Evening NEWS
DIGEST
08
Nov.2017: 18 Safar 1439:Vol:9, No:42
Demonetisation anniversary: At industrial hub, shut factories, impatient workers
New Delhi: The men were paid a month’s salary
— and then fired.In west Delhi’s Mayapuri industrial hub, the effects of
demonetisation, GST rollout and the economic slowdown are still being felt by
workers employed at 1,800-odd factories. Indian Express spoke to labourers,
contractors and factory owners, and discovered that more than 500 units —
involved in manufacturing jeans, servicing cars and exporting goods — have shut
in the past one year. The ones that survived increased shift timings from 8 to
12 hours.After last year’s layoffs, hundreds of migrant workers left for home.
Those who stayed back spend most days playing cards outside factories, waiting
for an owner to hire them. Every now and then, they burn the effigy of the
factory owners. Kamla Pati Sharma(50), who had been working at the quality
control department of Karan Motors for a decade, was served termination notice
two months ago, along with 54 others. “The owner kept telling us there are no
jobs. He had not paid our salaries since July, and then they fired us. 150-odd
remaining labourers went on strike. I hope the owner takes us back; I have rent
to pay and kids to feed,” Sharma said.Many of the factories, trade unionists
said, were closed down or reconverted in the last year. Most factories that
closed down were shifted to Kundli Industrial area in Manesar. “More than 500
factories closed down following the note ban. Many people who stayed back are
landless labourers. Since they don’t have skills required to work in big
factories, they have remained unemployed,”claimed Rajesh, trade unionist from
International Federation of Trade Unions. Chandra Mohan, a management-level
employee at Karan Motors, however, said “workers were terminated because of
trade unionism”. “But there are no jobs in the industrial hub. We have somehow
paid their salaries, and some of their previous dues remain,” he said.Among
those fired from a metal scrap factory, last year, was Gulab Singh, who went on
to open a chicken shop in the locality. But the venture never really took off.
“I now work on a daily basis in the Mayapuri scrap market, and it earns me Rs
300 per day,” he said.Traders at Mayapuri scrap market said the market suffered
a fresh setback after GST was introduced, as they stopped receiving orders for
motor parts from UP, Bihar and other states. “Now, only 10% of the work is
left,” said the owner of an engine dismantling unit. Squatting outside her
house near the railway line, Rumjhum Devi minces no words in calling employers
“scoundrels”. “Malik ko sirf suit-boot waali ladki chahiye.” Several women at Mayapuri
industrial area said that small-scale factories manufacturing gifts, jeans and
other export goods have stopped hiring them, and now only look for workers with
skills and an educational qualification.Mohan Devi, who used to make Rs6500 per
month at packaging factory, has not found a job since she was fired last year.
Indian Express
Demonetisation anniversary: New numbers are
in, 1.5 million jobs lost in Jan-April this year
New Delhi:Alongside the problem of bad loans,
the issue of job creation remains the biggest challenge for the Govt as it takes stock of 12 months since
demonetisation, with varied data sets pointing to the continuing lack of
employment opportunities for India’s rising workforce.Fresh data from Centre
for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) estimate that about 1.5 million jobs were
lost during Jan-April 2017, even as employment figures of leading listed
companies show that a majority of them have seen a net decline in their
employment numbers in 2016-17 as against that in previous years.While foremost
challenge in assessing unemployment problem is lack of comprehensive data, the
quarterly Labour Bureau employment survey also reflect a sharp decline in jobs
after the Govt banned old notes of Rs
500 and Rs 1,000 on Nov.8 last year. According to CMIE data, the estimated
total employment during Jan-April 2017 was 405 million compared to 406.5
million during the preceding four months, Sept-Dec 2016.CMIE data, based on
all-India household surveys over a sample size of 161,167 households that
included 519,285 adults, also estimated that while the number of persons
employed fell by 1.5million during Jan-April 2017 period, number of people who
declared themselves unemployed fell much more— by 9.6 million.This lack of job
opportunities is mirrored in the data sets for the govt’s flagship skilling
scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). Data for PMKVY scheme until
first week of July 2017 has revealed that of total 30.67 lakh candidates who
had been trained or were undergoing training across the country, less than a
tenth — 2.9 lakh candidates — had received placement offers, according to
official data with Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.
Employment figures of leading listed companies, examined by Indian Express,
show that a majority of them have seen a net decline in their employment
numbers in 2016-17 over that in previous years. Job data for 121 companies —
excluding IT and financial services sector — that are part of BSE 500, and for
whom numbers were available for last 3 years, show a net aggregate decline in
headcount for the 2nd consecutive year.indianexpress
80% of people against demonetisation: Survey
Contrary to what PM Narendra Modi and his
colleagues claim that the nation supported demonetisation, a new study has
found that only 20% were in favour of the move or confused.The rest against
it.That demonetization has been a disaster has been acknowledged by all, except
by those walk through the corridors of power. But, now there is an additional
set of statistics to back the sensible thought. According to a study conducted
across 21 states and by 32 organisations, it was found that 80% of those
interviewed were against the move and 20 % were either in favour of the move or confused.
