Evening NEWS
DIGEST
INDIA
SC suspends Centre's cattle slaughter ban across India
India's Supreme Court has suspended a law that would have banned the
sale of cattle for slaughter nationwide. Govt order aimed to "prevent
uncontrolled and unregulated animal trade" at livestock markets.For the
first time the sale for slaughter of buffaloes and camels as well as cows,
which Hindus consider holy, would have been illegal.It would have had a major
impact on the meat and leather industries and hit livelihoods, the chief
justice said.These industries are dominated by minority Muslims and the
proposed law was widely opposed.The new law had already been stayed by a lower
court in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on 30 May, days after it was first
announced. The top court said the Madras high court's interim order, which
lapsed on 8 July, would continue and remained in force across the country.The
govt is now expected to make changes and resubmit amendments to the law by the
end of Aug.Most of India's beef comes from water buffaloes rather than cows.
With annual exports worth $4b, India is the largest exporter of beef, mostly
buffalo meat, in the world.Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar said in his order
that "the livelihood of people should not be affected by
this".Petitioners in Tamil Nadu had argued that the ban infringed their
right to choose what they ate.Abdul Faheem Qureshi, the head of the Muslim All
India Jamiatul Quresh Action Committee that supports meat sellers, who had
lodged the petition with the Supreme Court, told Reuters news agency that the
order was a "victory". BBC
Now, SC too stays Centre's cattle slaughter ban, court order to be in
place for 3 months
Cattle trade for slaughter: SC suspends ban across India
SC suspends ban on trade of cattle for slaughter
Revisiting ban on sale of cattle for slaughter from markets, Centre
tells SC
Central Govt on Tuesday took a
step back on the issue of ban on sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter from
markets by informing the Supreme Court that owing to public objections, it is
reconsidering "certain aspects" of its recent rules. Govt said on Tuesday that certain aspects of the
rules touched upon “sensitive” topics and the Secretary of Ministry of Environment
and Forests was revisiting the rules. Centre said the Madurai Bench of Madras
High Court had stayed the rules in toto and it had no objection to the SC
extending the stay across the nation, following which a Bench of Chief Justice
JS Khehar and DY Chandrachud extended the stay across the country. However,
Additional Solicitor General PS Narasimha clarified that a relook at the rules
does not mean its repeal.The court did not agree with Centre's suggestion that
the States should meanwhile go forward with the work of identifying animal
market spaces within their jurisdictions as per the rules.thehindu
AMARNATH YATRA ATTACK
Amarnath attack: Bus driver Salim, who drove through firing saved 53
pilgrims, says Allah gave me strength
New Delhi: The terror attack on the bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims on
Monday evening would have resulted in loss of more innocent lives had it not
been for the courage shown by Salim Mirza, the driver of the bus, who drove the
yatris to safety amid indiscriminate firing of bullets by militants. J&K Govt has announced an award of Rs 3 lakhs to Salim
for his exemplary bravery. The attack on the bus with 56 passengers aboard left
7 dead and over 30 injured. Realising that halting the bus will have dangerous
consequences, Salim drove for nearly 2 km on Srinagar-Jammu NH before he
reached an army camp. “It was about 8 pm when the bus was surrounded by
terrorists. They first fired from the front with the intention to eliminate the
driver. I ducked sideways to escape the bullets and drove ahead. I do not know
how I got the strength to go on at that time. Maybe Allah helped me and gave me
strength,” Salim said as he stepped out of an IAF plane that brought the
deceased as well as those injured in the attack to Surat, Gujarat, Tuesday
afternoon. Salim, who also belongs to Gujarat, said he escaped unharmed in the
incident while another passenger seated beside him was injured. Gujarat CM
Vijay Rupani, too, lauded Salim and said he would recommend his name for a
bravery award. Munir Khan, IG, Kashmir was quoted as saying by One India: “I
spoke to the passengers and they were all praise for the driver. He drove
despite the firing and took them to safety. It made a lot of difference and
many lives were saved. He did not stop. Had he stopped, more lives could have
been lost.”Salim’s family in Gujarat said they were proud of him. His cousin,
Javed, told ANI that Salim called him around 9.30 pm informing the family about
the firing on the bus. “He couldn’t save seven lives but managed to move 50
people to a safe place. We are proud of him,” Javed added. The bus bearing the
registration number of Gujarat was on its way from Baltal to Jammu when the
militants opened fire. According to officials, the bus was not a part of yatra
envoy and hence was not provided security cover.Indian Express
Amarnath bus driver 'couldn't save 7 but drove everyone else to safety'
Amarnath Yatra Attack: Bus Driver Saleem drove through bullets to Save
Lives of 50 pilgrims
Amarnath attack: How hero bus driver Saleem drove through bullets to
save many lives
Police Blame LeT For Amarnath attack;
group condemns attack, calls it a ‘reprehensible’, ‘un-Islamic’; blames on
Indian forces
New Delhi: J&K Police on Tuesday said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba was
responsible for the attack on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims, which has been
denied by the group.“There is a LeT hand behind the terror attack on Amarnath
pilgrims in Anantnag district where seven yatris were killed and 19 were
injured. Probe is still going on. Security has been reviewed,” IG Kashmir
said.Meanwhile, LeT condemned the attack on the pilgrims and called it a
‘reprehensible’ and ‘un-Islamic’ attack. LeT spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi said,
“Islam does not allow violence against any faith. We strongly condemn such
acts.” Ghaznavi accused the govt of orchestrating the attack, saying, “India
wants to sabotage the freedom struggle of Kashmiris, therefore it uses such
attacks to fulfil its nefarious agenda.”“At times, India uses Hindus of UP to hide its terror face, and when it fails,
they use false flag attacks against Amarnath Yatris,”he claimed. LeT spokesman
said no Kashmiri has ever targeted any pilgrim and “this barbarity and atrocity
is trademark of Indian forces”.“They have no match when it comes to committing
heinous acts against humanity. Ajit Doval is frustrated due to his failed
policies, therefore he has turned to such dastardly acts. India wants to pave
way for its anti-Kashmir policies by using such acts but, it is bound to fail
like in past. May Allah be our protector and guide,” he said.This year’s yatra
was being organised under the “highest-ever multi-tier security setup” as
