NEWS
DIGEST, MID-DAY
20 OCT. 2018: 10 Safar 1440:
Vol: 11, No:36
INDIA
61 killed as train runs over revellers in
Amritsar during Dussehra event: Union Minister says no action against driver,
railways not at fault
61 people were run over by a train on Friday
evening when a crowd of Dussehra revellers spilled onto the railway tracks
while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy near Joda Phatak in Amritsar. The
injured were admitted to different hospitals in the city.As the effigy was lit
and fireworks went off, a section of the crowd started retreating towards the
tracks where a large number of people were already standing to watch the event,
officials said.Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha ruled out any
punitive action against the driver of the train that mowed down Dussehra
revellers in Amritsar, saying there was no negligence on the part of the
national transporter and also advised people not to organise such events near
tracks.The railways has maintained that it was not at fault because it had no
intimation about the Dussehra event.“The incident was not a railways’ fault.
There was no lapse on our part and no action against the driver will be
initiated. People should refrain from organising such events near tracks in
future. I think if precaution had been taken, the accident could have been
averted,” he said, adding wherever such events are held, district
administration concerned gives permission.The man who played the character of
Ravana at Ram Leela at Joda Phatak is among those killed in the accident.After
he enacted the role of Ravana, Dalbir Singh, in his twenties, was watching the
burning of an effigy from the tracks when he, along with 58 others, was run
over by the train.Most people who were mowed down by the speeding train were
migrant workers from UP and Bihar, an
official says.A senior official in the district administration says migrant
workers work in an industrial area at a stone’s throw away from the accident
site and live nearby.The official, however, does not give exact the breakdown
of numbers as 20 bodies are yet to be identified.The railways have cancelled 37
trains and diverted 16 on Saturday, a day after the accident, say
officials.Punjab CM Amarinder Singh
tells reporters that he had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident
after visiting the injured and kin of those killed in the tragedy, reports PTI.
CM, who postponed a trip to Israel and arrived in Amritsar in the morning, says
4 weeks have been given to submit a report to find out who was at fault. Divisional
Commissioner of Jalandhar has been entrusted with the job of holding the
inquiry.People stage a sit-in on the railway tracks in Amritsar, demanding
action against the erring officials and train driver and seeking adequate
compensation for the victims.One of the protesters alleges that the train
passed through the area at high speed and that the driver did not slow down the
train despite the presence of a large crowd. According to villagers, the
burning of Ravana effigy has been taking place at the same venue for over 20
years. But, what has been a source of joy and excitement to the young and the
old for over 2decades turned out to be a nightmare on Friday. thehindu
No action against driver of Amritsar train
that killed 60 at Dussehra event: Union Minister
Malegaon blast case: Lt Col. Purohit to face trial under UAPA
Mumbai:The accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast
case, including Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit and Pragya Singh, will face
trial under the UAPA. A special court Saturday rejected their pleas on the applicability
of the anti-terror law against them.Last month, the court had begun hearing
arguments by the accused on the validity of the sanction under the Act to
prosecute them. The accused had claimed that the Bombay High Court had directed
that ‘reasonable opportunity’ should be given to them before charges are
framed. In December last year, a special court had said that while sections
under MCOCA should be dropped, the accused will face charges under UAPA and
other sections of the IPC including murder and criminal conspiracy.During the
last month, the court heard arguments from the accused — Pragya Singh Thakur,
Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sameer
Kulkarni, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi and Sudhakar Chaturvedi — who
objected to the validity of the sanction.NIA, through special public prosecutor
Avinash Rasal, had submitted that the sanction was valid and that charges under
the anti-terror law applied in the case. After the order was passed Saturday,
the accused sought a stay on it to appeal to the Bombay HC. While the court has
not granted a stay, the accused have been given time till Oct.26 to appeal
against the order.indianexpress
Malegaon Blast: NIA Court Refuses To Drop UAPA
Charges Against Col. Shrikant Purohit ...
"Attack On Press Freedom":Global Journalism
Watchdog On Reliance Suing NDTV for Rafael deal coverage
New Delhi:Committee to Protect Journalists, a
global journalism watchdog, has called Anil Ambani's Reliance Group suing NDTV
for its reportage on the Rafale fighter jet deal a severe attack on press
freedom and called for the conglomerate to "end its use of excessive civil
defamation cases filed against critical news outlets"."The
ridiculously massive civil defamation claim Reliance Group has made against
NDTV amounts to a severe attack on press freedom in India,"said Steven
Butler, Committee to Protect Journalists' Asia program coordinator, in
Washington, D.C.He added that "India's judiciary must ensure that powerful
business groups cannot abuse the country's legal system to silence
critics."The Committee reported that a Reliance Group spokesperson
declined to respond to their request for a comment. NDTV has been sued for Rs.
