Evening NEWS
DIGEST
INDIA: IRAN,
CHINA PAK & J&K
Iran-India row over Farzad B gas field: Tehran says not obliged to give
deal after New Delhi threatens to cut crude oil imports
Despite optimism expressed by PM Narendra Modi and Iranian president Hassan
Rouhani in the past on the Farzad B gas field, Tehran has said that it is under
no obligation to award the Farzad B gas field to New Delhi, TOI reported. The
report said that the latest development may be in retaliation to India's
decision to cut crude oil imports from Iran. In May, India had taken the
decision in response to the row between New Delhi and Tehran on development of
the Farzad B gas field.To break the deadlock over the project, India also
offered to invest $11 billion in the development of the gas field. However, the
Majlis Energy Commission, the parliamentary committee on energy, said that
while India and Iran have jointly conducted the technical surveys on Farzad B,
there is no clause which mentions that the contract would ultimately be awarded
to India, report noted."Under equal circumstances, this company (ONGC
Videsh Ltd) could take priority. However, if there is a difference between the
Indian company and other firms in terms of technology, technical knowhow and
investment, Iran will, based on the independence and freedom that is has,
choose the company which would best serve the country's national
interests," Asadollah Gharekhani, an Iranian lawmaker was quoted by TOI as
saying.The continuing deadlock over the development of the gas field in the strategically-located
Persian Gulf prompted Iran to rethink its partnership with India and instead
tie-up with Russia.HT reported that the Iranian petroleum minister Bijan
Zanganeh pointed out Russia as a possible partner if the deal falls apart.
" Indian side has failed to make an appropriate offer," Zanganeh was
quoted as saying.However, India took a conciliatory approach and said that it
would not mind if the project is not awarded to ONGC Videsh Ltd. Nevertheless,
petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged Iran to take a call over the deal.
"Iran is a sovereign country and we expect that since we were with it
during its challenging days, Iran should reciprocate. We will only make
investment if we see returns,” Financial Express quoted Pradhan as saying. firstpost
Despite India's Rs 70,000-cr offer, Iran says 'not obliged to give
Farzad-B gas field deal to New Delhi'
Chinese Soldiers Entered Uttarakhand's Barahoti Last Week: Home Ministry
Officials
New Delhi:Some 50 Chinese soldiers entered into Uttarakhand's Barahoti
last week and spent about two hours before going back, home ministry sources
said on Monday. The incident took place on July 25 Tuesday, around 9 am. The
Chinese entered 1 km into Indian territory and allegedly ordered cattle herders
to leave with their animals. Last year, there was a similar transgression by
fewer Chinese soldiers, also in July.Officials say there have been many such
transgressions as both sides have different perceptions of the Line of Actual
Control.This year, however, it has taken place at a time India and China are
locked in a massive standoff at the border in Sikkim, the longest between the
two countries since the 1962 war.2 days after Chinese soldiers entered Barahoti,
India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing and met with
the Chinese leadership including President Xi Jinping. Doval highlighted
"major problems" in ties during his meetings.Doval's meeting with
President Jinping has not resulted in the defusing of tension. com
‘Pak blocked UK bid to catch suspects in 1984 Indian diplomat’s murder
case’
London: 3 suspects in the Feb.1984 murder of Indian diplomat Ravindra
Mhatre had fled to Pakistan but Islamabad repeatedly denied their presence or
cited difficulties in tracing them to British authorities seeking their
extradition, newly declassified files show. Posted in India’s consulate in
Birmingham, Mhatre, 48, was kidnapped by elements owing allegiance to a
Kashmir-based militant group on February 3 and body was found in nearby
Leicestershire two days later.3 people were convicted and jailed in
Britain.Documents released by Britain’s national archives reveal that the West
Midlands police had provided locations of the three suspects in PoK, but
officials in Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) stonewalled UK
efforts to apprehend them.In August 1984, Britain requested the Pakistan Govt ,
then headed by Gen Zia-ul-Haq, to initiate extradition proceedings against the
three. The documents state that the Govt agreed to the request “should it be
established that the accused are in Pakistan”. hindustantimes
Pak terror funding case: NIA conducts raid at Devinder Singh's residence
Srinagar: NIA on Monday conducted a raid at the house of the Chairman of
JK Social Peace Forum (JKSPF), Devinder Singh Behl, in connection with terror
funding case in Nowshera. NIA yesterday interrogated Behl at his residence over
his suspected connections with separatist elements.NIA also conducted searches
at various premises of Behl, who is also a member of the legal cell of the
Hurriyat.He is a close associate of a top Hurriyat leader and regularly attends
funerals of militants. During the searches, NIA team recovered four mobile
phones, one tablet, other electronic devices, incriminating documents,
financial papers and some other articles.NIA is investigating into his role as
courier as he is suspected to be involved in routing funds to the separatist
leaders from Pakistan based handlers.Earlier on Wednesday, separatist leader
and DFP chairman Shabir Shah, was sent to a 7-day ED custody in connection with
a terror-funding case. On July 24, NIA arrested 7 separatists over money