intelligence agencies had warned that militants were planning to target 100
policemen and as many pilgrims participating in the Amarnath Yatra. news 18
After ‘masterminding’ Anantnag bloodbath, LeT blames Indian intel: deccanchronicle
Kashmiri separatist leaders condemn terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims
New Delhi:Separatist leaders in J&K condemned the terror attack on Amarnath
pilgrims in Anantnag district tonight, saying the incident “goes against
Kashmiri ethos.” In a joint statement, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
and Yasin Malik expressed grief over the killing of seven Amarnath yatris.“The
incident goes against the very grain of Kashmiri ethos. The Amarnath yatra has
been going on peacefully for centuries and is part of yearly rhythm and will
remain so,” it said.“Our heart goes out to the families of the bereaved and we
express our heartfelt condolences,” they said.PTI
Jamaat-e-Islami condemns attack on Amarnath Yatris, demands an impartial
probe
Srinagar:Jammu Kashmir largest socio-religio party Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI)
Tuesday vehemently condemned the killing of innocent Amarnath
Yatris.Spokesperson of the party said: “We express deep concern over the
killing of seven innocent Amarnath Hindu Yatrees and others who got injured. It
is an act of cowardice and not
justifiable from any angle and as such is condemned. Jamaat Islami J&K expresses solidarity with all the bereaved
families and with the injured too.”He said this gruesome incident needs an impartial probe by any international
agency to find out the truth. risingkashmir
Amarnath terror attack: Police say bus carrying pilgrims attacked twice,
was part of yatra convoy
New Delhi: Bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims came under attack twice, J&K
police said in a report submitted to Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday’s
terror strike. Two groups of militants are suspected to have carried out the
attack, MHA said quoting the state police report. Contradicting CRPF, the state
police claimed that the bus was part of the yatra convoy but a tyre puncture
forced it stop for repair.On Monday, CRPF said bus violated all the security
advisories issued for Amarnath Yatra. “These yatris had not registered
themselves, as is advised, and did not even become part of the yatra convoy,
which is escorted by security forces, both to and from Amarnath, everyday. They
also violated the 7 pm curfew on movement of yatris,” said CRPF DG R R Bhatnagar. indianexpress
Amarnath Yatra attack: Spirit of Kashmiriyat is very much alive, says
Rajnath
New Delhi:Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday expressed shock
over the militant attack on Amarnath pilgrims in Anantnag district of J&K and said he salutes the people of the state
for keeping the “Kashmiriyat” spirit alive.
Killers of Amarnath Yatris not Muslims: Farooq Abdullah
Srinagar:Opposition NC head Farooq Abdullah apologised to the people of
the country for the attack on Amarnath yatris, saying those “who fired upon
innocents were not Muslims”. “On my behalf and on the behalf of the people
here, I want to apologies to you for this attack and want to tell you that we
are not the ones who kill people. We have always shown love and are still
showing it today,” he said. He referred to the role of Muslims in Amarnath
Yatra. “Even today, when a yatri comes here, it is the Kashmiri Muslim who
carries his baggage. The ponywala also is a Kashmiri Muslim,” Abdullah said.The
whole of Kashmir had been saddened by the attack, he said, adding attackers
wanted to create communal tension in the country. “There is religious freedom
in this country…communalism in India is at its peak again and it can devour us
all. This attack is an example of communalism,” he said.PTI
Amarnath attack aimed at deepening communal divide: Left
New Delhi: Denouncing the "dastardly and inhuman" attack on
Amarnath pilgrims in J&K , Left parties said on Tuesday it was aimed at
deepening communal divide and demanded that the culprits be brought to book.
The people of Kashmir have always viewed the pilgrimage as part of its
"syncretic heritage", the parties said and pitched for ensuring peace
and communal harmony in the state."CPI(M) politburo denounces dastardly
attack on Amarnath pilgrims," party said.indianexpress
Amarnath attack is a result of Modi govt’s failure: VHP
New Delhi:VHP on Tuesday trained its guns on the Modi Govt and said the terror attack on Amarnath yatris
was a result of its failure to end terrorism in Kashmir in its three years of
rule. The VHP’s working president, Praveen Togadia, demanded dismissal of Mehbooba
Mufti led J&K Govt , which he
alleged was a supporter of terrorism. He also demanded that the Valley be
handed over to the Army to deal with terrorists and their alleged
sympathisers.Mufti is in power in alliance with the BJP. Togadia said PM Modi should appoint a full time defence
minister and added sarcastically that there must be some competent person for
the job among 125 crore Indians.PTI
OTHER
Adil, Lashkar man in Valley, is Sandeep Sharma from UP; mother,
sister-in-law detained
Srinagar: J&K Police on
Monday claimed to have busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba module with the arrests of two
persons, including Sandeep Kumar Sharma alias Adil, a resident of
Muzaffarnagar, UP .Identifying the second person as Muneeb Shah of Kulgam,
police said the duo were involved in several attacks on security forces,
including the killing of six policemen in Achabal last month, and bank
robberies in South Kashmir. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Muneer Ahmad
Khan said Sharma was nabbed in the encounter at Brenti Batapora, Dialgam, in South
Kashmir on July 1, when Lashkar ‘commander’ Bashir Ahmad Wani was killed. “He
was present in the same house at Brenti Batapora where Wani and Abu Maaz of
Pakistan were killed,” he said.“Sharma and his accomplice were involved in an
attack on an Army convoy at Lower Munda Qazigund in June. They were also
involved in a weapon snatching incident at the residence of Justice (retd)
Muzuffar Attar at Anchidoora on June 13, and attack on a police party in which
6 policemen were killed at Thajiwara Achabal on June 16,” said Khan. He said
Sharma and his associates were also involved in five incidents of bank
robberies and looting of ATMs.“This criminal conspiracy started sometime in
Jan.2017. Sharma and his associates (all Kashmir residents) came from Patiala
to carry out criminal activities. They stayed in Wanpoh and were involved in
robberies, including looting of ATMs, in South Kashmir. They worked in
conjunction with Lashkar…Sharma worked as Wani’s key aide,” he said.In
Muzaffarnagar, Sharma’s mother Premvati, brother Parveen and sister-in-law
Rekha have been detained for questioning. “ATS team from the local police
station went to their residence at around 9 am, after receiving information
from the J&K police. His mother and sister-in-law were at home,” said
Inspector GC Sharma of Civil Lines Police Station, who was part of the team.
