Evening NEWS
DIGEST
26
Oct.2017: 5 Safar 1439:Vol:9, No:30
Zakir Naik's 9 speeches inflammatory,
including 'Every Muslim should be a
terrorist', 'Eating Prasad is Haram', 'Jesus Christ was a Muslim': NIA
chargesheet
New Delhi:NIA today filed chargesheet against
Zakir Naik in a special court in Mumbai. NIA has booked televangelist for
inciting communal hatred. Naik's NGO IRF and firm Harmony Media Private
Limited(HMPL) have also been named in 104-page chargesheet.Zakir has been
charged under IPC Sections 295 A (for deliberate and malicious acts intended to
outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious
beliefs), 298 (for utterances (speeches) with deliberate intent to wound the
religious feelings of any person) and 505-b (with intent to cause, or which is
likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public
whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or
against the public tranquility). NIA chargesheet says that prima facie scrutiny
of financial documents reveal domestic and foreign transactions. The huge
transaction to charitable trusts and other organisations is suspected to be an
evasion of income tax, trade tax, custom duty, exchanges.NIA investigation has
revealed that 19 immovable properties, including land, worth Rs 104 crore are connected
with the Naik. The source as well as mode of acquisition of these properties
are under investigation.NIA chargesheet includes 85 statements made under
Section 161 in CrPC. These are essentially witness statements recorded by NIA.
The most damning statement is of Naik's sister Nailah Noorani who has confessed
that Naik was using her as a tool in a company set up by him. NIA chargesheet
mentions recovery of 50 DVDs wherein at least 9 speeches are inflammatory,
hurting religious sentiments. Speeches including statements such as 'Every
Muslim should be a terrorist', 'Eating Prasad is Haram', 'Jesus Christ was a
Muslim'. Chargesheet says that IRF educational trust run by Naik received huge
annual donations of upto Rs 6 crore but donor name was shown as a well-wisher.
A major portion of donation, as per NIA, may not have been shown in the Trust
records, but pushed into Naik's private firms. According to NIA, huge amounts
of cash were collected through donations by 2 Islamic schools run by IRF in
Mumbai and Chennai and through Dawah Training Programme. Naik's two bank
accounts in Dubai and India are now under the scanner.Naik is believed to have
acquired citizenship of Saudi Arabia but this has not been confirmed yet. NIA
chargesheet has come nearly a year after MHA cracked down on Naik's IRF and NIA
filed an FIR against him. india today
NIA files chargesheet against Zakir Naik in
hate speech, incitement case
Centre may amend IPC to make triple talaq
criminal offence: Bill to be tabled in next Parliament session
New Delhi: In the wake of the Supreme Court
order asking the Centre to bring a legislation on triple talaq, the Union Govt is planning to amend a section of Indian Penal
Code (IPC) to make the practice of talaq-e-bidat a criminal offence. Highly
placed sources in the Home Ministry told Mathrubhumi that instead of bringing
an entirely new law, the Govt is mulling
to amend IPC 497 and add a sub-section 497 (A). Once the amendment is made, the
practice of talaq-e-bidat, that allows men to pronounce talaq thrice in one
sitting and render the divorce irrevocable, will attract imprisonment up to 3
years. Sources said the Govt is considering making it a criminal offence since
such practices continue to prevail in the society even after the Supreme
Court’s injunction. A bill in this regard will be tabled in the next Parliament
session after the Cabinet’s approval. In its Aug.22 order, SC set aside, by a
majority verdict, the practice of divorce through instant triple talaq among
Muslims, saying the practice was void, illegal and unconstitutional. A 5-judge
Constitution Bench, in a 395-page order, said “In view of the different
opinions recorded by a majority of 3:2, the practice of ‘talaq-e-biddat’ —
triple talaq is set aside.”The minority verdict by CJI JS Khehar and Justice S
Abdul Nazeer favoured keeping on hold the practice of triple talaq for 6
months. The judges in the minority verdict also said that if the Centre does
not bring a law within 6 months,then its injunction on triple talaq will
continue. mathrubhumi
Rohingya issue needs a constructive approach: Foreign
Secretary Jaishankar
New Delhi:''India’s behaviour in the South
Asian and Bay of Bengal regions does not mean that it is a leading power but
shows that it is an ‘aspiring leading power’, which has regional
responsibilities to shoulder.''Rohingya refugees staying in Bangladesh and
India will have to return to their home state of Rakhine in Myanmar and there
is need for a ‘constructive’ approach to deal with the issue, avoiding harsh
criticism, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said on Thursday.“Exodus of a large
number of people from Rakhine state to Bangladesh is clearly a matter of
concern. Our objective would be to see how they can go back to their place of
origin. Clearly that is not easy. We are talking to Bangladesh and separately
engaged with Myanmar and we feel that this is a situation better addressed with
practical measures and constructive conversation, rather than doing very strong
condemnations and having checked the condemnation- box, move to the next issue.