laundering charges for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley. All 7 separatist
leaders - Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal,
Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate - were later sent to 10-day NIA
custody.ANI
Called For Questioning, Syed Ali Shah Geelani's Son Admitted In Hospital
Srinagar: The investigations into
terror funding in J&K have now drawn
the sons of separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani's sons into its ambit. Reports say
the NIA has summoned both his sons for questioning, but they may not be
appearing before the agency soon. Naeem
Geelani, elder of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who was to be questioned today, was
admitted in Srinagar's hospital on Sunday after he complained of chest pains. NDTV
Govt shouldn’t only target those who don’t agree with it: Naseem Geelani
Srinagar :Naseem Geelani, younger son of hardline Hurriyat Conference
chairman Syed Ali Geelani, today said the Govt shouldn’t only “target” those who don’t agree
with it and that the same yardstick should be used for everybody. Naseem has
been summoned by NIA in connection with investigations into the funding of
subversive activities in Kashmir.“Accountability is good but there should be
same yardstick. Don’t target only those people who don’t agree with you,” he
said in a Facebook post. “(It should be) same for all politicians, you must not
have forgotten name of Palm Jumaria Dubai and many more. At least we are ready,
what about others?” he asked.PTI
Hizbul commander attends militant’s funeral, cautions people about
al-Qaeda
Srinagar:Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo was spotted at
Sunday’s funeral of an operative of the outfit who was among two militants
killed in a shootout with security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama
district.Naikoo, a 30-year-old postgraduate, is said to have told the crowd at
the funeral that the Kashmiri separatist movement has nothing to do with global
terrorist groups, al-Qaeda and Islamic State.Thousands of people gathered at
the funeral of Shariq Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Takuna in Pulwama. The other
slain militant was Shabir Ahmad Mir of neighbouring Anantnag district.The
killings triggered protests in Pulwama and an unaccounted number of people were
wounded in police action to disperse the crowds.Valley paper Greater Kashmir on
its website published a picture of Naikoo addressing the mourners and
cautioning them about “efforts being made to defame the Kashmir freedom
struggle”.“The Pakistani flag is our flag. Linking our struggle with al-Qaeda
and IS is a ploy to defame it,” the news daily quoted Naikoo saying. hindustantimes
J&K: ‘militants’ loot over Rs 5 lakh from Anantnag bank
3 masked gunmen, believed to be Hizbul Mujahideen militants, looted Rs
5.2 lakh from a J&K Bank branch in
Arwani village of Anantnag district on Monday, the police said. The assailants
were wearing a burqa, reported India Today. Eyewitness said the three men
brandished their weapons and ran away after stealing the cash, the publication
reported.Police said they used CCTV footage to establish the link between the
accused and the Hizbul Mujahideen. scroll
J&K violence dents economy, over 5% dip in credit growth in 9 Valley
districts
New Delhi:Unrest in J&K over the last year severely dented economic
activity and credit growth across nine districts in the Valley, which were
affected the most by the turmoil, according to data available with Reserve Bank
of India. RBI data show that credit growth across these districts, including
Srinagar, fell below 5 % for the quarter
ended March 2017. While the year-on-year credit growth in Srinagar stood at
8.37% in the quarter ended March 2016,
it fell to 0.34% in the quarter ended
March 2017, which was lowest among the 22 districts in the state. In Shopian,
it fell from 10.25% to 1.15% in the same period and in Anantnag, from a high of
20.6% to 7.35% .The story is similar across Samba, Baramulla, Bandipore, Kulgam,
Ganderbal, Badgam and Pulwama. An economic expert in Srinagar said that the
unrest since the middle of 2016 appears to have had a bigger impact as it
followed the 2014 floods, which made a severe dent on the state’s economy.
“Almost everything has come to a standstill over the last one year.
Historically, tourism-oriented sectors, such as hotels, transportation,
handicraft and horticulture, have been the major sectors driving credit growth.
But with decline in tourism over the last one year, all these sectors have
suffered,” said the expert.TOI
LYNCHING, COMMUNALISM & POLITICS
2 accused in Dadri lynching case
gets bail; father praises BJP govt in UP
Noida:Vishal Rana (21) and Hari Om (26), accused in 2015 lynching of
Mohammad Ikhlaq in Bisada for allegedly slaughtering a cow, was granted bail by
the Allahabad high court on Monday. Vishal’s father Sanjay Rana (47), a local
BJP leader, said his son “got justice” because Uttar Pradesh “has a BJP Govt ”.“Though
Govt has no say in court’s decision, it ensured justice is done,” he said, and
claimed that in the previous regime, officials were did not ensure fair
investigation. Sanjay also claimed that “the whole village, including Muslims,
were happy over the bail of my son”.“I do not have any grouse against my Muslim
brothers. I am annoyed over Ikhlaq’s family, who slaughtered a cow and later
made my family victim for it. It was a mob that attacked the family and I have
suffered for it,” he claimed. hindustantimes
Junaid Khan’s family wonders how is the accused who was given bail less
guilty? indianexpress
Khandawali: “He held me and my brothers and dragged us towards the man
who was going to stab us. How is he any less guilty than the main culprit?”
