. During the reporting, Malik
addressed a gathering of nearly 60 people from the Hindu community.“I had
presumed that he meant that it was a meeting between the Hindu and Muslim
residents. But the responses I received to my query made me realise that I was
mistaken, and that only the Hindu residents had gathered there. Not only did
the gathering not include Muslims, its members turned hostile—and subsequently,
violent—when they discovered that I had a Muslim name,” Malik wrote in The
Caravan magazine.According to him, the mob dragged, kicked, punched and slapped
him only for being a Kashmiri Muslim.“During this entire ordeal, which lasted
for an hour and a half, I was surrounded at all times. People from the mob
would angrily kick and slap me. I was continuously yelled at, and called
various names, such as “mullah,” “Pakistani,” and “aatankwadi”—terrorist,”
narrated Basit in Caravan.They also took videos of the assault on him while he
was instructed to say ‘Pakistan murdabad!’ and ‘Hindustan zindabad!’ southlive
“Say, Pakistan Murdabad!”: Reporter recounts how mob in Delhi assaulted
him when they identified him as Muslim
Issue fatwas against those who unfurl Pak flags in India: RSS leader
Indresh Kumar
New Delhi: RSS leader and patron of its Muslim wing, Indresh Kumar on Monday
urged Muslim religious heads to issue fatwas against those who raise the
Pakistani flag on Indian soil.Kumar also called upon residents of Muslim
localities that are dubbed as “mini-Pak” to protest against this
categorisation. “Even after 70 years of Independence why are Muslim mohallas
(areas) described as mini-Pakistan? If the places are mini-Pakistan then those
staying there are Pakistani. Why are there no protests or complaints against
this allegation? Why don’t Muslim religious leaders issue fatwas against this
allegation?” he asked.Speaking at an iftaar hosted by the MRM, which had
political leaders, diplomats and religious heads in attendance, Kumar said
there should be no place in India where the Pakistani flag is unfurled
including in “Kashmir”.“If the Pakistani flag is unfurled even in Kashmir,
should we not from political and religious platforms announce that it is
un-Islamic? And those who do so are anti-Islam and enemies of the country,” he
said. MRM, which is leading the campaign against the practice of triple talaq
and cow slaughter, has been persuading Muslims to lend support to the RSS’s
demand for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.It also wants Muslims to
opt for a uniform civil code, instead of favouring the Sharia (Islamic Law).“I
have asked many intellectual and religious heads why they want to follow the
Sharia instead of what is written in the Quran, but no one has an answer. They
acknowledge the opposition to triple talaq as interference with Sharia not
Quran,” Kumar said.Sharing the stage with Kumar was Manipur governor Najma
Heptullah and firebrand BJP MP Shakshi Maharaj who was booked for hurting
religious sentiments after he blamed Muslims for the exponential population
growth in India.HT
Deoband should issue fatwas against localities flying Pakistan flags:
RSS leader Indresh Kumar:PTI
BJP spokesperson files complaint against journalist Rana Ayyub for
criticising its presidential pick
BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Monday night registered a police
complaint against journalist Rana Ayyub for what she called a “defamatory,
hate-filled and derogatory” tweet about the NDA’s presidential candidate Ram
Nath Kovind. Ayyub had said of the BJP’s choice: “And you thought Pratibha
Patil was the worst bet.”A copy of Sharma’s complaint, which was circulated by
the BJP on Twitter, said that Ayyub’s tweet reflected an “extremely casteist,
hateful and disrespectful mindset” against the scheduled castes, which Kovind
has long represented. The complaint added that Ayyub directly undermined “the
abilities and position in society of a member of the scheduled castes” and was
“blatant and scurrilously slanderous and casteist”. The complaint asks for
Ayyub to be booked under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of
Atrocities Act. scroll
Centre sends 1 lakh plastic bullets, chilli-filled PAVA shells to
Kashmir Valley
New Delhi:Centre has supplied security forces in J&K with over one lakh plastic bullet to control
violent crowds in the valley.The Centre has also supplied security forces with
PAVA (made of pelargonic acid vanillyl amide, an organic compound found in
natural chilli pepper) shells that are more pungent, to increase their
effectiveness. The new shells consists of oleoresin, which is more natural and
pungent in comparison to the chemical-based PAVA shells.The larger supply of
plastic bullets, considered less lethal than the much-maligned pellet guns, has
been made after an extensive trial with a few thousand such bullets, Union home
ministry sources said.“As part of the graded response to deal with violent
crowds, the plastic bullets are being employed before using pellet guns,” said
a Union home ministry official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as he
is not authorised to speak to media.HT
Kashmiri cops call out politicians as 'hypocrites' who don't give a damn
about their lives
Police officers in Kashmir have called out politicians as
"hypocrites" who are unconcerned when members of the J&K police
are killed in the line of duty.Tahir Ashraf, a police official, tweeted,
"Those who enjoy #JKpolice protection/help and fail to side with them at
the time of grief are hypocrites with dead conscience."Indian Express
reported that Ashraf is a SP rank officer posted as Staff Officer to an IGP.A
total of 607 police personnel were killed in the country in 2014, according to
NCRB data. Highest casualties were reported from UP (82) followed by Maharashtra (69), Punjab (60)
and Tamil Nadu (59) under this head during the year. There were 52 causalities
reported in Anti Terrorist/Extremist operations from 10 States, the highest
number of casualties was in Chhattisgarh (18), and J&K(13).According to the
NCRB data for 2013, 13 police personnel were killed in J&K. HuffPost India
Another Shopian village suffers army vandalism: Kashmir reader
Shopian: Continuing their attacks on Shopian villages, army soldiers
allegedly vandalised Saidpora-Payin village on Monday evening, damaging dozens
of vehicles which the villagers had parked in streets, courtyards and on road
sides.A resident of the village (name withheld) told Kashmir Reader that as
soon as the army soldiers reached the village, they started smashing parked
vehicles.Villagers added that forces also ransacked about eight residential
houses. “They broke windows, window panes, other stuff without any stone
throwing or provocations,” a local resident said.Locals added that there was
fear and terror in the village when forces were abusing and shouting at people.