This survey which began in the first week of January states that 55% disagreed
with PM’s statement that demonetisation had wiped out all the black money.
“Only 26.6% of the respondents believed that black money had been wiped out.
Interestingly, with rise in age, the disagreement percentage increased,” said
Gauhar Raza, one of the authors of the report, Demonetisation – Exorcising the
demon at its release on Tuesday. PVS Kumar, Subodh Mohanty and John Dayal
co-authored the report along with Raza. Economist Arun Kumar also contributed
to the report. Those interviewed fell
within the age group of 16 and 35.“We found that 48.2% of respondents did not
believe that demonetisation would have any impact on terror attacks, which was
one of the major objectives listed by PM Modi,” added Raza. Intelligently, at
least 45.4% of respondents said that they didn’t believe that demonetisation
would stop infiltration from Pakistan. Predictably, it continues and there has
been a sudden spurt in attacks on the banks. What inevitably happened is that,
an overwhelming 50% lost their trust in
the Govt after the move, and another 47 %
would treat their banks with suspicion,
because more than 65 % of those
interviewed did not see any politician or a rich standing in the queue. There was
a belief that the rich were given money without having to wait in the
queue.During the research, it was found that small traders were the most
affected. “Small traders, such as vegetable vendors, hawkers and rickshaw
pullers, depend on the daily cycle of commerce to conduct their business.They
couldn’t conduct it anymore and most have become daily-wage labourers,”
stressed Dayal. Corroborating the images that went viral of snaking queues in
front of ATMs and banks during demonetisation, about 30% of those interviewed
stated that they had to stand in queues between four and eight hours, while an
additional 20%, reported that they spent more than eight hours in the lines. Contrary
to the PM’s claim that farmers would not be affected, 60% disagreed and 44% did not believe that
demonetisation would lead to betterment of villages and villagers. Nationalheraldindia
Demonetisation: Opposition observes 'black
day'; govt lauds note ban for controlling terror financing
A year after PM Narendra Modi implemented
demonetisation , the Opposition stood firm in its stand against the move. While
the BJP celebrated 'anti-black money day', the Opposition parties observed
'black day' to mark their protest against the move.Modi shared a short video
about the benefits of the move and thanked people for supporting the Govt in its anti-black money measures.Congress and
other parties relentlessly campaigned against demonetisation and took out
protest marches.All major Opposition parties, social organisations, farmer
groups, mediapersons, NGOs, civil society activists and individuals organised
massive protests across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday,
even as the Govt launched an advertising
blitzkrieg lauding its move.Congress in Karnataka also observed black day.
"What good did the note ban do, except for bring the country's GDP
down," questioned Karnataka Congress head G Parameshwara at gathering. Manmohan
Singh blamed demonetisation for rampant job losses and said that the textile
sector in Surat alone had to face 21,000 layoffs, News18reported. Congress
vice-president Rahul Gandhi called it a "tragedy" and
"thoughtless act". He further said that his party stood with all
those people who have suffered due to demonetisation.West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slammed demonetisation as a
"devil act" alleging the currency exercise was "only to convert
black money into white for vested interests of the political party in
power".The displeasure among the public is also apparent because 63 % respondents
of a nationwide survey said they witnessed people in "serious
problems" due to the Govt 's sudden move announced on 8 November last
year, while 65 % said they saw marriages being postponed because of the note
ban. firstpost
Demonetisation:Infiltration bids in J&K reach
all time high while more security men killed in Naxal attacks this year
New Delhi:Almost a year after demonetisation
of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes, number of infiltration attempts in the
valley has reached an all time high while more security personnel were killed
in Naxal attacks this year as compared to last year. However a decline of 21 % has
been registered in number of incidents in the Left Wing theatre (LWE), while
the number of stone pelting incidents came down by over 70 % in Kashmir this
year, officials said.In 2016, Centre after scrapping Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes
said the move has dented funding of extremist groups. The union home ministry
on Tuesday refused to share the exact details regarding its assessment and
trends on terrorism and naxalism, a year after demonetisation. Its spokesperson
Ashok Prasad when pressed for details said, “All matters related to
demonetisation are being coordinated by the Finance Ministry.”The data obtained
by Indian Express reveals that there has been rise in number of militants
activities in J&K where 301 terrorist incidents were recorded in 2017 as
compared to 283 in 2016, the year Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, was
gunned down by security forces in an encounter, leading to unrest in the
valley.As many as 336 infiltration attempts were recorded this year as compared
to 221 last year. While 112 were estimated to be successful in 2016, only 90
were estimated to be successful in 2017. The sharp rise in number of
infiltration, officials explained is because of Pakistan’s ISI and Pak based
militant groups who are pushing foreign militants from across the border.The
