NEWS
DIGEST, MID-DAY
24 April 2018:07 Shaban 1439:Vol:10, No:06
INDIA
Respond plea seeking to declare practices
of polygamy, different types of nikahs as unconstitutional: SC to Centre
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed Centre
to respond to a plea seeking to declare the provisions of Muslim Personal Law
(Shariat) validating the practice of polygamy and ‘nikah halala’ as
unconstitutional. A bench comprising CJI Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar
and DY Chandrachud, while issuing notice to the Centre and the National
Commission for Women, also ordered tagging of the petition with other similar
pleas which have already been referred to a 5-judge constitution bench for
further hearing.The order came on a separate petition, filed by Lucknow
resident Naish Hasan. Senior lawyer VK Shukla and advocate Ashwini Kumar
Upadhyay representing Hasan said similar pleas have already been admitted for
hearing by a five-judge constitution bench. “Declare Section 2 of Muslim
Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, unconstitutional and violative of
Articles 14 (Equality before law), 15 (Prohibition of discrimination on grounds
of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth) and 21 (Protection of life and
personal liberty) of the Constitution, insofar as it seeks to recognise and
validate the practice of Polygamy, Nikah Halala, Nikah Mutah and Nikah Misyar,”
the plea said.Naish Hasan, in the fresh petition, said the pivotal issue that
needed to be answered was whether under a secular Constitution, women, merely
by virtue of their religious identity, can be relegated to a status
significantly more vulnerable than their counterparts professing other faiths.
“The practices under challenge [Polygamy, Nikah Halala, Nikah Mutah and Nikah
Misyar] are practices which impact the social status and dignity of Muslim women
and render them unequal and vulnerable qua men belonging to their own
community; women belonging to other communities and also Muslim women outside
India,” Hasan said.PTI
Ramachandran to argue Babri case as Sibal to
shun CJI’s court
New Delhi: With Congress leader Kapil Sibal
taking a stand that he will not appear before any bench headed by CJI Dipak
Misra, AIMPLB will be represented by senior advocate Raju Ramachandran in the
Babri case even as reports earlier circulated that Sibal had been pulled out by
Congress.As a prime mover of the Congress-led petition seeking CJI’s removal,
which has been rejected by Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, Sibal has said
he will not appear before Justice Misra.Sibal though has not appeared in
hearings after a controversy erupted when he argued that the case be deferred
beyond the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. BJP had latched on to that comment during the
Gujarat elections to question Congress if this was the party’s official line.
Sources said Sibal indicated his reluctance and it was felt that Congress had
asked him to step back. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said Sibal’s decision
not to appear was for professional reasons.TOI
Sibal's absence will have no impact on case:
petitioners
Muslim petitioners in the long-pending Babri
Masjid case said on Monday that senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal's
announcement of not appearing in CJI Deepak Mishra's court will not cause any
hindrance in the judgment.They also refuted BJP's claims that notice for
impeachment motion against CJI was moved to thwart an early verdict in the case
.Babri Masjid Action Committee convener, Zafaryab Jilani, said that senior
counsels Rajiv Dhawan and Raju Ramchandran are debating for them in Supreme
Court. He further said that the court has been shifting dates while petitioners
are fully prepared for day-to-day hearing. "We were prepared for
day-to-day hearing since the date on February 8, but the hearing was then
shifted to March 14. The court then said that it would hear our plea for
re-looking at a 1949 observation which claimed that a mosque is not an
important part of religion. The hearing has since been held on March 23, April
6 and next is scheduled on April 27. Our senior counsels are debating,"
said Jilani."Only when the title dispute will be taken up, will Kapil
Sibal debate on a few legal questions. His pronouncement will not affect the
Babri case and the BJP is only making a propaganda that the impeachment motion
was brought to delay the Babri dispute judgment. Both are absolutely
unrelated," he added. Another litigant, Iqbal Ansari, son of Hashim
Ansari, said, "We have proof of hundreds of years that it was a mosque.
When the idols were placed inside its precincts in 1949, it was a mosque and
the world saw that the mosque was brought down in 1992. No matter what happens,
a judge changes, a lawyer leaves, the court will decide on proofs and facts,
and they prove our claim."He added, "There are at least 6 eminent
advocates on our side, and if one of them decides for non-appearance, the team
remains."TOI
Swamy moves SC for enforcement of right to
pray at Ayodhya
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, at whose instance
the sensitive Babri Masjid cases were fast-tracked, moved the Supreme Court
seeking urgent hearing of his plea for enforcement of his fundamental right to
worship at the birth place of Lord Ram.A bench comprising CJI Dipak Misra and
Justices A Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered the submission of Swamy
that his fundamental right to worship at the site was at the higher pedestal in
contrast to the property rights of the rival parties to the civil
litigations."No, no. Not now," CJI said.PTI
Will ask govt to bring ordinance, if SC
verdict in Ayodhya case goes against us: Newly-elected Prez of VHP
The
newly-elected international president of the VHP Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje said on
Monday in Ayodhya that the Supreme Court final verdict on the land dispute case
will be in favour of Hindus to begin construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.It
was Kokje’s first visit to Ayodhya after becoming the new VHP International chief.