Parveen was brought in from Haridwar, where he is employed as a driver.The
family is reported to have told the police that Sharma had converted to Islam
and married a girl from Kashmir. They have reportedly claimed that Sharma left
his home, in Sarwat village of Muzaffarnagar district, about 7 years ago, and
did not contact them till about three years ago. That was when they found out
that he had converted. Lashkar, however, denied any link with Sharma, and said
it was a ploy by intelligence agencies to sabotage the Kashmir movement.In
Sarwat, villagers expressed surprise at the arrest.“They were a very poor family.
He was miffed with the family since they had sold their old home, a few years
ago. He wanted a share of the money, but Parveen wasn’t willing to give him,” said
Gaurav Tyagi, 30, Sharma. ndian express
UP Police detain mother of LeT operative Sandeep
Sikkim border dispute: Indian Army deploys 2,500 more soldiers to site
while China hints at Kashmir unrest
Even as the Sikkim border dispute between India and China shows no sign
of abating, Indian Army seems to have settled in for the long haul.The army has
pitched in tents, indicating that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was
reciprocity from China's People's Liberation Army personnel in ending the
face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section. A steady
line of supplies is being maintained for the soldiers at the site, official
sources said, signalling that Indian Army is not going to wilt under any
pressure from China. According to a report in Times of India, India has moved
2,500 soldiers from their peace-time deployments in Sikkim to further reinforce
its proactive stance. Firstpost
India and China Will Work on Border, Official Says:Reuters
Singapore;India and China can manage the differences that are likely to
arise from time to time over their contested border, India's Foreign Secretary
S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday, commenting on recent tension sparked by Chinese
road-building. In early June, according to the Chinese interpretation of
events, Indian guards crossed into China's Donglang region and obstructed work
on a road on a plateau adjoining the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim.
Jaishankar said Indian PM Narendra Modi
and China's President Xi Jinping reached consensus on two points at a meeting
last month on the sidelines of a regional summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Malabar exercise is a signal to China we are one: US commander
Chennai: Amid vociferous protests and far from subtle bluster by China,
the navies of India and the US and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force on
Monday opened the 21st edition of maritime exercise Malabar with the US
unequivocally standing by the country in its efforts to check Beijing's growing
footprint in the Indian Ocean.Commander US Strike Group 11 Rear Admiral William
D Byrne said the only strategic message that Malabar 2017 is sending to
"all navies is that we are better together", adding that the drill
should "eliminate possibilities of miscalculations".Another US
commander, who asked not to be named, said the exercise would have a
significant impact on the Chinese. "They will know that we are standing
together and that it is better to stand together," he said. indiatimes
Sikkim standoff: Impasse likely part of China’s ‘salami-slicing’ tactic
to gain strategic mile, says US expert
The stand-off between India and China soldiers in the Dokalam area could
be part of China’s “salami-slicing” tactics of making “inch-by-inch” changes to
the status quo to slowly gain a strategic mile, a top American expert has said.
China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area of the
Sikkim sector near the Bhutan tri-junction for over 3 weeks after a Chinese
Army’s construction party attempted to build a road.“I am concerned about the
standoff on the border, as obviously are so many in India,” Alyssa Ayres, a
former State Department official under the Obama administration, said.PTI
BJP workers attack imam in Nadia, W. Bengal;hospitalised
After a series of mob lynching of Muslims across the nation in the name
of protecting cows, BJP and RSS are now targeting West Bengal, as we have seen
from the recent events in Dhaulagarh and now in Baduria and Bashirhat. Despite
condemnation from all quarters for circulating fake images, videos and news, BJP
is clearly in no mood to let peace prevail in the state, as was visible from an
incident reported from of Bethuadahari village of Nakashipara Block in Bengal’s
Nadia district, where an Imam was attacked by BJP workers for no apparent
reason. Manirul Islam, an imam who belongs to another village, Subhasnagar, was
on his way home when the BJP march was returning from the Nakashipara police
station and the BJP mob started to beat the imam seeing his beard. Imam could
not be contacted as he was admitted to the Krishnanagar Subdivisional Hospital.
