Evening NEWS
DIGEST
06 Jan.2018: 17 Rabial Aakhir 1439:Vol:9, No:91
india
Fodder scam: 3.5 yrs jail for Lalu, Rs 10 lakh fine imposed
New Delhi :Ex-Bihar CM and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was on
Saturday sentenced by a special CBI court to three-and-a-half years of rigorous
imprisonment (RI) in a fodder scam case. Jagdish Sharma, the then Public
Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, and former RJD leader R K Rana, were
sentenced to seven years and three-and-a-half year RI respectively.3 IAS
officials – Phool Chand Singh, Beck Julius and Mahesh Prasad – too were awarded
RI for three-and-a-half years. Two other officials, Subir Bhattacharjee and Dr
Krishna Kumar, were sentenced to a three-and-a-half year and seven-year RI
respectively. Among the suppliers and transporters, Raja Ram Joshi, Sunil Kumar
Sinha and Sushil Kumar Sinha were awarded three-and-a-half year RI. The
remaining five – Tripurari Mohan Prasad, Sanjay Agarwal, Sunil Gandhi, Jyoti
Jha and Gopinath Das – were handed a seven-year term. Yadav was also imposed a
cumulative fine of Rs 5 lakh in connection with charges under the Indian Penal
Code and Rs 5 lakh pertaining to charges under the Prevention of Corruption
Act. Failure to pay the fine will attract a further RI of six months. Fines
were also slapped on the three IAS officials to the tune of Rs 10 lakh
(cumulative); Rs 5 lakh for Joshi and Sunil and Sushil Sinha. Besides, a fine
of Rs 10 lakh was imposed on the five suppliers and contractors.Reacting to the
order, Lalu’s son Tej Pratap Yadav said they won’t be cowed down. “We are
confident that he (Lalu Yadav) will get bail. We have full faith in the
judiciary. We are not going to be cowed down,” the former Bihar minister said.
Moreover, soon after the sentencing, a tweet went out from Lalu’s official
account, saying, “Rather than practising BJP’s Simple Rule – “Follow us or We
will Fix you”. I will die happily fixing myself for Social justice, harmony
& equality.” Earlier, the hearing of argument over the quantum of sentence
of all the convicts was concluded through video-conferencing at 2 pm, following
which special CBI Judge Shivpal Singh delivered his order at 4 pm. The
conclusion of the process of sentencing, which had started on Jan.3 and kept
getting deferred due to various reasons, brought curtains to the suspense over
whether or not Yadav would get bail from the lower court.“We will go through
the judgment and approach the Jharkhand High Court for bail. Had the sentence
been of less than three years, our client could have got bail immediately,”
Yadav’s counsel Prabhat Kumar said. In this particular case, Yadav has already
undergone incarceration for nearly one year. indianexpress
Will challenge Lalu's jail term in HC:
Tejashwi
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav today said a special
CBI court verdict sentencing his father Lalu Prasad to three-and-a-half years
in jail in a fodder scam case will be challenged in the high court. A bail plea
will also be moved in the high court, Tejashwi told a press conference at the
residence of his mother and former Bihar CM
Rabri Devi. PTI
Would rather die for social justice than
follow BJP's 'rule', Lalu after sentencing
Shortly after being sentenced, Rashtriya
Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad has said his conviction is the result of political
vendetta. Taking to twitter Lalu said that "Rather than practising BJP's
Simple Rule - "Follow us or We will Fix you". I will die happily
fixing myself for Social justice, harmony & equality."Meanwhile,
Lalu's son and former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said, "We will move
to high court against Lalu Prasad's conviction and appeal for bail after
studying the court verdict." oneindia
Lalu writes letter for people of Bihar, talks
about rights of Dalits, SCs, STs
Money laundering case: ED files second
chargesheet against Lalu’s daughter Misa , her husband
New Delhi:ED has filed a second chargesheet
against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti and her husband
Shailesh Kumar before a Delhi court in connection with a money laundering case.
Special Judge NK Malhotra rapped the central agency for its repeated
chargesheets and berated it for not letting the trial commence. Both
chargesheets will be considered by the court on Feb.5, reported PTI.“Will you
let the trial begin or keep filing complaints? How many supplementary charge
sheets will you file? You are a premier investigating agency. You cannot behave
like this. It is an ill-drafted complaint,” the judge was quoted as saying by
PTI.
TALAQ BILL
Winter Session Of Parliament Ends, Govt to
push for triple talaq bill in Budget Session
New Delhi: Notwithstanding Opposition stalling
the passage of the contentious triple talaq bill, the Govt is set to push for its nod in the Rajya Sabha
in the Budget Session, asserting that it is committed to it.Briefing reporters
at the conclusion of the Monsoon Session, parliamentary affairs minister Ananth
Kumar also attacked the Congress, which had not opposed the bill in Lok Sabha
but voiced its strong opposition in the Upper House. However, Govt is "committed to passing the law and
empower our Muslim sisters", Kumar said.A united opposition stalled talaq
bill in the Rajya Sabha with the Congress moving a motion that the bill should
be sent to a select committee for further scrutiny, a move strongly opposed by
the treasury benches.When the Budget Session starts on Jan.29, the motion,
which was moved by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, will be taken up for
consideration. Govt sources said they
would seek its passage in the first phase of the session and would be holding
talks with opposition parties to arrive at a consensus.With Govt recommending a schedule for Budget Session,
it is unlikely to bring in an ordinance over the issue and will seek the bill's
passage in the next session, official sources said.Treasury benches had also
cited a Supreme Court order, which had invalidated the practise of triple
talaq, to push for a law to criminalise the practise.PTI
Winter Session Of Parliament Ends, Triple
Talaq Bill Pushed To Budget Session
Instant triple talaq Bill deferred, penal
clauses offer room for give-and-take: indianexpress
As the winter session of Parliament drew to a
close Friday and the fate of the Bill to criminalise instant triple talaq hung
in the balance, the matter of ring-fencing penal provisions in Bill emerged as
the central issue for some give-and-take before the next session to break the
stalemate between the ruling BJP and the Opposition over the Bill.After the
session concluded, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha,
offered to agree to the penal provisions in the Bill, provided it is insulated
from outside interference and has a mechanism for subsistence allowance.“We
don’t have any problem with sending the person (who resort to instant triple
talaq) to jail if such a step proves to be a deterrent.But to make it
cognizable…”He indicated that the penal provision be reworked only to allow
“the aggrieved party”, and not a “non-aggrieved party”, to lodge a complaint
because this would rule out potential misuse of the law.Objecting to current
provisions in the Bill on criminalising talaq-e-biddat, lawyer and Congress MP
Abhishek Manu Singhvi suggested that the legislation stands to benefit if it
has a provision that grants the aggrieved party a “clear right to withdraw
criminal complaint and/or to settle/compound”.“Congress rightly believes that
criminalisation is highly inappropriate, unnecessary, and in fact achieves the
opposite of that which is intended. There is no question of deal-making. We
genuinely believe that had it been referred to a select committee, improvements
would be brought about. These include, but are not limited, (a) to provision of
specified subsistence allowance; (b) clear right to withdraw criminal complaint
and/or to settle/compound them; (c) some element of wilfulness or mental
element which appears to be missing currently. At the moment, the language
allows you to accuse without a mens rea,”he said.He too said that another
improvement in Bill could be allowing the wife to be the only complainant in
the matter so as to prevent misuse of the law.
