Evening NEWS
DIGEST
06
Dec.2017: 16 Rabial Awwal 1439:Vol:9, No:66
Totally
support Kapil Sibal's stand to postpone Babri Masjid case hearing, say Muslim
bodies, petitioners including Sunni Waqf Board
New Delhi:All the petitioners in Babri
Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi case, including the Sunni Waqf Board, on Wednesday said
that they totally support senior lawyer Kapil Sibals plea to the Supreme Court
that the hearing of the case should be deferred till July 2019. They also
emphasised that Haji Mehboob -- one of the many plaintiffs in the case who on
Wednesday differed with Sibal's stand -- is neither a member of Sunni Waqf
Board nor does he represent the Board in any capacity."Whatever Kapil
Sibal saheb said in the SC yesterday was said after thorough consideration and
after taking us into confidence. We totally support his stand," Zafaryab
Jilani, a member of the Babri Masjid Action Committee, who is actively involved
in the case since the beginning said.He said that it could be Mehboob's
personal opinion but not the official stand of any of the parties involved in
the case.Advocate Shakil Ahmed, one of the lawyers representing the Sunni Waqf
Board in the case, said that Haji Mehboob has "no connection" with
his client and was "just another plaintiff".Ahmed said that they have
got no communication from their client -- the Sunni Waqf Board -- to the effect
that they have any objection to the stand taken by the lawyers in the apex
court.All India Muslim Personal Law Board(AIMPLB), leading plaintiff in the
case that is also bearing the cost of litigation, also said that Sibal's plea
was right as the BJP would try to cash in on the Ram temple issue in the 2019
Lok Sabha polls."We completely agree with Sibal's arguments in the SC. The
hearing in the case should be deferred till after the 2019 general
elections," AIMPLB Chairman Maulana Wali Rahmani said.Iqbal Ansari, son of
the late Hashim Ansari who was the first litigant in the case, too said that he
had no objection to Sibal's arguments. "Our lawyers told us that some
documents have to be prepared and a lot of documents are to be scrutinised to
prepare the arguments and hence they need adjournment. I have no objection to
it," Ansari said.Naved Hamid, Chairman of All India Muslim
Majlis-e-Mushawarat - an umbrella body of various Muslim organisations - said
that Haji Mehboob's comments might be due to "political ignorance"
and that the Mushwarat is in "complete agreement with what Sibal saheb has
said in the court"."This case has been dragging for a quarter of a
century now. So I think there is no harm if it is adjourned for one more year.
In any case, there are more than 90,000 documents which have to be examined.
Even if the court hears the case on a daily basis, it will probably take more
than a year to finish," Hamid said.--IANS
We stand by kapil sibal's plea to postpone
Babri Masjid case hearing: main petitioner Babri Masjid committee
Babri Case: Modi Lauds Sunni Waqf Board leader
for opposing Sibal's request to defer case till 2019 polls
A leader of the Sunni Waqf Board said that
senior advocate Kapil Sibal’s request for the deferral of the Ayodhya land
dispute case till the 2019 general polls was in the wrong. Sibal’s suggestion,
however, did not go down well with his clients, as Haji Mehboob of the Sunni
Waqf Board said they want to reach a solution at the earliest. "Yes, Kapil
Sibal is our lawyer, but he is also related to a political party. His statement
in the Supreme Court was wrong, we want a solution to the issue at the
earliest, "Haji Mehboob, member, Sunni Waqf Board. PM Narendra Modi
congratulated the Sunni Waqf Board leader for his stand against Sibal’s
suggestion. Modi said," Sunni Waqf Board must be congratulated for their
brave stand on the matter and disassociating themselves from the statement of
Kapil Sibal ji."Modi also took a dig at Sibal for his argument before the
SC bench.Addressing a rally in Gujarat, Modi questioned how the case was
related to the Lok Sabha elections.While Modi said that he doesn’t have any
objection with Sibal representing the Muslim community, he questioned as to how
a lawyer can ask for the case to be taken up after the next general elections.
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad called Sibal’s comments “irresponsible and
unfair.” thequint
Kapil Sibal's demand to delay Ayodhya case
hearing wrong: Sunni Waqf Board member Haji Mehboob
Ayodhya temple issue being used to distract
from Modi's failures: Owaisi also backs Kapil Sibal’s stand
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has said that
the Sangh Parivar wants to use Ram temple issue to save Narendra Modi in the
2019 general elections as he has failed on all fronts. He said the RSS, VHP and
BJP should not be allowed to polarize the voters on temple issue and justified
the stand taken by Sunni Wakf Board's lawyer Kapil Sibal in Supreme Court that
the hearing of the title suit be deferred till the elections. He said a leader
of VHP has announced that the temple construction will begin in Oct. 2018 while
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has stated that only a temple can come up in
Ayodhya."These statements are all aimed at influencing and threatening
Muslims and raking up the issue before the elections to save Modi, who has
failed to provide jobs, check farmers' suicides and his actions like
demonetization and GST have destroyed business in the informal sector. Elections
should be held on these real issues," he said.MP also dismissed criticism
of Sibal in a section of media and said he was representing Sunni Wakf Board in
the SC and not the Congress.He reiterated that Sunni Wakf Board need at least 6
months to present its arguments before the court as a voluminous record of
17,000 documents need to be translated. thenewsminute
Babri demolition 25 years later: VHP, Sena to
‘celebrate’, Muslim group to observe ‘day of sorrow’
Lucknow: VHP, Shiv Sena and two petitioners in
the Ayodhya issue will be organising separate events in Ayodhya city on
Wednesday to observe the 25 years since the Babri Masjid’s demolition.
Petitioner Haji Mehboob said that he, along with other members of the Muslim
community, will observe ‘Yaum-e-Gham’ (Day of sorrow) at his residence in
Ayodhya, where people with black bands tied to the arms will assemble. “They
will express their sentiments about the demolition of the Babri Masjid on
Wednesday,” Mehboob said, adding that while Hindu groups will celebrate, the
mood among Muslims was more of sorrow. Litigant Iqbal Ansari, whose father late
Hashim Ansari was the oldest litigant in Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title
suit, will also hold an assembly of members of the community at his home. “We
want peace and harmony between Hindus and Muslims. We will not to do anything
that can provoke others. First, the Quran will be recited by the gathering.