asks Shaqir Khan, 23, brother of 15-year-old Junaid, who was stabbed to death
over a month ago. News of one of the accused, Chander Parkash, being granted
bail three days ago by a Faridabad court has left him disappointed and
angry.When Shaqir reached Ballabhgarh station, he too was dragged in and
stabbed. His father Jalaluddin says, “Man who helped kill my son is now roaming
free. He got bail in a month. We are scared.”He adds, “When PM Modi gave that
speech, we were hopeful of getting justice but not anymore. We have lost faith
in Govt. Today, they’ve granted him bail, tomorrow they will say Junaid has no
stab wounds. Kuch bhi kar sakte hai, inki niyat mein hi khot hai.”
Accused in Junaid Khan’s train lynching granted bail
Faridabad Lynching: A scattered Junaid family fights fear, financial
woes
Khandawali : Even as Chander Parkash — an accused in the Faridabad
lynching case — got relief after he was granted bail by a Faridabad court
earlier this week, things have not looked up for Junaid Khan’s family since he
was stabbed to death on June 22. Almost 40 days after the incident, a financial
crisis has hit the Khans of Khandawali as the earning members of the family
have lost their livelihood.The stab wounds on the neck and the chest have
rendered Junaid’s brother, Shaqir Khan, unemployed. The 23-year-old was a
driver with a private company until last month, but the events that unfolded on
June 22 changed his life. His father, Jalaluddin, too has lost his job. He too
used to drive a car for a company but the owner has hired a new driver. His
eldest son, Ismail, 24, has stopped plying his auto “out of fear”. indianexpress
RSS activist murder: CPM, BJP shake hands to prevent violence, all-party
meet on August 6
New Delhi;Kerala CM Pinarayi
Vijayan called for an all-party meeting on August 6 in Thiruvananthapuram to
discuss the series of violent incidents involving members of BJP-RSS and CPI-M
workers. Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with the BJP and RSS
leaders, Vijayan said peace meetings would be held in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kottayam and Kannur. “After the recent incident, it was decided that meeting
between leaders of all political parties be held and it will be done district
wise,” he said.IeMalayalam reports that it was decided at the meeting to ensure
that violence is not repeated with clear instructions to all party workers on
both sides not to engage in any violence.Meanwhile, a video that is going viral
shows the CM asking journalists to leave the room where the meeting was
supposed to take place. A visbily unhappy CM is seen asking the journalists to
come out of the room. CM and Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan are seen
waiting for the journalists to troop out of the room. indianexpress
After a brutal killing of their worker, RSS groups spread fake video;
Kerala Police warns of action
After an RSS Karyavahak was hacked to death on Saturday night at
Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, a fake graphic video of a brutal killing
is being spread by some groups and persons having allegiance to Sangh Parivar
as that of the RSS men killed.One of the persons who shared the video, Devdutta
Maji, describes himself as Vice President of Hindu Samhati. “A Nagar Karyavah
Rajesh Ji was brutally killed by communists in Thiruvananthapuram. Chopped off
his hands and stabbed for 10’s of times.But don't worry, Netas are safe in
Nagpur and Delhi,” he writes on his Facebook profile. The video has already
shared more than 2500 times.Meanwhile, taking serious note of the video, Kerala
DGP Lokanath Behera has warned that those who spread the video will be booked
under relevant penal sections.The video has also been shared to several Sangh
Parivar Facebook groups.The video, which was taken from an overseas website,
shows body a person with both hands chopped off lying in pool blood with many
stabs on his body. The body in the video also shows the face and it is
apparently clear that it not of Rajesh, the man killed yesterday. The clippings
has a title which reads: “Support Hindu Samhati to stop anti-Hindu pogrom.” southlive
Lok Sabha debates mob lynching: ‘Hindustan’ should not become
‘lynchistan, says Congress; states must also act, replies BJP: indianexpress
New Delhi:Opposition and centre were locked in a bitter exchange of
words over the issue of mob lynching in Lok Sabha on Monday. While Congress
accused the Narendra Modi led Govt of
encouraging organisations behind the violence in the garb of cow vigilantism,
BJP slammed the opposition for repeatedly targeting it saying many cases cited
by them are sub-judice.Initiating a discussion on the issue of mob lynching in
the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said ‘Hindustan’ should not
be allowed to become “lynchistan”. He also said that violence in the name of
religion and cow protection began only after BJP assumed power. “There is an
atmosphere of fear and terror across the country, which has brought a bad name
to India in the world” said the leader. Holding Hindutva groups like Bajrang
Dal and VHP responsible for the violence Kharge said, “Why are incidents of mob
violence increasing so rapidly? Who is allowing groups such as the Bajrang Dal
and VHP to flourish? It is also being done so that your ideology and philosophy
could be established in the country,” the Congress leader said, pointing to the
BJP’s “links” with these outfits.He also read out a list of the violence
carried out in the name of cow vigilantism. He also said the states of
Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, where BJP Govt s were in power, have become hubs
of mob lynching. Kharge also referred to the Faridabad lynching in which Junaid
Khan was killed. Condemning his death, the Congress leader said that people
from Hindutva organisations are taking law into their own hands to kill people
over beef. Accusing the Govt of double
speaking on violence, Kharge said the Kerala governor had summoned the DGP on
the murder of a BJP worker, but no such action was taken when people were
killed in other states. Sougata Roy of Trinamool Congress quoted the findings