There is need for a sober, sensitive and locally sensitive approach in dealing
with the humanitarian emergency that the exodus has become,'' he
said.Jaishankar was speaking at a think tank event on prospects of India-Japan
cooperation in the Bay of Bengal and Asia-Pacific regions. He said that both
sides were ‘mirror images’ of each other in terms of potentials, and have clear
areas of convergence in the Asian humanitarian and strategic architecture.the
hindu
'My father hits me, I'll be killed anytime,'
says Hadiya
Kottayam: "You need to get me out...I
will be killed anytime," said Hadiya, who was put in the protective
custody of her parents by the Kerala High Court in June after it annulled her
marriage on the charge of ‘love jihad’.“I know my father is getting angry...He
hits and kicks me when I walk,” Hadiya, a 25-year-old homoeopathic doctor, can
be heard saying in Malayalam in the video published by The News MinuteThe
video, which was originally taken by activist Rahul Easwar, ends on an abrupt
note with Hadiya saying, "What if my head or any part of my body hits
somewhere and I die..."Hadiya alias Akhila had converted to Islam and
married a Muslim, Shafin Jahan. Visitors have been barred from meeting Hadiya
in her residence, which is guarded by the police.Deccan Chronicle
IPS who deposed against Advani in Babri case
denied extension in R&AW
New Delhi:Govt has turned down Uttarakhand
cadre IPS officer Anju Gupta’s proposal for granting permanent secondment in R&AW
on the grounds that already a large number of officers at the joint
secretary-level posted in the external intelligence agency have been granted
extension.Gupta, earlier in the UP cadre, was among the star witnesses in the
1992 Babri Masjid demolition case and has deposed against veteran BJP leader LK
Advani before a special court in Rae Bareli in 2010, saying that Advani made a
“provocative speech” in Ayodhya before the mosque was attacked and demolished
by a mob.“He looked euphoric, his provocative speech, applauded by his other
party colleagues, infused enthusiasm amongst kar sevaks,” Gupta is said to have
told the court. She was then posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police in
Faizabad and was the security in-charge of VVIPs in Ayodhya on Dec.6, 1992.
Gupta also made similar deposition before CBI and the Liberhan Commission.A
1990 batch IPS officer, Gupta opted for the Uttarakhand cadre after bifurcation
of UP in 2000 since her husband, Shafi
Ahsan Rizvi, an 1989 batch IPS officer, chose Uttarakhand cadre. Rizvi is
currently a joint director in the IB and in charge of economic intelligence. indianexpress
Adityanath visits Taj Mahal days after BJP
leaders’ controversial remarks
Agra: UP CM Yogi
Adityanath visited Taj Mahal today days after some BJP leaders made provocative
statements against 17th century Mughal era monument.Accompanied by scores of
security personnel, officials and jostling crowds of supporters, he walked down
the path leading to Taj Mahal along with State Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna
Joshi. Adityanath, first BJP CM of the State to visit the monument, entered
from the western gate.Donning a mask, wearing yellow gloves and wielding a
broom,CM,accompanied by about 500 BJP members including MLAs from western UP,
swept a parking area, in an apparent bid to promote the Swachh Bharat mission. Visit
is seen by many as a damage control exercise after the eruption of a series of
controversies.PTI
Accenture faces new bias suit by an Indian
Muslim worker
New York: Accenture, one of the larger US
consulting firms, was sued last year by an Indian employee who claimed that he
and hundreds of workers like him who took part in the company’s Global Careers
Program were discriminated against. The complaint filed by Elton Kent alleged
he was paid less than American employees and received fewer benefits, including
paid paternity leave.Accenture settled the case for $500,000 without admitting
or denying wrongdoing. Last June the company publicized “Inclusion Starts With I,”
an internal program meant to raise awareness of bias in the workplace. A video
appears on the company’s website with people holding signs detailing their
run-ins with discrimination, including a woman whose sign says there’s a strain
when conversations aren’t in her first language and a black man whose reads
that he laments “being labelled entitled and lacking drive.”Last week,
Accenture got sued again, by a Muslim Indian man bringing allegations similar
to those lodged by Kent. In the new suit, Mohammed Ali alleged that he was paid
a lower salary and demoted, and that he didn’t receive an annual bonus, because
of his race and religion. According to Ali, he regularly exceeded annual sales
targets, with the exception of fiscal year 2015. He claims he was paid less
than his counterparts and was given a $50 million sales target, while his
colleagues had targets of $30 million.His manager, who’s white and who knew Ali
is a practising Muslim, justified the elevated target by telling Ali he “wasn’t
going to be like Bernie Sanders and give handouts,” according to the complaint,
and also told Ali he agreed “with all of Trump’s views.” Statements were
allegedly made during the first half of 2016 when then-candidate Donald Trump
was calling for a Muslim immigration ban. livemint
Delhi firecracker ban had no impact, say
studies: thehindu
Pollution levels recorded in the National
Capital Region on Deepavali and the two following days were in close agreement
with forecasts that assumed that the entire stock of unsold firecrackers in the
city was used.This data indicates that a October 9 Supreme Court ban on the
sale of firecrackers in the city had no effect, and partly explains why air
pollution remained severe despite it.The idea behind the Supreme Court judgment
was to test whether reduced firecracker use could alleviate the noxious
pollution in Delhi during winter.To forecast pollution levels on October 19, 20
and 21 as a result of this ban, Goa-based research group, Urban Emissions,
simulated three scenarios using weather and emissions data.In the first, the
ban led to no reduction in firecracker use; in the second, there was a 25%
reduction while in the third, the drop was 50%.“The pollution peaks only
matched at 0%. This means that there was no effect of the ban on what people
managed to burst,”said Sarath Guttikunda, the director of Urban Emissions.