Later, lawyers of Muslim parties associated with the cases, will brief everyone
about developments in the case in court over the past year. Today’s development
in the Supreme Court will also be told to the gathering so that they can remain
updated about the matter,” Ansari said.Meanwhile, VHP will be holding a
“Shaurya Sankap Sabha” at its campus, Karsevakpuram, to “celebrate” the
demolition. Shiv Sena will also observe “Vijay Diwas” in Ayodhya on
Wednesday.Party workers will assemble at the ‘samadhi’ of Ramchandra Das
Paramhans, who was head of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, near river. indianexpress
Despite opposition,Sri Sri to intervene in Ram
Mandir case
Udupi: Unperturbed by the opposition from VHP
over his mediation in the construction of 'Ram Mandir' in Ayodhya, Art of
Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Wednesday said that he will continue his
efforts for a consensus on the issue. "Everybody has the right to express
their opinions and I will continue my effort to resolve the matter through
talks. My efforts should be viewed as an amicable path as Ram Mandir issue can
be settled outside the court," he said. "RSS also have their opinion
which may differ with mine. But this is my path to build Ram Mandir," he
said. newindianexpress
Responsible for razing Babri Masjid, 3
guilt-ridden karsevaks have embraced Islam
Srinagar: For some former kar sevaks bringing
down the Babri Masjid is now no longer a matter of pride but one of anguish.
Once fiercely determined to the cause of the Ram temple these men have have
embraced Islam in a bid to find forgiveness. Balbir Singh is a case in point.
This former Shiv Sena leader from Panipat made history as he climbed atop the
raized Babri Masjid, on a dateline India will never forget — Dec.6, 1992.
Today, Singh is now better known as Mohammed Aamir and his colleague, Yogendra
Pal, Mohammed Umar. Both of them have vowed to construct and renovate 100
mosques during their lifetime as repentance for what they had done. So far,
Singh, now Aamir, says, they have managed 40.Singh's transformation is all the
more dramatic as he is known as the first karsevak on the dome to raze the
Babri mosque for which he received a hero's welcome as he returned to his home
town, Panipat. 2 bricks were carried back by him which are still kept in the
Shiv Sena's office there.It was when he was in Deoband to assassinate Muslim
cleric, Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui that he changed. After listening to the
religious sermons of the Maulana, Singh confronted him not as an enemy but as
someone "who had sinned against the house of God."It was then he
embraced Islam.But conversion has not been easy. Today, Aamir, has left his
home town Panipat far behind to settle in Hyderabad where he is married to a
Muslim lady. In another twist of fate, Aamir also runs a school to spread the
teachings of Islam.It isn't just Balbir Singh or Yogendra Pal that are haunted
by their past, other kar sevaks too are doing their best to exorcise the
memories of shame and guilt. Shive Prasad, a former youth leader of the Bajrang
Dal in Ayodhya, is one of them. Prasad had given training to about 4,000 kar
sevaks and he and his team had actively participated in pulling down Babri
Masjid on Dec.6, 1992.Within a year after the demolition, Prasad went deep into
depression, suffering bouts of hallucination, blaming himself for having
committed an "unforgivable sin."Prasad visited psychiatrists,
tantriks and saints but there was no peace in his mind. For the next five
years, he lived the life of a recluse and in 1997, he went to Sharjah to seek
employment in1999, he formally embraced Islam in Sharjah and became Mohammed
Mustafa. dnaindia
25 yrs on: Many probes, limited action have
left Mumbai’s riot survivors with no hope of justice
Mumbai:A commission headed by a Bombay high
court judge, a STF, a committee headed by DGP, 4 special courts and a
high-power committee headed by the additional chief secretary for home – all
these were formed over the years to bring justice to those affected by the 1992-93
riots, which killed 900 people and injured 2,306 others in Mumbai.However,question
whether the victims have got a closure still remains.Lawyer Shakil Ahmed, also
an activist who had contested the case of Farooq Mapkar, a victim and an
accused in the Hari Masjid police firing case, said things have stopped moving
as everyone, who was part of the long battle, has come to the conclusion that
they will not get justice. “Victims have lost faith and don’t want to continue
the fight,” said Ahmed, who had filed a petition in Supreme Court in 2002,
demanding dismissal of 31 policemen indicted by Srikrishna Commission.
According to an affidavit filed by Maharashtra Govt in the Supreme Court in Jan.2008,
2,267 cases were filed during the riots, of which the police failed to detect
1,371.These cases were closed as ‘A Summary’ cases – crimes that have happened
but remain undetected. Later, 112 cases were re-investigated and charge-sheets
were filed in eight cases. In all, 894 charge sheets have been filed in the courts.
