NEWS
DIGEST, MID-DAY
08 Aug 2018:25 Ziqada 1439:
Vol:10, No:83
INDIA
Supreme Court reserves verdict on adultery
law, asks govt ‘what public good’ does it serve
New Delhi:The Supreme Court has reserved its
verdict on pleas challenging constitutional validity of penal law on adultery.Hearing
the mater, the SC questioned Govt’s stand defending the adultery law that
punishes a married man for having a sexual relationship with a married woman.As
the Govt defended the retention of
Section 497 of IPC for preserving the “sanctity of marriage”, the court asked
the Centre “what public good” the penal law on adultery served as it provided
that no offence would be made if the husband of a woman approves an adulterous
relationship. Section 497 of 158-year-old IPC says:“Whoever has sexual
intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to
be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such
sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the
offence of adultery.”The hearing in the case by the bench, which also comprised
Justices RF Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra, went on
for six days and had commenced on Aug. 1.“Where is the sanctity of marriage
when the husband can consent,” asked Justice Nariman. CJI said: “We are not
questioning the legislature’s competence to make laws but where is the
‘collective good’ in Section 497 of IPC.”Telling Additional Solicitor General
Pinki Anand that “dichotomy is manifest (in Section 497)”, CJI Misra said:
“Husband can only have control over his emotion and cannot ask wife to do this
or that.”Indian express
Criminalising adultery does not appeal to
common sense, says CJI
Adultery law will preserve ‘sanctity of
marriage’, says govt; SC asks how?
SC seeks J&K govt’s reply on plea alleging
custodial torture of Kathua case witness Talib Hussain
New Delhi:The Supreme Court Wednesday sought
response from J&K Govt on a plea by Talib Hussain, a key witness in
the sensational Kathua gang rape-and-murder case, alleging custodial torture by
the state police in an alleged fake rape case.A bench headed by CJI Dipak Misra
considered the submission of senior advocate Indira Jaising that Hussain had
been brutally tortured in police custody and judicial intervention was needed. Bench
also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud asked the senior
lawyer to explain as to how a writ of habeas corpus (produce the body) can be
filed in the present case as the accused, Hussain, is in lawful custody of the
police.Jaising referred to a SC judgment and said that such a petition can be
filed even in case of custodial torture.The bench asked the state Govt to file the response in a week and asked the
lawyers to serve a copy of the petition on the advocate general of the state.
It also permitted the woman, who had lodged an FIR against Hussain alleging
rape, to file an application seeking to intervene in the matter.The bench
posted the matter for further hearing on Aug.21.The court was hearing the
submission of a close relative of Hussain, seeking urgent hearing on plea.Relative
of Hussain sought his protection in police custody and alleged that he had been
brutally beaten up in the alleged fake rape case.PTI
Editors Guild of India accuses NDA govt of
attempting to curb press freedom
New Delhi: Editors Guild of India today
decried “all attempts” by Govt to “interfere” with the independence of the
media, taking strong note of senior journalists of two TV channels quitting and
frequent instances of broadcast signals being blocked of programmes seen to be
critical of the ruling dispensation. Guild, an umbrella body of media
organisations, in a statement, demanded suitable action against those
responsible for “nefarious activities” aimed at “throttling” press freedom and
urged media owners not to “cow down” to political pressure being put on them by
the Govt or any other forces. It
demanded that the Govt take note of the
cases of disruptions in television programme signals, investigate and explain
how and under what circumstances these “egregious violations” are taking place.
It said such attempts strike at the root of media freedom and the foundations
of India’s democracy. “It (Govt ) must also assure the nation that either
directly or through any proxies or agencies it isn’t involved in this activity.
And if it isn’t, these saboteurs must be brought to book. Freedom of airwaves
cannot be tampered with,” said the Guild.The strong statement comes days after
the managing editor and two anchors of a prominent TV channel resigned. The
Congress has alleged that they quit due to pressure from the Govt for airing stories critical of the Modi
dispensation. It said the past few days have seen senior journalists of at
least two electronic media channels come out in the open to assert that their
employers attempted to either “tailor” or “tone down” content to make it less
critical of the Govt , leaving them with no choice but to resign. Guild said at
least one such instance was reported formally in writing to it.“Editors Guild
of India condemns the manner in which the right to practise free and
independent journalism is seen to be undermined by a combination of forces—some
media owners’ inability to withstand covert or overt pressures from the
political establishment and frequent instances of blocking or interference in
the transmission of television content that is seen to be critical of the Govt ,”
it said. Guild said one TV channel has also shared with it screen-shots and
details indicating such interference. “Even more worrying are the recent
instances where signals of television programmes critical of the Govt have
seemingly been blocked or disrupted in a manner almost Orwellian,” it said.
“These undermine the right to be informed and to hold the establishment
accountable. This seems a brazen attempt to punish ‘unfriendly’ news channels
and silence inconvenient voices.”PTI
Editors Guild of India decries political
pressures on journalists, blocking of TV signals
Rafale deal biggest defence scam in India, say
renegade BJP veterans, SC lawyer
New Delhi:2 ex union ministers and renegade
BJP leaders, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, and senior lawyer at Supreme Court,
Prashant Bhushan, today released documents related to the controversial Rafale
deal between India and France and said the deal was the biggest ever defence
scam in India scripted by the current Govt at centre. Addressing a joint press
conference here, they claimed that the “the purpose of the new deal was to
‘kick out’ HAL (state-owned) and give offset contract to Reliance”.They said
the deal would cause a huge loss of around Rs 35,000 crore to the public
exchequer. Modi Govt has recently inked
a deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jet planes from the French company
Dassault Aviation through a newly-formed Reliance Defence of industrialist Anil
Ambani.Congress-led UPA Govt of Dr.
