Evening NEWS
DIGEST
14 Jan.2018: 26 Rabial Aakhir 1439:Vol:9, No:97
ISRAELi pm’S 6-DAY india tour
Netanyahu in India : Israeli PM, Modi promise
to take relations between two countries to ‘new heights’
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in India
on Sunday for a 6-day visit with the intention of strengthening bilateral
relations “even more”. Netanyahu is being accompanied by the largest business
delegation that has travelled with an Israeli Premier on an overseas tour.The
visit marks 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between
the two countries and takes place about 6 months after PM Narendra Modi’s trip
to Israel, the first by an Indian PM to the Jewish state. Netanyahu will hold
meetings with President Ram Nath Kovind and external affairs minister Sushma
Swaraj, apart from Modi. Netanyahu called meets external affairs minister
Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi. hindustantimes
Fraud and bribery-accused Israeli PM Netanyahu
visits India amidst protests
As Netanyahu visits India, Delhi’s Teen Murti
Chowk renamed after Israeli city Haifa
PM Narendra Modi on Sunday personally received
his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, as he arrived in India to begin a
six-day visit that will take him to Gujarat and Mumbai. The two leaders
attended a ceremony at the Teen Murti Memorial in New Delhi to mark the
renaming of Teen Murti Chowk as Teen Murti Haifa Chowk. The decision was taken
to give a fillip to 25 years of diplomatic ties between Indian and
Israel.“Thank you to my good friend, Indian PM Narendra Modi, who surprised me
with a personal welcome at the airport upon my arrival in India. Together we
will bring the relations between our countries to new heights!” tweeted
Benjamin Netanyahu, the PM of Israel. PM Modi and Netanyahu laid a wreath at
the memorial and also signed the visitor’s book. 3 bronze statues at Teen Murti
represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers who were part of 15
Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade that carried out the attack on Israel’s Haifa
city on Sept.23, 1918, during World War 1 and liberated the city from Ottoman.
A large number of Indian soldiers were killed during the battle to free the
city and nearly 900 were buried in Israel. As Netanyahu and his wife Sara
stepped on the red carpet, a smiling Modi embraced the Israeli leader and then
shook hands with the couple. “Very much appreciate the gesture,” Jerusalem Post
quoted Netanyahu as saying. Before embarking on the flight, he had said:“We are
strengthening the relationship between Israel and this important world power.
This helps us with security, the economy, trade, tourism and many other
aspects. “It is a very great blessing to the state of Israel.”External Affairs
Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar underlined that Modi had departed from
protocol to receive Netanyahu.“The visit is a fitting culmination to the silver
jubilee year of the formal relationship (between India and Israel).”Netanyahu
and Modi are expected to discuss a variety of subjects related to bilateral
relations and the global situation. Israeli leader, accompanied by dozens of
Israeli businessmen, will visit the Centre of Excellence in Agriculture at
Vadrad in Gujarat and interact with business leaders in Mumbai. He will also go
to the Taj Mahal city of Agra. News X
Delhi’s Teen Murti Chowk renamed Teen Murti
Haifa Chowk for Bejnamin Netanyahu’s visit
Netanyahu India visit: PM Modi breaks
protocol, receives personally his Israeli counterpart with a hug
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday
broke protocol to personally receive his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu
with a hug as he arrived here to begin a six-day visit that will also take him
to Mumbai and Gujarat. As Netanyahu and his wife Sara stepped on the red carpet,
a smiling Modi embraced the Israeli leader and then shook hands with the
couple. “Very much appreciate the gesture,” the Jerusalem Post quoted Netanyahu
as saying. newsx
Netanyahu in India Live: Modi, Israeli PM
recall sacrifice of Indian soldiers for liberation of Haifa
Congress mocks PM Modi's hugplomacy in video
New Delhi: Congress today mocked PM Narendra Modi's "hugplomacy", or
his fondness for giving hugs to heads of state while on diplomatic visits.In a
video released on the day Israel PM
Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New Delhi, Congress lampoons Modi's now
famous hugs with several world leaders by describing them with droll epithets
punctuated with reaction gifs.Notable amongst these are PM Modi's "Titanic
hug" with former French President Francois Hollande, the "Let me love
you hug" which engulfed Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, and
"That's enough hugs" with US President Donald Trump. Video also dubs
his interactions with female diplomats "awkward", as exhibited by
cherry-picked footage showing his missed handshake with German Chancellor
Angela Merkel and stilted courtesy to Japan's first lady Akie Abe.Congress
president Rahul Gandhi had called Modi's relationship with Donald Trump a failed
hugplomacy after the US president tweeted that he was working on bettering ties
with Pakistan in October last year. timesofindia
Protests in New Delhi on Netanyahu's trip:
mehrnews
Muslims in New Delhi held protest rallies on the eve of Netanyahu's
trip to India and called for cutting ties of India with Israel. Muslims took to
streets and burned Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu's effigy, who arrives in India
today.The protesters chanted "Down with Israel" and "Down with
Netanyahu" and called Indian Govt to cut ties with the Zionist regime.
Protesters burn Netanyahu effigy in New Delhi
ahead of ‘historic’ visit
Netanyahu Visits India: Muslims Burn Israeli
Effigies in Protest : sputniknews
Largest Muslim students group urges President
to cancel Netanyahu’s visit
New Delhi: India’s largest Muslim students’
group has urged President Ram Nath Kovind to cancel the upcoming India visit of
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu “to prove
sincerity in India’s sense of solidarity towards Palestine struggle.”In a letter
to President Kovind, the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has
expressed “strong discontent” over the upcoming visit of Netanyahu. By
welcoming the Israeli PM, “India has compromised its values of humanity and
fraternity.” “As you know Israel under his leadership has been crushing down
innocent lives majority of them kids and women, in the Palestinian territories.