The affidavit was filed on an order of the apex court that had come in response
to the cases filed before it.In 2007, 4 special courts were formed for trial of
around 253 pending cases related to the riots. A high-power committee (HPC) was
formed in Aug. 2007 to review pending cases. It selected 16 cases to be
expedited and ordered revival of 93 other cases. This led to the arrest of 41
absconding accused involved in 24 cases. HPC also chose to scrutinise 379 of
the 539 cases, where the accused were either acquitted or discharged. HPC
identified 50 cases for action, sources in the state home dept said.Meanwhile, Srikrihna
Commission took around 5 years to complete its investigation. The 800-page
report was submitted to the state in Feb.1998 after examining over 500
witnesses and 2,126 affidavits, of which two were from the state Govt, 549 from
the police and 1,575 from the public.The commission indicted 31 policemen for
actively participating in riots, communal incidents or incidents of looting,
arson, and so on. Of them, RD Tyagi, former joint commissioner of police
(crime), along with eight other policemen, was accused of opening fire at
Suleiman Usman Bakery. Arif Naseem Khan, ex-minority affairs minister, also one
of the petitioners in the SC, admitted that the findings of Srikrishna
Commission report could not be brought to a logical end but blamed implementing
agencies for the lapses. HT
'Construct Babri Mosque again' posters emerge
in UP
Lucknow: Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the
demolition of Babri Masjid on Wednesday, posters calling for a movement for the
reconstruction of the mosque emerged in several cities of western UP.The
posters, put up by Popular Front of India, say: "Twenty-five years of
betrayal. Babri Masjid should be constructed now."The Meerut Police,
meanwhile, registered an FIR against PFI for putting up provocative posters on
Babri Masjid. A senior police officer said that the posters had mostly been put
up in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Hathras and Saharanpur. The outfit is also
galvanising people to stage a demonstration in Delhi. Timesnownews
Bijnor: PFI members booked over posters with
Hindi, Urdu slogans on Babri demolition
Mumbai: Raza Academy calls for prayers to
protest Babri demolition
New Delhi:A Mumbai based religious group Raza
Academy has organised and appealed people from the community to conduct prayers
at their respective residences along with at a few mosques in South Mumbai to
protest demolition of Babri Masjid on Dec.6, 1992. The protest is carried out
with a message that Babri Masjid will be reconstructed.On Dec.6, 1992 leaders
from BJP along with some Hindu right-wing organisations demolished the Babri
Masjid in Ayodhya over the Ram Janmabhoomi issue.Raza Academy had been booked
for perpetrating the Azad Maidan riots in Mumbai where large number of people
had gathered for a protest against atrocities on Muslims in Myanmar and
Assam.According to Mumbai police sources, activities of Raza Academy have been
under scanner since their role in the Azad Maidan riots emerged and proper
measures are adopted during their events so that it doesn't create a law and
order problem. indiatoday
JNU cancels Babri anniversary event to
‘maintain communal harmony’
New Delhi: JNU administration on Wednesday
cancelled events on Babri Masjid and Ram Janmbhoomi scheduled to be held in the
campus in order to “maintain communal harmony”. These included a talk by BJP
leader Subramanian Swamy on Ram Mandir, as well as an event by the JNU
students’ union in which CPM leader Prakash Karat, among others, was supposed
to speak.“The competent authority has cancelled public lectures/talks on the
issue of Ramjanm Bhumi and Babari Masjid in the campus on December 6 in order
to maintain communal harmony, and peace and stability n the campus. Academic
discussion on various themes are always permitted that contribute to knowledge
enhancement and social order,” Dean of Students Umesh Kadam said in a notice. Swamy
was supposed to deliver a talk on ‘Why Ram Mandir in Ayodhya’ at the Koyna
Hostel. He was invited by the Vivekanand Vichar Manch – a group of 1o students,
who had organized the event to “salute legendary fighter and martyrs” of the
Ram Janmabhoomi movement. However, the senior warden of the hostel on Tuesday
evening issued a notice to the organizers saying the event “has been
cancelled”. Similarly, JNUSU’s programme on “Reclaiming the Republic: In Defence
of Our Syncretic Culture, Constitutional Morality and Secularism” was also
cancelled by administration on Wednesday. Besides Karat, Kavita Krishnan from
CPI-ML, JNU professor Jayati Ghosh and former JNU president Albeena Shakil were
to speak at the event. indianexpress
OTHERS
Will suggest faith-specific changes in
personal laws instead of Uniform Civil Code: Law panel chief
New Delhi: The Law Commission of India will
recommend faith-specific amendments to different family laws currently in
practice in the country instead of a composite Uniform Civil Code (UCC), its
chairperson Justice BS Chauhan has said.“If a composite code is difficult (to
come up with), we will suggest religion-wise amendments to the various family
laws in a piecemeal manner,” Chauhan told HT.India has separate sets of
personal laws for each religion governing marriage, divorce, succession,
adoption and maintenance. The Uniform Civil Code has been a long-standing poll
promise and ideological position of the BJP but many minority groups have
opposed what they see as an effort to erase their cultural and religious
identities.Chauhan said the commission’s report will be “in consonance with the
spirit of the constitution” and in keeping in mind the right of all individuals
to practice the religion of their choice.“There are provisions in the
Constitution which extend certain exemptions to the northeast,” Chauhan said
referring to the sixth schedule for the administration of tribal areas of the
four states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Assam.The commission’s
recommendations will be framed keeping the fundamental rights in mind, he said.
“The exemptions provided to communities under the Constitution cannot be done
away with,” Chauhan added.The commission received nearly 45,000 responses to a
detailed questionnaire it circulated on the subject in October last year.
Responses came from different stakeholders, including civil society and
religious organisations, as well as political parties.“We are yet to examine
the issue. We will take this up from January,” Chauhan said.Commission
officials said the focus of the exercise would be to revise and reform family
laws to address social injustice rather than do away with the plurality of
laws. The commission’s tenure will come to an end in Aug. next year and UCC
reference is expected to be the last report it submits. hindustantimes
Uniform code: Law panel may recommend
‘religion-wise’ amendments to family laws
Govt Must Review Penalty Clause in Triple
Talaq Bill: Law Commission Chief
Govt has recently drafted a bill, Muslim Women
(Protection) Rights on Marriage Act, 2017, which seeks to provide a three year
jail term to a husband who is guilty of pronouncing instant triple talaq.The
chairman of 21st Law Commission of India, Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan has
called for a review of the drafted triple talaq bill as “a husband would not
want to keep the wife in case of a 3 year jail term penalty.”News18.com
Uniform Civil Code Not Possible, Personal Laws
Can Not be Scrapped: Law Commission Chairman
UP
first state to endorse Centre’s triple talaq draft bill
Lucknow: UP has become the first state to
endorse the Centre’s draft bill that makes instant triple talaq a cognisable
and non-bailable offense. The draft law, which provides for three years’
imprisonment and a fine to a Muslim man trying to divorce his wife by uttering
“talaq” three times, got the UP Govt ’s approval at a meeting of the state
cabinet chaired by CM Yogi Adityanath
here last night.“Centre’s draft Bill on triple talaq has been endorsed by the
Cabinet. The Centre had asked the states to send their respective views on it
by December 10,” UP Govt spokesman and cabinet minister Siddharth Nath Singh
said.PTI
Jail term for triple talaq bad in law and can
backfire, warn legal experts
New Delhi: 3-year jail term for a man who
tries to end his marriage through instant triple talaq in the proposed law that
seeks to ban Muslim divorce practice could be counterproductive, legal experts
have warned.The penal action could harm the victims it sets out to protect and
be construed as bad in law since a Muslim marriage is essentially a civil
contract, they say.“All you need to say is the marriage continues despite
pronouncement of triple talaq. (A penal law) can be struck down by the court,”
senior lawer Indira Jaising told Hindustan Times on Tuesday.The doubts being
raised by experts were also discussed by the high-level committee of ministers
that cleared the draft bill, a source in the Govt said. “The issue of its possible misuse to
settle marital discord was also raised. But in the end, the committee’s
decision to draft a bill (penalising instant triple talaq) was unanimous,” the
source said.The proposed law seeks to convert a contractual marriage into a
sacrament, said Faizan Mustafa, the vice chancellor of the Hyderabad-based
Nalsar law university. “By doing that, you would be applying Hindu personal law
to Muslims,” he said. The fallout of the new law could be “men abandoning their
wives without divorcing them”.Jaising, too, cautioned that by sending a husband
to jail, the purpose of declaring the divorce void was defeated. “It amounts to
penalising the woman for raising the issue by sending the man to jail.”“Their
purpose is to polarise communities at this time… We have taken this very
seriously,”All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Kamal Faruqui said. Board
is meeting next month in Hyderabad to decide on its response to the Govt’s
move. hindustantimes
Triple talaq should be covered under Domestic
Violence Act: Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy
New Delhi: In a letter written to Law Minister
Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday, a Muslim body has demanded that the triple talaq
or instant divorce should be made an offence under the Domestic Violence Act
and should not be criminalised. In its letter to Prasad, the Indian Muslims for
Secular Democracy (IMSD), an NGO, said it supported a legislation to declare
instant triple talaq an illegal act, but "strongly opposes" any move
by the Govt to criminalise the practice,
punishable with three years in jail plus fine. "The IMSD fully supports
the need for a legislation dealing with abolition of triple talaq. It also
recognises the need for penal provisions in the Act so that Muslim men realise
that committing the illegality of triple talaq will henceforth have serious
consequences. However, the IMSD is not convinced that the solution lies in a
straight-forward, single-step criminalisation of the instant divorce
practice," the letter read."Moreover,we are seriously concerned with
the fact that the draft bill -- Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage)
Act -- makes triple talaq a non-bailable offence punishable with a jail term of
3 years and fine. The IMSD is concerned with the serious implications of a
single-step criminalisation of triple talaq for several reasons," it
added. The letter pointed out that since the socio-economic status of the
majority of Muslims was low, the case expenses and the subsequent jail term if
convicted would leave the erring husband finacially devastated. "Also, the
woman victim of triple talaq too must find money to hire a lawyer to press for
her claims of maintenance, child custody, etc. Where will a husband in jail for
3 years find money to pay for the maintenance of his wife and children?"
it said. IANS
I won't remain silent on triple talaq: Modi at
Gujarat rally
Dhandhuka: PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday said
he would not remain silent on the triple talaq issue due to any election
compulsions.Addressing a rally here, the PM said, "When the triple talaq matter was
in the Supreme Court, the Govt had to
put their affidavit. Newspapers commented that Modi will remain silent because
of UP polls. People told me not to speak on the matter else there will be
losses in elections."He further added that he would not remain silent on
triple talaq as the issue is for the rights of women."I am clear that on
triple talaq; I will not be silent. Everything is not about elections. This
issue is for the rights of women. Elections come later humanity comes first,"
said PM Modi.ANI
Section 498A, dowry: Most FIRs, least
convictions
New Delhi:“Cruelty BY husband or his
relatives”, covered under Section 498A of IPC, makes up the largest chunk of
all crimes against women. The charge, often levelled by a wife against her
in-laws in cases of dowry harassment, accounts for over 30% of all crimes
against women.The crime, however, has the lowest conviction rate.According to
the latest data on crimes, released by NCRB, more than 3.3 lakh cases of crimes
against women were registered in 2016. Of these, 1.1 lakh cases related to
‘Cruelty by husband or his relatives’.Cases under Section 498A was found to
have the lowest conviction rate — merely 12.1 % — among all cases of crimes against
women.Close to 10,000 cases were also registered under the Dowry Prohibition
Act in 2016, but conviction rate here too was just over 15%. indianexpress
Centre offers Rs 2.5 lakh for every
inter-caste marriage with a Dalit
New Delhi:Removing the income ceiling of Rs 5
lakh per annum, the Centre has opened its scheme meant to encourage inter-caste
marriages to all couples where either the bride or the bridegroom is a Dalit.
‘Dr Ambedkar scheme for social Integration through inter caste marriage’ was
started in 2013, with a target to provide monetary incentive to at least 500
such inter-caste couples per year. As per rules, such couples whose total
annual income does not exceed Rs 5 lakh are eligible to get a one-time
incentive of Rs 2.5 lakh from the Centre.This was meant to “appreciate the
socially bold step” and to enable them to “settle down in the initial phase of
their married life”. The other pre-conditions were that it should be their
first marriage, and it should be registered under the Hindu Marriages Act, with
the proposal being submitted within a year of marriage.In a recent order to
states, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment directed that “the
condition that the total income of the newly-wedded couple will not exceed Rs 5
lakh per annum” be scrapped, and there will be “no income limit for incentive
under the scheme”. indianexpress
SC paves way for probe in evidence fabrication
2002 riots case against Teesta Setalvad and others
The Supreme Court on Wednesday paved the way
for investigation into the fabrication of evidence in a 2002 post-Godhra riot
case on the allegation by social activist Teesta Setalvad’s former close aide
Rais Khan Pathan against her. Setalvad and her NGO, Citizen for Justice and
Peace (CJP), had challenged the decision of Gujarat High Court upholding a
magisterial court order for a probe against Pathan and others. During the
pendency of their appeal, the apex court on 2 Sept., 2011, had stayed the high
court’s order giving a green signal for probe against Pathan and others for
allegedly fabricating evidence in the Naroda Gam riots case.A bench of Justices
Arun Mishra and M M Shantanagoudar today disposed of their appeal by granting
liberty to them to raise their grievances before the appropriate courts below
the top court.With the disposal of Setalvad’s petition, the stay on the High
Court’s order stands vacated, reported PTI.During the hearing, senior counsel
Kapil Sibal, appearing for CJP and Setalvad, questioned the procedure adopted
by the trial court in directing the Gujarat Police to investigate the case. jantakareporter
MP police book 5 for sedition over poster
against ‘Ram Rajya’, then withdraw charge
Bhopal: 2 days after 5 Muslim youths in
Khandwa were charged with sedition for carrying an allegedly inflammatory
poster, the police on Tuesday decided to withdraw the charge. Sub-Inspector
Ramesh More of the Moghat Police Station said that there wasn’t enough evidence
to justify the sedition charge.On Sunday, at least 11 persons, including 5
minors, were booked for a poster displayed at a procession organised on the
occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Khandwa on Saturday. “Hamare azm ko hamare
gaddar jaan jayenge, agar itihas pad lenge to pehchan payenge, yeh Hindustan
mere khwaja ka tha, aur rahega galat fehmi me mat rahna, ki Ram rajya layenge
(Our traitors will know of our intentions, if they read history they will
recognise, that India was my saint’s and will be, do not be under the false
impression that they will bring Ram Rajya),” read the poster. 5 of the accused
were booked under Section 124 A (sedition), while the others faced charges
under Sections 153 A, 505-2 (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or
ill-will between different groups on grounds of religion), and Section 34 (acts
done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).Among the 11, was
Pankaj Soni, the owner of a graphics shop where the poster was made and
printed. While he and the minors were released on bail, the remaining five
accused were sent to judicial custody on Tuesday. State Home Minister Bhupendra
Singh had tweeted on Monday that his Govt would deal sternly with elements who try to
vitiate the peace. “Such elements should understand that this is a BJP Govt. It
won’t shy away from crushing riot,’’ he had said.When contacted, Khandwa SP
Navneet Bhasin said evidence was still being collected and, depending on the
outcome, police may change the sections under which the accused have been
booked. He said the poster was carried upside down to avoid detection. Indianexpress
UP: Local body poll winner’s supporters booked
for sedition
Lucknow:Supporters of Sana Khan,the newly
elected nagar panchayat chairperson of Dhaurahra town, have been booked on
sedition charge for allegedly raising “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan during a
procession after UP civic poll results were declared on Dec.1. Sana Khan
contested the election on a Congress symbol and the FIR has been lodged on a
complaint by the son of BJP candidate Sushma Devi. Police suspect authenticity
of a video of the procession, which has circulated on social media, as no one
in the procession is seen raising the slogan and the voice appears to be coming
from behind the person shooting the video.
Sana Khan’s husband Afzal Ahmed Khan has denied the allegations and said
the BJP candidate, who lost by a margin of 1,261 votes, got their supporters
framed on false charges. All the persons named in the case belong to Dhaurahra
town.Sana’s husband Afzal admitted that the 11 persons named in the FIR are
their supporters, but said, “They all have been framed in a false case by
Sushma Devi who lost election. After results were declared, our supporters were
returning home when Sushma Devi’s supporters joined them at a crossing and
raised the anti-national slogan. The video is shot by a supporter of Sushma
Devi.” He also said no one from his family was present there. Circle Officer,
Dhaurahra area, Nishthha Upadhyay said, “Police have got the video from a local
journalist and it would be sent for forensic examination. In the video, someone
who is not seen is heard raising the slogan of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and also
‘Pakistan Murdabad’. The voice of sloganeering by only one man is coming from
behind the person who is shooting the video of the procession.” indianexpress
Saharanpur caste riots: Allahabad HC stays
arrest of accused after RTI reveals he was not wanted in cases
Allahabad: Allahabad High Court Tuesday stayed
the arrest of an accused in the Saharanpur caste riots after an RTI reply
revealed he was not wanted in any of the 4 registered cases.The bench of
Justice Krishna Murari and Justice AC Chandra stayed 28-year-old Vinay Kumar’s
arrest till the submission of the chargesheet.This comes a month after the High
Court granted bail to Chandrashekhar, leader of the Dalit rights group called
the Bhim Army, which, police said, was involved in the caste clashes which
broke out in May this year in Saharanpur.Farman Naqvi, counsel for Vinay Kumar,
said, “4 FIRs were lodged by SHO of Kotwali dehat following the incidents of
May 9, but Vinay was not named in any of them. Later, police said he was
wanted. His father then filed a request under the RTI Act with the senior police
establishment that revealed he was not, in fact, wanted. The court today stayed
his arrest.”Naqvi is representing the petitioners asking for quashing of the
said FIRs which were registered against the Bhim army members. indianexpress
Rajasthan HC quashes nomination of state Waqf
board
Jaipur: Chairman and 2 members of Rajasthan
Wakf Board were ineligible to hold the office yet they were nominated by state Govt
2 years ago.Justice MN Bhandari of the Rajasthan High Court has stuck down
their nominations thus exposing how casually such appointments were made.The HC
has held Chairman Abubekar Naqvi and members Nida Khan and Syed Arfoz Zaidi did
not fill the minimum requirement to be eligible for nomination. Naqvi was
elected by the members of the board as chairpersons.For example, Abubekar was a
Physical training Instructor before he took VRS and was nominated subsequently
as a member for a post reserved for someone having commendable experience in
social work or town planning. Other two were supposed to be Islamic scholars