number of civilians killed in the valley registered a 3-fold rise as compared
to 13 in 2016 to 36 in 2017, according to data. However, with security forces
stepping up their operations, number of militants killed rose to 180 this year
as compared to 130 last year. The number of security personnel’s who lost their
lives in 2017 was 66 as compared to 67 in 2016 in J&K. J&K police in
its report to the home ministry also conveyed that they have arrested 73
militants and carried out 112 encounters with security forces in 2017 as
compared to 85 last year. In 2017, the number of Naxal related incidents have
come down from 887 to 701 and civilians death from 177 to 150. However, the
number of security forces killed by Maoist this year has registered a rise
leading to death of 70 security personnel in 2017 as compared to 59 last year.indianexpress
One year of demonetisation: Rs 2,000, Rs 500
fakes are now of ‘highest quality’
Mumbai:In the nearly one year since Rs 2,000
and new Rs 500 notes were introduced, their counterfeit versions have improved
from easily identifiable in the beginning to “highest quality” in recent times,
according to officials who track FICN (fake currency notes) cases. While
announcing demonetisation on Nov.8, 2016, PM Narendra Modi had said, “This step
will strengthen the hands of the common man in the fight against corruption,
black money and fake currency.” The Govt has repeatedly said demonetisation would curb
terror financing and dent the drug trafficking industry as they heavily rely on
counterfeit notes. Between August and Oct, the Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence has seized “high quality” FICN of face value Rs 35 lakh in the two
new denominations, in three separate cases in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. These
notes have 8 of the 17 security features printed by the Reserve Bank of India.“Notes
of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 seized recently by the DRI are of the highest quality
seized till now in the country,” a senior DRI official said.“Currency seized
just after demonetisation were of low quality, visible to the naked eye, but
the quality of the notes recently seized have improved and a common man now
cannot immediately distinguish whether it is fake or genuine. indianexpress
RBI should release documents relating to
demonetisation: Chidambaram
Launching a scathing attack on Modi govt on
the note ban anniversary, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday
said millions of people “suffered” and no one can deny that lives and jobs were
lost due to demonetisation.A year after the demonetisation decision, he said on
this “black day, people should read real-life stories and say a prayer for the
“millions who suffered“.“Can anyone deny lives were lost, small businesses
closed and jobs were lost?,” he said in a series of tweets.Chidambaram claimed
cash with the public is ₹15 lakh crore and it is increasing and will soon reach
the Nov.2016 level of ₹17 lakh crore.He said how much cash (money supply) there
should be, is a decision of the RBI, not the govt. thehindu
We got freedom at midnight in 1947, but we
lost freedom on Nov.8 midnight last year: Stalin
Madurai:Demonetisation only brought hardships
to the common man, DMK Working President M K Stalin said on Wednesday, while
leading the opposition charge against the NDA govt’s note ban move on its first
anniversary. Clad in a black shirt, Stalin led a well-attended Black Day protest
and raised slogans against the Narendra Modi Govt over demonetisation.Stalin said following note
ban announcement, many people lost their lives while waiting in long queues
before banks and ATMs in different parts of the country.PTI
OTHERS
No extradition request from India for Zakir
Naik, if requested then Malaysia send him back: Malaysian Dy PM
Kuala Lumpur:Malaysian Govt did not receive any application from the
Indian Govt seeking the extradition of
Dr Zakir Naik for allegedly promoting terrorism in that country, said Datuk
Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.Deputy PM and
Home Minister said that if the Indian Govt made such an application on the basis of
mutual legal assistance, Malaysia would fulfill the request and send Zakir to
his home country.“So far, I have not received any extradition request from the
Indian Govt . I had discussed the matter of Zakir when I met with Indian PM Narendra Modi (during a visit to India several
months ago) but there was no extradition request at that time.“But I was
informed that the Indian Govt had revoked his international passport, meaning
he cannot travel on an Indian passport. He is in Malaysia as a permanent
resident,” he said when winding up debate on the Supply Bill 2018 for the Home
Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat.Zahid said the Govt constantly monitored the activities of Zakir
in this country or abroad and would take action if he was involved in or
promoted terrorism or illegal activities.He said the police had scrutinised
every ‘ceramah’ (talk) of Zakir in the country and abroad and did not find any
element of promoting terrorism or criticising other religions as alleged by
certain quarters."I hope we will not have any misunderstanding over
certain quarters, such as Zakir. It could be possible that the matter was taken
out of context. Try to listen to his full talk. My officers scrutinised his
talks over the Peace TV programme and found no such elements,” he said. During
Zahid’s winding-up speech, several opposition MPs intervened and raised the
matter of PR (permanent resident) status accorded to Zakir by the Govt .Zahid
said Zakir was accorded the status several years ago, and that it was done in
accordance with the provisions of the law and the prescribed procedure."No
privilege was accorded to Zakir in the matter of the application for PR status
