NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
22 Dec. 2018:14 Rabiul-II 1440:
Vol: 11, No:81
INDIA
All accused of Sohrabuddin ‘fake’ encounter
case acquitted: It looks like my brother killed himself, says Rubabuddin
Mumbai :Rubabuddin Shaikh, the younger brother
of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, the only family member present in the special CBI court
on Friday, said that with nobody held responsible for his brother’s death, he
will have to conclude that Sohrabuddin had killed himself. Rubabuddin, on whose
petition the Supreme Court had in 2006 directed a probe into whether
Sohrabuddin’s encounter was genuine, said that he had lost hope of the accused
being held guilty when the Bombay High Court had discharged 6 policemen.In
Sept., the HC had dismissed Rubabuddin’s pleas against the trial court’s order
discharging IPS officers, including DG Vanzara, Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh
MN.“There was enough evidence against the accused, but it seems that the court
has turned a blind eye towards it. This judgment is just not right. It is not
in the interest of justice,” he said.He added, “Court has not accepted any
evidence. It looks like my brother Sohrabuddin killed himself. When the HC
discharged six policemen in Sept., I lost hope. It was very clear that the
accused before the trial court will also be acquitted.”Rubabuddin said CBI had
neither filed an appeal against the discharge of most of the accused nor the
agency supported his appeal before the HC against the discharge of the three
officers. Rubabuddin, who had deposed before the trial court on Nov.17 as a
prosecution witness, had claimed that he had filed a petition in the SC after
he was informed that his brother’s encounter was not genuine. “The journey was
not easy, we had put in so much effort, right from seeking a CBI probe before
SC in 2006. It is a sad day, we have not got justice. But I will pursue the
appeal till SC,” he said. Besides Rubabuddin, his 2 other brothers, Nayamuddin
Shaikh and Shahnawazuddin Shaikh, had also been included as prosecution
witnesses. Nayamuddin, however, had contradicted prosecution’s claim during his
deposition by claiming that CBI had “planted” Sohrabuddin’s associate Tulsiram
Prajapati in “abduction story” though he was not present.On Friday, Nayamuddin
claimed that the court had “selectively” looked at evidence. “So many witnesses
turned hostile during trial. We had sought for the court to take action against
those.The relief for accused is only temporary as we will be seeking a retrial.”
Shahnawazuddin, who had initially sought to be examined as a witness but later
did not turn up despite summons, claimed that he had been served summons only
on WhatsApp. “During the trial as well, it was clear that they were deposing
under pressure. Tulsiram’s mother Narmadabai also did not depose. The result is
not surprising given the nature of the evidence,” he said.indianexpress
All accused of killing Sohrabuddin are
acquitted, court says evidence weak
Mumbai :A special CBI court Friday acquitted
all 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin
Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his associate Tulsiram Prajapati more than a
decade ago, saying the evidence brought before the court could not establish
the role of any accused in the case. Delivering his last judgment before he
retires on Dec. 31, special judge S J Sharma said he felt “helpless” and
“extremely sorry” for the families of the three victims.He said though three
investigation agencies probed the case —Gujarat ATS, CID and CBI — the evidence
before the court was “not satisfactory” to establish the guilt of the accused
beyond reasonable doubt.indianexpress
Vanzara admits to ‘premptive’ murder by
Gujarat Police
A day after a CBI court acquitted all the 22
accused in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, one of the accused
police officers DG Vanzara publicly seemed to admit that Gujarat Police did
indeed kill Sheikh, his wife Kauser Bi and an accomplice Tulsiram Prajapati in
cold blood. Vanzara’s use of phrase ‘Preemptive Encounter’ embarrassed the judiciary
and outraged many. What does ‘premptive encounter mean’ asked social scientist
Nandini Sundar while editor and journalist Malini Parthasarathi exclaimed that
this was an astonishing public admission by Vanzara that the trio had actually
been murdered by Gujarat Police without following due process.Even the CBI
court had concluded that the trio had been murdered. But it claimed to be
helpless in the face of inadequate evidence produced by CBI against the
accused.Vanzara, who was arrested and spent two years in jail, had written a
threatening letter from prison, claiming that the encounters had been carried
out at the behest of political masters. He had held out the veiled threat of
exposing the masters if they failed to stand by police officers.“Terrorists
successfully assassinated. Political Leaders like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi,
Beant Singh, Benazir Bhutto and Premdasa. Had Post-Godhara preemptive
encounters not carried out by Gujarat Police, @narendramodi would have met the
same fate. We saved Saviour. #SohrabuddinCase,” controversial retired IPS
officer wrote on Twitter on Friday.nationalheraldindia
Sohrabuddin would have killed Modi if not for
encounter, claims former officer DG Vanzara
Leading Activists, Muslim Leaders Flay CBI
Court Verdict in Sohrabuddin Case
New Delhi:The verdict is out in one of the
most controversial cases of recent times. All the 22 accused in the fake
encounter of Sohrabuddin, by a special CBI Court in Mumbai, were let off on
Friday. The accused listed in the case included several serving and retired
police officials and politicians like the powerful BJP President Amit Shah and
Gulabchand Kataria.The verdict received sharp criticism from the civil society.