Manmohan Singh had negotiated a deal with the French company after an official
bidding process, following which Dassault Aviation was given the contract to
hand over 18 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircrafts (MMRCA) in a fly-away condition
to India and assist HAL to manufacture another 108 aircraft by transferring its
technology. The request for proposal that UPA issued included cost of initial
purchase, transfer of technology and licensed production among others. The deal
would have cost India Rs 42,000 crore, said the leaders while addressing press
conference. However, Modi Govt overlooked the earlier deal and negotiated the
purchase of 36 aircraft at a cost of Rs 60,000 crore.The trio said this figure
is “embarrassing for the Govt” as each aircraft would cost Rs 1,660
crore.caravandaily
Documents Prove the Rafale Transaction Is a
Case of Criminal Misconduct
Karunanidhi Buried At Chennai's Marina Beach,
Next To Mentor Annadurai
CHENNAI:
M Karunanidhi, a towering figure in Tamil Nadu politics, was given a
state funeral and buried at Chennai's Marina Beach on Wednesday, in the
presence of the country's top politicians. A massive crowd followed the DMK
patriarch's casket from Rajaji Hall, where leaders including Prime Minister
Narendra Modi had paid tribute to him earlier in the day. Two people were
killed as the rush for a final glimpse of "Kalaignar", as the police
used batons to control the surging crowds. The Madras High Court allowed
Karunanidhi's burial at Marina Beach after overnight drama over the ruling
AIADMK's refusal to give the five-time chief minister space at the beachfront which
has memorials to three other former chief ministers including J Jayalalithaa.
Karunanidhi died on Tuesday at 94.The AIADMK government had yesterday refused
DMK's request to bury their leader at Marina Beach, a decision that was
criticised by many in Tamil Nadu and beyond. Hours after Karunanidhi's death,
the Madras High Court held a midnight hearing at the home of the acting chief
justice to take up DMK's request for a burial site at Marina Beach.NDTV
DMK stalwart Karunanidhi's final journey
begins
Karunanidhi death: 2 killed, 30 injured in
stampede
India-Pakistan would have remained united had
Jinnah been made PM instead of Nehru: Dalai Lama
Panjim:India and Pakistan would have remained
united had Jinnah been allowed to take over as PM , instead of Jawaharlal
Nehru, said Dalai Lama at a student interaction at Goa Institute of
Management.“Mahatma Gandhi wanted to give the PM ship to Jinnah. But Nehru
refused. He was self-centred. He said, ‘I wanted to be PM ’.India Pakistan
would have been united (if Jinnah was made PM). Pandit Nehru is very
experienced. But mistakes do happen,” said Dalai Lama as he answered a question.A
student asked him how can one be sure of the decisions one makes, and if they
can avoid making mistakes. Dalai Lama chose Nehru’s “decision” to explain that
“mistakes do happen”.indianexpress
Dalai Lama calls for shunning Shia-Sunni
conflicts
Panaji:Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on
Wednesday appealed to Muslims in India to make efforts to reduce Shia-Sunni
conflicts that are prevalent in some other countries and asserted that Islam is
a religion of peace.Lama lamented the bloodshed over denominational
differences, which he said should be avoided as Islam teaches compassion and
harmony. Addressing an event at Goa Institute of Management, the 14th Dalai
Lama stressed the need for international brotherhood and harmony.“Muslims
across the globe follow the same Quran and also pray five times a day. However,
there are killing each other owing to differences between the sects like Shia
and Sunni,” he said.Lama said, “I was in Ladakh. I suggested to Ladakhi Muslims
that Indian Muslims should make some efforts to reduce the conflict between
Shias and Sunnis”. He told the audience that a national conference of Muslims
would be organised in the coming months, which will be followed by a similar
convention at the international level.PTI
Will drive out Bangladeshi Muslims, not
Bengalis, BJP says in hoardings
Kolkata:“We will drive out Bangladeshi
Muslims, not Bengalis” — thus reads a hoarding put up by the state BJP as part
of its efforts to dispel allegations that it is “anti-Bengali”. The move comes
ahead of party head Amit Shah’s rally in Kolkata.BJP acted after Trinamool
Congress branded it as an “anti-Bengali” party following the publication of the
final draft of NRC in Assam, which excluded around 40 lakh people from the
list.“We are not against Bengalis in general but against illegal infiltration.
We will give shelter to Hindu refugees who had to flee neighbouring countries
due to religious persecution. But we cannot give shelter to Muslim infiltrators
who have been living here illegally. But a wrong message has been sent to the
people of Bengal following NRC implementation that we will drive out Bengalis.
We want to make it clear that we will only drive out Bangladeshi Muslims from
here,” said a senior BJP leader. Sources said the party has also changed its
stance on the call to implement NRC in West Bengal as well. “People in Bengal
are sentimental about their identity. We cannot adopt a hardline approach in
Bengal if we have to gain ground here. We have to win the trust of people by
understanding their sentiments. Therefore, it is desired that we must soften
our stand on NRC when it comes to Bengal,” a party leader said. Meanwhile, BJP
national secretary Rahul Sinha asked Muslims in the state to come forward and
support NRC.indianexpress
Nail Biting Battle in Rajya Sabha Between
Opposition and Govt Tomorrow
New
Delhi:Congress stepped in with lawmaker BK Hariprasad as the Opposition
candidate for the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson after the regional
parties that were initially approached Telugu Desam, DMK, Nationalist Congress
Party, were unable to come up with a candidate. Most of the Opposition parties
have agreed to support Hariprasad in the election tomorrow, although the
numbers currently are too close for comfort.Hariprasad, a Congress Rajya Sabha
MP from Karnataka, told The Citizen that the party had decided to give the
choice to the regional groups but that did not work for a variety of reasons.