According to another imam of a nearby village, Oliullah Sekh said, “Manirul
Islam, the imam of Kanthalberia village was attacked by 50 to 60 people with
rods, bamboos in his head, chest and legs. He was forced to say Jai Sri Ram but
he did not.” He added that though there was some Muslims present at the spot,
they could not save imam for fear of their own life. When this paper contacted
the local police who are handling this case, the Sub Inspector of Nakashipara
police station, Mukul Mia, confirmed that the protesting rally was by BJP
workers going back from the police station. He said, “A group of BJP workers
and many others under the banner Hindu Jagaran Manch, a Hindu outfit at
Nakashipara Block, assembled on police station compound demanding the reason of
heckling a BJP worker from Patika bari village at College more, Bethuadahari
and they on their way to return back attacked a local imam on the road.”TCN
WB: Muslim religious leaders plan social media outreach
Kolkata: More than a week after a Facebook post triggered communal
violence in Baduria and Basirhat areas of North-24 Parganas district, Muslim
religious leaders and intellectuals have decided to take to the social media to
preach true Islam and counter hatred. Several Imams and Muslim leaders in the
state have come together for the initiative and have planned to form a team
that will counter religious hatred on social media platforms — FB, Twitter,
WhatsApp — and inform police if they come across derogatory posts. The
initiative is being led by Qari Fazlur Rehman, a senior Imam who leads the Eid
prayers on the Red Road in Kolkata. Rehman said, “This is the need of the
hour.The social media is a very strong medium and a lot of misinformation and
hatred are being spread through it. We have decided to combat this hatred
through the social media itself.”“We are already in the process of forming a
team of youths for the task. Their job will be to spread the message of true
Islam, which is of peace. Islam does not permit murders. They will also counter
misinformation that can misguide and keep a watch on derogatory posts,” he
added. Muslim leaders recently floated the Minority Council of Bengal, a
platform for the Muslims of the state..The council, he said, will play a key
role in countering hatred on the Internet. Audio-visual messages explaining the
tenets of Quran and Islam will be a part of the social media campaign, said the
Muslim leaders. The messages will be in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and
English, so that they can reach a wider audience not only in Bengal, but across
the country. Indian Express
W.Bengal: Charges framed against BJP spokesperson for stoking communal
unrest: livemint
Kolkata police has started
criminal proceedings against Nupur Sharma, spokesperson of BJP, for sharing
fake images of rioting to incite last week’s communal unrest in North 24
Parganas district.Charges have been brought against Sharma under 5 different
sections of the IPC such as spreading rumours, forgery and creating communal
disharmony.Sharma had on Saturday posted on Twitter a cropped image from the
2002 Gujarat riots, claiming it was a recent image from West Bengal, police
officers in Kolkata said, asking not to be named.
Trio Arrested For Sharing Fake Images Of Bengal Riots, One Claims To Be
‘Working Under Pressure’
Early Police investigations in the events leading up to the outbreak of
communal violence in parts of Bengal's
North 24 Paraganas district have made some interesting revelations. Firstly. the three suspects nabbed by police
so far worked on "similar lines," a report in Times of India
says.Moreover, the investigations have also revealed that the 3 accused, who
allegedly shared objectionable photos on social media in the aftermath of
clashes between two communities, had multiple social media profiles and
followed a certain pattern. One of the arrested claimed to be "working
under pressure", the police said. One of the arrested, Bhavatosh
Chatterjee, had shared an image of a woman whose sari is being pulled off her.
Projected as an image of treatment meted out to women in Bengal, the image was
shared by a Haryana BJP leader recently. However, it later turned out to be an
image from a Bhojpuri film. TOI report said Chatterjee has evaded questions on
his links with rightwing groups. Scoopwhoop
After lynchings, Jharkhand to expel people sharing rumours on social
media
Ranchi: Rumourmongers in Jharkhand could be externed for inciting
communal tension in the state battling a string of mob attacks since May,
mostly over the suspicion of cow slaughter and beef trade. Police are going to
identify such people or groups that post or share inflammatory messages on
social media, primarily WhatsApp, and charge them with legal sanctions in Jharkhand
crime control act of 2002.A punishment stated in the law is to banish offenders
from their districts. “We have instructed all 24 districts to prepare a list of
rumour mongers. Individuals or groups will be externed from their districts,”ADG
RK Mallick said. Step was conceived to preempt minor clashes turning into
communal flare-ups because of reactionary falsehood circulating on social
media. HT
Cow vigilantes portrayed Una flogging victim as Muslim to instigate others:CID
Ahmedabad: An accused in Una flogging case allegedly tried to paint one
of 7 Dalit victims as a Muslim who had slaughtered the cow whose carcass was
being skinned in order to instigate other attackers further, according to
chargesheet by the CID.According to the transcript of a video of the incident
attached to the chargesheet, the said accused tried to egg others on by
labelling the particular victim as a member of the minority community.On July
11 last year, 7 Dalits from Mota Samadhiyala village of Gir Somnath district
were flogged in public, after they were seen skinning a dead cow. Videos of the
incident went viral, triggering widespread protests.According to the transcript
of one such video, annexed to the charge sheet, accused tried to label one