“We hid inside our houses and some youth left the village because of the terror
of the army,” an elderly man from the village said.
NIA trying to frame leaders on Zakir Naik pattern: Kashmiri Separatist
leadership
Srinagar:In a statement, JRL said NIA frames and raids residences of pro-freedom
leaders and activists “as a pre-planned psychological crackdown so that they
surrender and stop voicing the sentiments of their nation.” “Although this
agency (NIA) is being projected as an autonomous body, its services are however
being utilized to terrorize the leadership and defame and discredit the ongoing
freedom movement,” the Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani,
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik said. “They are trying to frame false cases
against the resistance leaders and put pressure on them to weaken resistance
movement.” greaterkashmir
China hints at blocking India’s move on Masood Azhar in UN again
Beijing: China hinted on Tuesday at blocking a UN ban on Pakistan-based
JeM leader Masood Azhar once again, saying that disagreements continue to
prevail in the UN Committee related to terrorism issues in this particular
case.Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang’s comments came in response
to a question on the Azhar issue ahead of its review by the 1267 Committee of
the UN next month.“We have talked about our position many times. We believe
that the principles of objectivity and professionalism and justice shall be
upheld,” Geng told media briefing in Beijing.Geng was responding to a question
whether there can be a forward movement over China’s repeated technical holds
to block India’s move to get a UN ban on Azhar.PTI
Dialogue the only way to move forward: Pak envoy
As tension has been mounting between the nuclear-armed neighbours and
ceasefire violation has become an everyday affair, Pakistan High Commissioner
to India Abdul Basit expressed hope that the stalled dialogue process would
start one day.He, however, reiterated that J&K remains the “basic and core dispute” between India
and Pakistan and without solving it “a durable peace cannot be achieved”.In an
exclusive interview with Caravan Daily, the soft-spoken Pakistan envoy said one
day the ice between Pakistan and India will melt as a framework for a
comprehensive dialogue process already exists."The present impasse between
the two neighbours will be over sooner or later as without dialogue we cannot
move forward. One day Pakistan and India will have to come on the negotiation
table for resolving their outstanding problems," says Abdul Basit. Caravan
Daily
CRPF refuses to share probe report of killing of 25 personnel in April,
saying killings of jawans by Maoists not violation of human rights
The killing of 25 personnel by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma on April
24 this year apparently does not qualify as a “human rights violation” for
CRPF.The force gave this response while refusing to share the inquiry report
into the incident with a RTI applicant.Human rights activist Venkatesh Nayak
had sought the report, saying the massacre violated the human rights of those
killed.The force is exempted from making disclosures under RTI Act unless the
information sought pertains to allegations of human rights violation and
corruption which may or may not be committed by CRPF personnel.Citing the
exemption clause, CRPF in its response said, “In the instant matter, there
appears to be no violations of Human Rights as well as facts of the case do not
attract allegations of corruption. Moreover, your application does not make any
reference to such allegations. Hence this department is not liable to provide
any information in this regard to your under RTI Act-2005.”PTI
India extends exiled author Taslima Nasreen’s visa for 1 yr
New Delhi: Controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen’s visa has
been extended for one year, with effect from July 23, 2017, by the Union home
ministry. Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday gave approval for the visa
extension, official sources said.Taslima, a citizen of Sweden, has been getting
Indian visa on a continuous basis since 2004. Her visa has been further
extended on the basis of the Swedish passport, they said. hindustantimes
South Asia Solidarity Group urges UN Special Rapporteur to investigate
the spiral of human rights violations in India
London: The London based human rights organization South Asia Solidarity
Group (SASG) has launched an online petition urging UN Special Rapporteur Rita
Izsák-Ndiaye to investigate the growing human rights violation in India
particularly the attacks on religious minorities and Dalits. “Human rights
violations which target religious minorities, specifically Muslims and
Christians, and Dalits are occurring on a vast and horrific scale in India
today. While violence against Muslim and Christian communities have been
increasing since the early 1990s, and upper caste atrocities on Dalits are a
longstanding phenomenon, there has been a massive escalation in both since
Narendra Modi’s BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014. Emboldened by the
victory of BJP, Hindu supremacist gangs with links to the ruling party, or in
some parts of India directly set up by the state, are the chief perpetrators of
these abuses which are occurring unchecked. Below we outline some of the types
of extreme violations affecting Muslims, Christians and Dalits.” Reads the
petition.TCN
Zafar lynching: I’m asked why Taliban is being created in India, says
Aruna Roy
Jaipur:Noted social activist Aruna Roy, while addressing a protest
