Evening NEWS
DIGEST
INDIA: LYNCHING & MOB VIOLENCE
Govt’s Assurances Against Mob-Lynchings Have Shown No Impact On Ground: Jamaat-e-Islami
Hind
New Delhi: Muslim religious body Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has asked Govt that its assurances of not tolerating repeated
mob attacks on minorities, Dalits and other groups, is showing no impact on
ground. Asking Govt to feel the
"seriousness and grave nature" of the issue, the religious body also
demanded "firm political, legal and administrative steps" on the part
of authorities. "People of the country feel that these assaulters (sic)
are related both ideologically and organizationally with the ruling class and
this relationship has further emboldened them. In such a situation, the
responsibility of the Govt increases
even further," Syed Jalaluddin Umri, Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind said
during a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday. Lauding the efforts of
civil society members and other groups who came out to protest against the
spate of recent killings at the hands of mobs, the JIH has also supported the
proposal of activists group 'National Campaign Against Mob Lynching' of
creating a law against mob-lynchings. "We support these justice-loving
people. We must spread this voice of truth and justice and the entire country
should stand behind the victims and become united against oppression...The Govt
must give a loud and clear message that
oppression and violence will not be tolerated and people who take law in their
own hands will face strict punishment," Umri told a gathering of
reporters. JIH, one of largest Muslim organizations in India, also appealed
Muslim youth to "avoid any emotional reactions" in the current
atmosphere of the country. "They[Muslim youth] should not get depressed
and lose heart. They should avoid being instigated and avoid giving any
emotional reactions. Communal elements want Muslims to either get disheartened
or lose hope or should become isolated from the mainstream in this
country."JIH press meet was also attended by 22-year-old Iftikhar Alam, a
mechanic who was recently thrashed by a mob in south Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan on
the suspicion of being a cattle-thief."I along with a driver of the
company where we work were passing through the area on the night of July 7 and
it was raining very heavily. When we reached the Madanpur Khadar, a concrete
mixer truck blocked our way. After honking several times, the truck didn't move
and the driver asked me to get down to ask the driver to let us pass. As soon
as I reached the spot, a group of locals from the neighbourhood slum area began
raining blows on me. They were carrying sticks and iron rods. They also broke
the window pane of our vehicle but the driver managed to flee," Alam, who
used the support of two men to walk properly, said, while narrating the
incident. According to Alam, the group of men, who were 20-25 in number,
dragged him inside the settlement area and accused him of being a cattle thief.
"They also asked my name. When they came to know that I was a Muslim, they
began to beat me even more. They called me a Pakistani. I was tied up and
beaten with sticks on my soles. I still can't put full weight of my body on
feet. Unhon ne kaha petrol daal ke jala do isko (They also said to pour petrol
on him and burn him)...When they thought I was dead, they called up police and
told them that they have caught a cattle thief," Alam, who was
hospitalized for 3 days in Jeewan Hospital, alleged. Alam, who works with J.
Kumar construction company, also alleged that one of his co-workers Sandeep
slapped him in police station and asked him to not mention the cattle angle. Ehsan Alam, Iftikhar's elder brother, alleged
that police booked the accused under "lenient" sections of 323,341 of
IPC. scoopwhoop
Civil society, Muslim groups across Maharashtra demand special act for
protection against lynching
Due to regular mob lynching and attacks on vulnerable groups especially
Muslims on the suspicion of carrying or transporting beef, several Muslim
organisations and civil society groups across Maharashtra are demanding a strict
act like the SC/CT (Atrocities Act) for the protection of the community.3 peace
rallies demanding the formation of this new act have already taken place in
Pune, Latur and Solapur, and a fourth one is scheduled to take in Pune on 15
July.Though focussed mostly on the incidents of violence committed against
Muslims, these rallies have received support not just from Muslim organisations
like Jamat-e-Islami but also from civil society groups as well as Marath
organisations.On Wednesday, 20 organisations including Muslims, Dalits, and
Marath organisations like the Sambhaji Brigade took part in a peace rally in
Solapur, where they walked from Hutatma Chowk in the city to the Collector's
office. The rally which saw more than 500 people from different religions and
sections concluded with the organisers giving a letter to the district
collector demanding the formulation of an act to protect Muslims from attacks.