10,000 crores by the Reliance Group in a court in Ahmedabad and the hearing has
been listed for Oct.26. The lawsuit is filed against NDTV's weekly show, Truth
vs Hype, which aired on Sept.29.Top executives of Reliance ignored repeated
requests to appear on the show or comment on what is being widely discussed not
just in India but in France as well - whether Anil Ambani's Reliance was
transparently chosen as the partner for Dassault in a deal that saw India
buying 36 fighter jets. NDTV will argue in court that the charges of defamation
are nothing more than a heavy-handed attempt by Anil Ambani's group to suppress
the facts and prevent the media from doing its job - asking questions about a
defence deal and seeking answers that are very much in public interest. NDTV
has said "As the Rafale deal has become a larger news story in India, the
Reliance group has been on a notice-serving spree; to sue a news company for
10,000 crores in a court in Gujarat on false and frivolous charges, ignoring
facts that are widely reported everywhere and not just by NDTV, can only be
interpreted as an unsophisticated warning to the media to stop doing its
job."NDTV
NDTV says Reliance Infrastructure files Rs
10,000 crore defamation suit on Rafael deal coverage
Reliance Group sues India's NDTV for US$1
billion over its reporting on Rafale jet deal
Law unlikely, BJP to wait for SC verdict on
Ram Mandir
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion that the Modi Govt should bring a law to build a Ram temple in
Ayodhya has been endorsed by BJP workers, but a few senior leaders indicated
that the party would wait for the Supreme Court judgment while ‘keeping the pot
boiling’. VHP, RSS and a section within the BJP have been demanding an early
settlement of the Ram temple issue. Bhagwat’s Thursday remark is one more
attempt in the series. A party leader said it was more of an effort to “test
the waters” as the election season approaches, with chances of a Supreme Court
verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit quite unlikely before 2019
Lok Sabha elections.While BJP MP Subramanian Swamy’s petition in the apex court
for a daily hearing in the case has been rejected, he has maintained that
political parties and activists opposed to building of a Ram temple were
indulging in ‘delaying tactics’, even as counsel for the wakf, Kapil Sibal, had
demanded that the hearing be postponed till the Lok Sabha polls.For the record,
the minister of state for parliamentary affairs Vijay Goel when asked about
Bhagwat’s statement said “he has given expression to feelings of crores of
Indians on the issue. Building a Ram temple is also mentioned in the BJP
election manifesto.” However, he was evasive when asked if the Govt was mulling an ordinance or preparing a bill
for building a Ram temple at Ayodhya. “What he (Bhagwat) has said is legally
correct.”Senior BJP leaders said on condition of anonymity that there are no
plans, as of now, to bring any legislation on the issue and the party would
wait for the SC verdict. Swamy has maintained that the verdict will be ‘in
favour of Hindus’ as there is ‘ample evidence that a temple existed’ at the
place where the Babri Masjid was built. “Whenever RSS chief says something, it
has an impact. But what lies in the womb of the future and how this movement
will progress one cannot predict,”BJP office-bearer said.The demand for an
early resolution of the case is likely to be made at frequent intervals by BJP,
RSS and VHP leaders in the coming weeks. While BJP maintains it is not an
election issue for the party, the fact that it is mentioned in election
manifestoes and is fanned when polls are round the corner leaves little doubt
that it is not merely a matter of faith for the party. Economictimes
Prepare for a Ram temple:Adityanath
Lucknow:Stirring Ram Mandir pot once again, UP
CM Yogi Adityanath on Friday exhorted his supporters to start preparing for the
construction of a temple in Ayodhya with the same zeal with which they
celebrated Ram Leela.Delivering his annual Vijayadashami speech in Gorakhpur, Adityanath
said: "Along with the grandeur of the Ram Leelas, we should all also start
preparing to build a grand temple in the same way in which grand Ram Leelas
have been organised in the form of the temple,” Adityanath said. He, however,
did not explain or clarify his remark, which was delivered in a winding
sentence in Hindi.“I would appeal to all of you that along with the Leelas
(enactment of the life) of Bhagwan Shri Ram, we must also incorporate his
values into our lives and propagate it in the society,” he said. thehindu
Bhagwat's demand for law to construct Ram
temple politically motivated: Oppn; Muslim leaders
Lucknow:Opposition parties and Muslim leaders
said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's demand for a law to enable construction of Ram
temple was "politically motivated" as it comes ahead of assembly
polls in some states."The statement on Ram temple given by RSS chief is a
political statement before upcoming polls," Samajwadi Party spokesman
Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI here. "RSS has not desisted from using the
names of gods for political means and this statement proves their intentions in
this regard once again," Chaudhary added. Congress spokesman Anshu Awasthi
said it was now an open secret that whenever RSS and BJP speak about Lord Ram
it should be understood that elections are round the corner."In the over 4
years of their Govt they failed on all
fronts, even the promise of bringing Ram Rajya was not fulfilled," Awasthi
said."Now they are out to raise the name of Ram shamelessly at election
time to serve their political interests,"Awasthi added. Backing opposition
parties, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangimahli said even a child in the country
knows that the Ram temple issue is raised by RSS-BJP everytime before
elections.Convenor of Babri Masjid Action Committee Zafaryab Jilani said
Bhagwat had issued similar statements in the past as well wherein he exhorted
people to ensure that temple is constructed before 2019.Bhagwat is trying to
influence the court but I am sure he will not succeed, Jilani who is also a
senior lawyer said.The judges will not be influenced and will act as per the SC's
procedures and law of the land, he added. He further said that an ordinance
cannot be issued for annulment of any order of the SC or the High Court as it
is unconstitutional and against the settled law laid down by the SC.As of now
the SC has ordered status quo on the issue,he said.PTI
‘Ayodhya matter must be settled by court’:
Nitish’s JD(U) differs on Bhagwat’s stand
Reacting to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s advocacy
of a law to facilitate construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, ruling JD(U)in
Bihar said it stood by its original stand that the issue must be settled
through a consensus between the affected communities or a court order. Party,
headed by CM Nitish Kumar which shares power with BJP, also pointed out that
NDA had been formed with an understanding among all allies that the three
contentious issues of Ayodhya, Article 370 relating to J&K and uniform civil code will be kept on the
backburner.JD(U) sticks to its original stand that the matter should be settled
by the court or through mutual consent.JD(U) spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad
said.PTI
Those who fought for equality of Muslim women
now silent on the rights of Hindu women: Yechury
New Delhi:CPM general secretary Sitaram
Yechury drew parallels between the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the
Sabarimala shrine, alleging that similar looking “saffron-clad men” who had
brought down the mosque in Ayodhya in 1992 were now unleashing terror in Kerala
to consolidate the Hindutva vote and to gain politically and electorally.