meeting in Jaipur on Monday, said that people she meets on her foreign tours often
ask her why a “Taliban is being created in India”. Her comments came in the
wake of recent incidents of mob violence and vigilantism in the country.The
5-day sit-in, which began on Monday, has been organised by civil rights groups
to protest against the alleged lynching of Zafar Hussein.Roy said that India
had shown the way of peace to the world and it was disturbing that it is now
earning infamy over incidents of mob violence. “What Gandhi demonstrated in
this country was followed by Martin Luther King Jr in the US and Nelson Mandela
in South Africa,” said Roy, founder of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS). Furthering
the discourse, Kavita Srivastava of PUCL said that Rajasthan was slowly
becoming “lynchisthan” (lynching ground) and rule of the mob had taken over the
state. PUCL general secretary mentioned the lynching of Pehlu Khan by cow
vigilantes in Alwar in April among a number of other incidents of mob violence
in the state.Srivastava also said that the most ‘shameful’ aspect was the
registering of FIR against the victims. “It happened in the case of Akhlaq in
Dadri and Pehlu Khan, and the same script is unfolding in the case of Zafar
Hussein,” said Srivastava. The municipal commissioner, who is an accused in
Zafar’s lynching along with three others, has filed a case against Zafar
alleging that he had attacked the officials. The post-mortem report of the
victim said that Zafar died due to cardio-respiratory failure but his kin
rejected the report, alleging that it had been manipulated. “We are angry at
the authorities trying to project it as a natural death. We demand the
immediate suspension and arrest of the accused, a constitution of a high-level
inquiry into the case, a compensation of Rs one crore for the victim’s family
and the immediate construction of community and individual toilets in Hussein’s
locality,” said Srivastava. In addition, the activists said that photographing
defecating women was a crime under section 354C of IPC and demanded that the policy be stopped
immediately. Aruna Roy also expressed her disapproval regarding the recent
changes in the school textbooks of Rajasthan. “The way they are distorting
history and changing the curriculum, no student from state will get admission
in foreign universities,” said Roy. hindustantimes
‘I won’t give up fight for justice’, says father of Shahnawaz ‘shot by
police’ 24 yrs ago
Mumbai: It has been 24 years since Tahir Wagle lost his 17-year-old son
Shahnawaz. On Jan.10, 1993, Shahnawaz, who was a science student at Elphinstone
College, was allegedly shot by the police from point blank range near his
house. “It has been a long time and people seem to have forgotten the case. It
has to be brought back into public memory. I am continuing to fight for justice
and will not give up,” says 65-year-old Tahir.The incident happened during the
communal riots that broke out in the aftermath of the Babri demolition on
Dec.6, 1992. Tahir says his son was not killed in the riots by a mob of Hindus
but by policemen in uniform. “There were riots in the city but our area was not
affected. I can say that none of my Hindu neighbours resorted to violence
against us. My daughter Yasmin saw policemen shooting my son dead,” Tahir says.
Tahir and his wife Akhtari continue to live in the same house at Pathan chawl
in Mazgaon from where their son was picked up by the police.Akhtari stands on
the small balcony pointing out the spot where her son was shot but apart from
that does not speak much about the incident. They recall how they had been paid
a visit by Justice B N Srikrishna and how Yasmin had told him about the
incident. “On the night of the incident, Yasmin saw her brother being shot. She
informed her mother and both rushed down. The cops told Yasmin that if she did
not take her mother back home again, they would shoot her too,” Tahir says. He
was away on a visit to his native town in Ratnagiri district and regrets not
taking his family along. “There were no mobile phones then. I was informed only
later. The Hindu neighbours came to the house the next morning and told my wife
and daughter that they would take them to JJ Hospital where the cops may have
taken Shahnawaz,” he says adding that they only found his body. In the Justice
BN Srikrishna Commission of Inquiry constituted by the Govt of Maharashtra, 2 pages detailed the
“cold-blooded murder” of Shahnawaz by policemen. indianexpress
Mohsin's family wants Rohini Salian as SPP in the murder case
Pune: The family of Mohsin Shaikh, killed in 2014 allegedly by Hindu
Rashtra Sena members, has sought appointment of Rohini Salian as special public
prosecutor in the case. The demand came days after noted lawyer Ujjwal Nikam
withdrew as special public prosecutor from the case. The family has written to CM
Devendra Fadnavis seeking Salian's
appointment as special public prosecutor in the case. In 2016, Salian had
withdrawn from 2008 Malegaon blast case alleging that the NIA had asked her to
"go soft on the accused" in the case. Shaikh (28), a software
engineer, was attacked and killed on June 2, 2014 allegedly by Hindu Rashtra
Sena members in Hadapsar area. "In view of the cancellation of appointment
of Advocate Nikam as special public prosecutor in the Mohsin murder case, we
have written a letter to Fadnavis, seeking appointment of Advocate Salian in
the case," said Mohsin's father Sadique Shaikh. Shaikh said he has already
spoken to Salian and she is positive about appearing in the case further.