of a magazine to say that between 2010-2017 there were 63 incidents of mob
violence in the name of cow protection. He also demanded a separate law —
“Manav Suraksha Kanoon”(human protection law) — to deal with incidents of
lynching, saying that there are no enough mechanisams now. He also agreed to
Kharge’s remarks that VHP and Bajrang Dal were leading the mob violence. Roy
referred to the killing of Mohammad Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan and Junaid Khan and said
it took long time for the state and central Govt s to condemn such lynching
incidents. He maintained that the PM has
made “just two statements” — one in 2016 and the other a few days ago — and
asked, “Why did it take him so long?”Asaduddin Owaisi, President of AIMIM,
meanwhile, took a jibe at the Modi Govt saying, mob lynching will continue to be a
part of India as long as BJP is at the helm of power. BJD leader Tathagat
Satpathy also crticised the incidents of mob violence and said that rural
economy is getting damaged by incidents of lynching as an economic cycle has
been stopped.
#UnitedAgainstHate: Impressive Bike Rally Taken out against Lynching
New Delhi: With the sole motive of uniting the society against communal
hatred and culture of lynching, peace activists took out an impressive bike
rally in Delhi on Sunday. Besides Delhi, such rallies were taken out in dozens
of other cities in different states.Concerned with the growing trend of
lynching that is result of communal hatred, the activists took out the bike
rally from Mandi House area in the heart of Delhi to Nuh in Haryana - the state
which has witnessed two deaths in lynching in the last 4 months.Wearing white
T-shirts with #UnitedAgainstHate printed on them, the youths were shouting
slogans, on and off, against politics of hate, lynching and cow
vigilantism.Some were carrying the National Flag - Tiranga on the bonnet of
their bikes. Eminent social leaders, politicians and student leaders who
flagged off the bike rally included Father M D Thomas, Bhai Paramjeet Singh,
Swami Agnivesh, Harsh Mandar, Nivedita Menon, Ali Anwar, Shehla Rashid, Manoj Jha,
Gauhar Raza, Aditya Nigam, Apoorvanand Jha, Yogendra Yadav, Anil Chamadia and
Mohit Panday. IndiaTomorrow
'United against hate' bike rally sets off for Mewat from Delhi
Rajya Sabha passes the amended Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill 2017
Lok Sabha was adjourned after discussions. No bills passed; Rajya Sabha
passed the amended version of the Constitutional Amendment Bill according
constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes with
amendments.Lok Sabha on Monday discussed the issue of mob violence and
lynchings in detail, with the Congress demanding answers about action taken so
far. Several Bills were also introduced in the LS, including the GST Bills for J&K
.Rajya Sabha passed the amended version of the Constitution (123rd Amendment)
Bill, 2017 and The National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill, 2017
after intense discussion about the Clause III of the Bill. Bill was finally
passed without Clause III.The Hindu
It takes hackers less than 90 seconds to break into EVMs at global
conference
It took less than 90 seconds for hackers to break into the electronic
voting machines at the Def Con hacking conference in Las Vegas over the
weekend.A report by website The Register said that ‘the first cracks in the
systems’ defenses started appearing within 90 seconds, revealing an
embarrassing low level of security before a machine was hacked wirelessly.Jake
Braun, who originally sold the idea for such conference, said, “Without
question, our voting systems are weak and susceptible. Thanks to the
contributions of the hacker community today, we’ve uncovered even more about
exactly how.“The scary thing is we also know that our foreign adversaries –
including Russia, North Korea, Iran – possess the capabilities to hack them too,
in the process undermining principles of democracy and threatening our national
security.” US had invested heavily into exploring the options of adopting EVMs
particularly after the counting disaster in 2000 Presidential elections. Latest
development on the hackability of the EVMs assumes significance in light of the
raging debate in India over the machines’ questionable credibility. EVMs are
being used for all elections in India and the machines came under heavy scanner
after the assembly elections were conducted in 5 states, UP, Punjab, Goa,
Uttarakhand and Manipur in February-March this year.Many rival political
parties had blamed the hacking of EVMs for the unprecedented victory of the BJP
in UP after it won 325 lout of 403 assembly seats.This had prompted the
Election Commission to invite political parties for hackathon but they were not
allowed to tinker with the motherboards of the machines. The challenge to hack
EVMs was also restricted to Indian nationals.These conditions had prompted
several leading political parties to pull out of the hackathon challenge.Janta
Ka Reporter
BJP offering Rs 15 crore, poll tickets: Gujarat Congress MLAs
Bengaluru: A group of 42 Congress MLAs from Gujarat, who are holed up in
a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru to escape alleged poaching attempts by
the ruling BJP in Gujarat ahead of Rajya Sabha polls, put up a united front
Sunday and sought to dispel perception that many of them were being held
against their wishes. They also claimed to have the support of the requisite 45
MLAs necessary for ensuring that Ahmed Patel, senior Congress leader and aide
to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, is elected again to Rajya Sabha in next
week’s polls. Congress spokesperson and MLA from Abdasa constituency,
Shaktisinh Gohil, who addressed the media at the Magnolia Resort said the MLAs
were not in their constituencies after the floods because they were being
poached by the BJP with allurements such as Rs 15 crore and tickets to contest
the forthcoming Assembly polls.“BJP is using below-the-belt tactics to lure the
MLAs. They are using the threat of IT raids and the CBI to target the MLAs.