victim as Muslim.“Tell the truth …You belong to which community? Don’t do drama
here …stop crying …Beat him up. What is your name? I know you very well …Your
name is Aarif …Why did you run away?Tell me will you ever run away?You slaughtered
the cow,” reads the Gujarati transcript of the video.“Let us tie them to the
vehicle and thrash them. Only then will they understand,” transcript adds.CID
had named 34 people, including four police personnel, in chargesheet filed last
year. The chargesheet said alleged mastermind Shantilal Monpara of the Sanatan
Gau Seva Trust hatched a conspiracy with his aides to claim that the Dalit men
had slaughtered the cow.PTI
Accused In Una Flogging Incident Allegedly Tried To Project Victim As
Muslim: CID
15 yrs after Godhra riots, Congress tries soft Hindutva, BJP eyes Muslim
votes
Godhra: The line dividing Hindus and Muslims
in Godhra has never run deeper. Darshan Soni can’t remember the last time he
stepped into the Muslim territory as himself.An active member of Godhra’s
leading cow vigilante group, Soni only ever crosses into the Muslim area posing
as a Muslim — skullcap placed firmly on his big, bald head – to pick up leads
on the movement of cows.Soni has never willingly spoken to a Muslim in 24
years.“We don’t talk to each other in Godhra; we never have.”Godhra, a town of
150,000 people, has never been known for Hindu-Muslim harmony. “Since before
1947, every year an incident drove the communities apart,” said a Muslim trader
who didn’t want to be named.In Godhra, local meat shops shut down for a week
after BJP govt’s announcement of life term for cow slaughter, to avoid
trouble.“Nearly 70% of the community lives in fear that they will be implicated
by police if trouble happens,” says Sophia Jamal, vice-president at the town
municipality.Compared to Hindus, Muslims in Godhra are cautious on the subject
of Hindu-Muslim ties. Says Haneef Haji. “Hindu-Muslim relations are perfectly
fine. We freely go into each other’s neighbourhoods. We get together at every
wedding.” HT
Increase of Muslim population will make Kerala better place to live in:
ex-police chief of Malappuram Senkuamr
Malappuram: As the debate over the controversial statement regrading the
Muslim population in Kerala made by former police chief of the state, TP
Senkuamr still continues, a senior IPS officer in state K Sethuraman who served
as district police chief of Muslim majority Malappuram district for four years
came up with the statement that the increase of Muslim population will make the
state better place to live in.In a note posted on his facebook page on Monday,
Sethuraman said that if Muslim population increase in state it will reduce
communalism and casteism."As police officers, we have travelled throughout
the state and know people from every corner of state. Everywhere I have come
across only Hindu, Muslim, Nair, Ezhavan, Christian, Dalit etc. But in
Malappuram, one can find paccha Malayali (a genuine Malayali). Any one is ready
to help another. People are extremely law abiding, cordial and helpful",
he says in FB post. Reffering eminent personalities from Muslim community he
hails actor Mammootty's roles on silver screens. We need more Basheer(lead role
of movie 'Mathilukal' which has won many awards)."One cannot think of any
other actor than Mammooty in 'Vadakkan Veera Gatha', 'Amaram', 'Rajamanikyam',
'Pranchiyettan' etc..Who is more progressive and liberal than M N Karassery in
Kerala Sethuraman says about renowned writer. He says Muslims have among them
the best of critics and rationalists in Kerala. timesofindia
Those facing corruption charges should put all facts in public domain:
JD(U) to RJD
New Delhi: JD(U) on Tuesday sent out a strong and clear message to the
RJD amid reports of strain between the alliance partners after CBI lodged
corruption cases against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members."We know
how to follow the coalition dharma, but we do hope that those facing
allegations will put all the facts in public domain," said JD(U) leader
Neeraj Kumar at a press conference on Tuesday.The pointed remark came after a
high-level party meeting chaired by JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar to discuss the
growing demand for Tejashwi's resignation from the Bihar cabinet. The deputy CM
has been granted a reprieve of four days
before the issue is taken up again."After 4 days we will discuss it
(Tejashwi) again," JDU l leader Ramai Ram was quoted as saying by ANI
after the party meeting.Nitish himself has maintained a studied silence on the
CBI raids and that has added to the suspense over the future of the coalition Govt
in Bihar. Timesofindia
Gopalkrishna Gandhi is Opposition pick for Vice-President
New Delhi:Opposition on Tuesday picked former West Bengal Governor
Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its candidate for Vice-Presidential election. The
decision to pick Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson came after leaders from 18
Opposition parties met on Tuesday.Gandhi’s was the only name that was
reportedly discussed in the meeting that took place in Parliament House. After
the meeting, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that all the parties
unanimously decided to raise Gandhi’s name for the candidature. Congress
President said,“18 parties have decided to field Gopalkrishna as their VP
candidate.”“We have spoken to Gopalkrishna Gandhi. He has agreed to be
opposition’s candidate for vice president,” she further added.JD(U), which had
broken ranks with the opposition over the presidential poll, also attended the
meeting. While Sharad Yadav represented JD(U), other leaders at the meeting
included Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, ex-PM Manmohan Singh, TMC’s Derek O’
Brien, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, NC’s Omar Abdullah, SP’s Naresh Agarwal and
BSP’s Satish Chandra Mishra. Polling for the vice president’s post will take
place on August 5 if required.The votes will be counted the same evening.