"So we request the CM to give confirmation to our request," he
said.The state Govt last month cancelled
appointment of Nikam as prosecutor in the case based on his request. Around 20
people, including HRS chief Dhananjay Desai, were arrested in connection with
the case.PTI
I was Maulana from Bhatkal. That is enough to be arrested: How Shabbir
Gangawali lost 9 yrs to false terror charges
Mention the name Bhatkal and the first thing that mainstream media will
suggest is the coastal town’s association with terrorism. Over the past decade,
numerous media houses have spent a lot of ink trying to ‘understand’, ‘explain’
and in some cases, even ‘reveal’ the causes behind the connection between
terrorism and Bhatkal. In April 2017, the same media maintained a stoic silence
when Shabbir Gangawali was acquitted of all charges and released. In this 9-part
series, Amit Kumar looks at how Gangawali was framed; how 3 residents of
Bhatkal were picked up in the most controversial fashion with little proof to
substantiate the claims of the Police, how the vilification of a peaceful town
has affected its residents and how beyond the image created by the media, a
society that is rich in tradition and education continues to flourish. Here is
the first part, the story of Gangawali’s redemption.For Gangawali, now 35, Nov.2008
was a time of exploring new pastures. After teaching and leading prayers at a
Mosque in Mangalore for a few years, he had landed up in Pune to become an
Imam. The money was barely sufficient, but this is all Shabbir, who had
completed his Faziliat (equivalent to Masters) from Lucknow, knew:he would eat
at his elder sister’s place and sleep at the mosque, which was thankfully next
door. TCN
Note Ban Had Material Impact on Spending, Slowed GDP Growth
Significantly: Fitch
New Delhi: Demonetisation of old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes had a “material
impact on spending” as reflected in significant slowing of GDP growth in
Jan-March, Fitch Ratings said on Tuesday, warning that the ongoing steep decline
in investment could spell risks to growth potential. In its latest Global
Economic Outlook (GEO), Fitch said Indian GDP growth slowed
"significantly" to 6.1 % in
first quarter of 2017 from 7 % in
Oct-Dec. This was the slowest pace since fourth quarter of 2013-14.
"Domestic demand accounted for the bulk of the slowdown. It appears that
the cash squeeze of Nov.2016, whereby the Govt pulled 86 % of cash in circulation out of the economy
virtually overnight, finally did have a material impact on spending," it
said.Stating that the lagged effect of demonetisation on the economy is
"quite puzzling", Fitch said this partly reflects the challenges of
measuring spending in an economy with a large informal sector.Consumption
growth fell substantially to 7.3% , from 11.3% in the fourth quarter of 2015-16. "More
worryingly, investment dipped into negative territory (-2.1%). This partly
reflected poor construction activity, which fell by 3.7%, an unprecedentedly
low level in recent years," it said, adding that this may have been
affected by the demonetisation shock. Stating that investment has been
persistently weak in recent years, Fitch said investment as a share of GDP has
been trending down for several years and "ongoing steep declines could
spell risks for medium-to-long term growth potential."PTI
‘Demonetisation led to GDP growth slowing 'significantly'
Tripura Governor digs up a Hindu-Muslim civil war quote from past: Indian
Express
Guwahati: Courting controversy again, Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy
tweeted what he called a 1946 diary entry made by Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who
later founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which stated that “the Hindu-Muslim
problem won’t be solved without a Civil War”. This drew sharp reactions on
Twitter and several exchanges later, Roy put out another tweet, saying “couple
of dozen dimwits” trolled him for “advocating a civil war”, and that “I was
quoting, not advocating”. At 12.23 am June 18, Roy took to Twitter: “Syama
Prasad Mookerjee wrote in his diary on 10/1/1946: “The Hindu-Muslim problem
won’t b solved without a Civil War”. So much like Lincoln!” This was followed
by sharp exchanges with some accusing him of instigating communal violence,
others calling for his sacking and arrest.19 hours later, Roy tweeted:
“Instantly couple of dozen dimwits began trolling that I was advocating a civil
war. None stopped to ponder that I was Quoting, not Advocating.” He continued:
“I was quoting a diary of 70 years back, pre-partition India. And it was
prophetic. Because Jinnah unleashed that civil war 7 months later. And Jinnah
won that civil war and got his Pakistan. That is also something Dr Mookerjee
predicted.”Earlier, while engaging the Twitterati, Roy posted a photograph of a
banner attributed to “Shyampur Masjid Committee and the residents” and wrote
“See this notice. It says “All music forbidden. Violators will call forth
penalties.” Not ISIS. Not Taliban, not Saudi. But West Bengal, India”.
Kovind resigns as Bihar Governor, W.Bengal Governor Tripathi gets
additional charge
New Delhi:A day after his name was announced as the NDA’s pick for the
upcoming presidential election, Ram Nath Kovind resigned as Bihar Governor.