BJP selling lies, Bill won’t help Muslim
women: Azad
AIMPLB seeks meeting with Prez on talaq bill,
saying definition of 'talaq' in bill takes all forms of divorce, criminalises
all forms
Lucknow: All India Muslim Personal Law Board
(AIMPLB) has decided to approach President Ramnath Kovind over the triple talaq
bill. Board fears the central Govt may
bring an ordinance on the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage bill,
2017, if it fails to get it passed in the Rajya Sabha."We think the Govt
might bring in an ordinance and if it does so the haste will only prove that
the Govt is against democratic process.
It will be against the spirit of Constitution. Which is why we are seeking to
meet the President on the issue," said AIMPLB spokesperson Maulana
Khalilur Rahmad Sajjad Nomani. Board has also requested opposition leaders to
appeal to the President not to sign any such ordinance if it is sent to him,
said Nomani.AIMPLB has, however, clarified that it is not against the bill but
opposes its certain provisions. "There should be a strong law against the
practice of instant triple talaq, but it has major lacunae which need to be
resolved in consultation with genuine organisations working on the issue of
triple talaq. AIMPLB being the apex Muslim representative organisation should
be consulted," he said.Accodrding to AIMPLB, provisions of the bill are
anti-women, against Sharia and an interference in the Muslim personal law, all
of which will affect the welfare of the Muslim family. The Board added that
some provisions of the bill are an attempt by BJP Govt to fill jails with Muslim men. It has said
that the definition of the word 'talaq' in the bill takes into account all
forms of divorce over and above instant triple talaq, thus criminalising all
forms. It has also objected to third party interference and complaint in a case
of an alleged instant triple talaq, which will initiate police action against
the husband on any person's complaint.TOI
Triple Talaq Bill: Modi ji has taken Mohammed
Saheb’s message forward, says UP minister Raza
UP's Haj and Waqf minister Mohsin Raza has
said those opposing the triple talaq bill are not just anti-women but also
anti-human, hitting out at AIMPLB for "politicising" the bill.
"They think they are the thekedars (caretakers) of Muslim. We don't need
them to understand Shariat. Triple talaq is neither a part of Shariat nor
insaniyat (humanity). AIMPLB should first learn the basics of Islam," said
Raza, the lone Muslim minister in UP. “We must thank Modi as he has taken forward
Mohammed sahab's message. Mohammed sahab would stand up in the respect of his
daughter. The same is being done by Modi ji for all the Muslim daughters,"
Raza said. economictimes
Present talaq bill will double Muslim women's
woes: BSP
Lucknow: Anti-triple talaq bill, if passed in
the present form, will double the problems of Muslim women as it has many
shortcomings, BSP president Mayawati said today."The bill has many serious
shortcomings... If it is passed in the present form because of the rigid and
undemocratic stand adopted by the Modi Govt
and becomes law, it will do more harm to Muslim women and double the
atrocities faced by them," she said in a statement here."BSP is not
against the bill but the provision of punishment in it will pose more problems
for divorced Muslim women and they will become victims of more
atrocities," she said.Modi Govt
needs to accept these shortcomings with an open heart for which a demand
is being made to send it to the select committee of Rajya Sabha for scrutiny,
she said.Noting that detailed discussions and home work needed to have taken
place before bringing this bill, especially in view of the importance attached
to it, the BSP president said the haste in bringing the bill goes on to show
that it was not a mistake but indicates that their intentions were mala
fide.PTI
Muslims up in arms against Centre’s move on
talaq
Nizamabad: Muslims have criticised the
Centre’s efforts in amending the Sharia (Muslim Personal Law) by moving the
Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in Parliament, calling it
“unnecessary intervention” in civil matters. They said it was a futile effort
as 99.5% of Muslim women were opposing the Bill. Even if it was passed, they
would abide by the Sharia, they said: “We will oppose the amendment tooth and
nail to protect our Sharia.”Former chairman of AP Urdu Academy and AIMPLB
executive member Mohammed Raheemuddin Ansari said Muslims would not accept
changes in the personal law and protect it from the Govt as well as the judiciary. Marriage and
divorce were purely civil matters, as previously confirmed by the Supreme
Court.“The amendment imposing three-year rigorous imprisonment (on men
resorting to triple talaq) is not correct. Who will protect the children if the
husband is sent to prison? Last year, we sent 2.5 crore signatures of Muslim
women opposing the amendment to the National Law Commission,” he said.Opposing
the Bill, the board is organising “Tahffuz-e-Shariat and Islaha e Mashera”
(public meeting and awareness programme) on a big scale at Eidgah in Nizamabad
on Saturday and in Adilabad on Sunday. MP Assaduddin Owaisi, Raheemuddin
Ansari, Muqbool Badesha Shuttari, Hameed Mohammed Khan, president Jamait e
Islami, Telangana, and a galaxy of Muslim elders are expected to attend the
meetings. Meanwhile, Sadia Begum, principal of Women’s College here also said
that a majority of women among Muslims were against the amendment as the Sharia
itself protects women’s rights. thehindu
Central govt stand on triple talaq creating
sense of discrimination- CPM state secretary Kodiyeri
Kozhikode: The approach taken by the central
Govt on the triple talaq issue has created a sense of discrimination among the
Muslim community, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said. Kodiyeri
said that the stand taken by the central Govt
on the issue has given rise to the feeling that Govt is not treating all
religions equally. timesofindia
OTHERS
Uttarakhand Madarassas Refuse to Abide by
Govt's Order to Display PM Modi's Photo
Dehradun: madrassas of Uttarakhand have
refused to implement the order of the state Govt asking educational
institutions to display picture of PM
Narendra Modi in their premises. Citing the religious grounds, madrassas
and senior clerics said that Islam prohibits the display of pictures for its
followers. State Govt had issued an
order for all educational institutions to display the picture of PM Modi inside
their premises and to take a pledge to implement Modi’s vision of building a
new India by 2022.The officials of the Uttarakhand conceded that the order was
met with opposition on religious grounds. “Madrassas in the state have not
installed pictures of the PM because of religious considerations as Islam
prohibits installation of pictures of living beings in mosques and madrassas,”
said Deputy Registrar of Uttarakhand Madarsa Board Akhlaq Ahmad.He added that
the refusal should not be seen as the opposition to any particular individual.
“They aren’t opposed to any individual in particular. It is purely due to
religious beliefs. Islam does not permit us to install pictures of living
beings or individuals, including religious leaders inside mosques or
madrassas,” Ahmad said.The opponents of the order also said the issue may be
given a political color to entire issue too. “The state Govt ’s insistence to
put up a picture of the PM is not possible for us since it is against our
religion to do so. Also, the move might give political colours to madrassas.