A similar rally was held on 5 July in Latur city in Marathwada and in Pune on 7
July.One of the organisers of the Aman Rally in Solapur which took place on
Wednesday is Sadiq Shaikh, father of Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh, a techie who was
beaten to death by a Hindu group in 2014. firstpost
MASUKA team detained, not allowed pledge against mob lynching
New Delhi: The leaders and volunteers of MASUKA team were detained at
Vijay Chowk a short while ago when they were to make a pledge on the
Constitution against the growing culture of mob violence and mob lynching.Those
detained include civil rights activist and main brain behind MASUKA Tehseen
Poonawalla and his lawyer brother and political activist Shehzad Poonawalla
besides over 50 youths and social activists. They have been kept at the
Parliament Street Police Station.Some journalists covering the event were also
detained at Vijay Chowk.Vijay Chowk is one of the areas in the vicinity of the
Parliament House where no public gathering or demonstration is
allowed.IndiaTomorrow
Hisar: Shahi Imam slapped by Bajrang Dal goons, forced to chant ‘Bharat
Mata Ki Jai’
Hisar: A group of 100-125 Bajrang Dal activists resorted to ‘goonism’
and assaulted the Shahi Imam of a mosque for not raising ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’
slogan.The incident took place near a mosque at Lahoriya Chowk in Haryana’s
Hisar town on Tuesday during a Bajrang Dal protest against the terror attack on
Amarnath pilgrims.The mob passing through the chowk stopped in front of the
Mosque and repeatedly raised slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’.As the victim,
Abid Hussain, was returning after offering namaz stepped out of a Mosque, the Bajrang
Dal goons pressurized the imam to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande
Mataram’.In the video, the mob can be seen repeatedly asking Hussain to raise
the slogan and when he refused to obliged, they blew slaps and abuses on
him.Ali, a resident of Rajiv Nagar has filed a complaint with the police
against the unidentified people an dthe main accused has been
arrested.According to ABP news, one of the workers while speaking to media
said, “No Hindu is safe in a Muslim dominant area”. He further asserted “We
wouldn’t let any Muslim live here and would ensure they are kicked out”.
Bajrang Dal men thrash Imam at mosque, force him to chant 'Bharat Mata
Ki Jai'
COMMUNAL VIOLENCE
Media's overblown reports belie deep Hindu-Muslim amity in violence-torn
region: Ground report on Basirhat
Basirhat: On the afternoon of 6 July, Probasish Ghosh’s 65-year-old
father lay in a hospital bed in West Bengal's Basirhat town, critically wounded
and bleeding. Doctors said that his only shot at survival was to be taken to a
better hospital in Kolkata, 75 km to the east. As Probasish wheeled his father
into an ambulance for the two-hour journey, the hospital superintendent came up
to him and asked, “Would you please take along another seriously wounded man?
His family is not here and he might not survive here.” Probasish rode the
ambulance alternately checking on the wounded men. Probasish’s father, Kartick
Chandra Ghosh, passed away the next morning, becoming the only fatality in the
sectarian violence that broke out in and around Basirhat following an anti-Islamic
Facebook post on 2 July put up allegedly by a Hindu teenager of a nearby
village. The other wounded man — Fazlul Sardar — a Muslim, survived. “I am sad
that my father died, but grateful that the other man survived,” Probasish told
Firstpost. Despite his grief, Probasish makes it a point to call Sardar's
family and check on his health.The death of Kartick, who eked out a living by
selling dead chicken meat as fish feed, has already become a rallying cry for
right-wing Hindu groups. RSS-BJP in West Bengal have portrayed the violence
that has occurred since 3 July in the region as an extremist Islamic response
from radicalised Muslims.Copy-paste reportage and the commentary it has begat,
especially on social media, has built the narrative of a sharp, bitter and
perhaps unbridgeable divide between the Hindus and the Muslims. But the
emotions on the ground, barring a few, are more like Probasish’s response,
reflecting a singular lack of hatred or intense dislike in the two communities
for each other. In fact, there is a clear sentiment of Hindu-Muslim amity and
brotherhood which clearly predates the controversy.Take the case of Sauvik
Sarkar, 17-year-old Hindu teenager, who allegedly put up the offensive Facebook
post that triggered the strife. Until his arrest, Sarkar had lived with the
family of his father’s older brother, a police sub-inspector, in a village 15km
from Basirhat. It has been claimed that hundreds of Muslims descended on their
house and set it on fire. But this reporter found their house intact and
untouched, flanked by palm and other trees, next to a field of standing crop
swaying unconcernedly under a cloudy sky. Its external visage betrayed no signs
of arson.The neighbourhood is a mix of Hindu and Muslim homes. Right across is
a Hindu household; diagonally, 15 feet across the narrow pathway, a mosque.
“Sarkar family has never had any trouble with anyone, Hindu or Muslim, in our
area,” Maulana Muhammad Yaseen, the mosque’s imam, told Firstpost.“It is
difficult to imagine that this boy did something like this.” The incredulity is
evident among other men and women in the village. Their refrain: We have always
lived together as Hindus and Muslims without any trouble. “We don’t even lock
the mosque,” its caretaker said. “The Muslims partake in our religious
festivals,” a Hindu man said. Both Hindus and Muslims vouched that those who
attacked the Sarkars’ house were not locals but outsiders.Sauvik’s classmate, a
Muslim, who was struggling to accept that Sauvik had put up such an offensive post
on Facebook, said, “We have played cricket together since we were children. We
are both backbenchers in the same class,” said the boy, whose father, fearing
for his safety, didn’t want him identified. “Sauvik never got into any trouble.
He never made one remark against the Muslims.”Amirul Islam is a 47-year-old
municipality clerk in the village of Magurkhali where Sauvik lived. Islam and
Sauvik’s uncle, sub-inspector Bablu Sarkar, have been friends for years.