Faridabad’s Junaid lynching: HC notice to
Haryana govt on plea seeking Junaid case transfer to CBI:indianexpress
Chandigarh; Punjab and Haryana High Court issued
a notice to the Haryana Govt on a petition seeking transfer of the
investigation into the murder case of Haryana teenager Junaid Khan to the CBI.
Junaid was stabbed to death onboard a train in June this year. Petition, filed
by Junaid’s father Jalaluddin, states that so far, police have carried out a
“seemingly casual and shoddy investigation” in the case and the probe has been
“subverted in a calculated manner” to help the accused in the case. He has
claimed that the investigation was getting influenced by “some high-ups” since
it began and the police deliberately did not record the “correct statements” of
the accused.“Investigation was managed to minimise the damage to the accused
and to ensure that most of them are released on bail and face no serious
trial,”Jalaluddin said in the plea. 15-year-old Junaid, his brother and two
cousins were attacked on a Mathura-bound train in June. The teenager was
stabbed to death by the accused and thrown off the train.“It is a clear case of
deliberate distortion of true facts in the course of investigation and provides
a clear illustration of the subversion of the investigating functioning of
various persons engaged in the task of investigation. The true facts and the
correct version have been derailed by introducing calculated distortions,
discrepancies and contradictions,” counsel said in the plea.
UN Body Praises Author Nayantara Sahgal For
Returning Sahitya Akademi Award After Dadri Lynching
Author Nayantara Sahgal has been praised by a UN
monitor for cultural rights for returning her Sahitya Akademi award two years
ago following the killing of Mohammed Ikhlaq by a mob in UP's Dadri in
2015.According to IANS, Karima Bennoune, the special rapporteur for cultural
rights, told a General Assembly committee dealing with social, humanitarian and
cultural affairs: "Women artists often play a significant role in calling
out fundamentalism and extremism. For example, in response to what they
perceived as ‘rising intolerance and growing assault on free speech’, coupled
with violence against intellectuals, approximately 40 leading Indian writers,
including women writers, returned their literary awards in protest." Bennoune
added,"This effort came to prominence after well-known writer Nayantara
Sahgal returned a prize” with the explanation that “India’s culture of
diversity and debate is now under vicious assault."Bennoune is a professor
of international law at the University of California-Davis School of
Law.Sahgal, the niece of Jawaharlal
Nehru, had announced her decision to return her Sahitya Akademi award in the
year 2015.Outlook
'Savarkar Apologised to British 6 Times to
Fight them': BJP Leader’s Claim Triggers Jokes in Kerala:Newsclick
The claim by JR Padmakumar, the BJP Kerala
spokesperson, that Hindu Mahasabha leader VD Savarkar had apologised not once, but
six times to the British so that he could participate in the Indian freedom
struggle, has triggered an avalanche of jokes from Kerala’s famed meme
factories.The argument was made by Padmakumar during the course of a news
debate in Manorama channel on Tuesday.Padmakumar’s comments have resulted in an
explosion of jokes in the Malayalam cyber space. A small sample of translated
memes can be seen below. Since the RSS was not part of the freedom struggle,
claiming that Savarkar was a participant in the freedom struggle has been the
only option for Sangh Parivar spokesperson to claim some link with the Indian
people’s fight against British colonial rule. But Savarkar had petitioned the
British several times during his jail term at the Andamans and subsequently
after his release, seeking forgiveness and offering complete cooperation.While
Savarkar was lodged in the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, he
had written in his mercy petition on 14 November 1913:"If the Govt in their manifold beneficence and mercy
release me, I for one cannot but be the staunchest advocate of constitutional
progress and loyalty to the English Govt which is the foremost condition of that
progress... Moreover, my conversion to the constitutional line would bring back
all those misled young men in India and abroad who were once looking up to me
as their guide. I am ready to serve the Govt in any capacity they like, for as my
conversion is conscientious so I hope my future conduct would be." newsclick
China defends Pak against criticism by India,
US on terrorism
Beijing:China once again came out in defence
of Pakistan against criticism by India and the US for not doing enough to wipe
out terrorist outfits from the country and praised Islamabad’s efforts in
combatting terrorism.A day after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and US
secretary of state Rex Tillerson told Pakistan to act against terrorists on its