West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi was given additional charge of
Bihar, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday. President Pranab Mukherjee has
accepted Kovind’s resignation, ANI added. indianexpress
Mulayam calls NDA-Presidential choice Kovind ‘good candidate’,
speculates BJP win
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader and former CM of UP , Mulayam Singh
Yadav on Tuesday said that Ram Nath Kovind, who is the NDA presidential choice,
is a ‘good candidate’. While talking to press, he also said that BJP can manage
to win the Presidential poll even if they are short of 1% or 5 % votes
presently, as he believed the party will garner those votes eventually. India.com
Shiv Sena announces support for NDA candidate
Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray announced the party’s support to NDA
candidate Ram Nath Kovind for the post of president.The Sena’s announcement
comes as an additional support for the ruling BJP which has already received
adequate backing from constituents of the NDA as well as non-NDA parties such
as BJD and TRS to Kovind’s candidature. hindustantimes
Nitish,Lalu divided over BJP choice for president:sources
Just as intended by BJP, the
selection of Ram Nath Kovind for the President of India has fissured the
opposition. Especially in Bihar, where Mr Kovind has served as Governor since
August 2015 and where the 2 main partners in Govt ,CM Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav, have a propensity
for disagreement. Yesterday, the BJP stumped the opposition by picking Kovind as its candidate for President. Because Mr
Kovind is a Dalit, most opposition parties find it hard to disagree with his
choice. Mayawati, for example, who is a Dalit icon, said she would not object
to Kovind unless the opposition fields another Dalit as its
candidate.Opposition parties are meeting on Thursday in Delhi to decide whether
to back Kovind or enforce an election, as suggested by the Left's Sitaram
Yechury. Ndtv
Guest anchors to discontinue as hosts: Hamid Ansari term to end soon,
Rajya Sabha TV readies for transition
New Delhi:With THE Vice-President’s term coming to an end in August, and
with little chances of BJP offering Hamid Ansari a third term, the Rajya Sabha
TV is preparing for a transition. As the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Vice-President
of India also becomes the head of Rajya Sabha TV, which was launched in
December 2011 during Ansari’s first tenure. As part of the transition process, 4
guest anchors — MK Venu, editor of The Wire; Bharat Bhushan, editor of Catch;
Govindraj Ethiraj, former editor-in-chief Bloomberg TV India who runs
IndiaSpend.com and FactChecker.in; and Urmilesh Singh —were told not to host
shows with effect from June 1. Siddharth Vardarajan, editor of The Wire,
anchored a weekly show, but informed the RSTV in April that he would no longer
be able to anchor it, and his last interview was telecast on April 7. Each of journalists
held weekly shows on topics such as foreign and security policies, media and
business news. These shows are now being hosted by RSTV’s in-house anchors. indianexpress
Madras HC reverses ruling in favour of Muslim woman’s husband
Madurai:Muslim personal law called Shariat may permit polygamy but that
cannot be a ground for a court of law to compel a woman to live with her
husband who has filed a petition for restitution of conjugal rights and yet
married another woman within 4 months of filing the case, the Madras High Court
Bench here has held. Justice RMT. Teekaa Raman passed the ruling while allowing
a second appeal preferred by Kamirunnissa (name changed) of Tirunelveli in 2006
and pending in the Bench since then. The judge reversed an order passed by an
additional district court in Feb.2004 in favour of the woman’s husband.“This
court, while bearing in mind the right of a Muslim husband to contract marriage
more than once, should also bear in mind that the decision in a civil suit for
restitution of conjugal rights does not entirely depend upon the right of the
Muslim husband. The court should also consider whether it would be equitable to
compel the wife to live with her husband.” he said. “Our notions of law in this
regard have to be held in a way so as to bring them in conformity with modern
social conditions. There is no law or a rule which can compel a court of law to
always pass a decree in favour of a Muslim husband in a civil suit preferred by
him for restitution of conjugal rights.” “A duty is cast upon to the court to
find out whether it will be just and reasonable to grant the relief to the
husband and whether proved circumstances are such that it would be inequitable
to do so for a Muslim woman,” the judge said after concurring with the
submissions made by the appellant’s counsel D. Nallathambi. Further, pointing
out that marrying another woman amounts to subjecting the first wife to
cruelty, the judge said the rule would apply to Muslims too. “In the said
circumstances, it could not be unreasonable to hold that after the plaintiff
husband contracted second marriage, the appellant wife is justified in staying
away from her husband,” the judge added. Initially, her husband filed a
guardianship petition seeking custody of their third daughter and withdrew it
after the appellant agreed to return all household articles gifted by her
father.Thereafter, he had filed a petition for restitution of conjugal rights
in 1999. The appellant’s paternal aunt had deposed before the trial court in
favour of the appellant. thehindu
Telangana Jamaat chief gives KCR's iftar dawat a miss:TOI
Hyderabad:Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Telangana and Odisha president Hamed Mohammed
Khan gave the CM 's iftar dawat a miss June 18. A day later, on Tuesday, he
clarified that he did so in an individual capacity.While Khan made no public
announcement of his intention, the news spread like wildfire with many lauding
the move.Interestingly, other office bearers of the Jamaat were seen at the
dawat. Khan confirmed that the decision was taken in an `individual capacity'
and not as the president of the Jamaat."This is not a collective decision
taken by the jamaat. It is my own decision. I did not to go because of a couple
of reasons. First, I do not believe such iftars are important.There are other
matters that demand the community's time.There is corruption everywhere,"
Khan said.
Bohras to plant 40000 trees to mark end of Ramzan
Mumbai:To make Mumbai greener, which is fast losing its trees to
infrastructure projects, the Dawoodi Bohra community has decided to plant
40,000 trees in the city. The drive will mark the end of Ramzan.More than 50
trees have already been planted near Horniman Circle and near community mosques
and housing colonies in Mazgaon, Muhammad Ali Road, Malabar Hill and Andheri.