or the permit to enter the country. If the application meets the condition, the
status is given, just like in the case of any foreign national who wants a PR status
in the country,” he said.Zahid said the revocation of Zakir’s international
passport by the Indian Govt did not affect his status as a permanent resident
in Malaysia, unless he is found to be involved in terrorism and other criminal
activities.Bernama
Zakir Naik will be sent back if India requests
it: Malaysia
Delhi air pollution Live: Schools closed till
Sunday, Kejriwal writes to CMs of Punjab, Haryana
Delhi shut all primary schools on Wednesday as
pollution hit 70 times the World Health Organisation’s safe level, prompting
doctors in the capital city to warn of a public health emergency. Dense grey
smog shrouded the roads of the world’s most polluted capital, where many
pedestrians and bikers wore masks or covered their mouths with handkerchiefs
and scarves.Doctors on Wednesday issued a health advisory asking people to
avoid outdoor activities like jogging and cycling as high levels of air
pollution in Delhi and NCR can cause chronic lung and heart diseases and also
affect the health of expectant mothers.The smog that has enveloped the region
for the past 2 days can cause allergies or aggravate already existing allergies
and decrease lung immunity, according to tips shared by Fortis
Healthcare.“Delhi’s air quality is getting worse. In this situation, there can
be no compromise on children’s health,” Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia tweeted,
as his Govt ordered all schools to be
closed till Sunday in view of deteriorating air quality in the Capital. hindustantimes
Delhi air pollution: All schools to be closed
till Sunday, says Manish Sisodia
Gujarat Polls: People line up for 5 kms to
welcome Dalit leader Mevani
Ahmedabad:If crowds in his public meetings and
enthusiasm visible in Facebook lives by his team are any indication, Jignesh
Mevani is fast emerging as a rallying point for the Dalits in the poll-bound
Gujarat.Lawyer by training, Mevani had single-handedly created a Dalit movement
in the state last year following the Una incident.Jignesh Mevani is fast
emerging as a rallying point for Dalits in the poll-bound Gujarat. He is
accompanied by some local and Delhi friends including former JNU Students’ Union
chief Mohit K. Panday and social activist Nadeem Khan.His team told Caravan
Daily about the mood of the common people and Dalits. Unlike the previous
elections, they say, people are openly talking about change and various
electoral options.“Earlier when we went to Gujarat during elections, no one was
ready to talk about elections and it was next to impossible to think that any
other party could come to power by defeating the BJP. Now people openly say
that it is too tough for BJP and that Congress could also come back. Common
people also say there should be a change as there are lots of problems,” said a
member of the Jignesh team .Talking about the support the Dalit leader has been
getting on the ground, his old friend and social activist from Delhi, Nadeem
Khan said: “5kms before we reached Surendra Nagar, there were people standing
along the road. There were many youths on bikes and many were bursting
crackers. People seemed to be emotionally charged.”At every programme, Mevani
has been taking oath from his supporters that they will not support anti-Dalit
and anti-Muslim forces.Caravan Daily
Ulama Council demands BJP, Congress to earmark
18 seats for Muslims
Ahmedabad:Rashtriya Ulama Council (RUC), an UP
-based political party, on Tuesday demanded that at least 18 seats be earmarked
for the Muslims in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. Its national
president Aamir Rashadi Madni said either the Congress or the BJP should meet
this demand. Asked if both parties failed to oblige, Madni said his own party, RUC,
would field candidates. However, he did not respond when asked which party
would benefit at whose cost, if the Muslim vote breaks up.“The electioneering
is revolving round three persons — Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh
Mevani, and no one is talking about the Muslims,” he said.“But, the Muslims are
not ready to become scapegoats anymore. They will go with the BJP if it gives
them 18 seats,” he said. On the other hand, Madni said the Congress had been
doing political exploitation and victimisation of the Muslims for 70 years
under a “well-planned conspiracy” for their use as a vote bank. “Why did Rahul
Gandhi not go to see Zakia Jafri, the wife of Ahsan Jafri (who was killed in
2002 Gulbarg Society massacre)?,” he asked. indianexpress
Kejriwal Offers Raghuram Rajan Rajya Sabha
Nomination
New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal, personally offered a Rajya Sabha nomination to
Raghuram Rajan, former governor of the RBI whose term was not renewed by the
Narendra Modi govt.Rajan was hesitant as he did not want to appear politically
partisan after his rocky relationship with BJP Govt , but top sources in the
AAP say that Kejriwal persuaded him to think about it. His final word to
Kejriwal on the offer was that he would “consider it” and let him
know.Authoritative sources say that the three Rajya Sabha seats that will come
to AAP in January will also be given to “good people” like Rajan selected by
Kejriwal. Kejriwal is categorical that no AAP leader will be given a Rajya
Sabha seat.According to a senior AAP leader, “This is typical Kejriwal
out-of-the-box thinking. He has outmanoeuvred intra-party opposition and
rebellion and ensured that some creative thinking is displayed in the bog
standard mire of Indian politics. In fact, after Kejriwal’s offer, if Rajan is
reluctant, all opposition parties should offer to make him a joint candidate.