soil, China said Pakistan has done a good job in countering terrorism. “Pakistan
is at the forefront of counter-terrorism efforts. For many years, Pakistan has
made positive efforts to counter terrorism and has made great sacrifices,”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.China has earlier too
made similar statements whenever “all-weather ally” Islamabad has been slammed
for failing to curb terrorism. “We believe that the international community
should recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter-terrorism,” Geng
said.IANS
India asked to share details of 1961 plane
crash that killed former UN chief
An eminent jurist has appealed to India to
share any information it may have on a plane crash that killed former
Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold, which he said was possibly the result of
“hostile action”.The request to India was contained in the report by former
Tanzanian Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman on Sept.1961 crash that was
released on Wednesday. Othman said that “given the decolonisation and
geopolitical situation of the Congo in the 1960s and contributions made to UN
operations” India may hold relevant information about the crash 56 years ago
while Hammarskjold was on a crucial mission to resolve the Congo crisis.India
was a major player in UN peacekeeping operations in Congo at that
time,contributing around 4,700 troops to the mission.Othman was asked by
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to look into the latest information emerging
about the crash, which had been the subject of several investigations and
myriad theories.Othman said that “it appears plausible that an external attack
or threat may have been a cause of the crash”near Ndola in what is now Zambia
and was then the British-controlled Northern Rhodesia.IANS
Swiss couple attacked in Agra: Sushma seeks
report
Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj
said she has asked for a report from UP Govt regarding an alleged incident of assault on a
Swiss couple in Agra. Swaraj tweeted, “I have just seen this (report). I have
asked for a report from the State Govt.” Swaraj added officers will reach out
to the couple in the hospital. The couple is being treated at a hospital in
Delhi. Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons also wrote to UP CM Yogi Adityanath
expressing concern over the attack.The couple from Switzerland was allegedly
chased and attacked by a group of youths in Agra’s Fatehpur Sikri on Sunday.
Quentin Jeremy Clerc (24) said that he and his girlfriend Marie Droz were first
followed by the group of young people who later attacked them, leaving Clerc
with a fractured skull and a clot in his brain, reports said. Droz’s arm was
reportedly fractured in the assault and she also suffered multiple bruises. indianexpress
Abdul Karim Telgi, fake stamp paper scam
kingpin dies
Abdul Karim Telgi, kingpin of the counterfeit
stamp paper scam, passed away in Bengaluru due to multiple organ failures on
Thursday, reported ANI. Telgi who was arrested in Ajmer in Nov. 2001 had been
suffering from diabetes and hypertension for over 20 years. He was admitted to
Victoria hospital last week after he collapsed in prison. He was also
undergoing treatment for HIV/AIDS.Telgi was lodged in Parappana Agrahara
Central jail in Bengaluru for the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket, along
with a massive fine of Rs 202 crore. He was previously given special privileges
like an assistant in prison on account of his severe condition. indianexpress
NIA raids Salahuddin's ancestral house in
J&K's Budgam
Srinagar: NIA raided Hizbul Mujahideen chief
Syed Salahuddin's house in Soibugh village of central Kashmir's Budgam
district, sources said.The raid came two days after HM chief's son Shahid
Yousuf was arrested by NIA in a terror funding case. Shahid was sent to
judicial custody for seven days by a special court on Wednesday.Reports said
NIA team reached Salahuddin's ancestral house at about 4.30am. It recovered
several mobile phones, laptop and some documents and left around 7am, sources
said. According to reports, HM chief's sons and 2 daughters live in the said
house.timesofindia
Tipu Jayanti: ‘Stringent action against those
disturbing peace’
Bengaluru: CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday cautioned “anti-social
elements” against disturbing communal harmony in the guise of opposing Tipu
Jayanti, even as Tipu Jayanti Virodhi Horata Samiti is launching an agitation
on Wednesday objecting to the event to be observed on Nov.10.Patapat Srinivas,
co-ordinator of the samiti, said they plan to hold protests in all districts
and will organise Onake Chaluvali (pestle agitation), torchlight procession and
black flag demonstration. BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders, including Pratap
Simha, MP; zonal secretary of VHP S. Gopal, writer Addanda Karyappa, and D.S.