According to Islam, Sauvik lost his mother a few years back. He came to live
with his uncle after his father got married again. Sauvik used to regularly
come to Islam’s house to play with his nephews in the evenings. “His uncle’s
family and I are so close that I can walk into their bedroom and kitchen,”
Islam said. “I have never even remotely heard any anti-Muslim or anti-Islamic
rants from any one of them.”On 3 July, a day after Sauvik had allegedly put up
the Facebook post, Islam was visiting a nearby village on work when he received
a frantic call from Bablu Sarkar’s Hindu neighbour, who lives opposite Sarkar’s
house. “Come quickly,” the Hindu neighbour told Islam. “There are many Muslims
here and they could set the Sarkars' house on fire.” Islam immediately left for
his village but found groups of Muslims blocking roads at various places. He
recognised none of them and is certain they did not belong to his or the nearby
villages. When Islam asked them who are they and what were they doing in his
village, whether they can recognise Islam, they pushed him and warned him to
“go home”.Islam — who some news reports have wrongly identified as having
whisked away Sauvik’s family to safety — also got a call from Sauvik’s cousin,
Bablu Sarkar’s son, John. He told Islam that the family had already abandoned their
house and implored him to save their house from being vandalised and burned
down. Islam bought three locks and reached the Sarkar household nearly two
hours later. Together with the Hindu neighbour who lives across the lane, Islam
locked the doors and gave the police the keys. “I saw some smoke but I heard
that the fire had been put out,” Islam said.Sarkars' Hindu neighbour fully
corroborates Islam’s version. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he said
he could not recognise any of the Muslims that had surrounded the Sarkar
household that evening. “Magurkhali is a small village and everyone knows
everyone,” he said. “All those faces were new.” This Hindu neighbour, too,
vouches for the Hindu-Muslim relations in his village. “You will be surprised to
know that the mosque next to my house stands on land that I donated,” he said.
“Property is still in my name and the tax notices still come in my name.”Was
the Sarkars’ house set on fire by the mob? “Perhaps at the back of the house,
but even if there was fire it was put out quickly” without causing substantial damage.Both
Islam and Sarkars’ Hindu neighbour attested to good Hindu-Muslim
relations.Surprisingly, local BJP agrees. “Hindus and Muslims have always lived
here happily and still do,” said BJP’s Manisha Ghosh, municipal councillor from
the village.Muslims too condemn the violence that occurred, like the attack by
local Muslims at the police station and the burning of their jeeps. “Muslim
leaders, especially the clergy, tried their best to pacify the crowd but they
were angry at police inaction as they wanted Sauvik arrested but the police
prevaricated,” said Rafikul Islam, a local lawyer and an activist of the
Welfare Party of India, which is affiliated with the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. According
to him and several others, the violence at the police station occurred after
the police refused — and wisely so — to bring Sauvik out and show him and
assure the crowd that he has indeed been arrested. “That was absolutely wrong
behaviour and every Muslim organisation has condemned it,” he said.Much has
also been written about the Hindu temples being attacked in and around Basirhat
town. This correspondent sought to locate a place of worship which was
vandalised but no one could direct him to any. Tapan Debnath, a BJP municipal
councillor in Basirhat, too made a similar claim but failed to provide the
address of any temples.At least one Kali temple, in the heart of Basirhat, that
was believed to be vandalised, did not appear damaged at all. What has found
very little coverage in both social media and the news is the counterattack on
Muslims by Hindu mobs. I met 7 victims of such attacks, two of them at their
homes in Basirhat and 5 of them at Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, where, they
claimed, were brought by RAF, pressed into service to contain the
violence.Rejaul Mollah, 24, a fish hawker from near Basirhat, was attacked
allegedly by a Hindu mob when he was on his way home. They nearly broke his
skull, which had to be stitched up, and his leg, too. “They appeared to be
students,” he said from his hospital bed. “They stopped hitting me only after I
pretended to be dead.” 28-year-old Shahanur Alam, a house painter, had a
similar encounter but was lucky to escape with a couple of deep wounds to his
head and a broken arm. Both Mollah and Alam said their attackers forced them to
chant “Jai Sri Ram” as they attacked them. Firstpost
In Bengal village, Muslims see B’deshi Hindu migrants as threat
Every once in a while, Maulana Mohammad Yaseen Mondal shuts his eyes and
lapses into deep thought.And when he speaks, retelling – and reliving – the
horrid events of 5 July evening when a mob of his coreligionists descended on a
Hindu house in Magurkhali village under Baduria block of West Bengal’s North 24
Parganas district and set fire to it, he comes up with only one answer:The
mosque in Magurkhali village opposite the house where the 17-year-old high
school boy and his family were attacked.at 17-year-old boy couldn’t have done
it by himself. There has got to be some other force behind that vile Facebook
post that degraded Allah, our Nabi, our Rasool.Over a week after Muslims
torched the house, sparking riotous mobs to resort to violence in Basirhat and
other nearby and far-flung districts of West Bengal, the years of
inter-communal tolerance “are over”, says the maulana, adding that the
bhratittyo (brotherhood) of the past has suffered a “permanent damage”.Mondal
is the imam of the mosque right opposite the house of the 17-year-old high
school kid who remains in protective custody of the police. The identity of the