The brutal assault on the Palestinians with no concerns about their rights has
been continuing for decades,” SIO President Nahas Mala said. Caravan News
OTHERS
Put sensitive cases before constitution bench
of 5 senior-most judges: 4 retired judges write to CJI
New Delhi: A former SC judge and three retired
judges of High Courts have written an open letter to the CJI asking him that
all sensitive and important cases including pending ones, be dealt with by a
Constitution Bench of the 5 senior most Judges of the Court.This comes in wake
of revolt by top four judges of the Supreme Court against the functioning of
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in assigning of cases,.The letter has been
written by former SC judge PB Sawant, former Delhi HC Chief Justice A.P. Shah,
Justice K. Chandru, former Judge of Madras High Court and Justice H. Suresh,
former Bombay HC judge.The retired judges have expressed grave concern that
cases are not being allocated in a proper manner in SC and are being allocated
arbitrarily to particular designated benches, often headed by junior judges, in
an arbitrary manner."We agree with the four Judges that though the Chief
Justice of India is the master of roster and can designate benches for
allocation of work, this does not mean that it can be done in an arbitrary
manner such that, sensitive and important cases are sent to hand picked benches
of junior judges by the Chief Justice," they said."This issue needs
to be resolved and clear rules and norms must be laid down for allocation of
benches and distribution of cases, which are rational, fair and transparent.
This must be done immediately to restore public confidence in the judiciary and
in the SC," the letter said." However till that is done, it is
important that all sensitive and important cases including pending ones, be
dealt with by a Constitution Bench of the 5 senior most Judges of this Court.
Only such measures would assure the people that the SC is functioning in a fair
and transparent manner and that the power of the Chief Justice as master of
roster is not being misused to achieve a particular result in important and
sensitive cases. We therefore urge you to take immediate steps in this
regard," the letter said.T.OI
Former Top Judges Join Criticism of Chief
Justice
Former judges write open letter to CJI in
support of 4 dissenting senior SC judges
Supreme Court crisis: PM Modi’s Principal Secy
Nripendra Misra drops by CJI Dipak Misra’s home
New Delhi:In a move which triggered
allegations of “interference” from the Congress, Nripendra Misra, Principal
Secretary to PM Narendra Modi, turned up
at Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra’s residence on Saturday morning, but
could not meet him. While there was no official word from the PMO, Govt sources said the Principal Secretary was on
his way from his residence at APJ Abdul Kalam Road to his office at South
Block, when he stopped by at CJI’s house on Krishna Menon Marg. But, Nripendra
Misra had to turn back from the gate, as the CJI was not receiving visitors. He
remained seated in his car for some time, and then returned, after handing over
a New Year greetings card to the staff at CJI’s residence, said a source who
was present at the spot.While the Congress questioned the reason for the visit,
the Govt chose to play it down.“There is no ban on social meetings between
individuals. And when no meeting took place, what is there to speculate,” said
a Govt source. “It was not a structured meeting at all. It was a social
meeting. He just wanted to pay a friendly visit to the CJI,” said another Govt source.Congress leader and former Law
Minister Veerappa Moily said:“This has to be resolved within the judiciary,
without any outside interference. The very fact that Nripendra Misra visited
CJI is a very wrong signal. Wrong signal that a third force is intervening. And
that will create further cleavage in the collective wisdom of the judiciary.”He
said, “What business does Nripendra Mishra have with this kind of a conflict.
You should leave them alone to resolve their problems. They (judiciary) will.
They are capable. Our judiciary is capable of resolving this conflict among
themselves. They will have to collectively demonstrate that today… that is what
is called for.”He suggested that the suspicion of executive interference may
have contributed to the four judges going public on Friday. “It (Nripendra
Misra’s visit) has sent a totally wrong signal. This is not the way the Govt of
the day should have tackled things,” said Moily.indianexpress
Congress questions PM Modi for sending his
Principal Secretary to CJI
'Please don't harass us. we don't want to be
victims of politicisation of the issue': Anuj, son of Justice Loya
Anuj Loya, son of late Justice BH Loya, has
urged everyone to refrain from politicising the issue of his father's
death.While addressing a press conference, Anuj said,"Our family is pained
with the chain of events in past few days. Please don't harass us,"
reported ANI."I don't have any suspicion. There was some suspicion before
but now it is clear," Anuj said on the speculations surrounding his
father's death.Anuj's lawyer Ameer Naik said that there is no controversy while
terming the death Justice Loya as "tragic"."There is no
controversy. No need of politicising the issue. This is a tragic event. We do
not want to be victims of politicisation of the issue. Let it remain the way it
is, non - controversial," Naik said.On Friday, the Supreme Court termed
the issue of alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya as a
"serious matter" and sought response from Maharashtra Govt on pleas
seeking an independent probe into it.The top court said, "This matter requires
bi-party hearing rather than exparte".Justice Loya was hearing the
Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. He had died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on
December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's
daughter.A bench of justices Arun Mishra and M M Shantanagoudar asked
Maharasthra Govt counsel Nishant R
Katneshwarkar to file reply by January 15.Senior advocate Indira Jaising,
appearing for one of the petitioners Maharashtra-based journalist B R Lone,