Veerayya, MLC, participated in an event organised to plan the
protests.Meanwhile, accusing the BJP and Sangh Parivar of politicising the
issue with an eye on the Assembly polls, CM Siddaramaiah said: “Some people are engaged in
dividing the society. Govt will not tolerate any activity of that kind and
stringent action will be taken against them.” He said that there was no
question of reversing its decision on the celebrations. thehindu
51 Hindu families migrated from Pakistan to
Chhattisgarh get Indian citizenship
Raipur:As many as 51 Hindu families who had
migrated from Pakistan several years ago and have been living on the outskirts
of the city were on Wednesday granted Indian citizenship. Union Minister of
State for Home Hansraj Ahir said Chhattisgarh has become the first state in the
country to award citizenship after PM Narendra Modi granted the power to states
to do so.He and Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh awarded the certificates of Indian
citizenship at a function to mark the 73rd birth anniversary of Sant Gobindram
Saheb here at Saddani Darbar.These families settled down in Saddani Darbar area
on the fringes of Raipur several years ago.“Chhattisagrh has become the first
state in the country to grant Indian citizenship to the migrated Hindu
families. The state has set an example by taking such an important step,” Ahir
said.PTI
Nariman: ‘Ruling Party’s Support to Private
Person’s Defamation Suit Must Be Condemned’
New Delhi: “Any support extended by a
political party in power to a private person’s defamation suit against another
private person (of any profession or calling) is condemnable and must be
condemned,” said jurist Fali S. Nariman on Wednesday. His observation, made in
a written message to the Press Club of India, was read out at a meeting to
discuss the defamation cases filed against The Wire by BJP president Amit
Shah’s son for reporting on his business affairs.Shah’s son, Jay Shah, has
filed a criminal defamation case and a civil defamation case seeking Rs 100
crore in damages. He has already secured an ex-parte ad interim injunction
against The Wire from a civil court in Ahmedabad which its editors say they
intend to challenge.PCI meeting was called to discuss “Issues arising out of
support extended by the ruling party and Govt to a private person’s defamation
suit against journalists”. Chaired by veteran journalist Anand Sahay, the
gathering was addressed by PCI president Gautam Lahiri, lawyers Prashant
Bhushan and Karuna Nandy and the former editor of the Economic and Political
Weekly, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.In his opening remarks, Lahiri said anyone was
free to file a defamation suit but the Press Club of India was shocked to see “Govt
machinery rallying to defend a private citizen … That is why we have called
this meeting.” He said the PCI had also invited railways minister Piyush Goyal
– who had come out in defence of Jay Shah, described by his lawyer as a
“private citizen” – and Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to give their
point of view. “We received a message from Goyal that he had “noted” our
invitation,” said Lahiri, while Prasad did not reply at all.The Wire
After Editor’s Exit, Hindustan Times Pulls
Down Controversial ‘Hate Tracker’: thewire
New Delhi: Hindustan Times appears to have
taken down its hate tracker initiative, a microsite that aimed at being a
“national database on crimes in the name of religion, caste and race”.Readers
and viewers who tried to access the tracker on Wednesday morning were greeted
with a 404 error message that indicated that its contents are currently no
longer available on newspaper’s website.Although the official reason behind the
hate-tracker’s take-down is unknown at the moment, two journalists within the
organisation that The Wire spoke to confirmed that it had been removed for the
moment.A detailed emailed questionnaire has been sent to current editor R.
Sukumar and chief content officer Rajesh Mahapatra and the story will be
updated if and when they respond.The hate-tracker, which was intended to be a
“crowd-sourced database of hate crimes in India since Sept.2015” was an
editorial initiative driven by former HT editor Bobby Ghosh, who joined the
publication in May 2016.
V K Singh in Iraq to coordinate search
operations for missing Indians
New Delhi: Minister of State for External
Affairs VK Singh is in Iraq to meet senior officials to coordinate the search
operations for the 39 missing Indians and find concrete information related to
their whereabouts.In a statement on Tuesday, the Iraqi embassy in New Delhi
said Iraq and India continue their close cooperation in order to find the
location of the missing Indians who were kidnapped by ISIS group in June
2014.PTI
Gujarat: 2 held for ‘IS-inspired plan’ to
attack synagogue
Ahmedabad: Gujarat ATS arrested 2 persons, a
criminal lawyer and hospital lab technician, from Surat for allegedly plotting
an Islamic State-inspired lone-wolf terror attack on a synagogue in
Ahmedabad.ATS alleged that one of the accused had planned to flee to Jamaica
after the attack and had his visa ready.ATS officials identified the accused as
Ubed Ahmed Mirza, 29, a criminal lawyer who lives in Surat’s Saiyedpura, and
his associate Kasim Stimberwala, 31, a resident of Badekha Chakla, also in
Surat.According to FIR registered by ATS, Stimberwala had resigned as an echo
technician at Sardar Patel Hospital, Ankleshwar and was “planning and preparing
for immigration to Jamaica in the immediate future and indulge in jihad under
the guidance of Abdullah el-Faisal, a radical preacher based in Jamaica”.FIR
also claimed that Stimberwala was in touch with the preacher.FIR mentioned that
in 2014, 4 youths had been arrested in Kolkata, who revealed names of
Stimberwala and Mirza “for having an active role in their radicalisation”.Mirza
also runs a restaurant in Surat called Dawat and practises criminal law in the
district court.