indian express
No GST on free food served at religious institutions: Govt
New Delhi: Govt has clarified that all free food supplied at religious
institutions is exempt from GST.“There are media reports suggesting that GST
applies on free food supplied in anna kshetras run by religious institutions,”
Ministry of Finance said . “This is completely untrue. No GST is applicable on
such food supplied free.“Further, prasadam supplied by religious places like
temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras, dargahs, etc attracts nil CGST and SGST
or IGST, as the case may be.”However, the Govt added that some of the inputs and input
services-such as sugar, vegetable edible oils, ghee, butter, and the service
for transportation of these goods-required for making prasadam are subject to
GST. thehindu
Mirwaiz writes to OIC, seeks help to resolve Kashmir issue
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq shot off a letter to OIC appealing it to impress
upon Indian Govt to end "atrocities
in Kashmir" and give its people their promised "right to
self-determination".In the letter, addressed to Dr. Yousuf Al-Othaimeen
Secretary General OIC, read out by Syed Faiz Naqshbandi, Convenor APHC Azad J&K
at 44th session of the council of
foreign ministers, Mirwaiz asked the renowned body of Muslim countries "to
come forward at this most urgent and grave situation for the people of J&K and impress upon the Govt of India to put an end to atrocities on
Kashmirs and give them their right to self determination". greaterkashmir
Showcause notice to Zakir on why passport should not be revoked
New Delhi: Zakir Naik, wanted in connection with alleged terror funding
cases, has been served with a show cause notice by passport authorities asking
him why his travel document should not be revoked.51-year-old Naik, who was
issued a notice last week, has been asked to submit a reply in person by July
13, official sources said.It is unlikely that Naik, who has been served summons
by NIA on earlier occasions, will turn up before the passport authorities in
Mumbai.According to 'Middle East Monitor', an news portal on developments in
Middle East, Naik has already been granted citizenship of Saudi Arabia. There
was no independent verification to this so far. PTI
Zakir Naik guest at PAS’ regional Muslim scholars’ conference in
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur: Dr Zakir Naik has been confirmed as one of the guests to a
regional conference for Muslim scholars organised by Islamist party PAS in Kota
Baru, Kelantan later this month. The organisers said it is aware of the
controversy surrounding the Indian national who is currently on the run from
authorities in his home country, but the conference called International
Assembly of Ummah Unity will stay away from any such polemics.“Among those who
have confirmed their attendance is Dr Zakir Naik. Among the special guests that
we have invited this year,” PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man
said in a press conference yesterday.Tuan Ibrahim said the conference will see
participation from representatives of 23 countries.Other guests will include
International Union of Muslim Scholars assistant secretary-general Sheikh
Ghafar Abdul Aziz from Pakistan,Dewan Da'wah Islamiyah Indonesia’s de facto
leader Mohammad Siddik, and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s vice-president Sadat Husani
from India. The conference will be held in between July 20 and 22. themalaymailonline
Satyarthi launches campaign against child sexual abuse
New Delhi: Faith leaders of different communities will join forces with
Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi in a year-long campaign against child sexual
abuse and trafficking.A series of events will be held as part of the ‘Surakshit
Bachpan Surakshit Bharat’ (Safe Childhood-Safe India) campaign across the
country from August, an official of the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation
(KSCF) said.A roundtable hosted by Satyarthi last evening saw the participation
of Sufi Ajmal Nizami of the Nizamuddin Dargah, Syed Aziz of the Ahmadiyya
community, Archbishop Samuel P Prakash of the Anglican Church of India, and
Nilakshi Rajkhowa of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is, among
others.Salim Engineer of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind was quoted in a release as saying
that violence against children “is a very important issue in this country. We
will support you, the cause and the campaigns wherever you will go.” PTI
No yoga, sports, no degree in engineering, tech. colleges
New Delhi: Students of engineering colleges and technical institutes
will have to take part in yoga, sports or other socially relevant activities in
addition to their regular academics to be awarded a degree.Earlier, the
institutions had these activities, including National Social Service (NSS),
National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, but these were not
compulsory for earning a degree.Now, the All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE), which governs more than 10,000 institutions having over 18
lakh students, has made these mandatory.Students will have to ensure 25%
attendance in one of these activities although there won’t be any marks for
their performance.
WORLD
Amnesty: All sides violated international law in Mosul over 890,000
people displaced due to fighting
Amnesty International has said it had identified a pattern of attacks by
Iraqi forces and the US-led military coalition backing them that violated
international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. It also said that
ISIL fighters flagrantly violated that same law by deliberately putting
civilians in harm's way to shield its fighters and impede the advance of Iraqi
and coalition forces.In a report published a day after the Iraqi forces
declared victory in city, the human rights watchdog called for a thorough
investigation into whether war crimes were committed in the battle for the
city.Amnesty said Iraqi forces and the coalition carried out a series of
unlawful attacks in west Mosul, relying heavily on Improvised Rocket Assisted
Munitions (IRAMs), explosive weapons with crude targeting capabilities that
wreaked havoc in densely populated areas."Even in attacks that seem to
have struck their intended military target, the use of unsuitable weapons or
failure to take other necessary precautions resulted in needless loss of
civilian lives and in some cases appears to have constituted disproportionate
attacks," report said.Amnesty acknowledged challenges of protecting
civilians given ISIL tactics, but blamed Iraqi authorities and US-led coalition
for failing to take feasible precautions to protect civilians from air strikes.
It said leaflet drops warning of attacks had been virtually useless because
ISIL heavily restricted civilian movement.Chatham House fellow Renad Mansou said
that while "war crimes have certainly" been committed by all sides in
Mosul, the extent remains to be unknown."The question is whether the Iraqi
goverment will be able to address the human right violations," he said
from London.Also on Tuesday, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called
for accountability and dialogue to heal the trauma of Mosul in the aftermath of
the nearly nine-month long battle. "The women, children and men of Mosul
have lived through hell on earth, enduring a level of depravity and cruelty
that is almost beyond words," Zeid said. aljazeera
After Mosul, other Iraqi territory still in IS hands:AFP
Syria monitor says IS chief Baghdadi dead:AFP
Beirut:Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said Tuesday it
had information from top Islamic State group leaders confirming the death of
the jihadist organisation's chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi."Top tier
commanders from IS who are present in Deir Ezzor province have confirmed the
death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, emir of the Islamic State group, to the
Observatory," director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP."We learned of it
today but we do not know when he died or how."Deir Ezzor, in eastern
Syria, remains largely under IS control even as the group is losing territory
elsewhere in the country and in neighbouring Iraq.Abdel Rahman said Baghdadi
"was present in eastern parts of Deir Ezzor province" in recent
months, but it was unclear if he was killed in the area or elsewhere.There have
been persistent rumours of Baghdadi's death in recent months, and Russia's
military said in mid-June that it was seeking to verify whether it had killed
the IS chief in an air strike in Syria in May.