Yechury said the LDF Govt in Kerala was doing everything in its power to
implement the Supreme Court order linfting the ban on women’s entery into
Sabarimala, but that BJP-RSS combine was deliberately fuelling communal
passions.Yechury said, “The pattern is very similar. At the time of the Babri
masjid demolition, volunteers wore saffron bands. Now, people clad in a similar
dress are spread out in Sabarimala. It is an organised thing that RSS is
doing.” CPM chief also sought to corner BJP leadership for its silence over
“Hindu women” being denied their rights -- endorsed by the SC-- to enter into
the embattled Sabarimala shrine. “BJP, in the name of equality for Muslim
women, brought in the Triple Talaq law through an ordinance without even
waiting for Parliament to discuss it properly. Now it is silent when the rights
of Hindu women are in question,” Yechury said.Fielding questions over its poor
handling of the violent protests at Sabarimala, LDF Govt maintained on Friday that it would not file a
review petition against the SC order because it had already accepted the
verdict.However,causing some embarrassment to Govt, Devaswom Board announced it
would move the SC against its verdit. Backing the state Govt’s position,
Yechury said,“There are already 6 review petitions before the SC. Whatever the
SC reviews is going to be the same. What is the point of state Govt moving another one. Wait for them. The bigger
question is that BJP should either implement, or stick to its position of
giving equality to women like they claimed to have done in the case of Triple
Talaq.”TOI
Yechury likens Sabarimala protests to Babri
demolition
Murmurs on ground suggest Sabarimala will
polarise Kerala’s Hindu voters like never before
Erumely:On a late night bus ride from Pamba to
Nilackal – 2 important base camps of the Sabarimala hill shrine in Kerala’s
Pathanamthitta district – a young man in his twenties vented his frustrations
to a friend about young women attempting to enter the temple after the Supreme Court
verdict.“What’s wrong with all these women? No true devotee of Ayyappan will
make attempts like these to climb the hill. These are feminists who want to
prove a point. There’s a Trupti Desai in Maharashtra who has also vowed to
come. I’m sure she won’t be allowed to set foot in Kerala,”he gloated. His
friend just nodded.And then, the conversation slowly and unsurprisingly veered
towards politics. The young man continued, “All this is the handiwork of
Pinarayi. It seems he’s hell-bent upon following the directions of the Supreme
Court. He thinks by having the administration, police and Devaswom Board under
his control, he can do anything. Under a Congress or BJP administration, this
would never have taken place.”Around 70 kilometres away in Erumely, Manju, who
was initially wary of revealing her name and runs a shop that sells fruits and
vegetables in the centre of the town, was unequivocal in her disapproval of the
Govt ’s position on the issue.indianexpress
Sabarimala: BJP-RSS playing dirty politics,
why is PM Modi silent on the issue, asks Trupti Desai
“BJP and its parental organisation RSS are
playing dirty politics over Saabrimala issue. The stoic silence maintained by
otherwise our very vocal PM , Narendra Modi is more disheartening. I want to
ask why he has kept mum on the issue while people supporting his ideology
heckled women journalists,” said Trupti Desai, leader of the Bhumata Brigade
who was detained by the Pune police ahead of PM Modi’s visit to Shirdi on
Friday. Desai said that Pune police, at the behest of the Fadnavis Govt kept her under “illegal detention” for more
than eight hours.“They released me after PM Modi left Shirdi. Why is BJP Govt in Maharashtra so scared of women’s voice?”
asked Desai.nationalheraldindia
Nobel laureate Satyarthi face criticisms for
attending RSS event
Nobel Peace Prize winner activist Kailash
Satyarthi on Thursday shared the state with RSS bigwigs at Hindutva
organisation’s annual Vijaydashmi event. Speaking at the event, Satyarthi said
that RSS shakhas, local units, could act as firewall to protect children.