Our task is to instill morality and unity among children and not indulge in
politics,” TOI quoted veteran teacher Ehsaan Saheb as saying.A similar order by
the UP Govt to videograph the independence day functions
in Madrassas was met with protests too.india.com
NCERT textbooks to be ‘optional’ for UP
madrassa students; books to be available in Urdu
Bareilly: Months after Yogi-led BJP Govt decided to introduce NCERT textbooks in
madrassas across UP , state minority welfare minister, Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary,
said that studying these books will only be optional for the students. For
facilitating those whose English is weak, the state Govt will also provide books in Urdu.“We will have
Urdu translations of these textbooks. Aim behind introducing CBSE-like syllabus
pattern in madrassas is to help students get jobs. We will not bring any change
in the religious education being taught in madrassas,” said the minister.Asked
if the Govt will appoint trained
teachers to teach the NCERT textbooks to madrassa students, Chaudhary said,
“Each madrassa has 15 teachers, including a principal, and some of them are
able to teach NCERT textbooks. We will appoint more teachers if the need
arises.”Several madrassa managements, however, said that modern formal
education in madrassas will defeat the purpose of constituting Islamic
religious schools altogether. Mufti Mohammed Miya Qasmi, the founder of a
madrassa in Bareilly, said, “State Govt
should first consult madrassa teachers about the syllabi before
introducing NCERT books. There is no harm if students are given basic knowledge
of other subjects but introduction of NCERT textbooks will increase burden on
them and many may not be able to give enough time for religious lessons.”Deewan
Saheb Jaman Khan, state general secretary, Teachers’ Association Madaris Arabia
UP, said, “State Govt had introduced new
subjects such as computer and philosophy in madrassas in 2012. But despite our
repeated demands, no teacher has been appointed to teach these subjects.”TOI
Govt lifts Haj ban on people with disabilities
New Delhi :Following protests from disability
rights groups against India’s discriminatory Haj guidelines, the Ministry of
Minority Affairs has decided to lift its ban on persons with disabilities from
applying for the pilgrimage. Minority
Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “These guidelines have been in place
for the last 60 years or so. Maybe, Saudi Arabia had certain restrictions.
However, from this year on, we will allow persons with disabilities to apply
for Haj.”The ministry has directed the Haj Committee of India, which
facilitates and subsidises the pilgrimage, to align its 2018-2022 guidelines in
keeping with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Haj Committee’s
guidelines state that “persons whose legs are amputated, who are crippled,
handicapped, lunatic or otherwise physically/ mentally incapacitated” cannot
apply for Haj. The ministry has already taken down the offensive clause from
its website and replaced it with the line: “This clause of eligibility is under
review”.On the demand for certain reserved quota for those with disabilities,
on the same lines as the Haj quota for the elderly, Naqvi said the ministry
will study “whether such a quota can be permitted as per Haj rules of Saudi
Arabia” and take a call on the matter. 2018-2022 guidelines were issued based
on a review committee’s October 2017 report, which retained the clauses that
banned persons with disabilities from applying for Haj. indianexpress
Things that 'hurt the sentiments of Muslims'
should not be done: Cleric on Haj House controversy
New Delhi:An Islamic cleric has addressed the
controversy over the exterior of Lucknow's Haj House being painted saffron, and
said that things that "hurt the sentiments of Muslims" should not be
done, reported ANI."Saffron color is the identity of a particular
religion, while Haj is associated with Islam. So nothing as such should be done
which hurts the sentiments of Muslims," ANI quoted Maulana
Nadeem-ul-Wajidi of Deoband.Earlier today, UP minister Mohsin Raza had said
that saffron was an "energetic" colour, and such controversies should
be avoided."There is no need for controversy in such things, saffron is an
energetic and bright looking colour. The building looks beautiful. The
Opposition has no big issues against us, so they raise inconsequential
things," he had said. timesofindia
UP State Haj committee office painted in
saffron; move draws criticism from opposition, Muslim leaders
No beef sale in Goa from today, traders
protest against vigilantism
Panaji:Harassed by vigilante groups, Goa’s
only beef traders association on Friday said they will go on an indefinite
strike from Saturday, until the Govt
cracks down on vigilante groups who hamper bringing in beef from
neighbouring states.The association said the strike would go on till the
Govt eases procedures to bring beef into
the coastal state. Manna Bepari, president of the Qureshi Meat Traders
Association of Goa, said no beef would be available for sale in Goa, until
Govt steps in and resolves the issue.“We
are tired of these raids. They are not allowing our business to function. Every
other day these groups target the beef consignments which we order from the
open market in Karnataka and Govt officials also keep harassing us,” Bepari
said.“No beef shop will be open until the Govt
helps us and stops these vigilant groups from taking law in their
hands,” Bepari said.He also said more than five raids were conducted in the
last few weeks, especially during the Christmas and New Year period, when sale
of beef is at its peak in Goa.Beef is normally consumed in the form of stew,
curries, roasts, soups and is an essential protein, and one of the cheapest
meats in most Christian and Muslim homes in the state.Minorities comprise more
than 30 % of the state’s 1.5 million
population.Cheaper than mutton, beef is also commonly consumed in the
tourism-oriented coastal belt, which sees nearly six million tourists, half a
million of which are foreigners. According to official statistics from the Goa
Meat Complex, the state’s only abattoir facility allowed to slaughter cattle
and buffaloes, the state consumes nearly 30 tonnes of fresh beef every day.And
with the Complex not functioning to full capacity over the last few months, a
majority of the beef is brought in from Karnataka by the meat traders in
Goa.IANS
Preacher Called 'Zakir Naik of Kerala' Cries
Foul After State Shutters His School: news18
New Delhi: A day after the Kerala Govt ordered the closure of Peace International
School near Kochi for teaching objectionable and extremist content, Islamic
preacher MM Akbar, who is also the MD of the school, accused CPM-led Govt of targeting a minority institution that laid
emphasis on “national integration and social inclusion.”Akbar is known as
Kerala’s Zakir Naik thanks to his fiery speeches that enjoy wide circulation in
social media.Akbar told News18 from Qatar that he hasn’t received any formal
order yet to shut down the school. “But if it is indeed the case, it is
unfortunate that it has happened. The move is aimed at shutting down an
institute that is completely lawful and was inspiring students towards national
integration and social inclusion. It is sad that the Govt is targeting such an institute. Yes, there
are religious teachings that happen in the schools that are not part of CBSE,
but it is the same religious education that any other minority-school in the
state imparts,” he said.Peace International School’s curriculum allegedly
encouraged students to give up their lives for Islam.“The whole controversy is
around one chapter of the book published by Burooj Realizations. Now, one must
know that we only used books that were available in that area. We didn’t think
there was anything highly dangerous in those books. And if at all there are
things are like this, we don’t teach the children those things. And now, since
the Govt had issues with it, we stopped
using it. Even after that, if the Govt
is still shutting our school, it is unfortunate,” he said.He said that
they decided to go ahead with the book because it was an “activity-oriented
textbook aimed at enhancing children’s creativity.”“We focus on skill-based,
activity based teaching rather than just restricting to books. I don’t why the
Govt ordered for the school to be shut,
but I think it’s been done so that people from the Muslim community don’t get a
shot at entering mainstream. That is the only logical conclusion I can make,”
Akbar said.