He offered prayers at Hanumangarhi temple and paid obeisance at the makeshift
temple Ramjanambhoomi temple after taking a holy dip in the river Saryu. The
VHP Chief also visited Karsevakpuram to inspect progress of stones being carved
for the use in the construction of Ram temple.dnaindia
'I am doing my best', CJI Misra told SC judges
minutes after impeachment notice against him was rejected
Within hours of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu
rejecting the impeachment motion against him, CJI Dipak Misra, on Monday
convened a high profile meeting of four justices of the Supreme Court and
formed a team that would compile solutions and suggestions to lift SC's dimming
image. Citing sources, a report in Times of India said that the CJI told his
fellow judges that he is "doing my best" in light of the developments
involving him. The Monday meeting, though a
continuation of the routine, 5-minute meetings held by the SC judges,
lasted for 20 minutes. The report cited that CJI has sought concerns from the
judges to "resolve" the issues "informally".The meeting
reportedly went on beyond the 10.30 am deadline and resulted in a 15-minute
delay in judges returning to their benches. The sour judges and the CJI have
reportedly agreed to set up an informal committee of justices Sikri, D Y
Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and U U Lalit to "collate
grievances". The benches started work at about 10.47 am.timesnownews
Rejection of CJI impeachment notice: Oppn
calls decision illegal, Congress says MPs to challenge order in SC
:Describing Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah
Naidu’s rejection of the Opposition notice seeking the impeachment of CJI Dipak
Misra as “illegal”, “unconstitutional” and “hasty”, the Congress Monday said
MPs who had signed the notice would challenge the order in the Supreme Court.
The party said it hoped CJI would not decide the bench to hear the challenge. Congress
president Rahul Gandhi, addressing a party function in New Delhi, alleged that
institutions were being filled by “RSS people”.“Whether it is the CM s of
different states, whether it is the offices of the ministers, whether it is the
courts, all of them are being filled by people from the RSS with one ideology”
which, he said, runs counter to the Constitution. He accused the Govt of “trampling upon and suppressing the SC”.CPM
general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who first mooted the idea of moving an
impeachment motion, said that the only option left is to approach the court. He
said “there has not been application of mind” while rejecting the
notice.Questioning the “hurry” in rejecting the motion notice, he said it
“seems to be because they don’t want to morally deprive the Chief Justice of
deciding on various administrative aspects of which bench will hear which
case”.Congress leader Kapil Sibal said Venkaiah Naidu’s order is
“unprecedented… illegal… ill-advised and hasty”.Congress said it would move a
petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the Chairman’s order. “We are
confident that when we move that petition, the CJI has nothing to do with it so
that it is heard and the serious issues which are constitutional in nature, and
which will determine whether we will bring transparency to the process or not,
will be decided by the court,” Sibal said.indianexpress
Petition challenging Naidu's decision on CJI
impeachment would open a can of worms: Raju Ramachandran
Somnath
Chatterjee says Naidu acted in hurried manner
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee
said Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu acted in a "hurried
manner" while rejecting the impeachment notice against CJI Dipak
Misra."This instance has set a bad precedence, which is not good for
democracy," he told, adding that Naidu should have followed proper procedures
before rejecting the notice."There are procedures in the Constitution and
chairman of Rajya Sabha should have followed it instead of acting in a hurried
manner," Chatterjee said.PTI
Impeachment of CJI: NCP says it will continue
to fight against wrongdoings in judiciary
SC asks Centre to clear stand on validity of
law criminalising homosexuality
NEW DELHI:The Supreme Court has asked the
Centre to clear its stand on the constitutional validity of IPC Section 377
that criminalises ‘unnatural sex’ between 2 consenting adults and provides for
their prosecution.A 3-judge bench comprising CJI Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY
Chandrachud gave a week’s time to Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to
file the reply before the Constitution bench takes up the matter.Appearing for
hotelier Keshav Suri who has moved the SC seeking quashing of Section 377,
senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi submitted that this matter might be tagged with a
bunch of petitions to be heard by a Constitution bench.Rohtagi told the court
that though the matter is to be heard in about two weeks’ time, the Centre has
not spelt out its stand on the constitutionality of this provision. A 2-judge
SC bench had earlier upheld this provision, but the matter has been referred to
a 5-judge Constitution bench.Previously too, Centre did not take a categorical
stand on the validity or otherwise of Section 377 and left it to the SC decide.