The programme will be extended to other locations such as Santacruz, Kandivli,
Thane and Mumbra.HT
Changes in identification of Naroda gaam riots accused: Witnesses, not
lawyers, to name them
Marking a change in the practice of identification of accused in the
Naroda gaam riots case, principal city sessions judge PB Desai ordered that now
on, the witness would have to identify the accused from the ones present in
court and not simply say that he knew the person, as has been the practice till
now.The order was implemented on Monday itself, with the defence witness
calling out to 23 accused and identifying them in the manner prescribed.The
witness, Javal Patel, submitted that he knew former MLA Maya Kodnani but she
was absent from the court room. He added that all the 23 accused as well as
Kodnani were not part of the rioting mob that had reached Naroda gaam on
Feb.28, 2002. Additionally, he said that he had not seen any of them in the
area on that day. Patel told the court that he is the owner of Prabhat
newspaper and publicity and has a shop near Naroda police station. dnaindia
Naroda riot: witness says he didn't see Kodnani, Bajrangi
Delhi Govt orders pension of Urdu
poet ‘incorrectly declared dead’ to be restored
Delhi Govt on Monday ordered the restoration of pension
to Urdu poet Asrar Jamayee who had been “incorrectly declared dead” by the
city’s Social Welfare Dept in 2013, PTI reported. Rajendra Pal Gautam, Delhi’s
social welfare minister, visited Jamayee’s residence earlier on Monday, on
orders of Deputy CM Manish
Sisodia.Gautam has asked Jamayee’s caretaker to submit necessary documents to
restore his pension, PTI quoted an unidentified official as saying. He also
directed officials of his ministry to determine what led to Jamayeee’s name to
be removed from the records. Gautam said the 80-year-old poet’s name was
removed from the records during a drive against “unlawful beneficiaries” of the
old age pension scheme for the poor. “He [Jamayee] did not turn up to produce
necessary documents annually and when teams were sent to his residence, he was
not found there,” Gautam said. “However, this should not have happened. The
department has been asked to get his bank pass book updated and help him link
his bank account with Aadhaar card. His pension will be restored from this
month.”scroll.in
Cow vigilantes strip, tie,beat up 'cattle smugglers' in Etah
New Delhi: The cow vigilantes were at it again, this time in Yogi
Adityanath-ruled UP, where 3 alleged "cow smugglers" were brutally
thrashed by villagers in Etah district. The alleged thieves were stripped, tied
to a tree, and then beaten up mercilessly. This is not the first time when the
alleged cow vigilantes took the law into their own hands. A video purportedly
showing a large congregation of people around a man, who appears to have come
under attack, is doing rounds on social media. A hapless police constable could
also be seen in the video but is unable to do anything to protect the alleged
cow smuggler. The man, denuded of clothes because of continuous kicking and
boxing he received at the hands of the unruly mob, was then paraded, too.
CNN-News18
Bhopal encounter: NHRC team arrives to probe complaints
Bhopal: A 3-member probe team of NHRC headed by Pupul Dutta Prasad, SSP
and incharge of Group 3 Investigation Division of the Commission arrived here
on Monday to investigate complaints of barbaric and inhuman behaviour with 21
SIMI under-trials in Bhopal Central Jail.Though the team would begin its formal
probe on Monday, two members of the team visited the Central Jail on Monday and
talked to jail officials. They, however, did not meet the under-trials.The kin
of the under-trials had complained to the CM and the NHRC that ever since the death of
eight SIMI activists in a so-called encounter near Bhopal in October last year,
the under-trials were being subjected to barbaric treatment. freepressjournal
IT Dept. slaps benami charges against Lalu's family
New Delhi:The Income Tax Department has charged the family members of
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, including his wife, son and daughters,
under the Benami Transactions Act in connection with its probe into land deals
worth Rs 1,000 crore and tax evasion.The department has served notices of
attachment of assets on Mr. Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti; her husband Shailesh
Kumar; Prasad's wife and former Bihar CM , Rabri Devi; son and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav; and Prasad's daughters Chanda
Yadav and Ragini Yadav.PTI
Benami transaction charges against Lalu Yadav’s family, properties
seized; ‘politics of vendetta’, says Tejashwi
Narada sting: TMC leader Iqbal Ahmed asked to appear before CBI on June
22
Kolkata: CBI issued a notice to TMC MLA and deputy mayor of Kolkata
Municipal Corporation, Iqbal Ahmed, to appear before it on June 22 in
connection with the Narada sting.Earlier on Saturday, the Muchipara Police
summoned Narada News CEO Mathew Samuel to appear before it on June 27.