Reacting to the verdict, senior Supreme Court Lawyer and founder of Human Rights
Law Network, Colin Gonsalves, speaking to Caravan Daily said, “This verdict by
CBI court proves the fact that this investigating agency (CBI) has become a
puppet of the present Govt .The fact that all honest officers investigating
this case have been charge-sheeted shows how low the CBI has stooped to fall in
line with the Govt . This judgment actually proves how the present Govt has undermined the institutional integrity of
the judiciary, educational institutes and even RBI.”Echoing a similar sentiment
was Navaid Hamid, head, Muslim, Majlis-e-Mushawarat. “This is an unjust
verdict. From the day one, the investigating agency has been under pressure.
The comment of the judge – ‘prosecution has failed to prove’ has a deep
political connotation. It actually reflects the pressure under which the
investigating agencies work. I wouldn’t be wrong, if I said that today, is the
saddest day in the history of Indian judiciary,” he said.He also maintained
that the road to justice doesn’t end with this verdict. “This case will
definitely have some international ramifications as it’s no ordinary case.
Also, the petitioner should apply for the revision of this verdict,” he added. Salim
Engineer, General Secretary, Jamat-e-Islami Hind slamming the verdict said, “I
feel this verdict will shake the people’s faith in the Indian judiciary. We
have always had faith in the court. But this verdict indicates that court are
no longer independent. The judiciary is definitely losing its credibility.” He
added, “It’s not in this case alone. A similar pattern is being observed in all
the cases where people having some kind of association with the present Govt are the accused.”S R Darapuri, ex DG of UP Police and leading rights activist, said, “One
can see the conspiracy of the Govt clearly
in this case. All the witnesses have turned hostile, honest officers
investigating this case have been removed. The judiciary is under immense
pressure, especially the lower court. Such cases actually clearly depict a true
picture of our judiciary, which is totally influenced by the Govt today. This has happened in the past, but has
increased to a greater extent under the present Govt .”Echoing a similar
sentiment, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, Chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission,
said, “This is a really sad verdict and shakes one’s faith in the judiciary.
But then this has been the case with all the cases in which people close to the
present Govt have been associated with. This verdict also proves that people
belonging to a particular ideology can get away with anything.”caravandaily
Surveillance notification reiteration of UPA
order, aims to curb terrorism: Govt
New Delhi:The notification on surveillance is
a reiteration of the order that was amended by UPA Govt in 2008, when A Raja was the Minister of
communication and information technology and Shivraj Patil was the home
minister, Govt said on Saturday. The clarification also added that the rules
under Section 69 of IT Act were framed
in 2009, during the tenure of Raja and then home minister P Chidambaram. It was
in 2011 when home ministry under Chidambaram issued the standard operating
procedure (SOP) for interception, handling, use, copying, storage and
destruction of messages, telephonic intercepts, e-mails under section 5(2) of
Telegraph Act and Section 69 of IT Act.The clarification came 2 days after the
Centre authorised select security and intelligence agencies for purposes of
interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated,
transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource.The agencies empowered
by Govt in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, are the same
agencies, which were given authorisation by SOP of 2011 and include IB,
Narcotics Control Bureau, ED, CBDT, DRI, CBI, NIA, Cabinet Secretariat (RAW)
and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi. Govt further added that various
technology platforms are being misused for rather dangerous activities which
include harming children, spreading terrorist propaganda and recruiting
terrorists. Despite repeated requests, social media and messaging service
providers are not expeditiously sharing details about people posting and
sharing such material, it said.The statement said these electronic platforms
have recently been used to threaten Supreme Court judges, where social media
and messaging service providers are not sharing details about people posting
and sharing such material. TOI
Centre’s order on monitoring computers is an
attack on privacy, we may move court, says Congress
Congress said it may move court against the
Centre’s notification enabling 10 agencies to monitor, intercept and decrypt
“any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer”.
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the move of the Ministry of Home
Affairs was a direct attack on the fundamental rights of the citizens and their
right to privacy.“We condemn this move to snoop on people of this country,”
Singhvi told reporters. “We will oppose it and if needed we will fight it in
the court also.”Congress President Rahul Gandhi had earlier in the day referred
to PM Narendra Modi as an “insecure
dictator” in his criticism of the order. “Converting India into a police state
isn’t going to solve your problems, Modi Ji,” Gandhi said in a tweet. “It’s
only going to prove to over 1 billion Indians, what an insecure dictator you
really are.” Scroll
MHA order on monitoring: Cong alleges
‘undeclared emergency’, Jaitley says rules framed in UPA regime
‘Computer snooping will usher in surveillance
state’: RS adjourned amid ruckus over MHA order
China refutes report about secret defence
project in economic corridor with Pakistan
China refuted a report in New York Times that
Beijing and Islamabad are collaborating on a secret military project under the
guise of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters that her information indicated that
the report was “not true”.The daily had claimed that it had seen a confidential
plan that detailed collaboration between Pakistani Air Force and Chinese
officials to increase the development of Chinese military jets, weaponry and
other hardware as well as measures to improve bilateral cooperation in space.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is part of China’s Belt and Road
Initiative. India has opposed the project as part of it will pass through
disputed territory in Kashmir. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson reiterated
the claim that the “Belt and Road” project is solely an economic and social
agreement. “CPEC is an important cooperation framework with a view to the
long-term cooperation and development between China and Pakistan in various
fields, aiming to promote the economic and social development and enhance the
livelihood of relevant regions,” she said. “On Dec20, Joint Coordination
Committee of the CPEC held its eighth meeting in Beijing.”scroll.in
Pak PM Imran Khan Called UN Chief, Raised
"Kashmir Issue": Official
UN: Pakistan's PM Imran Khan telephoned UN chief Antonio
Guterres and raised the "Kashmir issue", a UN spokesperson
said.Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary General, did not
give further details about the conversation between Imran Khan and
Guterres.When asked by news agency Press Trust of India about India's strong
retort to Imran Khan that Pakistan should "mind its own business" and
that "Kashmir is an integral part of India", Dujarric said, "Our
position on Kashmir has been reiterated. There is an observer group as mandated
by the Security Council."He was referring to the UN Military Observer
Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).Dujarric added that the Pakistani PM wanted to speak to the Secretary-General.