Rising violence forces 40,000 more to flee CAR's east
A fresh wave of violence has forced 40,000 more people to flee from
their homes in Central African Republic (CAR), bringing the number of refugees
in the country's east to 100,000, an NGO says. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
reported on Monday that the ongoing fighting in the CAR has also left over 100
people dead since April.In the eastern province of Haute-Kotto, clashes between
armed groups since June have forced almost the entire population of its
regional capital Bria to flee for their lives.The humanitarian group estimates
that nine in 10 of the important mining town's 47,000 population have fled
their homes because of the latest violence."We are worried about the
situation in the city, and we call the humanitarian community to support the
organisations already in the area to assist us," Fatimatou Sai, a refugee,
was quoted as telling the NRC.The country, one of the poorest in the world, has
been plagued by inter-religious and inter-communal conflict since 2013 between
the mainly Muslim Seleka rebels and the Christian Anti-Balaka militia that
started after the overthrow of leader Francois Bozize. aljazeera
Philippines military: Death toll in Marawi tops 500
The death toll in a protracted battle between fighters linked to an
ISIL-linked group and Govt troops in th
southern Philippine city of Marawi has topped 500, the military said.Brigadier
General Restituto Padilla said on Tuesday that 90 of the dead were soldiers and
police officers in Marawi City, 800 km south of Manila.At least 381 of the dead
were fighters killed in the fighting, which began on May 23 after Govt forces attempted to arrest a local leader of
the ISIL-allied group, he added. Speaking from Marawi, Al Jazeera's Yaara Bou
Melhem said that while the civilian death toll remains as 39, the military says
this figure is expected to increase dramatically. Al Jazeera
US military plane crash kills 16 in Mississippi
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/military-plane-crash-kills-16-mississippi-170711032339487.html
At least 16 people have been killed after a US
Marine Corps plane crashed in the US state of Mississippi, officials said.Fred
Randle, the local county emergency management director, told US media that all
16 victims were on the plane and there were no survivors. The aircraft is used
for air-to-air refueling, to carry cargo and perform tactical passenger
missions.Al Jazeera
NYT: Email to Trump Jr. cites Russian govt effort to help Trump campaign
Washington: An email sent to Donald Trump Jr. last year stated that a
Russian lawyer had "compromising" information about Hillary Clinton
as "part of a Russian Govt effort" to help the Trump campaign, New
York Times reported Monday.Citing 3 people with knowledge of the email, the
Times reported that Rob Goldstone, who connected Trump Jr. with the Russian
lawyer, sent the email to Trump Jr. pointing to the Russian Govt as a source of potential information that
could damage Clinton.The story that Trump Jr. was offered potential information
from the Russian Govt to aide his
father's campaign came after months of staunch denials from President Donald
Trump that his campaign had a connection to Russia.Alan Futerfas, a lawyer for
Trump Jr., said in a statement following the story that it was "much ado
about nothing." The statement called the period of May to early June 2016
"an intensely busy time" for Trump Jr. The statement said Goldstone
had emailed Trump's son about alleged wrongdoing from Clinton regarding
Russia.CNN
Trump Jr knew of Kremlin efforts to aid campaign: NYT
Trump son-in-law tried to get $500m loan from Qatar
President Trump’s influential son-in-law, Jared Kushner allegedly tried
abortively to obtain a $500m loan from Qatari businessman Hamad bin Abdullah
Al-Thani, before advising the Whitehouse to pursue a hard line on the
intra-gulf rift, reports Independent.In 2015 Kusher apparently approached
Al-Thani to help prop up an under performing real estate investment at 666
Fifth Avenue in New York. HBJ agreed to a $500m investment according to The
Intercept. Yet this deal fell through when a Chinese co-investor, Anbang,
pulled out.
US Secretary: Qatari position in Gulf row 'reasonable'
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in Doha that Qatari Govt
had "reasonable" views in month-old
diplomatic crisis with Arab neighbours."I think Qatar has been quite clear
in its positions, and I think those have been very reasonable," Tillerson
said after his arrival in Doha on Tuesday.Tillerson is holding talks with
Qatar's emir and foreign minister on the second leg of his four-day trip to the
Gulf to help seek a resolution to the crisis.The US State Department said
Tillerson would first meet with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, before
holding talks with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al
Thani.The visit to Doha follows a meeting with the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah
al-Ahmad al-Sabah and other senior Kuwaiti officials on Monday."We are
trying to resolve an issue that concerns not just us but the whole world,"
Sheikh Sabah told Tillerson.US officials said Tillerson does not expect an
immediate breakthrough, which they warned could be months away. aljazeera
Israeli court extends Palestinian leader Khalida Jarrar's detention
An Israeli military court has extended the detention of prominent
Palestinian activist and politician Khalida Jarrar by 48 hours and told her she
faces detention without charge in an Israeli prison. Khalida Jarrar - a member
of the dormant Palestinian Legislative Council and a leading figure in the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a leftist party banned by
Israel - appeared in an Israeli military court on Monday. She was arrested at
her home in an overnight raid last week as the Israeli army claims she was
involved in "terrorist" activity.Jarrar's lawyer says it is part of a
wider policy of targeting Palestinian lawmakers - 11 of whom are currently in
detention.Al Jazeera
Head of Jews in Libya: ‘Qaddafi asked me to save him during revolution’
Chairman of Jews of Libya UK, Raphael Luzon, said Libyan dictator
Muammar Gaddafi contacted him twice during the revolution of February 2011
asking for his help to save him and his regime in return for restoring Jewish
rights in the country and making peace with Israel.In an article published by
Libya Al-Mostakbal news site, Luzon criticised popular reactions to the
Libyan-Jewish Reconciliation Conference held in the Greek island of Rhodes.“I
rejected Gaddafi’s request because rights are not a commodity for bargaining
and peace is not a deal but a faith,” he said.“I visited Libya at the time of