Justice Karnan arrested in Coimbatore by WB police
The controversial Calcutta High Court Judge C.S. Karnan has been
arrested in Coimbatore, by West Bengal police.He has been evading arrest since
May 10 after the Supreme Court sentenced him to 6 months imprisonment. thehindu
WORLD
Israel starts work on new West Bank settlement
Israel has begun construction of the first new settlement in the
occupied West Bank in 25 years, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu calling it an
"honour" to build the illegal outpost in defiance of international
law. "After decades, I have the honour to be the first PM to build a
settlement in Judea and Samaria," Netanyahu said on Tuesday, calling the
occupied West Bank by its biblical name."There was not, and there will
never be, as good a Govt for the
settlements as ours," the PM added.Since 1992, much of the controversy
surrounding Israel's settlement construction in the occupied territories has
revolved around expanding existing settlements.Before the "Oslo
Accords" officially opened negotiations in 1993 - between what would
become the Palestinian Authority and Israel - roughly 200,000 settlers
illegally lived in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Since then, Israel has
expanded the number of settlers to almost 700,000 - thereby making negotiations
for a Palestinian state in the occupied territories ineffective. The new
settlement - the first since 1992, according to Israeli NGO Peace Now - is
intended to house residents of the illegal West Bank outpost of Amona after the
Israeli military demolished it in February.The plan to construct the new
settlement in Emek Shilo - close to the city of Ramallah - was condemned in
March both at home and abroad, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
expressing "disappointment and alarm". According to Al Jazeera's
Imran Khan, reporting from East Jerusalem in March, "Amona is one of the
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank that was built on private
Palestinian land."An Israeli high court said that this was illegal, so
Netanyahu had to get rid of the people who lived there and move them on to
somewhere else," he added in his report. "At that stage, [Netanyahu]
said, 'By March 31, I will announce a new settlement for where these people can
live', and [Netanyahu kept] his part of the deal." aljazeera
Israeli settlement building soars in West Bank
New settler home constructions in the
Israeli-occupied West Bank has soared by 70 % in the year to March 2017,
according to data released by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
Europeans for Jerusalem warns of Israel’s practices in holy city
Brussels/Berlin/Milan,(PIC):Europeans for Jerusalem foundation has
warned against Israel’s persistence in its serious practices in Occupied
Jerusalem in general and at the Aqsa Mosque in particular.In a statement,
Europeans for Jerusalem described the exposure of the holy city in general and
the Aqsa Mosque in particular to direct targeting, break-ins, desecration and
assaults on worshipers under police protection as “a threat to regional
stability.” The foundation voiced deep
concern about acts of desecration and sabotage which Jerusalem and the Aqsa
Mosque are being exposed to, and assaulting and intimidating innocent
worshipers inside the Islamic holy site, affirming that such practices are
considered a serious violation of the international law.
Israel to impose entry restrictions at Aqsa Mosque as thousands expected
to observe Laylat al-Qadr
O.Jerusalem, (PIC):Israeli occupation police said it would raise its
security measures and deploy thousands of members on Wednesday in Jerusalem
streets and in the vicinity of the Aqsa Mosque, where dozens of thousands of
Muslim worshipers are expected to observe Laylat al-Qadr (the night of decree)
prayers.In a press release on Tuesday, the Israeli police specified the ages of
Palestinian citizens allowed on Wednesday to enter the Mosque ahead of the
night prayers.
UNHCR wins nod to use Islamic alms, Zakat to aid Middle East refugees
Dubai: UN, short of funds to support millions of displaced people in the
Middle East, has begun a scheme that would let Muslims make donations from the
alms they typically pay state bodies for the benefit of the poor. Muslims
around the world are expected to pay "zakat", typically 2.5% of any
savings accumulated over the year, generally via state institutions that
collect funds for aid to impoverished citizens.UN High Commission for Refugees
said it had obtained religious rulings from top Muslim clerics in Egypt,
Morocco and Yemen as well as a senior Islamic scholar in Saudi Arabia, that it
hoped would persuade wealthy Muslims, especially in oil-rich Gulf countries, to
donate their alms directly for relief work."It is an innovation in our
efforts to raise funding," said Muhammed Abu Asaker, a UNHCR Middle East
spokesman.UNHCR posted the rulings on its webpage that appeals for zakat
contributions to aid programmes.The amount of zakat money distributed each year
in Muslim countries ranges from $20 billion to $30 billion, experts say.UN has
projected it will need a total of $8 billion this year to provide life-saving
assistance to millions of Syrians inside their shattered homeland and to
refugees and their host communities in neighbouring countries.UNHCR has also
called for $2.1 billion to provide food, and medicine for Yemen, where 12
million people are at risk of famine and cholera brought on by two years of
civil war.Millions of Syrians, Iraqis and Yemenis have been displaced by years
of civil war, sometimes to neighbouring countries, straining the hosts'
resources as well as UN and other non-Govt al humanitarian agencies. UNHCR said
it will use some of the additional funds it expects from the alms project to
help some 30,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugee families in Jordan, with
around $180 in monthly cash support for each family.Reuters
By keeping US focus on IS, Trump risks wider Syria War
Washington: President Donald Trump has ordered stepped-up military
operations against Islamic State and delegated more authority to his generals,
but without a comprehensive Syria strategy, his approach risks a further
confrontation with Syria, Iran and even Russia, according to US officials and
analysts. While the US military's shoot-down of a Syrian jet on Sunday was a
rarity in modern warfare, the first in 18 years, it was not an isolated
incident.The US has taken a series of actions over the past three months
demonstrating its willingness to carry out strikes, mostly in self-defence,
against Syrian Govt forces and their
backers, including Iran. Reuters
Russia not sure if al-Baghdadi
died in Syria air strike:PTI
Moscow: Russia said on Tuesday it could not yet confirm that the elusive
Islamic State (IS) chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been killed in a targeted air
strike by its military in strife-torn Syria last month.The liquidation of the
leader of the terrorist group has not yet been confirmed, Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Gennady Gatilov said.