Fact finding team to visit Rajasthan to probe
mob lynching and attacks on minorities
New Delhi: A fact finding team comprising of
MPs, MLAs, Supreme Court advocates, leaders of farmers’ union and journalists
will visit Rajasthan on Saturday and Sunday. The visit aims at unveiling the
attacks made on minorities in Rajasthan, which has of late become a hub of
extremist saffron forces.Over 30 Muslims have become the victims of Gau Rakshaks’
attacks in the country.These include those incidents which could find place in
media, however the actual number of incidents is still unknown.The delegation
of Bhomi Adhikar Andolan comprises of Rajya Sabha MP of Kerala K K Ragesh, Lok
Shaba MP of West Bengal Mohammed Badrudduja Khan,Bihar MLA Mahboob Alam, the SC
advocate Surendernath, advocate Rasmitha, advocate Subhash Chandran and Bhomi
Adhikar Andolan leaders.The fact finding team members will first meet the
family of Umar Khan, who was brutally killed in Alwar by so-called
gaurakhshaks. siasat
NRC :Congress alleges negligence in
minority-dominated Assam districts
Guwahati: Congress in the state on Friday
alleged that there was 'deliberate negligence' by the NRC updating authorities
in verifying documents in 208 NRC Sewa kendras of 13 districts where linguistic
and religious minority groups are the dominant groups.A delegation of the state
PCC submitted a memorandum to state NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela at his
office demanding a full proof verification of the remaining 1.39 crore people
as per the NRC rules and guidelines.The party also demanded correction of the
errors in names and addresses of the people who have been covered in the first
draft that was published on December 31 midnight.The memorandum stated that in
208 NRC Sewa Kendra of 13 districts, the work of verification had not done
properly and as a result, in those areas the names of only 10% of the
population have appeared in the first draft. timesofindia
Vadodara: Left without homes, 550 displaced
Muslim families of Kalyannagar to restart stir
Vadodra :Almost a year after the construction
of their in-situ rehabilitation project was discontinued since Vadodara
Municipal Corporation (VMC) “exhausted” its funds, about 550 Muslim families of
Kalyannagar, who were displaced in the Nov. 2014 demolition drive undertaken by
the civic body, have vowed to restart their agitation against the civic
body.Professor J S Bandukwala, who has been leading the agitation since 2014,
has now written to CM Vijay Rupani,
likening the developments to the apartheid system of South Africa, and terming
BJP-led VMC’s conduct “most shameful”.Bandukwala’s memorandum to Rupani rejects
the offer of VMC to facilitate alternate relocation of the families to
Tandalja, after discontinuing the rental compensation of Rs 3,000, that was
agreed upon in a 2015 resolution between the VMC, elected BJP MLAs and the
representatives of the families to end the deadlock over the rehabilitation.
VMC, in its 2015 resolution, had promised to reconstruct the new homes in-situ
at Kalyannagar under the then existing Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) scheme. However,
VMC said it had “exhausted funds”, and ordered a probe against the executive
engineer. The construction came to a standstill and, in August 2017, the civic
body discontinued the rental compensation, stating that the families “have the
option of accepting the new homes in Tandalja”.Stating that Muslims have the
right to live anywhere, and not just in Muslim ghettos like Tandalja,
Bandukwala said, “The conclusion we can draw is that Muslims can only live in
select Muslim localities. This is segregation as practised in the USA before
Martin Luther King struggled to abolish it 50 years ago. Note that this
apartheid system last prevailed in South Africa… Does Gujarat want a repeat of
this apartheid in 2018 vis-Ã -vis Muslims?”indianexpress
Maharashtra Bhima-Karegoan riots: 74 agitators
arrested
Aurangabad; In the aftermath of state-wide
violence that erupted after the bicentenary commemoration of 1818 battle of
Bhima-Karegoan, the City police had registered 40-riot-related cases, 26
non-cognizable offences and arrested 74 agitators including women at different
police stations.Giving this information on Friday, the police sources said that
security personnel were massively deployed in trouble-torn parts of the city to
ensure law and order situation.Thousands of people had came on the streets to
protest against the Bhima-Koregagon incident.Police sources alleged that the
agitators had pelted stones on security forces and set fire several vehicles,
in which 17 police vans and 107 private vehicles were damaged and 44 policemen
injured.According to the reports, atleast 50 stone pelting incidents were
reported and police resorted to lathicharge at 15 places.UNI
PM Modi Should Not Walk On Manusmriti's Path,
Must Speak On Dalit Targeting: Jignesh Mevani
Dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani
has asked PM Narendra Modi to speak up
on dalit targeting.Mevani said, "After incidents of Una, Saharanpur,
Rohith Vemula episode or Bhima Koregaon violence; time has come when PM Narendra Modi should open his mouth. Social
justice must be ensured in this country and targeting of dalits should be
stopped."He also said PM Modi should not walk on the path of Manusmriti. "Everybody
in this country must rise above caste and religion and become a human. The
country's prime minster should also understand this and it is expected of him
to talk about constitutional values and should not walk on the path of
Manusmriti," the dalit leader said.He added that he would ask PM Modi to choose between Manusmriti and
Constitution at a rally in the national capital on Jan.9."On Jan.9, I will
hold Constitution in one hand and Manu Smiriti in other hand and would like to
ask PM Modi whether this county would
run on Constitution or Manusmriti," Mevani said.Mevani and Assam peasant
leader Akhil Gogoi will hold 'social justice' rally to highlight various issues
of dalit community, educational rights, employment, livelihood and gender
justice.He also termed registration of an FIR against him in Pune for
delivering inflammatory speech as a childish act of RSS and BJP.He added, "Jignesh
Mevani is going to prove costly to them (RSS and BJP) in 2019 that is why they
are targeting me. But, we will continue to fight within the ambit of
Constitution and law."ANI
Jignesh Mewani, Umar Khalid speeches to be
live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube
After student outfit Chhatra Bharati was
denied permission to hold a seminar in Vile Parle on Thursday, it will now hold
its conference online on Jan 10.As part of the seminar, Dalit
activist-legislator Jignesh Mewani and student leader Umar Khalid will give
speeches, which will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. Hindustantimes
Bhima-Koregaon case: Athawale says Mevani
'innocent' after police file FIR
Mumbai : While the Pune police have registered
a case against Jignesh Mevani for a "provocative speech", Union
minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the Gujarat MLA was not responsible
for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district on Jan.1.After meeting
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis,
Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, said there was tension in the area even
prior to the 200th anniversary of Bhima-Koregaon battle on Jan.1.Dalit leaders
had blamed certain pro-Hindutva leaders, who were opposed to the anniversary
celebrations, for the attacks, while the latter sought to blame Mevani's
"provocative speech", which was delivered a day earlier."Jignesh
is not responsible for the violence at Bhima- Koregaon. There was tension in
the area prior to Jan. 1. I had visited the place and the tension had eased.
So, I had returned to Delhi on Dec. 31. On the same day, Jignesh had delivered
his speech at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune. He had not gone to Bhima-Koregaon.