Soft Spoken and cautious, he made it clear that the numbers could favour the
Opposition but yes, it was at present a wafer thin margin. Shiv Sena, despite
all the noise, will stay with the BJP along with the Akali Dal. Biju Janata Dal
chief and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik is
currently in Mumbai and will take a call on his return to Bhubaneshwar. But
given the party’s stand against the BJP and the Congress, the word out is that BJD
might not abstain---as the opposition was hoping---but support Janata Dal(U)
candidate for the post, that is Harivansh Narayan Singh, the former editor of
Prabhat Khabarand, a well known newspaper circulated in Bihar and Jharkhand. He
is a first time MP of JD(U).thecitizen
Ram Madhav defends RSS’ stand on
homosexuality, Women, Muslims
Eminent journalist Rajdeep Sardesai’s question
to BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, on Tuesday, set tone for the launch of the
book, ‘RSS: A View to the Inside,’ authored by Walter K Andersen and Shridhar D
Damle.Commenting on the allegations of being a polarising organisation and
interfering in electoral politics, former RSS member Ram Madhav defended the
beliefs of “Sangh Parivaar” and asserted that a RSS pracharak is not allowed to
take part in day-to-day politics.Directing his question at Ram Madhav, Sardesai
further asked, “RSS is an organisation which has Swadeshi Jagran Manch which
believes in social and economic populism, BJP championing for FDI, Kisan Manch
talking about land rights, and Bajrang Dal openly espousing violence. But RSS
constantly resorts to deniability. Then what does RSS believe in?”Taking a jibe
at Sardesai, Ram Madhav said, “You are scared that there is no space left for
you. But I must say, you have to find your own space and nowadays you find it
in homosexuality.”However, after being countered on his remark, Madhav
clarified that the RSS has begun to soften its stand on homosexuality.“In 2009,
I said that the criminalisation aspect of Section 377 should be looked into,”
he said. Ram Madhav also said RSS has become more inclusive towards women and
is not a “patriarchal organisation” anymore.thequint
Haryana’s Child panel accuses NGO-run home of
religious bias, wants it closed
Gurgaon/Chandigarh: Haryana’s child rights
panel has indicted the child welfare committees (CWC) heads of Nuh and Palwal
for not following norms while recommending children to a shelter home run by
NGO Orphans In Need. It has also recommended the closure of the home for
violation of rules. Mohammadi Begum, a Congress functionary, heads the CWC in
Nuh while Kamla Pandey heads the Palwal CWC. Orphans In Need, a UK-based NGO,
runs a home for destitute children in Sahsola village of Nuh (Mewat district). A
Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) team had last
week conducted surprise raids on the premises of the home where it claims to
have found 38 children of one particular community. The panel’s chairperson,
Jyoti Bainda, said she found serious irregularities in the functioning of the
home. The main charges levelled by Bainda are that the home only accepts Muslim
children and takes affidavits from guardians of the children that they have no
claim over them once they are handed over to the home. The panel also observed
that the home is located at an “isolated spot”, has a “bunker” and that the
faces of children look unhappy. “All 38 kids in this shelter home are Muslims
as it does not take in children from other religions despite the fact that the
infrastructure is brilliant and there is sufficient space,” Bainda told TOI on
Tuesday.TOI
JNU referendum: 93% teachers vote for VC’s
removal
New Delhi: Over 90% JNU teachers have voted
against V-C Jagadesh Kumar in a referendum held on August 7, supporting the
demand for his ouster, the varsity’s teachers’ body claimed. The referendum,
supervised by external observers, clearly showed that the current vice chancellor
should not continue any further, JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) said in a
statement. “As many as 93 % of the JNU
teachers voted against the vice chancellor in the referendum. Out of total 586
listed faculty members at JNU, 300 turned up to cast their votes. Among the
voters, 279 teachers voted in favour of the VC being relieved,” it added. The
teachers’ body alleged a “general atmosphere of fear” has been created by the
current administration and individual teachers are being targeted and issued
notices for expressing “dissent” on academic and other issues.The teachers also
gave a thumbs down to a demand by the varsity for a multi-crore loan from the Govt
through the Higher Education Fund Agency
(HEFA), the statement said.PTI
Over 21000 Indians overstayed visas in US last
year:report
In the year 2017,more than 21,000 Indians who
were supposed to leave the country at the end of their permissible limits
overstayed their visas, as per the latest official report.While the percentage
of Indians overstaying and not leaving the US after the expiry of their visas
is not very high compared to some other nations, but in sheer number India
ranks among the top 10 countries whose citizens come to the US legally and
continue to stay illegally. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its latest
annual report released on Wednesday said in 2017, more than 10.7 lakh Indians
visited the United States on the popular B-1, B-2 visas, which is issued to
those who come to the US for business, visit or tourism purposes.PTI
Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case: Bihar
Minister resigns
Patna:Bihar Social Welfare Department Minister
Manju Verma on Wednesday resigned from her post.Ms. Verma was under constant
attack by Opposition parties after her husband Chandeshwa Verma was accused for
visiting the Muzaffarpur shelter home for girls frequently.The reports in local
media said that her husband had telephonic conversation with Brajesh Thakur,
main accused in the shelter home sexual abuse of minor girls, 17 times this
year.Ms Verma had earlier denied that her husband had ever visited the shelter
home alone and the charges are politically motivated.thehindu
Rakbar was cleaned to erase evidence: report
Jaipur: National Rights Resource Centre
(NRRC), an organisation comprising human rights and RTI activists along with lawyers,
visited Mewat and Alwar, with the purpose of gathering information from various
stakeholders, to draft a factual outcome on the incidents and the present
status of the investigation on the mob lynching of Rakbar Khan last month in