"It's only normal that the Secretary-General speak to heads of Govt s and
heads of state and, as I said, I can confirm that the call took place and that
the PM raised the issue of
Kashmir," Mr Dujarric said.External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh
Kumar recently said that "Statements coming out from their (Pakistan) side
demonstrates the insincerity and duplicity".PTI
Six militants killed in
J&K's Pulwama
Srinagar:6 militants of Al Qaeda-affiliate
Zakir Musa’s group Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, including its Kashmiri deputy, were
killed on Saturday in a gunfight with the security forces in Tral area of J&K
’s Pulwama district, the Defence Ministry said.“Six terrorists have been killed
in the Tral area encounter. Weapons and war-like stores have been recovered.
The operation is over,” Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said
here. According to sources, militants killed in the operation belonged to the
banned outfit Ansar Ghazwatul-Hind. The militants were were spotted following
specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists in an hideout set up in
an orchard along Tral-Awantipora road."The militant group opened fire
triggering off a gunfight which lasted for a brief time. The bodies of all the
slain militants along with as many weapons and other arms and ammunition were
recovered from their possession," said the police. Preliminary reports
suggest the 6 militants belonged to the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind militant outfit.
"The outfit's 'Deputy Chief' Soliha is among the dead," said the
official.The identities of the other 5 militants are being ascertained. Mobile
Internet service in the district and rail services between the valley and the
Bannihal town of Jammu region was suspended.thehindu
Pak national stranded at Bhopal police station
set to be repatriated: Indian express
Bhopal:Mohammed Imran Warsi says of some of
his uncles stayed in India while his father moved to Pakistan during
Partition.“I have learned some hard lessons in the last 10 years. I don’t even
think of escaping or doing anything that is in contravention of law. Where will
I go even if I manage to flee?” says Warsi, as he watches officials at Bhopal’s
Shahjahanabad Police Station.In his late 30s, Imran has spent more than nine
months at the police station waiting to be repatriated to Pakistan. The police
station has become his home ever since he was released after spending 10 years
in jail on charges of espionage, and for forging documents to get a passport
from Bhopal.His sentence ended in January, but Imran had to spend two more
months in jail because he did not have money to pay the Rs 8,000 fine slapped
by the trial court. He was released from Bhopal jail on March 14 and sent to
Shahjahanabad Police Station, a nodal station where foreigners like him are
kept till they are repatriated.Officials confirmed that Imran will leave Bhopal
on Monday and cross the border on Wednesday.
‘Expressing
concern about nation I love’: Protests prevent Naseeruddin from opening Ajmer
Lit Fest
Jaipur:Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has
wondered why he was being called a traitor for expressing concerns about the
country he loves, even as protests in Ajmer prevented him from inaugurating the
Ajmer Literature Festival (ALF).Speaking to Harsh Mander-led Karwan-e-Mohabbat
earlier this week, Shah had said, “The poison has already spread. It will be
very difficult to capture this djinn back in the bottle. There is complete
impunity for those who take law into their own hands. In many areas we are
witnessing that the death of a cow has more significance than that of a police
officer. I feel anxious thinking about my children. Because they don’t have a
religion… tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks ‘are you a Hindu or a
Muslim?’ they will have no answer. It worries me because I don’t see the
situation improving anytime soon. These matters don’t scare me, they make me
angry…”Earlier this month, inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was killed in mob
violence in Bulandshahr after cow carcasses were found.As the video of Shah
went viral and drew criticism from some sections, Congress tweeted,
“Naseeruddin we concur, do not fear the hate, fight it.”On Friday, Shah, who
was in Ajmer to attend the ALF, said, “I don’t know why (people are criticising
the comments), because what I said was as a concerned Indian… I don’t know what
I have said now that I’m being called a traitor.“I am saying something and
expressing concern about my nation which I love, which is my home. What sin
have I committed?,” Shah told reporters in Ajmer,”.Shah was scheduled to attend
ALF’s inaugural ceremony at 2 pm on Friday, along with wife Ratna Pathak Shah
and poet Ras Bihari Gaur, who is the festival coordinator. This was to be
followed by a session titled ‘Naseer ki Nazar’ at 2.30 pm.indianexpress
UP Navnirman Sena chief wants Naseeruddin Shah to
go to Pakistan, books ticket
Meerut: A day after Naseeruddin Shah’s “I fear
for my children in India” remark, UP Navnirman Sena chief Amit Jani on Friday
booked a Mumbai to Karachi flight ticket for Aug. 14 — Pakistan’s Independence Day
— for him, calling him a “traitor” to the nation. “If Naseeruddin Shah feels
scared in India, he should leave for Pakistan with any delay. I have booked an
August 14 ticket for him so that India has one less ‘traitor’,” said Jani.In a
video interview to Karwan-e-Mohabbat India, the actor and theatre personality
had said that he was anxious about the future of his children after the
Bulandshahr violence where “cow is being given more importance than a police
officer”. In Bulandshahr, alleged cow slaughter led to the death of a police
officer earlier this month. “If a mob surrounds my children and asks them ‘are
you a Hindu or a Muslim?’. They will have no answer,” he had said. “In many