Gaddafi after several attempts since our departure and displacement … I met
with Libyan officials. I met with Gaddafi, Moussa Koussa, Suleiman Al-Shahoumi,
Abuzed Omar Dorda and others. We, as Libyan Jews, spoke for hours. No Libyans
objected like they do today,” he said. middleeastmonitor
Israeli minister: expel 100,000 Palestinians and annex settlements
Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz proposed yesterday to annex 5
major Israeli settlements into Jerusalem and remove 100,000 Palestinians from
the city’s census, Israeli media reported.“Those settlements, those towns are
Maale Adumim, Gush Etzion, Givat Zeev, Beitar Illit and Efrat. They will become
part of Jerusalem but without changing their status,” Katz told reporters.The
illegal Israeli Jewish settlers living in these illegal settlements will be
able to take part in municipal elections, but the settlements would not be
under full Israeli sovereignty.This proposal, which Likud is recommending
become law, excludes 100,000 Palestinian residents in Shuafat and other areas
outside the separation wall from the city even though they are in the city’s
jurisdiction. Katz has said a new municipality will be built for them.Israeli
paper Times of Israel said that this proposal makes Jerusalem’s official
demographic balance “more Jewish”. middleeastmonitor
Saudi links to Israel revealed: reports
The twitter account Mujtahidd revealed details of the “important figures”
in the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel over the past
decades.According to the unknown activist, King Salman and Foreign Minister
Adel Al-Jubeir were both prominent figures in opening channels with Israeli
figures and Zionist lobby in the United States, specifically AIPAC.Contact with
Israel was made over the past decades through two channels, the first in the
name of the kingdom in general, and the second was specific to King Salman when
he was the Emir of Riyadh.“The first channel was opened through Adel Al-Jubeir
when he was a young man trained by Bandar Bin Sultan at our embassy in
Washington, where he was appointed as his congressional assistant,” Mujtahidd
wrote in a tweet. “His mission was to reach the famous Zionist lobby organisation
(AIPAC) and through it he will guarantee the support of Congress.”Al-Jubeir was
chosen because he “has no religious or national commitment. He was the right
person to love AIPAC and be in harmony with them, and consequently to
facilitate Bandar’s job in gaining the support of Congress.”He pointed out that
the result of Al-Jubeir’s harmony with AIPAC was “establishing direct relations
with Israeli officials, gaining Israeli trust and coordinating views on
regional issues behind the scenes.”Mujtahidd continued: “This relationship had
an impact on the position of the Kingdom on the Palestinian issue, the Madrid
Conference and Oslo, as well as Lebanon and the Palestinian resistance, then
Iraq and Iran, etc.”Speaking about the reign of the late King Abdullah Bin
Abdulaziz, Mujtahidd claimed that “after the ascent of King Abdullah, Tuwaijri,
who believes in the greatness of Israel, succeeded in convincing him to appoint
Al-Jubeir as ambassador to America so as to facilitate direct coordination with
them.”He added that Al-Jubeir continued even after Salman became king and that
“his son Muhammad was keen to convince Israel that the kingdom’s policy was in
harmony with it.”Al-Jubeir became a “star” in the eyes of the Zionists who
described him as the “Michael Jordan of Saudi Arabia”, in reference to the
famous American basketball player Michael Jordan. Middleeastmonitor
European court upholds Belgian ban on full-face veils
Paris:The legality of a Belgian ban on full-face Islamic veils was
upheld on Tuesday by the European Court of Human Rights.Three applicants -- two
Belgian citizens and a Moroccan resident of Belgium -- had complained in two
separate cases that the law violated their religious freedom and individual
human rights.According to the top European court ruling, the controversial 2011
law, which bans clothing that fully or partially covers the face, is legally
grounded and does not violate the right to respect for private and family life
or freedom of religion, nor does it disproportionately discriminate against the
Muslim community.The court argued that the restriction seeks to guarantee
social cohesion and the "protection of the rights and freedoms of others”
and is "necessary in a democratic society." Anadolu Agency
Crackdown leaves Rohingya Muslims near starvation: UN
Yangon;A military crackdown has left more than 220,000 Rohingya people
on the brink of starvation in Myanmar’s conflict-torn Rakhine state, according
to an assessment by the United Nations food agency.The World Food Program (WFP)
said late Monday that food insecurity has been worsening in already highly
vulnerable areas in the northern part of Rakhine state since the military
crackdown, which began last October.The WFP assessment said nearly one-third of
the population in the area, where Rohingya Muslims are the majority, were
identified as severely food-insecure and in need of humanitarian assistance,
with an estimated 225,800 people suffering from hunger.“None of the children
covered in the survey met the minimum adequate diet,” said the assessment,
based on interviews with 450 families in 45 villages in the area. Anadolu
Agency
Cholera epidemic kills 1,732 in Yemen: WHO
SANAA:At least 1,732 people have been killed by a cholera outbreak in
war-torn Yemen since late April, according to the World Health Organization
(WHO). A total of 313,538 suspected cases of cholera have been registered in 21
Yemeni provinces, the WHO said on Tuesday.The northwestern Hajjah province is
the hardest-hit by the disease, while the southern province of Socotra remains
the only Yemeni province where the cholera epidemic has not spread. Anadolu
Agency
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
In the backdrop of the Israeli-Indian alliance are realities of
occupation, suppression and misery:Rajmohan Gandhi
Ex-DGP TP Senkumar might be Kerala BJP’s Long-awaited Messiah, thanks to
his Islamophobia: Shaj Hameed for TCN
In the first half of this year, J&K lost 17 policemen as against 23
between Sept. 2015 and August 2016: M.P. Nathanael
Baduria-Basirhat area has no history of violence between Hindus and
Muslims, not even in the pre-Partition days:Shamsul Islam
Why is Sikkim’s merger with India being questioned by China?P D Rai
How BJP organized riots in Bengal — Amaresh Misra, Caravan Daily
What is behind the religious violence in India's West Bengal?BBC
In India, the fake news phenomenon often serves the PM 's Hindu
nationalist agenda: Los Angels Times
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:02 PM)
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