Until now, this was not being done but with the Rajya Sabha polls around the
corner they have started it,” Gohil said. He dismissed reports that the Congress
MLAs were being forced to part with their mobile phones and live in
semi-captivity in Bengaluru.“Game of BJP is to get 22 of the 57 MLAs of the
Congress. 6 have resigned and 7 more have been lured but they have not resigned
and they are having some doubts. I would like to appreciate the MLAs here who
have not succumbed to offer of Rs 15 crore or threats,’’ he said. According to
Gohil, BJP began targeting Congress MLAs after winning over the party’s chief
whip and then a tribal MLA. “Tribal MLA was made to sit in a vehicle by a
police officer who was earlier accused of involvement in a fake encounter and
was offered Rs 15 crore and the guarantee of a ticket to contest the next
polls. After they won the MLA, who is a simple person, they began using him to
target other MLAs,” Gohil alleged. indianexpress
'No one capable enough to compete with Modi': Nitish on 2019 polls
New Delhi: In a verbal pat on the back to new ally BJP, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said on Monday that no person or
political party has the ability to challenge PM Narendra Modi in the 2019 general
election."Given the current political scenario, no one can compete with
Narendra Modi,"Nitish said.Elaborating on what went on behind the scenes
after the CBI filed a graft case and conducted raids on the Yadav's properties,
Nitish said he had tried to ignore the furor in the media. But soon fingers
were pointed at him+ for not taking action against the accused.He said he had
tried to save the grand alliance but was forced to break away after RJD supremo
Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family refused to come clean on the corruption
allegations against them."I didn't have a choice, I tolerated everything.
But when the corruption allegations were made, it created a hubbub not only in
the state but on a national level," Nitish said at the press
conference."The media was reporting a lot about the case but I tried to
ignore that and continued working. I thought this happens in an alliance. Then,
people started questioning, they have a zero tolerance policy for corruption,
so what will they do now?" said Nitish. timesofindia
JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav describes Nitish's decision as unfortunate, says
it's against Bihar people's mandate
JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav finally broke his silence on JD(U)'s tie-up
with BJP in Bihar on Monday describing it as "unfortunate" and said
he did not agree with the decision taken by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar."I don't agree with the
decision in Bihar. It is unfortunate," Sharad told reporters outside Parliament."The
mandate of the people (in Bihar in 2015) was not for this," the Rajya
Sabha member said on Nitish's decision to end the two-year Mahagathbandhan
between the JD(U), and RJD and the Congress in the state.He had so far only
tweeted his criticism of the BJP-led central Govt . firstpost
No new slaughterhouse in Bihar, total ban on cow slaughter: Minister
Patna:Newly appointed animal husbandry minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on
Monday said no new slaughter house will be opened in Bihar and that there will
be a total ban on cow slaughter.“No new slaughter houses will be opened and
there will be a total ban on cow slaughter,” Paras said, adding that his
department would not issue any licenses to set up new slaughter houses in the
state.Paras, younger brother of Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, was
inducted by CM Nitish Kumar in his
cabinet on Saturday. hindustantimes
Chhattisgarh to start ambulance service for cows:CM
Raipur: Chhattisgarh Govt will begin an ambulance service for cows, CM Raman Singh said, joining a number of
BJP-ruled states to put a stronger focus on protection of the animal that is
considered sacred by Hindus.The service will be started in ten districts in the
next few months, Singh said, addressing a programme organised by the state’s
commission for protection of cows at Pandit Ravi Shankar University on Sunday.HT
Besides buying forest land, Chhattisgarh minister wife also encroached
on 13.9 hectares of govt land
Raipur :Last Wednesday, hours after Indian Express reported that 4.12
hectares of forest land have been acquired in Chhattisgarh for a resort by
Sarita Agrawal, the wife of State Minister Brijmohan Agrawal, CM Raman Singh sought an official report on the
deal. Officials have now found that 13.9 hectares of Govt land was encroached upon for the
project.Investigations by Mahasamund district revenue officials have also found
that notices red-flagging the “encroachment” were sent four months ago to
Aditya Srijan Pvt Ltd, the company which acquired the land and has Sarita
Agrawal and Abhishek Agrawal, the son of Brijmohan Agrawal, as its
directors.Replying to the notice through its representatives, the company
struck a defiant note and stated that they wanted to retain this parcel of Govt
land, which they claimed was within
their property’s boundaries. In exchange, records show, they offered to give
the Govt another tract. indianexpress
Majority of Muslims in India are descendants of Hindus: BJP MP Hukumdev
Yadav
New Delhi:Majority of Muslims in India are descendants of Hindus, a BJP
member claimed in the Lok Sabha on Monday while asking both the communities to
respect each other’s sentiment. Participating in a debate on lynchings,
Hukumdev Narayan Yadav slammed the opposition for targeting the central Govt over incidents of lynchings, saying PM Narendra Modi has repeatedly come out strongly