areas, we are witnessing that the death of a cow has more significance than
that of a police officer.” Jani posted a photo of the Sri Lankan Airlines
ticket on Twitter. “If Shah doesn’t want to go to Pakistan, he should read
Hanuman Chalisa because BJP MLC Bukkal Nawab said Hanuman is a Muslim,” Jani
said.TOI
Bulandshahr violence: ‘We are being targeted
because we are Muslims’ says Safruddin
Bulandshahr:Tears rolled down the eyes of
Sarfuddin as he hugged his children – 2 sons and a daughter – after spending 16
days in jail on fake charges of cow slaughter in Bulandshahr.For Sarfuddin, a
post-graduate in political science, the 16-day nightmare is over but questions
and agony remain.As Sarfuddin returned to his village Nayabaans after his
release from jail on Friday, he burst into tears on seeing the villagers coming
to meet him.Interestingly, Nayabaans is also the native village of Bajrang Dal
district co-ordinator Yogesh Raj, who had lodged an FIR against Sarfuddin and 3
others accusing them of cow slaughter.Yogesh is prime accused in Bulandshahr
violence which led to violence in Bulandshahr resulting in the killing of 2
people, police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and a local Sumit Kumar. Yogesh is
on the run.“I don`t know why the Allah punished me for none of my fault. Who
will return 16 precious days of my life and sufferings of my family and
children,” said Sarfuddin, who runs a small cloth shop in Syana town of
Bulandshahr.“We are being targeted because we are Muslims. Administration has
failed to nab the real troublemakers even 18 days after the violence,” he said.HT
Bulandshahr Violence: Who’s accountable for 16
days of trauma we faced, ask ‘framed’ Muslim boys
Telangana:Jamaat to meet TRS MPs over triple
bill
Hyderabad:With the triple talaq bill being
introduced in Parliament, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Telangana and Odisha) will meet
TRS parliamentarians to explain to them the nuances of divorce and also the
stand of the organisation. Jamaat hopes that TRS MPs will oppose the bill. According
to sources, a delegation comprising Jamaat senior leadership, accompanied by
Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, will meet the parliamentarians on
Saturday. Jamaat state president Hamid Mohammed Khan said, “Before the
elections, senior TRS members wanted us to explain to them what is instant
triple talaq.Even CM K Chandrasekhar Rao wanted some clarity on the subject. I
have sent a file containing some details to almost all TRS MPs.”Reiterating the
Jamaat’s stand, Khan said that the organisation considers the bill as a
violation of Muslim personal laws. He also said that bill is an infringement of
Article 25, which provides for freedom of religion, and Article 14, which
provides for equality before law and protection from discrimination on grounds
of religion, gender, race, caste and place of birth. Telangana State Waqf Board
member and senior Jamaat member Malik Motasim Khan said that Jamaat also
intends to explain the differences of jurisprudential opinion that exist on the
subject of talaq. “While a majority of Muslims follow the Hanafi school of
thought, there are the Ahle Hadees who consider any number of talaq
pronouncements in one sittings as one. For the sake of clarity, we will speak
to the parliamentarians about this also,” Khan said.thehindu
Telangana : Mahmood Ali takes charge as Home
Minister
Lone Minister in Telangana CM K Chandrashekar
Rao’s cabinet Mohd Mahmood Ali took charge as Home Minister in his chambers at
the Secretariat. Ali was Deputy Chief Minster and Revenue Minister in the
previous K Chandrashekar Rao’s Govt . Speaking to media, the Home Minister said
that he will accord top priority to the maintenance of law and order and reduce
the crime rate further in the future. State police already received accolades
at national and international level for its efficiency and technological
expertise in cracking the crimes in a short time, he added. THE HANS INDIA
Bhagwat, Shah Hindu saints discuss way forward
in Ram temple issue
Ahmedabad:RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, BJP
president Amit Shah and Hindu saints Friday discussed ways to go ahead with the
construction of a temple at disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in
Ayodhya, religious leaders who participated in the meeting said. Bhagwat and saints present at the 2-day Hindu
Acharya Sabha meeting at Rajkot, which is 210 km from Ahmedabad, explicitly
expressed the view that construction of the temple should start before May
2019, when the term of the Narendra Modi Govt ends, they said. In the meeting,
Shah gave the assurance that the temple will be built in Ayodhya, the Hindu
leaders said."The issue was discussed in detail. One way is the legal
route... Political leaders are doing their bit. Saints said they want to push
for construction of Ram temple as early as possible," Acharya Satgiri
Maharaj, who took part in the meeting which concluded on Friday, said.PTI
Wasim Rizvi booked for hurting religious
sentiments
Lucknow: An FIR was lodged against UP Shia
Central Waqf Board chief, Waseem Rizvi, in Mumbai for deliberately hurting
religious sentiments through his soon-to-be released film titled
‘Ramjanmabhoomi’. FIR was lodged by Mumbai police at JJ road police station on
the complaint of one, Ejaz Ahmed Abdul Quddoos Kashmiri, against Rizvi for
instigating communal tension between Hindus and Muslims and Shias and Sunnis
within the Muslim community, by making the film and releasing its trailer on
social media. The complaint said that Kashmiri had watched the trailer of the
film on social media on Nov.19, and found that the Prophet and his companions
were being misrepresented. The complainant said that Rizvi being the writer of
film, wants to instigate hatred and spark violence between the communities.