This might make the prospect of Rajan and his formidable intellect being
available to India again and oppose Modi’s ill-thought economic moves.” thewire
Delhi: Kathputli on boil after mosque is
demolished, dargah faces same fate
New Delhi: The demolition of a 50-year-old
mosque by DDA and the threat to demolish an over 100-year-old dargah kept
Kathputli Colony on the boil on Tuesday. To “save” the Dargah Hazrat Syed Bhure
Shah Peer, which also has a mosque and madrassa linked to it, Okhla MLA
Amanatullah Khan had to intervene.While Madina Masjid at Kathputli colony was
razed within 15 minutes, a building on its side stood tall, prompting residents
to ask why the mosque could not be demolished last — once all of them had been
moved out. The imam of the mosque, Hafiz Zahir Sahab, who has been working
there for past 32 years, said, “When there are still residents yet to be
shifted, why the hurry in bringing the masjid down?”Locals claimed that the
mosque, which caters to almost 5,000 people from the colony, was hardly given
any time to vacate the premises, so the only things that could be saved were a
blue cupboard and the Holy Quran. Some residents also wondered if temples in
the area would be brought down next.But what surprised residents further was
the plan to demolish “bada masjid”, which technically falls in Pandav Nagar and
not under Kathputli Colony. Imam of the dargah, Maulana Abdul Rahim, said that
while the land is unauthorised, the religious structure was built more than 100
years ago.“Yesterday, I got a call from the DDA that the masjid will be
demolished, and we were asked to vacate. In panic, I called people from our
community, and since then we have been guarding it,” said Rahim. Built on 1,000
sq ft, it also has a madrasa which imparts education to 200-250 children.The
legend goes that the land where the dargah was built used to be a forest with a
swamp and kikar trees growing. It was their saint, Bhure Shah, who filled this
swamp land and started teaching children under a pipal tree, whose branches now
surround the dargah and the masjid.“We have seen the structure like this since
we were kids. We were told that the pipal tree would glow at night, which is
how it was decided that a dargah should be built here. How can they demolish it
all of a sudden?” said 72-year-old Mohammad Iqbal.MLA Khan assured the
structure would not be demolished. DDA’s housing commissioner J P Aggarwal
said, “A delegation led by Khan met us and said the structure is very old and
not in Kathputli Colony. We told them to give us papers that substantiate their
claim. We will get it examined with the competent authority and whatever action
will be taken will be as per the law.” indianexpress
Ryan School murder: CBI says class 11 student
killed him to postpone exams; absolves conductor of charge
A bus conductor, who was arrested for
allegedly murdering a Class 2 student of Gurugram’s Ryan International School
in Sept, has been absolved of the charge, the Central Bureau of Investigation
said on Wednesday. Agency has also dismissed the earlier theory that the boy
was sexually assaulted before being killed, ANI reported. However, CBI will
continue to investigate his possible role in destroying evidence, the HT
reported. Meanwhile, CBI sought 6-day custody of a Class 11 student who was
arrested earlier in the day for the murder. The juvenile studies in the same
school where the child was found murdered on Sept.8.CBI said the accused
student had allegedly attacked the boy, hoping that the incident would make the
school postpone examinations and a parent-teacher meeting, ANI reported. CBI
checked his academic performance and found he was not doing well.“After a
thorough investigation based on scientific evidence including inspection of the
scene of crime, forensic analysis and an analysis of CCTV and call records, CBI
apprehended the student,” CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal had told ANI after
arrest. scroll
There Was No Blood On Him: Father Of Class 11
Student Held For Murder
Gurgaon: Father detained Class 11 student's for allegedly murdering a
Class 2 student of Gurugram’s Ryan International School, told ANI, "My boy
is innocent." He said that his son
- whose identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons- had, in fact, alerted
teachers at Ryan International, an expensive private school in Gurgaon, that
Pradyuman had been attacked. "CBI questioned him 4 times," the father
said, his face mosaicked in the interview. "What happened to the child who
died is so wrong, but that another child should go through injustice is also
unfair." "Ask anyone at the school...did they see any blood on him? I
can tell you there was not a single spot of blood on his clothes," he
said.CBI says that four days ago, other students told investigators that the
alleged killer had told them that exams would be postponed. While questioning
him repeatedly, in part because he had flagged the injured child to school
officials at the time of the assault, they determined that he had killed
Pradyuman.The detained student will be produced before a Juvenile Justice Board
today.NDTV
Ryan school murder: CBI says Class 11 student
‘killed’ Pradyuman because he wanted exams postponed
Plea in SC seeks FIR against Mulayam over 1990
firing on ‘kar sevaks’ in Ayodhya
New Delhi:A Lucknow resident has approached
Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order rejecting his plea
seeking an FIR against SP veteran Mulayam Singh Yadav, in connection with the
1990 firing on ‘kar sevaks’ in Ayodhya.The petitioner, Rana Sangram Singh,
alleged that many ‘kar sevaks’ were killed in the firing that took place on Oct30,