Centre, state govt working on the lines of
‘Ram Rajya’:UP Governor Naik
UP Governor Ram Naik today said that the
central and the state Govt s are working on the lines of ‘Ram Rajya’ for the
development of the underprivileged.Governor said this concept is in accordance
to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s vision at the time of
independence.“Both Govts are working towards the development of the last man in
the social ladder as per the concept of ‘Ram Rajya’ visualised by the Father of
the Nation at the time of independence,” Naik said.PTI
Muzaffarnagar riot victims denied burial
ground in village where they were re-settled
Muzaffarnagar: Victims of 2013 Muzaffarnagar
riots, who had been re-settled in a village in Budhana area here, have now
allegedly been denied burial ground. They said that although they had been
given a plot till 2016, permission has been revoked. The victims are too poor
to avoid a vehicle to carry the bodies elsewhere.More than 300 families affected
by the riots, from villages like Fugana, Kharad and Kakra in the area had been
re-settled at Loi village, and had built houses after getting compensation from
the Govt in 2013-14.Saleem Saifi, 30, who fled with his family from Fugana
village and now lives in Loi, said, "Fugana is more than 10 km from here,
and we have settled in Loi. Locals are now refusing to allow us to bury our
dead in Loi. Where do we take them?""After we settled here, we
started burying our dead in the village graveyard. A year ago, other villagers
refused to allow us to bury our relatives, saying they needed the land for
their own families. We had a burial ground in Fugana, but it is too far for us
to take the bodies. We have some old and sick people in our families, and it
has become a serious issue," said Akhtar Ahmad, another riot victim.Loi
village has four graveyards, which belong to different Muslim castes.
"There is no Govt land remaining in the village. Some time ago, I had
offered a plot to the re-settled families at very low rates, but they have not
got back to me on this. I am trying to sort out the matter," said Mohammad
Dilshad, pradhan of Loi. timesofindia
Rajasthan passes Bill to provide 5% quota to
Gurjars, 4 other communities
Jaipur:Rajasthan Assembly passed by a voice
vote a Bill to provide 5% quota to 5
communities, including Gurjars, in the OBC by raising its limit from 21 to 26% .
However, the opposition Congress MLAs continued for the third day their protest
cum sit-in in the well of the House demanding crop loan waiver by the
Vasundhara Raje Govt .In a sudden turn of events, Congress legislators who were
in the well on farmers’ demand suddenly appeared with placards and raised
anti-BJP slogans for "killing" Gujrars during their agitation in the
past.BJP ministers and MLAs exchanged heated arguments on this issue when
Parliamentary Affairs Minister RS Rathore questioned Opposition whether they
were against OBC quota Bill or dishonouring the Gurjar community. Presenting
the Bill, Arun Chaturvedi, minister in-charge, told the House the new
legislation would provide for the reservation of seats in educational institutions
in the state and of appointments and posts in services for the category. tribuneindia
Govt To
Crack Down On Misleading Ads:PM Modi
New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi today said a new consumer
protection law is on the anvil to crack down on misleading ads and ensure that
grievances are redressed in a time-bound and cost effective manner.He also said
the Govt has enacted a new GST law which
will benefit consumers in the long run as prices would come down because of
competition among manufacturers."Today we are in the process of enacting a
new Consumer Protection Act keeping in view business practices and requirements
of the country. The proposed Act lays great emphasis on consumer
empowerment," he said. "Stringent provisions are proposed against misleading
advertisements. A Central Consumer Protection Authority with executive powers
will be constituted for quick remedial action," he added.PTI
BJP attacking religious minorities to divert
people’s attention: Teesta
Mangaluru: Human rights activist Teesta
Setalvad urged people "not to get carried away by BJP's ploy to attack
religious minorities in a bid to divert people's attention from the failures of
the Union Govt ."She was speaking at a seminar on 'Talking peace in times
of hate' at Sahodaya Hall, Balmatta on Wednesday. She called upon Mangalureans
to unite against fringe elements and fight against communal forces in Dakshina
Kannada and condemn the deaths that have taken place due to such issues over
the years.During the session, it also emerged that the district is gaining
notoriety for communal tension as a student from JNU, Delhi, said he was in the
city to do a study on communal tension in DK as for his PhD thesis.
Centre hands over Assam's Islam murder case to
CBI
Guwahati:Acting on the Assam Govt 's request,
the Centre has handed over the case of killing of All Bodo Minority Students
Union (ABMSU) president Lafikul Islam to CBI, an official release said.A
notification has been issued in this regard by the central Govt , the state Govt said in a release tonight.ABMSU president
Lafikul Islam was killed by unidentified miscreants at Titaguri market in
Kokrajhar district on August 1.PTI
UP: Pregnant Woman Thrashed to Death for
‘Defiling’ Bucket Belonging to Upper Caste Family: newsclick
“If we don’t work for a living, how will we
survive? How will we feed children?” And that is why Savitri Devi, despite of
being pregnant, had gone to collect garbage from homes at Khetalpur Bhansoli
village in Bulandshahr district of UP at
around 9 am on Oct.15.While going for work, 34-year-old woman somehow lost
balance and accidentally touched a bucket belonging to one Anju Devi, an upper
caste woman belonging to Thakur community. Savitri did not know that she had
‘defiled’ the bucket and had to pay price for her ‘sin’. She was allegedly
beaten with sticks and kicked in the stomach by Anju and her son Rohit Kumar to
the extent that she suffered a miscarriage and “ante mortem head injury” at the
spot.She was taken to the district hospital in serious condition but doctors
“refused” to see her. There was no external bleeding and they “said she was
fine”. But “she kept complaining of severe headache and stomach pain”. 6 days
after the incident, her condition worsened and she lost consciousness. She was
again rushed to another hospital where she was declared brought dead by doctors
on Oct. 21.