new indian express
The Wire says no apology to Jay Amit Shah; SC
says won’t gag mediaI
The Supreme Court on Monday again asked BJP
President Amit Shah's son Jay Shah to settle his defamation suit with The Wire,
even as the news portal said a firm no to an apology but agreed to carry a
clarification."This is a matter which can be solved" instead of
coming to the court, said a bench of CJI Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and
Justice DY Chandrachud as the court took up for hearing the plea against a
civil suit filed by Jay Amit Shah against the news portal. Making it clear that
the court will not suffocate the freedom of press, Chief Justice Misra said:
"I believe in freedom of press. I don't restrain the media. The court
cannot be seen as gagging the press."The Wire quoted the CJI as saying,
“Although I have passed a judgment upholding the constitutional validity of
section 499 IPC , freedom of expression is vital and we try to settle the
criminal matters of defamation that come up.”IANS
SC reserves verdict on reviewing order banning
prompt arrest in dowry cases
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has reserved its
verdict on a plea to reconsider a July 2017 order that banned immediate arrest
of the accused under the stringent anti-dowry harassment law. SC however, said
that dowry has a “chilling effect on marriage”.“The law protects gender justice
and there should not be any kind of cruel treatment on women. Dowry has a
chilling effect on marriage,” a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak
Misra said on Monday, while agreeing to have a relook at the verdict that came
under severe criticism for diluting the anti-dowry harassment law.July 2017
judgement was delivered by a two-judge bench comprising justices AK Goel and UU
Lalit.“We will go by the criminal procedure code and lay down a procedure on
how to arrest so that liberty of the accused is also protected and women are
saved from cruelty. Liberty of the husband and a woman’s right needs to be
reconciled,” the bench said during the hearing.HT
AFSPA revoked in Meghalaya, parts of Arunachal
Centre has revoked The Armed Forces (Special
Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Meghalaya since April 1, a senior Home Ministry
official told The Hindu on Monday. Earlier the AFSPA was effective in 20 km
area along the Assam-Meghalaya border.In Arunachal Pradesh, the impact of AFSPA
was reduced to 8 police stations instead of 16 police stations and in Tirap,
Longding and Changlang districts bordering Assam.Ministry has also relaxed Protected
Area Permit (PAP) for foreigners visiting Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. PAP
will be valid for 5 years, but residents from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China
will not be allowed to visit these areas.thehindu
If Centre can remove AFSPA from north-east,
why not Kashmir, asks Mirwaiz
Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has
asked New Delhi to remove AFSPA from Kashmir saying the “draconian” act has
played havoc with “our lives”.“For the past 30years draconian &oppressive
#AFSPA has played havoc with our lives. Time &again we have demanded its
withdrawal. If GOI can remove it from its NorthEastern territories, this cruel
&merciless power bestowed upon 8 lakh Indian Forces in J&K should be
revoked immediately!,” tweeted Mirwaiz.greaterkashmir
JK Jamaat condemns detention of Andrabi,
Hurriyat leaders
Srinagar: Jamaat Islami J&K has strongly
condemned the “unjustified” arrest of Dukhtaran Millat chief Asia Andrabi and
her associates in Anantnag.In a statement here today the Jamaat said Andrabi
along with her associates was on her “organizational tour” which was their
basic democratic and political right guaranteed under the “international
covenant of the human rights which has been ratified by India” as also by the
constitution of India.Their and other Hurriyat leaders’ detention including the
“continued house arrest” of Syed Ali Geelani clearly “depicts that in Kashmir no
space has been left for the peaceful political activities representing the
voice of the common masses.”Jamaat said: “Basic democratic principles give full
space to the people's voice whether it suits the establishment or not. Let the
people decide whom they want to listen to and whom not.” The statement said the
police was meant to safeguard the democratic rights of the people, not to choke
their voice.“Unfortunately administration and the police both are here puppets
in the hands of pro-India establishment who do not represent the real
aspirations of the common masses and society they belong to.”greaterkashmir
Maoists’ bodies float in river, toll now put
at 27
Tadgaon: 11 bloated and decomposing bodies of
slain Maoists, including two women, were spotted floating by TOI in the
Indravati river in Gadchiroli, on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, on
Monday, a day after security forces claimed they had gunned down 16 Naxalites
at the spot. These 11 bodies take the toll to 27. An inspection of the site
suggested it had been more an ambush than an encounter.The operation in
Rale-Kasnasur forest was carried out by C-60 commandos of Gadchiroli police and
Battalion 9 of the CRPF and seems to have taken aheavy toll of the CPI
(Maoist).Senior officials claimed these 11 bodies were likely among the ones
that could not be traced after Sunday’s encounter.However, police appeared to
have made no effort to retrieve the bodies even on Monday. Some weapons could
be seen with the bodies.Unlike usual encounter scenes, no empty bullet casings
were found at spot. A few live 12-bore cartridges were lying around; Naxalites
often use guns of this gauge.Police had recovered 16 bodies, including those of
2 divisional committee members and 2 commanders, on Sunday itself.TOI
Hyderabad’s Begumpet Task Force Office Blast
Case: Exonerated accused get notices again
Hyderabad: Hyderabad High Court issued notices
to all the accused persons of Begumpet Task Force Office Bomb Blast Case who
were exonerated by the lower court. NIA (SIT) had filed an appeal in HC which was accepted in October last year.It may
be mentioned that VII Addl. Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Dr. T. Srinivas Rao
had exonerated the accused Mohammed Abdul Kaleem alias Arshad, Mohammed Abdul
Zahid, Mohammed Shakeel Ahmed, Syed Haji, Ajmal Ali Khan, Syed Azmat Ali,
Mohammed Mahmood Baroodwala, Sheik Abdul Khaja, Nafeeq Al Biswas and Hilaluddin
since there was no proof against them.It may be mentioned that after failing in
the lower court, SIT had filed an appeal in the HC. Hyderabad HC issued notices
to all the accused after 6 months. In the charge sheet filed in Metropolitan
Court, SIT had contended that the bomb was blast by Harkatul Jihad organization
and Motasim Bilal had exploded the bomb in which he was killed. In the blast, a
home guard of the Task Force Office by name, Satyanarayana was killed on the
spot. SIT had also claimed that Task Force Office was targeted to take revenge
of the killing of Mujahid Saleem Azmi in 2004. DCP of Detective Dept. of
Hyderabad Police, Mr. Avinash Mohanty informed media persons that Hyderabad
High Court has issued notices to all the accused persons. Hearing of the case
will start soon.siasat
Acquittals in Mecca Masjid Blasts, Naroda
Patia Massacre Travesty of Justice, Say Indian Americans
Washington:Indian American Muslim Council
(IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and
tolerant ethos has strongly condemned the acquittal of accused in 2007 Mecca
Masjid attack and 2002 Naroda Patia massacre cases and termed it a travesty of
justice.“The acquittal of accused in both the cases, despite incontrovertible
evidence and confessions, represents a failure of the judiciary in upholding
the rule of law,” said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC, in a Press
release.Caravan Daily
Civil liberties group wants retrial of Masjid
blast case
Mohammed Rafiq who completed jail term in 1998
serial blast case, held for allegedly plotting to kill PM Modi
A 1998 serial blast convict was arrested by
Coimbatore Police for allegedly planning to kill PM Narendra Modi. A recorded version of the
8-minute long purported conversation between the blast convict, identified as
Mohammed Rafiq, and a transport contractor, Prakash, went viral on social
media. “The conversation was mainly related to finances about vehicles. But
suddenly the blast convict was heard saying ‘we have decided to eliminate (PM)
Modi, as we were the ones who had planted bombs when (ex deputy PM LK) Advani
visited the city in 1998,” police said. Rafiq has completed his jail term in
the blast case and currently lives in Kuniyamuthur in Coimbatore. The blast
convict was heard telling the contractor that he has many cases against him and
have damaged more than 100 vehicles, police said.indianexpress
Blast convict re-arrested after
"eliminate PM Modi" audio goes viral
Bhima Koregaon witness was killed: Prakash Ambedkar
Nagpur: BRPBM chief Prakash Ambedkar has
alleged Pooja Sakat, 19-year-old eyewitness in Bhima-Koregaon violence, was
murdered and her body thrown in a well. He has sent a fact-finding team to the
spot in Shikarpur and is expecting a report by Tuesday. Talking to TOI here on
Monday, Ambedkar said BJP-led Govt in
the state had failed on all fronts but succeeded in spreading a reign of terror
and intimidation in the country.“BJP is spreading violence, unprecedented
cruelty seen in rapes and then condoning such incidents only to create a
situation compatible for spreading of Vedic ideology that its parent
organisation RSS wants to foster,” he said.TOI
Is death a deterrent? Delhi HC questions
ordinance for tougher law on child rape
New Delhi :Two days after the Centre approved
an ordinance that allows courts to award the death penalty to those convicted
of raping children below 12 years of age, the Delhi High Court Monday questioned
the move and asked the Centre if any scientific assessment was conducted or the
view of victims taken before the ordinance was approved.HC also sought to know
if authorities concerned had considered the consequences of the ordinance to
victims. “Have you (Centre) conducted any scientific assessment or study before
passing of your ordinance,” a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and
Justice C Hari Shankar said, adding “is death penalty deterrent to rape
now?”.indianexpress
Now residents of Unnao take out rally
supporting rape accused
New Delhi: Taking a page out of the Kathua
handbook, residents of UP ’s Unnao carried out a rally on Monday, April 23, in
support of Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the BJP MLA accused of kidnapping and raping a
minor girl from the district.Holding placards saying ‘Humare vidhayak nirdosh
hai (Our MLA is innocent)’, protestors at the rally claimed that the entire
incident is part of a political conspiracy, according to a News18 report. Nagar
panchayat president Anuj Kumar Dixit, who spearheaded Monday’s rally in Unnao,
told News18: “It is a political conspiracy to defame our MLA. He is innocent
and being framed in false charges. We demand a neutral and independent enquiry
into the matter.”J&K ’s Kathua district has witnessed similar protests in
support of special police officer Deepak Khajuria, one of the accused in
gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old – a case that has sent shockwaves
throughout the country. Sengar was booked by the state police last week and is
presently lodged in jail.thewire
Kathua rape case: Policeman, SPO arrested by
SIT move J&K HC
A
policeman and a SPO arrested in connection with the Kathua rape and murder case
have moved the J&K High Court
seeking a fresh CBI probe into the matter and quashing of the investigation by
the State Crime Branch.Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta and SPO Deepak Khajuria were
arrested for allegedly destroying evidence related to the rape and killing of
an eight-year-old girl in the State’s Kathua district.A petition was filed in
the High Court in this regard on April 23 by their counsel Veenu Gupta.PTI
Kathua ashamed again: minor mother alleges
rape by kin of BJP leader
Jammu: Amidst the national and international
outrage over the brutal gang-rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in
Kathua district, a 14-year-old girl, carrying a baby in her arms who she
alleged was born a year ago out of rape, appeared at the gate of Jammu Press
Club here on Saturday, with hope she would also get justice for the assault on
her two years ago. Accompanied by her father, she had come from her home
district Kathua to draw attention of the media and the Mehbooba Mufti Govt .“The
minor girl alleged she was raped by a 28-year-old man, who is from ‘an affluent
family and enjoys political patronage’, and said nobody is listening to the
poor family,” says a PTI report carried by several media outlets, including
India Today and Business Standard.“We knocked the door of the local police
station and police’s higher-ups but justice eluded us so far,” the girl,
holding the one-year-old child in her lap, said.The incident took place in 2016
when the girl was just 12. When she was grazing her goats in the forests, the
alleged accused identified as Bindu overpowered her. She cried for help but no
one was there and he allegedly outraged her modesty.caravandaily
Ban non-veg in Somnath: Hindu groups
Rajkot: In a throwback to the issue of selling
non-vegetarian food in Palitana, which had reached the high court, several
right-wing groups in temple town Somnath are now raising their voice to declare
the periphery around the temple as ‘vegetarian zone’.In the last one week, at
least 25 huge posters have come up in Somnath town demanding a complete ban on
sale of non-vegetarian food and products in the 3 km periphery around the famed
Shiva temple. The 3 km area also covers the coastal highway where some
star-rated hotels selling non-veg, especially seafood, are located. The posters
have been put up by various community and trade associations. They want the
area from St Mary’s School to Kajli Marketing yard to be a fully ‘vegetarian
zone’.Sources said the campaign has been launched by Somnath Seva Sangh and
Hindu Yuva Sangathan, local Hindutva groups, who also submitted a memorandum of
their demand to Gir-Somnath collector Ajay Prakash on April 12. They have also
written to PM Narendra Modi, all the
Gujarat MPs, CM Vijay Rupani, MLAs and
other concerned people.Interestingly, these groups have suddenly woken up to
the presence of abattoirs near Somnath temple, which has been operating for
several years now and want it shut permanently.However, Somnath trust is yet to
take any decision to support this demand and join hands to recommend the Govt to notify the specific area as veg zone.TOI
Muzaffarnagar riots: Muslim families allege
bias by Yogi govt
Muzaffarnagar: Hundreds of Muslim families in UP
’s Shamli who were displaced during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots have alleged
that the Yogi Adityanath-led Govt is
only helping the Hindu families to get back to their homes.One of the victims
affected by the riots told ANI, “Only Hindu families are being helped to return
to their homes. Aren’t we human beings? Why is the Govt not thinking about us? We are not getting any
help from the govt.”Another victim too shared his ordeal, saying, “We are very
poor. I escaped here to Shamli during the riots in Muzaffarnagar. I barely get
some money through donations to feed my family. We are living in fear. The Govt
is only helping the Hindu families to
get back to their homes. We haven’t heard from them about when we will return
to our homes.”A third local alleged that the state Govt did not give any attention to the Muslim
families even after five years, adding that he was helpless and wondered when
he would get to return back to his home.Ex- Kairana MP Hukum Singh had helped
to rehabilitate 346 Hindu families from Kairana and Shamli to Muzaffarnagar on
the orders of the Adityanath-led BJP Govt .ANI
‘We have blood on our hands’: Salman Khurshid
on anti-Muslim riots during Congress rule
In a telling remark on the moral high ground
that the Congress takes over rival BJP on the issue of riots and violence against
the minorities, senior Congress leader and former Law minister Salman Khurshid
on Tuesday said that Congress’ hem is tainted by blood stains of Muslims.
Speaking at an event in AMU, Khurshid said that one should learn from history.
Asked what he has to say on anti-Muslim riots and Babri Mosque demolition under
Congress rule, Khurshid said, “Our hem is tainted by blood stains… and that is
why you are telling me that we shouldn’t stop if someone attacks you.. (but) we
will show these stains, that you understand that if you attack these people,
the stains will ultimately stain you…,” Khurshid added. He furher suggested
that one should learn from Congress’ history, “(you should) learn something
from our history and understand, don’t meet the same fate… that you visit the
Aligarh university after 10 years and meet no one like you (the one who posed
the question) to ask a question.”Amir, one of the listeners at the event, asked
Khurshid that there were incidents of massacre of Muslims in Hashimpura,
Maliana, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Bhagalpur, Aligarh etc after
country’s independence in 1947. Apart from this, opening of Babri Masjid’s
doors and later the incident of its demolition also occurred under Congress
rule, he said.financialexpress
Stop using Muslims’ petrol, look for gaumutra
fuel: Ex-IPS to Sanghis
New Delhi: Sanjiv Bhatt, an Ex-IPS officer
from Gujarat, who is quite vocal and wears his opinions on his sleeves,
attacked Bhakts and Sanghis after a man, who claims to be affiliated with
Vishwa Hindu Parishad, cancelled his Ola ride as the driver was Muslim; saying
they should stop using petrol as well.“Sanghi Nationalists and Modi Bhakts who
have a problem with Muslim Ola Drivers should stop using all petroleum products
as most of these products can be traced back to one Muslim country or the
other. They should wait for Baba Ramdev to develop an alternative fuel from
Gaumutra,” the Ex-IPS officer tweeted.Abhishek Mishra on April 20, had
announced that he cancelled the cab because he did not want to give money to
“Jihadi People”. He also posted a screenshot of the cancellation, which showed
the driver’s name as Masood Alam. Meanwhile, Ola Cabs on Sunday said that they
do not discriminate people on religious lines.siasat
AMU doctors march in solidarity with Dr
Kafeel, other jailed doctors of gorakhpur
Aligarh: Hundreds of doctors and medical
students of AMU took out a protest march in solidarity with Dr Kafeel Khan and
other doctors of the Gorakhpur medical college who are in jail for the last
eight months.Four doctors of Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College and Hospital were
arrested following the death of scores of children there for shortage in oxygen
supply in August last year. They have since been in jail without bail. Resident
Doctors’ Association, AMU took out the solidarity march here on Monday
demanding justice for the jailed doctors.On Saturday, Dr Kafeel Khan’s wife had
addressed a press conference in New Delhi and said that her husband was falsely
implicated in the case to save the administrative officials who were
responsible for supply of oxygen.caravandaily
A Muslim group adopts 100 villages in southern
India
Kozhikode: Markazu Saqafathi Sunniyya led by
Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed, has decided to adopt 100 villages in the country as
part of 41st foundation anniversary of the institution. Markaz has decided to
implement four different programs in these villages which are educational
empowerment projects, socio-economic services, community welfare schemes and
agricultural initiatives. Another project launched in the function is the
distribution of one million notebooks for school students. Dr. Wael
Albattrekhi, deputy head of Palestine embassy in India, inaugurated the program
which was held at Markaz headquarters here. He stated that Markaz’s activities
have been incredible as the institution carefully engages with the marginalized
communities in India. A country becomes highly developed when farsighted
leaders lead from the front. Sheikh Aboobacker is such a talented scholar who
for decades has been serving to develop the underprivileged communities
irrespective of their religion or ethnicity, he added.As part of the
distribution of the orphan fund, a portion of Rs1.5 crore’s check was presented
to orphans in the function. Sheikh Ahmed handed over the check. saudigazette
Delhi Police arrest 17-yr-old for allegedly
raping minor at madrassa in UP
Delhi Police on Monday arrested a 17-year-old
boy for allegedly abducting and raping an 11-year-old girl at a madrassa in UP ’s
Sahibabad, Indian Express reported. The accused would be produced before the
juvenile board on Tuesday, DCP (East) Pankaj Singh said.“Between 9.30 pm and 10
pm last night, a Delhi Police team reached our station and asked for help in
recovering a girl who had allegedly gone missing from Ghazipur,” Singh told the
daily. The police then sent her for medical examination. The accused has been
sent to juvenile justice home, ANI reported.The girl’s father claimed that she
went missing on April 21.scroll.in
Govt stays action on BJP MLC’s firm for
alleged tax evasion, human trafficking
Mumbai: Ministry of Civil Aviation has stayed
an order passed by its own security unit denying clearance to an aviation
services firm promoted by Prasad Minesh Lad, a Maharashtra BJP MLC, for its
alleged involvement in tax evasion and human trafficking.In its April 4 order, BCAS
alleged that Krystal Aviation Services Pvt Ltd, promoted by Lad and his wife,
created “ghost employees” in the payrolls of associate firms to “evade taxes”.
It cited a security report that accused the group’s companies of sending people
“to Dubai for jobs”. Following an appeal by Lad on April 9, the ministry on
April 18 stayed the order and remanded the case back to BCAS, directing it to
give a personal hearing to the firm, obtain a detailed report from central
security agencies and pass a final order in two months.indianexpress
WORLD
Trump administration plans to end work permits
for H-1B visa spouses
Trump
administration is planning to end allowing spouses of H1-B visa + holders to
work legally in the US, a top federal agency official has told lawmakers, a
move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians.The
move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4
visas holders, who have work permits.H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa
holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals
from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the
previous Obama administration. Indian-Americans were a major beneficiary of
this provision. More than 100,000 H-4 visa holders have been beneficiary of
this rule.PTI
US Human Rights Report Sanitizes Israeli High
Crimes
Annual State Dept Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices omit US high crimes – the most egregious human rights abuser
over a longer duration in world history from inception. Each year, its
horrendous abuses over the past 12 months are airbrushed from the State Dept
report.It greatly downplays Israeli high crimes. In previous years, its report
on Jewish state headlined “Israel and the Occupied Territory.”Its current one
is titled “Israel, Golan Heights, West Bank and Gaza.”Zionist zealot US
ambassador to Israel David Friedman reportedly asked the State Department to
stop calling the Occupied Territories occupied.Last year he was quoted saying
(illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land) “are part of Israel.”The State
Dept’s report falsely called Israel “a multiparty democracy.” There’s nothing
democratic about a ruthless rogue state, the region’s leading human rights
abuser – at war with Palestinians for 70 years, attacking neighboring states at
its discretion.The report highlighted “terrorist attacks targeting civilians
and politically and religiously motivated killings by nonstate groups and
individuals” – falsely blaming Palestinians for high crimes committed against
them.Caravan Daily
Trump's new NSA John Bolton chaired an
anti-Muslim group promoted by Russian trolls
John Bolton, President Donald Trump's new
national security adviser, chaired an anti-Muslim think tank that promotes
false, misleading, and discriminatory news, NBC News reported Monday.Gatestone
Institute has published articles describing an "army" of
"jihadists" taking over Europe, the "Great White Death" of
"native" Europeans, and mass rape perpetrated by immigrants and
refugees.Bolton has also supported the work of Pamela Geller, a well-known
anti-Muslim activist who has long promoted conspiracy theories about Islam.John
Bolton, President Donald Trump's new national security adviser, chaired an
anti-Muslim think tank that promotes false, misleading, and discriminatory news
- and has been promoted by Russian troll factories, NBC reported Monday.New
York-based non-profit group, Gatestone Institute, regularly publishes articles
promoting unsubstantiated claims concerning an "army" of
"jihadists" taking over Europe, the "Great White Death" of
"native" Europeans, and mass rape perpetrated by immigrants and
refugees.Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the civil rights and advocacy group
Council on American-Islamic Relations, told NBC that Gatestone is "a key
part of the whole Islamaphobic cottage industry on the internet." The
Intercept first reported on Bolton's ties to Gatestone.businessinsider
Jailed Egyptian journalist to be awarded
UNESCO press freedom prize: Reuters
Cairo:Egyptian photojournalist Mahmoud Abu
Zeid won the 2018 Press Freedom Prize awarded by UNESCO, a choice that drew
criticism from Egyptian authorities.Govt arrested Abu Zeid, also known as
Shawkan, in 2013 as he photographed security forces dispersing an anti-Govt sit-in, during which hundreds of protesters
and several security forces members were killed. Shawkan, who is still in
detention, and over 700 other people face many charges, which include belonging
to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, possessing firearms and murder. If convicted,
he could face the death penalty.He will have a hearing tomorrow, but no verdict
is expected.He denies all charges, his lawyer Karim Abd el-Rady
said.International rights organizations, including Amnesty International and
The Committee to Protect Journalists, have repeatedly denounced Shawkan’s
imprisonment and urged the Egyptian authorities to drop charges against him. “UN
Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions has qualified his arrest and detention as
arbitrary and contrary to the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights,” UNESCO said.
HRW warns of humanitarian crisis in Egypt’s
Sinai
Human Rights Watch has expressed concern over
the risk of a looming humanitarian crisis in North Sinai as a result of the
Egyptian army’s military operation against terrorist elements there. New York
based watchdog warned in a report published Monday entitled “Egypt: humanitarian
crisis looming”, that the Egyptian army security operation in the region
against a Daesh affiliate group in North Sinai has left nearly 420,000
residents in four north eastern cities in urgent need for humanitarian
assistance. According to the report, the security forces have imposed strict
restrictions on people and goods movement throughout the governorate.MEMO
Houthi political chief Saleh killed in Saudi
air raids
The political leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels
has been killed in Saudi-led air strikes on Hudaida province, the group has
said. Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV network reported on Monday that Saleh al-Sammad,
president of the Supreme Political Council that runs Yemen's capital, Sanaa,
and other rebel-held areas, was killed on Thursday.The group said it had
elected Mahdi al-Mashat as Sammad's successor.In a televised address later on
Monday, the Houthis' leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said that, overall, seven
people were killed in Thursday's air raids. "This crime will not break the
will of our people and state ... [and] will not pass without
accountability," he added."The forces of this aggression led by
Washington and the Saudi regime are legally responsible for such a crime and
all its implications."Hakim Almasmari, editor-in-chief of the Yemen Post,
said al-Sammad's death was a "very significant" development."He
was the acting president in the Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, so this is
considered the biggest blow for the Houthis, politically, since the war
started," he said.aljazeera
Chinese Muslims must pledge loyalty to
Communist Party before leaving for Mecca journey :Business Insider
Chinese Muslims from the autonomous Xinjiang
region hoping to embark on the annual Hajj pilgrimage must first pledge their
allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party.A Govt website, operated by Urumqi City Ethnic and
Religious Affairs Committee, requires local Muslims to submit a travel request
to attend the Hajj by setting up an online profile.The site asks users to
register their age, job, health, and economic status and provides strict
guidelines for applicants, who must be aged between 50 and 70 and have lived in
Urumqi, the region's capital, for at least 5 years.Users must also pledge
allegiance to the leadership of CCP and national unity. Registration appears to
now be closed but was open between Sept. 1 2017 to Nov. 1 2017. This indicates
applicants for the 2018 Hajj, taking place in mid-August, may have been
required to make the pledge.China closely controls and vets applicants for the
Hajj each year. Authorities seem to believe that religious travel for minority
groups could act as "potential cover for subversive political
activity," Human Rights Watch has reported.But while other regional Govt websites list similar conditions for Hajj
applicants, these applications don't appear to require CCP allegiance. This
indicates China is more concerned about subversive activity by Uyghurs in
particular.
Abbas expelled Bishop Hanna from PNC to pass
‘deal of the century’: Experts
Lebanese political analyst, Nidal al-Sabea has
said that that Mahmoud Abbas expelled Atallah Hanna from the Palestinian
National Council because he fears obstruction to the Trump-backed negotiations
with Israel.According to al-Sabea, Abbas – the Palestinian Authority President
– is afraid that Hanna, who is the Greek Orthodox Bishop of Sebastia, is likely
to be elected as President of the council and use this position to disrupt the
the so called ‘deal of the century’.Speaking to Russia’s Sputnik news agency on
Sunday, Sabea said “Archbishop Atallah Hanna would never accept the deal of the
century, giving up on Jerusalem and the Palestinian refugees issue … Abbas’
insistence on convening the Palestinian National Council in Ramallah is a blow
to Palestinian unity and a prelude to legitimizing the deal of the century.”He
added that the absence of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the boycotts by the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine independent members of the meeting
indicate that the council lack national consensus.middleeastmonitor
Palestinians file complaint to UN over Israel
violation of anti-racism convention
Palestinians have filed a complaint to the UN
against Israel for numerous violations including breaches of its obligations
under international anti-racism treaty.The move, which is likely to trigger a
lengthy and high-profile investigation by world bodies monitoring racism and
discrimination, was handed to the UN by Palestinian
ambassador to the international organisation, Ibrahim Khraishi, to the body
that monitors the implementation of the UN convention against racism.middleeastmonitor
Afghan approves first full-fledged Islamic
bank: Reuters
Afghanistan’s central bank has granted a
licence to the Islamic Bank of Afghanistan (IBA), the first lender in the
country to apply the interest-free principles of Islamic finance in all its
operations, a senior bank official said. IBA was previously known as Bakhtar
Bank and operated under a conventional banking licence since it was acquired by
Azizi Bank in 2009. Central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank, granted the licence on
April 9 after the IBA completed the conversion of its balance sheet, said
Faizan Ahmed, chief financial officer and member of IBA management board.Bank began
converting its assets and deposits in January to adhere to religious principles
that include bans on gambling, alcohol and interest-bearing debt.
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
In the bid to impeach CJI, issues of
constitutionalism, accountability:Faizan Mustafa
Mecca Masjid Blast Case: Glaring Loopholes
Emerge in the CBI Investigation;Ravi Kaushal
Karnataka Polls: BJP’s Social Media Targets
Hindu Vote Bank:Newsclick
Rape case deepens Jammu's communal schism,
brings perceived Hindu-Muslim divide back into focus:Sameer Y
PM Modi China Visit: Radical shift or just
more of same?
Unnao Rape and Dalit Assaults Make Yogi a
Liability for BJP in Karnataka:Venkatesh Kesari & Seema Mustafa
Why Naidu's Refusal to Admit Impeachment
Motion Won't Survive Judicial Scrutiny:Venu Sundaram
https://thewire.in/law/why-naidus-refusal-to-admit-impeachment-motion-wont-survive-judicial-scrutiny
Tale of a declining Left: Electorally
irrelevant but politically significant:Ruhi Tewari
Notes from CPM congress: A politics based on
democratic welfarism could offer a political alternative: Kancha Ilaiah
5000 yrs old artefacts missing from AMU
Mecca Masjid blast verdict: Despite
confession, NIA failed to get proof against IED ‘planter’:indianexpress
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 12:13 PM)
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