boy is not being revealed to safeguard his security. thequint
W. Bengal: BJP IT cell secretary arrested in Asansol for sharing fake
image on social media
CID has arrested the BJP’s IT cell secretary from Asansol, West Bengal,
for sharing allegedly fake content that was communally sensitive on social
media.CID West Bengal confirmed Tarun Sengupta’s arrest on Twitter saying he
had shared content that created “communal disharmony”.The charges against him
were filed at Suri police station in Birbhum district. Sengupta is the third
person since Sunday to have faced action for posting fake images and videos. scroll
BJP Yuva leader warns about 2002… he is not only one
“Hope you all remember what happened in 2002”. A news report about a
Muslim doctor and his Hindu compounder spreading message of peace in violence-hit
Basirhat has angered a BJP youth leader to go on a communal rant and threaten
violence. There is nothing offensive in the news posted by HT on its Facebook but
for some reason, Srinivas Raghavan, the General Secretary of a BJP Yuva Morcha
has taken great offence to it.Reacting to HT report on a doctor’s appeal for
communal harmony, Raghavan said, “I remember what Mahatma Gandhi did. Enough is
enough. We will not tolerate this anymore. Hope you all remember what happened
in 2002.” When confronted by other users, he continued his rant, talking of
“warning you guys”, “go back to your mother country”, “we are waiting to take
revenge” (of 17th century rulers), “day is not too far”, and so on.altnews.in altnews
Parrikar interfered, stalled probe, did not take things seriously, only
blamed Congress, did not push police for results: GCAF
In what can be termed a direct accusation of interference and stalling
of police investigation, the Goa Citizens Action Forum (GCAF) – a body of
concerned individuals, has squarely blamed Goa CM Manohar Parrikar of
mishandling the entire matter of the vandalization of crosses and other
religious idols in Goa from day one and
called for immediate handing over of the entire case to CBI.According to
Josephine Dias of the GCAF, “Even Dy Speaker and Calangute BJP MLA Michael Lobo
has accused the police of “not having any clue regarding the identity of the
culprits” and “not working“. If the Dy Speaker and senior BJP leader himself
says publicly that the police are not working, what does it mean? It means that
the hands of the police are tied and the Goa police who are controlled by the
Goa CM – who is also the State Home Minister – are either told to go slow and
hold back and ‘not investigate efficiently’ or are being restrained so that
important clues that could identify the culprits get washed away in the rain. Or maybe the Goa CM does not
even want the matter to be investigated at all and is merely putting up a
facade to show people that the police are trying to do their
best.”IndiaScribes.com
AMARNATH YATRA ATTACK
Kashmiri Muslims defy curfew to rescue
Amarnath pilgrims injured in road mishap
Kashmiri Muslims defied curfew on Wednesday to save the lives of
Amarnath Yatra pilgrims injured in an accident on the Jammu-Srinagar national
highway.HT could not independently contact the injured pilgrims, but a video
purportedly shot by a news channel is being widely shared on social media.
Also, a police officer in the Srinagar control room confirmed that the pilgrims
were rescued by Muslim locals.In the video, a pilgrim, who identified himself
as Ajit Kumar Arora from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, describes how they were saved
by the timely intervention of locals.“After ‘darshan’..., we were stuck at
Baltal base camp for two days as the Yatra was suspended due to the prevailing
situation. Yesterday night, we left Baltal along with other vehicles in the
form of a convoy,” an injured Arora says.It was then that the mini-bus met with
an accident, but he managed to crawl out of the wreckage. “I...sought help from
the other vehicles carrying pilgrims with which we were travelling, but nobody
stopped to help us,” he recalls.He also claims that the army and police
personnel in the area did not come to their aid.“I saw a local and asked him
for help. Instead of one, 50 people came rushing to help us. They broke the
window panes of the bus and saved us. Otherwise we would have died,” Arora
says.Curfew has been in force, particularly in south Kashmir, for 5 consecutive
days since protests erupted after Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter on
Friday. As many as 34 people have been killed in clashes between protestors and
security forces, and hundreds have been injured.But the Muslim locals risked
their own lives to save the pilgrims, who were taken to a hospital for
treatment. “They even ensured our treatment in the hospital,” the pilgrim
says.“If you want to learn humanity, learn it from Kashmiris. Don’t talk bad
about them, understand them,” Arora exclaims.HT
We are ready to give every drop of blood to save injured yatris:Kashmiri
Youth
Kashmiri Muslims defy curfew to rescue Amarnath pilgrims injured in road
mishap
On streets of Srinagar and social media, Kashmiris protest against
killing of Amarnath pilgrims
Why Amarnath Yatra terror attack signals crossing of a red line in
Kashmir:Muzamil Jaleel's story
New Delhi:Monday’s attack in Anantnag district on pilgrims returning
from the Amarnath shrine is the “crossing” of a new red line for militants in
Kashmir. This is the second such strike on Amarnath pilgrims in the Valley
since militancy first emerged in 1990. The reason why this pilgrimage has
stayed conflict-neutral is because it is seen as an important aspect of the
syncretic tradition of Kashmir, which had been severely hit by the
circumstances leading to the migration of Kashmiri pandits in 1990.One of the
most revered Hindu shrines, Amarnath was discovered by a Muslim shepherd, Buta
Malik, in 1850. Malik and his family became custodians of the cave-shrine along
with Hindu priests who came from two religious organisations — Dashnami Akhara