Ramgarh, Alwar on suspicion of being a cow smuggler. The team found that the
attackers allegedly cleaned him with water and changed his clothes, so that the
bloodsheds and clay spots could not be found on his body. Also, Ilyas Khan,
brother of the deceased, rejected the claims of police’s alleged involvement in
the killing of Rakbar. The team concluded that all such deaths are in fact
target killings and not mob lynching as being told.Saleem Baig, member of NRRC and RTI activist from UP who
was part of the fact finding team said, “Rakbar’s uncle Sultan told us that his
body was washed and cleaned of all evidence and we videotaped this statement. Also,
in a mob there is at least one person who tries to save the one attacked but
none of the killings including Rakbar’s, did anyone try to help. They were all
out for the kill. It is evident from talking to the villagers, his family,
police and medical staff that such killings are actually targeted, and the
culprits are on the pay roll of the local leaders.” Elaborating further on
their conclusions, Baig added, “Aslam who was travelling with Rakbar escaped
and his family was unable to give us his whereabouts. He is the prime witness,
but he is missing. Now Rakbar’s death is being blamed on police but the
apparently the mob killed him there and then. A youth who saw the incident told
us that he called village sarpanch immediately but was told to not involve him
in the matter as his house is far from the site, but we found it was just more
than a kilometre away. Essentially no one tried to save him which is why it is
not a coincidental mob killing.”TOI
Youth shot dead during
Tiranga Yatra in Kasganj: NSA invoked against 3 Muslim brothers
Lucknow:Kasganj district
administration has invoked National Security Act (NSA) against 3 brothers who
are prime accused in the murder case of 22-year-old Abhishek Gupta alias
Chandan, who was shot dead during a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ to mark Republic Day this year.
After the murder, series of violence and arson incidents had taken place in
Kasganj.Saleem (35) and his two younger brothers Naseem (32) and Waseem (30)
are presently lodged in Kasganj district jail. They are prominent businessmen.
Waseem was a member of the district industrial cell.SP, Kasganj, Shiv Hari
Meena said, “The order was served in the jail last night.”A SIT formed to
investigate the Kasganj violence had filed chargesheets against 24 persons
including the three in connection with the murder of Abhishek Gupta in
April.SHO, Kasganj police station, Ashok Kumar said that all 3 brothers were
booked in two cases related to the Kasganj violence. “They have obtained bail
from Allahabad High Court over a week back. Before they could come out of jail,
we invoked NSA against them,” said Ashok Kumar.According to police, 20 persons
were named in the FIR filed in connection with the murder of Abhishek
Gupta.indianexpress
NIA grills 8 over
suspected ISIS connections summons for questioning in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: After a
day-long search in different parts of the city on Monday, NIA on Tuesday
questioned 8 persons over their connections with 3 other persons who were part
of ISIS module that was bust by NIA Delhi Branch in 2016, and had also asked
them to appear for questioning on Wednesday. “A total of 8 persons were called
by NIA Hyderabad today for questioning in connection with the searches
conducted yesterday. They have been called again tomorrow,” said an official
from NIA. Sources confirmed that the present searches were in the houses of a
total of 7 persons, including those who were associated with the suspects in
the past, and also those who were found to be showing inclinations to similar
ideologies.Meanwhile. Mohd Abdul Quddus, one of the detenues, said they are
cooperating with the officials in the inquiry. “My cousin from Pakistan is
getting married on Aug 10, due to which I was using my son Qadir’s phone to
talk to them everyday, and in this process, we had exchanged our identity and
address proofs for visa formalities. Apart from this, we do not have any
connection with any other persons,”he said. The other seven persons who were
summoned for questioning, however, refused to speak. Quddus, a father of 3
kids, hailing from the erstwhile Warangal district and now residing at Shaheen
nagar on the city outskirts, had appeared for questioning along with his
younger son Mohd Abdul Qadir. He said that his son had no connection with any
suspects. He had purchased him a laptop for his education purpose.Quddus added
that in 2016, he had taken his kids on a tour to a few states, during which
they visited a lot of places as part of learning and recreation. “There are
more than 200 countries in the world and I can travel to any place I want. If I
want, I will travel to Pakistan also. What is the problem if I am travelling to
places without troubling anyone?” he questioned.He further added that after
failing to clear SSC, Qadir took to preaching Islam at mosques, where he had
asked people to not believe in the creation and believe only in the creator.
“He would also distribute copies of Quran and religious literature in languages
including Arabic. Arabic is one of the many languages spoken across the world.
Just because one speaks or reads Arabic, that person cannot be accused of being
a criminal,” Qadir concluded.newindianexpress
Last '02 Ghatkopar blast
accused Irfan Qureshi let off
Mumbai: A special court
on Tuesday discharged the last known accused in the 2002 Ghatkopar BEST bus blast
case after the prosecution submitted that investigations did not reveal his
role in the incident. Irfan Qureshi was picked up by the Gujarat ATS from
Aurangabad on May 5 and handed over to the Mumbai crime branch. In August 2013,
the court, under POTA , had discharged another accused, Taj-ul-Islam Siddiqui,
a software engineer, after the prosecution's report that it didn't have
sufficient evidence against him. All arrested accused in the case, who are
mostly from Marathwada, have been discharged
for lack of evidence. Special
judge SM Bhosle observed, "On consideration of the report with the
submission and the material, as it appears that there is no sufficient evidence
to prosecute further, the accused, Qureshi, is hereby directed to be discharged
(on the execution of a Rs 15,000 bond with one surety of a like amount)." Earlier,
Qureshi's advocates Mubin Solkar and Tahera Qureshi moved a plea seeking bail.