Some groups had held a meeting at night and the violence took place on Jan.1,"
the Union minister of state for social justice said.IANS
Communal politics may create 'many Hafiz
Saeeds' among Hindus: Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar
Bhopal: The politics of religion, if not
checked, could give rise to "many Hafiz Saeeds" among Hindus, Dalit
leader Prakash Ambedkar said." Politics of religion can become
uncontrollable if it is not checked and it can give rise to many Hafiz Saeeds
among the Hindus," he said, referring to the Pakistan-based co-founder of
LeT."This new order, in the name of religion, that is coming into
existence is like Hitler-shahi (Hitler's rule)," Ambedkar said, addressing
the gathering at a programme, organised to mark the birth anniversary of
ex-Satna MP, late Sukhlal Kushwaha.Referring to recent violence in Maharashtra
over the 200th anniversary celebrations of the battle of Bhima- Koregaon,
Ambedkar, who had subsequently called for a bandh which brought life in Mumbai and
elsewhere in the state to a halt, said, "People belonging to Hindutva
organisations attacked those from the backward classes. We are demanding that
the (Maharashtra) Govt arrest those who were involved, but the Govt appears to be helpless. It is Govt 's
responsibility to act and if not checked immediately, it (violence against
Dalits) may spread to the other states."He urged the backward class
communities to recognise their electoral strength and vote only for backward
class, Dalit and tribal candidates, so that they could control the reins of
power.PTI
Frequent data breaches dent Aadhaar’s role as
a unique identifier: petitioners tell SC
New Delhi:Multiple data breaches from Govt al
portals resulting in unfettered, unauthorised access to Aadhaar details have
affected 135 million Indians and exponentially increases the danger of
perpetuating Aadhaar as a “universal, unique identifier,” the petitioners
responded to the Centre in the Supreme Court.Coupled with this is the studied
opacity shown by Aadhaar’s nodal agency, UIDAI, in revealing to public the
number of data breach incidents on its servers, they said.A Right to
Information query on the suspension/blacklisting of enrolment operators till
Oct. 31, 2016, revealed that despite having received almost 1,400 complaints
related to bribery, duplicate enrolments etc.,UIDAI only initiated police
complaints in three cases. “There is no obligation on the UIDAI to provide any
reasons for taking or failing to take any action,” petitioners submitted in the
apex court.The Govt ’s insistence on seeding Aadhaar furthers the risk of
identity theft as mere possession of the Aadhaar number can enable an identity
thief to access a host of other information linked to Aadhaar numbers stored in
different databases, the petitioners, represented by senior advocate Shyam
Divan and advocate Vipin Nair, submitted in a detailed additional affidavit. thehindu
Bhopal-Ujjain Passenger Blast: Accused Charged
With Sedition, Plotting Terror Attack
Bhopal: A special court on Friday framed
sedition, murder and other charges against the 4 accused in the Bhopal-Ujjain
passenger train blast case.According to the chargesheet presented before the
court, ATS has alleged that the accused were planning to flee to Syria after
the incident. After planting the bomb in the train, the accused had taken
Piparia road to reach Kolkata but were nabbed by the police.A blast had taken
place in Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train close to Jabri railway station on March
7, 2017.The special judge Girish Dixit framed charges on the basis of 25 points
against the accused – Gaus Md Khan, Md Danish, Mir Hussain and Atif Muzzafar
under sections of sedition, involvement in terror activities, murder and other
crimes. 3 accused, lodged in Bhopal Central Jail, were produced before court
through video conferencing.News18
Now, NIA to probe Hadiya's husband Shefin
Jahan for terror links: indiatoday
NIA
probing Kerala's own 'love jihad' case of Hadiya or Akhila Ashokan is all set
to tighten noose on her husband Shafin Jahan.The investigation team obtained
permission from the NIA court to question two accused who were arrested for
suspected ISIS links. NIA team had earlier arrested six men from Kanakamala in
Kannur while holding a secret meeting to plot terror attack in Kerala.The
investigation team will now question two men from this including Manseed who
created a secret WhatsApp group. According to top sources in NIA, Shafin Jahan
was a member of the WhatsApp group which was propagating extremist
content.Hadiya or Akhila Ashokan hit the headlines across the country after
23-year old from a Hindu family converted to Islam and married Shafin Jahan in
2016.Akhila, BHMS student at a homeopathy college in Salem took the name Hadiya
after conversion to Islam. Following this, the family and Hadiya engaged in a
heated legal battle.
CBI arrests accused in 1993 bombing of RSS’
Chennai HQ
New Delhi:CBI on Friday arrested Mushtaq
Ahmed, an accused in the 1993 bombing of RSS’ Chennai HQRS in which 11 persons
were killed.Ahmed, 56, who had eluded the CBI for 24 years was arrested in the
morning from the outskirts of Chennai, CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said
here.PTI
Govt says
no to Islamic Banking
New Delhi:Govt on Friday rejected a proposal
for introduction of Islamic banking in the country, Shiv Pratap Shukla,
Minister of State (MoS) for Finance, said in a written reply to a question in
Lok Sabha.MoS said the Govt cannot pursue
a proposal for introduction of Islamic banking due to legal hurdles. Islamic or
Sharia banking is a financial system based on the principles of not charging
interest, which is prohibited in Islam.In 2016, RBI has proposed the opening of
“Islamic window” in conventional banks for “gradual” introduction of
Sharia-compliant or interest-free banking in the country. However, the central
bank decided not to pursue the proposal a year later.india.com
Swaroopanand Saraswati Alleges VHP, RSS Have
Weakened Ram Mandir Movement
Lucknow:Shankaracharya of Dwarka Peeth,
Swaroopanand Saraswati, has alleged that the VHP and RSS have weakened the Ram
Mandir movement. He has also claimed that the lock of the disputed site was
opened by former PM of India Rajiv
Gandhi, after consulting him.Swaroopanand said, “The locks were opened by Rajiv
Gandhi after my consultation. But RSS and VHP people took out victory procession
which, in turn, hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community. They have weakened
the Ram Mandir movement. They want Hindus and Muslims to always fight among
themselves. That is why they make sure that people like Owaisi continue to spit
venom so that Hindus continue to hate Muslims.”Speaking further on the Ram
Mandir issue, Swaroopanand said that there was enough evidence in the Skanda
Puran about the birthplace of Lord Ram. “I am not against Muslims, but if they
build a mosque next to a temple then there will always be a problem. That is
why a mosque should not be built next to the temple,” he added.News18
Father-son duo held for fire in Mumbai’s Garib
Nagar
Mumbai: Police on Jan. 6 arrested a man and
his son in connection with a fire incident during a demolition drive carried
out by the local civic body in a slum colony in Mumbai in Oct.2017, an official
said. Salim Sayyad alias Salim Lightwala and his son Salman were arrested by
the Nirmal Nagar Police, said DCP Sachin Patil, a spokesperson of the Mumbai
Police. With this, three persons have been arrested in the case till now.