and Purohit Sabha Mattan.This unique ensemble of faiths turned the pilgrimage
spot into a symbol of Kashmir’s centuries-old composite culture and communal
harmony.The first attack on this pilgrimage took place in 1993, when
Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar announced a ban on the annual yatra. The
militant outfit claimed that the attack was in protest against the demolition
of Babri Masjid. The Harkat also demanded that the Govt remove security bunkers set up at the
Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.However, the yatra passed of peacefully and the
Harkat threat didn’t make a dent. There was also widespread condemnation of the
Harkat diktat on the ground in Kashmir — local militant groups did not align
with the Harkat, which had been formed by veterans of the Afghan war against
USSR.The resentment against Harkat’s ban translated into an atmosphere where
the yatra continued unhindered during the peak years of the militancy.In 1999,
soon after the Kargil war, Centre’s PIB issued a statement, saying that the
“yearning for moksha (salvation) can move devotees to the challenging heights
of Kashmir and will be a fitting gesture of solidarity with our valiant
soldiers who have been fighting the enemy to defend our borders”. But this,
too, didn’t bring the yatra on the radar of separatists or militants, and it
continued to be mostly insulated from political controversies.However, on
Aug.1, 2000, 17 pilgrims were among 25 people killed in a militant attack in
Pahalgam, where one of the two base camps of the pilgrimage is situated. Two
policemen and six villagers also died as two militants, who were killed in a
subsequent encounter, lobbed grenades and resorted to indiscriminate firing.The
Govt blamed Lashkar-e-Taiba, and a
high-level committee led by the then Corps Commander of 15 Corps in Srinagar
was set up to investigate the attack. At the time, the J&K Govt claimed that the attack targeted security
forces and was not exclusively aimed at pilgrims, but the killings generated
public outrage. This is exactly why there was no attack on the yatra for the
last 17 years, even when the situation was volatile in the Valley, especially
during the mass protests of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016.Sensing that Monday’s
attack had crossed that vital red line in their narrative on Kashmir, the
separatists immediately condemned the killings.Later, a joint statement from
top separatist leaders — Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad
Yasin Malik — “expressed deep sorrow and grief over the killing of Amarnath
Yatris in Anantnag today and strongly condemned it”. Condemnation has also been
pouring in from across the political divide in Kashmir. indian express
Kashmir civil society, traders protest Amarnath attack
Cops or Amarnath pilgrims? Kashmiri newspapers differ on who terrorists
targeted
Srinagar/New Delhi:Urdu and English papers in Kashmir prominently
reported on Tuesday a attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims that left at least 7
people dead and 19 injured, but differed on whether the strike was targeted at
killing innocent civilians.“6 Amarnath pilgrims killed in Anantnag attack,”
read the lead headline in the Valley’s leading English daily Greater Kashmir.
Separate reports on the front page of the newspaper noted the PM ’s
condemnation of the attack, strikes called in Jammu and all-round shock and
anguish expressed by political circles, from CM Mehbooba Mufti to separatist leader Mirwaiz
Umar Farooq.But the paper reported that the militants hadn’t targeted the bus
and that the pilgrims were caught in crossfire.All English papers in the Valley
carried comments of the separatist leaders condemning the attack on Page 1.Two
prominent Urdu papers took the line that the attack wasn’t targeted at the
pilgrims. Kashmir Uzma reported the attack as its lead story, saying six
pilgrims killed in attack.Daily Aftab, the largest-circulating Urdu newspaper,
carried the story as second lead but gave maximum space to six reports on the
attack, carrying them under different headlines. HT
Why bus violated security norms? Unanswered
questions
Was the bus registered with the Amarnath shrine board? If not, why? How
did the bus manage to go through multiple security check points despite no
registration? Why was the bus allowed to travel after sunset, a violation of
standard operating procedure? Why was a police patrol vehicle travelling ahead
of unregistered pilgrim bus?Why did the police fail to secure route despite
intelligence warnings about possible terror attacks?HT
3 places targeted in just over 5 minutes: How Amarnath attack happened
Bus was on road for 3 hours without
any checks
Send gaurakshaks to fight terrorists in Kashmir: Sena
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/send-gaurakshaks-to-fight-terrorists-in-kashmir-sena-4746521/
Mumbai: Gaurakshaks should be sent to fight terrorists in Kashmir, said
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. “Should I now believe that instead
of grenades and arms, if beef was found in the bags of these terrorists, not a
single one of them would have escaped. We have this entire farce around
gauraksha and gaurakshaks. Why don’t you send these rakshaks to take on the
terrorists,”he said, while addressing a gathering of Ganesh mandals in the
city. Indianexpress
Indian Muslims condemn attack on Amarnath Yatris
New Delhi:Several Muslims’ organizations and general Muslims on social
meida across the country, have strongly condemned the ghastly attack on Amarnath
pilgrims and asked the Govt to find the
terrorists so that they could be punished for their heinous crime.President of Muslim
Majlis-Mushawarat (AIMMM), apex forum of Muslim organizations and institutions
of national eminence Navaid Hamid in a statement termed the incident as heinous
crime. “Condemns in strongest words the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in J&K.