Dialogues insulting the religion and the Prophet have been used in the film, he
added. TOI
WhatsApp rumours make 100s of UP madrassas
reject vaccination:TOI
Meerut: Hundreds of madrassas across western UP
have refused permission to health department teams to administer the
measles-rubella vaccine to their students due to several “WhatsApp rumours”,
exposing lakhs of children to deadly and contagious diseases.In Meerut alone,
at least 70 of the 272 seminaries have refused entry to health officials.
Meerut district immunization officer Vishwas Chaudhary said, “This is because
of wrong information being spread mainly over WhatsApp. According to these
messages, the vaccine can make a child impotent.”“Some madrassa authorities
have asked students to stay at home on the day of vaccination. We have now
setup teams to conduct awareness drives and to inform people that the vaccine
is safe,” said Dr BS Sodi, CMO Saharanpur. Madrassas in Bijnor and Moradabad
are also opposing the vaccination drive. Measles is highly-contagious and
spreads through coughing and sneezing. According to a Govt report, over 49,000 children were killed in
2015 due to it. Rubella, according to WHO, is a contagious, mild viral
infection that occurs most often in children and young adults. While rubella is
the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects, its infection in
pregnant women may cause fetal death or congenital defects. The state health
department is now taking help from senior clerics to quell rumours. City qazi
for Meerut, Qazi Zainus Sajidin, has in his sermon asked all madrassas to allow
Govt teams into their campuses. “The
vaccine has no side-effects. It has been tested by doctors of Aligarh Muslim
University and Jamia Millia and no problem was found,” he said. Several other
madrassas in Saharanpur, Bijnor and Moradabad have also taken a similar stand.
Muslim parents in Mumbai refuse MR vaccines
for their school going kids
Mumbai:In the light of rumors regarding the
irresponsible handling of MR vaccines by the BMC, Muslim parents in Mumbai
refused to get their children vaccinated at schools.The parents refused to
participate in the drive run by the BMC to immunise school children from
disease like measles, fearing contraction of infection and diseases due to
unsafe handling og vaccines.Madrasa and Urdu medium schools in Mumbai organised
counseling sessions for the parents to explain the importance of vaccination
but couldn't convince them. Only 5% parents sent their children to schools on the
day when vaccines were to be given. indiatvnews
Photo of Mosque Replaces Ashok Chakra on
Tricolour, Complaint Filed in UP
Shahjahanpur: Police on Friday said that they
have ordered a probe after Hindu outfits Jagran Manch and Akhil Bharatiya Hindu
Mahasabha submitted a complaint alleging that disrespect was shown to the
national flag during the Muslim celebration of Julus-e-Gausia on December 19
night. The event took place in Puranpur area. According to the complaint,
instead of the Ashoka Chakra in the middle of the flag, photo of a mosque was
put up which, the Hindu groups allege, amounts to showing disrespect to the
national flag.SP Balendu Bhushan Singh said the matter was being probed and
action will be taken if anyone is found guilty.PTI
First Dalit, then Muslim, now a UP minister
says Hanuman was ‘jaat’
Lucknow: Opining that Lord Hanuman belonged to
the Jaat community, UP Minister for
Religious Affairs Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary joined the debate surrounding the
identity of the Hindu deity.The state minister likened Hindu god's
characteristics to that of a person belonging to the Jaat community."I
think Hanuman ji was a Jaat, because upon seeing someone being troubled a Jaat
also jumps in even without knowing the issue or the people. In this sense
Hanuman ji's behaviour was very similar to that of Jaat because following
Goddess Sita's abduction by Raavan he immediately came to Lord Ram's help as
his follower,” UP Cabinet Minister Laxmi Narayan told ANI.ANI
Loan Waivers Not Enough, Don't Treat Farmers
Like Minority Vote Bank: RSS-Backed Kisan Sangh
New Delhi: As state Govt s compete to waive
loans ahead of 2019 elections, RSS-backed Bharatiya Kisan Sangh said that the
waivers have become a kind of 'appeasement policy', which “won't reap benefits
like the minority vote bank”.Recently, BJP Govt in Assam had approved Rs 600 crore farm loan
waiver, while Gujarat's Vijay Rupani Govt announced a decision to waive electricity
bills of connection holders in rural areas.The newly formed Congress Govt s in
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh also announced to waive farm loans,
following which Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "It’s done! Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have waived farm loans. We asked for 10 days. We did
it in 2."Mohini Mohan, national secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (an
affiliate of RSS), said, "Farm loan waiver is not a solution like the
appeasement policies practiced by political parties. It has never given good
results. The recent announcements reek of this kind of policy. The way
politicians try to win over Muslims, they are trying to do the same with us.
But it will not work.Reiterating what Niti Aayog had earlier stated, Mohan
said, "We have not learnt from the past instances where farmers were given
farm loan waivers but it did not ameliorate their situation."He added that
there were also loopholes in the Govt s' loan waiver announcements. News18
32-Inch TVs, Movie Tickets Get Cheaper; 7
Items Moved From 28% GST Rate
GST Council removed seven items from 28 % tax
bracket, the Govt said on Saturday. 6
items - such as pulleys gear boxes, monitors and TVs (up to 32 inches), digital
cameras and video game consoles - moved
from 28% to 18% while one item - parts and accessories for
carriages for people with disabilities - moved from 28 % to 5 % , the release added. The new GST rates
will be effective from Jan.1, 2019.To simplify the indirect tax regime, Govt moved goods to a reduced GST rate.Only luxury
and sins goods items will remain in the 28% slab now. However, GST on real estate
will be discussed in next GST Council meeting, the release further said. Govt had
said earlier this week that 99% of items can be moved under 18% GST. GST, Govt 's
biggest tax reform, sets rates from 28% to 5% on most items, replacing an array of
central and state duties.ndtv
Sajjan Kumar moves SC against conviction in
1984 anti-Sikh riots case
New Delhi:Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar
on Saturday moved the Supreme Court challenging the life imprisonment awarded
to him by the Delhi High Court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.Senior advocate
H.S. Phoolka, who is representing the victims of the riots cases, said he has
been conveyed by the apex court registry that Sajjan Kumar has filed an appeal
against the High Court’s judgment.PTI
Alka Lamba says AAP chief asked her to resign
over proposal to withdraw Rajiv Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna
Delhi legislator Alka Lamba on Friday said she
will resign from the Aam Aadmi Party after party chief Arvind Kejriwal
allegedly asked to her to do so for not supporting a proposal in the Assembly
on revoking late former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s Bharat Ratna, PTI reported.Lamba
tweeted on Friday that she had walked out of the House after refusing to
support the resolution and that she was ready to face punishment for her
action. “After I staged a walkout, I got a message from the CM to tender my resignation,” she told PTI.“Party
has asked for my resignation,” ANI quoted Lamba as saying. “I’m ready to resign
but Rajiv Gandhi has sacrificed a lot for country [and] I didn’t support the
proposal in Assembly of taking back his Bharat Ratna. I’ve been asked to resign
because I stood against the decision of the party.” scroll
No mention of Rajiv Gandhi in original
resolution, never asked Alka Lamba to resign: AAP
AAP MLA Jarnail Singh clarified that the
resolution passed in the Delhi Assembly on Friday did not include a demand that
former PM Rajiv Gandhi be stripped of
the Bharat Ratna for justifying the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. “It was my feeling
and I said it. Technically, it wasn’t in the notice,” said Singh.Meanwhile, AAP
MLA Alka Lamba said that she is not quitting the party, putting to rest reports
that party chief Arvind Kejriwal has sought her resignation after she disagreed
with the resolution. Earlier, AAP leader and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had said, “No resignation has
been sought and from no one, all these are rumours,” he told reporters.The
explanation from the two leaders came a day after a massive crisis broke out
within AAP over the resolution which was introduced in the Delhi Assembly. AAP
spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj had on Friday claimed that the resolution did not
contain the part on Rajiv. “Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti added the line on
his own. It was his demand,” he had said.indianexpress
Draft JNU sedition chargesheet names Kanhaiya
Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban
New Delhi:Almost 3 years after an FIR of
sedition was registered against students of JNU for allegedly raising “anti-national
slogans” during an event on campus, the Delhi Police’s Special Cell has
finalised draft chargesheet in the case, naming Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and
Anirban Bhattacharya as the main accused. Apart from the three — Kanhaiya was
the JNU students’ union president at the time — police have included eight
others in the draft chargesheet, which has been sent to the public prosecutor
for vetting and is expected to be filed in the Patiala House Courts
soon.”Police have found concrete evidence against the eight others, all
hailing from Kashmir… two of them are students at JNU, two at Jamia Millia, one
at AMU, one is a Muradnagar-based doctor and 2 are students,” a senior police
officer said on condition of anonymity. According to police sources, the investigating
officer in the case has identified the eight Kashmiri students, including two
brothers, after questioning Khalid and recording the statements of other
students. “Police collected evidence after scanning the social media profiles
of some of the students. One of them had posted a slogan raised at the event on
Facebook. Most of these students were asked to mobilise people for the event,”
said an officer linked to the case.Police sources said the draft chargesheet
also includes the names of 32 others, including former JNU students’ union
vice-president Shehla Rashid, but added that “sufficient evidence has not been
found” against them. indianexpress
Derogatory, unacceptable: NCW over Darul fatwa
on women, men eating together at public events
New Delhi:National Commission for Women
Chairperson Rekha Sharma has sought an explanation from the vice chancellor of
Darul Uloom Deoband seminary over reports of a fatwa issued by the institution
that termed women and men eating together at public events
"un-Islamic", saying it is "derogatory and unacceptable".
Sharma also lashed out at the Deoband-based Islamic cleric for his alleged
comment that "women eating or taking part in programmes in which strange
men are present is not good for women and it is strongly forbidden and is a sin
under the Islamic law". Taking a "serious note" of a fatwa
issued in this regard, Sharma, in a letter to Darul uloom Islamic school V-C
Abul Qasim Nomani, said it is "derogatory, unacceptable and the NCW
rejects it outright".She also sought an explanation from him on the
matter.According to some news reports, the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary said it
is "un-Islamic and a sin for men and women to consume food together at public
events like weddings".The fatwa reportedly said men and women eating
together is 'na-jayaz', or 'not recommended', and could result in moral
decline.PTI
Jamia student says barred from exam for
wearing hijab, writes to UGC
New Delhi :Jamia Millia Islamia student
Umaiyah Khan (23) has written to UGC chairperson, alleging she was not allowed
to appear for UGC-NET Exam on Thursday
because she was wearing a hijab.Responding to this, HRD Minister Prakash
Javadekar Friday told reporters, “The Supreme Court has laid down norms for
what you can carry and what you cannot carry. So we’re following SC
guidelines.”Khan, a student of MBA in International Business and is appearing
for management exam, wrote, “When I reached the centre, a male staff member
asked me to remove my head scarf. I was shocked as there were no such
guidelines mentioned in the admit card…I told him I can’t remove it as I follow
my religion…When I approached the female staff members, they didn’t let me in
either and asked me to remove my hijab…”Khan said, “People should do their
duty, but not by telling people to give up their religious symbols whether it’s
a Muslim, Sikh or Hindu.”Requesting the chairperson to “approve her as a
NET-JRF qualified candidate”, Khan said, “For future, I request you to make
sure this doesn’t happen with anyone no matter what their religion gender or
identity is.”indianexpress
‘No
entry test for 2019-20 admissions to DU, JNU
New Delhi: In contradiction to the ministry of
human resource development’s earlier stand of countering the menace of ‘high
cut-off’ with an entrance exam for undergraduate courses in Delhi University,HRD
minister Prakash Javadekar said that “for 2019-20 admissions in Delhi
University will be based on Class XII marks only”.Interestingly while JNU has
already announced that its entrance examination in May for the academic year
2019-20 will be conducted by National Testing Agency, which NTA officials also
confirmed, the minister during his briefing said that “nothing is final yet”.
The high cut-offs for admission to DU have often received flak and the
university’s admission committee has been discussing the possibility of
introducing an entrance test since 2017. Moreover, DU admission process takes
around four to five months.However, given complexities of the admission process
and students’ groups like ABVP and the teachers’ association opposing move, a
consensus could not be reached in 2017 and 2018. Timesofindia
Parrikar trying to blackmail Modi with Rafale
deal to retain CM post, claims Congress leader
Senior Congress leader and former Union
minister Jaipal Reddy has accused Goa CM Manohar Parrikar of trying to blackmail PM Narendra Modi with Rafale deal to retain his
post, PTI reported.Reddy was addressing party’s concluding function at the Jan
Akrosh Rally in Margao on Thursday. Congress has been staging rallies across
the state claiming that Parrikar’s poor health has affected the functioning of
the Govt . Parrikar has been suffering from pancreatic cancer and has made very
few public appearances since Oct.scroll.in
‘Modi
unmade India’: Yaswant in no-holds-barred book
GDP numbers are misleading, RBI’s autonomy is
in extreme danger and demonetisation is the biggest banking scam, former
finance minister Yashwant Sinha claims in his new book.He also says that
PM Narendra Modi’s idea of
self-employment is a “distraction from more serious issue of unemployment and
underemployment”. Sinha, who has been quite vocal about the Govt ’s policies
since the past couple of years, quit the BJP in April. Party leaders have been
dismissing his allegations on several issues with BJP chief Amit Shah once
asking if people should believe the ministers or those “who did not get jobs”.
According to Sinha, Modi blew a golden opportunity to send the economy soaring
to new heights.“He could have fixed the UPA’s legacy issues and fundamentally
raised India from a poor country to a middle-income country, but he squandered
the chance,” he says, adding his book demonstrates how “Modi unmade India”.PTI
WORLD
Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinians in Gaza
protests
3 Palestinians, including a teenager, have
been killed and dozens of other protesters injured while taking part in the
ongoing demonstrations along the lands east of the besieged Gaza Strip near
Israel's fence.According to Gaza's health ministry, Mohammed al-Jahjouh, a
16-year-old demonstrator, was killed after being struck in the neck by Israeli
army gunfire on Friday.Abdulaziz Abu Shree'a, 28, succumbed to his wounds after
he was shot in the stomach, the ministry added.Maher Yassin, 40, a person with
special needs, also died after being critically wounded by Israeli live
fire.About 40 Palestinian protesters - including four medics and two
journalists - sustained injuries, the ministry said.For 39th consecutive week,
Palestinians converged along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone to take part in ongoing
demonstrations against Israel's decades-long occupation.aljazeera
China gives $2 million to UNRWA in Gaza
UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in Near East (UNRWA) announced that People’s Republic of China has
provided $2.35 million in support of the Agency’s emergency appeal for the
occupied Palestinian territories (oPt).In a statement, UNRWA said that “we
appreciate the generous donation of $2.35 million from the China in support of
the Agency’s appeal for the Palestinian territories,” adding: "This
generous donation from China provides immediate and critical emergency food aid
during the months of Oct. through Dec. 2018 to approximately 1 million
Palestine refugees who are classified under absolute poverty and extreme
poverty categories in Gaza as part of agency fourth emergency food
aid."Head of the Representative Office of the People’s Republic of China
to the Palestinian Authority, Guo Wei, said of the announcement that: “China
attributes great importance to the vital role that UNRWA plays in alleviating
the humanitarian situation of the Palestine refugees.” “[China] appreciates the
work done by UNRWA in the areas of health, education, and other basic services,
and that is the reason why the Chinese Govt has made additional contributions worth two
million dollars to UNRWA this year,” he added.MEMO
Russia plans to bring Fatah, Hamas together in
Moscow
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181222-russia-plans-to-bring-fatah-and-hamas-together-in-moscow/
Senior Russian officials have revealed
Russia’s desire to convene a meeting between Fatah and Hamas in Moscow. Speaking
in the wake of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s invitation to visit Russia,
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said: “We have invited
[Haniyeh] and he accepted the invitation with gratitude. [visit] is likely to
take place early next year. Now, work is ongoing to agree on a date that is
convenient for both parties to form a delegation,” Sputnik reported.Bogdanov
hopes the planned meeting between Fatah and Hamas will contribute to the
promotion of national reconciliation between the 2 sides, which have been
engaged in a fierce feud since Fatah refused to hand over control of Govt in the wake of Hamas’ 2006 election
victory.“In our opinion, the priority should be the establishment of
Palestinian national unity,”Bogdanov explained,adding:“It is extremely
important that Fatah and Hamas, together with other Palestinian outfits, meet
and agree on the restoration of political and geographical unity.”“We have
hosted [such meetings] on numerous occasions and are ready to once again bring
them together in Moscow:representatives or heads and deputies,” he added.MEMO
Lebanon's border tense as Israel excavates
'Hezbollah tunnels'
Kafr Kila, Lebanon - Across the border wall
that divides the village of Kafr Kila in south Lebanon from Israel, the sound
of Israeli excavations is disturbing a relative calm that has endured for 12
years.On Dec 4, Israel decided to take on Hezbollah in Lebanon and began
"Operation Northern Shield". It started digging along several points
on the Lebanon-Israel border to locate and destroy what it said were tunnels
dug by Hezbollah into Israel.aljazeera
Trump Syria pullout ‘blow’ to Tel Aviv:
Israeli experts
US President Donald Trump’s decision to
withdraw troops from Syria has come as a “major blow” to Tel Aviv, according to
Israeli analysts. Analysts quoted in the Israeli media, meanwhile, have said
the move came as a shock to Tel Aviv.Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that both Trump and US
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had informed him Tuesday of the decision to
withdraw troops from Syria. In a subsequent statement, Netanyahu said: “Withdrawal
from Syria is a US decision, of course, but we will study the consequences of
this withdrawal and its impact on Israel’s security.” Israel’s permanent
representative at UN, Danny Danon, for his part, said: “It is a US decision; we
respect the decision made by the administration.” MEMO
Turkey Vows to Take on IS After US Withdraws
its Troops from Syria
Turkey will take over the fight against
Islamic State militants in Syria as US withdraws its troops, President Tayyip
Erdogan said on Friday, in the latest upheaval wrought by Washington's abrupt
policy shift. Erdogan has long
castigated his NATO ally over its support for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters
against Islamic State. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group and an
offshoot of the armed Kurdistan PKK, fighting for Kurdish autonomy across the
border on Turkish soil. Reuters
Erdogan delays Syria operation, welcomes US
troop withdrawal
US pullout from Syria result of secret deal
with Turkey, says expert
US president’s decision to withdraw troops
from Syria was a result of a secret deal between Washington and Ankara,
Lebanese analyst Nidal Sabi, a leading expert on the Syrian dossier, told
TASS.He said that after a period of bitter differences between the US and
Turkey, Ankara "has once again earned their total confidence and will again
promote US interests in the Middle East.""The regional policies of
Ankara and Washington pursue the same goals and are aimed at fragmentation of
Syria and Iraq," the expert said.He believes that Turkish President Tayyip
Erdogan is likely to use the deal with the US to relocate extremist groups,
which are now being withdrawn from the Idlib de-escalation zone, to the eastern
bank of the Euphrates River.TASS
Yemen: Head of UN mission monitoring Hodeidah
ceasefire arrives
Head of a UN mission tasked with monitoring a
fragile ceasefire in the Yemen's strategic port city of Hodeidah has arrived
Aden.Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general, with experience in Sri Lanka,
Cambodia and DR Congo, arrived in the southern city of Aden on Saturday, and is
due to meet with Govt representatives
before travelling to the rebel-held capital Sanaa and onwards to
Hodeidah.Cammaert's team will secure the functioning of Hodeidah port, a key
gateway for aid and food imports in the impoverished nation, as well as
supervise the withdrawal of fighters from the flashpoint city.aljazeera
Egypt declares killing of 8 Muslim brotherhood
loyalists including 4 detained
Interior Ministry of Egypt announced, that 8
Muslim Brotherhood loyalists were killed and 4 others were arrested. The killed
and arrested belong to Hasm Movement, an affiliate to the Muslim Brotherhood
which has been classified as a terrorist group by the Egyptian Govt, Xinhua
reported.Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that
killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former
Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests
against his one-year rule and his currently blacklisted
Brotherhood.devdiscourse.com
Egyptian court acquits 40 NGO workers whose
case strained ties with US
40 NGO workers, including at least 15
Americans, were cleared by an Egyptian court in a case concerning the work of
groups promoting democracy in the country.In 2013, a group of 43 Americans,
Europeans, Egyptians and other Arabs were sentenced to jail terms ranging from
one to five years on charges including operating NGOs without necessary
approval. NGOs have felt exposed since late 2011, when authorities raided 17
pro-democracy and rights groups, accusing them of joining a foreign conspiracy
against Egypt after the uprising that toppled veteran leader Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt’s crackdown on organisations including U.S.-based groups linked to the
US’ two main political parties caused outrage in Washington, which supplies
Cairo with $1.3 billion in military aid each year.Reuters
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Linda Chhakchhuak: Full story behind arrest,
release and re-arrest under NSA of Manipur journalist
With Jim Mattis resignation, India loses
strong advocate in US Govt :Shubhajit Roy
Koregaon violence: In 4 months,
cross-examination of only 3 witnesses completed, 5 partially heard
Himachal, Kerala, TM top UN’s India SDG index
Fact Check: Video of Muslims shouting communal
slogans not linked to Congress victory
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 6:13 PM)
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