Salman Lightwala is suspected to have set a gas cylinder on fire that started a
massive blaze in the Garib Nagar slums in Bandra (East). Salim Lightwala is the
main accused in the case, police have said.PTI
No bias, more Muslims held for clashes than
Hindus: Karnataka govt
Bengaluru: Countering allegations made by the
opposition BJP that incidents of communal violence have increased sharply due
to Congress' policy of minority appeasement, Karnataka Govt said it had cracked
down on criminals and mischief-mongers irrespective of their religion or
political affiliation. Between 2013 and 2017, 670 Muslims were arrested for
communal violence against 578 Hindus, it said. In all, 1,254 people have been
arrested for communal violence in the past three years; besides Hindus and
Muslims, 6 Christians were arrested."When it comes to communal violence,
we have not supported any community," said home minister R Ramalinga
Reddy. "We have arrested the perpetrators of violence irrespective of
their political or religious affiliations and have filed chargesheets in these
cases. We have allowed law to take its course," Reddy added.Congress
rebuttal is aimed at blunting BJP offensive which has intensified following the
death of Hindu activist Deepak Rao in Mangaluru..TOI
Karnataka CM warns of action against those
instigating ‘communal sentiments’
Ishrat case: CBI Court reserves order on IB
officers’ plea
Ahmedabad:A special CBI court here is likely
to pronounce its order on Jan. 23 on a plea by two Intelligence Bureau
officials challenging the summons issued to them by a magistrate in Ishrat
Jahan alleged fake encounter case.Rajeev Wankhede and T S Mittal, assistant
central intelligence officers at the time of the alleged fake encounter, have
challenged the summons issued by a metropolitan magistrate’s court here. CBI
judge J K Pandya reserved his order on their pleas till January 23.PTI
JNU Students say 'Haazir Janaab' to resist
varsity's compulsory attendance circular
New Delhi: JNUSU has launched a mass signature
campaign against varsity's new "Compulsory Attendance circular".In
response to the varsity's "Compulsory Attendance circular", JNUSU
called a signature campaign today at VC office saying "Hazir
Janaab"(reffering to VC M Jagadesh Kumar), where hundreds of students
submitted their mandate to oppose the circular. According to JNUSU, over 2000
students have signed the memorandum rejecting the circular. In the wake of
gathering of students security guards had been deployed in high number outside
the admin bloc. Students wanted to meet the V-C, but Chief Proctor Kaushal
Kumar who met JNUSU representatives and students said that VC was not available
in office. Objecting over the circular, JNUSU submitted a memorandum to the
Chief Proctor and demanded an appointment of the meeting with VC. Simone Zoya
Khan, vice president of JNUSU said, "Entire student community and teachers
are opposing this move. This circular has been brought arbitrarily by VC
without consulting with the students and teachers. Admin has not even stated
clearly about how much percentage of attendance they want."IndiaTomorrow
Unhappy Farmers Dump Potatoes Outside CM
Adityanath’s Residence, Police To Take Action
UP
CM Yogi Adityanath Lucknow woke
up on Saturday to the sight of tonnes of potatoes strewn on the roads.Farmers
frustrated at un-remunerative prices for their produce had brought tonnes of
unsold potatoes in tractor-trolleys, trucks and dumped them on roads, right in
front of the CM House and UP State Assembly.With the price crashing to Rs 4 per
kg, the farmers are demanding a minimum of Rs 10 per kg.The Govt response was typical. The development sent
the district administration and security officials in a tizzy as the act was
carried out in high-security zones. apnlive
Hyderabad seminary bars Muslims from eating
prawns:TOI
Hyderabad: City-based Islamic seminary, Jamia
Nizamia, has stirred up a controversy by issuing a decree (fatwa) that
consumption of prawn is not permissible for Muslims. The fatwa was issued on
Jan. 1 by Mufti Mohammad Azeemuddin, chief mufti of the 142-year-old Islamic
deemed university. Many Muslim religious scholars have, however, differed with it.
According to the fatwa, prawn is an arthropod (to which insects also belong)
and it does not fall under the category of fish. The chief mufti labelled prawn
under the category 'makruh tahrim' (strictly abominable) and advised Muslims
against eating it. In Islamic jurisprudence there are three categories of food
— lawful (halal), haram (prohibited) and makruh (abominable). Foods falling
under makruh are sub-divided into makruh (abominable but can be eaten) and
makruh tahrim (strictly abominable and thus should be avoided). timesofindia
Adult Girl Entitled To Make Her Own Choices,
Courts Shouldn't Assume To Be 'Super Guardian', Says SC
The Supreme Court today acceded to the wish of
a girl, for whose custody her estranged parents have been fighting legal
battles, saying that she was now a major and entitled to enjoy her freedom and
the courts should not assume the role of a "super guardian".A bench
comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y
Chandrachud interacted with 18- year-old girl in a packed courtroom during
which she said that she has become a major and has been pursuing studies in Kuwait
and wanted to live with her father.Trashing the plea of the Kerala-based
mother, who was seeking her custody, the court said that the daughter of the
couple "without any hesitation, clearly stated that she intends to go back
to Kuwait to pursue her career"."In such a situation, we are of the
considered opinion that as a major, she is entitled to exercise her choice and
freedom and the court cannot get into the aspect whether she has been forced by
the father or not," the court said.The bench was hearing the plea of the
Kerala-based woman seeking contempt action against her Kuwait-based estranged
husband for not obeying the orders of the apex court in the custody matter of
their son and daughter.While the daughter has now turned major, the son is still
a minor.PTI
Agra :Son of deputy bank manager of
nationalised bank arrested with 5 others for robbery
AGRA: Greed for making quick buck led a group
of school and college dropouts to jail including a son of deputy bank manager
of nationalised bank and grandson of Muslim cleric.On Friday Agra city police
claimed to have arrested 6 youths age between 18-20 years, for allegedly
involved in 15 criminal cases including robbery, chain & mobile snatching
and vehicle theft. Apprehended accused were identified as Aman Prakash, son of
a bank manager, Ali Khan grandson of Muslim cleric, Harsh Gupta (BSc first year
drop out), Rahul Mishra, Aman Kushwaha and Guddu Faujdar. The other two
absconding youths were Deepak Singh and Kanhaiya Gautam.According to police,
Aman Prakash and Harsh Gupta had recently served jail term for two-wheeler
theft, while Ali Khan was arrested for attempt to murder, while trying to
snatch a 2-wheeler from a local resident last year. All the three accused were
on bail.TOI
Lingayat issue: HC puts rider on process of
examining demand for religion tag
High Court of Karnataka has put a rider on the
process initiated by the State authorities to examine the issue over demand for
a separate religion tag for minority status to Veerashaiva Lingayat/Lingayat
community. HC made it clear that all further proceedings pursuant to a
notification, issued by Karnataka State Minorities Commission (KSMC) on Dec.22,2017,
constituting a 7-member panel to look into the demand and submit a report, will
be subject to the final decision of the court on petitions, which have
questioned the actions of the State Govt as well as KSMC in examining the demand. thehindu
In Maharashtra, 40 men protect 93k acre of
wakf land
Imagine having over 93,000 acre of land spread
out across prime locations with just around 40 employees to protect it,
identify new properties and collect revenues. This is the story of the wakf
board in Maharashtra. While wakf properties in the state have been encroached
on, the board has skeletal staff for duties like managing these properties and
preventing encumbrances. State Govt
statistics suggest that Maharashtra has around 93,418 acre of wakf land
spread over about 23,566 registered properties, with most land parcels in
Aurangabad division, which was part of the dominion of the Nizam of
Hyderabad."Today, the state wakf board has just 38 staffers across
Maharashtra, of which most are clerical. We have just one regional wakf officer
for the seven districts of the Konkan, including Mumbai, which has 5,941 acre
wakf land," explained a senior official from the minority welfare
department.He added that the master plan developed by the department envisaged
the recruitment of 106 officials and the infusion of Rs 9.50 crore as grants
for a 5-year period. It is proposed that the board may become financially self-sufficient
by collecting 2% of the income from wakf institutions. dnaindia
Moazzen murder case: Muslims in Guntur
district of AP seeks justice
Guntur: Muslims in the city took out a rally
on Friday demanding the arrest of real culprits in moazzen murder case in
Rajamahendravam. They took out a rally from BR Stadium to Hindu College. Seer
Venkateswara Swamy Guruji of Mangalagiri condemned the murder of moazzen. He
suspected the hand of a few anti-social elements behind the murder of moazzen.