Heart goes to brieved families”, he said.Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami
Hind (JIH), Muhammad Salim Engineer has condemned the AmarnathYatra attack and
urged the Govt to find and punish the
perpetrators of this heinous crime.In a statement Jamaat the Secretary General
Muhammad Salim Engineer said: “we are appalled by the manner in which pilgrims
were gunned down while travelling in a bus and we condemn this act
unequivocally. We urge the Govt to find
and punish those who carried out this act of violence at the earliest”. He said
that the Govt should analyze security
arrangements for the pilgrimage and if any negligence was found the responsible
officers and staff should be penalized.“We extend our heartfelt condolences to
the bereaved families of all the victims and deepest sympathies with the
injured. We stand together with them in this hour of grief” he said while
hoping that the Govt will heighten the
security measures for enhanced safety of the pilgrims and there will not be any
more casualties or incidents during the remaining yatra’’. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind
has also condemned the dastardly attack on the Yatris. “The attack on Amarnath
yatris has caused great pain to us. We condemn this cowardly terrorist attack
and express our deep condolences to the families of the dead and prayers for
injured,” said, Jamiat General Secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani.theindianawaaz
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
condemns attack on Amarnath Yatra
Agra: Muslims call Amarnath terror attack a 'satanic act'
Bus operator not registered with
any travel body
Amarnath: Muslim community in Mumbai condemn attack
Jamiat condemns Amarnath Yatra attack, states Kashmiris have deep
economical, traditional attachment with Yatris
Yatri bus killings not a terror attack:The fact that the ill-fated bus
was caught in a crossfire between militants & police confirmed by J&K
police to reporters:The Cynic
Amarnath terror attack: ‘Kashmiri Islamist terrorists killed Hindu
pilgrims’ narrative is flawed: Abhishek Saha,HT
If Kashmiriyat wanes, what could take its place?Suhas Palshikar
OTHER
Muslims not pleased with Yogi Govt's Minority Welfare funding in budget
Agra:Modi and Yogi Govt share the
common slogan of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas', but the way UP CM Yogi
Adityanath has curbed the Minority Welfare budget in his first annual budget
presented in the assembly, the Muslims are feeling cheated. Senior Muslim
leader of Agra Mohd. Sharif Kale said that the Yogi Govt has reduced the Minority Welfare budget by Rs
580 crores this year compared to the Akhilesh Yadav Govt , which has made the
Muslims lose hope of anything good coming out of this BJP Govt in UP. He said that the Yogi Govt has allotted just Rs 2475.61 crores for the
minorities and this has disheartened the Muslims who were hoping the 'Sabka
Sath Sabka Vikas' was not just a slogan.Social activist Kamran Qureshi said
that the Yogi Govt has allotted Rs
791.83 crores for the minority students, while another 150 crores are allotted
to arrange for the fee shortfall. Similarly, for the upgradation and
modernization of Madarsas, Yogi Govt has
allotted only Rs 394 crores, which is too less. Even earlier, the minority
students could not get scholarships due to lack of funds and this situation has
not improved even now. India today
Taj Mahal left out of UP budget heritage plan, Yogi govt draws ire
Lucknow: Taj Mahal is one of the 7 wonders of the world, an Unesco world
heritage site that draws millions of tourists from across the globe and earns
the Govt crores in revenue. But the
16th-century structure isn’t part of UP’s cultural heritage, according to the
Yogi Adityanath Govt ’s first state budget presented on Tuesday. The move has
invited criticism by academics.The annual budget for 2017-2018 makes no mention
of Taj Mahal in the special section ‘Hamari Sanskritik Virasat’ (Our Cultural
Heritage) incorporated in the finance minister’s 63-page speech. India today
In this MP village, mothers sign contracts and send kids to join Delhi’s
wedding robbery gangs:HT
Rajgarh;A garbage-strewn bumpy road looks odd among a row of
double-storey houses, women decked up in gold jewellery, young men riding
costly bikes and children playing games on tablets and showing off their new
iPhones.But as impressive are the houses from outside, they are as minimalist
inside. The floors are paved with tiles but there is no furniture. There are
French window panes but no curtains. There are dining areas but no tables. Instead,
piles of sacks are bundled together on top of earthen pots.And the oddity
continues. Residents of this village, Kadiya, in Pachor district of Rajgarh, MP,
300 km from Bhopal, are notorious for ‘renting’ their children to ‘Band, Baja,
Barat’ gangs, which steal from glitzy weddings in Metropolitan cities such as
Delhi. Investigations in various cases have led police to the village, where
parents sign bondage agreements with the gang members to send their children
with them in return for an annual fee of Rs 2- 5 lakh.