but were not.Their nomination was challenged by Syed Naseer Husain on grounds
of lack of eligibility. He also pointed out that Abubekar mewntioned that as a Govt
employee before taking VRS, he had
campaigned for BJP and was its member too.The board has been left with 6
members now thus crippling its functioning. indiatoday
Hurled stones to protect teammates, says J-K
woman footballer in viral protest photo
Srinagar: A photograph of a 23-year-old
college student hurling a stone at security forces, her face covered with
dupatta, during street protests in Srinagar’s iconic Lal Chowk on April 15 took
the restive state by storm.The image, which was, for many, emblematic of the
frustration faced by youth of J&K , flooded newspapers, websites and
television channels.Many questioned the action of the girl and other females
who were confronting security forces in the valley, while other defended their
action. 8 months after the incident, the girl in the picture Afshan Ashiq
regrets some of the things that happened on that fateful day. But she has no
guilt for her actions as all she did was “defend her team mates.”In the valley
she is known for her passion for football. She leads the J&K CM’s XI. She
also trains her teammates.“On that day (April 15) some of my team mates and I
were on our way to meet officials of the state sports department to discuss
about new equipment that were supposed to be given to us. But on the way, J&K
police personnel stopped us and started
misbehaving. Some of the girls were even physically assaulted. Seeing that the
team members took the matter into their own hands,” Afshan, who was visiting
the National Capital, told HT. hindustantimes
Central interlocutor to J-K manages to break
ice with Hurriyat, meets leader Abdul Gani Bhat
New Delhi:Centre's Special representative to
J&K Dineshwar Sharma's meeting with Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Bhat has
been kept a closely guarded secret. However, sources both close to the Govt and
Hurriyat leaders confirmed that the meeting happened last week.Sources said
that Sharma met Bhat in Wazirbagh Bunglow in Srinagar on Nov.27. The meeting is
said to have taken place in the wee hours of the night.Bhat may have been
isolated in Hurriyat in talking to Sharma, but emphasised to the interlocutor
the need to involve 'Pakistan in talks for a breakthrough in Kashmir.'Speaking
further he said, "India and Pakistan should engage in dialogue, a higher
stand and understanding is needed to solve the issue."There have been
active back channel talks to get Hurriyat leaders, who are playing hardball to
come to the table for talks. indiatoday
Muslim bodies protest against 'biased'
encroachment drive in Jammu
Jammu: People under the banner of 3 Muslim
bodies today staged a protest outside Jamia Masjid at Talab Khatikan here
against a "biased" anti-encroachment drive and demolition of a
religious school. The protest was jointly staged by Jammu Muslim Front, Jammu
Muslim Youth and Muslim Development Forum against yesterday's anti-encroachment
drive by Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in Gole Gujral area of the city.
"We are not against the anti-encroachment drive but fail to understand why
the drive is restricted to Muslim dominated areas only," an activist told
PTI. The drive was motivated and carried out with the intention of harassing
the community, he alleged, adding that demolition of the religious school by
the anti-encroachment team hurt the sentiments of the Muslims. JDA officials
alleged that Gujjars have encroached on various prime lands at several places
in Jammu city and later created illegal colonies to sell the plots. They said
Gujjars had encroached on plots of JDA colonies and illegally built structures
there. J&K High Court had pulled up JDA last month for delay in removal of
the encroachments on over thousands of acres of land in Jammu.PTI
NIA court extends Kashmir photojournalist’s
detention
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-court-extends-kashmir-photojournalists-detention-4970001/
New Delhi:An NIA court has extended the
detention period of photojournalist Kamran Yusuf and one Javed Bhat, arrested
in a stone-pelting case in Kashmir and booked under Unlawful (Activities)
Prevention Act, from 90 days to 180 days. NIA arrested the 2 in the first week
of Sept. and his 90-day custody ended on Dec 4.NIA had put an application in
the District and Sessions Judge Poonam Bamba’s court, seeking extension of the
detention period, and submitted that the investigation for collecting evidence
related to the accused is in progress and some more time is required to
complete it. indianexpress
In Kerala, minimum drinking age to go up from
21 to 23
Kerala Govt on Wednesday decided to raise the minimum age
for consuming liquor from 21 to 23. Govt will make suitable amendments to the existing
liquor policy and bring an ordinance for this.When Govt came to power in 2016, it had diluted the
liquor policy of previous Congress-led regime that leaned towards prohibition
in a phased manner. Later most of liquor outlets that were closed were allowed
to open.HT
Britain must apologise for colonial-era
Jallianwala massacre: London mayor Sadiq Khan
Amritsar: London's first Asian-origin mayor
Sadiq Khan said the British Govt should
apologise for a colonial-era massacre in India as he visited the site on
Wednesday. 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, in which British troops opened fire
on thousands of unarmed protesters in the city of Amritsar, remains an enduring
scar of British colonial rule over the subcontinent.The then British PM David Cameron described it as deeply shameful
when he visited the memorial in the northern state of Punjab during a 2013 trip
to India, but stopped short of an apology.Writing in the visitors' book, Khan
said it had been "incredibly moving" to see the site of the massacre,
calling it a tragedy that should never be forgotten."It is time for the
British Govt to finally apologise,"
he wrote. "Our thoughts are with all those who died."AFP
‘Odd-even scheme will be implemented without
exemptions’, Delhi tells National Green Tribunal
Delhi Govt on Wednesday submitted an action
plan before the National Green Tribunal detailing measures it will take to
combat pollution in the national Capital, ANI reported. The tribunal on Monday
had censured the Delhi Govt for not
filing an action plan on steps taken to curb air pollution, and had asked it to
submit a reply within 48 hours.The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Govt said the odd-even vehicle rule will be
implemented in the city without any exemptions if the pollution level touches
the “severe” category, ANI reported. The odd-even scheme helps cut traffic on
the roads by prohibiting cars and bikes from plying based on the last digit of
their registration numbers – vehicles with odd digits ply on odd dates, and the
others are allowed on even dates. Scroll
Taj Mahal second best UNESCO world heritage
site after Angkor Wat: PTI
The Taj Mahal, India’s iconic ivory-white
marble mausoleum in Agra, is the second best UNESCO world heritage site in the
world, according to a new survey.With over 8 million visitors per year, Taj
Mahal, is rated after Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. Conducted by online travel portal
TripAdvisor, the survey lists the UNESCO Cultural and Natural heritage sites
best rated by travellers around the globe.“You can find hundreds of tours and
experiences to visit this mesmerizing site, from a private tour with guide and
visit at sunset or sunrise, to a visit including a home cooked meal at a local
home in Agra,”travel portal said. Other popular heritage sites on the survey
include the Great Wall of China built by Xu Da of Northern Qi Dynasty in 1368
AD.Machu Pichu in Peru in South America has bagged the fourth spot with a 5-day
hike of the Inca Trail, the 15th century Inca citadel and much more on offer.