He urged the Govt to conduct a thorough
investigation and punish the real culprits.Welfare Party of India State
president Shabbir Ahmed and Muslim Association Guntur president Md Zahid
demanded that the Govt provide security
outside mosques across the State. Leaders from various organisations submitted
a representation to DRO K Naga Babu seeking a thorough inquiry. Minority
leaders including women participated in the rally.newindianexpress
4 policemen killed in IED blast in J-K’s
Sopore
Sopore: 4 policemen were killed in a powerful
IED explosion on Saturday, which had been planted by suspected militants, in
Sopore, Baramulla district of J&K . The explosion took place at Gole
Market, where separatists were observing a bandh. There was heavy deployment of
police and paramilitary forces in the town at the time of the incident, to
maintain normalcy and prevent any protests. According to sources, militants had
planted the bomb inside the market after sensing heavy presence of forces
today. The wreath laying ceremony for the victims will be held today. indianexpress
11 killed in avalanche in north Kashmir’s
Kupwara district
Srinagar:11 people, including a 2-year-old
child and an engineer of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), were killed as an
avalanche hit north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday evening, officials
said.In one incident the avalanche swept away twelve people -- including seven
in a passenger vehicle -- while at another BRO official MP Singh was hit while
on duty on Friday evening, a senior police officer said. Both the incidents
occurred near Sadhna Top area of the district.HT
WORLD
UN rights office raises alarm over reported
executions of 20 people in Egypt
UN human rights office has expressed
"deep shock" and concern over the reported executions of 20 people in
Egypt over the past two weeks. Due process and fair trial guarantees appear to
have been disregarded, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted
in a statement issued on Friday. On Jan.2, five men were reportedly hanged in
Alexandria after being sentenced to death by an Egyptian military court; four
had been convicted over a 2015 blast in Kafr al-Sheikh that killed three
military recruits and injured two others."We understand the defendants
were tried by military judges on the basis of legislation that refers cases of
destruction of public property to military courts and in view of the victims
being from the Egyptian Military Academy," OHCHR spokesperson Liz
Throssell told reporters in Geneva. "Civilians should only be tried in
military or special courts in exceptional cases."Previously, on December
26, a group of 15 men convicted on "terrorism" charges over the 2013
deaths of soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula were executed.Military courts
typically deny defendants the rights afforded by civilian courts, Throssell
said, citing reports "that the prisoners who were executed may have been
subjected to initial enforced disappearance and torture before being
tried".The UN human rights office has urged Egyptian authorities to
"reconsider" the use of the death penalty, noting that executions
"should not be used as a means to combat terrorism".According to
figures from Cornell University's Death Penalty Worldwide, there has been a
sharp increase in executions in the years since Egyptian President Abdel Fattah
el-Sisi took power.Sisi's Govt has also
overseen an increasing crackdown on journalists in Egypt. Reporters Without
Borders placed the country at 161 out of 180 countries in terms of press
freedom.aljazeera
Israeli MPs to submit new bill to annex WBank settlements
A group of Israeli parliamentarians are
intending to submit a bill that would “apply Israeli law to Area C of the
[occupied] West Bank”, reported Jerusalem Post on Friday. Jewish Home MK
Bezalel Smotrich tweeted that he plans “to submit in the coming days, with
God’s help, a new, broader proposal that will match the Likud central committee
decision to apply sovereignty on all settlements”.At the same time, Smotrich
has pulled a separate draft bill that would see Israel annex Ma’ale Adumim
settlement east of Jerusalem, apparently “at the request of the Likud’s settler
pressure group, the Likud Nationalist Camp”.The latest development follows a
recent vote by the Likud central committee to support the annexation of Israeli
settlements in the West Bank, as well as a decision in the Knesset to “instruct
all legislative committees’ legal advisers to have the panels discuss how each
bill on its agenda will apply to the West Bank, whether in the text of the law
or through a military order”. middleeastmonitor
Hamas, Islamic Jihad call on PLO to withdraw
Israel recognition
Gaza: Islamic Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad
in Gaza on Friday called on PLO to withdraw its recognition of Israel. Hazem
Qassem, a Hamas spokesmen in Gaza, said that PLO "should immediately
withdraw its recognition of Israeli entity", reports Xinhua. He also
called on the Palestinian National Authority to stop security coordination with
Israel."The arms of resistance are a red line that can never be overcome,
dropped or to be discussed," Qassem was quoted as saying. PLO recognised
Israel and signed Oslo peace agreements in 1993 throughout an exchange of
letters between Palestinian and Israeli leaders,where Israel recognised PLO as representative
of Palestinians.Meanwhile, Khader Habib, senior Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza,
said it is important to carry on with the Palestinian Intifada, or uprising
against Israel in the Palestinian territories.He said the Intifada broke out in
response to Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of
Israel. Habib told demonstrators in southern Gaza that the PA "must have
severe security coordination with the Zionist entity and PLO has to withdraw
its recognition of this entity."-IANS
2-state solution is not dead:Israeli minister
Jerusalem - An Israeli minister has said US
President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital
does not signal the end of the two-state solution, with Israel willing to grant
Palestinians their own independent state but with limited sovereignty.Tzachi
Hanegbi, minister of regional cooperation, said Trump's controversial decision
on Dec.6 should not hinder Palestinian claims to have occupied East Jerusalem
as their capital."We claim that Jerusalem is our capital and should not be
divided, but that's only a claim, not a diktat," Hanegbi, a member of PM's
Likud party, told Al Jazeera at his office in the Israeli parliament, the
Knesset. aljazeera
Battle with Zionists not just about Al-Aqsa
Mosque, but the whole sanctuary:Grand Shaikh of Al-Azhar
The Grand Shaikh of Al-Azhar said on Friday that the battle with the
Zionists is not only about Al-Aqsa Mosque, but also the rest of the 35 acre
sanctuary around it, Quds News Agency has reported.“Al-Aqsa Mosque is not a
small area of land,” explained Shaikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb. “The sanctuary also
includes the Dome of the Rock Mosque, wells and corridors.” All of them, he
pointed out, make up Al-Aqsa Mosque.The Grand Shaikh’s comments came just days
ahead of Al-Azhar’s International Conference about Jerusalem, which is
scheduled to be held in Cairo on 17 and 18 Jan. middleeastmonitor
Rwanda, Uganda deny deal to take migrants from
Israel
Rwanda and Uganda have denied claims of an
agreement with Israel to receive African migrants that the Zionist state plans