India’s censors now won’t allow the word ‘cow’ into a Harvard
economist’s documentary: washingtonpost
He may have won a Nobel Prize, but renowned Harvard economist Amartya
Sen is not allowed to say the word “cow” in a new documentary, India’s movie
censorship board has ruled. The documentary, called “Argumentative Indian,” is
named after a book of essays written by Sen that dwells (rather ironically) on
India’s long history of intellectual pluralism and public debate. Movie will
not get a license for public screenings in India unless the cuts are
implemented. Censors have not said why word “cow” is objectionable. Documentary
at one point talks about Hindu nationalist, self-styled cow protectors who
attack people, mainly Muslims, for carrying or eating beef.Hindus consider cow
to be sacred. Director Suman Ghosh sasid that censorship “underlines relevance
of documentary in which Sen highlights growing intolerance in India.”
ISIS suspect from Kerala arrested at Delhi airport: PTI
New Delhi : An Indian national from Kerala, an ISIS suspect was recently
arrested from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, PTI reported.
Shahjahan Velluva (32), a native of Kannur in Kerala, who had been deported
from Turkey twice, was appended by Special Cell of Delhi Police after CIA
informed it of his arrival.The intelligence agencies questioned him about other
ISIS operatives in the country and his links with them, an official told PTI,
on the condition of anonymity.
China says willing to play ‘constructive role’ over Kashmir
Beijing;China said on Wednesday that it was willing to play a
“constructive role” in improving relations between India and Pakistan,
especially after the increased hostility along the LoC, saying the situation in
Kashmir has attracted “international” attention. Chinese foreign ministry
spokesman Geng Shuang said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries
but the “situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international
community.” India has maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter
with Pakistan, and that there is no scope for a third party mediation.Chinese
comments aimed at getting involved in Indo-Pak tensions come at a time the
armies of India and China are locked in a standoff in Doklam area in the Sikkim
section.Expressing concern over the tension between India and Pakistan, Geng
said “the conflict occurred near the Line of Control of Kashmir. This will not
only harm the peace and stability of the two countries but also the peace and
tranquillity of the region.”PTI
WORLD
Gaza conditions 'unlivable' 10 years into siege: UN
A report by the UN says living conditions in the Gaza Strip have
worsened in 10 years since the territory was blockaded by Israel.The report,
which was published on Tuesday and titled "Gaza - 10 years later",
says that key indicators identified in an earlier 2012 UN report, such as
declining incomes, healthcare, education and electricity have deteriorated yet
further. UN said that real GDP per capita in Gaza has decreased while provision
of urgently needed health services has continued to decline.The report also
finds that Gaza's only water source is predicted to be
"irreversibly-depleted" by 2020, unless immediate action is taken."Gaza
has continued on its trajectory of de-development, in many cases even faster
than we had originally projected," said Robert Piper, UN Coordinator for
Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities. "When you're down to two
hours of power a day and you have 60% youth unemployment rates ... that
unlivability threshold has been passed quite a long time ago."Piper said
that while continuous humanitarian assistance, particularly through UN
services, is helping to slow this descent, the downward direction remains
clear."I see this extraordinarily inhuman and unjust process of strangling
gradually two million civilians in Gaza that really pose a threat to
nobody," he added. Aljazeera
Israel closes Gaza’s only commercial crossing
Israeli occupation authorities closed the Karm Abu Salem crossing, the
only commercial junction to the Gaza Strip, Quds Press reported.The Palestinian
public relations director of the crossing, which is also known by its Israeli
name Kerem Shalom, Fadi Al-Mughier said the Israeli occupation authorities had
prevented the entry of the trucks which transfer goods into the Strip.Speaking
to Quds Press, Al-Mughier said Israel did not give reasons for the closure. middleeastmonitor
Israel will not slow settlement construction to kick-start peace talks
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has
denied Arab media reports claiming that Tel Aviv had agreed to slow the
construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank to kick-start the
peace process.PMO denied reports today by Al Hayat Arabic daily which claimed
that White House special envoy Jason Greenblatt and senior Israeli and
Palestinian Authority leaders had secured backing for new final status
agreement talks, including assurances from Israel that construction in the
occupied West Bank would be slowed during negotiations with the PA. middleeastmonitor
2 Palestinians killed in Israeli army raid in Jenin
2 Palestinian men were shot dead during clashes with Israeli army in Jenin
refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank, Palestinian medical and
security sources said.Sa'ad Salah, 21, was shot in the head and killed on the
spot, according to a source in a Jenin hospital, while 17-yr-old Aws Salameh
succumbed to his wounds at the hospital. aljazeera
China sends troops to Djibouti for opening of military base
Ships carrying Chinese military personnel for Beijing’s first overseas
military base, in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, have left China to begin
setting up the facility, state news agency Xinhua has reported. Djibouti’s
position on the northwestern edge of the Indian Ocean has fuelled worries in
India that it would become another of China’s “string of pearls” of military
alliances and assets ringing India, including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri
Lanka.China began construction of a logistics base in strategically located
Djibouti last year that will resupply naval vessels taking part in peacekeeping
and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, in particular.