Iguazu National Park in Brazil, Italy’s Sassi of Matera, Auschwitz Birkenau and
historic Krakow in Poland, the old city of Jerusalem in Israel and the historic
areas of Istanbul in Turkey have also made to the list.
WORLD
Palestinians call days of rage over US
Jerusalem plan
Protests have broken out in the Gaza Strip in
response to US President Donald Trump's expected decision to recognise
Jerusalem as Israel's capital, as Palestinian leaders called for three days of
rage against the move.Hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets in Gaza City
on Wednesday, carrying banners denouncing Trump, hours ahead of his impending
declaration that would also see the US embassy move from Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem.The declaration, which is expected at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, comes
amid global condemnation of the decision.Speaking to Al Jazeera from Gaza,
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh described Trump's decision as a "flagrant
aggression"."This decision is an uncalculated gamble that will know
no limit to the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim reaction," he said."We
call on stopping this decision fully because this will usher in the beginning
of a time of terrible transformations, not just on the Palestinian level but on
the region as a whole. This decision means the official announcement of the end
of the peace process." aljazeera
Trump tells Abbas he will move US embassy to
Jerusalem
US President Donald Trump has told Palestinian
leader Mahmoud Abbas that he intends to relocate the US embassy in Israel from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a plan met with condemnation across the Middle East and
elsewhere.Wafa, the official news agency of the PA, reported that Trump called
Abbas to inform him of his "intention"."President Abbas warned
of the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process
and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world,"
Nabil Abu Rudeina, the Palestinian president's spokesperson, said. No further
details were given about when Trump plans to move the embassy.
Trump to call Jerusalem Israel's capital, move
embassy
Pope Francis says cannot ‘silence’ deep
concern, defends Jerusalem’s status quo
Vatican City: Pope Francis Wednesday defended
the “status quo” of Jerusalem, hours ahead of an announcement by US President
Donald Trump in which officials said he will recognise the disputed city as
Israel’s capital.“I cannot silence my deep concern over the situation that has
emerged in recent days. At the same time, I appeal strongly for all to respect
the city’s status quo, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions,” pope said
in his weekly address.The Argentine pontiff’s call came a day after he spoke by
phone with Palestinian leadre Mahmud Abbas, Vatican said without
elaborating.“Jerusalem is a unique city, sacred for Jews, Christians and
Muslims,” he said, adding that it was home to sites deemed holy by followers of
the three major monotheistic faiths.AFP
US sends security warnings amid Trump
Jerusalem move
US State Dept sent warnings to its embassies
around the world to increase security ahead of President Donald Trump's announcement
on Tuesday that US will recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, according
to Politico.The online news website reported on Monday that two classified
cables had been sent to State Department officials in the past week, amid
concerns the announcement would provoke demonstrations. Meanwhile, American
Consulate General in Jerusalem tweeted a message on Wednesday banning Govt officials and their employees from all
personal travel to Jerusalem's Old City and the West Bank until further notice. aljazeera
Muslim world should sever ties with any state
that transfers embassy to Jerusalem: OIC
Jerusalem 'Red Line', could cut Turkey-Israel
ties:Erdogan
Ankara: The status of Jerusalem is a "red
line" for Muslims and could even prompt Turkey to cut ties with Israel,
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Tuesday, as US President Donald
Trump mulled whether to recognise the city as Israeli capital.Erdogan said
Turkey, which currently holds the chairmanship of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC), would immediately call a summit meeting of the pan-Islamic
group if Trump went ahead with the move."Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line
for Muslims," Erdogan said in a raucous televised speech to his ruling
party that was greeted with chants and applause. Erdogan said that if such a
move was made to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, he would summon a
summit of the OIC in Istanbul within five to 10 days "and we would set the
entire Islamic world in motion".AFP
Khamenei: US plan to move Israel embassy sign
of ‘incompetence, failure’
US intention to move its embassy to Jerusalem
is a sign of incompetence and failure, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei said today.“That they claim they want to announce Quds as capital of
occupied Palestine is because of their incompetence and failure,” Khamenei
said, using Arabic name for Jerusalem. “On the issue of Palestine, [US] hands
are tied and they cannot advance their goals,” Khamenei said, saying Palestinian
people would be victorious. MEMO
Saudi Mohammed Bin Salman reportedly offers
Abu Dis as future capital of Palestine
A Saudi proposal for a peace initiative
between Israelis and Palestinians offers the village of Abu Dis as the future
capital of Palestine instead of East Jerusalem, stirring widespread anger. Activists
have released a new hashtag under the name “Jerusalem is our capital” in response
to the Saudi proposal. New York Times reported on Sunday that Saudi Crown
Prince Mohammed Bin Salman made the proposal during Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Riyadh last month. According to the proposal, the
Palestinians will get a non-contiguous state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
over which they will have only partial sovereignty while the majority of
Israeli settlements in West Bank will remain. Proposal does not grant
Palestinian refugees and their descendants living in other countries the right
of return to Israel. middleeastmonitor
Israel demands international recognition of
its sovereignty over Jerusalem and Golan Heights
The head of Israel’s opposition party, Yair