But the police moved a report under section 169 of CrPC and cited lack of evidence against
him. timesofindia
Historian Audrey
Truschke’s Lecture Cancelled After Right-Wing Pressure
New Delhi: In yet another
attack on freedom of expression, right-wing groups have prevented American
historian Audrey Truschke from delivering a scheduled lecture in Hyderabad. The
historian on Wednesday said her lecture has been cancelled due to pressure from
right-wing groups. The lecture, titled ‘Unpopular Stories: Narrating the
Indo-Islamic Past and Navigating Present-day Prejudices’, organised by the
Krishnakriti Foundation in association with History for Peace, was to be
delivered on Aug.11.Announcing the cancellation on social media, Truschke
wrote: “Today is a sad day for the pursuit of knowledge and academic freedom,
and it is a happy day for proponents of Hindu Rashtra.”Truschke said she was to
speak on areas of her academic research including Mughal history and Sanskrit
literature.“I was especially looking forward to talking with Hyderabadis about
Aurangzeb’s brutal assaults on sultanates in the Deccan in the 1680s and
debates concerning what brought about the end of Indian Buddhism in the early
second millennium [CE]. I deeply regret that my presentation and the subsequent
exchange of ideas will not occur.””thewire
Christian organisations
seek SC benefits for Dalit converts in Telangana
Warangal: As the demand
for extending the benefits of Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians rises
among both clergy and common man in the Christian community, various Christian
organisations would gather on August 10 in protest against Presidential Order
(1950)of not providing Scheduled Caste status to Dalits who converted to
Christianity and Islam. The organisation say that SC converts suffer from the
same social barriers as the Hindus in spite of their change of religion. They
too should be provided similar benefits, they demand. Speaking to reporters
here on Tuesday, Bishop of Warangal Catholic Diocese Udamala Bala and Tri City
Christian Fellowship (TCF) chief Damera Issac questioned the hypocrisy of
providing benefits to Dalits who have converted to Buddhism and Sikhism, while
those converting to Christianity and Islam are denied the same.“Even though we
have converted to Christianity, there has hardly been any change in our
economic or social status. We remain poor and backward like Dalit Hindus. As
there is no difference in our situations, we too deserve the same benefits that
they receive,” said Mallepaka Sambaiah, a Dalit convert to Christianity.newindianexpress
Whatsapp officially rolls
out ‘bloody’ forward message limit in india
New Delhi: With Indian Govt
talking tough on WhatsApp’s failure to check the spread of fake and provocative
content on its platform, the instant messaging service on Wednesday said it has
begun rolling out its forward message limit to 5 chats for over 200 million
users in India. Facebook-owned platform last month announced to launch a test
to limit message forwarding to five chats in India.“The limit has started to
appear this week for people in India who are on the current version of
WhatsApp,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.In addition, the instant
messaging app also published a new video to educate its users, saying it is
expanding its user education campaign on how to spot fake news and hoaxes.
“This week, WhatsApp is publishing a new video that explains the importance of
the ‘forward’ label and calls users to ‘double check the facts when you’re not
sure who created the original message,'” said the company.caravandaily
Shahid Ashraf takes
charge as the new V-C of Jamia Millia, replaces Talat Ahmad
Jamia Millia Islamia
issued a statement where it has stated that Pro-Vice Chancellor of JMI Shahid
Ashraf on Tuesday took charge as the VC, replacing Talat Ahmad. Ahmed, who is a
renowned earth scientist, joined the University of Kashmir as the vice
chancellor replacing Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi.Talak Ahmed, was accorded a
ceremonial guard of honour by a contingent of police in the Jamia Millia
Islamia campus. Before becoming the vice chancellor of the varsity, Ashraf
served as Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university from August 2016. Prior to
that, he served the university as Registrar and Finance Officer too. He is
currently heading the varsity's Department of Economics, a statement from the
JMI said.jagranjosh/IANS
Talat Ahmad takes over as
new vc of Kashmir University
Delhi: Day after kanwarias vandalise car,
police claim vehicle occupants slapped one of them
On Tuesday, a group of kanwarias was caught on
camera damaging a car after the vehicle, which was being driven by a
25-year-old woman, touched one of the pilgrims. The vehicle “accidentally
brushed past one kanwaria”, police had said. The Tuesday evening incident
brought traffic to a halt in the area, and helpless passersby watched the
violence unfold even after two police officers reached the spot. By the time
more force reached the spot, the group had fled.“During enquiry by ACP/Punjabi
Bagh, it revealed that one of the kanwarias was pushed by the said vehicle,
which resulted in heated arguments between kanwarias and occupants of the car.
