Evening NEWS
DIGEST
20 March 2018:01 Rajjab 1439:Vol:9, No:146
INDIA
SC passes slew of directions to safeguard govt
officials under SC/ST Act; No automatic FIR arrest; bail possible
New Delhi:Underlining that "law should
not result in caste hatred",the Supreme Court has ruled out automatic
registration of FIR and arrest in complaint under SC/ST Act. A bench of
Justices Adarsh K Goel and Uday U Lalit held there is a need to provide for
safeguards against registration of FIRs and arrests under SC/ST Act in view of
instances of misuse, as observed in the last 3 decades, and to protect the
liberty of others. "The underprivileged need to be protected against any
atrocities to give effect to the Constitutional ideals. The Atrocities Act has
been enacted with this objective. At the same time, said Act cannot be
converted into a charter for exploitation or oppression by any unscrupulous
person or by police for extraneous reasons against other citizens," maintained
the bench.The bench made it mandatory for the police to conduct a preliminary
probe, not exceeding a week, to arrive at a decision whether an FIR deserves to
be registered under the parameters of the Atrocities Act. "We are of the
view that cases under the Atrocities Act also fall in exceptional category
where preliminary inquiry must be held," said the Court. It added that
even if an FIR is lodged, the accused will not be arrested automatically.
"There is need to safeguard innocent citizens against false implication
and unnecessary arrest," said the judges, as they laid down that arrest is
not at all mandatory in cases under SC/ST Act.For a public servant, the Court
said, permission of the appointing authority will be a must to make arrest
whereas for others, written permission of the SSP or DSP will be necessary.
"Such permissions must be granted for recorded reasons which must be
served on the person to be arrested and to the concerned court," said the
bench, adding as and when a person arrested is produced before the judge, it
will be examined if further detention is required.Court also interpreted
Section 18 of the Act, and ruled there cannot be any absolute bar against
granting anticipatory bail in such cases. It held that a person is entitled to
get a pre-arrest bail if it can be prima facie shown that allegations are
false, fabricated and motivated. "It has been judicially acknowledged that
there are instances of abuse of Act by vested interests against political
opponents in Panchayat, Municipal or other polls, to settle private civil
disputes arising out of property, monetary disputes, employment disputes and
seniority disputes. It may be noticed that by way of rampant misuse complaints
are ‘largely being filed particularly against Public Servants/ quasi
judicial/judicial officers with oblique motive for satisfaction of vested
interests",bench said. news 18
SC issues directions to prevent misuse of SC/ST
Act, Govt servants can’t be arrested without prior sanction
39 missing Indians in Iraq are dead: Sushma
Swaraj to Parliament
New Delhi:All the 39 Indians abducted by the
ISIS terror outfit in Mosul in Iraq 3 years ago are dead and their bodies have
been recovered, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said today. While it
was not immediately known when the Indians were killed, their bodies were
recovered from Badosh — a village in northwest of Mosul — and their identities
established through DNA testing, she said in a statement in the Rajya Sabha.The
mortal remains, which were exhumed from a mass grave in Badosh, will be brought
back to India on a special plane and handed over to their relatives, she
said.“I had said that I will not declare anyone dead without substantive
proof... today I have come to fulfil that commitment,” she said. “I had said
that closure will be done with full proof. And when we will, with a heavy
heart, give the mortal remains to their kin, it will be a kind of closure.”A
group of 40 Indian workers, mostly from Punjab, were taken hostage by the ISIS
when it overran Iraq’s second largest city Mosul in 2014.Of the 40 Indians, one
Harjit Masih from Gurdaspur had managed to escape and had claimed to have
witnessed the massacre of the others. But the Govt rejected it.“His was a
cock-and-bull story,” Swaraj said, adding he had managed to flee the ISIS by
faking his identity as a Muslim from Bangladesh.Indians were first kept at a
textile factory in Mosul and after Masih escaped, they were moved to a prison
in Badosh.Relentless search for them led to a mass grave in Badosh, where deep
penetration radar was used to establish the presence of bodies below a mound.
The bodies, which were exhumed with help from Iraqi authorities, had
distinctive features like long hair, ‘kada’, non-Iraqi shoes and IDs. Govt was
told on Monday that DNA of 38 Indians matched with the remains of bodies found.
One body was a 70 % match, she
said.Swaraj said she has previously maintained that the abducted Indians would
not be declared dead without substantive proof.Now, there is proof, she said.Giving
details, she said when ISIS overan Mosul, most Iraqis left the city but Indian
and Bangladeshi workers stayed back.Inquiries from a caterer revealed that ISIS
caught them when they were coming back after meals. They were first taken to a
textile factory where Bangladeshi workers were separated and sent to the city
of Erbil.The caterer stated that he had received a call from one ‘Ali’ who
claimed that he is from Bangladesh and should be moved to Erbil as commanded by
ISIS, she said, adding Masih had called her up from Erbil but could not say how
he had reached there. The minister said after ISIS was overthrown, her deputy
and minister of state for external affairs VK Singh visited Iraq in search of
the missing Indians.He along with Indian envoy and an Iraqi official searched Badosh
prison, the last known location of 39 Indians.Local inquiries led to the mass
grave, from where bodies were exhumed and taken to Baghdad for DNA testing.
Baghdad- based Martyrs Foundation was requested to help establish the identity
of Indians on priority.She said Singh will travel to Iraq to bring back the
mortal remains on a special plane. The first stop on way back would be Amritsar
where 31 bodies of those from Punjab and four from Himachal Pradesh would be
handed over to the relatives. It will then travel to Patna and then to
Kolkata.PTI
Harjit Masih was lying, says Swaraj on his
story of escape from IS in Iraq
Harjit Masih, the lone Indian worker who
escaped from Islamic State captivity in Iraq in June 2014 , claimed he was shot
in the leg but managed to flee.However, the minister Sushma Swaraj dismissed
his claims during her statement in Rajya Sabha. “He was not willing to tell me
how he escaped,” she said.She said that she had concrete evidence that he was
lying.“Masih had escaped along with Bangladeshis with the help of a caterer
using a fake name Ali. Details were revealed to me by Masih’s employer and the
caterer who helped him,” she said. Masih was one of 40 Indian workers abducted
by the terror outfit. Narrating his tale in 2017, Masih had said, “Everything
was fine till May of 2014. We enjoyed our work at a factory, though some
incidents of firing by IS militants happened in the outer parts of Mosul. But,
a month later, they entered the factory and kidnapped all of us.”In 2017, Masih
said, “we were shifted to a place I could not identify. On that fateful day,
they forced us to sit on our knees, in a row, and opened fire. I received a
shot in my right leg and was covered with bodies.I fell unconscious. Next day,
when I regained consciousness, I found all my fellow workers dead.”“After a few
days of walking, I managed to reach a Bangladeshi relief camp and was rushed to
hospital.A week later, I returned to India.”Masih statement on being a witness
to his Indian co-workers being massacred was then dismissed by central govt,
which said they are treating them as ‘missing’. HT
'I told the truth, but govt mislead families:
Harjit Masih
Harjit Masih, only Indian to escape from ISIS'
captivity in Iraq, on Tuesday squarely blamed Govt of 'misleading' the families
39 persons who were killed in Mosul. Masih had earlier claimed that he was shot
in the leg but managed to flee. However, External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj dismissed his claims during her statement in Rajya Sabha. Swaraj
maintained that Masih had escaped by faking his identity, adding that she had
concrete evidence that he was lying. "I told the truth that 39 Indians
were killed. Govt has misled the 39 families who lost their relatives,"
ANI quoted Masih as saying. oneindia.com
39 Indians declared dead: Tharoor castigates Modi
govt, asks why it gave 'false hope to nation'
Sushma Swaraj confirmed that 39 Indians, who
went missing in Mosul in Iraq in the year 2014 have been killed.To this
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor castigated the govt asking why it gave ‘false
hope’.He said:“Sad news of the confirmation of the deaths of 39 Indians in
Iraq. Thoughts & prayers are w/their families. But why did Govt give false
hope to the nation for 3 and a half years that the people were still alive?