against such acts.He raised the issue of killing of RSS workers in Kerala,
which is ruled by Left Front Govt . Yadav asserted that the responsibility of
containing mob violence is that of the state Govts.PTI
OTHERS
Fabrication of evidence serious offence: SC in 2002 Gujarat riot case
New Delhi : A high-voltage hearing was on Monday witnessed in a case of
alleged fabrication of evidence in a 2002 post-Godhra riot case in the Supreme
Court which asked a volley of questions to social activist Teesta Setalvad for
opposing a probe against her former aide Rais Khan Pathan. The SC was hearing
the appeal filed by Setalvad and her NGO, CJP, against a decision of the
Gujarat High Court upholding a magisterial court order for a probe against
Pathan. “It is a serious offence whosoever has done it. Either they (Setalvad
and her NGO, CJP) are wrong or Pathan is wrong. We will look into it,” a bench
of justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy said. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing
for Setalvad, questioned procedure adopted for continuing with the probe
against Pathan when his petition to become a court witness was dismissed.
However, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Mahesh
Jethmalani, appearing for the Gujarat Govt and Pathan respectively, said
Setalvad and her NGO have no locus standi in the criminal case as they were not
parties to the matter either in the high court or the trial court. After
hearing the matter partly, the bench posted it for hearing to Aug.21, saying it
would examine the matter on the question of law. It refused to grant four weeks
to Setalvad to keep ready the compilations, brief notes and synopsis of the
matter.When Sibal sought more time, bench said it will “vacate the stay on the
high court order and allow the investigation to continue and list the matter
after 6 months”.PTI
Bhagwad Gita next to Kalam statue raises furore, grandnephew places
Quran and Bible in response
Merely 2 days after a grand opening of Abdul Kalam memorial in
Rameswaram, controversy broke out over a Bhagavad Gita copy that was placed in
front of a statue of the former President. Kalam's grandnephew in response,
kept a copy of the Quran and the Bible, on Sunday, along with the Hindu text, in
what he claims to be an effort to avoid further speculation regarding the
matter. MDMK founder Vaiko brought up the matter on Saturday while addressing
the media in Ezhumpur. He asked, why a statue of Abdul Kalam playing the Veena
was present in the memorial and claimed that it was not right to place a copy
of the Bhagavad Gita in front of the statue. The veteran politician alleged
that this was against the values of secularism that the former President stood
for. Talking to The News Minute Kalam's
grandnephew Salim said, "Kalam has never liked such controversy. So it was
my duty to end it. These texts were already in a glass box near the statue and
due to the haste with which the memorial was completed, it couldn't be placed
there. And since the public keep visiting, it seemed like a better idea to
showcase them in the glass box." Vaiko, however, was not convinced. In a
telephonic interview to Puthiya Thalaimurai, he said, "If they had kept
the Tirukkural nobody would have questioned it. Kalam is known to have spread messages
of that scripture. But making the Bhagavad Gita part of that installation shows
that there is a Hindutva agenda in place."He further added, "Salim
may have placed the other books with good intention but can he represent all
the other religions in this way as well? What about the Sikhs, the Zoroastrians
and others?"Salim, however, rebutted this claim by stating that a library
will soon be open to the public, with all the books Kalam has read. The News
Minute
Kalam wasn't a Muslim: Islamic leader
Even before the controversy over placing the Bible and Quran near late
president APJ Abdul Kalam's statue could subside, a pro-Muslim group leader has
come up with a shocking statement claiming that Abdul Kalam was not even a
Muslim. Jainulabudeen, leader of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath alleged that Kalam
was not a Muslim as he prayed to idols and respected naked sadhus."Before
he became a president, nobody knew him. He was just another scientist in the
crowd. BJP and the Sangh noticed him and lack of his objection to praying to
idols or getting blessings from Sankarachariyar. This is why they made him the
president," he alleged.He went ahead and claimed that Abdul Kalam just had
a Muslim name and that Thowheed Jamath will not protest for not placing a Quran
in his memorial. indiatoday
Imams affiliated to Delhi Wakf Board not getting salaries: Sources
New Delhi:Delhi Wakf Board (DWB) affiliated mosque's Imam and thousands
of widows are not getting their salary and widow's pensions since past three
months as the board has become completely defunctional, when former
lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung had dissolved it and set up a CBI inquiry in
October last year. According to DWB source, almost 350 old mosques are
registered under Delhi Wakf Board while, more than 300 mosques Imam and
Moazines get monthly salary from it. Read This - Why reports on 300% rise in
Shah's assets vanished, asks AAP On Oct.7 last year, L-G declared the reconstitution
of the board and announced the appointment of its CEO and members as illegal
and void ab initio, superseded as per procedure, and that it would be
administered by a special secretary-level bureaucrat through an additional
charge. The appointments in question were made by AAP's Okhla MLA Amantullah
Khan. During the past 11 months, the Wakf board is getting bad to worse in
context of Widow's Pension as well as Imam Salaries. Some members said that