Lapid, has called on the international community to recognise Jerusalem as the
capital of the State of Israel and demanded recognition of Israel’s full
sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights.Under international law, East
Jerusalem and the Golan Heights are both occupied territory and recognition of
Israel’s sovereignty over the territories challenges the very foundation of the
legal system that underpins international system.Israel conquered East
Jerusalem and the Golan Heights during the 1967 war. International community,
however, has never recognized its sovereignty over territory because annexation
of territory belonging to another country contravenes the UN charter and the
Geneva Convention. middleeastmonitor
No objection to call for Sudan-Israel
normalisation
Sudan’s Deputy Prime Minister has said that
there have been no objections by the government or ruling party to his call for
the normalisation of his country’s ties with Israel, Altaghyeer.info has
reported.“Silence is a sign of consent,” Mubarak Al-Fadel told London-based
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. He stressed that his idea met with “popular acceptance” and
“changed public opinion.”Al-Fadel pointed out that this was a “major” item in
the national dialogue and had previously been announced by Foreign Minister
Ibrahim Al-Ghandour, who is on record as saying that Sudan is committed to the
Arab Peace Initiative. The initiative, of course, includes the 2-state solution
and does not preclude the normalisation of ties with Israel.This is not the
first time that Al-Fadel has made such a call. He did so in Aug, “for the sake
of Sudanese interests.” His presence in the Sudanese government led by
President Omar Al-Bashir is part of a national agreement. middleeastmonitor
Hamas and Fatah agree on Gaza employee issue
Hamas and Fatah appear to have reached
agreement on the vexed issue of the employees engaged in Gaza by the Islamic
Resistance Movement during its time running the government in the enclave,
Al-Resalah has reported.“We are seeking a solution that guarantees old
employees to have an honourable return to their work and guarantees rights of
new employees,” explained senior Hamas official Salah Al-Bardawil on Tuesday.
The movements, he told a press conference, have a “verbal agreement” regarding
the employee issue.“Hamas wants to remove all obstacles ahead of a full
handover of the Gaza Strip in a way that reserves the rights of all employees,”
said Al-Bardawil. “We are waiting for 10th of this month to confirm the full
handover of the govt.”In the meantime,he confirmed, all of the ministers in
Gaza are working properly. middleeastmonitor
US trying to blackmail Turkey over Iran sanctions:Erdogan
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has called
the New York trial of a Turkish banker accused of conspiring to help Iran evade
US sanctions "blackmail" and a "blemish" on his country. His
comments in Ankara came as the trial of Halkbank executive Mehmet Hakan Atilla
continued with a fifth day of testimony by US Govt's star witness and alleged
mastermind of the scheme to evade sanctions.Erdogan said the trial was a ploy
to distract Turkey while Washington makes plans to strengthen Kurdish groups in
Syria that Turkey considers to be "terrorists" allied with armed separatists
in Turkey,according to RFE/RL. "Turkey has no plans against the United
States, but it is clear that the U.S. has plans against us," Erdogan said.
The Iran sanctions "case has nothing to do with law, justice, or trade,
it's an acrobatic spectacle," he said. Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H.Kim has
called Turkish accusations that his prosecution is politically motivated
"ridiculous." Govt's star witness, wealthy Turkish-Iranian
businessman Reza Zarrab, conceded in testimony on Dec.5 that he had a proclivity
to pay bribes to get what he wants, under cross-examination from Atilla's
defense attorney, Cathy Fleming.But Zarrab said he never paid Atilla a bribe
and that Atilla never asked him for money. According Zarrab's agreement with
prosecutors to plead guilty to some charges in exchange for leniency, Zarrab
paid bribes to foreign officials and corporate representatives between 2002 and
March 2016 in return for personal benefits, favorable business dealings, and
the protection of Govt officials.Zarrab
estimated that he made from $100 million to $150 million between 2010 and 2016 by
carrying out various illegal schemes, including helping Iran evade US
sanctions.As part of the plea deal, Zarrab has agreed to give up any illicit
profits. He testified that he might be permitted to be released on bail once
the trial is finished.Zarrab's testimony likely will win him leniency against
charges that otherwise could carry a prison term of up to 130 years.Turkish
authorities have detained 17 people linked to Zarrab in an investigation launched
after he cooperated with US authorities and agreed to testify in the case.The Financial
Erdogan helped Iran evade US sanctions: gold
trader
US House of Representatives passes resolution
condemning 'ethnic cleansing' of Rohingya Muslims
US House of Representatives has condemned
"ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims and called on Myanmar's
leadership to end attacks on minorities in the northern Rakhine state, in the
stiffest congressional criticism of the Govt in the Buddhist-majority country.The House
passed a resolution on Tuesday, urging immediate restoration of humanitarian
access to the Rakhine state where unrest has forced over 6,00,000 Rohingya
Muslims to flee to Bangladesh.PTI
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Mumbai riots 1992: Srikrishna Commission
report and action taken:Zeeshan Shaikh
Babari Demolition: Muslims display placards
during protest rally in New Delhi: PTI
Babri demolition: Protest Being Held At Jama
Masjid, Delhi
Babri: protest being held at parliament street
in delhi
Babri demolition assaulted secularism,
Hinduism. Consequences are still to play out fully:PratapBhanuMehta
1.5 lakh kar sevaks, 2,300 police constables,
1 mosque: How Babri Masjid fell on Dec 6, 1992:IndiaToday
“As a practicing Hindu, I too hang my head in
shame for this act by Hindu fanatics”:By Shabbir Ahmed -
Gujarat’s Muslims out of poll picture:SagarikaGhose
RBI leaves lending rate unchanged at 6%,
retains economic growth forecast at 6.7%
UN resolutions on occupied East Jerusalem
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