1990, while taking part in a “peaceful movement” for cnstruction of a Ram
Temple there. indianexpress
Junaid lynching: Haryana eats its words on kin
seeking Rs 2 cr; father claims it’s bid to malign their image
Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana high court on
Tuesday sought response from the Haryana Govt on an application moved by the father of
Junaid Khan, who was lynched to death by a mob suspecting him of being a “beef
eater” aboard a Mathura-bound train in Faridabad district on June 22 this
year.The response was sought after Junaid’s father Jalaludin told the court
that the Govt ’s claims that he was ready to compromise with the accused in
lieu of Rs 2 crore and 3 acres of land were “false and baseless and it was an
attempt to malign his image”.The Govt had
made the claim in this regard on Thursday before a high court bench during the
hearing of petition filed by Jalaludin who had sought CBI probe into his son’s
murder.The allegation is in gross defamation of the family, the petitioner
said, adding it is clear from the allegations there was “mala fide intent” on
part of the Govt . The purported panchayats on compromise were held illegally. Petitioner
did not participate in them despite pressure, he has stated adding that Govt be asked as to how these panchayats were held
in a local Govt schools.On other hand
the formal reply submitted by Haryana Govt does not find any mention of state’s claims
that family demanded Rs 2 crore for settlement.HT
US to give $500,000 to any NGO that promotes
religious freedom in India
Washington:US has announced a grant of nearly
$500,000 for a non-Govt al organisation to come up with proposals to develop
early warning systems for “reducing religiously-motivated violence and
discrimination” in India.The US State Department also announced a similar grant
for Sri Lanka.The Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and
Labor, in its notice of funding opportunity, said through its $493,827 India
programme, it seeks to “reduce religiously-motivated violence and
discrimination in India”.PTI
WORLD
With Saudi princes dead, arrested, King Fahd's
grandson flees kingdom to... Iran: India Today
Saudi royal family - House of Saud - is
throwing up one intrigue after another. Hours after the reported death of
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd, his nephew and son of late King Fahd's eldest
surviving son, Prince Turki bin Mohamed bin Fahd has fled the country. His
destination, according to speculation among those who are watching the
situation closely, is, wait for it, Iran.If this is true, this may put new
strain on Tehran and Riyadh, already at loggerheads for dominance in the
restive Middle East region, where Saudi Arabia and Iran are fighting, what
analysts term, a proxy war in Yemen.What makes Prince Turki bin Mohamed bin
Fahd's reported flight to Iran, where he is said to have sought asylum,
interesting, apart from his destination, is that it comes at a time when Saudi
aviation authorities are said to have been told not to let any of the oil-rich
kingdom's many royals fly out of the country.Of course,with the outflow of
information from Saudi Arabia particularly restricted right now, all reports of
developments on the region must be taken with a pinch of salt.This is the same
King Salman whose son Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman (MBS) is believed to be
have orchestrated what many are seeing as a coup by sideling prominent Saudi
royals and taking decisions that could win over the country's liberal
quarters.Turki bin Mohamed's reported escape to Iran, where he has reportedly sought
asylum, comes just a day after two Saudi princes reportedly died in mysterious
conditions.Yesterday, there were strong rumours and reports that Prince Abdulaziz
bin Fahd, the youngest son of late King Fahd, died in a gunbattle with Saudi
security forces while resisting arrest.
Saudi purge continues, makes fresh arrests in
anti-graft drive: Reuters
Riyadh:Saudi Arabian authorities have made
further arrests and frozen more bank accounts in an expanding anti-corruption
crackdown on the kingdom’s political and business elite, sources familiar with
the matter said on Wednesday.Dozens of royal family members, officials and
business executives have already been held in the purge announced on Saturday.
They face allegations of money laundering, bribery, extortion and exploiting
public office for personal gain. But the sources, speaking on Wednesday, said a
number of other individuals suspected of wrongdoing were detained in an
expansion of the crackdown, widely seen as an initiative of the powerful heir
to throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Others under scrutiny are being
telephoned by investigators about their finances but appear to remain at
liberty, one of the sources said, adding that the number of people targeted by
the crackdown was expected eventually to rise into the hundreds. The number of
domestic bank accounts frozen as a result of the purge is over 1,700 and
rising, up from 1,200 reported on Tuesday, banking sources said. A number of
those held most recently include individuals with links to the immediate family
of the late Crown Prince and defence minister Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz who died
in 2011, the sources said.Anti-corruption authorities have also frozen the bank
accounts of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, one of the most senior members of the
ruling Al Saud, and some of his immediate family members, the sources
added.Prince Mohammed, or MbN as he is known, was ousted as Crown Prince in
June when King Salman replaced him with the then deputy bin Salman.