said that she has also instructions from Bombay lawyers association that this
matter should not be heard by the top court.The bench, however, said it will
look into the petitions but will also consider the objections raised. Advocate
Varinder Kumar Sharma, appearing for another petitioner Congress leader Tehseen
Poonawala, said this is a case where a mysterious death of a judge has taken
place on Dec. 1, 2014 and it needs to be investigated. Outlookindia
'Re-open case against Amit Shah after comments
of SC judges'
Panaji: The criminal case against BJP
president Amit Shah should be re-opened in view of Friday's press conference by
four senior Supreme Court judges, Goa Congress state president Shantaram Naik
demande.Naik also said, that the case related to the death of Special CBI judge
Brijgopal Harkishan Loya should also be re-visited."The criminal case in
which the national president of BJP, was one of the accused, should be
re-opened in view of the press conference held by the four judges of the
Supreme Court," Naik said. IANS
CJI-headed constitution bench to hear
petitions challenging validity of Aadhaar on Jan 17
New Delhi:A five-judge constitution bench
headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra will begin hearing on Wednesday petitions
challenging the validity of the 12-digit biometric identification number
Aadhaar, says a Supreme Court registry notice issued on Saturday.The notice
does not specify the composition of the bench, but the other four judges are
likely to be AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan. They
were part of the bench that extended on December 15 the deadline for linking
Aadhaar with mobile phone numbers and new bank accounts to March 31 this
year.The court had said people can open accounts by submitting the application
number for Aadhaar, but it had to be furnished to the banks by March 31.The
notice lists three more cases to be heard by the constitution bench. These are
petitions against Indian Penal Code (IPC) provision that makes adultery an
offence against a man and not a woman; Section 377 of the IPC that criminalises
homosexuality; and a ban on the entry of women between 10 and 50 years in
Kerala’s Sabarimala temple.HT
India, Pak. NSAs met 4 times, keep phone links
live: officials
New Delhi:Indian and Pakistani National Security
Advisors Ajit Doval and Gen. (Retd) Naseer Janjua have been meeting and
speaking on telephone more regularly than they have officially confirmed. They
held at least 3 meetings in Bangkok, and one in Russia, sources in Delhi and
Islamabad told The Hindu. According to the sources, the NSA’s have been meeting
in Bangkok, as it is a convenient hub for flights from both countries, and
speaking “regularly” over the phone.They also held talks on the sidelines of an
international security summit in the Russian town of Zavidovo in the Tver
region during May 25-26, 2017. Engagements for contacts this year are still
being worked out, but diplomatic sources said the upcoming Davos World Economic
Forum on Jan. 22-23, which PM Narendra
Modi and Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan
Abbasi are scheduled to attend, could be the next venue for the NSA or other
foreign office officials to meet.The talks in Russia were particularly
significant as they came days after India moved International Court of Justice
(ICJ) on the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Indian Navy commander
arrested and sentenced to death by Pakistan, who has been denied consular
access. The last known meeting between the NSAs took place on December 26, 2017
a day after Mr. Jadhav was allowed to meet his wife and mother in Islamabad.
While Jadhav family reunion turned into an acrimonious issue between India and
Pakistan, and New Delhi expressed outrage over the insensitive treatment of his
kin, NSA meeting in Bangkok was held in a “friendly and positive” atmosphere,
Pakistani officials said. Pakistani side was unhappy over the public statements
in India, as it viewed the granting of visitation to Jadhav’s family as a
“constructive and humanitarian” gesture.India accused Pakistan of violating its
commitments on access to Mr. Jadhav and of humiliating his family by making
them change clothes and remove their jewellery. India’s subsequent decision to
cancel grant of visas to Sufi pilgrims from Pakistan to attend the urs at
Nizamuddin shrine was seen as a response to Pakistan’s actions on the Jadhav
case.The Hindu
India welcome to test our resolve: Pakistan on
General Rawat’s ‘nuclear bluff’ remark
New Delhi:Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja
Muhammad Asif said that Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s remarks about
Pakistan amount to “invitation for nuclear encounter”.Asif was reacting to
Rawat’s Friday remark when the latter said the Army is ready to call Pakistan’s
“nuclear bluff” and cross the border if the situation arises.“We will call the
(nuclear) bluff of Pakistan. If we will have to really confront the Pakistanis,
and a task is given to us, we are not going to say we cannot cross the border
because they have nuclear weapons. We will have to call their nuclear bluff,”
Rawat had said at a press conference on Wednesday.The reaction came after
General Bipin Rawat had dismissed Islamabad’s assertions that its tactical
nuclear weapons had prevented India from waging a military war on
Pakistan.Reacting to the statement, Asif wrote on Twitter: “Very irresponsible statement
by Indian Army Chief, not befitting his office. Amounts to invitation for
nuclear encounter. If that is what they desire,they are welcome to test our
resolve. General’s doubt would swiftly be removed, inshallah.”indianexpress
Fertility rate of households fall from 3.4 to
2.6
New Delhi:The total fertility rate among
women-which indicates the total number of children born to a woman during her
lifetime-(15-49) has dipped below replacement other than Hindus and Muslims- it
has emerged.The fertility rate of Hindu households is 2.1 declining from 2.8 in
the last survey in 2004-05, a level at which a population is said to be able to
replace itself from generation to generation without migration, as reported by
TOI. The fertility rate of Muslim households also fell from 3.4 to 2.6.