to deport, Arabs48.com reported on Friday. “Rwanda has no deal whatsoever with
Israel to host any African migrant from that country,” insisted the Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe on Twitter. “This story is no
news. It is fake news.”In a previous report for Israel Hayoum, both Rwanda and
Uganda had been mentioned as “third countries” which had agreed to receive
African asylum seekers for possible economic and military gains. Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu met Rwandan leader Paul Kagame in Nairobi last month,
Turkey’s Anadolu reported, and the two are said to have talked extensively
about such a deal. middleeastmonitor
Gaza is dying and, for some, war is no longer
the worst option, claims Israeli report
Israel’s Walla! website has warned that the
unprecedented deterioration of living conditions in the Gaza Strip may lead to
the outbreak of another war. This, it said, may in turn hinder Palestinian
reconciliation, despite the fact that neither Hamas nor Israel want this
escalation.Walla! has reported that at a time when Israel is looking for the
party which fired mortar shells on Wednesday, the residents of the Gaza Strip
are living in a state of desperation and frustration due to the difficult
economic conditions. These have intensified since the supposed reconciliation
deal put together in Cairo, in part because the Palestinian Authority in
Ramallah has refused to lift the sanctions that it has imposed on Gaza for more
than 8 months.“3 mortar missiles were fired on Wednesday in open spaces in
Gaza,” said the anonymous Walla! Report.MEDMO
Moroccan Jews call on King to block attempts
to withdraw citizenship
In the wake of international objections to
Donald Trump’s decision to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to
occupied Jerusalem, Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has
announced its intention to submit a bill stipulating the withdrawal of
citizenship from Moroccan Jews living in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The move is apparently supported by those opposed to normalisation with Israel
and calling for the Kingdom to sever ties with the Israeli occupation
authorities.Moroccan Jews have described the PAM bill as “reckless” and called
on King Mohammed VI to interfere and put an end to this proposal. The draft
bill has not yet been submitted, but Morocco’s Hespress news site quoted PAM’s
Aziza Chagaf MP, who confirmed that it was discussed at a recent meeting with
the former head of the Hamas political bureau, Khaled Meshaal, in Rabat on
Tuesday. middleeastmonitor
Saudi arrests 11 princes over economic
protest: report
Saudi officials have arrested 11 princes for
staging a protest against the kingdom's austerity measures, according to a
report from the Saudi news website Sabq.The princes, who gathered in the
historical Palace of Govt area in the
capital Riyadh on Saturday, were demonstrating against a Govt decision to suspend payment of their utility
bills, Sabq said. Upon arrest, they were reportedly sent to Ha'ir prison, a
maximum-security facility south of Riyadh.Saudi Arabia recently introduced a
raft of economic reforms, including a VAT and a halt to state payments of water
and electricity bills for royal family members.On Saturday, King Salman decreed
a series of financial payouts to ease the cost of living. Each Govt employee will receive a monthly bonus of $267
for the next year, while military personnel serving in Yemen will be paid a
one-off fee of $1,330.Students will have their allowances increased by 10 % for
the next year, while retirees and social security recipients will get a monthly
stipend of $133.The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia surpassed 12 % last year
as the economy grappled with the fallout from low oil prices. Crown Prince
Mohammed Bin Salman has been spearheading attempts to diversify the country's
oil-dependent economy. According to Saturday's decree, Saudi Govt will absorb the cost of the tax for citizens
purchasing private healthcare and education, and for first-time homebuyers of
properties valued at up to 850,000 riyals ($226,660).aljazeera
Over 2,000 Afghans sent by Iran killed in
Syria: official
Tehran: Over 2,000 Afghans deployed by Iran
have been killed fighting in Syria on the side of Bashar al-Assad's regime, an
official in the volunteer force told Iranian media.Fatemiyoun Brigade of Afghan
"volunteer" recruits has been fighting in Syria for five years, said
Zohair Mojahed, a cultural official in the brigade."This brigade has given
more than 2,000 martyrs and 8,000 wounded for Islam," he said in an
interview with the reformist Shargh paper published Saturday.AFP/PTI
US working 'to fix' Iran nuclear deal:
Tillerson
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the US
is working on a plan "to fix" the Iran nuclear deal as speculation
continues on whether Donald Trump will scrap the famous agreement. Changes to
American law codifying US participation in the 2015 agreement could come as
early as next week as US officials negotiate with legislators, Tillerson said. aljazeera
Russia: US exploiting Iran protest to sink
nuclear deal
US is exploiting the protests in Iran in order
to derail the landmark nuclear deal with the Middle East country, Russia's
ambassador to the UN alleged.The comments came after the US called an emergency
meeting at the UNSC to address the deadly demonstrations that began in late Dec
in Iran. aljazeera
Yemen could be 'worst' humanitarian crisis in
50 years
People in war-torn Yemen are facing a
situation that "looks like the Apocalypse", the UN's humanitarian
chief has told Al Jazeera, warning that the country could become the worst humanitarian disaster
in half a century. Arab world's poorest country has endured nearly 3 years of
war between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces loyal to exiled President
Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.The conflict is having a devastating effect, causing
widespread food shortages and a major cholera outbreak as well as leaving
millions in need of humanitarian assistance."Situation in Yemen - today,
right now, to the population of the country - looks like the apocalypse,"
Mark Lowcock, UN's undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and
emergency relief coordinator, said on Friday."The cholera outbreak is
probably the worst the world has ever seen with a million suspected cases up to
the end of 2017." aljazeera
Rohingya rebels ambush Myanmar soldiers
Rohingya rebels attacked an army truck in
Myanmar's restive Rakhine state and wounded five soldiers, state media said.A
spokesman for Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) claimed responsibility for
the ambush on Friday."A vehicle ... was attacked by 20 insurgents from the
mountain using homemade mines and small arms," Govt said, adding about 10
rebels were involved.The military added "extremist Bengali terrorists
ARSA" carried out the ambush.aljazeera
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
10 bills cleared during Parliament’s winter
session, 15 set for Jan 29
Triple Talaq Bill a Political Gimmick for BJP
Ahead of 2019 Polls:Arati R Jerath
Watch: Jignesh Mevani’s speech did not
disrespect Ambedkar. In fact, it did the opposite
All is not well with Aadhaar, UIDAI’s denials
are increasingly unconvincing:Usha Ramanathan
1.56 crore abortions across India in 2015:
Health ministry
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:40 PM)
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