after the Imams and widows got their dues just before Eid in June ,2017. The
Board could not disburse salary of Imams and widows pensions millenniumpost
Sedition case: Azam Khan has not mended his ways, says Attorney-General
New Delhi:Trouble may be brewing for Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan
with his controversial statement calling the brutal Bulandshahr gangrape as a
“political conspiracy” coming back to haunt him.Appearing before a Bench led by
Justice Dipak Misra, Attorney-General KK Venugopal highlighted how Mr. Khan had
not mended his ways even after rendering an apology to the Supreme Court and
was recently booked for sedition for allegedly making statements against Army.
Attorney-General said, by calling the brutal crime a “political conspiracy,”
Khan chose to brand the victims — a woman and her 14-year-old daughter — as
“liars.” Venugopal, who was called by the Bench to assist the court, said the
"atrocious" statement made by Khan was actually a message to the
police to close its investigation. thehindu
Bulandshahr gang rape case: SC to examine revival of case against Azam
Khan
SC grants Mahdani permission to attend son’s marriage
New Delhi:PDP chairman Abdul Nasser Mahdani has got permission from the
Supreme Court to attend the marriage function of his son. He will be released
from August 1 to 14, however, will have to foot the bill for his security in
Kerala during the period.Mahdani had moved the apex court after the Bangalore
NIA court gave him permission only to meet his elderly parents, but not to
attend the marriage. The function is scheduled to be held at Thalassery on
August 9. indianexpress
WORLD
Iraq's influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr makes rare Saudi visit,
meets with newly crowned Prince
Iraq's influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr has made a rare visit to
Saudi Arabia, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other
officials.Sadr's office released a statement on Sunday, saying he had been
invited to the kingdom.He was greeted by Thamer al-Sabhan, Saudi Arabia's
former ambassador to Iraq, on his arrival in the kingdom on Sunday. Sadr, who last
visited Saudi Arabia in 2006, attended "discussions of common
interest" during his trip to the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Saudi state
news agency SPA reported. "We have been very pleased with what we found to
be a positive breakthrough in the Saudi-Iraqi relations, and we hope it is the
beginning of the retreat of sectarian strife in the Arab-Islamic region,"
a statement from Sadr’s office said. Iraq and Saudi Arabia agreed last month to
set up a coordination council to upgrade strategic ties as part of an attempt
to heal troubled relations between the Arab neighbours.Saudi Arabia reopened
its embassy in Baghdad in 2015 following a 25-year break. In Feb.this year,
Adel al-Jubeir made a rare visit to Baghdad, marking the first official visit
by a Saudi foreign minister to Iraq since 1990.Saudi Arabia is concerned about
the influence of its rival Iran in Iraq, which backs Shia fighters battling the
ISIL group there.Sadr is among those who have called for the Shia fighters to
be disbanded. Sadr, an anti-American Shia leader, commands a large following
among the urban poor of Baghdad and the southern cities, including Saraya
al-Islam, or Peace Brigades militia. aljazeera
Anti-Qatar bloc opens ‘emergency routes’ to Qatari planes
dubai: 4 Arab states that have cut diplomatic and transport ties with
Qatar said that they have opened up air routes that Qatari planes can use in
case of emergency.UAE’ foreign ministry said that 9 corridors were being opened
in coordination with International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO. PTI
Qatar denies Arab states’ air corridor claim
Qatar has denied Saudi media reports that Arab states would allow Qatari
planes to use air corridors in emergencies, saying they were spreading
"false information".Qatar's transport and communications ministry and
its aviation authority on Sunday denied claims that Saudi Arabia, the UAE,
Egypt and Bahrain had taken such a decision, state QNA reported. aljazeera
Qatar rebuts Saudi 'Hajj politicisation' claim
Qatar's foreign minister has rebutted accusations by his Saudi
counterpart that Qatar is trying to politicise the annual Islamic Hajj
pilgrimage to Mecca.Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, appeared
to accuse Qatar on Sunday of politicising the issue and "declaring a
war" against the kingdom by demanding the internationalisation of the Hajj
pilgrimage.The claim was rejected by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
in an interview with Al Jazeera. aljazeera
Saudi foreign minister calls internationalisation of Muslim Hajj
pilgrimage a declaration of war: Reuters
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister called Qatar’s demands for an
internationalisation of the Muslim hajj pilgrimage a declaration of war against
the kingdom, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television said on Sunday, although it was
unclear whether Qatar had actually made any such demand. “Qatar’s demands to
internationalize the holy sites is aggressive and a declaration of war against
the kingdom,” Adel al-Jubeir was quoted saying on Al Arabiya’s website. “We
reserve the right to respond to anyone who is working on the
internationalisation of the holy sites,” he said.However, it was unclear
whether Qatar made the demand. It did accuse the Saudis of politicizing Hajj
and addressed the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion on
Saturday, expressing concern about obstacles facing Qataris who want to attend
hajj this year. No one from the Qatari Govt was immediately available for
comment.