Trump admin may expand drone strikes to Pak, curb aids to crack down on
terror:Reuters
Washington:President Donald Trump’s administration appears ready to
harden its approach toward Pakistan to crack down on Pakistan-based militants
launching attacks in neighbouring Afghanistan, US officials tell
Reuters.Potential Trump administration responses being discussed include
expanding US drone strikes, redirecting or withholding some aid to Pakistan and
perhaps eventually downgrading Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally, the
officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.Some US officials, however,
are skeptical of the prospects for success, arguing that years of previous US
efforts to curb Pakistan’s support for militant groups have failed, and that
already strengthening US ties to India, Pakistan’s arch-enemy, undermine
chances of a breakthrough with Islamabad.US officials say they seek greater
cooperation with Pakistan, not a rupture in ties, once the administration
finishes a regional review of the strategy guiding the 16-year-old war in
Afghanistan.Reuters
Reporters face 70 yrs in prison over anti-Trump march
Even when heavily armed riot police closed off a square block and
surrounded protesters, media workers and legal observers alike, independent
journalist Alexei Wood did not realise he was about to be arrested."It
didn't even cross my mind that was what was happening," 37-year-old
photographer and videographer told Al Jazeera. "I was waiting for an order
of dispersal and the mass of people showed no sign of resistance when the
police completely surrounded them."Yet on that day, January 20, protesters
and observers say the order to disperse never came, and more than 230 people
were arrested during protests against the inauguration of right-wing US
President Donald Trump.Like other media workers who travelled to the capital
from across the country for Trump's inauguration, Wood was covering the mass
protests that gripped the city.Most of the protests that took place in the city
that day passed without violence or mass arrests. Wood, however, was scooped up
by police during the anti-fascist bloc's march.The arrests came after Black
Bloc anarchists and anti-fascists clashed with police. Officers fired a volley
of rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters and launched concussion grenades
into the crowd.By the end of the day, the windows of cafes, restaurants and
banks had been broken.Most of the 230 people arrested were the following day
charged with felony rioting - charges that carry a statutory maximum sentence
of 10 years in prison and a fine of $25,000. Among them were Wood and other
journalists.A handful of arrested journalists, including Alex Rubinstein of RT
and Evan Engle of Vocativ, subsequently had the charges against them dropped.
But on April 27, the Superior Court of District of Columbia returned a
superseding indictment which added additional charges for some 212 defendants, 3
of whom had not previously been charged. Along with fellow journalist Aaron
Cantu, Wood was given additional charges.Al Jazeera
EU urges de-escalation of Qatar-Gulf rift
European Union has called on Gulf countries to "de-escalate the
tensions and to engage in direct dialogue" following the ongoing crisis
between Qatar and other Arab states in the region. Speaking after her arrival
at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday, EU Foreign Affairs head
Federica Mogherini said: "Any difficulty, any tension, can be and must be
resolved at a table, discussing, in dialogue, finding common ways, and
politically.""We invite all to de-escalate the tensions and to engage
in direct dialogue," Mogherini said. "No unilateral steps." Aljazeera
Sudan’s Al-Bashir arrives in Saudi for talks on Gulf Crisis
Sudanese President, Omar Al-Bashir, arrived in Saudi Arabia to hold
talks with King Salman about the Gulf crisis, the official Sudan News Agency reported.It is Al-Bashir’s first visit abroad
since the decision by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt to severe
diplomatic ties with the small Gulf state of Qatar. He was received on arrival
at Jeddah International Airport by the Deputy Governor of Mecca, Prince
Abdullah Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz and a number of officials. Sudan’s Foreign
Minister, Ibrahim Ghandour, said Al-Bashir will express support for the
mediation efforts of the Kuwaiti Emir Jabbar Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to resolve the
crisis. Sudanese media outlets also say that the two leaders will discuss the
expected lifting of the US sanctions on Sudan as well as Khartoum’s
participation in the Saudi led coalition in Yemen. Middleeastmonitor
CAR Govt signs peace deal with
rebel groups
Govt of CAR has signed an "immediate ceasefire" deal with
rebel groups at a meeting in Italy's capital, Rome, aimed at ending violence in
the strife-torn country. Under Monday's accord, armed groups will be given
representation in the political arena in exchange for an end to attacks and
blockades, and their members will be brought into the country's armed
forces."We commit to the immediate implementation by political-military
groups of a country-wide ceasefire, to be monitored by the international
community, as a fundamental step on the way to definitive peace," the deal
read. "Govt undertakes to ensure military groups are represented at all
levels" and are "recognised as part of the reconstruction
efforts", it said. Rebel groups pledged to ensure "the free movement
of people and goods by removing illegal barriers as an immediate consequence of
the ceasefire".The accord was mediated by the Roman Catholic Sant Egidio
peace group, and calls for an immediate end to hostilities and the recognition
of legitimate authorities following the last elections. aljazeera
Egypt kills 12 militants in North Sinai air strike - Reuters
Egyptian jets bombed a gathering site of Sinai-based Islamist militants,
killing 12 and destroying several four-wheel-drive vehicles, the military said
on Tuesday.The air strikes "resulted in the killing of 12 highly dangerous
... leaders of Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis," the military said.
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
What links the Dalit activism of western UP’s Bhim Army to Punjab?At
32%, Punjab has the highest proportion of Dalits in any Indian state:Akshita
Nagpal
Modi Gov's Rs 500 Crore Bonanza to Adani Group Company: EPW
Kovind, Political Insider Who Helps Modi Flaunt Socially Inclusive
Credentials:Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta
Ram Nath Kovind Backed Convicted BJP President Bangaru Laxman in Graft
Trial: The Wire
A conversation with Dr Audrey Truschke, the author of Aurangzeb:
Misbahuddin Mirza,TCN
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:49 PM)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment