NEWS
DIGEST, MID-DAY
27 May 2018:10 Ramazan 1439: Vol:10, No:30
INDIA
Cobrapost’s sting claims media houses open to
‘paid Hindutva content’, firms deny
New Delhi:Weeks after its first set of sting
videos on 17 media groups, web portal Cobrapost on Friday released 49 videos of
senior officials of 27 media organisations purportedly talking to an undercover
reporter regarding a proposal to promote “Hindutva” politics and content
criticising leaders of political parties including the Congress, BSP, SP and
the JD(S) in return for money. The videos purportedly feature executives of
Network18, Star India, Zee News, Times Group, India Today Group, Dainik Jagran,
Hindustan Times and Paytm, among others.In some cases, owners or editors of the
media groups also feature in the videos. These include Kalli Purie,
vice-chairperson of the India Today Group; Vineet Jain, managing director of
Times Group; Ajay Shekhar Sharma, vice-president of Paytm and brother of the
company’s founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma; Brijesh Mishra, CEO and editor-in-chief
of Bharat Samachar.On Thursday, the Delhi High Court had restrained Cobrapost
from releasing a documentary on “media malpractices”. Dainik Bhaskar
Corporation Limited had sought the injunction from the court, which ordered
that “till further orders unless varied by the court”, Cobrapost’s parent
organisation is “restrained from in any manner releasing in public domain the
documentary ‘Operation 136: Part II’ in any manner”.Following the injunction,
Cobrapost cancelled its press conference and released videos online. The title,
Operation 136, refers to India’s ranking on the press freedom index in 2017.The
undercover reporter, Pushp Sharma, in a report in 2016, had claimed that
documents accessed by him under RTI Act showed that the Ministry of AYUSH was
not employing Muslims. The Govt had
claimed that the documents Sharma claimed to have accessed were forged. He was
arrested and later released on bail.Sharma approached media groups with
hypothetical offers ranging from Rs 1.5 crore — for local news channels — to Rs
500 crore for national networks including Star India and the Times Group. None
of the videos shows that any money was exchanged or a contract was signed or if
any of the news groups ran content in lieu of money.Posing as an “acharya” and
representing a fictitious Shrimad Bhagvad Gita Prachar Samiti, Sharma asked
these media groups to promote Krishna’s quotes from Gita and promote “Hindutva”
on their platforms in the first phase of his campaign. In the second phase, he
asked these media houses to run content, including jingles to “thrash” his
“political rivals” by using terms like “pappu”, “bua”, “babua” etc and promote
“firebrand Hindu leaders”.As the General Election approaches, Sharma told the
media houses, the third phase would include aggressive campaigning. He also
said that his organisation would use this content to “polarise” and
“communalise” atmosphere on the
ground.Kalli Purie is heard saying:“…for any kind of advertising the content is
not decided by us in any way. Anyone is allowed to put whatever content they
want on the platform as long as [it] is within the guidelines…” She purportedly
says twice during the conversation that there will be no “interference” in
India Today Group’s editorial line. She, however, agrees to create the content
internally at the India Today Group. Undercover reporter tells Purie his
organisation will use the campaign to “polarise” the atmosphere through “in-field
activities” and that they will not be answerable to the India Today Group for
that, to which Purie purportedly says, “Agree. But at the same time, if you are
doing some in-field activities that we don’t agree with editorially we will be
criticising you”. Sunday Express sent an email to 25 of the media groups named
in the sting, asking them about the authenticity of the video and whether there
was a follow-up to the chat. No comment was received from India Today, which
issued a statement referring to Cobrapost saying: “Your reporter was told in no
uncertain terms that the Group will not do anything unethical, and that any
advertising creative that divides the country on religious or caste lines will
not be acceptable, and will not be aired on our channels. However, in your
video posted online, this has not been adequately reflected and has distorted
the truth.”It said the video is “out of context and has been manipulated with
clear intention to sully, tarnish, disparage, discredit and to running down an
otherwise impeccable standing and reputation of India Today Group”.In his
interaction with Times Group MD Vineet Jain, Sharma is purportedly discussing
possible ways he can give money to them. Sharma tells Jain that he wants to pay
about Rs 50 crore cash, to which Jain and an associate purportedly try to
convince Sharma to pay by cheque.According to the video, Jain explains they are
ready to work with him but they need to appear neutral.Jain and his associate,
Sanjeev Shah, head of Merger and Acquisitions at the Times Group, are also seen
discussing the possibility of payment through big corporate groups to avoid
cash exchange.indianexpress
As Economic Times Pulls Down Paytm-Cobrapost
Sting Story, Questions Over Its Coverage Arise
Paytm shared user data with PMO, its bosses
boast of close contacts with RSS
Cograpost Sting: From Promoting Yogi to
Running Down Akalis, Zee's Journalism Laid Bare
Cobrapost Expose: Senior VP at Paytm Claims
Firm Was Asked to Share User Data with PMO
Ravish Kumar says frequency of death threats
increased, calls it 'all well organised'; UN experts ask govt to protect
journalist Rana Ayyub
Journalists in India are often a victim of
death threats or hate campaign over their reporting. Recently, UN human rights
experts called on the relevant authorities in India to act urgently to protect
journalist Rana Ayyub, who received death threats following an online hate
campaign. Now it's NDTV's Ravish Kumar who is facing threat to life. The senior
journalist has alleged that the frequency of death threats that he has been
receiving since 2015 has increased in the last month, according to reports.He
told NDTV that it happened between 25-26 April when he had not been going to
the office. "Suddenly, I started getting thousands of calls on my phone.
When I used to block one number, I got calls from another and the kind of
language used by all of them was derogatory."The latest in the series is
from an ex-CISF jawan who has sent him a video message threatening to shoot him
in his office, according to a report in The Hindu.Another person who claims to
be from the Bajrang Dal in UP has been
sending him details of his residence address, the route he takes from home to
office. The culprit also threatened to kill Kumar and rape the women in his
family, the report added."It is all well-organised and has a political
sanction," Kumar told The Hindu. His complaints to the police in Ghaziabad
and in Greater Kailash have reportedly led to no action. Another journalist
Ayyub has also reportedly received a barrage of hate-filled messages. UN human
rights experts, in a release issued by UN OHCHR, had asked the Indian Govt to urgently take steps to protect Ayyub.
"We are highly concerned that the life of Rana Ayyub is at serious risk
following these graphic and disturbing threats," said the UN experts. firstpost
UN experts ask govt to protect journalist Rana
Ayyub from online threats
Jharkhand: 4 arrested for assaulting Muslims,
released after policemen attacked, held hostage
Ranchi: In an ugly show of poor law and order
in the BJP-ruled Jharkhand, a police team was attacked and held captive in
Koderma district on Saturday over arrest of 4 persons for assaulting some
Muslim families the previous night. To secure the release of the policemen, the
arrested persons were released.On Friday evening, when Muslims were breaking
their Ramazan fast in the Kolgarma village under the Koderma police station, a
big mob attacked the Muslim settlement. The mob attacked several homes, barged
into the mosque and assaulted several people there. They warned the Muslims to
leave the village otherwise each one of them would be killed. Around 20
frightened Muslim families fled the village in the night itself and walked
about eight kilometers to reach the Koderma district headquarters. There are 20
Muslim homes in the village of 250 homes and a section of the local Hindus have
been opposing construction of a mosque since last year. Around 4 PM on
Saturday, 4 people who were already named as attackers in the complaint by
Muslims reached the District Collector’s office where the Muslim villagers had
been taking refuge since Friday night. They had gone there to submit a
memorandum over the issue. They also threatened the Muslims sitting there. Police
immediately arrested the four and a police team was sent to the Kolgarma
village for patrolling. As soon as the police team reached the village, they
were attacked and assaulted by villagers.They were held hostage seeking release
of 4 arrested villagers.A local lawyer told Caravan Daily: “At 4PM police
arrested 4 accused persons when they came to the District Collector’s office
for giving a memorandum and threatened Muslims who are camping at DC office.
Thereafter at around 7PM police patrolling party went to the village where they
were attacked and held hostage. One constable has been seriously injured and
referred to RIMS hospital in Ranchi. The accused party demanded the release of
4 arrested accused persons and only after the release of the accused persons
they released police personnel.”caravandaily
Muslim Man Beaten Up For Failing To Name PM,
Forced To Say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' in West Bengal
A Muslim man named Jamal Momin, a migrant
laborer, was allegedly assaulted by 4 men in a moving train in West Bengal
after he failed to answer their questions about PM Narendra Modi and the national anthem.Momin
was forced to say, "Bharat Mata Ki Jai."His co-passengers did nothing
to help him.The man was reportedly on a moving train, on his way to Kaliachak
in Malda district from Howrah on May 14, when he was assaulted, PTI reported. Men
asked him questions about Modi, the national anthem, and CM Mamata Banerjee. "Who is PM of India? Who
is the CM of Bengal? What is our national anthem?," they asked, TOI
reported.When he could not reply, 4 men asked, "Who is Nawaz
Sharif?"Then, they asked him, "Do you offer namaz?"When he
replied in the affirmative, they said, "Shame on you. You offer namaz
every day at a mosque but you don't know national anthem."Jamal was
reportedly so scared that he did not even tell his wife about the incident. 5
days later, on May 19, he left for Gujarat.A local NGO, Bangla Sankriti Mancha,
has used the videos taken by other passengers in the train to file a complaint
at the Kaliachak Police Station and an investigation is underway.huffingtonpost
Sikh Cop wins hearts for saving Muslim Man from
mob attack
A video purportedly showing a Sikh policeman
saving a Muslim youth from a mob after the latter was allegedly found in a
"compromising position" with a Hindu girl at a temple near Ramnagar
in Nainital district has gone viral.ADG (law and order) Ashok Kumar said the
incident occurred on Tuesday when a Muslim youth went to meet his girlfriend, a
Hindu, at Garjia Devi temple about 15 km from Ramnagar. Locals somehow came to
know about it and reached the temple to "teach the duo a lesson", he
said. On being informed about a trouble
in the area, sub-inspector Gagandeep Singh rushed to the spot where he found a
mob preparing to attack the couple.He immediately rushed to their rescue
drawing the Muslim youth close to him to act as a shield to him, and in the
process taking several blows from the mob on himself, ADG said, adding the mob
was dispersed and the couple was taken to a police station from where they were
sent back to their families.5 people whose faces are visible in the clip have
been booked and a search is on to nab them. A reward of Rs 2,500 has been
announced for Gagandeep Singh for his act of bravery, he said.Singh is
garnering respect and affection on social media for his bravery.outlookindia
Kanpur: Muslim youth beaten up for befriending
Hindu girl
Kanpur: A 22-year-old Muslim youth was
assaulted at Shivrajpur railway station by a group of men, allegedly belonging
to a right-wing organisation, for befriending a girl belonging to Hindu
community.A video of the incident in which the youth is seen being slapped
repeatedly and voices are heard of inquiries about his relationship with the
girl has gone viral on social media, following which the police has identified
the victim and is examining him.According to police, no compliant has been
filed so far by the youth about the incident which occurred Saturday.The victim
told PTI over phone that the attackers claimed that they were members of a
right-wing organisation and he did not file a complaint as he was afraid.SP,
Rural, Pradyumna Singh, said the youth had gone to Shivrajpur railway station
to meet his friend, belonging to another community, when about half a dozen
youngsters living in the same locality questioned him about his
relationship.PTI
Court is secular place, no religious practices
should be allowed:Vadodara's district judge to Bar Association
Vadodara: The principal district judge here
wrote to the president of Baroda Bar Association (BBA) on Friday raising
concerns after a video of Muslim lawyers offering prayers in the bar library
went viral recently. The bar association had allowed some lawyers to offer
prayers during the month of Ramzan.In his letter, the Principal district judge
J C Doshi has stated that the court is secular and no religious practices
should be allowed there. “In a Govt building such religious activities cannot be
performed. It is also necessary to maintain the decorum of the court building.
Therefore permission for performing any religious activities should not be
granted,” the letter stated.The judge has also directed Nalin Patel, the
president of BBA, to not permit any religious activities in future and also
instruct all lawyers on behalf of BBA to not perform any religious activities
in any room or area of the court complex. “This is for the first time that our
group of Muslim lawyers had sought permission to offer prayers during Ramazan
since the nearest mosque is two kilometer away. Our concern was that a lawyer
may fall ill if he travelled in such heat while fasting therefore we asked for
permission. The issue is being raised for no reason,” said advocate Sajid
Gajiawala.Gajiawala added that the lawyers used to perform only one ‘namaaz’ in
the afternoon in the bar room and within 10 minutes the room was vacated for
others usage. When the courts used to function from the heritage Nyay Mandir
and Laal Court buildings, Muslim lawyers did not have a problem since there
were three mosques in the vicinity.TOI
Congress’ 40 questions to Modi Govt on ‘failed
promises’
New Delhi:Countering BJP’s “Saaf Niyat, Sahi
Vikas” (Clean Intentions, Right Development) campaign to mark the completion of
four years in office, the Congress has coined the tagline ‘India Betrayed’,
raising 40 questions on the “failed promises” of Modi Govt .Congress president
Rahul Gandhi in a tweet said BJP Govt had got A+ only in “slogan creation” and
“self-promotion.”Tweeting a ‘report card’ of the Govt , he said the Govt had got F-grade or failed in agriculture,
foreign policy, fuel prices and job creation. Only in “slogan creation” and
“self-promotion” did the Govt get an A+. Under ‘final remarks’, Gandhi said:
“Master communicator; struggles with complex issues; short attention
span.”Responding to BJP’s ‘Saaf Niyat, Sahi Vikas’ campaign to mark NDA Govt’s 4
years in power, Congress’ communications chief Randeep Surjewala said in last
four years, the BJP Govt ’s popularity had dipped. “BJP is the only party in
Indian political history which came to power with 282 seats in 2014 but is now
down to 269 seats in the Lok Sabha. BJP lost all 10 Lok Sabha bypolls held in
last 2 years. 4 of these were won by the Congress and 6 by other opposition
parties,”Surjewala said.He was speaking at a press conference in the national
capital along with Congress general secretaries Ashok Gehlot and Ghulam Nabi
Azad, highlighting BJP Govt ’s failures.Congress claimed that BJP had failed in
its promises and was now using fudged statistics to paint a rosy picture. “For
all their lies, people have started replying to BJP using their votes. I am
happy that it all started with Gujarat and we saw it in Karnataka too. Now we
will see a similar response in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh,” Azad said. thehindu
People now know Modi-Shah duo is harmful to
country, says Congress
No achievements, unprecedented assault on
India's social fabric in 4 years of Modi: Left
Left claimed that BJP Govt has nothing to show for its four years at the
centre except "failures and rhetoric" and should be ousted from
power. CPI (M) alleged that these four years had seen an "unprecedented
assault" on India's social fabric and the livelihood of the people.The
future of the country and the people can only be safeguarded and improved with
the ouster of this Govt, general secretary Sitaram Yechury said."These 4
years have seen an unprecedented assault on India as a country and livelihood
of our people. There has been a four-pronged attack that continued to intensify
by the day during these four years," he said.PTI
Modi says BJP in power in 20 states; Truth is,
it has a clear majority in only 10: the wire
New Delhi: In a response to the growing moves
for opposition unity, PM Narendra Modi told a rally in Cuttack on Saturday that
“BJP is in power in 20 states of the country which shows that people have
endorsed NDA’s performance in the last 4 years.”While figure is impressive, a
study of assembly election results and alliances indicates that BJP “is in power”
in these states largely as a result of smart electoral alliances (both pre-poll
and post-poll) with regional parties. In fact, minus its allies,BJP is in a
clear majority only in 10 of 29 states of India.
Teachers, Students Fraternity Denounces
Saffronization and Privatization of Education
New Delhi:Speaking on the first day of the
ongoing 3-day citizens’ conclave — Building
an Inclusive India, student leaders and members of teaching
fraternity from all over the country
denounced the educational policies adopted by the BJP Govt during the last four years.During the conclave
students and professors expressed strong objection to policy of saffronization
and privatisation of education and said that they would like to see the party
defeated in 2019 Lok Sabha polsl. “BJP and RSS have only one model — Hindutva.
Students’ movements need to stop this assault on education. We want to kick
back this Govt but don’t want to bring same kind of Govt of any other political
party,” said Delhi University professor Abha Dev Habib.Participants at the
conclave also expressed grave concern about interference of the governmnet in
Universities all over the country.“In last 4 years, youths have stood as
powerful opposition against this regime.They have kept alive dissent. Modi ji
is scared of educated students because they ask questions. So, each University
is being targeted in different ways,” said Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA President from
DU said.Student leaders from various universities raised questions over
increasing unemployment, fee hike, commercialization of education and and
communalization of campuses.Referring to the policy of privatization Pooja
Shukla, student leader from Lucknow University said that the Govt is playing in the hands of private
players.Caravan Daily
Baghpat on edge after sugarcane farmer dies
during dharna
Baghpat:In Baghpat’s Baraut tehsil, all eyes
were on a corpse kept on two thick slabs of ice. Sugarcane farmer Udayveer
Singh, who was on a dharna over non-payment of dues by sugar mills and an
increase in rural power tariff, died on Saturday morning at the protest site.
Singh, 58, was among the 50-odd sugarcane farmers who launched the protest on
May 21. As news of Singh’s death spread, the protest site swelled and hundreds
of angry farmers from the sugarcane belt laid siege to tehsil office. Leaders
of Opposition parties, including SP, RLD and Congress, rushed to the protest
site.Baraut tehsil is barely 30 km from where PM Narendra Modi will, on Sunday, throw open the
country’s first “smart” highway, which touches the UP district of Baghpat.
Initially, district authorities claimed that Singh may have suffered a cardiac
arrest. Around 8 pm, nearly 10 hours after his death, the family lodged an FIR,
which said Singh had suffered an “unnatural death”.indianexpress
BSP national convention: No alliance if not
given fair share of seats to contest, says Mayawati
Lucknow : BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday said
her party will enter into any future poll alliance only if it gets a
“respectable share” of the seats to contest on. Otherwise, she said, the party
will contest alone.Mayawati, who was part of the show of unity among opposition
parties at the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy, said although talks over
forming alliances with parties in UP and
a few other states are going on, BSP leaders should first be prepared to
strengthen the party under all circumstances. indianexpress
We seek cooperation to resolve Rohingya
influx, tackle terror: Bangladeshi PM Hasina
Asansol: Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina on Saturday sought the cooperation
of all neighbouring countries in the sub-continent to resolve the influx of
Rohingya refugees in the region and save youth from clutches of
terrorism.Speaking after receiving a honorary degree from Kazi Nazrul
University during a special convocation in Asansol area of West Burdwan, she
said, “We have given shelter to about 11 lakh Rohingya refugees on humanitarian
grounds. We want this issue to be resolved quickly. We have to protect our
youths from the clutches terrorism and divisive forces.We seek the cooperation
of all neighbouring countries in the sub-continent to achieve this.She also
urged attending students to rise above communalism and uphold the secular
fabric of the country. Later in the evening, Hasina had a one-on-one meeting
with Mamata in Kolkata. “The discussion was friendly and cordial. We discussed
trade, economic ties and their improvement among other things,” she said,
according to PTI. indianexpress
If Pakistan ready for talks, shows initiative,
India won’t say no: Rajnath
New Delhi:STATING THAT India is not averse to
holding talks with Pakistan, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that
Islamabad should also “take some initiative” and demonstrate its intent by
stopping infiltration attempts and coming forward to “jointly launch action”
against terrorists.While he admitted that measures to restore normalcy in
Kashmir, through initiatives like the appointment of an interlocutor, have not
had the desired results, Singh said the Govt was committed to restoring peace and may
extend the ceasefire in Kashmir after Ramzan “if the situation remains
peaceful”.“If Pakistan is ready to talk, why won’t we talk? We want to have
good relations with our neighbour. But even the neighbour will have to take
some initiative. Pakistan is firing at our borders, indulging in ceasefire
violations. It is trying to infiltrate terrorists. It is not mending its ways.
But it will have to (mend its ways) one day,” Singh said.indianexpress
5 militants killed as infiltration bid is
foiled in Kashmir
Srinagar:5 militants were killed in a gunfight
as Army claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid in Kupwara district. Infiltration
bid was foiled a day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, who completed his
two-days visit to Kashmir on Friday, asked Pakistan to “stop infiltration and
establish peace along the border”.The incident took place when troops
intercepted a group of infiltrating militants near Gagadari eagle post close to
LoC in wee hours on Saturday.“As the Army noticed suspicious movement around 3
am, the group was challenged. Infiltrating militants opened fire, triggering a
gunfight. So far, five militants have been killed,” defence sources
said.tribuneindia
Srinagar Jamia Masjid closed after clashes
Srinagar: The historic 624-year-old Jamia
Masjid here has stopped prayers to clean the blood spilt on its floor during
clashes on Friday afternoon, which left over 30 civilians and dozens of
security personnel injured. Old City here observed a shutdown on Saturday in
protest.“Unnecessary presence of security forces on Friday outside the mosque
was the cause of confrontation. Scores of protesters were hit in the eyes with
pellets. The police fired pellets through the gaps in the closed doors of the
mosque,” said Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Valley’s head priest
who delivers sermons from the grand mosque’s pulpit.A video of the clash went
viral online, showing women worshippers suffocating after security forces fired
pepper gas shells, blood on the floor and youth raising slogans inside the
mosque. “We have decided to close the mosque for prayers till an ablution is
done to clean the mosque,” a caretaker said.“If the Govt fails to stop its ploys to damage the sanctity
and sacredness of the grand masjid, a sustained campaign will be started and
the entire responsibility will then lie on the ruling dispensation,” a joint
statement by separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani and Yasin Malik,
said.The video evoked condemnation from civil society too. Local people alleged
that shells landed on the wooden roof of the mosque, endangering the
architectural marvel.thehindu
A spring of hope in Shopian as ceasefire
ushers in calm:Spl story of the hindu
It is just after the morning Sehri prayers
that mark the beginning of the fast during Ramzan, and Pervaiz Ahmed Bhat and
his family know they must move quickly.The “suspension of operations”, what is
called a conditional ceasefire or cease-ops, announced by the Union Home
Ministry, has been in place for a week, and Bhat wants to maximise the time he
can spend harvesting his crop of ‘Double Gilaas’ and ‘Misri’ cherry varieties
this month.Bhat hopes the cease-ops orders mean security restrictions will also
be relaxed as, at present, they must submit identity cards to the security
pesonnel and account for each family member going into the orchards, mentioning
a fixed time for their return.“I hope the cherries will reach the markets in
time and won’t be damaged in storage rooms due to lockdowns of the security
forces and the shutdowns sparked by killing of militants and civilians now,”
said Bhat, particularly bitter about the frequent and intensive “Cordon and
Search Operations” that routinely disrupt life.While the fruit hangs on the
trees, the air in Shopian still hangs heavy with the bloodshed of the recent
past. Laden with nature’s bounty, these orchards across four districts of south
Kashmir — Anantanag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian — have also doubled as
hideouts for militants from these areas, and hence often became the unwitting
sites of violent encounters and deaths.thehindu
Nagrota attack: NIA arrests Kupwara resident
Srinagar:NIA has arrested a resident of
Kupwara in connection with the attack on an Army camp in Nagrota in Nov.2016,
in which seven personnel, including two officers, were killed. “Today, NIA
arrested Syed Muneer-ul-Hassan Qadri, resident of Khurhama, Lolab, Lalpora, Kupwara
in NIA case RC-16/2016/NIA/DLI. J&K Police have played a key role in the
arrest of the accused,” NIA spokesman, IG Alok Mittal said. “Preliminary
interrogation of the arrested accused revealed that the attack was carried out
by Jaish-e-Mohammad, a banned terror group, in furtherance of a well-planned
conspiracy in Pakistan,” he said.NIA termed Qadri’s arrest as a breakthrough in
the investigation of the case.indianexpress
Jailed separatist leader Shabir Shah’s
daughter tops CBSE Class XII in J&K
Srinagar:The daughter of incarcerated
separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who is lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in
connection with a terror funding case, has topped CBSE Class XII examinations
in J&K . Sama, a student of DPS in Srinagar, secured 97.8% marks in the examination, the results for
which were announced on Saturday. Jammu Kashmir DFP leader, Shabir Shah was
arrested by NIA on July 26, 2017, in a terror funding case.CM Mehbooba Mufti congratulated the 19-year-old
student and called her an “inspiration” for the youth in the state.Attributing
her success to the “guidance” from her jailed father, Sama said: “I attribute
it to my father only for being a source of inspiration, for being an idol for
me. And my mother, for being source of strength for me. She has given us the
strength that I have today and because of her I was able to study. I was not in
depression because of my mother, because she was herself so strong.”“I am very
proud of my father. He has spent 31 years in prison. So this one year wouldn’t
have affected my studies,” she said, adding that she had to top the exam to
make her father proud.indianexpress
Infant deaths: 111 dead in five months in
Adani-run hospital, probe ordered
Bhuj:Gujarat Govt on Friday ordered an inquiry into the deaths
of 111 newborns in five months at the Adani Education and Research
Foundation-run G K General Hospital in Bhuj. As per the data released by the
hospital, 111 infants died in the first five months of 2018, ending May
20.While the hospital management cited reasons including delayed admission or
malnutrition for the deaths, the Govt formed a team of experts to conduct the
inquiry. “We have formed a team of experts to probe reasons behind these
deaths. We will take appropriate steps after the team submits its report,”
Gujarat Commissioner of Health Jayanti Ravi said.PTI
India is incomplete without Muslims: Mani
Shankar Aiyar
New Delhi: Muslims have inhabited India for
years, they are part of its soil. There is such a large population of Muslims
in the country that India couldn’t be imagined without Muslims. Former union
minister and MP Mani Shankar Aiyar told this during an iftar party hosted by
SDPI.He said joint culture is the identity of India and Muslims are also part
of it. On the occasion, he lamented the changing political scenario and hate
politics. He said some forces have come to power who want that the secular
country becomes a Hindu Rashtra. He stressed the need for a united effort to
stop them. He urged all secular forces to sink their differences and join hands
to combat those anti-secular forces. He stressed the need for Dalit, tribal and
Muslim unity to change present scenario.siasat
Telangana:Waqf graveyard turns into stable for
horses, camels
Charminar: Overgrown and littered with dead
leaves, Oontwadi graveyard, spread over 3,000 sq yards in Jummerat Bazaar, is
lying in neglect. The graveyard, which is the final resting place for hundreds
of people, has now turned into a stable for nearly 50 horses and camels.Waqf
Board chairman Mohammed Saleem along with other officials visited the graveyard
last year after repeated complaints were filed and removed all encroachments
before issuing a warning to the owners of all horses and camels found
inside.According to the activists, Waqf inspector concerned is not taking any
action on the issue in spite of being aware of the encroachments.“The auditor
inspector of the area, who happens to take that route almost every day, is
aware of the encroachment but hasn’t submitted a report on issue to the Waqf
board,” a waqf activist said.Activists also say encroachments on waqf
properties have only increased in recent time.Several other waqf properties in
Attapur, Puranapul, Jiyaguda and Karwan have also been encroached upon. In some
encroached areas, people have set up workshops and built houses within the waqf
properties, including graveyards.“All the area inspectors of Waqf Board should
submit a weekly report on all waqf institutions saying that the said properties
are free of encroachments or vice-versa,”Mohammed Habeebuddin, waqf activist
said. Interestingly, according to this year’s inspection report of the Central
Waqf Council, total waqf land under Telangana State Waqf Board is 77,677 acres
of waqf land belonging to 32,596 institutions across the State, but out of
which 89 % waqf land is under encroachment or legal dispute.TOI
Pandit who writes in Prophet’s praise, says
Prophet belongs to all of humanity, not just Muslims
Mumbai: At a time of anxieties over prayer
locations and portraits of historic figures, in a quiet, sea-facing flat in
Mumbai’s Colaba, Pandit Ram Sagar Prithvipal Tripathi, or simply Sagar
Tripathi, reverentially opens Saibaan-e-Rahmat (Tent of Mercy),his collection
of 'natiya shairi’ or devotional poems penned in praise of Prophet
Muhammad.68-year-old, hailing from a family that patronises the Ram Lalla
Vinyas, a temple trust in Ayodhya, is also world president of the Vishwa
Brahmin Parishad. But that’s not what he’s well known for. He has become a
famous face at mushairas (traditional soirees where Urdu poets recite couplets)
for his poetry, and in particular for always opening his session with a 'hamd'
(penned in praise of God) and a ‘natiya kalam,’ a panegyric extolling the Prophet
and his message.In his house, dozens of awards and citations that he’s won for
his works jostle for space with copies of the Quran, biographies of the
Prophet, the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana. Behind a huge sofa are placed
several prayer mats that he spreads often for Muslim guests who want to pray if
they wish to."Prophet Muhammad doesn’t belong to Muslims alone. He is for
humanity, and there is nothing wrong if I seek some blessings from him,"
says Tripathi.TOI
WORLD
Palestinians risk losing Jerusalem ID over
Israel loyalty law
Ramallah, Occupied West Bank - "Exile is
like death," Ahmad Attoun, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council
(PLC), told Al Jazeera. "I can't explain my relationship to Jerusalem. It
is part of my soul.""Jerusalem is now just a few metres away from me,
but I can't enter. There are no words to describe the pain we are
feeling," he said.Attoun, along with PLC members Mohammad Totah, Mohammad
Abu Teir and former Palestinian minister Khaled Abu Arafeh, were forcibly
deported from occupied East Jerusalem in 2011 after Israel's interior minister
revoked their Jerusalem residencies over allegations of "breaching
loyalty" to the Israeli state.Attoun's deportation from the city put his
life in disarray. He only sees his family on weekends when they travel to
Ramallah, where he now resides. His eight-year-old daughter has never
experienced living with her father."I wish I could see her just once in
her school uniform when she comes home," Attoun said, noting that his
family has continued to reside in Jerusalem despite his expulsion.On April 29,
Israel's Interior Minister Aryeh Deri upheld the deportation of the four
parliamentarians, after Israel's parliament passed a law in March granting the
interior minister full power to revoke the Jerusalem residencies of
Palestinians over allegations of "breaching allegiance" or
"loyalty" to the Israeli state.Rights groups have raised serious
concerns over the new law, noting that the legislation is a clear breach of
international law and threatens the basic rights of Palestinians in occupied
East Jerusalem.Palestinians residing in East Jerusalem following Israel's
occupation were not granted Israeli or Palestinian citizenship, but were
instead issued Jerusalem residency ID cards, which can be revoked by Israel at
any time.Al Jazeera
Israel airstrikes target Hamas positions in
Gaza
Israeli warplanes bombed 2 Hamas positions in
the Gaza Strip late on Saturday, causing no casualties, according to local
sources. One of the targeted sites affiliated with the Ezzedine al-Qassam
Brigades, the armed wing of resistance movement Hamas, which has governed the
Gaza Strip since 2007, is in the southern Gaza Strip.Israeli aircrafts targeted
another Hamas site in the west of Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza
Strip.middleeastmonitor
Tunisian opposition ‘committed’ to law
criminalising normalisation with Israel
A leading opposition MP in Tunisia has said
that democratic forces in the country remain committed to passing a law which
criminalises “normalisation” with Israel, Quds Press has reported.“Palestinian
cause,” added Al-Irada Party leader Imed Al-Daimi, “remains a priority for the
political elites and leaders in Tunisia.”Al-Daimi expressed his regret at the
way the Tunisian public and officials reacted to Israel’s violations against
the Palestinians, calling the response “weak and substandard”. He attributed
this to Tunisians’ preoccupation with post-revolution local entitlements, in
addition to the Tunisian communities’ reduced confidence in political
participation and its replacement by social media.“We are witnessing a serious
social phenomenon here in Tunisia, which is the reluctance to participate in
political and public affairs. This was evident in the weak turnout for the
recent municipal elections.” MP asserted that the lack of public protest
against Israeli crimes does not mean that the Palestinian cause is not of
central importance. “Tunisian people and all political elites with their
different ideologies still view the Palestinian cause as their own main
cause.”However, Al-Daimi undermined his argument about the importance of
talking about normalisation by stressing that “this strange and deplorable
phenomenon does exist, but is isolated.”middleeastmonitor
Trump: US-North Korea summit back on for June
12
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un believes a
face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump in Singapore next month
could "put an end to the history of war" between the two nations,
South Korea's president said.Moon Jae-in also said on Sunday that Kim
reaffirmed his commitment to "complete" denuclearisation of the
Korean Peninsula in talks they had at a surprise meeting a day earlier at the
demilitarised zone. "Chairman Kim and I have agreed ... our quest for the
Korean Peninsula's denuclearisation and a perpetual peace regime should not be
halted," Moon told reporters."He also expressed his intention to put
an end to the history of war and confrontation through the success of the
North-US summit and to cooperate for peace and prosperity." Saturday's meeting
was the latest dramatic turn in a week of diplomatic ups and downs surrounding
the prospects for an unprecedented summit between the US and North Korea, and
the strongest sign yet the two Korean leaders are trying to keep the
on-again-off-again meeting on track.aljazeera
Pakistan to hold general elections on July 25
Pakistan will hold general elections on July
25, a presidential spokesman has said even as the deadlock between ruling PML-N
and the opposition persisted over picking up an interim PM . Election
Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a letter to the president on May 21 had
proposed to hold elections for the National Assembly and four provincial
assemblies between July 25 and 27.President Hussain on Saturday approved July
25 as the polling date for general and provincial elections, officials in the
President Office said.PTI
Erdogan asks Turks to convert dollars, euro
into lira
At the end of a volatile week for the
embattled Turkish lira, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Turks to
convert to convert foreign currency savings into the country's currency. The
lira, which has fallen about 20 % this year, hit a low of 4.93 against the US
dollar on Wednesday, before Turkey's central bank raised its top interest rate
by three percentage points to 16.5 % in an attempt to help stabilise the
currency.aljazeera
Top Egypt court orders month-long YouTube ban
over Prophet video
Egypt's top administrative court has ordered
authorities to block video-sharing website YouTube for a month over a short
film that denigrated the Prophet Muhammad.The ruling on Saturday ended a
years-long appeals process over the 2012 film, Innocence of Muslims, which
depicts the Prophet Muhammad in a negative light.Mohamed Hamid Salem, a lawyer
who filed the case in 2013, told Reuters the court's decision also ordered all
links that broadcast the film be blocked.A lower administrative court had ordered
YouTube be blocked in 2013 over the video, but Egypt's National
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority appealed and it remained available
during the appeal process.aljazeera
After repealing ban on abortion by a
referendum, Irish PM says new laws by end of the year
A new abortion law will be in place by the end
of the year, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said. It follows a landslide
vote in favour of repealing the Republic of Ireland's constitutional ban on
abortion.The proposed legislation will allow abortions during the first 12 weeks
of pregnancy, and up to the 24th week in exceptional circumstances.Irish
Minister for Health Simon Harris will seek the cabinet's backing on Tuesday to
draft the new legislation.The result south of the border has shifted focus to
Northern Ireland's similarly strict abortion laws, with UK Prime Minister
Theresa May facing calls to act.Northern Ireland will soon become the only part
of the UK and Ireland with an almost blanket ban on terminations.But Mrs May is
in a difficult situation because her administration depends on the support of
10 Democratic Unionist Party MPs - who strongly oppose any reform.On Saturday,
Penny Mordaunt - who is responsible for the women and equalities brief in
government - said the referendum signalled a "historic and great day for Ireland"
and a "hopeful one for Northern Ireland".Nicky Morgan and three other
former holders of the women and equalities role - Amber Rudd, Justine Greening
and Maria Miller - all back Ms Mordaunt's support for liberalising the laws in
Northern Ireland, the Sunday Times reported. BBC
Ireland abortion referendum: 'Monumental day
for women'
Parliament has no power to annul vote results:
Al-Sadr
Baghdad;Iraqi parliament has no jurisdiction
to annul the results of the country’s parliamentary election, firebrand Shia
cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said Sunday.In a statement, al-Sadr’s spokesman Jaafar
al-Moussawi said the election commission is responsible for looking into
complaints about the vote results.“What the parliament is doing is an attempt
to violate the powers of other authorities,” he said.Al-Sadr's Sairoon
coalition won 54 parliamentary seats in the May 12 polls, followed by a Hashd
al-Shaabi-linked coalition (47 seats) and PM Haidar al-Abadi's Victory bloc (42 seats),
according to the election commission.Vote results, however, were greeted with
widespread fraud allegations during the polls.Anadoluagency
US warns of 'firm measures' if Syria launches
new assault
US has warned Syria it will take "firm
and appropriate measures" if government forces violate a ceasefire by
launching an anticipated assault on the rebel-held region of Daraa.Emboldened
by recent victories over rebel outposts near Damascus, government forces of
President Bashar al-Assad were on Wednesday reportedly moving into the Daraa
province, and Syrian government aircraft have dropped leaflets there calling on
rebels to surrender or face being killed.The territory, one of the last large
areas controlled by rebel groups, is covered by a ceasefire agreement signed
between the US, Russia and neighbouring Jordan.middleeasteye
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Citizenship Bill: If it's about sheltering the
persecuted, why not include Rohingyas?UDAYAN TANDAN
Modi’s two biggest mistakes and how he fell
into a Congress trap:Tavleen Singh
Why the BJP is sleepless over Jats &
Muslims joining hands in UP poll:KUMAR
ANSHUMAN
Ghettoisation and Disturbed Areas Act are
dividing urban spaces in Gujarat, pushing Muslims to the edge;Christophe
Jaffrelot
Archbishop’s message: Real issue is not
whether or not he is entitled to make a political statement:Abdul Khaliq
Cobrapost case study: Media on Sale: Indian
media really for sale and ready to peddle ideology for a few crores?
Opposition unity and a focus on economic
distress: How the Kairana bye-poll is a test case for 2019
How Muslim voices are breaking stereotypes
online:Danish Raza
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 4:16 PM)
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