Sources:Saudi prince’s helicopter targeted by
Bin Salman
The helicopter carrying Saudi Prince Mansour
Bin Muqrin and 7 other people was deliberately targeted by state forces because
it is believed Bin Muqrin opposed Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s succession
to the throne, informed sources told the New Khaleej.According to the sources,
Bin Muqrin had recently sent a letter to some 1,000 princes urging them to step
away from support for Bin Salman’s succession to the throne, pointing out that
the youth must take action.The sources claim attack sends a clear message to
others within the royal family that Bin Salman will stop at nothing to silence
his critics and those who oppose him. Middleeastmonitor
Saudi arrests could be more about power
politics: HRW
Dubai: Saudi Arabia's arrest of prominent
royals and businessmen under the banner of battling corruption could, in fact,
be more a case of internal power politics, Human Rights Watch said
Wednesday."The middle-of-the-night simultaneous establishment of a new
corruption body and mass arrests over corruption raise concerns that Saudi
authorities detained people en masse and without outlining the basis of the
detentions," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at the New
York-based HRW."While Saudi media are framing these measures as Mohammed
bin Salman's move against corruption, the mass arrests suggest this may be more
about internal power politics," she said.AFP
Leak: Israel supported Hariri’s resignation
Israel’s Channel 10 has published a leaked
cable sent from the Israeli foreign ministry to all Israeli ambassadors calling
on them to support Saudi efforts and rally support for the resignation of
Lebanese PM Saad Hariri.The classified
cable urged the diplomats to appeal to the highest officials within their host
countries to attempt to expel Hezbollah from the Lebanese Govt and politics.On Saturday, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu described Hariri’s
resignation as a wake-up call for the international community to take action
against what he called “the Iranian enemy”.Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister
Avigdor Lieberman said Hariri’s resignation confirms what Israel had warned a
year ago, that Hezbollah is occupying Lebanon. “Israeli army is ready to face
the threat posed by the Iran-led alliance,” he added.Later,Israeli Minister of
Intelligence Yisrael Katz wrote on Twitter: “Hariri’s resignation in Lebanon is
a crossroads. Now is the time to press and isolate Hezbollah until it is
weakened and disarmed.” middleeastmonitor
‘Saudi summoned Abbas for Hamas trip to Iran’
Saudi Arabia has “summoned” the Palestinian
Authority and Fatah President Mahmoud Abbas to Riyadh in response to a visit by
Hamas officials to Tehran, ex-Egyptian ambassador Abdullah Al-Ash’al told Quds
Press.“Saudis will order Abbas to be inflexible on two issues,” explained the
political analyst. “He must not respond to Hamas calls to end the security
cooperation with the [Israeli] occupation, and not lift the sanctions imposed
on the Gaza Strip.” This, he added, will push Hamas to withdraw from the
reconciliation deal.According to the Chief Editor of Egypt’s Al-Araby
newspaper, Abbas has good relations with the Saudi leadership, and it is
expected that he could have passed a joint Egyptian and Jordanian message to
the authorities in Riyadh. Middleeastmonitor
Houthis offer Saudi princes political asylum
in Yemen
Houthi rebels say they are willing to offer
Saudi princes political asylum in Yemen, days after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman carried out the biggest anti-corruption purge in the kingdom's
modern history.A source close to the Houthi leadership told Al Jazeera on
Tuesday that any Saudi prince or national seeking refuge would be
"welcomed" by Yemen, their "brotherly neighbour"."We
are ready to offer sanctuary to any member of the Al Saud family or any Saudi
national that wants to flee oppression and persecution," said the source,
speaking on condition of anonymity.The offer was "100 % genuine" and
the Houthis were not interested in gaining any "political mileage"
from the situation, the source added. aljazeera
Saudi air strikes kill children in Yemen's
Hajjah area
At least 30 Yemenis, including women and
children, were killed in a series of Saudi-led air strikes in north Yemen,
activists and local media said.Hussain al-Bukhaiti, a pro-Houthi activist, told
Al Jazeera at least 16 air strikes targeted the village of Hiran in Hajjah
province on Tuesday, killing 30 people, including a family of 10.Quoting local
residents, Bukhaiti said the raids started shortly after midnight, targeting
home of Sheikh Hamdi, a Houthi loyalist, killing him and his family. Aljazeera
UN: Saudi blockade of Yemen is 'catastrophic'
for aid
The UN is warning of a "catastrophic"
humanitarian situation in Yemen.Saudi Arabia has blocked all Yemeni air and
land routes, as well as seaports, in response to the missile attack from across
the border earlier this week.The embargo is driving up the already inflated
prices of vital commodities and is also stopping much-needed humanitarian aid
that keeps an estimated seven million from the brink of famine. aljazeera
Bahrain
claims right over Qatari land as Gulf crisis boils
A statement issued by Bahraini state media
said the nation “has every right to claim what was cut off forcibly from its
land and to dispute legitimacy of the Qatari rule”.Bahraini Govt also accused its neighbour of “usurping” the
nation’s “legitimate rights” and “undermining its security” by supporting
terrorists. It says its claims are supported by “irrefutable evidence” and
“undeniable proof”. The accusations come as tensions are running high in Gulf
after several countries, including Bahrain, UAE and Saudi Arabia severed
diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed land, sea and air blockades. Bahrain
recently vowed it would boycott a summit of Gulf leaders if Qatar attended, and
last week it imposed visa requirements on its neighbour - a move Qatar branded
as “unprecedented”.The disputed territory at the centre of the crisis is the
Hawar Islands, just off the Qatari coast, and the town of Zubara, on the
northern coast of the island of Qatar. Express UK
In recording, Kerry says Israeli govt doesn’t
want peace
Former US secretary of state John Kerry blamed
the Israeli Govt’s resistance to the establishment of a Palestinian state for
harming the prospects of a peace deal, while warning Israel could face a future
violent Palestinian uprising if there was no progress in peace talks. In
recordings published Tuesday by Channel 10, America’s former top diplomat can
be heard praising the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to nonviolence
following a wave of terror attacks beginning in the fall of 2015, which he said
has been ignored by Israelis due to right-wing configuration of current
govt.“Palestinians have done an extraordinary job of remaining committed to
nonviolence. And in fact when the [knife] intifada took place they delivered
non-violence in West Bank,” Kerry is heard saying in recording. “This is
overlooked by the general [Israeli] population because it is not a topic of
discussion. Why? Because the majority of the cabinet currently in current
Israeli Govt has publicly declared they are not ever for a Palestinian state,”
he adds.timesofisrael
Israel plan to ‘annex’ settlements to
Jerusalem violates international law: middleeastmonitor
A proposed Israeli law to effectively annex
West Bank settlements to Jerusalem municipality violates international
humanitarian law, according to legal rights centre Adalah.The bill would annex
West Bank settlements Beitar Illit, Ma’ale Adumim, Givat Ze’ev, Gush Etzion,
and Efrat to Jerusalem, and impose Israeli civilian rule on territory under
military occupation.Adalah has urged the Ministerial Committee for Legislation
and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to oppose “Jerusalem and its Daughters”
law, which would annex a ring of West Bank settlements to Israel’s Jerusalem
municipality “and impose Israeli civil law in these occupied territories”. Adalah
Attorney Suhad Bishara stressed that the bill violates international
humanitarian law, describing this “large-scale confiscation of property
belonging to a protected population” as “a gross violation of the Fourth Geneva
Convention”.