That was disappointing behaviour.Meanwhile, Captain Amarinder Singh wrote on
Twitter:“Shattered at heart-wrenching news from @SushmaSwaraj that the 39
Indians missing in Iraq, most of whom were Punjabis, are dead. My heart goes
out to the families who had been living in hope since their reported abduction
by ISIS in 2014. Prayers with all of them.dnaindia
39 Indians kidnapped in Iraq dead: Congress
slams govt for giving high hopes to families
MEA’s Abject Failure: Why Did It Take Swaraj 4
Years to Say What She Has Confirmed Now?Seema Mustafa
Modi Govt slamemd by victims’ families, say
‘They told world before us’
39 Indians who were kidnapped, held hostage in
Iraq dead: Sushma Swaraj told Parliament
May take 8-10 days to bring back bodies of 39
Indians from Iraq: V K Singh
Inconsolable families of dead 39 Indians slam
govt for keeping them in dark
While External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj
was confirming the death of 39 Indians, who were kidnapped in Iraq’s Mosul in
2014, opposition was busy hindering her speech in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday
with non-stop sloganeering. Once again both BJP and Congress were at
loggerheads but for different reasons. Congress party attacked the ruling Govt
for delaying the announcement and providing vague information on the death of
the Indians while BJP made an attempt to explain the delay and ridiculed the
opposition for being insensitive.The people who have been hugely sidelined in
this political drama are the ones who are grieving the most.Families of 39 dead
Indians are inconsolable and have lambasted the Govt for keeping them in the
dark. Majority of the deceased hailed from the state of Punjab and CM of the
state Capt Amarinder Singh took a dig at Govt saying “We had expected this, it
should have been announced earlier,it was known since much earlier.”newsx
Protests erupt as VHP’s rath yatra, aims to
mobilise support for Ayodhya temple, enters Tamil Nadu
Chennai: Protests erupted across the state and
leaders of political parties and other organisations were arrested on Tuesday
as Ram Rajya rath yatra organized by VHP entered Tirunelveli district in Tamil
Nadu.Opposition parties, including DMK, created ruckus in Tamil Nadu assembly
and condemned AIADMK govt for allowing yatra in the state.While raising the
issue in the Tamil Nadu assembly, DMK working chief MK Stalin who is also the
opposition leader, said the yatra will disturb communal harmony and affect law
and order. “This is AIADMK Govt or BJP govt,” he asked.DMK MLAs, including
Stalin, staged a protest in the assembly and were thrown out. They later staged
a road roko and courted arrest.Earlier in the day, VCK leader Thol.
Thirumavalavan and 33 others, who were on the way to take part in the protests
in Tirunelveli, were arrested near Madurai, reported New Indian Express.On
Monday, Tirunelveli district collector Sandeep Nanduri imposed Section 144 from
19 to 23 March across Tirunelveli district. Stalin, in a statement, said CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who had vowed to
contain religious extremism at a recent district collectors’ conference, had
allowed the rath yatra. “BJP and its sister organisations are trying to nurture
religious extremism in Tamil Nadu. But, in the land of Periyar and Anna, they
will not succeed in their attempt,” he added.41-day rath yatra was flagged off
from Ayodhya on 13 Feb.Yatra will cover about 6,000 km, demanding construction
of Ram temple at Ayodhya. Stalin had earlier stated that the rath yatra would
amount to contempt of court as the Ram temple issue was pending before the
Supreme Court.livemint.com
TN govt rejects Oppn demand to ban Rath
Yathra, DMK MLAs evicted from Assembly following uproar
No-confidence motions yet to be taken up,
Parliament adjourned for the day
Lok Sabha proceedings were washed out – for a
12th straight day – within minutes of the House meeting on Tuesday, amid chants
of “We want justice” echoing. Rajya Sabha has also been adjourned for the day
after ruckus in the House. TDP leaders met Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan
for taking up of their no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi govt, and
seeking a special category status for AP.While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned
for the day within about 10 minutes, the Lok Sabha was first adjourned till
noon and then for the day after the listed papers could not be laid.TDP MPs
today protested in Parliament premises, demanding special category status for
the state of AP. In a bizarre move, MP Naramalli Sivaprasad joined the protest
dressed up as a schoolboy, wearing shorts & carrying a
notebook.business-standard
Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day;
no-trust motions disallowed again
Yashwant Sinha slams PM Modi, RBI on
demonetisation ‘mistake’
Founder of Rashtra Manch and BJP leader Yashwant
Sinha has said demonetisation has "failed comprehensively". Speaking
on the launch of renowned economist Arun Kumar's book Demonetisation and the
Black Economy, the senior BJP leader also noted that the abolition of ₹1,000
note, which was reintroduced by him in 2000, "pained" him."I
felt pained personally. After 1978 demonetisation, I had brought back the
₹1,000 note that was abolished. I felt as if my child has been killed. Apart
from that, in order to clean up, you introduced ₹2,000 note?" he said.BJP
leader said that he felt PM Narendra
Modi was told demonetisation would fill Govt coffers. "My own feeling is
that someone told the PM that if he goes
for demonetisation, ₹3-4 lakh crore will come. It will be a bonanza for the Govt...
that unfortunately did not happen," he said.IANS
Upset with union ministers, Nitish says "communalism
unacceptable"
Patna:Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Monday made it clear that he
is upset with two Union Ministers, supported a third who advised course
correction to BJP and renewed his demand for special status for Bihar, claiming
he has never given up on the issue.In comments seen as an indirect rebuke to
BJP -- whom he partnered to form the Govt last year after dumping Lalu Yadav
and the Congress -- he said: "Please remember, neither did I compromise
with corruption, nor I will compromise with those trying to divide the society.
I'm for complete communal and social peace...I want to make it clear that this
country will march ahead on the basis of love, compassion and communal
harmony".He then went on to support Union Minister and LJP chief Ram Vilas
Paswan, who on Sunday advised ally BJP on the "need to change mass
perception among Dalits and minorities". "I know Paswan very well and
without applying his mind he won't speak on these issues," Kumar said.BJP
leaders in the state declined to comment over the remarks.CM 's remarks came in
the backdrop of day-long opposition protests in the state assembly against
Union Minister Giriraj Singh and Ashwini Choubey.ndtv
Without naming BJP, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar
says, will not side with divisive politics
Yogi Govt’s Focus On Temples, Not On Welfare
Of Poor: Minister From BJP’s Alliance Partner
As Yogi Adityanath led BJP Govt in UP completes first year in office, NDA partners
accuses it of not following the 'coalition dharma'."UP Govt is just
focused on temples, and not on welfare of the poor," said minister OP
Rajbhar of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, a BJP ally. He also pointed out 'his
concerns' to the ruling party, he told news agency ANI, which fell on deaf
ears."I have been expressing my concerns, lekin ye log 325 seats ke nashe
mein pagal ho kar ghoom rahe hain (...but these people are still in the
hangover of 325 seats)," he was quoted as saying.This comes at a time when
NDA Govt at the centre in likely to face its first no-confidence motion in the
Lok Sabha after its only southern ally-- TDP-- withdrew support. Rajbhar
accussed the state Govt of not following the 'coalition dharma'.
"Celebrating and talking about building temples in Mathura and Kashi mean
nothing.No one else has the guts to question this Govt. If speaking the truth
is revolt then I am revolting,"NDTV quoted him as saying.outlookindia
Smart Cities, other flagship Modi projects
starved for cash, says report
Govt's flagship initiatives have barely spent
any of the money allocated to them, a parliamentary committee has reported, raising
questions about on-the-ground implementation of PM Narendra Modi’s most high
profile national programs. Although the Govt insists figures are wrong, a
report from the parliamentary standing committee on urban development said
Modi’s six top infrastructure initiatives spent on average just 21%, or $1.2
billion, of the $5.6 billion allocated.India’s "Smart Cities"
program, which Modi has championed, used just 1.8 % of the funds released to it, the committee said,
or just $28 million of a dedicated $1.5 billion. Other programs like Pradhan
Mantri Awas Yojana and Swachch Bharat, used less than 30 % of the available funds, the report
said.Bloomberg
Unemployment crisis explodes: hundreds of
students block railway traffic in Mumbai
Mumbai: In the second big sign of anger
boiling in hundreds of millions of qualified but unemployed youths in the
country, hundreds of students hit the Mumbai streets Tuesday and blocked
railway traffic between Matunga and CSMT stations. Most of the protesting
students have cleared the railway apprentice exams, but they have not yet been
employed by the Indian Railways, one of the largest public sector employers in
the country.They sat on the railway tracks at 7 am between Matunga and CSMT
stations. The railways were forced to stop at least 30 running suburban and
express trains.According to NDTV, a large number of policemen tried to remove
the protesters from the tracks and even used batons as students refused to
budge, holding up placards and shouting slogans demanding jobs in railways.The
protesters claimed there has been no recruitment for these jobs in the last 4
years. “We are running from pillar to post. Over 10 students have committed
suicide. We cannot let such things happen,” a student told the PTI news
agency.Caravan News
‘We can’t trust anyone’: 8 months after
Junaid’s killing, his family fights on
New Delhi:When Jalaluddin Khan was first
informed about the death of his 16-year-old son Junaid, he reacted like any
bereaved parent would have.“I thought this was a case of confusion or mistaken
identity,” he says.Jalaluddin spent most of the last 3 decades driving a
taxi.To his friends and neighbours in Faridabad’s Khandawli village, he was a
diligent man, head of a lower middle-class family, husband to Saira Banu, and
father to their 7 sons and a daughter. Junaid’s murder changed him. “I talk to
myself a lot. I tell myself that I cannot afford to lose faith in the Almighty.
It is as if this accident has added another layer to my belief in God,” he
says.2 months after the killing in July 2017, 4 of the 6 accused got bail after
the police withdrew charges of rioting, unlawful assembly and common intention
against them. Jalaluddin moved Punjab and Haryana high court demanding that the
trial at Faridabad court be stalled and CBI probe the alleged lynching. After
the HC dismissed the petition, he moved a writ petition before the double bench
of the SC which adjourned the proceedings of the trial court on Monday.“Apart
from appealing for an independent trial, our demand is that the charges that
were withdrawn must be added again,” says Jalaluddin, seated on a cot on the
roof of his house in a narrow lane, part of the maze of green and pink 2-storey
houses and cattle sheds. Over 8 months after Junaid’s murder, Jalaluddin seems
older than his age, 50.However,he is alert and speaks with a steady voice.“All
of them are complicit. We have been denied justice. Police, administration, the
govt — all are trying to shield the accused,” he says. Every morning Jalaluddin
says his prayers at a local mosque where his son,Hashim, leads congregation. Their
pursuit of justice seems like a mirage as family oscillates between hope and
despair, often finding themselves pitched against people they thought were
their own. “Village panchayat has met 4 times wanting an out-of-court settlement,”
says Jalaluddin. “They summoned me but I didn’t go because I would have left
with no option but to concede. It appears that most of them are in favour of
getting the matter resolved amicably. They just want my consent.” Members of
the panchayat could not be reached for comments.“We cannot trust anyone,” says
Qasim. “All the people in the village speak in our favour when they meet us.
But we are not sure if they actually mean it. We cannot blame them. Ours is a
Muslim village surrounded by predominantly Hindu hamlets. No one wants to
antagonise the majority,” he says.HT
Sri Sri objects to AIMPLB charges against him
Lucknow:Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has dismissed as
"baseless" the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's allegation that
he was "inciting terrorists and anti-social elements.""I was
shocked and saddened to note that the board thinks I am inciting terrorists and
anti-social elements. I strongly object to this baseless accusation,"said
the spiritual guru in a letter to AIMPLB general secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani
on March 12."You are aware that people currently resort to crime at the
drop of a hat, not just in India but all over the world. I have always strongly
condemned any kind of violence irrespective of its nature or location, said the
Art of Living founder in his letter.Sri Sri wrote to Maulana following his
recent statement that "Sri Sri's comment that after court's decision, the
situation in the country can become like that of Syria and that Muslims should
leave their claim on Ayodhya is a threat to Muslims and the court both. This is
an attack on the country's well being."PTI
Uniform Civil Code: Law Commission invites
“detailed submissions”
New Delhi: In a significant move, the Law
Commission has invited “detailed submissions” from the stakeholders on the
contentious issue of Uniform Civil Code (UCC). All such submissions will have
to be submitted by April 6. “Any individual/organisation (Govtal or non-Govtal)
may send their submissions in form of consultation/discussion/working papers,
on any of the issues pertaining to uniform civil code (except the issue
relating to triple talaq, which is pending before Parliament) to Member
Secretary, Law commission of India” reads the message posted by Law Commission
on its website. The stakeholders can send their submissions lci-dla@nic.in on
or before April 6. The pabel has further said that “if the Commission needs
further clarification on any submission(s) so made, the individual/organisation
or other stakeholder may be called for a personal hearing/discussion”. An
uniform civil code will mean a set of common personal laws for all citizens.
Currently, for example, there are different personal laws for Hindus and
Muslims. Personal law covers property, marriage and divorce, inheritance and
succession. economictimes
J&K HC issues notices on feasibility of
Islamic banking
Srinagar: High Court has sought response from
the authorities to the PIL seeking feasibility of introducing Islamic Banking
in the State.Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice DS
Thakur granted 4 weeks time to Union Ministry of Finance, RBI, Chief Secretary
of State, Principal Secretary Finance and J&K Bank for filing their
response to the PIL.Union Ministry and RBI were represented by their counsel
Tashir Shamsi and State was represented by Govt advocate Sheikh Umar. However
nobody appeared on behalf of JK Bank as such notice has been issued to the
Bank. PIL has been filed by an NGO (Peoples Forum) through its advocate Altaf
Haqani with the prayer that Union Ministry of Finance be directed to file
response and issue necessary notification for introduction of Sharia Complaint
windows as recommended by Deepak Mohanty Committee and Report of
Inter-Departmental Group of RBI & Its Feasibility of Introducing Islamic
Banking in India. Petitioner NGO further prays that RBI be commanded to take
immediate steps in this constituent banks including J&K Bank so as to
facilitate Shariah Compliant Windows.JK Bank, NGO prays, be directed to take
immediate steps for opening of Shariah Compliant windows to accomplish the
object of mass level participation in Shariah Banking by the people of the
state of J&K in particular and other people of the areas where ever J&K
Bank has established in its branches.Dailyexcelsior
No plans to withdraw or amend AFSPA: Govt
New Delhi: Govt has no plans to withdraw or
amend "Armed Forces (J&K) Special Powers Act, 1990", which gives
the security forces immunity and special rights in carrying out operations in
disturbed areas,Union minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said on Tuesday.Ahir,
however, said in the Lok Sabha that a proposal is under consideration to make
AFSPA more operationally effective and humane."There is no proposal to
amend AFSPA. There is no proposal under consideration of Govt of India to
withdraw the AFSPA from J&K ," he said replying a written question.PTI
J&K: Missing Kupwara youth joins militant
ranks
Srinagar:After PhD scholar Mannan Wani,
another young man from north Kashmir’s Kupwara town has joined militant ranks.
Bilal Ahmad Shah (25), who was missing for the past three weeks, recently
appeared in pictures on the social media with an AK 47 rifle. He is believed to
have joined Hizbul Mujahideen.Shah hails from Shartmaqam village and his father
Shamas-u-din was a Hizbul Mujahideen militant who was killed in an encounter in
the early 90s.“We came to know about the youth joining militant ranks through
social media,’’ said a senior police officer. Police have started an
investigation.Shah was arrested in 2008 by the Special Operation Group of
J&K Police and “tortured” in the custody.indianexpress
UN encourages call for dialogue between Indo-Pak:
official
UN: UN chief Antonio Guterres is following the
situation in Kashmir “closely” and encourages a dialogue between India and
Pakistan to settle any outstanding differences, his spokesperson said.
Spokesman for Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric made the comment while
responding to a question on the tensions between India and Pakistan over the
Kashmir issue. “Obviously, we are following the situation there as closely, as
we always do, and we would encourage dialogue between the parties to settle any
outstanding differences,” Dujarric told reporters at UN on Monday at his daily
briefing.On whether the Secretary General has talked with the PM s of Pakistan
or India, Dujarric said there is “nothing to report” on that currently. In the
past, Dujarric, when asked at press briefings about the Secretary General’s
response to the situation in Kashmir, has repeatedly said that Guterres follows
the situation in the region closely. UN chief reiterated his call for India and
Pakistan to find a peaceful solution through engagement and dialogue to resolve
the Kashmir issue.PTI
India should have annexed Bangladesh: Assam
BJP MLA
Guwahati: BJP MLA from Hojai Shiladitya Dev on
Monday courted controversy yet again, calling the creation of Bangladesh a
"great mistake" because of which Assam has been facing "Muslim
influx" for decades and suggesting that India should have annexed the
country after the liberation war."Even as the erstwhile East Pakistan was
liberated, a mistake committed by (then PM ) Indira Gandhi and the then
Congress Govt was not merging the newly-created Bangladesh with India. In fact,
creation of Bangladesh was itself a great mistake. But that mistake could have
been offset had Bangladesh been made a part of India," Dev told a local
news channel in Nagaon on Monday.timesofindia
A Kerala preacher and the textbook controversy
in his chain of schools
2 weeks ago, a district sessions court in
Ernakulam granted bail to MM Akbar, a preacher who also runs a chain of
schools. He had been arrested from Hyderabad on Feb.24, on charges of fomenting
communal enmity through a textbook for primary school. Granting bail, the court
observed, “The court does not find anything in the offending passage against
any other community or religion or group of people, which is an essential
prerequisite to bring out the offences alleged in the case.”Akbar, widely known
as Kerala Zakir Naik, is managing director of the Peace International School
chain, which has 12 CBSE schools — 10 in Kerala, one each in Minicoy and
Mangaluru.Akbar, 52, who is also the director of Kozhikode-based Niche of
Truth, an organisation engaged in propagating Islam through various media,
began Peace Schools in 2006 under Peace Educational Foundation.Muslim
businessmen invested in each centre, while Akbar managed the academic
activities. About 90% of the 6,500 students covered by the chain are Muslim;
each school offers Islamic and general education under one roof.All schools under
the Peace Foundation have the same curriculum, but the one in Ernakulam was the
first to face a police case in the textbook controversy. Although schools in
Kollam and Thrissur too faced similar cases, both were stayed by the court
later.Akbar claims the same textbook has been taught in 400 schools in the
country since 2009. Even in Kerala, two schools under Muslim managements have
been using it for religious education, he says. Last Jan., the education
department ordered closure of the school; Kerala HC stayed the order.Akbar says
his school is now in the process of preparing a new text for religious
education for Muslim students.“While working as a schoolteacher, I was
interested in religious discourses and writings. 20 years ago, I quit the
school and became a full-time preacher on Islam and comparative religion. So
far, I haven’t faced any case for fomenting communal enmity with my speeches,”
he says.indianexpress
'Forceful conversion': Kerala HC seeks govt's
views on bail plea
Kochi: Kerala high court has sought the views
of the state Govt on a plea filed by the accused in a case alleging forceful
conversion.The court is considering the bail plea of Muhammed Ali K of
Vadakkangara in Malappuram, who is the 7th accused in the case over alleged
abduction and forceful conversion of a 21-year-old woman named Athira.In the
case originally registered at Cherpulassery police station, it is alleged that
Athira was abducted on June 13, 2016, confined in a house, and compelled and
coerced to convert to Islam against her free will and was compelled to marry a
Muslim. It was alleged that the woman was forced to sign an affidavit
consenting to convert to Islam against her free will. The case is presently
being probed by Kozhikode crime branch. While seeking bail, the accused has
contended that Athira herself had told a division bench of the HC that she
converted out of her free will and that she was not compelled by anybody. She
told the court about the nature of her conversion when she was produced at the
court in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by her father, the bail
plea said.It is also alleged that Athira had written letters to her father as
well as to the local SI, CI, and DySP at the time of leaving her home. Athira
had never complained that she was abducted or kidnapped. She later gave a
statement before a magistrate that she left her house out of her free will, as
per the petition.TOI
Koregaon- Bhima riot : Accused Ekbote attacked
with ink at court, remanded in custody for 2 days
Shivajinagar sessions court turned into a
stage for major drama during the hearing of Koregaon- Bhima riot case.Milind
Ekbote, executive president of the Samasta Hindu Aghadi, who was arrested last
week in connection with the riots on Jan.1, was attacked at the premises. The
attacker, later identified as Sanjay Waghmare, tried to blacken Ekbote’s face
but was prevented and eventually arrested on the spot by the police. Soon after
the attack, Ekbote’s family members and supporters gathered at the lock-up area
and demanded that Waghmare be handed over to them. Ekbote was arrested last
Wednesday under charges of inciting the riots at Bhima-Koregaon and was
remanded in police custody till March 21.punemirror
Koregaon riots:Right-wing leader seeks
Ambedkar's arrest
Sangli: Right-wing Hindutva leader Sambhaji
Bhide alias Guruji on Monday demanded the arrest of Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh
leader Prakash Ambedkar and others for allegedly inciting the riots of Jan.1in
Bhima-Koregaon and its subsequent fallout.Bhide, who is the head of Shri Shiv
Pratishthan, alleged that the roots of the riots lay in 'Yalgar Parishad'
(conference) organized by various groups on Dec.31 in Pune.Among the speakers
at the conference were Ambedkar, Gujarat Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, JNU student
leader Umar Khalid, retired high court judge, Justice BG Kolse-Patil and other
leftist-Dalit personalities."At this meeting, all these leaders including
Ambedkar had provoked people for violence and rioting. We demand that the Govt
must immediately arrest them for Bhima-Koregaon riots," Bhide
demanded.IANS
MNS targets Gujarati signboards in Mumbai;
complaint against Thackeray
Thane: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)
workers pulled down signboards written in Gujarati from some commercial
establishments in Mumbai and adjoining Vasai, hours after party chief Raj
Thackeray yesterday alleged that there was a "design" of the BJP-led
central Govt to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra.Addressing a Maharashtrian new
year rally in central Mumbai, Thackeray had called for a "Modi-mukt
Bharat", alleging that the Bullet Train project was a "ploy" to
de-link Vasai-Virar belt, with an ultimate aim to separate Mumbai.Referring to "mushrooming"
of Gujarati signboards, MNS chief had said encouraging outsiders (Gujaratis) to
settle in the Vasai-Virar belt was a part of the "grand design" to
achieve the said goal as in 1960, Gujarat had failed to get Mumbai, for which
it had staked a claim.After the rally, MNS workers, carrying party flags,
ransacked a few roadside eateries near Vasai, on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway,
last night and destroyed their signboards written in Gujarati.Today, some shops
in Mumbai that had Gujarati signboards, including a sweet shop in the north
Mumbai suburb of Kandivli, faced the wrath of the MNS workers, police
said.PTI
Students allege discrimination against Dalits,
Tribals, Muslims after being denied entry into EFLU campus
English and Foreign Languages University,
Hyderabad has come under attack from students for allegedly discriminating
against Dalit-Muslim students of campus, with administration passing various discretionary
orders without any fair reason.Ashfaque Ali, a 22-year-old student of
Certificate Course in Persian, was denied entry into EFLU premises couple of
weeks back. Ali, who is also associated with Students Islamic Organisation of
India, was stopped at the university entrance by security staff.“I went there
to meet my friends and some faculty members. But security guards did not let me
in. When I asked the reason, they referred to the order of University’s proctor
behind the same,” Ali said.He further said, “When I showed them my identity
card to avoid any confusion, they blatantly said that I was not a
student.”Including Ashfaque, so far 12 students have been either barred from
entering into the premises or their student rights have been denied in
different ways. At least 5 students have been denied their hall tickets for
various examinations, and few others have been denied admission even they got
selected after due examination process.The reason why students from
marginalised communities feel they are being targeted is because all students
who have been barred entry belong to either Dalit, Tribal or Muslim communities
and work with various politically active students groups. 4 students from SIO,
2 students from Dalit Adivasi Bahujan Minority Students Association (DABMSA), 1
from Telangana Students Association, one from Muslim Students Federation, 2
from Ambedkar Students Association and 2 from Students Federation of India have
so far been discriminated against by the administration. twocircles
UGC releases Rs 11 crore for TISS following
students’ strike but not for Scholarship issue; strike enters 27th day
As the ongoing strike at TISS enters its 27th
day, UGC announced the release of Rs 4.7 crore and Rs 6.35 crore towards
arrears following more than three weeks of students protests. However, the
protesting students were left dejected when told that the allocated money will
not be going towards resolving the Govt of India Post Matric Scholarship issue
of providing fee waivers for SC,ST,OBC students of current and future batches.
Speaking about the issue, Fahad Ahmad, General Secretary, TISS Students Union,
Mumbai, said, “Those who were saying protests can’t do anything, look what we
have done for the TISS administration. But we also need to understand that the
release of arrears has nothing to do with our demands and the GoI Post Matric scholarship
issue. Our protests have helped the TISS administration despite their
continuous targeting of protesting students. Now the UGC and TISS
administration should come up with a solution for which the students are
fighting.”In spite of continuous demands by the students, the TISS
administration has not furnished any data to the students regarding what is the
exact amount needed to facilitate scholarships and waivers for GoI post matric
scholars.TCN
2006 Mumbai train bombings: Activists demand
justice for Kolkata's Majid serving life term, says ‘He is innocent’
Kolkata:Activists from two groups have come
forward to demand justice for a Kolkata resident, who has been convicted in
7/11 Mumbai serial blasts case. Members of Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity
Committee of West Bengal have launched a movement, demanding justice for
Mohammad Majid. Majid, a resident of Rajabazar, has been sentenced to life
imprisonment in the 2006 case, and is currently lodged at a Maharashtra
jail.“Majid had never visited Mumbai. He was earning through his small shoe
business. Thousands of Muslim youths have been falsely charged in scores of
terror cases,” claimed Partha Sarathi Ray, a member of the outfit, at a press
meet in Kolkata. The outfit supports and provides legal aid to those who have
been allegedly falsely implicated in cases.Ray said that they are planning to
request CM Mamata Banerjee to intervene in matter.Association for Protection of
Democratic Rights (APDR) has also extended their support in demanding justice
for Majid. “We support their demand and will also support the movement. West
Bengal is no different. Here 60-70 Muslims have been falsely charged under
sections amounting to waging war or under UAPA,” said Ranjit Sur, APDR
vice-president.Majid’s wife, Farzana Yasmin, alleged that Maharashtra ATS had
made her husband sign a confession statement. “ATS had picked him up from his
shop (in 2006) and they didn’t share anything with us. My daughter was then
only 38 days old. ATS tortured him to a point that he signed a confession
statement. I am very sure that he is innocent. I want the West Bengal Govt to
intervene and ensure that my husband is released. My daughter has grown up
hearing that her father is a terrorist,” she said.Abdul Wajid Sheikh, who was
acquitted in 2015 after spending 9 years in jail in the same case, claimed that
he never met Majid before he was arrested.indianexpress
Kin of murder case accused demand action
against NIA
Coimbatore:Family members of the 4 accused in
murder of Hindu Munnani spokesperson C Sasikumar petitioned collector TN
Hariharan, seeking action against NIA sleuths, who had raided their houses on
Sunday.Sumaiya, wife of Syed Abudhakir from Karumbukadai near Ukkadam, said
that her husband was framed.“We are residing in a rented house. Over 50 police
personnel were deployed in our area before NIA conducted the search.Search was
conducted early in the morning, causing discomfort to my family. Now, our
neighbours are demanding an explanation from us. Also, NIA officers seized
mobile phones that had the contact numbers of our relatives and doctors,” she
said.S Nabeesha, mother of Zubair from GM Nagar near Ukkadam, said in her
petition that her son was taken by CB-CID (SID) police on Oct.10, 2017 for
inquiry and was arrested on Oct.12, 2017. “Police have registered a fake case
against him. A petition for his conditional bail is pending before the Madras
high court. Meanwhile, the case was transferred to NIA. A police team entered
my house on Sunday around 4.39am. One of NIA officers threatened that he will
keep my son in prison forever. The early morning search has affected the family
mentally. But, we are co-operating for the sake of the legal procedure,” the
petition said.timesofindia
BJP-RSS killing Muslims through private
armies: Yechury
Srinagar:Blaming RSS and BJP for killing
Muslims through private "armies" like "Gau Rakhshaks" and
"anti-Romeo squads", CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday
blamed BJP for communally polarising the country for electoral
benefits."They (BJP-RSS) kill Muslims in the name of 'Gua Raksha' and
'Love Jihad'. And then the killers are being projected like heroes.RSS-BJP and
Modi sarkar decides the choice of one's eating habits, dress code and with whom
one has to marry and make friendships. It is a fascist mindset," Yechury
said while addressing a gathering at 11th state conference of CPM in
Srinagar.While describing J&K as the crown of India, he said, "Kashmir
can be an integral part of India only after the eroded provisions of Article
370 are restored. (But) ever since the Modi Govt took over, Kashmir is being
tackled through military means only.""CPM believes that withdrawing
of AFSPA has to start for confidence-building measure," Yechury said.While
lashing out at the Centre's policies, he said, "Modi visited the US five
times in last three years and accepted all the conditions of imperialist
America. The developed countries, including the US, are facing recession from
the last one decade and Modi is being asked to make policies which suit their
economic interests.""When Manmohan Singhji was the PM, 49% of the
wealth of the country was in the hands of 1% people. Today 73% of the wealth in
the country is the hands of just 1% of people," Yechury said.deccan herald
'RSS signalled cadres to tear down Periyar
statue';Rahul
New Delhi: A day after a Periyar statue was
vandalised in Tamil Nadu, Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP
and RSS "signalled their cadres" to destroy statues of those who
oppose their Hindutva ideology."When RSS and BJP encouraged the tearing down
of Lenin statues in Tripura, they signalled their cadres to destroy statues of
those who opposed their ideology, like Periyar, the great social reformer who
fought for the Dalits. His statue too was destroyed today in Tamil Nadu,"
said Rahul in a tweet today.Lenin statue Rahul was referring to was one in
Tripura that was razed earlier this month, 2 days after the results of the
Assembly elections there showed that the BJP had toppled the CPM.TOI
High risk of poor water quality in India’s
river basins by 2050: UNESCO report
New Delhi:A new report released by UNESCO
ahead of World Water Day on March 22 shows that the water crisis will be
intensifying across India by 2050. Central India is staring at deepening water
scarcity that means withdrawal of 40% of the renewable surface water
resources.The already stressed ground water resources will face even greater
pressure in north India. SK Sarkar, who heads the water resources division at
policy think-tank TERI, said that groundwater depletion was extremely severe in
Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. “Ground water depletion carries with it the risk of
salinity,” he said.South and central India will experience high levels of risk
from poor water quality in its river basins by 2050. The report relies on a
study done by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis for its
estimations in future scenarios.hindustantimes
India most vulnerable to climate change among
67 countries: HSBC report
WORLD
Air strike on Syria’s Ghouta kills 15 children
taking shelter in school: Monitor
Beirut:An air strike on a school in Syria’s
Eastern Ghouta has killed 15 children and two women who were using its basement
as a bomb shelter, a monitor said.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said
the bombing raid hit Arbin, a key town in the dwindling rebel-held enclave of
Ghouta that has been under attack by Govt troops for over a month.“Three missiles
from a single air strike hit the school, where the underground level was being
used as a shelter,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Britain-based
monitor.“Rescue workers are still searching for survivors,” he told AFP.The
Observatory, which identifies air strikes based on flight patterns, munitions
used, and aircraft, said Monday night’s raids were suspected to have been
carried out by Russia.PTI
IS takes Damascus area kills 36 Syrian
soldiers after rebels pull out: Monitor
Islamic State fighters holding a small
district in Damascus have gained some ground after driving out Syrian army
units that moved into a neighbouring area that rebels abandoned last week, a
war monitor said.In fighting that lasted 24 hours, the IS group killed 36
Syrian soldiers,Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Syrian army could not
immediately be reached for comment.The district of al-Qadam lies in the Syrian
capital’s southern suburbs and has not been part of the month-long offensive
waged by the army against rebels in eastern Ghouta.It is located next to the
Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, a scene of fierce fighting early in the
seven-year conflict. Last week, rebels that had held part of Qadam for years
quit the district for opposition areas in northern Syria under an evacuation
deal with the Govt, allowing the army to move in. However, the Islamic State
group that had held a separate part of Qadam, and had sporadically fought the
rebels there, launched an assault to take the area they had vacated.Reuters
UN envoy sees Syria partition 'catastrophe',
fears return of IS: Reuters
Geneva: Syria is heading for a catastrophic
partition and could see the return of Islamic State if there is no inclusive
peace settlement, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said.“The truth is that a
soft, long-term partition of Syria, which (is) the one that we are witnessing
at the moment, in different areas of control, will be a catastrophe, not only
for Syria but for the whole region,”he told an audience at Geneva’s Graduate
Institute.
Tonnes of aid sent to Afrin during operation:Turkey
Turkey's disaster management agency says it
has distributed more than 30 tonnes of humanitarian aid throughout Afrin since
Ankara launched military operations in northwestern Syria on Jan.20.According
to a statement sent by AFAD to Al Jazeera, agency also determined an area to
potentially house 170,000 internally displaced persons around Syria's Idlib
province, as well as Turkish military and allied rebel-controlled areas to the
east.Turkish forces and FSA fighters started military operation into Afrin in
late January to remove a US-backed Kurdish militia - known as the YPG - near
its border. Ankara describes the armed group as "terrorists".Following
the capture of Afrin city, the agency said it is preparing further relief
operations.A senior Turkish official said tens of thousands of Syrians were expected
to voluntarily return to Kurdish region after Turkey's military offensive ends. aljazeera
Erdogan vows to extend Turkey's operation to
Syria's northeast
Turkey has vowed to expand its operation in
Syria's Afrin region to other Kurdish-held areas further east, prompting fears
for a possible confrontation with US troops stationed in the area. President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Turkey's plans to extend the operation a day
after Turkish-led forces entered the city of Afrin in northwestern Syria
virtually unopposed. "We will continue this process until we entirely
eliminate this corridor, including in Manbij, Ayn al-Arab, Tal Abyad, Ras
al-Ayn and Qamishli," he said.aljazeera
Russia blocks UNSC meeting on human rights in
Syria
Russia on Monday blocked a meeting of the UNSC
to discuss the human rights situation in Syria, Reuters reports.“We do not see
any justification for this meeting since human rights is not a subject on the
agenda of the security council,” said Gennady Kuzmin, deputy permanent
representative of Russia to the UN.France and six other members had called for
the meeting, which was expected to include a briefing from Zeid Ra’ad
al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.MEMO
UAE-linked George Nader organised Arab leaders
to replace GCC
A Lebanese-American businessman with close
ties the UAE crown prince organised a meeting of Arab leaders on a yacht in the
Red Sea three years ago and proposed to start an "elite group" that
would supersede Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to a news
report.George Nader's name has surfaced in recent weeks as a key witness in US
special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe into alleged foreign influence on the
Donald Trump administration.According to a Middle East Eye report on Monday,
Nader was the key player in bringing Arab leaders together onto the yacht in
late 2015 to discuss forming the new group involving 6 Middle East countries:
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan and Libya.While on the Red Sea
excursion, Nader proposed the new grouping of countries could replace GCC and
Arab League, MEE quoted two unidentified sources familiar with meeting as
saying.aljazeera
Saudi Prince Alwaleed reached secret pact with
govt for his release: Reuters
Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the chairman
of Kingdom Holding who spent nearly three months in detention in the kingdom’s
anti-corruption campaign, told Bloomberg TV he had reached an agreement with Govt
for his release.The prince declined to disclose the details of his “confirmed
understanding” with authorities in the interview, which aired on Tuesday, but
said it was easy to verify that he still held a 95% stake in his global
investment firm.“When I say it is a confidential and secret agreement, an
arrangement that is based on a confirmed understanding between me and Govt of
Saudi, I have to respect that,” he said. The process with the Govt was ongoing,
he said.The prince also said he was in talks with the country’s emerging
sovereign wealth fund about co-investments in domestic projects, and that
Kingdom Holding was looking at splitting its $13 billion of assets by spinning
off some holdings. hindustantimes
Abbas blames Hamas for Gaza attack on PM's
convoy
President of the Palestinian Authority,
Mahmoud Abbas, has accused Hamas of orchestrating the explosion that targeted
the convoy of PM Rami Hamdallah as he
entered the Gaza Strip last week. "We do not want them to investigate, we
do not want information from them, we do not want anything from them because we
know exactly that they, the Hamas movement, were the ones who committed this
incident," Abbas said at a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah
late on Monday.Abbas said that if the "assassination attempt" had
succeeded, the development would have opened the door for a bloody civil
war. In response to Abbas' accusations,
Hamas called for elections.AL JAZEERA
Hamas and other factions condemn Abbas speech
Almost all of the Palestinian factions,
including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP), have criticised a speech by Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas in which he pledged more punitive measures against Gaza and its
Palestinian residents.Hamas condemned in the strongest possible terms Abbas’s
speech in Ramallah yesterday as “irresponsible”.Islamic Resistance Movement
said that it was “surprised at Abbas’s belligerent remarks, which burn bridges,
intensify the rift and support Donald Trump’s plan to liquidate the Palestinian
national cause.” It accused Abbas of “working to push the Palestinians in Gaza
to bend down [in submission] and trying to undermine their steadfastness at a
very dangerous and historic moment.”Although Abbas criticised the US President’s
plans in the Middle East and accused US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman of
being more of a settler than the settlers themselves — and called him “a son of
bitch” in the process — Hamas said that he is not merely targeting the Islamic
movement, but is also undermining the chances to promote the national programme
and the efforts to achieve Palestinian unity. middleeastmonitor
Israel cuts fresh water supplies to Gaza
Israel has been cutting drinking water
supplies for the Gaza Strip since last Wednesday, Quds Press reported on
Monday. Move was made without any prior notice being given.“Mekorot, the
Israeli water supplier, told us last Wednesday that they would cut water for a
couple of hours for maintenance purposes,” explained Maher Salem, Director of
Gaza’s Water Authority. “Since then, the water has been off. The pumping of
water was not resumed as was agreed with them.This has affected the
distribution of water in Gaza.”MEMO
Israeli settlers call for evacuating
Palestinian neighbourhoods in Hebron
Israeli settler group Regavim has filed a
petition to the Israeli Supreme Court asking for three Palestinian
neighbourhoods in the West Bank city of Hebron to be evacuated, Shehab News
Agency reported yesterday.Regavim claimed that Palestinian neighbourhoods Um
Al-Khair, Khashm Al-Daraj and Arab Al-Najadeh in the south of Hebron Hills are
illegal and pose a strategic danger to Israel.The petition sent to the Israeli
court states that these neighbourhoods are illegal and called for prosecuting
Israeli ministers, Israeli military commanders and European officials because
they allowed Palestinians to build homes in these three areas.According to
Shehab News Agency, Regavim distributed copies of the petition to the residents
of 3 Palestinian neighbourhoods. The anti-settlement activist in Musafer, Yatta
Ibrahim Al-Hathalin, said that article number seven claims that the area where
the three neighbourhoods are located is state land and is part of Area C, which
is under Israeli administration and security control.MEMO
Maldives to lift state of emergency, charge
ex-president, chief justice with bribery
Colombo:Maldives President Abdulla Yameen will
lift a 45-day state of emergency on Thursday and the Govt will bring bribery
charges against former leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and the chief justice, said
a senior Maldives diplomat. Yameen imposed a state of emergency on Feb.5 for 15
days to annul a Feb.1 Supreme Court ruling that quashed convictions against
nine opposition leaders and ordered his Govt to free those held in prison. He
later extended the state of emergency for another 30 days with parliament
approval, a move challenged by the opposition. Under the emergency, Yameen’s
administration arrested former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the chief
justice, another Supreme Court judge, and a SC administrator on allegations of
attempting to overthrow the Govt. They have all rejected the charges.“Unless
something unusual happens, we should not have emergency by Thursday,”Mohamed
Hussain Shareef, Maldives Ambassador for Sri Lanka told a Foreign
Correspondents Association forum on Monday.“Govt has no intention of extending
it any further barring very unusual circumstances like widespread violence. The
intention is to do away with this state of emergency when the current 30 day
period expires on March 22.” Reuters
'Poor, innocent' Afghan farmers killed in raid
targeting Taliban
In the early hours of Saturday,as farmers
watered their crops in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, a unit of
Afghan security and intelligence forces carried out a deadly raid.At least
seven farmers were killed in the assault on 2 villages in the province's
Chaparhar district."We heard helicopters coming our way where we had been
watering our crops from midnight. We heard them at around 4am. The helicopter
fired exactly two times," said Mohammed Razaq, a farmer who was present at
the time of the raid in Mano, one of the two villages attacked."I lost 2
of my cousins in the attack," he told Al Jazeera. Inayatullah was 16 and
Riazullah was 15 years old.According to Razaq, farmers informed the security
forces' outpost in advance that they would be working on their crops."They
still attacked, without taking into consideration that poor and innocent people
would be working here," he said.aljazeera
Trump's pick to lead UN agency says has trust
of Muslim states
Geneva:Donald Trump's nominee to lead UN
migration agency said Monday that he has convinced member states that he holds
no anti-Muslim views, after a series of reports accused him of prejudice
against Islam.Ken Isaacs, who has a long record of humanitarian work with the
Christian charity Samaritan's Purse and within George W. Bush's presidential
administration, has been nominated by US State Dept to head the International
Organization for Migration (IOM). Isaacs is in Geneva trying to rally support
for his candidacy ahead of a June vote in which IOM's 169-member states will
choose their next director-general, a post traditionally held by an
American.But his candidacy has been complicated by reports detailing incidents
where Isaacs apparently tweeted or re-tweeted material offensive to Muslims.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Isaacs said he has met with envoys from
dozens of IOM member-states, including majority Muslim nations, and convinced
them he was not a bigot. AFP
1 in 5 Muslim Canadians say they face
discrimination
Washington:According to a recent study,
Islamophobia, defined as prejudice and hostility toward Muslims, exists in
Canada.In the University of Waterloo research, one in 5 Muslim Canadians said
that they experienced discrimination due to their religion, ethnicity or
culture at least once in the past 5 years."There are negative attitudes towards
Muslims in Canada as a specific group and they themselves are experiencing
higher rates of discrimination than most other demographic groups in Canada.
That is the reality," said author Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme."However,
residents of Quebec,older respondents and persons who favour Conservative
politics were found to be more likely to have greater negative feelings towards
Muslims than towards members of other social groups."The study drew on
information from the 2011 Canadian Election Study and 2014 General Social
Survey by Statistics Canada.ANI
Proposed legislation in US Congress puts
Indian call centre jobs in danger
WASHINGTON: A legislation has been introduced
in the Congress that would require call centre employees overseas to disclose
their location and give customers a right to ask to transfer their call to a
service agent in the US.Introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio, the
legislation also proposes to create a public list of companies that would
outsource call centre jobs and give preference in federal contracts to
companies that haven't shipped these jobs overseas.The bill also guarantees US
customers the right to ask to transfer their call to a customer service agent
who is physically located in the US.PTI
UNSC: 13 million people need humanitarian aid
in DR Congo
Humanitarian needs caused by conflict in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have doubled over the last year, the UN
Security Council said.Speaking on Monday, the UN's Under-Secretary-General Mark
Lowcock said 13 million people are affected by internal conflict gripping the
country and require humanitarian assistance."More than 4.6 million
children are acutely malnourished, including 2.2 million suffering from severe
acute malnutrition," Lowcock said.aljazeera
Egypt: Sudan's Bashir arrives in Cairo amid
easing tensions
Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir met Egypt's
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on Monday as part of a one-day trip aimed at
mending ties between the two countries.The two leaders discussed Addis Ababa's
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam currently under construction which - upon
completion - could threaten Egypt's fresh water supply."As the Nile River
is a lifeline for the people of the valley of the Nile, we agreed on working together
along with our brothers in Ethiopia to reach an agreement of a partnership in
the Nile that benefits everybody and to continue working on the results of
Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia's trilateral summit regarding the Renaissance
dam," Sisi said.aljazeera
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
SP-BSP win in UP by-polls featured Dalits,
OBCs, Muslims, disillusioned BJP voters:Badri Narayan
In promoting individual freedoms, India’s
liberals must take on both Hindu and Muslim communalists: Ramachandra Guha
Postcard News spreads fake news about a Jain
sage attacked by Muslim youth:Alt News
Ground report: Have ‘jihadis’ killed 23
Hindutva activists in Karnataka since 2014 as BJP claims?: Sruthisagar Yamunan
1993 Bombay Blasts Were in Response to an
Entire Community Being Alienated:Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay
Syrian refugees share dreams and ambitions in
360 documentary:aljazeera
BJP Has Grown At Expense of Congress, With
Blessings of Congress:Aijaz Zaka Syed
Save JNU: Former Professors to President of
India:Aishwarya Adhikari
National Herald, Navjivan, Qaumi Awaz
editorial team announced: Mrinal Pande appointed as Group Senior Editorial
Advisor, Zafar Agha as Group Editor-in-Chief
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 5:40 PM)
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