Turkey's Saadet Party protest as thousands
of people rally in Istanbul against Israel's Al-Aqsa mosque measures
Thousands of people rallied in Turkey's largest city on Sunday against
security measures Israel has imposed at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem,
shortly after Israel removed other measures that led to two weeks of violent
Palestinian protests. Rally in Istanbul, called" Big Jerusalem
Meeting" and organised by Turkey's Saadet Party, drew some five thousand
people to Yenikapi parade ground on the southern edge of Istanbul. Protesters
were brought in by buses and ferries from across city, waved Turkish and
Palestinian flags, and held up posters in front of a giant stage where the
chairman of the Saadet party and representatives from NGOs addressed crowd. Reuters
Thousands to be evacuated from Lebanon-Syria border
Convoys of buses are waiting to transfer thousands of Syrian fighters
and refugees from Lebanon's border region into rebel territory in Syria in
exchange for Hezbollah prisoners.Under a local ceasefire between the opposition
fighters and Hezbollah, about 9,000 fighters and their relatives were to leave
on Monday, in exchange for eight Hezbollah fighters held by the Jabhat Fateh
al-Sham, formerly known as the al-Nusra Front. The first step of the ceasefire,
brokered by Lebanon's internal security agency, unfolded on Sunday as the two
sides exchanged the bodies of dead fighters.The deal includes the departure of
all Jabhat Fateh al-Sham fighters from Lebanon's border region around the town
of Arsal, along with any civilians in nearby refugee camps who wish to go. Aljazeera
Russia's Putin orders 755 US diplomatic staff to be cut
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that 755 staff must leave
US diplomatic missions, in retaliation for new US sanctions against Moscow.The
decision to cut staff was made on Friday, but Mr Putin has now confirmed the
number who must go by 1 Sept.It brings staff levels to 455, the same as
Russia's complement in Washington.This is thought to be the largest action
against diplomatic staff from any country in modern history, says BBC's Laura
Bicker in Washington. The number includes Russian employees of the US diplomatic
missions across Russia,BBC's Sarah in Moscow adds.BBC
UK: Female soldiers are victim to sex attacks twice a Week
Figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws show between 2012 and
2017 there was a total of 363 sexual abuse allegations made across the army,
air and sea cadet forces, both historical and current.Of these 282 cases have
been referred to the police and 99 instructors have been dismissed as a result
of claims against them.To date the MoD has paid out over £2 million to victims
of the abuse, according to the programme. According to the MoD, military police
launched at least 113 investigations into claims of rape, sexual assault and
harassment last year. DailyMail
Pak anti-corruption body announces filing of 4 criminal corruption cases
against Sharif, children and son-in-law
National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan’s top anti-corruption
body, on Monday announced the filing of four criminal corruption cases against
deposed PM Nawaz Sharif and his children
— Hussain, Hassan and daughter Maryam, and son-in-law Captain Safdar. Separate
cases will also be filed against Captain Safdar and former Finance Minister
Ishaq Dar.As per NAB law, Mr. Sharif and his children can be arrested any time
on the orders of NAB chairman. Conviction means at least 7 years in prison.the
hindu
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
'They killed him because he was an Arab':Kin of Palestinian killed by
Israeli police: aljazeera
1.5 Trillion Dollars Of Muslims’ Deposit Interest Lying Unclaimed In
Indian Banks: milligazette
An Open Letter to EPW’s Trustees from Partha Chatterjee:Partha
Chatterjee
'Fake' riot photos from Bengal yes;'fake' flood photos from Gujarat No:BJP's
politics of convenience:Shubham Ghosh
Is Rise of Hindutva Proportional to Growth of Muslim Middle-Class?Mayank
Mishra
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 9:44 PM)
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