However, Satyarthi accepting the invitation to speak the RSS event evoked angry
reactions from activists, who accused him of dishonouring his Nobel prize by sharing
the stage with proponents of ‘majoritarian fascist’ ideology. Leading the
protest was activist Kavita Krishnan, who posted a series of tweets expressing
her disgust over Satyarthi’s ill-fated decision. She wrote, “World needs to
know that Nobel Laureate @k_satyarthi spoke at a platform the Indian Hindu
majoritarian fascist organization RSS and asked the RSS to act as a ‘firewall
to protect this generation of children’.“RSS wants to turn inclusive India into
a Hindu Nation. RSS founders openly admired Hitler & Mussolini and modelled
their organisation on these European fascists. RSS has organised anti Muslim
pogroms on many occasions. Yet @k_satyarthi asks them to ‘protect’
children!”Academic and columnist Ashok Swain felt that Satyarthi was determined
to follow the footsteps of Burma’s disgraced Aung San Suu Kyi, who has played
an instrumental role in facilitating the ethnic cleansing of thousands of
Rohongya Muslims. Swain wrote, “Kailash Satyarthi is following the path of
fellow noble laureate Suu Kyi–By joining fascist gang.”Journalisr Ruchira Gupta
wrote, “Ironically a Nobel Peace winner attends RSS annual function on worship
of Arms.”jantakareporter
'Why girls with Muslim names were married to
Hindus?'Muslim leaders
Lucknow: Muslim leaders have demanded a
judicial probe into the wedding of four orphan Muslim girls with Hindu boys as
per Hindu rituals in the mass marriage organised by the district administration
at Mahanagar Kalyan Mandap on Wednesday under UP Govt 's mass marriage scheme.The
couples were married on Tuesday in court under Special Marriage Act and on
Wednesday were made to take seven rounds of the sacred fire and exchanged
garlands in a mandap while priests recited mantras. Along with them, 27 Hindu
couples also got married.The girls had been admitted to Govt shelter home at Motinagar when they were 6-10
years of age. Chief development officer (CDO) Manish Bansal had said on
Wednesday that the girls have Muslim names but they did not follow any faith
during their stay at the shelter home and will follow their husband's religion
after their marriage.However, Imam Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali
said that a judicial probe should be conducted to find out whether or not
consent of Muslim girls was taken before marrying them to Hindu boys. "Why
did the district administration did not take Muslim clerics into confidence
before the weddings. We will explore legal possibilities of dealing with the
matter," he added.Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas also demanded a judicial
probe and said that such actions can affect cordial relations between Hindus
and Muslims. If the marriage was conducted under the Special Marriage Act in
court, then what was the need of having one as per Hindu rituals, he questioned.TOI
Hadiya’s Husband Shafin Jahan Seeks Apology
from Republic TV, Times Now
New Delhi:As NIA has found no evidence of
coercion in the interfaith marriage of Kerala Muslim man Shafin Jahan with
Hadiya, and 10 other interfaith marriages in the state,effectively deflating
the propaganda of “Love Jihad”, Shafin has sought apology from some TV channels
for running the false propaganda against him and wife Hadiya.Shafin, whose
marriage with Hadiya, was upheld by the Supreme Court in March this year by
quashing the contrary verdict of the Kerala High Court, has asked Republic TV
and Times Now and TV anchor Arnab Goswami to apologize “for running false
propaganda against us.” “Will @republic issue apology for running false
propaganda against us..? #Hadiya #hadiyacase #HadiyaWins,”tweeted Shafin on
Thursday. “The nation wants to know that will Arnab Goswami apologise to
us?@republic @TimesNow #Hadiya #hadiyacase #HadiyaWins,” he asked hours after
NIA officials ended the “Love Jihad” cases.Caravan Daily
Delhi Minorities Commission team in Palwal to
probe 'terror funding' of local mosque
Chandigarh: A 3-member fact-finding team of
Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) on Saturday reached Palwal in neighbouring
Haryana to probe the alleged funding of a local mosque by Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT).The team will also meet the family members of the persons arrested by NIA
in connection with foreign funding of the mosque, DMC chairman Zafarul Islam
Khan said.“The fact-finding team is in Palwal to probe the allegations about
the alleged foreign funding of the mosque being constructed in a village in
Palwal, Haryana,” he said.It will also meet, in Hazrat Nizamuddin area, the
family members of the persons arrested in this connection, he added.The team comprises
human rights activist Ovais Sultan Khan, a member of DMC’s advisory committee
Sardar Gurmindar Singh Matharu and a member of Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak
Committee, Amritsar, Abu Bakr Sabbaq.In July this year, NIA filed a case to
probe the terror funding module linked to Hafeez Saeed’s Falah-e-Insaniyat
Foundation (FIF) — a front-end organisation of LeT.So far, three persons have
been arrested in this case including Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Salim, both
residents of Delhi, and Sajjad Ahmad Wani, who is a native of Srinagar.PTI
J&K municipal polls: Congress wins
Anantnag, sweeps Leh, BJP makes its mark in Valley
Srinagar:Congress won 2 prominent Municipal
Councils of Kashmir, while BJP for the first time managed to win few committees
in the four-phase elections to local bodies as counting began early Saturday
morning amid tight security at various centres. The elections saw abysmal voter
turnout with just four % of them casting
their votes in Kashmir while Ladakh and Jammu regions saw good participation.In
Baramulla Municipal Council, Congress won 12, while BJP came second with five
seats.In South Kashmir’s Anantnag Municipal Council, Congress bagged 20 out of
23 wards while the BJP won in three wards.In Uri while Congress won 6 wards,
while independents managed to secure 7 wards in the 13-member committee. In
Watergam BJP won eight seats unopposed and one seat was bagged by an
independent candidate.In Leh Municipality, Congress swept all 13 seats. The
party won 5 wards in Kargil while independents were declared elected to six