WORLD
Iraqi PM dismisses Kurds offer to freeze vote
results
Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi has rejected a
proposal from Kurdish leaders to "freeze" the results of secession
vote, saying only a complete annulment would be a sufficient condition for the
resumption of talks between Baghdad and Erbil.Speaking to reporters in the
Iranian capital Tehran on Thursday, Abadi said his Govt had warned Iraq's
northern Kurdish region against holding the referendum - the results of which
overwhelmingly supported Kurdish secession."As we told our brothers in
Kurdistan in the past, we will not allow the danger of disintegration to put
our country at risk," Abadi said."We will only accept the abolition
of the referendum and the adherence to the Constitution," he added,
describing military operations taking place on the outskirts of the region's
borders as "constitutional" and aimed at "extending federal
authority over those areas."Abadi's trip to Iran today is seen as a
continuing effort to bolster Baghdad's call for a unified Iraq. aljazeera
Israel companies in talks to invest in Saudi’s
‘smart city’
Several Israeli companies are in talks with
the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia about business opportunities in the
Kingdom’s new “smart city”, according to documents obtained by the Jerusalem
Post.Israeli daily claims to have seen correspondence confirming economic
cooperation between Arab diplomats and businessmen in Tel Aviv; Israeli firms
will reportedly be competing under the table for billion-dollar contracts from
the Saudi Govt .“Saudis are not so willing to cooperate with the Israelis
formally, but … it’s much easier to create all kinds of cooperation on water,
energy, ag-tech, food tech. This is the stuff that the prince of Saudi [Mohammed
Bin Salman] wants to promote in the smart city,” said a source in Israeli
venture capital who is familiar with the project.On Tuesday, Saudi officially
launched NEOM, a developmental project to create an economic zone spanning the
country and parts of Egypt and Jordan. Designed to free the Kingdom of its
dependency on oil, it will focus on industries including water, biotechnology,food,advanced
manufacturing and entertainment ;at an estimated cost of $500 billion.The
project is part of Bin Salman’s 2030 economic vision for the country, which he
has also promised will come with modernisation.middleeastmonitor
Yemen: US drone strikes kill 69 suspects in 10
days
US administration is increasing targeted drone
strikes in Yemen, killing some 60 suspected fighters in the last ten days in
addition to nine suspects yesterday, US Central Command told MEMO.“In the last 10
days, US forces have targeted and killed approximately 60 ISIS terrorists in
Yemen,” Maj Earl Brown, US CENTCOM spokesman confirmed.2 separate airstrikes
targeted moving vehicles and killed “9 ISIS terrorists in the Al-Bayda
Governorate of Yemen”, Brown continued. The strikes were in coordination with
the Yemen Govt ’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations against “ISIS and AQAP
to degrade the groups’ ability to coordinate external terror attacks and limit
their ability to hold territory seized from the legitimate Govt ”, Brown
explained. middleeastmonitor
Pro-UAE militias escalate attack on Al-Islah
in Yemen
Militants led by Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, head of UAE-backed
South Transitional Council, have increased their attacks on the Al-Islah
party.Al-Islah, with whom Al-Zubaidi has previously been aligned, ceased its
alliance with the UAE’s man in the south of Yemen following his rift with the
internationally backed President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.Al-Zubaidi’s forces
have escalated their attacks on Al-Islah since the Gulf blockade on Qatar began
in early June. One of the reasons why UAE, Saudi, Bahrain and Egypt claimed to
have cut relations with Doha was its support for the “terrorist” Muslim
Brotherhood group to which Al-Islah is affiliated.Last week, the militias loyal
to the UAE arrested 11 Al-Islah leaders, raided two of their headquarters and
set one in fire.Early this week, eight of the 11 leaders were
released.According to Al Jazeera, Al-Islah is the main political party to
oppose the rise of the Houthis and had tried to distance itself from the Brotherhood
in an effort to ease Abu Dhabi’s anxiety about its Islamist ideology.middleeastmonitor
Yemen:US, Gulf states place sanctions terror supporters
US, backed by a number of Gulf Arab states,
has imposed sanctions on eight
individuals and one organisation, a statement by the Department of Treasury’s
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) revealed .The move was taken in an
effort to target leaders, financiers and facilitators of Daesh in Yemen and
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). “Through this action we are
aggressively targeting radical extremists in Yemen and the surrounding region
who pose a direct threat to the security of the United States, Yemen, and the international
community.”“This action was taken in partnership with the Saudi Arabia, as co-chair
of the recently established Terrorist Financing Targeting Centre (TFTC), as
well as all other TFTC member states: the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of
Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, and the UAE,” it added. middleeastmonitor
US House passes sanctions on Iran-backed
Hezbollah
US House of Representatives on Wednesday
backed new sanctions on Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, part of an
effort to take a tough line against Tehran without immediately moving to
undermine an international nuclear agreement.3 Hezbollah-related measures
passed by voice vote, without opposition. The House will vote on Thursday on