UK minister Patel facing sack over undisclosed
talks with Israelis
Britain’s aid minister Priti Patel’s future
was in doubt on Wednesday after the Sun newspaper reported she had held two
further undisclosed meetings with Israeli politicians.As PM Theresa May heads towards 2019's Brexit that
will shape Britain’s prosperity for generations, her minority Govt has stumbled into several controversies that
risk shattering her dwindling authority.Patel apologised to May on Monday for
failing to report she had met senior Israeli officials, including PM Benjamin
Netanyahu, during a private holiday.Reuters
UN concerned over mistreatment of Palestinian kids
in Israeli jai
New York(PIC)UN expressed concerns over the
situation of 500 Palestinian children incarcerated in Israeli jails.UN deputy
spokesman Farhan Haq said during a press conference held at UN HQRS in New York
that the number of Palestinian minors held in Israeli lock-ups has hit 500.UN
official called on Israel to either work out the legal situation of detained
minors and of all Palestinians held with neither charge nor trial in occupation
prisons, or to release them immediately.Palestinian children in Israeli
penitentiaries have been made to endure dire detention conditions and harsh
torture tactics, most notorious among which being strip-searches, heavy
beating, verbal assaults, and exhaustive interrogation to force confession.
Barzani: US knew Iraqi forces planned Kirkuk
takeover
Masoud Barzani, the ex-president of Kurdish
Regional Govt (KRG) in northern Iraq,
has said that a major Iraqi operation last month to take over Kirkuk and other
Kurdish-held areas took place with the full knowledge of the US and UK.Iraqi
army, backed by Shia militia, captured the entirety of the oil-rich Kirkuk
province on Oct.21 after a rapid advance in the wake of a controversial
referendum on Kurdish secession that Baghdad had declared illegal."We do
believe, yes, that the operation to take over Kirkuk was led by Iranians with
the knowledge of the US and British officials," Barzani said.Barzani also
said without the contribution of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, ISIL "would
not have been rolled back and defeated" in Iraq, including in Mosul, the
country's second-largest city."But we were not expecting to see Iraqi
forces use weapons - that were given to them by the US to fight ISIS - against
their own citizens," he said, using a different name for ISIL. aljazeera
Muslim Canadian groups challenge Quebec's
niqab ban
Muslim and civil rights groups challenged a
Quebec ban on officials or anyone receiving public services from covering their
faces, arguing it infringes on women's and Muslim religious rights.Canadian
Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and the National Council of Canadian Muslims
asked Quebec Superior Court to rule on the constituationality of the law passed
last month.They also asked for a stay of its implementation. Marie-Michelle
Lacoste, who converted to Islam and wears a niqab, was also listed as a
plaintiff in court documents.Ihsaan Gardee of National Council of Canadian
Muslims said the law is "discriminatory, unconstitutional and
unnecessary."middleeasteye
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Unprecedented Job Losses, Wage Decline in
Unorganised Sector Post Demonetisation: Souparna Maji,Pritam Saha
Demonetisation, legal money laundering scheme:AJ
Philip
Demonetisation was part of political
imagination that is closer to technocratic authoritarianism:Pratap B Mehta
Vast Difference Between What Demonetisation
Achieved and How it was Perceived:Suyash Rai
Demonetisation will go down in history as one
of most reactionary and illogical policies ever: TISS economist
Israeli-Saudi alliance beating the drums of
war: Richard Silverstein
UK minister Patel-Israel scandal grows as May
tries to weather the storm: Yvonne Ridley
‘RSS is the anti-thesis of Sikhsim’: Sikhs
resist Sangh expansion in Punjab:Aditya Menon
During WW-II, Polish orphans found refuge in
Gujarat:Rekha Dixit
Allama Iqbal was world's first Global
Citizen:Sumit Paul,
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 5:58 PM)
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