It also came to notice that one of the kanwarias was slapped by the occupants of
the car, which further agitated the kanwarias and they started damaging the
car…,” said the Delhi Police statement released today.The statement also said
that occupants of the vehicle immediately left the spot and later refused to
give any complaint in writing. However, the inquiry is underway on the basis of
available CCTV footage and statements of eyewitnesses, it said.indianexpress
Delhi Police condemned
for inaction as kanwariyas violently attack car in national capital
Funeral riots of 'revered' bull attended by 5k
people at Muzaffarnagar
Meerut: In an unusual event, residents of a
Muzaffarnagar village got together to organise the last rites of a revered bull
on Monday. Nandi, also affectionately called Bhola by villagers, had died on
July 24 after getting electrocuted by a high tension wire. Villagers served
food to over 5,000 people as part of a feast to observe its ‘tehravi’. The
‘rasam pagdi’ – a ceremony conducted upon the death of the eldest member of the
family, in which the seniority is passed to the eldest surviving member — was
also conducted and Bhola’s calf was given the ‘pagdi’.The ‘tehravi’ of the bull
was observed at Ukawali village in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, which began with
‘havan’ in the morning followed by a feast. Each house contributed money to
arrange for the feast. The cost of the entire ceremony was nearly Rs 1.5 lakh,
villagers said. “Nandi’s three-month-old calf was made to wear a pagdi
signifying that he now has the position that his father had,” said Pawan Tyagi,
a villager. BJP MLA from Budhana, Umesh Malik, was also among the guests. He
said, “I am extremely glad to see that people have love for animals in their
hearts, so much so that they contributed money and observed a bull’s last rites
just like a human’s.”TOI
WORLD
UN official urges Israel to allow fuel into
Gaza
Jerusalem:UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the
Palestinian territories Jamie McGoldrick on Wednesday called on Israel to
immediately allow the entry of UN-purchased emergency fuel into the blockaded
Gaza Strip. “Restricting the entry of emergency fuel to Gaza is a dangerous
practice, with grave consequences on the rights of people in Gaza,” McGoldrick
said in a statement. “The well-being of
two million people, half of whom are children, is at stake,” he warned. “It is
unacceptable that Palestinians in Gaza are repeatedly deprived of the most
basic elements of a dignified life.”
Israel has recently shut the Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza’s sole
commercial access point, as a punitive measure over the launch of incendiary
balloons by Palestinian activists from the seaside enclave into Israel, banning
all deliveries except food and medicine.
UN coordinator said Gaza “desperately needs long-term solutions so we
can move past this cycle of repeated or worsening crises, including that
Palestinian authorities prioritize provision of fuel for essential services”.Anadoluagency
‘Hamas delegation has returned to Egypt with
all the answers’
Head of Hamas’ Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh
said that the movement’s delegation, which arrived in Gaza last week, returned
to Cairo with full information about all
the issues surrounding the Palestinian issue, the Safa news agency
reported yesterday.Haniyeh said that Hamas had held meetings over a period of 5
days and discussed all the developments related to the Palestinian cause.“Our
delegation will return to Cairo with a complete vision about the
reconciliation, breaking the siege, the truce, resisting the occupation and
rebuilding the Palestinian agenda based on strong bases,” he said.“We discussed
the Cairo talks, talks with the UN, talks with Qatar and other countries… We
took a number of decisions” that are not only related to Hamas but to all the
national issues, he explained.Hamas’ chief stressed that the “nature of the ongoing
conspiracies makes it difficult to face them alone, but with a united
Palestinian front, we can ruin these conspiracies.”middleeastmonitor
Israel rejects EU plan to link Gaza and West
Bank
JERUSALEM:An Israeli minister said his Govt has rejected an EU plan to link the Gaza Strip
with the West Bank, according to Israeli media on Wednesday. "I made it clear that Gaza will not be
linked to Judea and Samaria (the Jewish designation of the West Bank),”
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz told Israel Broadcasting Corporation.
“Their plan will remain on paper and they are completely rejected," he
said. Israeli media said the EU had
prepared a plan for transportation in the West Bank, including Area C, which
constitutes about 60 % of the occupied territory, which is under full Israeli
civil and security control.The plan includes “the establishment of an airport,
a port and a railway to link the Gaza Strip with the West Bank", the media
said. Anadolu agency
Israeli attack kills two Hamas members in Gaza
An Israeli attack has killed 2 members of the
Gaza Strip's ruling Hamas movement after shots were fired at soldiers, officials
in Gaza and Israel have said. Hamas's military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam
Brigades, on Tuesday identified the dead Palestinians as Ahmed Murjan and
Abdel-Hafez al-Silawi, both 23 years old, and confirmed that they were members
of group.Witnesses said the attack occurred in the town of Beit Lahia in the
northern Gaza Strip.An Israeli military statement, apparently referring to the
same incident, said that the army returned fire after shots were fired at its
soldiers from a Hamas post in the northern Gaza Strip, near the border with
Israel.Palestinian sources said it was a drone attack, while the Israeli
statement said it was tank fire. aljazeera
Israel: Ibrahimi Mosque only open to Jews
Israeli occupation forces are to close the
Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshippers for 24 hours starting this evening in
preparation for a Jewish holiday.Muslim worshippers will be banned from
entering the site from 10pm tonight until the same time tomorrow. The Muslim
call to prayer will also be banned during this period.Fatah said the closures
is a crime against the site and against the Palestinian people and their right
to access their holy places, it is also a violation of international
conventions, the movement added.A member and official spokesperson of the Fatah
Civil Revolutionary Council, Osama Al-Qawasmi, urged Palestinians to head to
the Ibrahimi mosque on Friday to pray and make the Palestinian presence
known.middleeastmonitor
China to donate $2m to Palestine Refugees body
UNRWA
China has agreed to donate $2.35 million to
the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Quds Press reported.The
donations, the news site said, were allocated to the 2018 food emergency
programme in Gaza.UNRWA’s Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl signed the
deal with Guo Wei, the director of the Office of the People’s Republic of China
to the State of Palestine.Wei said that China supports the Palestinians and
their just cause, calling for other countries and Govt s to support
UNRWA.Meanwhile, Krahenbuhl said China has historically given “great attention
to the issue of Palestine and has always shown attention and solidarity for
Palestine refugees throughout the region.”China will provide emergency
humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and make further contributions to the
UNRWA, he added. UNRWA has been suffering from a severe budget deficit that may
endanger the start of the upcoming school year. Middleeastmonitor
French president cancels visit to Israel again
President of France Emmanuel Macron has taken
the highly unusual decision of cancelling a trip to Israel for a second
time.Last year Macron said he had planned to visit Israel and the Palestinian
Authority in spring 2018 to voice French support for the continuation of the
Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The trip was postponed to November but
sources in Israel are reporting that the rescheduled trip has been postponed
indefinitely without any explanation.The failure of Paris to provide an
explanation for the cancellation has led many to speculate on the reasons. Some
say that the ongoing controversy surrounding an incident where Macron’s
bodyguard was filmed assaulting May Day protesters is the reason for the
cancellation.middleeastmonitor
Saudi refuses Hajj visas for Palestinian
refugees in Jordan
Palestinian refugees, who are originally from
Gaza, said that the Saudi embassy in Amman has rejected to issue them Hajj visas,
Jordanian news website Roaya reported yesterday.According to the news site, the
Jordanian authorities had asked Saudi Arabia not to issue Hajj visas to these
refugees.Palestinian refugees from Gaza, who live in Jordan, went to Saudi
embassy to get Hajj visas and were surprised that they were rejected on the
request of the Jordanian authorities.Safa news agency reported that there are
158,000 Palestinian refugees from Gaza who have lived in Jordan since the 1967
Naksa.They hold temporary Jordanian passports and do not have equal access to
healthcare, education, or the right to
ownership as Jordanian citizens.middleeastmonitor
Saudi halts all medical treatment for citizens
in Canada
Saudi Arabia barred all citizens from
receiving medical treatment in Canada as a diplomatic dispute over criticism of
its human rights record intensifies.Riyadh also announced it is coordinating
the transfer of all Saudi patients from Canadian hospitals to other medical
facilities outside Canada, the Saudi press agency SPA reported on Wednesday.Gulf
state stopped sending patients to Canadian hospitals "according to
directives by the leadership," it said. It was unclear how many Saudi
patients would be affected by the decision. Saudi expelled Canada's ambassador,
recalled its own envoy, and cut trade ties with Canada after it publicly
denounced a crackdown on rights activists in the Gulf kingdom on Twitter.The
sharp diplomatic dispute between the two countries has left the US- partner and
ally of both - in a bind. "Both sides need to diplomatically resolve this
together. We can't do it for them," Heather Nauert, State Dept
spokeswoman, said.aljazeera
Report: 528 people killed in attacks on
schools in Syria
Syrian Network for Human Rights said in a
report issued yesterday that as many as 528 civilians have been killed as a
result of attacks on schools and educational institutions in Syria by the
various parties to the conflict since the conflict began in March 2011.“Syrian
regime is responsible for attacking 996 schools, the Russian forces are
responsible for attacking 16 schools and the international coalition forces are
responsible for attaching 87 schools, while the other parties in Syria are
responsible for attacking the remaining schools,” the network said in its
report.middleeastmonitor
Iran shows defiance as Trump vows 'most
biting' US sanctions
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has held
talks in Tehran with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho in a show of
defiance, as the United States reimposed economic sanctions on the Islamic
republic. The meeting on Tuesday between the two top diplomats from countries
both under American sanctions coincided with the return of sanctions, which US
President Donald Trump has described as "the most biting ever".Al
Jazeera's Zein Basravi, reporting from Tehran, said the timing of the meeting
is "likely no coincidence"."Iran wants America to know it has
friends everywhere."In a social media post on Tuesday night, Zarif wrote
that the "world is sick & tired of US unilateralism", adding that
"the world won't follow impulsive tweeted diktats". Aljazeera
North Korea's top envoy visits Iran
SEOUL:North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho
held talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif Tuesday as Tehran
rejoined Pyongyang in being forced to operate under American sanctions.The two
leading diplomats agreed to a "further expansion of ties," according
to Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency.Without providing specific details, the
state-run media outlet also stated that they "discussed the latest
regional and international developments as well as issues of mutual
interest".It is understood to be the first time a senior North Korean
official has visited Iran since leader Kim Jong-un held an unprecedented summit
with U.S. President Donald Trump in June.Ri was critical of the U.S. last
weekend at the ASEAN Regional Forum, where he accused Washington of being too
focused on maintaining sanctions when Pyongyang has been taking peaceful
measures agreed during the Kim-Trump meeting.Anadolu Agency
Pakistan Jamaat expels district shura members
for violating party discipline during elections:Dawn
Peshawar: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan has
expelled several senior members of the district Shura (executive council) and
terminated their basic membership for violating its constitution. In a
statement issued by the JI provincial HQRS here, secretary general of the party
Abdul Wasi said investigations had been launched against those, who reportedly
violated the party’s policies and discipline during the recent election.He said
JI provincial chief Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan had expelled Shura members in
Peshawar and Lower Dir districts on the recommendation of the relevant party
units.Action was taken against Peshawar, Lower Dir members for breaching
party’s constitution. Dir is considered to be the JI stronghold, which is also
referred as its ‘Granada’. However, the party suffered defeat apparently due to
internal differences. The JI candidates had contested election for 39 seats of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and only Inayatullah Kahn retained his seat from Upper
Dir.It added that the party would take further action in light of the reports
of inquiry committees.Sources said the party was in deep crisis due to the
alleged nepotism in the award of election tickets as dozens of members had
either left it before election or tendered resignations.An insider told Dawn
that for the first time in the JI history, a member had filed nomination papers
against party chief Sirajul Haq in Lower Dir showing the magnitude of
resentment among members.Sources said several members of the executive councils
in various districts had resigned from the party and joined other parties.Dawn
PTI’s positive steps to be supported: Sirajul
Haq
QUETTA: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) chief
Senator Sirajul Haq says he will support the next Govt ’s efforts to weed out
corruption because Pakistan and corruption cannot go together.He said he would
support the next Govt ’s positive steps and oppose the ones deemed to be
harmful for the country. Senator Haq said a peaceful Balochistan was the
guarantee of a prosperous Pakistan and urged Islamabad to fulfill its
obligations to develop the backward province.dawn
JI Wants Implementation Of Islamic System:
Sirajul Haq
UK: Ex- foreign secretary Boris Johnson Told
to Apologize for Mocking Women Who Wear Burqa
Theresa May piled pressure on her former
foreign secretary Boris Johnson to apologize after he said the Muslim burqa,
worn to conceal a woman’s face and body, made wearers look like bank robbers
and letter boxesJohnson used his weekly column in the Telegraph newspaper on
Monday to argue against a ban on the burqa, as implemented by Denmark, France
and Austria, saying people should be free to choose their own dress. But he
mocked the garment, saying it was “absolutely ridiculous that people should
choose to go around looking like letter boxes,” and that face coverings made
the wearer resemble a “bank robber.”“Women should have the freedom to choose
how they dress,” May told reporters in Scotland on Tuesday in comments
confirmed by her office. “It’s very clear that that language that Boris used
has offended people.” She stopped short of saying he should be thrown out of
the Conservative Party.Since he resigned in protest at May’s Brexit plans last
month, Johnson has been touted as a potential PM by those in the Conservative Party who want a
harder departure from the European Union. But others see his comments as an
example of why he would be a poor candidate.Bloomberg
Rashida Tlaib: First Muslim woman to be
elected to US Congress after winning Michigan Democratic primary
Former Michigan state representative Rashida
Tlaib will become the US’s first ever Muslim woman elected to Congress after
she won a Democratic primary election to represent Michigan’s 13th
district.Running in a crowded field of candidates vying to replace John Conyers
Jr, who served from 1965, until retirement last year following claims of sexual
harrasment, Ms Tlaib took 33.6 % of the
vote following a strong grassroots campaign in which she raised over $1m.There
are no Republican candidates contesting the seat, so Ms Tlaib will enter
Congress unopposed following a special election on November 6 2018, when she
will formally replace Mr Conyers.Her nearest rival was Detroit Council
President Brenda Jones, who despite wider name recognition and several
prominent endorsements, took 28.5 % of
the vote.Ms Tlaib, the daughter of two Palestinian immigrants, was born in
Detroit in 1976, where her father had a job at the Ford motor company. She
studied politics at Wayne State University, and then law, graduating in
2004.The independent
Rashida Tlaib Set to Become 1st Muslim Woman
in US Congress
UN asks Myanmar to work harder on Rohingya
repatriation deal
Yangon :UN agencies have appealed to Myanmar's
Govt to do more to implement an
agreement on the return of hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya who fled
military violence.UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and development agency, UNDP, said
in a statement Wednesday that they seek "tangible progress to improve
conditions in Rakhine state," the area in western Myanmar from where about
700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after a brutal crackdown following an
attack by militants on Myanmar security forces last August.UN agencies in June
signed a memorandum of understanding offering assistance for the safe and
sustainable return of the refugees.AP
After Islam, China cracks down on
Christianity; razes churches and confiscates Bibles: reports
While China is known to crack down on ethnic
minority Muslims, especially in the north-western region of Xinjiang, its
latest focus seems to be on the Christians residing in the country. The ruling
communist party has raised serious concerns after it recently raided and
demolished hundreds of churches in China and also confiscated Bibles and other
holy books in the province of Henan.The province is home to one of the largest
Christian populations in China, and the country, under the leadership of
President Xi Jinping, is known to be going overboard to curb religious freedom
of its people.The latest demolition comes as a part of a series of other raids,
in which scores of police officers are known to have visited hundreds of
churches in the province, ordering that they be shut down. In March, police
officials are said to have shown up at a church in Henan and ordered that
paintings of the Last Supper be taken down, along with several wall calligraphy
of Bible verses, reported the Daily Mail.Several Chinese protestants spoke to
the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity and said that the Chinese
police have constantly been raiding churches and religious gatherings, where
they also interrogate the worshippers on their families and faith.ibtimes.co.in
Death toll from Sunday’s Indonesian quake
rises to 131
The death toll from Sunday’s earthquake that
rocked eastern Indonesia has reached 131 on Wednesday, local authorities
said.In a news conference, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesia’s
disaster management agency, said 1,477 people were also injured in the
earthquake, while more than 156,000 people were evacuated to safe areas.Nughoro
said the quake also damaged around 43,000 buildings -- including houses and
public buildings, such as schools and mosques.While the search and rescue
operations are ongoing, the officials call for donations to provide food and
drinking water to the victims.World Bulletin
UN: 350,000 people displaced from Yemen’s Hudaydah
since June
The United Nations said more than 350,000
people have been displaced from the strategic Red Sea port town of Hudaydah in
western Yemen since June.Deputy spokesman for the Secretary-General, Farhan
Haq, said during a press conference on Monday that violent clashes have erupted
in the city over the past few days, especially in the Ad Durayhimi district.He
added that emergency humanitarian assistance has already been provided to more
than 90 per cent of those displaced.middleeastmonitor
FLASH VIEWS & NEWS
Aurangzeb protected more Hindu temples than he
destroyed, says historian Audrey Truschke
It's Important to Know the History of the NRC
Before Passing Judgment on It:Hiren Gohain
Drawing conflicts: a new graphic novel
illustrates the ethnic conflict in Bodoland:Tora Agarwala
National commissions are white elephants:
Expensive and ineffective:Tahir Mahmood
Bangladesh: Rohingya rape survivors battle
stigma:by Linah Alsaafin , aljazeera
During the Quit India Movement, the Hindu
Mahasabha Played the British Game:Sharik Laliwala
Kanwariyas vs Namazis: Double standard over
disruption in public spaces?THEPRINT debate
If You Want to Eat Clean and Green, Is the
Future Halal?Burhan Wazir
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