wards. BJP drew a blank in Leh and Kargil.In Srinagar Municipal Corporation so
far Congress has won 2 seats and BJP won a single seat as counting is going on
74 seats.BJP won opposed in 12 wards in Shopian while 5 wards in the district
did not have any nominations. In Devsar municipal committee, the party won all
the eight seats.BJP got a simple majority in Qazigund Municipal Committee,
winning four of 7 wards.HT
JK civic poll: It’s BJP against independents in
valley
J&K Polls LIVE: Congress Wins All 13 Wards In Leh
J&K : 5 militants killed in 24 hours in
Valley
Srinagar:5 militants have been killed and 10
security personnel injured in three separate incidents, including an encounter,
in the Valley in the past 24 hours. In another incident on Friday evening,
police said militants lobbed 2 grenades towards an army camp at Shadimarg area
in Pulwama, leading to a gunfight. A local woman identified as Firdousa was
killed in “cross firing”, said police. Army officers said they foiled an
infiltration bid along the LoC by killing three militants in north Kashmir’s
Uri area. They said soldiers guarding LoC intercepted a group of militants in
Boniyar forest at Uri on Thursday morning and the militants were killed in the
ensuing gunfight.A senior Army officer in Srinagar said that the operation
continued till Thursday evening. “In the search operation after the gunfight,
we recovered three bodies,” the officer said. Operation in progress,” Srinagar
based XV (Chinar) Corps said on Twitter. The militants have not been identified
so far, said the officers.In another incident, J&K police officers said two
militants were killed in a brief shootout with police and CRPF personnel at
Kralhar area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday
afternoon.indianexpress
Srinagar encounter: Family says son ‘beaten to
pulp’, taken to unknown location before killing
Shakeela Hanga, 52 is wailing inside a
marriage hall. She is surrounded by womenfolk who have come to console her.
Shakeela’s world has turned upside down after she lost her son and her house
while her husband is battling for life in a hospital.“Please convey to the
Indian media that my son wasn’t a militant, he was innocent,” she pleads in
agony.Her son, Rayees Habibullah, was killed during an encounter with the Govt forces in the Fateh Kadel area of Srinagar.
His family allege that he was “beaten to a pulp” and then taken to some unknown
location before being killed and strongly refute claims that he was an
‘accomplice’ of the slain militants.On Wednesday midnight, SOG of J&K police along with the CRPF barged inside the
family’s house.“I was sleeping with my daughter when forces broke our door. We
got very much frightened after they started abusing and kicking us while
looking for militants,” says Shakeela.4-storey house of Habibullah Hanga, the
father of Rayees Ahmad, has a bakery shop on the ground floor which was run by
Rayees. The encounter destroyed the entire building along with killing his son
and two militants.“We haven’t received post-mortem report because we were told
that we will get the death certificate from the Municipal Committee Srinagar,”
said his mother.“When I saw his dead body, it was bruised. He probably was shot
in his head,” said a neighbour who wished not to be named. He added that the
forces laid a cordon around 12 am and the firing started around 6 am.“My house
is close to Hanga’s home. I saw a militant coming out of the window and firing
many rounds towards security forces,” he says.Raees is survived by his wife,
Nargis, and 15-month-old son, Mohammad.TCN
Bareilly: family awaits fair investigation,
justice in Dubai expat Shahrukh’s lynching
Bareilly:“Some residents of that village have
stated that Shahrukh had told other villagers that though he accompanied some
of the people to the village he was not part of the group. But the paranoid villagers
would have none of it. He kept pleading for his life and beseeched them to have
pity on him but they killed him. Those who took him with them should be
interrogated. Police is taking us for a ride. We must get justice. Those
(killers) should realize the trauma of a mother,” said a weeping Nazreen Khan,
mother of Shahrukh Khan who was lynched by a mob of Hindu villagers on
suspicion of stealing cattle in UP ’s Bareilly district in August, earlier this
year.It has been over one and a half month since 21-year-old Shahrukh, an
embroidery worker and native of Thiriya Nijabat Khan Village, sustained severe
internal injuries, when he was brutally lynched by a mob in Bholapur-Hindoliya
village of Bareilly during the wee hours of Aug.29. Since then his parents are
in a state of trauma as their son was not just killed but was also falsely
implicated in a cattle stealing case. The family now says that it is losing
faith in police probe.40-year-old Nazreen asked, “Shahrukh was capable of
earning money then why would he steal cattle? Who gave them (villagers) the
right to kill anyone? Now, we don’t have anybody to come to our help except
God. We have lost our hard working son. He was a dutiful son and understood the
problems of his parents and tried his best to bear the expenses of the family.
I know how simple and honest my son was. But now not only has he been killed, he
has also been accused of theft.” Shahrukh’s father,Nathu Khan, has 6 children
(2 sons and 4 daughters of which one son and two daughters are married). He
runs a cloth kiosk and other members do embroidery work to eke out a
living.Caravan Daily
Tribals to oppose 'Statue of Unity' unveiling
by Modi
The tribals are complaining that their lands
were taken away for the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Project as well as for the
statue.As BJP Govt , both at the state and the Centre, gears up for the
unveiling of the tallest statue in the world -- "Statue of Unity" of
Sardar Patel -- by PM Narendra Modi on
Oct.31, thousands of tribals in villages near the site are bracing for a major
showdown against the project.Local tribal organisations said as many as 75,000
tribals adversely affected by the Statue of Unity project would oppose the PM and the unveiling of statue at Kevadia in
Narmada district."No food will be cooked in 72 villages affected by the
entire project, as we will be mourning on that day, for the project is being carried
out for our destruction,"said Dr. Praful Vasava, tribal leader.
Traditionally, food is not cooked in a tribal village when they are mourning
for the dead.He said: "Our rights as tribals are being violated by Govt.We
don't have anything against the great son of Gujarat, Sardar Patel, and his
honour should be maintained.We are not against this development even, but this Govt's
development idea is lopsided and against the tribals." The tribals are
complaining that their lands were taken away for Sardar Sarovar Narmada
Project, near which is the statue site, as well as for the statue and all other
tourism activities which have been planned in the area.IANS
Vastanvi removed from Waqf Board membership
Aurangabad: Maulana Ghulam Mohamad Vastanvi
has been removed from Board membership over alleged irregularities committed in
transfer and lease of Waqf properties. He has been banned from contesting in
the next election of the Board.In an order issued on Oct. 16, signed by Pradhan
Secretary Shyam Tagde, it was stated that Maulana has been found guilty in
Badshahi Mulla Masjid Trust lease case. Action against Maulana is based on a
complaint lodged by Shabbir Ansari, president of All India Muslim OBC
Organisation Trust, to the principal secretary of MDD on Nov.29, 2017.Later Minority
Welfare Department issued orders in which the allegations were found to be
true.On Sept. 21 Maulana Vastanvi will give a reply to the accusations made
against him. Maulana has refuted the allegations and called it a conspiracy to
frame him in false cases. siasat
Former MP contestant, many others find names
missing from voter list in Telangana
Hyderabad: Dr Lubna Sarwath, who contested
from Malakpet constituency on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party in the 2014 Lok
Sabha elections, one day randomly checked for her name in the voter’s list and
was shocked to find that her name was missing.As a result, she sent a series of
emails to CEO of the district, GHMC
(Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) Commissioner, Complaint Forum,
Election Commission along with informing different NGOs and people in the
media.When the news of her name missing from the electoral list emerged, other
eligible voters began looking up the official website of the Telangana Govt to search for their names. And almost in all
the constituencies/Wards, there were many names missing from voter list.Before
approaching Election officer personally, Dr Lubna called up the grievances
cell, only to find that the numbers listed on the site were ‘unavailable’.Authorities
had no explanations when Dr Lubna asked on what basis her voter identity was
deleted when she neither changed her residential address nor moved from
Hyderabad. Instead, she was informed that GHMC Election Commissioner and ERO are right agencies where she can get a
satisfactory answer.TCN
Faizabad to be Sri Ayodhya? VHP asks Adityanath
to rename another UP city
Yogi Adityanath Govt may move a proposal to
rename Faizabad as Sri Ayodhya, reports said. Hindu outfits including VHP have
raised the demand for renaming Faizabad. Hailing Govt’s decision to adopt a
proposal to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj,VHP leader Sharad Sharma demanded
that name of Faizabad be changed to Sri Ayodhya. The saints of Ayodhya have
decided to meet CM when he visits Ayodhya for Diwali celebrations on the banks
of river Saryu.newsx
Hyderabad: Man accused of promoting enmity
between two groups held
Hyderabad:South Zone Police arrested Syed
Abbas Ali Razvi after a widely-shared video clip showed him using objectionable
language against religious personalities, who are revered by a sect of Muslim
community.It was on Wednesday that Moghalpura police booked Razvi, who was then
absconding, for allegedly promoting enmity between two sects. The video clip
caused a flutter with several persons condemning its content.On Friday, the
police convened a meeting with faith leaders of both sects to prevent the issue
from snowballing into a sectarian conflict.While South Zone Deputy Commissioner
of Police Ambar Kishore Jha convened a meeting with Maulana Taqi Raza Abedi,
Maulana Waheeduddin Hyder and Syed Jafar, among others, Hyderabad Police
Commissioner Anjani Kumar chaired a meeting with Maulana Husamuddin
Sani,Maulana Mohammed Raheemuddin Ansari and others. thehindu
WORLD
Saudi admits Jamal Khashoggi killed in
Istanbul consulate
Saudi Arabia admitted journalist Jamal
Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul,
saying he died in brawl but made no mention of where his body is. Preliminary
results of investigations showed the dissident writer died after a fight broke
out inside the building shortly after he entered, the official SPA press agency
said on Saturday. Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said Khashoggi
died after "discussions" at the consulate devolved into an
altercation."Discussions that took place between him and the persons who
met him…at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fist fight with
the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in
peace," the attorney general said in a statement."The investigations
are still under way and 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested."Royal court
adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Asiri were fired
from their positions,the statement said.It remains unclear where Khashoggi's body
is following his killing.Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who
wrote critically of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's (MBS) rise to power,
went missing on Oct.2 after entering the consulate in Istanbul.US President
Donald Trump said he found Saudi's explanation about Khashoggi's credible.He
said he does not want to cancel a multibillion-dollar arms deal with the Saudis
in response to the admission of guilt."I would prefer, if there is going
to be some form of sanction or what we may determine to do, if anything...that
we don't use as retribution cancelling $110bn worth of work, which means
600,000 jobs," he said.Republican Senator Rand Paul tweeted:"We
should also halt all military sales, aid and cooperation immediately.There must
be a severe price for these actions by Saudi."Karen Greenberg, director of
the Center on National Security, said she was "surprised" by the
Saudis' story about Khashoggi's death."They knew they had to come up with
a story, and this is what they think is the best story for their purposes. It's
at the very least insufficient, but it's also insulting. It's 'here's our story
and we're sticking to it'."Greenberg said Saudi King Salman could have
reprimanded and removed his son from power for the killing. "This is a brutal,
horrifying, pointed assassination of a journalist who had strong ties to the
West and was a resident of the US. Each one of those is a line that you
wouldn't have expected the king to allow to be crossed," Greenberg told Al
Jazeera.Over the past 2 weeks, Turkish intelligence had also disclosed a steady
stream of leaks to the media, saying it had audio recordings that proved
Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate building.On Wednesday, Turkish pro-Govt
paper Yeni Safak, citing what it
described as an audio recording of the journalist's killing, said 15-member
squad immediately accosted Khashoggi after he entered the consulate, cutting
off his fingers and later decapitating him. Aaron David Miller, Middle East
analyst at the Wilson Center in Washington, told Al Jazeera the Saudi
announcement was an effort to protect the powerful crown prince. "Part of
this is unprecedented. For an intel operation, for renditions and kidnappings,
which they have done all the time, they have never disclosed or assumed any responsibility.
And they've done it in response to pressure," said Miller."They are
creating this cover story that his death occurred during a fist fight. It's
another step in a big kabuki theatre."
Meanwhile, SPA reported that Saudi King Salman had ordered the
restructuring of the command of the general intelligence agency under the
supervision of MBS.aljazeera
Saudi admits to death of journalist Khashoggi
World reacts to Saudi confirmation of Khashoggi's
killing
Saudi prince: ‘King ordered Khashoggi’s death
and Mohammed bin Salman carried it out’
Dissident Saudi Prince Khalid bin Farhan
Al-Saud has demanded King Salman bin Abdulaziz to abdicate the throne in favour
of his brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz after the disappearance of journalist
Jamal Khashoggi.Prince Khalid bin Farhan, who lives currently in Germany,
said:“King Salman’s royal line should not be imposed as a fourth kingship. Your
brothers were kings, and you also became one. It is not Saudi’s absolute fate
that one of your grandchildren becomes the ruler, and then the rest of your
offspring monopolises the thrown afterwards. Among the Saudi Royalty, there are
highly cultivated, and humane princes with a good educational level and they
are popular outside and even inside the ruling family.”During an interview with
the German DW TV, The Saudi prince also stated: “Your brother Ahmed bin
Abdulaziz is highly ethical, and you are aware of this, not only you but the
whole royal family and the Saudi people realise it. So, the wise thing to do,
if you have any wisdom left, is to abdicate the throne in his favour and save
what remained of your dignity.”MEMO
Israeli rights group criticises ‘oppression’
of Palestinians at UN metting
United Nations:The head of Israel’s leading
human rights group strongly criticised PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Govt during a contentious UN Security Council
meeting on Thursday for what he called its “supremacy and oppression” of the
Palestinians. Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon responded, accusing Hagai
El-Ad, director of B’Tselem, of staging “a circus” in the council and then in
Hebrew telling him: “Shame on you! You are a collaborator!”Israeli authorities
have just released 10 tonnes of mail intended for Palestinians. The parcels
from around the world were blocked from entering the occupied West Bank and
Gaza from 2010 to and this year.That drew a rebuke from Britain’s UN Ambassador
Karen Pierce who complained that council members could not understand Danon’s
remarks in Hebrew, which is not one of UN’s official languages. AP obtained a
translation after the council meeting. B’Tselem opposes Israeli settlements in West
Bank and has documented abuses committed by Israeli soldiers, sparking
accusations of treason by Israeli hardliners. The rights group has also angered
Israeli leaders because it accepts funding from foreign donors including European
Commission and because it airs its criticism in international venues like UN.AP
New York Gala raises $32m for Israel army
A New York City gala held by Friends of Israel
Defence Forces (FIDF) has raised $32 million for members of Israel’s occupation
forces.The event was attended by 1,200 US business people and philanthropists
as well as key figures from the Israeli establishment, including Israel’s envoy
to UN Danny Danon and Israel’s Consul General in New York Dani Dayan. Army
Chief of General Staff, Gadi Eisenkot, was also slated to attend but was called
back to Israel amid an escalation of Israeli air strikes on the besieged Gaza
Strip yesterday.Among the biggest donors to the gala were Or Lachayal – an
organisation which works to “strengthen the Jewish identity of Israeli army”–
which pledged $2.5 million and Nefesh B’Nefesh – which promotes Jewish
immigration to Israel – which pledged $1.3 million, Arutz Sheva reported.FIDF
has a long history of fundraising for Israel’s occupation forces, the proceeds
of which it then spends on “educational, cultural, recreational, and social
services” for Israeli soldiers. It operates 20 offices across US and Panama,
according to its own website.MEMO
Belgian trade union boss says Israel kills
Palestinian kids for their organs
A university lecturer and senior executive of
one of Belgium’s main trade unions wrote that Israel poisons Palestinians and
kills their children for their organs. Robrecht Vanderbeeken is the cultural
secretary of ACOD trade union and a philosophy of science scholar affiliated
with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. His column was published in August on the
left-wing news site De Wereld Morgen.The population of Gaza, which has a border
with Israel and Egypt, is being “starved to death, poisoned and children are
kidnapped and murdered for their organs,” Vanderbeeken wrote.Following the
complaint, De Wereld Morgen on Thursday removed the part about stealing organs
but kept in place the claim about poisoningand death by starvation.Paper published
a 377-word correction titled “update” explaining why it had removed the
accusation referring to organ theft. In the correction, news site accuses
Israel of “murdering” and “kidnapping” Palestinian children, among other
actions the paper defined as war crimes. It also said Israel uses organs
belonging to Palestinians its forces killed, but the editors and columnist
decided “not to suggest a causality between the kidnapping and murder of
children by the Israeli occupation army and the removal of organs for
transplants.”Source:Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Israeli forces wound at least 130 Palestinians
in Gaza during Friday protest
Israeli soldiers have wounded at least 130
Palestinians including 25 children, according to the spokesman for the
Palestinian health ministry, Dr Ashraf al-Qedra.The official said protesters
had been targeted with live ammunition and that there had not been any
Palestinian fatality thus far during Friday's protest. It was the 30th
consecutive Friday that Palestinian demonstrators converged on the Gaza-Israel
buffer zone to protest Israel's decades-long occupation. aljazeera
Algeria bans wearing of full-face veils at
work:Reuters
Algiers :Algerian authorities have banned
women from wearing full-face veils, or niqabs, at work, citing reasons of
identification for the decision.The country has been split between moderate and
more radical forms of Islam since it was plunged into years of civil war in
1992, when a military-backed Govt cancelled elections that an Islamist party was
poised to win.Most Algerian women do not wear the niqab, a custom imported from
more traditionally conservative Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, but the
decision is likely to be criticized by Algeria’s Salafists minority. indianexpress
Afghan voters head to the polls amid security
threats
Polls opened in Afghanistan's long-delayed
parliamentary election on Saturday amid security threats from the Taliban armed
group who vowed to disrupt the "bogus" vote.Close to 9 million
Afghans have registered to take part in the vote, which was first scheduled for
2015.The vote - the third since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 - was postponed
because of security fears and reforms to the voter registration
process.Security has been a major issue in the run up to voting day. Since late
Sept, when campaigning officially started, at least 10 candidates have killed
and two others abducted. Afghanistan's interior ministry told Al Jazeera it has
deployed more than 70,000 security forces across the country to ensure security
of the voters.There was a heavy presence of security forces on the streets of
the capital, Kabul, with vehicles being searched and some roads closed. The
election has been delayed by a week in southern province of Kandahar following
the assassination on Thursday of the province's powerful police chief, General
Abdul Raziq, in an attack claimed by the Taliban.Voting will also not take
place in Ghazni because of the precarious security situation - the Taliban
controls significant parts of the province. There is also an ongoing dispute over
how to divide Ghazni's electoral constituencies to have a more balanced ethnic
representation. The Taliban has vowed to disrupt what it calls "bogus
elections"."People who are trying to help in holding this process
successfully by providing security should be targeted and no stone should be
left unturned for the prevention and failure [of the elections]," Taliban
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said last week.aljazeera
IS releases 6 of 27 Druze hostages held in s.
Syria: Monitor
Beirut: Islamic State group has released 6 of
27 Druze hostages it seized during a deadly July attack in Syria's Sweida
province in exchange for a prisoner swap and ransom, a monitor said
Saturday."2 women and 4 children from the province of Sweida were released
last night," Rami Abdel Rahman, director of Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights, a monitor group, said.He added that the releases were the "first
wave" and part of an agreement sealed with the Syrian Govt to exchange all the hostages for "60
Islamic State prisoners held by the regime and a ransom of USD 27 million."IS
abducted around 30 people -- mostly women and children-- from Sweida in late
July during the deadliest attack on Syria's Druze community of 7-year civil
war.AFP
FLASH VIEWS & NEWS
Supreme Court cannot become the priest between
Indians and their Gods:SHEKHAR GUPTA
Khashoggi on life under MBS:'Nobody dares to
speak':aljazeera
Jamal Khashoggi is Dead. Long live the Crown
Prince:Tallha Abdulrazaq
Media Trial in Ayodhya Case Must be Carefully
Watched:Syed Ali Mujtaba, ummid.com
One man’s (very polite) fight against media
Islamophobia:theguardian
Mohammed bin Salman: The dark side of Saudi's
crown prince:aljazeera
The Saudi regime does not represent
Islam:Khaled A Beydoun
Kanhaiya Kumar being trapped in different
cases before Oct 25 Bihar mega political rally:CJP
Almost Rs 4,000 Crore Spent, but the Ganga Is
More Polluted Under Modi's Watch:Dheeraj Mishra
Why Lowest-Ever Turnout in Kashmir Municipal
Polls Should Worry Delhi:Mudasir Ahmad
Kerala MLA Abdul Razak dies of heart attack
UP : Man ‘stoned to death by monkeys’, family
wants FIR to be registered against them
Mumbai: 127-Year-Old Islam Gymkhana May Lose
Land Over Pending Rent: mid-day
‘Global human rights scandal’: 900 million
live in overcrowded informal settlements, says UN report
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:06 PM)
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