This will be China’s first overseas naval base, although Beijing officially
terms it a logistics facility. Reuters
Pak Supreme court resumes Sharif 'corruption' hearings
Pakistan's Supreme Court has
resumed deliberations in a corruption case that could unseat PM Nawaz Sharif,
after investigators tasked with probing the allegations submitted their
findings to judges.JIT, consisting of investigators from Pakistan’s police,
military and financial regulators, spent 60 days gathering evidence and
questioning witnesses about PM’s family’s assets.The investigators have
recommended that a case be filed against Sharif in a National Accountability
Court after concluding that there were "significant gap[s]" in
Sharif's family's ability to account for their assets. "Failure on the
part of all respondents to produce the requisite information confirming 'known
sources of income' is [...] tantamount to not being able to justify assets and
the means of income," read the conclusion of the report, a partial copy of
which was obtained by Al Jazeera.Sharif himself appeared before the inquiry on
June 15, while his sons Hassan and Hussain were questioned multiple times
during the course of proceedings. Maryam Nawaz, Sharif's daughter and political
heir apparent, was also questioned. JIT submitted its report, along with two
boxes of evidence, to the SC on Monday morning amid tight security. The court
adjourned Monday’s proceedings until July 17, when lawyers for both sides will
be given a chance to present their arguments on the investigating team's
findings. aljazeera
Despite victory over ISIL, fighting continues in Mosul
Sporadic fighting is continuing in Mosul, a day after Iraq's PM declared total victory over the ISIL
group.What's left now is the shell of an ancient city, with a traumatised
population. Many who fled the violence are living in camps. aljazeera
Can Sushma bring back Mosul’s Indians?N. Subramanian
GCC crisis: US Secretary Tillerson meets Saudi king, FM
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has held talks with Saudi Arabia's
King Salman before meeting with his counterparts from the kingdom and the other
three Arab states that have imposed a blockade on Qatar. Meeting today brings
together foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt with
Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian coastal city of Jeddah, according to Saudi-owned
TV network Al Arabiya.The visit to Jeddah follows meetings in Doha with Qatari
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin
Abdulrahman Al Thani. "I think Qatar has been quite clear in its positions,
and I think those have been very reasonable," Tillerson said on Tuesday.aljazeera
Man leaves Jesus painting outside mosque in possible hate crime — unaware
Muslims love Jesus, too
Nassau County Police Dept is investigating a possible hate crime where
an unidentified person left a large painting of Jesus hanging on a cross
outside the Hillside Islamic Center in Long Island, New York.An employee at Hillside
Islamic Center found the painting hanging from the mosque’s fence on Friday, an
NCPD spokesman said in an email.Abdul Aziz Bhuyian, the mosque’s president,
told Island Now that surveillance footage shows a man riding a bicycle to the
center and pulling a shopping cart with the painting just after midnight on
Friday. Bhuyian said he is sure the man “wanted to provoke” members of the
mosque. “Had he had good intentions, he would have come to us,” Bhuyian said,
according to Island Now. “We’re always here.”Jesus is one of most highly
regarded prophets in Islam. Since the Holy Quran is written in Arabic, Jesus’
name is translated to Isa ibn Maryam or Jesus, the son of Mary.
Hindu Groups in UK Hit Back at British Govt ’s Plans to Ban Caste-Based
Discrimination
London: Caste is rearing its ugly head again, this time in an unlikely
place – UK. Under pressure from rights groups and sections of civil society, Theresa
May Govt has moved to take its first
steps towards banning caste-based discrimination in the public sphere. It has
called for public opinions on whether caste discrimination will be best tackled
by a ban on it through a new law or not, a consultation which will end on
September 18, after which the Govt will take a final call. However, the
backlash from Hindu organisations, several of them close to the Sangh parivar,
has been swift. They are livid at the Govt ’s move and have threatened to
derail it with all their might. This has now made the May Govt ’s resolve in
banning caste-based discrimination wobbly – it doesn’t want to appear to be
taking on these vocal groups.In fact, from at one time promising to ban caste
discrimination in 2013, the May Govt has
made an about-turn already, by now inviting public opinion on whether such a
ban is even required. The Govt ’s reluctance in biting the bullet on caste
discrimination is now being seen as the surest sign of the ascent of the Hindu
Right in the UK, a rise propelled by the financial clout of its British Hindusupporters
and the tacit support of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, the overseas wing of the RSS,
the far-right ideological parent of Modi’s BJP. Thewire
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 10:11 AM)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment