Evening NEWS
DIGEST
16 Jan.2018: 28 Rabial Aakhir 1439:Vol:9, No:99
INDIA
Modi govt ends Haj subsidy, says will use
funds to empower minorities
New Delhi:In a big move, Govt today withdrew subsidy for Haj pilgrims.
Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi made this announcement. The
minister added that “Haj subsidy funds will be used for educational empowerment
of girls and women of minority community.” He also told reporters that despite
the subsidy withdrawal, a record number of 1.75 lakh Muslims will undertake the
pilgrimage this year.The decision to abolish Haj subsidy comes day after Govt allowed Muslim women, above the age of 45, to
go on haj without male guardian, in a group of at least 4.Ministry of Minority
Affairs had, last year, constituted a committee to review the existing Haj
policy and suggest a framework for a new Haj policy for 2018-22.Naqvi also said
that Saudi Govt has in principle agreed to allow Haj journey from India by
ships and officials of the 2 countries will sit together to finalise the
modalities. “This is part of our policy to empower minorities with dignity and
without appeasement,” Naqvi told reporters and cited a host of measures for the
welfare of minorities.Haj subsidy is given to Muslim Hajj pilgrims by Govt in
form of discounted fares on Air India. It also includes assistance to Muslim
pilgrims for domestic travel to reach specially designed Haj departure airport
terminals, medical cares, lodging assistance and meal. In 2008, total subsidy
provided by Govt was US$1,815 per Muslim pilgrim.
Haj subsidy withdrawn,Govt says Muslims didn't
benefit from it
Haj Subsidy: Modi Govt ends Haj subsidy for Muslims
Centre ends Haj subsidy as part of policy to
'empower minorities without appeasement'
After Haj subsidy scrapped: Spotlight on
state-funded Hindu pilgrimages, including Rs 2,500 Crore by UP govt for Ardh Kumbh
Govt has withdrew the subsidy to Hajj pilgrims
in accordance to a 2012 Supreme Court order that asked to phase out the scheme
in a time period of ten years.The government move to divert the subsidy money
to the welfare of the minority community is welcomed by the Muslim bodies who
considered the money allocated for the purpose "Unislamic".Due to
various concerns--regarding pilgrim safety, basic amenities-- the govt has been
providing monetory assistance to various pilgrims. Very recently, Delhi govt
proposed that a total of 77,000 pilgrims will be able to avail the facility every
year MP govt subsidises various pilgrimages for senior citizens and their
attendants under the same scheme. MP is the only state that subsidises travel
to holy places in Pakistan (Nankana Saheb Shrine and Hinglaj Mata temple),
China (Kailash Man Sarovar), Cambodia (Angkor Vat) and Sri Lanka (Sita Mandir
and Ashok Vatika).Apart from Delhi, several other states like Chhattisgarh,
Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand provide money to residents
going on the Manasarovar yatra to cover a part of the expenses, which amount to
about Rs 1.5 lakh each. According to official figures, the government has spent
Rs 691 crore as Haj subsidy for 2013-14 and Rs 836 crore in 2012-13. In 2017,
Haj subsidy was reduced by Rs 200 crore, from Rs 408 crore in 2016.At present,
the Union government spends crores of rupees as subsidies directly or
indirectly for pilgrims of different beliefs visiting various religious
shrines. The major pilgrimage destinations receiving assistance from Centre
include the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca and
Medina. While the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is currently organised under a
bilateral arrangement with the Chinese government, the Indian government pays
around Rs 6,000 towards boarding and accommodation of each pilgrim. Yatra is
organised by the government, which spends money on security and health
facilities for the pilgrims.Hindu megafest Kumbh, however, remains at the top
of the spending list. Organised at four places in Haridwar, allahabad, Nashik
and Ujjain, Kumbh-- which is also prone to many accidents-- receives maximum
fund for preparations.n 2016, the event got a massive boost from the central
govt. Union Culture ministry set aside Rs 100 crore for the Simhastha Mahakumbh
in Ujjain on top of state government's allocated Rs 3,400 crore.Yogi led govt
in UP last year announced that it will spend a massive fund of Rs 2500 crore
for the preparations of Ardh Kumbh mela shceduled to be held in 2019. outlookindia
Hope govt honours SC direction to use Haj
subsidy money for uplift of minorities: Cong
New Delhi:While noting that the decision of
the Govt to abolish the Haj subsidy was pursuant to a 2012 Supreme Court order,
the Congress expressed the hope that the Centre would also implement the second
part of the apex court order -- to use the subsidy amount for the development
and uplift of the minorities. AICC senior spokesperson and Leader of the
Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, ''the withdrawal of the
Haj subsidy is as per the directions of a Supreme Court bench in 2012 headed by
J Aftab Alam, directing abolition of Haj subsidy within 10 years.''The Govt has
withdrawn the Haj subsidy four years before the date prescribed by the Supreme
Court.We have no issue with it.Now that the first part of the Supreme Court
judgement has been implemented by the government, I am sure that the second
part of the judgement will also be implemented.UNI
UP removes Haj Committee secy after saffron
paint row
Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath Govt removed R P Singh from the post of UP Haj Committee secretary following the
controversy over the saffron paint on Haj office boundary wall. Govt had earlier issued a notice to Singh, seeking
an explanation on who ordered its office boundary wall to be painted saffron
and why it was subsequently repainted."RP Singh, who is joint director in
the minority welfare directorate, has been removed from his additional post of
secretary, UP Haj Committee, with immediate effect," an office order
issued by Principal Secretary (Minority Affairs) Monika S Garg said.Vineet
Srivastav, an assistant director in the minority welfare directorate, will take
charge as secretary, UP Haj Committee, the order added. UP's minister of state
for Muslim Waqf and Haj, Mohsin Raza had earlier directed his department's
principal secretary to get a clarification from Singh on the circumstances of
the painting and repainting of the wall, which he said were not clear.Raza said
the media has raised a number of queries about the incident. A 7-point notice
was issued to UP Haj Committee's secretary.The notice sought clarifications on
the rules under which the maintenance and painting work of Haj Committee office
was done. It also sought to know on whose orders the boundary wall was painted
for the first time."When a saffron coat was already given, then under
which circumstances there was a need to change the colour, and on whose orders
was the colour changed?" the notice said."Who is responsible for the
second coat of paint, and who will bear the cost for the second coat of paint,"
it asked.outlookindia
UP govt
notice to Haj Committee: Why was saffron wall repainted?
‘Increase’ in Haj quota , Naqvi makes ‘false
claims’ after returning from Umrah
New Delhi: Union Minister for Minority Affairs
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday claimed that India’s Haj quota “increased for
the consecutive” second year because of “growing popularity” of the PM Narendra
Modi and for “the first time” after the Independence, a record number of 1 lakh
75 thousand will go for Haj 2018. However, contradicting the Minister’s claim,
a former Central Haj Committee chairman underlined the fact that the Saudi Govt
has only “restored the old quota of all countries” including India.Naqvi, who
returned from Saudi Arabia after signing the new Haj agreement with the Saudi
Haj and Auqaf Affairs Ministry, has tried to give a political spin to the Haj
issue by claiming restoration of old Haj quota as “Increased quota”.Contradicting
the minister’s claim, a former Haj Committee of India chairman said on
condition of anonymity that it is unfortunate that “the minister has also not
been sparing the religious issue like Haj for his petty politics.” Last year
also, the minister had made such “hyperbole claim” to mislead the people while
the reality was that the Saudi Arabia Govt had restored the Haj quota of all
other countries, including that of Pakistan and it had nothing to do the PM
Modi’s so-called popularity in the Arab world, he said.Echoing this,
Jeddah-based senior Indian journalist Siraj Wahab also told Muslim Mirror that Haj
quota of all countries across the world had been slashed by 20 % for the last
four years because of the Haram expansion work. When the Makkah Holy Mosque
expansion work was completed the respective quota had been restored to what it
was four years ago by Saudi Govt last year.The former chairman also pointed out
that during first two years of the present Govt the Haj quota was remained the same which was
about 1, 36,020 because of expansion activities in Makkah.siasat/ Muslim mirror
High drama in parliamentary panel meet over Air
India disinvestment
New Delhi: Most members of a parliamentary
panel sought the withdrawal of a draft report opposing the disinvestment of Air
India at a stormy meeting on Monday, prompting some opposition leaders to walk
out in protest.Sources who were present in the meeting told PTI that the
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture decided to
withdraw the contentious draft report.The panel’s chairman and Trinamool
Congress leader Derek O’Brien was not present at the meeting and it was chaired
by Bharatiya Janata Party member Rakesh Singh. It could not be independently
confirmed whether the panel, in the absence of its chairman, could decide to
withdraw a report.Without going into details, O’Brien said, “Parliament and
parliamentary institutions are being destroyed by this Govt. They (BJP) need counselling”.
When asked about the developments at the meeting, he said proceedings related
to parliamentary panel cannot be discussed with the media.In its draft report,
the committee had said it was not an appropriate time to divest stake in Air
India and that the airline should be given at least five years to revive.Out of
the 31-member panel, 16 had given in writing their opposition to adopting the
draft report. The majority of these members, who are in favour of selling the Govt
’s stake in the national carrier, are from the ruling BJP.Strongly objecting to
withdrawal of the report, three opposition members – Kumari Shelja (Congress),
Arpita Ghosh(TMC) and Ritabrata Banerjee, who was removed from Communist Party
of India (Marxist) – walked out of the meeting, sources said.All the three
members said the officiating chairman had acted in a dictatorial manner and
asserted that only the full-time chairman had the power to withdraw a report,
sources said.PTI
Judge Loya death case: SC asks Maharashtra
govt to give petitioners access to ‘confidential’ documents
New Delhi: The Supreme Court adjourned the
hearing on 2 petitions seeking an independent probe into the death of CBI
Special Judge Brijmohan Loya in 2014. The court has not fixed any specific date
for the next hearing in the case.The petitions were filed in the top court last
Thursday and allocated to Justices Arun Mishra and Mohan M Shantanagoudar next
day who sought the Maharashtra Govt’s response on the pleas by Jan.15. The
hearing was deferred to Tuesday as Justice Shantanagoudar was not available.In
today’s hearing, in response to senior advocate Harish Salve, who appeared for
Maharashtra, placing documents relating to Loya’s death in a sealed envelope
before the court, 2-judge bench directed him to supply documents to petitioners.
Justice Mishra observed it was “a matter where they should see everything”.The
petitioners in the case are Maharashtra-based journalist BR Lone and Congress
leader Tehseen Poonawalla. Lone sought a fair probe into the alleged mysterious
death of Loya. Poonawalla, in his plea, called the death of the judge
“questionable, mysterious and contradicting”. indian express
Judge Loya case: SC adjourns hearing, stresses
on transparency; tells Maharashtra govt to give medical docs to petitioners
Loya’s Death Was Premeditated Murder: Late
Judge’s Friend Uday Gaware
New Delhi: Justice BH Loya’s friend from law
college, Uday Gaware, while speaking at a public meeting organised by the All
India People’s Forum, an association of different civil society and political
groups, stunned everyone when he said that the judge’s death was “premeditated
murder”.The meeting, held at at New Delhi’s Indian Social Institute, was called
“Suspicious Death of Judge: Implications for Democracy”. It was addressed by
Caravan Magazine’s Niranjan Takle, the journalist who broke the story, the
magazine’s political editor Hartosh Singh Bal, former judge of the Bombay high
court BG Kolse Patil, senior advocate Indira Jaising and Gaware, who is a
member of Latur bar association.Speaking in front of a packed house, the
speakers demanded a probe and raised concerns over whether the executive was
trying to influence the judiciary in any way.The Wire
Demand for Fair Probe in Death of Justice Loya
New Delhi: A public meeting organized by AIPF,
which is a CPI-ML unit, at ISI (Indian Social Institute) saw stakeholders
coming together to demand a fair probe in the death of Justice B.H. Loya.
Speaker after speaker stressed on judicial crisis and the atmosphere of fear in
country.Taking a potshot at TV channels like Republic and Times Now in a not-so-hidden-barb,
Kavita Krishnan,CPI-ML, made it clear in her introductory remark that she “…doesn’t
believe in sensationalism unlike the TV channels which stoke fire.” Linking the
death of Justice Loya with the press conference of four senior SC Judges, she
stressed on the need to restore faith in democratic institutions. What
supposedly was a public meeting turned out to be a press conference with the
audience largely of reporters and camera crews. It, however, was the panel of
speakers that made the event significant, more so in light of the recent press
conference of 21-year-old Anuj Loya, son of deceased Judge Loya where he stated
that his father had died a natural death. Journalist Niranjan Takle, lawyer
Indira Jaising, Advocate Uday Gaware (close friend of Judge Loya), Justice
(Retd.) B.G. Kolse Patil (social activist) and Hartosh Bal (Political Editor at
The Caravan) were the panelists at this meeting.Takle addressed the accusation
against him, “kuch log kehne lage ki Niranjan dar gaya kyuki mera phone band
tha. Darta toh story hi nhi karta” (Some people said that Niranjan was afraid
as his phone was switched off. Would not have done the story in the first place
if I felt scared). Sharing the backdrop of the story that he broke, Takle
recounted the first meeting with Loya’s niece Nupur in Pune who came with a
common friend to the hotel where he was staying. Niranjan Takle asked her to
convince her mother for a video interview, which would enhance the story.thecitizen
Fresh demand for probe into Justice Loya's
death
"Sad and deplorable" BJP attacks
judiciary through RSS functionaries
New Delhi: Taking exception to an RSS leader's
criticism of Supreme Court judges' move against CJI, Congress on accused BJP of
attacking judiciary through "RSS functionaries" and told it not to
"muddle and polarise" the issue. "Sad and deplorable! BJP
attacks judiciary through RSS functionaries. All the 'Nation' wants is the
issues raised by the senior-most judges to be resolved, but for which
'democracy' is in peril. BJP Govt should help resolution than muddle and
polarise," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a tweet. J.
Nandakumar, Akhil Bharatiya Sah Boudhik Pramukh of the RSS, was reported to
have accused the four judges of hatching a "perfect political
conspiracy" in a Facebook comment he posted on Jan.3. According to news
reports, in his post written in Malayalam, Nandakumar questioned the
"critical timing" of the judges' press conference and termed it as an
attack on the "uncompromising faith of the people in the judicial
system" and the judges' of "poisoning the waters". IANS
Top RSS Leader Finds Congress Ploy In Judges’
Open Criticism Against CJI, Seeks Action Against Them
4 judges who criticised CJI Misra not on Bench
that will hear 7 key matters
New Delhi: 3 days after 4 senior judges
questioned the conduct of CJI Dipak Misra in the allocation of cases, the Supreme
Court Monday put out a list of seven cases which will be heard by a
Constitution Bench starting Jan. 18. Not one of the four judges — Justices J
Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph — figure in this
Bench.The Constitution Bench, formed earlier to hear the matter of the
challenge to Aadhaar, comprises CJI Misra and Justices A K Sikri, A M
Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan.It will now take up for hearing
the challenge to criminalisation of homosexuality (Section 377 case);
restrictions on entry of women into the Sabarimala temple; the question raised
by a Parsi woman that bars her entry into a fire temple because she had married
outside her religion; a petition challenging the adultery provision in the
Indian Penal Code which says a woman cannot be punished for adultery, and only
the man can be punished; and a petition on whether legislators facing criminal
cases should be disqualified at the stage of charges being framed against them.
6th petition before Bench concerns taxation while seventh deals with
consumer law. indianexpress
CJI Forms Constitution Bench to Hear 8 Crucial
Cases, Keeps Revolting Judges Out
CJI extends olive branch to 'rebel' judges but
it may not be enough to contain trust deficit
Media reports indicate that CJI has reached
out to his four dissenting colleagues and held a 15-minute meeting on Tuesday
to sort out their "differences". They will meet again. This is a
welcome step.It will be interesting to note the outcome of the meetings, given
the seriousness of the charge that the 'rebel' judges had brought against the
CJI. It is difficult to see how an "amicable solution" may still
emerge. If the judges fall in line, their dissent will be deemed pointless and
an exercise in vanity that did little else other than robbing the Supreme Court
of its veneer of respectability. If they don't, we are in for a protracted
crisis.However, we must not get ahead of the story. For now, "heart-to-heart"
chat is slated to resume on Wednesday. At this stage, it is still unclear
whether the four rebel judges have achieved their purpose in approaching the
media. What is already clear though is that public perception about the
Judiciary and the land's highest court has taken a severe beating. firstpost
Prashant Bhushan asks an internal inquiry in
SC against CJI over medical scam allegations
New Delhi:Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan has
asked the Supreme Court to institute an in-house judicial inquiry against CJI Dipak
Misra against allegations of misconduct against the latter.In a letter
addressed to the 4 of SC’s most senior judges days after they called a press
conference accusing the CJI of arbitrarily allocating work to colleagues,
Bhushan, convenor of Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms' (CJAR),
said CJI Misra should have resigned over the allegations. Among the allegations
Bhushan’s NGO wants investigated against Misra is his handling of a
controversial medical college scam in which CJI Misra himself is an “interested
party”. Other cases include a controversial land allotment made to the CJI when
he was a practising lawyer in Odisha. The allotment was later rescinded,
allegedly over fraudulent information he had provided in his affidavit. Bhushan
claimed that there was enough prima facie evidence in the medical college scam
case to establish that bribes were paid by the management to influence the
case, although he made it clear that there was no clear evidence against CJI
Misra. “The court did a number of flip-flops. First, it allowed the case to be
withdrawn from it and allowed the Allahabad High Court to take it up. It later
reversed the high court judgement and allowed a fresh plea,” Bhushan said at
the press conference.He said the Central Bureau of Investigation had approached
the CJI to allow a case to be registered against the high court judge who
allegedly took a bribe of Rs 1 crore to give a judgement in favour of the
college management. “When the Supreme Court set aside the high court order, he
(the judge) was to return the bribe money,” he said. The CBI then intercepted
the conversations, and asked the CJI for permission to catch the judge
red-handed, but was turned down.He said that the case in the Supreme Court was
later transferred from a Bench of senior senior judges already hearing the
case, including Justice Chelameswar, to three-member Bench of junior judges.He
however said that CBI should not investigate the allegations because it could
compromise independence of the judiciary. The Govt could use the evidence to blackmail the court,
he said, instead calling for an internal inquiry into the allegations.He also
said that the complaint had not been sent to the CJI because it would amount to
conflict of interest.Tribune News
No Solution Found Yet To Problems Facing Top
Court: Justice Chelameswar
“There is nothing to be settled because it is
not a dispute,” Senior Supreme Court Judge Justice J Chemaswar told
BloombergQuint in an exclusive interview, referring to the rift in India’s top
court that prompted four senior judges to call an unprecedented press
conference on Jan. 12Earlier in the day, CJI Dipak Misra met the four judges
who had publicly questioned him for what they called selectively assigning
matters of national importance to judges.“It is a problem and the solution
needs to be found. And nothing has been found so far,” Justice Chemaswar
said.bloombergquint
Veiled attack on Modi? Togadia claims being
targeted by Central, Rajasthan, Gujarat agencies
Vishwa Hindu Parishad working President Pravin
Togadia, who allegedly went missing, has made startling claims in a press
conference he addressed in Ahmedabad this morning. Stunning all, Togadia said
there was a conspiracy hatched against him by police. He even claimed of
receiving a tip-off about the encounter. Togadia, without naming Narendra Modi
or any other BJP leader, alleged Central, Rajasthan and Gujarat Govt agencies are working against him. Both Gujarat
and Rajasthan have BJP Govt s. He also appealed the police to not to work under
political pressure. He termed last night events as a conspiracy to muzzle his
voice. Here are some of the claims made by Togadia in today’s press
conference:– Received Tip-off about the arrest from Rajasthan and Gujarat
police: “I left office when I came to know that Rajasthan police had come to
arrest me. I left office thinking my arrest would lead to chaos. I switched off
my phone and went to Thaltej to an activists’ office.” He further alleged that
conspiracy is being hatched against him to muzzle his voice. He also expressed
fear from Enforcement Directorate.– “While I was offering Pooja yesterday morning,
one person entered my office and said that I will be killed in police
encounter,” Togadia said.– Togadia broke down: He became emotional and broke
down while narrating the purported ordeal he went through. Asked about how did
he went missing, Togadia said he was on his way to the airport when he fell
unconscious near Kotarpur. “I contacted all my advocates in Gujarat and
Rajasthan. They advised me to surrender before court. So I left for the airport
to reach Jaipur. On the way, I fell near Kotarpur. I don’t remember anything
else. I was alone covering myself with a shawl to dodge police,” he was quoted
as saying.– Togadia further requested police to not work under political
pressure as he has done nothing wrong. “I am not escaping. I have no complaints
with Gujarat or Rajasthan police. All I have to say to Gujarat police that why
were you going to search my room. Am I a criminal. Have not done anything
wrong. I request Crime Branch not to get under political pressure,” he said.–
Attempt to suppress the voice: “I am being targeted for a decade old case,
there is an attempt to suppress my voice. Rajasthan Police team came to arrest
me. Someone told me plan was being made to kill me in an encounter,” he said.financialexpress
Plan Being Hatched To Kill Me In Encounter:
Togadia Day After He Went 'Missing' And Found
Families leave Naroda Gam for safer places
Ahmedabad: Even as VHP's president, Togadia
was traced to Chandramani Hospital in Shahibuagh on Monday, rumours spreading
throughout the day reminded the victims of Naroda Gam of the large scale
violence in 2002 post Godhra riots.Fear gripped the entire area with about 50
families, who had suffered in the 2002 post Godhra violence, leaving their
houses to take shelter at different places in Gandhinagar, Ramol with their
relatives. Sharif Malek, a witness to the 2002 riots, said that residents of locality
had approached Naroda police station to seek security, but they were informed
that the security cover could be provided only after 11 pm."They panicked
and did not want to wait for the protection to come so late in the evening and
shifted to other areas," Malek said.It was not just the riot victims who
had felt shaken after VHP supporters stopped vehicles at different places in
the city but the rumours which started after that gripped the entire
city."We got calls from different places asking us whether there were
riots in the city. Though they were just rumours we have deployed sufficient
security in sensitive areas," said a police official.TOI
Not Hindutva but Hindustan is certainly in
danger: Hardik
Ahmedabad: Patidar leader- Hardik Patel met
VHP president Pravin Togadia- who had mysteriously gone disappeared for around
12 hours on Monday. After meeting Togadia, Hardik stated that not Hindutva but
Hindustan (India) is in danger. "I do not believe that Hindtuva is in
danger but I firmly believe that chief of the Hindu organisation is in danger.
I must say that farmers are in danger and unemployed youths are in danger. Thus
entire Hindustan (India) is in danger. People know who conspired this plan of
making Togadia disappeared," said Hardik before reporters on being asked
if he thinks that 'Hindutva' is in danger. timesofindia
Adivasi our core identity, says Bhagwat at
event boycotted by most tribal leaders
Raipur:With All leaders of Chhattisgarh tribal
organisation Sarva Adivasi Samaj — barring its vice-president — boycotting the
event, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday addressed a rally in Raipur and said
that tribals are the core of identity for Indians.“When we say adivasi, then
that is our core identity. We are their children,” Bhagwat said during his
50-minute address before a gathering of RSS workers.While Sarva Adivasi Samaj
vice-president Mohan Tekam was the chief guest, other leaders had on Sunday announced
their decision to boycott the event. They accused the RSS of attempting to fuse
together Hindu and adivasi identities.indianexpress
Presence of NSA at BJP meet a violation of
norms: CPI(M)
New Delhi:CPI(M) has asked the Govt to clarify why NSA Ajit Doval was present at
BJP’s meeting on upcoming assembly polls in three northeastern states, alleging
that it was a violation of norms.A party statement said it was reported by
sections of media that the meeting was held on Sunday at Home Minister Rajnath
Singh’s residence attended by the BJP and the RSS leaders to discuss about the
elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.It said the media had reported
that national security adviser also attended the meeting. “If correct, this is
a shocking violation of norms and serious misconduct”, it claimed. Left party
asked the home minister to clarify the Govt’s stand on the issue.“How can a
senior Govt functionary like NSA be
present in a meeting to discuss the BJP’s election campaign? Union Home
Minister must immediately clarify” the statement said.PTI
US trying to convince us that India is not a
threat: Pak minister
Islamabad:US has been trying to convince
Pakistan that India was not a threat to it and Islamabad should change its
strategic stance towards New Delhi, defence minister Khurram Dastagir Khan has
said.He also said that it is time for a courteous yet "ruthlessly candid
dialogue" with the US "with everything on the table" to remove
all misunderstandings between Islamabad and Washington.Reading out a policy
statement on the Govt 's foreign policy contours and the security situation in
Pakistan in the National Assembly yesterday, he regretted that the US played down
India's aggressive posturing along the LoC and Working Boundary, Dawn reported.He
said the perception of India was one of the foundational divergences between
Pakistan and the US. "It's time for a courteous yet ruthlessly candid
dialogue between Pakistan and the US with everything on the table," the
defence minister said.Khan said that Washington had been trying to convince
Pakistan that India was not a threat and, therefore, Islamabad should change
its strategic stance."But the truism remains true. Both India's capacity
and intents are today hostile towards Pakistan," he alleged.Pakistan
accuses India of using Afghan soil for carrying out hostile activities against
it,a charge India has dismissed.PTI
India using Afghan to carry out hostile
activities: Pakistan
JNU deploys guards to thwart student union’s
boycott
New Delhi,: JNU administration deployed guards
outside several schools on Monday to thwart the student union’s call for
boycotting lectures to oppose the mandatory attendance decision imposed
recently.The administration wrote to the campus security agency to deploy
“enough number of security guards” to not let the striking students detain
others from attending classes.“JNUSU (JNU Students’ Union) has given a strike
call on Jan. 15. In past, during such events they have forcefully stopped the
entry and exit of students and faculties to their respective classrooms and
school building.“Hence, you are instructed to deploy enough number of security
guards (both male and female) so that entry of any of students and faculty may
not be forcefully stopped by the strikers. You are further instructed to deploy
some guards in civil dress and instruct them to videograph if any unruly
situation arises,” the Registrar’s letter read.IANS
Keralite who tried to ‘sell’ wife to IS denies
charges
Jeddah: Muhammed Riyaz, accused of seducing a
25-year-old Hindu woman, converting her to Islam to marry her and then trying
to smuggle her to Syria as an IS sex slave, denied the allegations against him
at a press conference in Jeddah on Sunday night.NIA has evinced interest in
this case -- it has similarities to the 'love jihad' Hadiya case currently being
heard by the Supreme Court - and has informed the Kerala high court that it
will probe the case if the court permits.Riyaz, 26, and his father Abdul
Rasheed, natives of Parimadam near Tellicherry in Kannur district, said the
charges of forced conversion and the attempt to send his wife to Syria are
baseless and are ready to face any investigation in the case.timesofindia
J&K police team visits AMU
Meerut: A 4-member team of the J&K police began a probe into the activities of
AMU research scholar, Mannan Basheer Wani, who is said to have joined a terror
outfit. Wani hails from Lolab in Kupwara.The team from Kupwara district, headed
by SI Zahoor Wani, visited AMU campus with a questionnaire.The team also
visited the hostel room where Wani stayed.the hindu
Army Chief Remarks on Madrassas, Mosques Rock
J&K Assembly
Jammu:Protests erupted in J&K Assembly over Army chief’s remarks as the
opposition NC created ruckus and walked out of the House demanding statement
from the Govt over the issue. Army Chief
Gen Bipin Rawat had on Friday said social media and Govt schools in the state were spreading a
“disinformation campaign” resulting in radicalisation of youths.In his
statement, he had also called for “some control” over mosques and madrassas in
the state and suggested a “major revamp” of the education system.As the house
assembled for the day, members of NC stood up and raised the issue of remarks
of Gen Rawat and sought statement from the CM Mehbooba Mufti or any other minister.Notably,
the Education Minister of J&K , Altaf Bukhari had then accused the Army of
“meddling in the state’s affairs”.PTI
Increase in abduction cases in J&K in 2017: Govt
Jammu:J&K witnessed increase in cases of kidnapping of
women and girls as compared to 2016, the state Govt said on Tuesday.As many as 877 cases of
abduction of girls and women have been registered last year, in comparison to
775 cases in 2016, J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti said in a written reply to question
of PDP’s Anjum Fazili in Assembly.She added that 534 people were arrested in
abduction cases last year, while the number of arrests in 2016 were 479.PTI
Dalit Man Beaten Up In Muzaffarnagar,
Attackers Shoot, Circulate Video
Muzaffarnagar:
A video of a Dalit man being brutally beaten by a group of people is doing
the rounds in Muzaffarnagar district in UP that was seared by clashes between Hindus and
Muslims four year ago.The man, Vipin Kumar, is in hospital after the attack,
which took place on Saturday. The police say they have filed a case and are
looking for the culprits - a job that won't be easy since the video does not
show their faces. Kumar was returning
from his shop on his motorcycle, when he was ambushed by the group. In the
video, the men can be seen repeatedly hitting Kumar with sticks and abusing
him. Towards the end, they forced him to chant the names of gods and
goddesses.The attack, the police suspect, is retaliation to a recent episode of
vandalism in which a group of young Dalit men had visited the homes of people
in their community and tore off the pictures of Gods and Goddess from walls and
removed all idols. In their place, they had left photographs of Dalit icon
Bhimrao Ambedkar.Vipin, who reports suggest, belongs to the Dalit organisation
Bhim Army, was one of the group. He and a few others were arrested after
members of some local right-wing groups, filed a complaint with the police. He
had been released on bail a few days ago.ndtv
Israeli PM visits iconic Taj Mahal, to
inaugurate Raisina Dialogue later
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu along with his wife Sara
today visited 17th century Mughal monument Taj Mahal. Netanyahu was received by
UP CM Yogi Adityanath at the Kheria Airport.
He was accorded a traditional welcome by Braj folk artists on his
arrival at the airport, the CM ’s office said on Twitter. The Israeli PM is scheduled to inaugurate the third edition
of the geo-political conference, ‘Raisina Dialogue’, in Delhi later today.The
inaugural ceremony of the third edition of the geo- political conference,
‘Raisina Dialogue’ will also be attended by PM Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister
Sushma Swaraj. 3-day event has an impressive line-up of more than 150 speakers
and over 550 delegates. Army chief
General Bipin Rawat and Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will also address a
session, along with Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, US Pacific Command,
General Chris Deverell, Joint Forces Commander, UK, among others, the statement
said. “Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, former PM of Canada Stephen Harder and former PM of Sweden Carl Bildt are among more than 150
speakers and over 550 delegates from around 90 countries who are participating
in the dialogue,” it said.india tv news
Cops deny permission for anti-Netanyahu
protest in Mumbai
Mumbai: 2 days before Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled visit to
Mumbai, city police denied some Muslim groups permission to hold a protest meet
against him at Azad Maidan on Monday. India Palestine Solidarity Forum, a group
supported by left parties, though, insisted that it would go ahead and hold a
protest meet on Thursday."We wanted to hold a peaceful protest meeting at
Azad Maidan but as the police didn't allow it, we protested near Minara
Masjid," said Asif Sardar of Rehmani Group.Saeed Noorie of Raza Academy,
which joined the protest, said Muslims and all other "peace-loving"
Indians were against his visit to India because of Israel's "continued
occupation of Palestine's territory and persecution of Palestinian
people".TOI
Mumbai Police deny permission to groups for
protesting against Israel PM
Malegaon blast : Special NIA court likely to
frame charges against Sadhvi Pragya, Purohit on 7 Feb
Mumbai: A special NIA court is likely to frame
charges against Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit
and six other accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case on 7 Feb.The matter was
listed on Monday. As the judge was unavailable, the case was adjourned to 7
Feb.PTI
Rajasthan Hate Crime: Afrazul's Murder on
Babri Demolition Day Isn't Coincidence, Says Family
Kolkata: A month after Afrazul Khan, a migrant
worker from Bengal's Malda, was killed in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district his
family is alleging "a larger conspiracy" behind the murder.The
victim's relatives allege that Afrazul, who was slain with an axe and then set
on fire on 6 Dec.last year, was killed by right wing group members to observe
'Shaurya Divas' that marked the 25th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition in
Ayodhya in 1992.The video of 50-year-old Afrazul's horrific murder, where the
victim could be heard screaming for mercy, was recorded and posted on a social
network website by a civil contractor Shambhulal Regar. Police later arrested
the accused and filed a chargesheet.Speaking to News18 from Sayedpur village in
Malda, Afrazul's cousin, Nur Islam, said: "The accused Shambhulal Regar's
allegation that he killed Afrazul for ‘love jihad’ is false and fabricated. He
made the ‘love jihad’ excuse to gain the sympathy of right wing
groups.""After Afrazul was killed, we conducted our own inquiry
through other migrant labourers from Malda who were in Rajsamand and came to
know that it was an attempt to bring notice to Babri Masjid demolition on 6
Dec.. Regar’s mother is also a daily wage labourer and it is possible that
someone approached him with money for the job. There are reports that a day
after the killing there was a transaction in Regar’s bank account; the amount
was a few lakh of rupees. We want to know who had deposited the amount in his
account and why?" asked Nur Islam.Asked about the girl from Regar's
locality in Rajsamand who fled and married a Malda youth, Nur Islam said,
"That is a separate case and has no relation with Afrazul. Regar is
sensing that he could be behind jail for life for his crime and is trying to
misguide the police with this 'love jihad' angle and is accusing Afrazul of
helping the girl to flee home. This is completely false and I was told that
even the Rajasthan police mentioned this in their charge-sheet."News18
WORLD
Rohingya refugees to return 'within two years'
UN has raised concern over the return of
hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, who fled a military crackdown in
Myanmar's Rakhine State, within the next two years as agreed upon by Bangladesh
and Myanmar.As part of a repatriation deal signed by the two Asian neighbours
in November last year, Bangladesh and Myanmar officials at a joint meeting in
Naypyidaw on Tuesday agreed on plans to facilitate the return of those
displaced since August."Much work remains to be done in the context of the
Rohingya refugee situation to ensure that any potential returns are voluntary,
that they occur in conditions of safety and dignity, and that they are
sustainable," said Caroline Gluck, senior public information officer for
UNHCR, UN's refugee agency."The protection of the Rohingya refugees must
be guaranteed both in Bangladesh and upon their return to Myanmar," she
told Al Jazeera in an emailed response.Earlier, Bangladesh's foreign ministry
said in a statement that "the repatriation would be completed preferably within
two years from its commencement".Under the arrangement, Bangladesh would
establish five transit camps from where returnees would be received initially
in two reception centres on the Myanmar side, the statement revealed.Some 1,550
refugees will be sent back each week, which will add up to approximately
156,000 over a period of 2 years."Myanmar has reiterated its commitment to
stop the outflow of Myanmar residents to Bangladesh," Bangladesh foreign
ministry said. The deal does not specify when repatriation will be commenced,
but agrees to provide temporary shelter to the returning Rohingya and building
houses for them later.More than 650,000 Rohingya have fled to neighbouring
Bangladesh since August 25, when Myanmar's army launched a bloody crackdown in
response to attacks on border posts by the armed group, Arakan Rohingya
Salvation Army.Refugees who crossed the border reported mass killings, gang
rapes and arson, prompting the UN and rights groups to accuse Myanmar's army of
possible crimes against humanity.The mainly Muslim minority, who live primarily
in Rakhine State, is not recognised as an ethnic group in Myanmar, despite
having lived there for generations. They have been denied citizenship and are
rendered stateless.Many refugees living in camps in Bangladesh have also raised
fears about returning to Myanmar.aljazeera
Bangla, Myanmar aim to finish Rohingya return
in 2 yrs
Israel plans for railway connecting it with
Saudi
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180116-israel-plans-for-railway-connecting-it-with-saudi-arabia/
Israeli Govt has begun preparing plans to
build a railway linking Israel with Saudi Arabia to transfer goods and people,
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.Reporting the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth,
the London-based website said that the $4.5 million cost of the plans for this
project was included in the 2019 budget, which was approved three days
earlier.The initial plan for the project is to build a railway station in the
city of Bisan with a railway network which travels through Jordan to Iraq and
Saudi Arabia.Currently, Yedioth Ahronoth said, Israel is transporting goods
arriving in Haifa Port and heading to Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States
through Jordan, noting that the war in Syria led these countries to use Israeli
ports instead of those in Syria. middleeastmonitor
Palestinian leaders reconsider recognition of
Israel
Palestine Liberation Organisation's (PLO)
Central Council, the 2nd-highest Palestinian decision-making body,
has recommended revoking recognition of Israel until the latter recognises the
State of Palestine in its 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
During a meeting in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah late on Monday, the
PLO, which is an umbrella of major Palestinian political parties, said it
"assigned" its Executive Committee "to suspend recognition of
Israel until it recognizes the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders and
revokes the decision to annex East Jerusalem and expand and build settlements,"
according to Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency. In a final statement
read after the meeting, the PLO also said that the Oslo Accords, signed with
Israel in the early 1990s, "no longer stand". It added that it would
renew its decision to "stop security coordination [with Israel] in all its
forms" and called on all Arab states "to sever all ties with any
state that recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and transfers its
embassy to it". But several Palestinian political parties expressed their
reservations on the final statement, saying the language was vague. aljazeera
Palestinians vote to suspend recognition of
Israel, stop security coordination
PA warns of Israel plan to Judaise Ibrahimi
Mosque
Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Endowment
and Religious Affairs warned of an Israeli plan to Judaise the Ibrahimi Mosque
in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, Quds Press reported. The ministry
said that a group of Jewish Israeli settlers had published a short film showing
the mosque flooded with rainwater, stressing that this has never happened.The
statement noted that this film also included calls to build a roof to protect
it in summer and winter, adding that “this is false information”.According to
the ministry, only way to protect the mosque is to allow maintenance work to be
carried out to parts that have been damaged by the settlers themselves.MEMO
Israel prevents Hamas members, relatives from
travelling for treatment
Israel decided to prevent Hamas members and
their relatives from leaving the besieged Gaza Strip for treatment, Safa News
Agency reported.The decision came in response to the Israeli High Court’s
petition submitted by family of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin who was captured
as a prisoner of war during Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza in 2014.Principally,
Israel prevents Hamas members from entering Israel for any reasons. It has
allowed only few cases of their relatives who were in critical
conditions.According to t Ynet News, Israeli Coordinator of Govt Activities in the Occupied Territories has
been tasked with implementing the new ban based on information provided by Israeli
security services. middleeastmonitor
Israel banning reconstruction work at Al-Aqsa:
Official
Jerusalem:Israeli authorities have warned officials at
Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque against undertaking any restoration work inside the
flashpoint mosque compound, a Palestinian official said Tuesday. “Israeli police forced their way into the office of
the Al-Aqsa reconstruction committee and warned engineers against carrying out
any mosaic work or restoring the Dome of the Rock’s wooden ceiling,” Firas
al-Dib, a spokesman for Jerusalem’s Jordan-run Religious Endowments (Awqaf)
Authority, told Anadolu Agency.“Police have also prohibited any reconstitution
work in the Al-Qibli and Marwani mosques [both of which are located in the
Al-Aqsa compound],” he said.“They even threatened the reconstruction director
with detention if any additional work was carried out,” al-Dib added.For
Muslims, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is considered the world's third holiest
site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the “Temple Mount",
claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.Anadolu Agency
Rights groups to UK: Cancel Mohammed bin
Salman's visit
UK PM Theresa May should withdraw an
invitation extended to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit
the UK, a coalition of human rights group has said.The coalition, including the
Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) and Arab Organisation for Human Rights in
the UK (AOHR UK), sent a letter on Monday to the British leader saying the
visit was not in the UK's interest, nor in the interest of "the peoples
suffering from the Crown Prince's adventurism"."The Saudi regime …
has one of the worst human rights records in the world. Torture, arbitrary
detention, and other appalling abuses are widely documented," the letter
said."It shames us as a nation to support and associate with a brutal
dictator who uses hunger as a weapon, and has allowed the largest cholera
epidemic in history to develop in Yemen," it added.aljazeera
Pakistan Clerics Issue Fatwa Against Suicide Bombings:Reuters
ISLAMABAD: Over 1,800 Pakistani Muslim clerics
have issued an Islamic directive, or fatwa, forbidding suicide bombings, in a
book unveiled by the Govt on
Tuesday.Seeking to curb "terrorism" that has resulted in tens of
thousands of casualties since the early 2000s, the clerics declared suicide
bombings to be forbidden, or "haraam"."This fatwa provides a
strong base for the stability of a moderate Islamic society," Pakistan
President Mamnoon Hussain wrote in the book, prepared by the state-run
International Islamic University and released at an official ceremony."We
can seek guidance from this fatwa for building a national narrative in order to
curb extremism, in keeping with the golden principles of Islam."The fatwa
was ratified by a number of prominent clerics who are outspoken critics of
liberalism and the West, and are seen as controversial for preaching
sectarianism or supporting the Afghan Taliban.One of the clerics who signed,
Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, is the face of a banned sectarian organisation, Ahle
Sunnat Wal Jamat (ASWJ), and has been placed on a Pakistani legislative list of
individuals with suspected links to "terrorism".ASWJ figurehead,
Aurangzeb Farooqi, attended the signing ceremony.Another signatory,
Hamid-ul-Haq, is the son of a cleric widely regarded as the "Father of the
Afghan Taliban" after many prominent militants, including Taliban founder
Mullah Mohammed Omar, were found to have graduated from his seminary in the
northwestern city of Peshawar.Pakistani officials deny frequent U.S.
allegations about collaborating with militant ISIS proxies in Afghanistan and
India, and say vast gains have been made over the past decade against militant
outfits such as the Pakistani Taliban.
Pakistan releases pro-Taliban leader Sufi
Muhammad
Pakistani authorities have released on bail
prominent militia commander and scholar, Sufi Muhammad, known as the father of
the Taliban in the Swat Valley, on health grounds, his lawyer says. Muhammad,
93, was imprisoned in the northwestern city of Peshawar in 2009 and charged
with sedition and waging war against Pakistan, after he led demands for the
imposition of a strict, conservative interpretation of Islamic law in the
country's northern Swat Valley.He is the father-in-law of current Pakistan
Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah.aljazeera
Turkey bolsters Syria border as US force plan
slammed
Turkey has sent military reinforcements along
its border with Syria, according to state media, as Ankara, Damascus and Moscow
all attacked a US plan to form a new border security force in the war-torn
country's northeast.Citing military sources, Anadolu Agency reported on Monday
that two dozen armoured vehicles had entered Reyhanli district of southeastern
Hatay province.A separate 20-vehicle army convoy, which included tanks, had
also arrived in Viransehir district of southeastern Sanliurfa province.The
forces were sent to assist the military units already deployed along the Syrian
border, said Anadolu.aljazeera
Iran slams US plan for ‘border security force’
in Syria
ISTANBUL:Iran on Tuesday criticized U.S. plans
to draw up a “border security force” inside Syria, describing the move as
“interference in another country’s domestic affairs”.On Sunday, U.S.-led
coalition spokesman Ryan Dillon announced plans to establish a 30,000-strong
border security force in Syria in tandem with the SDF -- a U.S.-backed group
drawn up largely of PKK/PYD terrorist elements.The PKK/PYD is the Syrian
offshoot of the PKK terrorist group, which has been designated a terrorist
organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.Since the mid-1980s, the PKK has
waged a wide-ranging terror campaign against the Turkish state, in which an
estimated 40,000 people have been killed."U.S. plans to establish a
‘border security force’ in Syria constitute flagrant interference in another
country’s affairs,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Kasimi said in a
Tuesday statement.Anadolu Agency
Russian warplanes hitting Idlib: Syria's White
Helmets
IDLIB:7 civilians have been killed by Russian
airstrikes in the Khan Shaykhun district of Syria's Idlib province, which is
part of a de-escalation zone in which fighting is banned, a local civil-defense
official told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.According to the official, three
districts within the Idlib de-escalation zone -- Khan Shaykhun, Saraqib and
Kafr Nabl -- were targeted by Russian warplanes.All targeted areas are held by
Syria’s armed opposition and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an armed anti-regime
group. Anadolu Agency
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
An Indian Haj subsidy that did not exist!Thank
you PM Modi for ending Haj subsidy that
never existed:Bobby Naqvi, gulfnews Editor
49% FDI in aviation: The political
privatisation of Air India is underway:The Wire
Death of a Judge: What We Know, What We Don’t
Know:The Wire
Beyond the Modi-Netanyahu Bonhomie, India and
Israel Struggle to Add Heft to Ties:DEVIRUPA MITRA
Rajsamand chargesheet: ‘Love jihad’ cover for
Shambulal Regar ties with ‘Hindu sister’
TOI Fake News: “Roommate of AMU PhD student
who joined Hizbul also missing”: Alt News
Privacy, Sequestered Courts and the Place of
Dissent: Kalpana Kannabiran
How Selective ‘Activism’ Brought Goa’s Beef
Traders to Their Knees:Devika Sequiera
Not Triple Talaq These 5 laws should be
implement first more prior than triple talaq:IANS
Fact check: Are illegal Bangladeshi migrants
responsible for increase in Assam's Muslim population?Ajaz Ashraf
Citizenship Issues Create Fissures and
Tensions in N-E States:Ranju Dodum
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:19 PM)
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