National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of 2015-16 revealed the data in the latest
religion-wise data. The community with the lowest fertility rate is Jains, 1.2,
was the one with the highest level of education. This was followed by Sikhs
(1.6), Buddhists or Neo Buddhists (1.7) and Christians (2). India's overall TFR
was 2.2- the report said.The low-income segment group has a high fertility rate
of 3.2, compared to the high-income level segment at 1.5. Scheduled tribes, the
least developed among social categories, had the highest fertility rate of 2.5,
followed by 2.3 for scheduled castes and 2.2 for other backward classes. The
upper castes had the lowest fertility rate of 1.9, cites the report. Age factor
too plays a role in fertility pattern in women. The younger the women, the
lower the mean number of children born to them- the report suggests, indicating
overall progress over the last two decades in bringing down the total fertility
rate. TFR for Muslim women aged 40-49 was the highest at 4.2 and it was the
lowest for Jain women of the same age at 2.2. Hindu women of this age group had
the second highest TFR of 3.1.The median age at first birth among women aged
25-49 years is lowest for Muslim and Hindu women, 21.3 years and 21.6 years
respectively. It was highest among Sikhs at 23.8 years. Among the different wealth
quintiles, the median age at first birth was lowest among the poorest women at
20.3, steadily rising with rising affluence to touch 24.4 years among women in
the richest one-fifth of the population.The survey showed that almost 30% women
with one child had got sterilized, suggesting that they had decided they did
not want any more. Almost 84% of women with 2 children had got
sterilized.timesnownews
Sharp fall in number of children in Muslim
households: Govt Report
Worry mounts for Assam's Bengali-speaking Muslims
ahead of second NRC list
Guwahati: Kazi Neel doesn’t go to Jumma, the
Friday prayers. 25-year-old youth from Assam’s Barpeta district calls himself
an atheist. None from Kazi's family made it to the first draft of the updated
National Register of Citizens (NRC), published on Dec. 31 midnight, that
included 1.9 crore people.“My grandfather’s name is mentioned in the 1951 NRC
and the 1966 Voters’ list. My father cast his first vote in 1983. But both my
parents were declared D-Voters in 1997. My father proved his citizenship, but
our names still remain missing in the updated NRC list,” he said.Shahjahan
Kazi’s story is known to many. Despite working as a polling officer over eight
elections, he wasn’t allowed to vote because he was a D-voter. In May 2017,
Foreigner’s Tribunal cleared him of the ‘Doubtful’ status, but he still awaits
his name in the voter’s list.But Kazi and his family are only among the
countless others whose names are missing from the updated NRC. For the
Bengali-speaking Muslims of Assam or the Muslim minority of East Bengal origin,
this could be their last chance to prove their citizenship and live a life with
dignity.Farhad Bhuyan, a resident of Bahari village in Barpeta, is proud of his
community – working people, soldiers, police officers, business leaders,
doctors and teachers. But he lives in fear and worries he might not be able to
stay in this country, the only home he has ever known.He points to the name of
his grandfather, Iman Bhuyan, barely visible in blue ink enlisted in 1951 NRC.
“I have submitted my Legacy Data – documents from 1951, 1965 and 1971.My
grandfather was marked as ‘1. INDIAN’. We lived in a village called Tarabari in
1961, but it was completely washed away in erosion, after which my family
shifted to Bhogdiya in Barpeta district itself,” he informed.Bhuyan still has
faith in the judiciary and wants no political party to hamper the Supreme
Court’s decision-making procedures. “Genuine Indian Muslims have very often
been harassed as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The Govt first came up with ‘D-Voter ‘tags, what if
they now come up with a D-NRC class?” Bhuyan said.Aman Wadud, a Guwahati-based
Human Rights lawyer who has been working closely in the NRC case, said there
will be opportunities for claims and objections after the second NRC list is
published and before the final list as well.Currently, about 2,000
Bengali-speaking Muslims languish in six detention centres in Assam after the
Tribunal declared them as ‘Foreigners’. news18
By 2024, Muslims who assimilate into Hindu
culture can stay in India: BJP MLA
Ballia :In a controversial remark, a BJP MLA
from Ballia district in UP has said that
once India becomes a “Hindu rashtra”, only those Muslims who assimilate into
the Hindu culture will be able to stay in the country.“There are a very few
Muslims who are patriotic. Once India becomes a Hindu rashtra (Hindu nation),
Muslims who assimilate into our culture will stay in India. Those who will not
are free to take asylum in any other country,”Bairia MLA Surendra Singh said.He
also claimed that by 2024, India would become a Hindu nation.Describing PM Narendra Modi as an “avatar purush”
(reincarnation of a deity), Singh said, “As RSS completes 100 years in 2025, by
2024, India will become a Hindu rashtra. By the grace of god, India is going to
be a global superpower thanks to the leadership of Modi and UP CM Yogi
Adityanath. Not only will India become a ‘vishwa guru’, it will also become a
Hindu rashtra by 2024.”PTI
We’re not seeking reform in Islam, Shariat,
but there must be reform of evil social practices: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi calls Congress’s argument against triple talaq “confused”,
dismisses appeasement allegations, claims that the Govt did not want to take credit for relaxing Haj
rules, and says that the issue of SC judges criticising CJI must be resolved
internally. Naqvi said, “a few people have said that the law should not
‘criminalise’ triple talaq. They argue that if the husband goes to jail, how
will he give compensation to his family. But why go to jail? If you commit a
crime, you will go to jail. That is why we are saying don’t commit that crime and
go to jail.Secondly, murder is illegal, unconstitutional and a crime as well.
If you murder someone you will go to jail. It is the same for robbery. If we
don’t make a law on triple talaq, the practice will not end. We have to make a
law to give women their rights.”He said, “We are not asking for reform in Islam
or the Shariat, but there needs to be reform when it comes to evil social
practices. There have been many positive changes in the Muslim community. We
should welcome this and encourage them to continue on the path of reform.” Indianexpress
UP: Right-wing workers thrash 3 men in court
premises, cry 'love jihad'
Baghpat, UP: Hindu Yuva Vahini workers on
Sunday thrashed 3 men in Baghpat court premises alleging 'love jihad'.The trio,
accompanied by a woman, had come from Punjab for a court marriage between the
woman and one of the 3 men. On knowing that, the men belonged from a different
community, Hindu Yuva Vahini caught them at the lawyer's chamber itself and
beat them up.District leader of Hindu Yuva Vahini, Roopak Kumar alleged 'love
jihad' and said they are going to file an FIR against the men, while the
district vice president, Kuldeep Thakur added on to the allegation saying that
the case had links in Kashmir.Police soon reached the spot and after rescuing
the trio from the angry workers took them in the jeep. 4 people had allegedly
run away from Punjab and a case is registered against them in Barnala. However,
Baghpat Police refrained from tagging the label of 'love jihad' to the case.ANI
Reject ‘Hindutva’ that is causing violence: N.
Sahgal
Kolkata: Describing the current political
situation as “not conducive for anybody”, veteran writer Nayantara Sahgal has
called for rejecting the idea of “Hindutva” which is “creating violence” and
has “nothing to do with Hinduism”.“Right now, it is a very different situation.
In the present political situation, the forces are trying to stamp out all
dissent and disagreement. People who disagree with them are being killed. The
last person was Gauri Lankesh.“Not only writers, people who are transporting
cattle have been killed. On suspicion of storing beef, people are being
killed,” the writer told IANS.IANS
As Bhima Koregan violence raged, this family
sheltered over 100 Dalits from the mob's fury
An iron fence is coming up around the Nalanda
Buddha Vihar at Sanaswadi, Pune, one of the epicentres of Bhima-Koregan riots
that took place earlier this month. The Vihar already had an iron fence;it was,
however, vandalised, when a mob attacked the structure on hearing that 100 Dalits
had taken shelter within, to escape the 1 Jan.riot. This was why Sudamrao
Pawar, who owns the Vihar, was compelled to rebuild the fence. The new fence
will be taller (and presumably stronger) than the previous one.On the first day
of every new year, thousands of Dalits gather by the War Memorial Pillar (aka
Vijay Stambh) at Bhima Koregoan to commemorate the victory of the British Army
against Peshwas in a battle dating back to 1 Jan.1818. The skirmish was part of
Anglo-Maratha Wars; it has particular significance to Dalit community because
the section of the British Army that was involved in the battle mainly
comprised Mahars. This being the 200th anniversary of the event, lakhs of
Dalits had travelled to the memorial — and this was when the riots broke
out.Over 100 Dalits — mainly women and children — sought refuge in the Vihar,
after the riots began. When the attacking mob got to know that there were
Dalits hiding in the Vihar, they tried to force their way in (as well as into
Pawar’s home, which adjoins the Vihar) by vandalising the surrounding fence. By
then, the Pawar family had called the police, and the mob had to disperse. firstpost
Mandatory Aadhaar threat to basic rights: Amnesty
New Delhi: Govt’s mandatory biometric
identification project Aadhaar could lead to millions of people being denied
access to essential services and benefits in violation of their human rights
while also raising serious concerns about violations of the right to privacy,
Amnesty International India and HRW said.They said Govt should order an
independent investigation of the concerns raised about Aadhaar, and cease
targeting journalists and researchers who expose vulnerabilities in security,
privacy, and protection of data.Last week, the Tribune paper reported that
unrestricted access to the personal details of people enrolled in Aadhaar could
be purchased for Rs 500 from racketeers. The UIDAI responded by filing a
criminal complaint, naming the reporter and the newspaper, prompting widespread
condemnation by civil society groups.In a joint statement, the two organisations
said that as per Aug.2017 Supreme Court ruling, right to privacy was part of
the constitutional right to life and personal liberty and is also protected
under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which
India is party. “Govt’s push for mandatory enrolment and its efforts to link
the Aadhaar number to a wide range of services raises grave concerns that it
could disproportionately interfere with the right to privacy for millions of
people.Amnesty International India’s executive director Aakar Patel
said:“Making Aadhaar card a prerequisite to access essential services and
benefits can obstruct access to several constitutional rights, including the
rights of people to food, health care, education and social security.”IANS
Banks impose restrictions on cash withdrawals:reports
New Delhi:According to the report published in
an English daily, banks put an undeclared restriction on the withdrawals from
accounts. The reasons behind such restrictions are less cash deposit in the
past three months, rumours about FDRI Bill.It is also reported that bank
customers are preferring premature withdrawal of term deposit. In the normal
situation, banks receive 60% of the total cash disbursals in the form of
deposits which has fallen down to 20%.It may be mentioned that India’s central
banking institution, RBI also cut the cash supplies.Adding to all these issues,
huge withdrawals due to Sankranti created a shortage in the banks.Unofficial
restrictions on withdrawals in semi-urban and rural areas are Rs 5,000 per day
whereas, in urban areas, the limit is between Rs 10,000 and Rs 30,000.An
official of a bank said that every bank branch maintains cash reserves of Rs 60
lakh per day. However, now, they do not have cash reserves of even Rs 20 lakh,
he claimed. As it is difficult to meet daily withdrawals with this cash
reserves, banks stopped loading cash in ATMs, he added. (etemaaddaily.com)
caravandaily
Waseem Rizvi Alleges Death Threat Call From
Dawood
Lucknow: UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem
Rizvi said Sunday he had received a threat call from a man, claiming to be an
aide of fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim, who threatened to blow up him and
his family.Following Rizvi’s complaint, the Lucknow police has lodged an FIR
and initiated a probe.“I received the call last (Saturday) night in which
caller took the name of Dawood and threatened to blow me up and my family for
my stand on madrassa education and other issues,” Rizvi said.The caller refused
to identify himself but asked me to seek pardon from ‘maulanas’ claiming Dawood
Ibrahim was annoyed, Rizvi said. PTI
Govt
treating Indian migrant workers as 2nd class citizens: Rahul on changes
in passport
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today accused
BJP of harbouring a "discriminatory mindest" and treating the Indian
migrant workers as "second class citizen" following the Govt's
decision to introduce changes in the Indian passport."Treating India's
migrant workers like second class citizens is completely unacceptable. This
action demonstrates BJP's discriminatory mindset", he said in a tweet. On
Friday, the Govt had decided to change
the colour of the passport to orange for people with Emigration Check Required
(ECR) status. timesofindia
NCM not in favour of minority tag to Vedic
Brahmans, Sindhis
New Delhi:National Commission for Minorities
(NCM) is not favour of granting minority status to Vedic Brahmans and
Sindhis.It has also said that if the request of World Brahman Organisation and
Purbouttar Bahubhashiya Brahmin Mahasabha is agreed to by the Govt , other
castes like Rajputs and Vaishyas would also make similar demands leading to
"manifold and unwarranted fragmentation" of the Hindu
community."Vedic Brahmans are part and parcel of the Hindu religion.
Merely claiming that Vedic Brahmans are only a select few does not warrant a
view that they should be declared as a minority community by the Govt of India," the Commission said in its
annual report for 2016-17.It also said that the community's claim that they are
committed to protect their tradition and culture does not add any further
weight to their claim for minority status. UNESCO urging to protect the Vedas
and Vedic vulture is also not supporting their case to declare them as a
separate minority community, it added.PTI
MP High Court Pulls up Central Govt. For Delay
In Medical Care of Bhopal Gas Victims, Non-utilisation of Funds
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh High Court has snubbed
the Central Govt for making procedural
delay in appointment of specialist doctors at Bhopal Memorial Hospital &
Research Centre, the dedicated hospital set up for the treatment of victims of
the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy. More than Rs 430 crore was available in August
2012 “but even after a span more than 5 years, the victims of the Bhopal Gas
Leakage Disaster are still deprived of proper medical care and attention,” said
the Jabalpur Bench of the High Court on Tuesday (Jan.9).The Bench headed by
Chief Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla was angry that even
about one year after this court ordered central Govt to frame rules for
appointment of staffers at the hospital, the Govt has not done nothing.“This Court has been
passing orders from time to time, considering the quarterly reports submitted
by the Monitoring Committee, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief & Rehabilitation,
chaired by Shri Justice V.K. Agrawal (Retd.). A detailed order was passed on
15-02-2017 in respect of framing of rules for appointment under the proviso of
Article 309 of the Constitution of India. The Govt. of India sought a year’s
time to frame rules. The Court granted a month’s time. But even after almost a
year, the rules have yet not been finalised…” said the court.Caravan News
Nirbhaya-Like Incident In Haryana: Minor's
Private Parts Mutilated, Liver Ruptured
The mutilated body of a minor girl was
recovered from Haryana's Jind district on Friday. The girl's private parts were
completely mutilated and her liver was ruptured.Hindustan Times reported that
the girl’s brutalised body was found near a canal in Budhakhera village on
Friday night. A report was lodged at the local police station after the girl
went missing on January 9."The body was found without any clothes in the
lower parts. It was sent to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS),
Rohtak, immediately for postmortem," said the Jind police officials.
"The victim had injuries on her face and inside the mouth, suggesting that
she was kidnapped by multiple persons who prevented her from making
noise," Dr SK Dhattarwal, head of the forensics department at PGIMS told
the newspaper.“The autopsy suggests this was an act of frustration. All the
damage to her private parts seems to have been done after she was drowned and
murdered. This was the work of more than one person who failed to sexually
assault the victim while she was alive,” she added.In the meantime, the Jind
police have constituted two SIT under two DSP-rank officers to probe the
incident."Doctors have confirmed that the minor was murdered 24-48 hours
back. We are investigating the matter and have also formed special SIT's for
the same," Jind police officials quoted as saying.This comes barely a
month after the barbaric rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Hisar, whose
private parts were mutilated by inserting a wooden stick. Outlookindia
Govt plans to auction ‘enemy’properties worth
Rs 1 lakh cr
New Delhi: Over 9,400 ‘enemy’ properties,
worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore, are set to be auctioned with the home ministry
starting the process of identifying all such estates, officials said. The
properties were left behind by people who took citizenship of Pakistan and
China. The move came after the amendment of 49-year-old Enemy Property
(Amendment and Validation) Act which ensured that the heirs of those who
migrated to Pakistan and China during Partition and afterwards will have no
claim over the properties left behind in India. At a recent meeting, Union Home
Minister Rajnath Singh was informed that the survey of 6,289 enemy properties
has been completed and that of the remaining 2,991 properties which are vested
with the custodian will be completed, a home ministry official said.Singh
directed that those properties which are free from encumbrance should be
disposed of quickly for monetisation. Among 9,280 properties left behind by
Pakistani nationals, highest 4,991 properties are located in UP followed by West Bengal which has 2,735 such
estates.There are 487 such properties in Delhi.After Indo-Pak War of 1965,
Enemy Property Act was enacted in 1968, which regulates such properties and
lists the custodian’s powers. Govt
amended the Act in the wake of a claim laid by the heirs of Raja
Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, known as Raja of Mahmudabad,on his properties
spread across UP and Uttarakhand. Indianexpress
Govt resumes coin production, but mints to
work at slow pace:PTI
Kolkata: Govt has gone back on its decision to
halt production of coins entirely and has asked all the four mints in the
country to restart production, albeit at a slower pace, industry sources said
on Saturday. Govt has directed the state-run Security Printing and Minting
Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL), which runs the four Govt mints in Kolkata,
Mumbai, Noida and Hyderabad, to work on single shift, instead of the usual two,
and keep minting coins of different denominations."We have started minting
of coins from yesterday. We have been asked to produce coins of all
denominations," said Bijan Dey, vice-president, Calcutta Mint Employees
Association.The official said that RBI had given an indent of 7,712 million
coin pieces to Govt mints for 2017-18 of which 5,900 million units have already
been produced.The mints are expected to meet the target in the remaining
two-and-a-half months of the current fiscal.RBI picks up the coins and
banknotes from the mints for distribution in the market. Govt had halted coin
production from Jan.9 owing to a glut in the market and lack of storage space.
WORLD
Thousands of Israelis Protest Corruption,
Chant Against Netanyahu's Son Over Stripper Scandal: haaretz
Thousands of Israelis are taking to the
streets in Tel Aviv in a mass protest against Govt corruption, targeting in particular PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his family.This week
audio was leaked of the premier's son, Yair, speaking disparagingly about women
while attending stripper clubs with his friends. Hundreds also protested in
northern Israel.The young Netanyahu came under fire after it was revealed that
he was followed on his debaucherous journey by a bodyguard and a driver, both
provided to him through the state. The young Netanyahu was heard in the tape
telling his friend, the son of business tycoon Kobi Maimon, not to argue with him
over 400 shekels (approximately $118) meant for a prostitute when his father
received $20 billion from Netanyahu.Kobi Maimon is a real estate mogul and
shareholder in Isramco, which owns Israel's offshore Tamar gas fields. The PM
's son was referring to the natural gas deal that his father signed in 2015. Haaretz
Thousands rally over Netanyahu corruption,
son’s stripper scandal
Israel angry over exclusion from official
meetings in Egypt
Israel’s Ambassador in Cairo has complained to
the Egyptian Govt about his exclusion
from diplomatic briefings and press releases, Quds Press reported on
Friday.David Govrin sent his complaint in a letter to the Foreign Ministry in
Cairo. “In spite of the strategic relations between the two countries,” he
fumed, “representatives of embassies in Egypt are invited except the representative
of Israel’s Embassy.”Govrin expressed his particular disappointment that he was
not invited to a meeting held by Foreign Ministry concerning the war on terror.
He said that nobody from his embassy was invited even though the Israeli air
force had hit ISIS targets in the Sinai Peninsula. A source at the ministry
refused to comment about the issue, and pointed out that the Israeli complaint
is being reviewed.MEMO
Palestinian unity in doubt before summit on Jerusalem
Palestinian leaders are set to hold a crucial
summit in response to the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but
political movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad are boycotting the event, raising
questions about unity as President Mahmoud Abbas ramps up the campaign for
statehood.Hamas had announced it would not participate in the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council meeting on Sunday and Monday,
saying it objected to Abbas' decision to hold the meeting in the occupied West
Bank. "Hamas will not take part in the upcoming meeting," Hussam Badran,
a Hamas spokesman, said in a statement on Saturday, urging that it be held
"outside the occupied Palestinian territories to escape from Israeli
pressure". News of the Hamas boycott comes as Israel announced on Sunday
the closure of Gaza's only commercial border crossing of Karam Abu Salem, and
Israeli warplanes bombed a site near the Rafah crossing. On Sunday, the Israeli
PM 's office confirmed the bombardment of the crossing that connects Gaza with
Egypt.Islamic Jihad had earlier announced that it would not participate in the
meeting in Ramallah, and later urged the Palestinian National Council (PNC) -
the highest decision-making body of the PLO - "to end relations" with
the US, and accelerate internal reconciliation, the Palestinian news agency
Wafa reported. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are both based in Gaza, and the former
governs the besieged Palestinian enclave. While both organisations are not part
of the PLO, they are regularly invited to observe its meetings. PNC head Saleem
al-Zanoon will preside over the meeting of the Central Council, the
second-highest Palestinian legislative body after the PNC.In a statement posted
on the PNC website on Saturday, Zanoon urged "unity" among all
Palestinian factions, saying "the situation is very delicate and the
challenges and risks are increasing."As long as Israel chose aggression
and refused to recognise our rights and our state with Jerusalem as its
capital, it is our right to reconsider and choose alternatives that will
achieve our legitimate national goals," he said. He added that the council
meeting will go ahead, saying he hopes the leaders will come up with
resolutions "that protect our national rights in establishing our
independent state with Jerusalem as its capital".Among the statements
being considered by the PLO Central Council is the declaration of the areas
liberated by Israel in 1967 as "a state under occupation", according
to Palestinian news agency Wafa, quoting Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of the Fatah
Central Committee. Other diplomatic actions are also being considered for the
UN General Assembly, UN Security Council and the International Criminal
Court.Diana Buttu, a Palestinian human rights lawyer and former PLO
spokeswoman, however, said the Hamas and Islamic Jihad boycott raises more
questions about the council's legitimacy.
"This is a council that has not had elections in two decades, and
whose legitimacy, like the legitimacy of Mahmoud Abbas, went away a long time
ago," Buttu told Al Jazeera on Sunday. "What they should be focused
on is having elections, and creating a new council that is representative of
people and their political views, rather than just holding a meeting, just for
the sake of holding a meeting," she added.The boycott by Hamas also
exposes conflicts with Fatah, the PLO's political arm led by Abbas. In October
last year, the two parties signed a reconciliation deal in the Egyptian
capital, Cairo, as part of an effort to end a decade-long rift and present a
united front for Palestinian statehood. The agreement raised hopes that it
would bring relief to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, made worse by the
Israeli blockade. However, talks have since broken down. aljazeera
'Abdullah was just catching fish': Gazan
fisherman killed by Egypt laid to rest
Gaza:Since dawn on Saturday morning, hundreds
of young people were seen streaming through the alleys of Gaza's impoverished
al-Shati refugee camp, heading to the home of fisherman Abdullah Zeidan. But
they were not curious as to the size of his latest catch, a common boast from
33-year-old Zeidan. They were there to pay respects to his family, after he
died early in the morning, succumbing to his wounds after being shot off the
coast of Gaza a day earlier. In front of his house, in the largest of Gaza
strip’s eight camps, neighbours set up a condolence tent and put out rows of
chairs to accommodate the mourners. The fishermen's family watched the crowds
through upstairs windows, stunned.While Gazan fishermen are often attacked and
killed by the Israeli navy, Zeidan was targeted by the Egyptian army, according
to local Palestinian authorities. When fishing near the southern border between
Gaza and Egypt on Friday night, Zeidan was hit in the chest by a bullet, Gazan
Health Ministry said."What was his sin?" asked his grieving mother,
Maryam Zeidan."He was just trying to be the breadwinner for his 4
children." middleeasteye
Saudi Prince Alwaleed in settlement talks with
Govt: Sources
Dubai:Saudi Arabia's billionaire Prince
Alwaleed bin Talal, detained for over two months in an anti-corruption
crackdown, is negotiating a possible settlement with authorities but so far has
not agreed on terms, a senior Saudi official said.Prince Alwaleed, whose net
worth has been estimated by Forbes magazine at $17 billion, is chairman and owner
of international investment firm Kingdom Holding, and one of the country's most
prominent businessmen."He offered a certain figure but it doesn't meet the
figure required from him, and until today the attorney-general hasn't approved
it," the official said on condition of anonymity under Govt briefing
rules.A second source familiar with Prince Alwaleed's case told Reuters on
Saturday that he had offered to make a "donation" to the Saudi Govt ,
which would avoid any admission of wrongdoing, and to do so from assets of his
own choosing. But the Govt refused those
terms, the source said.Since early November Prince Alwaleed has been held, with
dozens of other members of Saudi Arabia's political and business elite detained
in the crackdown, in Riyadh's opulent Ritz Carlton hotel as authorities seek to
reach settlements with the detainees.Saudi officials say they aim to claw back
some $100 billion of funds that rightfully belong to the state. Crown Prince
bin Salman, who launched the crackdown, has indicated he wants to close
existing cases quickly and expects most suspects to cut a deal.Reuters
Burning Iranian oil tanker sinks, 32 crew
presumed dead
An Iranian oil tanker that caught fire after
colliding with a freighter in East China Sea more than a week ago has sunk, with
some 30 crewmen still missing, Chinese state media said on Sunday.The stricken
tanker, registered under Panama and named the Sanchi, had been adrift and on
fire since January 6 collision. China Central Television (CCTV) reported that
large amounts of oil were burning where the tanker went down. "Currently,
ithas already sunk,"CCTV said, citing Shanghai Maritime Search and Rescue
Centre. It showed a video of a tower of billowing black smoke and flames on the
surface of the water. The ship sank before 5 pm, CCTV said.At the time of the
accident, ship had 32 crew members on board: 30 Iranians and 2 Bangladeshis.A
rescue team from China has recovered three bodies and retrieved the 'black
box'.aljazeera
US cannot undermine Iran nuclear deal: Rouhani
US has failed to undermine the nuclear deal
between Tehran and world powers, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a
statement broadcast on state TV.His comments on Sunday came just days after US
President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw from the deal if its
"disastrous flaws" were not fixed. " American administration has
failed to undermine the nuclear deal ... Trump, despite his repeated efforts,
has failed to undermine the accord," Rouhani said in his speech, according
to a report from the Reuters news agency. Iranian president further hailed the
deal as "a long-lasting victory for Iran". On Friday, the White House
said that Trump would waive sanctions against Iran to keep the deal alive, but
it would be the "last time" unless the US and Europe reach an
agreement in the next 120 days to strengthen the landmark deal.Aljazeera
Iran N-deal not derailed, pledges constructive
role: China
China on Saturday pledged to continue playing
a constructive role in maintaining and implementing the Iran nuclear deal,
after US President Donald Trump set an ultimatum to fix “disastrous flaws” in a
deal.Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad
Javad Zarif by phone that implementation of the deal had not been “derailed”
but would face “some new complicating factors”, the state news agency Xinhua
reported.Continuing to implement the nuclear deal was the responsibility of all
parties concerned and the common wish of the international community, Wang was
quoted as saying during the call, which took place on a visit to Rwanda.The
deal would help uphold the international non-proliferation regime, maintain
regional peace and stability and solve “other hot issues” around the world, he
said.
Syria's Ghouta: 'Nearly 180 killed' in two
weeks
The number of people killed in the Damascus
suburb of Eastern Ghouta has reached 179 after a little over two weeks of
Govt and Russian bombardment, according
to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).Govt forces backed by Russian warplanes began a
campaign to take the rebel-held district on December 29, relying mainly on
artillery barrages and air attacks. SOHR, which gathers details of casualties
from a network of sources inside the country, said on Friday that those killed
in the latest escalation in violence include 51 children and 38 women.aljazeera
Regime forces launch chlorine gas attack in E.
Ghouta
Syrian regime warplanes carried out a chlorine
gas attack in the Eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus on Saturday, according to a
Syrian paramedic group.The attack targeted residential areas in the Duma
district in Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Civil Defense, know as White Helmets,
said on Twitter. It said civilians affected in the attack were taken to nearby
hospitals for treatment.Meanwhile, two people, including a child, were killed
in an artillery shelling by regime forces in several districts in Eastern
Ghouta, according to White Helmets.Home to some 400,000 people, Eastern Ghouta
has remained under a crippling siege by the Bashar Assad regime since late
2012. middleeastmonitor
Syria: Manbij civilians protest PKK/PYD
killings
Manbij:Hundreds of civilians in Syria's
northern Manbij city have protested the killing of two young people by the
PKK/PYD terrorist organization.Hannan Al-Jarivah, 25, and Abbud Al-Minkhan, 23,
were tortured to death by PKK/PYD terrorists on Friday. The bodies of the two
young men, with one’s head cut off, were found in a village some 20 KMS east of
Manbij. Tension escalated into a gun battle between the PKK/PYD terrorists and
angry civilians after families of the two victims recognized the bodies of
their children after activists shared their photos on social media. Hundreds of
people took to the streets of the city following the weekly Friday prayer to
demonstrate the killings, amid calls for PKK/PYD to immediately leave the city.Anadolu
agency
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
India Stands On The Wrong Side of History As
Modi Embraces Netanyahu:Urvashi Sarkar, thecitizen
Bilkis Bano's plea for exemplary compensation
highlights how the judiciary failed her by ignoring state's responsibility: Deya
Bhattacharya
Nazia Erum's Book, Mothering A Muslim, On
Segregation Faced By Muslim Kids Creates Shockwaves
Triple talaq bill: Govt did not follow the set
procedure:A G Noorani
As World Bank Reviews Ease Of Doing Business
Rankings, Will India Be Affected?THE WIRE
Of course, madrasas need to improve, but let
education be apolitical: Fayaz Ahmad Rashidi, runs Jamiat-us-Salihaat madrasa
in Handwara, north Kashmir.
India revives deal for Israeli missiles
battle-tested on Gazans
Amit Shah’s speedy acquittal is what SC should
inquire: Uttam Sengupta, nationalheraldindia
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:21 PM)
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