another bill, to impose additional sanctions on Iran related to its ballistic
missiles program. President Donald Trump said on 13 October he would not
certify Iran is complying with an international agreement on its nuclear
program, and threatened that he might ultimately terminate the accord.middleeastmonitor
Israel to vote on annexing illegal West Bank
settlements
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171025-israel-to-vote-on-annexing-illegal-west-bank-settlements/
Israeli ministers are expected vote next week
on the so-called “Greater Jerusalem bill” which would annex 19 illegal Israeli
settlements in the occupied West Bank to Israel’s municipal boundaries for
Jerusalem, according to Israeli paper Haaretz. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu
threw his support behind the bill earlier this month, which would reportedly
allow the settlers to retain their autonomy but afford them voting rights in
the city’s mayoral race.It would meanwhile create “independent municipalities”
for some 100,000 Palestinian citizens or residents of Israel who live within
Israel’s Jerusalem municipality borders but are located on the other side of
Israel’s illegal Separation Wall.Haaretz reported that the bill is expected to
win the support of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, and be sent to
the Knesset, for approval.According to the bill, the settlements of Ma’ale
Adumim – which itself is home to between 125,000 and 150,000 Israeli settlers –
Gush Etzion, Efrat, Beitar Illit and Givat Zeev will be included under
Jerusalem’s municipal jurisdiction, but not officially annexed to Israel,
Haaretz said. middleeastmonitor
Israel to expand illegal settlement in East
Jerusalem
Israel has approved plans for 176 new Jewish
homes in occupied East Jerusalem. Expansion to the settlement of Nor Zion would
make it the largest in the city, situated in the middle of a Palestinian
neighbourhood.Israeli ministers are also expected to vote on Sunday on a
controversial bill that would bring illegal W.Bank settlements around Jerusalem
under jurisdiction of city;a move Palestinians call annexation.aljazeera
UN to blacklist 190 companies doing business
in occupied Palestine
Some of the biggest companies in the world,
including Hewlett Packard, Motorola and Caterpillar are facing the prospect of
being included on a UN blacklist of companies that violate international law
for doing business in occupied Palestinian territories.Up to 190 companies (130
Israeli and 60 international) could find themselves on the UN blacklist after the
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, sent a
threatening letter to the corporations for operating in the West Bank, East
Jerusalem and Jordan Valley; areas occupied under international law.Israeli
officials and western diplomats involved in the matter, as well as companies
that have been threatened with inclusion on the UN blacklist, have confirmed
the letter but according to the same reports the Trump administration and Israeli
officials are pushing the UNCHR to prevent the list’s publication. middleeastmonitor
Pak accountability court issues bailable
warrants against ousted PM Nawaz Sharif
In yet another setback to ousted Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, who has been indicted in graft
cases linked with the Panama Papers leak, an accountability court in Islamabad,
on Thursday, issued bailable warrants against him in connection with two
corruption references.Sharif has been granted time till November 3 to present
himself before the court. If Sharif fails to appear before the accountability
court on the said date, non-bailable warrants may be issued against him.On
earlier hearings in the case, Sharif’s legal team had claimed that he was in
London to attend to his ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz who is undergoing treatment
for throat cancer. However, exPM and his wife are currently in Saudi Arabia,
where they had arrived earlier this week and were reportedly en route to
Pakistan.As the hearing into the three corruption references against Nawaz and
his family members began in the accountability court on Thursday, former PM’s
lead counsel Khawaja Haris pleaded before Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir
that his client should be exempted from appearing in court owing to his wife’s
illness and ongoing treatment. apnlive
Not govt’s business to tell women what to
wear: Canadian PM on Quebec’s ban on
face coverings
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said it is not Govt’s
business to tell a woman what to wear, seemingly referring to Quebec’s ban on
face coverings that was okayed by lawmakers on Wednesday. PM also said his govt
was studying the implications of the law: “As a federal Govt , we are going to
take our responsibility seriously and look carefully at what the implications
are.”Rights groups say the ban, which prohibits citizens from covering their
faces while giving and receiving state services, marginalises Muslim women who
wear burqa or niqab in the mainly French-speaking Canadian province.While the
law, which takes effect by July 1, 2018, does not specify which face coverings
are prohibited, the debate has largely focused on the niqab worn by some Muslim
women, which covers everything but the eyes. hindustantimes
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Modi Govt’s policy paralysis won’t fix economy:
P. Raman
Odd-even 3.0 on Delhi roads? All you need to
know about the previous drives:HT
Leather Workers, Flayers Are Victims of
Thick-Skinned Polity:Sanjiv Phansalkar
Rohingya girls under 10 raped while fleeing
Myanmar, charity says: The Guardian
Police Diluted Charges Against Accused in
Pehlu Khan’s Murder Case: Fact-Finding Report:The Wire
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:10 PM)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment