NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
31 Dec. 2018:23 Rabiul-II 1440:
Vol: 11, No:90
INDIA
United Opposition thwarts govt bid to push
Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha insisting Bill be sent to select committee;
RS adjourned till Jan.2
New Delhi:A united Opposition today thwarted
the government’s attempt to pass the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on
Marriage) Bill, which criminalises instant Triple Talaq, in Rajya Sabha,
demanding that it be sent to a Select Committee.The revised Bill, which was
passed in the Lok Sabha 3 days ago, was expected to face resistance in the
Rajya Sabha where ruling dispensation does not enjoy a majority and with AIADMK
MPs also signalling their opposition. Upper House was adjourned till 2 pm after
AIADMK members disrupted proceedings and trooped into the well raising Cauvery
issue and shouting slogans “We want Justice”. After the triple talaq bill was
tabled upon resumption of House proceedings, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya
Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the bill required further scrutiny and claimed that
more than half of the members belonging to several parties have demanded that
it be sent to a select committee. “This is such an important bill which can
positively or negatively affect the lives of crores of people can’t be passed
just like this without going to a select committee,” he said. He also accused
the NDA government of breaking the tradition of sending bills to select
committees for scrutiny before they become law. Senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien
also echoed Azad’s demand.“All Opposition parties unanimously have decided that
this bill must be sent to the select committee,” he said. Accusing the Congress
of creating hurdles in the passage of crucial legislation, Minister of State
for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said the government was ready for a
discussion on the issue. He said the Congress had already supported the bill in
Lok Sabha earlier. “Congress and other parties are only playing politics on
this issue which is very important for ensuring the rights of married Muslim
women,” he said. Deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma
sought to turn the tables on the government, saying it was BJP that was doing
politics over the bill and demanded legislative scrutiny.“Govt is misleading
the people. If the bill has been passed without legislative scrutiny in the Lok
Sabha then it should not be passed here without referring to select committee.
Rajya Sabha is not a rubber stamp,”he said. The Speaker adjourned the House
till Wednesday.indianexpress
RS adjourned till Jan 2, Opposition demands
Triple Talaq Bill be sent to select committee
Cong manifesto committee members, Muslim
intellectuals hold interactive session
New Delhi : Several key suggestions on
important topics such as police reforms, campaign for harmony and administrative
reforms were made during an interactive and consultative session between
representatives of the Congress' manifesto committee and Muslim intellectuals
here Sunday.The session was part of party's Jan Awaaz (Your Voice) campaign for
dialogue with various sections of the society.The session was chaired by party
leaders Salman Khurshid and Sachin Rao, both members of the AICC manifesto
committee,a statement said.The session was attended by a large number of
eminent members of the minority community and experts on public policy
including Justice (Retd) MSA Siddiqui, Ex-MP of Rajya Sabha M Adeeb, and Imam
Jama Masjid, Parliament Street, Moulana Mohibullah Nadvi.The session was one in
a series of interactions being held across the nation as part of Jan Awaaz-Your
Voice campaign by AICC to initiate a productive dialogue between the party and
various sections of the society to identify and include important issues in the
manifesto for 2019 general polls. In a productive dialogue, suggestions were
also made on promotion of reservation in the higher education, women
empowerment and inclusion of the members of the minority communities in nation
building process.PTI
2.95 million out of 4 million left out of NRC
draft claim for inclusion; nearly 700 objections filed
Guwahati:On the last day of filing claims for
inclusion of names in National Register of Citizens in Assam, only 2.95 million
people out of 4 million have submitted them, a top official said. The Supreme
Court, which is monitoring the exercise, had extended the deadline for filing
claims and objections to Dec. 31. LS Changsan, principal secretary (home,
political and border), said the state government is not considering seeking
another extension for the exercise.Around 700 objections have been filed
against those who figure in the complete NRC draft which was published on July
30, said an official on the condition of anonymity.The complete draft excluded
40,07,707 people.“The Standard Operating Procedure did not allow people to
change the legacy person. That is one big reason. Then the other reason is
people may not have documents,” said Dharmananda Deb, a lawyer associated with
Hindu Legal Cell in Silchar, which has been assisting people in the NRC
process.Legacy data, which includes an extract of voters lists up to March 25,
1971, and extract of NRC 1951 is part of the list of List A documents needed to
prove that the family was a resident of Assam before the cut-off date of March
25, 1971.“How many people file claims is not important but what’s more
important is that anybody who has come before 1971 should be included. People are
illiterate, they don’t know much about the process or claims and objections,”
said Azizur Rehman, chief coordinator of coordination committee for minority
organisations. However, Prateek Hajela, state coordinator of the NRC has a
different view.Meanwhile, there is still no clarity on the fate of those who
will not be included in NRC. In Nov., a joint committee of the state and the
centre was appointed to decide the fate of those excluded from NRC. Those
excluded from the complete NRC will be referred to the Foreigners Tribunals.HT
70 Assam organisations to move SC against
centre's notifications on citizenship rules
Guwahati: 70 organisations in Assam protesting
against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 have decided to approach
the Supreme Court to challenge the govt’s recent notifications on citizenship
rules. “The petition to be filed in the SC is currently being prepared by
Prashant Bhushan, and it will challenge all the notifications by the government
on citizenship rules since 2015. It is expected to be filed at the earliest,”
said Akhil Gogoi, adviser to Krishak Mukti Sangram Parishad (KMSS), which heads
70 organisations spearheading the agitation against the Bill.These groups
believe that the notifications by the Modi government have fulfilled the
objectives of the proposed Bill to grant citizenship to a section of non-Muslims
from neighbouring countries. It was tabled in the parliament two years ago and
subsequently referred to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC), which is yet to
submit its report. There was no consensus among the members, who suggested 13
amendments to the Bill.The Bill has sparked large-scale protests in the state
since it will nullify the Assam Accord, which lays down that foreign nationals
would be identified and expelled from the state irrespective of religion.
Besides, the current update of NRC will also be rendered meaningless if a
section of illegal migrants who are left out of the list are granted
citizenship. There are unconfirmed inputs that a large chunk of the four
million people excluded from the register consist of Hindu Bangladeshis.Delegates
of these groups were on a three-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi
from December 9-11 to register their protest against the Bill. Besides these
organisations, another 30 groups led by AASU have also launched an agitation
against the Bill. They have also briefed leaders of other political parties
about the adverse implication if it were to be passed in the parliament.On
Dec.21, the Forum against Citizenship Act Amendment Bill led by Hiren Gohain
and other prominent intellectuals from Assam filed a petition in the Supreme
Court, making a case for repealing the notifications since they contravene not
only the Assam Accord but several articles of the constitution.thewire
Bulandshahr violence attempt to instil fear
among Muslims: human rights bodies
New Delhi: The recent Bulandshahr violence
that claimed the lives of a policeman and a 20-year-old man was a
"targeted attempt" to "instill fear" in Muslim community,
an umbrella organisation of human rights bodies claimed Sunday and demanded a
Supreme Court-monitored probe into it. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and
civilian Sumit Kumar were killed on Dec.3 in the mob violence that broke out in
Bulandshahr's Siyana area after cattle carcasses were found strewn outside a
village.The incident happened when the election process in 5 states-was
underway."Hindutvawadi forces masterminded" the incident to
"polarise" voters because of the "ongoing elections in 5
states", the organisation claimed, whose members visited Bulandshahr and
presented a "fact-finding" committee's report here, and demanded a
new law to check hate crimes.National Confederation of Human Rights
Organisation (NCHRO) sought an immediate ban on all groups and 'senas' which
use weapons "in the name of cow protection". Addressing the media at Press
Club here, members of NCHRO claimed that the violence was a "planted
incident" to create unrest in the area and elsewhere "in the name of
cow"."Mob, at the instigation of local Bajrang Dal and BJP Yuva
Morcha leaders Yogesh Raj and Shikhar Agrawal, gathered at Chingrawathi police
post and burnt down many vehicles, staged a shootout and pelted stones on the
police force," it said."Fact-finding" team member Manoj Singh,
of All India People's Forum, claimed the way a purported video of the
inspector's killing was shot "clearly indicates" the mob received
political protection."In a peaceful area like Bulandshahr, Dec.3 incident
was a targeted attempt by Sangh-BJP organisations to instill fear in the Muslim
community," said Singh. He claimed that small skirmishes between local
groups were used as an excuse to start communal clashes."There are clear
signs of political conspiracies at play to discourage honest members of the
administration, like Inspector Subodh, through intimidation and fear of
life," he said. He said there were also no signs of cow slaughtering at
the fields outside Mahaw village, where the carcasses were found on Dec.3
morning, "which makes it clear that mob violence...was executed through
meticulous planning".NCHRO also highlighted that several innocent people,
including two minors, were put behind bars while the key suspect, Bajrang Dal
local leader Yogesh Raj, was still at large."A law should be made to
contain mob violence and an immediate ban on all organisations and 'senas'
which use weapons and have led the country to a civil war-like situation in the
name of cow protection,"NCHRO said."Also another law be made and
strictly implemented to ensure a state government's responsibility to check
hate crimes and elements spreading hate crimes," it said.Home Ministry
should review it on regular basis and share details in every parliamentary
session on what steps it has taken to check riots and hate crimes, said Singh. Another
team member, Ansar Indori, claimed that the incident was a "planned
affair"."Occurrence of such a big incident in the presence of the
administration proves that it was planned affair. Police presence deterred the
violence from spreading further. Meanwhile, Sarfuddin, a resident of Nayabans
village, who was initially arrested by the police following a complaint by Raj,
told reporters that he would move court against his arrest.He was arrested
under but released after 16 days.PTI
I Was Scared of Being Falsely Implicated by
Bajrang Dal Leader:Sarfuddin
Bulandshahr violence: Slain inspector's son
questions BJP MLA's claim about his death
New Delhi: Elder son of Inspector Subodh Kumar
Singh, who was among 2 people killed in recent Bulandshahr violence, Shrey
Singh questioned a BJP MLA’s claim that his father had shot himself.BJP MLA
from Bulandshahr Devender Singh had reportedly said the inspector was not
targeted, instead he “shot himself” out of hopelessness and in haste.“I do not
want to respond to anyone but those challenging the post-mortem report and
saying my father shot himself. The autopsy report says he was shot from a distance
of seven to eight meters.How can someone who shot himself do it?” Shrey,college
student, asked. Inspector’s son, along with some residents of Bulandshahr’s
Naya Bans village who were wrongly named in FIR for cow slaughter, was here at
an event of NCHRO.PTI
Ghazipur cop killing: 27 people arrested,
Union Minister Sharma terms incident a reactionary action
Ghazipur: UP Police have arrested 27 persons
in connection with the killing of head constable in Ghazipur district. The
Uttar Pradesh Police has also registered an FIR against 32 people in connection
with the case. At least 70-80 unidentified people have also been included in FIR.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has been under severe criticism over the breakdown of law
and order in the state as Suresh Vats is the second policeman killed in mob
violence this month.Union Minister Mahesh Sharma Monday termed as very unfortunate
the death of head constable of Suresh Vats in a stone pelting incident in
Ghazipur district. He said such incidents should not be linked with law and
order in the state.His statement comes amidst questions on deteriorating law
and order situation in UP.newsx
Purvanchal Varsity V-C who egged on students
to kill is Rss man, enjoys 'close bond' with deputy CM
Lucknow:Raja Ram Yadav,V-C of Purvanchal
University who sparked a massive controversy on Friday by calling upon students
to get into fights and even commit murders, is an "RSS pracharak" and
has close links with senior BJP leaders. In a message posted on Facebook on
March 23, 2017, Yadav says he’s been part of the RSS since 1990. He shares a
close bond with UP’s Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya who has served as a
Sangathan Mantrin Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the past.“I’m very happy that Keshav
ji has been made the Deputy Chief Minister. I’ve been an RSS pracharak since
1991 and he has been part of VHP and we’ve both worked closely together,” post
reads.Yadav adds that he suffered deep trauma after the demise of former VHP
chief Ashok Singhal and it was Maurya who consoled him. "I was very
affected by the demise of ex VHP chief Ashok Singhal. It was Keshav ji who
consoled me like an elder brother and said that he will be there for me now
that one brother is gone."In another post on March 12 last year, he wishes
Maurya on his appointment as the Chief Minister of the state. Then on March 23,
he drops a message in favour of Yogi Adityanath, saying UP CM has been blessed
by the “pujya sanyasi” (hermit) and “mahant” (chief priest) and his life is
shaped by the seers. At the end of his post he writes, “Aaj Mai Pujya Yogi
Aditya Nath Ji Ke Chief Minister Banane par behad Khusa hu. Vo aise Chief
Minister Hai ki unake mai Charan Sparsh kar sakunga. Kyo ki ve Sanyasi evam
Mahant hai. Mahant JiKi Jai Ho (sic)”. Born in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba district
in 1957,Yadav’s is a known name in Allahabad University’s physics department,
as this was his field of work before being made V-C by UP Governor Ram Naik in
2017 — within a month of BJP coming to power in 2017.In a video that has now
gone viral, Yadav’s remarks appeared to encourage students to not hesitate in
murdering someone they have an argument with. News18
CBI asks social media firms to use intrusive
photo tech to track suspects
New Delhi :Raising questions over surveillance
powers and privacy rights, CBI has asked social media platforms to run
Microsoft-owned PhotoDNA for probe into regular criminal cases, in violation of
international norms stipulating that this specialised software is “exclusively
used to identify child exploitation images”.PhotoDNA is currently at the centre
of a debate in Europe, where the EU’s European Privacy Regulation is moving to
effectively ban social media companies from using this software to proactively
scan billions of images for child abuse. Companies such as Twitter, Microsoft,
YouTube and Facebook do not allow use of this software, even exclusively for
blocking extremist content or terrorist messaging. However, a notice issued
this month to social media platforms by CBI under Section 91 of CrPC,
accompanied by some photographs, states: “For the purpose of investigation, you
are requested to conduct PhotoDNA in respect of photographs CBI asks social
media firms to use intrusive photo tech to track suspects enclosed herewith.
The said information is required very urgently for the purpose of
investigation.”This means that social media companies would have to run a
surveillance search on all photographs on their servers — and not data of any
suspect’s account — using PhotoDNA software.According to Microsoft, PhotoDNA
“is exclusively used to identify child exploitation images” and is free to use.
Its usage for other purposes has been restricted as it would mean imposing
restrictions on a free and open Internet and legitimise broader regimes of
censorship.indianexpress
Facebook tracks data of even offline users and
non-facebook account holders
Hyderabad: Facebook, with the help of other
apps, routinely tracks and collects data of Android users irrespective of
whether they are a user and more importantly non-user or logged-out from their
account, found a study released on Sunday. The study "How Apps on Android
Share Data with Facebook" by Privacy International found that 61 per cent
of the total apps that were studied, sent information to Facebook through
Facebook Software Development Kit (SDK)."This happens whether people have
a Facebook account or not, or whether they are logged into Facebook or
not," it said.It found that the data these apps shared with Facebook were
incredibly detailed and "sometimes sensitive". The study noted that
the data from different-apps if combined could paint an intimate picture of
people's activities, their tastes, behaviour, routines and so on. Citing an
example the report said, "For example, an individual who has installed the
following apps that we have tested, "Qibla Connect" (a Muslim prayer
app), "Period Tracker Clue" (a period tracker), "Indeed" (a
job search app), "My Talking Tom" (a children’s’ app), could be
potentially profiled as likely female, likely Muslim, likely job seeker, likely
parent."It does not end there. The apps that transmit data were also found
to share this data with Google advertising ID (AAID). Advertising IDs such as
Google's allow advertisers to link data about user behaviour from different
apps and web browsing into a comprehensive profile.new Indian express
Telgi, others acquitted in fake stamp paper
scam
New Delhi :A Maharashtra court Monday
acquitted Abdul Karim Telgi and others who were accused in the paper stamp scam
case.Charges against Telgi, considered to be the kingpin behind the multi-crore
fake stamp scam spread over several states, were abated after his death last
year.Telgi, who was convicted in connection with several cases and sentenced to
30 years’ imprisonment in total, died in Bengaluru in Oct. last year while
serving his jail term.Son of a railway employee and a former travel agent, Telgi
was accused of running the fake stamp scam for a decade until his arrest in
2001 by Karnataka police. Booked in multiple cases across 11 states, Telgi had
reportedly developed a nexus with government officers while running the scam,
and the names of several top police officials and politicians had cropped up
during the investigations.indianexpress
‘1/8th share to wives by Islamic Law’: Thane
Civil court denies 50% claim to cop’s property by 2nd wife
Mumbai: A civil court in Thane last week
dismissed a plea by the second wife of a deceased policeman to seek an equal
share in his estate.Though she was assisted in her effort by the man’s first
wife, the court ruled that as both women were governed by the Islamic Law, they
were both entitled to only one-eighth of the estate. The suit was filed in Feb.by
Mumbra resident Nazma Deshmukh, 2nd wife of Inspector Bashir
Deshmukh, who died intestate in July 2017.In Sept 2017, Nazma announced, in an
advertisement, her intention to be named in a succession certificate and claim
50 per cent of Rs 9.12 lakh. Money is presently in custody of Navi Mumbai
police.She then initiated a civil suit against Bashir’s first wife, Pareen,
under the Indian Succession Act, who did not object to her claim. However,
Judge GD Nirmale noted that as both women were governed by Islamic Law, they
were jointly entitled to only one-eighth of the estate, under the Hanifi School
of Thought. It is one of four religious schools of Sunni Muslim
jurisprudence.The judge also issued an order to grant a succession certificate
in which both wives will be granted one-eighth of the property.indianexpress
Kerala Govt Frames Shariat Rules Enabling A
Person To Declare Conversion Of Faith
Govt of Kerala has framed rules under Section
4 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act 1937.As per Section 3 of
the Shariat Act, a person can give declaration before the prescribed authority
regarding his willingness to be governed by Muslim Personal Law. Section 4 of Act
gives State Government the power to make rules to carry into effect the
purposes of the Act.In the absence of Rules, there was no mechanism in place to
give effect to the Act. The newly framed Rules titled - Muslim Personal
Law(Shariat) Application Rules 2018- fills up this void, enabling a person to
give declaration to adopt Muslim Personal Law.Rules are framed following the
directions issued High Court of Kerala on June 26 in the case Thadevoos Abu
Thalib v State of Kerala. Abu Thalib, who had filed the case, was born a
Christian and later embraced Islam. He wanted to give a declaration regarding
change of faith,but could not do so due to the absence of Rules. According to
him, he felt the need to give such a declaration the wake of an incident where
one late Simon Master, who had converted to Islam from Christianity, was not
buried as per Islamic rites as his family did not recognize his conversion. The
case of Simon Master had led to a litigation in HC when a Muslim body claimed
that Simon Master should be buried as per Islamic rites.In order to avoid such
future confusion, Abu Thalib wanted to give a statutory declaration. HC
interpreted the word "may" in Section 4 of Shariat Act to be
mandatory, and directed the Govt to positively frame Rules within three months.
Rules lay out a form of declaration, Form I, which has to be given to the
prescribed authority after attestation by a Notary public."I intend to be
government by Muslim personal law on matters such as adoption, wills and
legacies as specified in Section 3 of Act", says the declaration form.
Along with the form, the declarant has to produce proof to satisfy the
claim.livelaw
Sermons, prayers to keep youth from errant
ways
Mumbai:New Year’s Eve is a night of indulgence
for some and one of reflection and prayer for others. Temples, mosques and
churches are planning special engagements Monday midnight to keep young boys
from getting into trouble by consuming liquor and indulging in rash driving. While
Alcoholics Anonymous will hold a meet-up at midnight Dec.31 because that is
when the temptation to drink is highest, Millat Nagar Mosque in Andheri has
organized a discourse by Maulana Usama to keep young boys from riding
motorbikes. “The sermon begins at 9pm and ends around midnight. Around 1,200
boys attend,” said Arshad Yusuf, who is affiliated to the mosque. “We have been
organizing such programmes on Dec 31 since eight years. We are members of the
Tablighi Jamaat. We feel very concerned when we keep reading articles about
road accidents caused by rash driving or drunk driving on New Year’s Eve. Some
youngsters tend to visit wrong places in the company of friends. This sermon is
intended not only to keep them indoors this night, but also to guide them
towards a better life that benefits them as well as the community.” Many houses
of worship keep their doors open on NewYear’s Eve. Siddhivinayak temple receives
a sizeable throng of worshippers through the night. So does ISKCON temple in
Juhu.“On Jan.1, some tipsy people turn up for the early morning mangla aarti.
They sing loudly and clap their hands, hoping to start the year on a pious note
before heading home. It is quite a sight to see,” said spokesperson Parijata
Devi. ISKCON will organise a kirtan till midnight. TOI
Madrassa teachers to AAP: Raise pay issue in RS
Lucknow:Claiming that salaries of over 25,000
madrassa teachers in UP have not been paid for over 34 months, Madrasas
Teachers’ Union has urged AAP MP Sanjay Singh to take up the issue in the Rajya
Sabha. Subsequently,Singh, who is Rajya Sabha MP, has shot a letter to HRD
minister Prakash Javadekar for easing out troubles of madrassa teachers in UP.In
its letter written to Singh,Madrasas Teachers’ Union has said that while both
MHRD and the state minority welfare dept.have been saying that relevant
documents have been put into place, the teachers are yet to receive their
salary. “We don’t know where the files are stuck between the 2 dept., or if
discrimination towards madrassa teachers is a political strategy, but in all of
this, poor madrassa teachers are being affected since 34 months,” reads the
union’s letter. TOI
Shock for people if Ram Temple is not built
under Modi-Yogi Rule:Uma Bharti
Bhopal: Union minister Uma Bharti has said
people would be "surprised" and "shocked" if no solution
was found to the Ram temple issue, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
Yogi Adityanath being at the helm at Centre and in UP respectively. Bharti is
among the leaders who have been at the forefront of the ruling BJP efforts to
build a Ram temple in Ayodhya. "When Modiji is the prime minister and
Yogiji is the CM(of UP),and even then if no way is found for the construction
of the Ram temple,then the masses will be surprised as to why were we unable to
find a way for (building ) Ram temple. It will be a shock to the people,"
she told reporters here.Bharti added that the temple had a "major
role" in the BJP rising from just 2 Lok Sabha seats (in 1984) to 84 seats--when
the temple movement gained momentum in 1989 -- to 284 seats in the 2014 general
polls."Therefore, with Modi as the prime minister and Yogi (as UP CM),
people have high hopes that a way should be found for the construction of the
Ram temple,"Union minister of drinking water and sanitation said. "Even
today I will say this, whether it is an Act or an Ordinance, you have to find
an amicable way for the Ram temple. You cannot just do it by bringing an Act
for everything. Especially, when there is a lot of opposition in the society.
"Therefore, earlier too I had suggested an amicable solution and everybody
should support it. It should not be done like we will oppose you as we are from
a particular party. It should begin like you start the talks and we will
support you," she added.PTI
‘Who killed Sohrabuddin probe?’ Jaitley
counters Rahul
New Delhi :Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for
his remarks that “no one killed Sohrabuddin”, Union Minister Arun Jaitley today
accused Congress of politicising the case and asserted that it would have been
appropriate for the party chief to have asked “who killed the Sohrabuddin case
investigation” instead.Last week, a special CBI court had acquitted all the 22
accused in alleged fake encounter killings of Sohrabuddin, his wife Kausar Bi
and his associate Tulsiram Prajapati in 2005. The court had cleared the names
of the accused saying the evidence brought before the court could not establish
the role of any of 22 in the case.Hours after the judgment, Gandhi took a dig
at the court’s decision,saying “Noone killed…Haren Pandya.Tulsiram Prajapati.Justice
Loya.Prakash Thombre. Shrikant Khandalkar. Kauser Bi. Sohrabuddin Shiekh.They just
died.”indianexpress
Pak procuring 600 tanks to bolster capability
along border with India: Intelligence Sources
New Delhi:Pakistan has drawn up an ambitious
plan to procure close to 600 battle tanks including T-90 tanks from Russia,
primarily to bolster its military might along the border with India, intelligence
sources said Sunday.Most of the tanks Pakistan was procuring will be able to
hit targets at a range of 3 to 4 km, the sources told PTI.Apart from battle
tanks, Pakistan Army is also procuring 245 150mm SP Mike-10 guns from Italy out
of which it has already received 120 guns, they said.The sources said Pakistan
was eyeing to buy from Russia a batch of T-90 battle tanks- the mainstays of
the armoured regiments of the Indian Army - and that the move reflects
Islamabad’s intent to forge a deeper defence engagement with Moscow.Russia has
been India’s largest and most trusted defence supplier post Independence. The
sources said as part of the mega plan to significantly revamp its armoured
fleet by 2025, Pakistan has decided to procure at least 360 battle tanks
globally besides producing 220 tanksindigenouslywith help from its close ally
China. Pakistan Army’s move to enhance its armoured corps comes at a time when Line
of Actual control in J&K has witnessed growing hostilities in the last one
year. The Indian Army has been strongly retaliating to every unprovoked firing
by Pakistani side. But, when the Indian Army is focused on counter-terror
operations, Pak Army was fast reducing its gap with Indian forces in fighting a
conventional war, sources said. Indian Army had drawn up a mega plan to
modernise its infantry and armoured corps.PTI
No interim relief for Bhim Army rally in Pune
New Delhi:Bombay High Court has refused to
grant interim relief to Bhim Army which petitioned the court after Pune Police
denied it permission to hold a public meeting yesterday. The court will hear
the matter on Jan. 4. The plea has also sought a compensation of Rs 10 crore
for “illegal detainment” of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and other Dalit
activists by Mumbai Police on Saturday.However, Pune Police informed the high court
that it was Pune University which rejected permission to allow a rally by Azad
on its grounds. It also said the Bhim Army chief is neither arrested nor placed
under house arrest.On Sunday, ‘Bhima
Koregaon Sangharsh Mahasabha’,a rally planned by Bhim Army, was cancelled on
the grounds of absence of relevant clearances.After he arrived in Pune
yesterday, Azad had held a press conference during which he had said that the
police had not given the outfit permission, despite asking for it in advance.During
the press conference, he had replied in the affirmative when asked if he would
visit Jaystambh in Perne village, about 30 km northeast of Pune, on Jan.1,anniversary
of Battle of Bhima Koregaon.indianexpress
Sajjan Kumar, 1984 anti-Sikh riots convict,
surrenders in Delhi court to serve life sentence
New Delhi:Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar
surrendered in a local court in Delhi on Monday to serve a life sentence for
killing five people of the same family in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after his
plea for an extension of time to start his sentence was rejected by the Delhi
High Court.The high court had set a deadline of Dec.31 for Kumar to surrender.
He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg.Kumar’s lawyer said
Sajjan Kumar will comply with the high court’s judgment as the Supreme Court
was not likely to grant a hearing to his appeal against the high court verdict
during the vacation, which is ending on January 1.HT
Amid high turnout, Congress decimates BJP-SAD
in Punjab panchayat polls
Delivering a major blow to the comeback
prospects of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), ruling Congress Party-backed candidates
won all 13,726 panchayats for which elections were held in the recently
concluded local body polls, amid a heavy voter turnout of 80%.Out of a total of
83,831 panches which had contested the polls on Dec. 30, 46,754 panches
(village council members) were said to have been elected unopposed. Elections
were held for 13,726 panchayats to also elect sarpanches (village headmen). As
many as 1,863 sarpanches were elected unopposed after the end of the withdrawal
process of nomination papers.Officials from the State Election Commission told
this correspondent that the final tally will be released in the next 3-4
days.ationalheraldindia
Govt extends AFSPA in Nagaland for six months
Centre extended AFSPA in Nagaland for 6
more months, till July, contending that the whole state is in such “disturbed
and dangerous condition” that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is
necessary.indianexpress
Sharp Increase in Fraud Cost Indian Banks Rs
42,167 Crore in 2017-18:RBI
New Delhi: Despite “stringent monitoring and
vigilance,” data released by RBI reveals that fraudsters have looted India
banking institutions of Rs 42,167 crore in 2017-18.This is a sharp increase of
72% from Rs 23,933 crore from the previous year, according to the Indian
Express. The data revealed on Friday by the central bank shows that there were
5,917 instances of bank fraud in 2017-18 compared to 5,076 cases in the
previous year, and that such instances of fraud have been rising year on year –
increasing by over four times in the last four years. Bank fraud cases amounted
to Rs 10,170 crore in 2013-14.This year, frauds related to off-balance sheet
operations, foreign exchange transactions, deposit accounts and cyber-activity
were the most prominent. According to the Indian Express, banks reported an
increased number of cyber frauds in 2017-18 – losing Rs 109.6 crore in 2,059
cases against Rs 42.3 crore in 1,372 cases last year.thewire
Investors become poorer by Rs 7.25 lakh crore
in 2018
New Delhi: Investor wealth eroded by Rs 7.25
lakh crore in 2018 amid volatile broader market conditions. The market
capitalisation (m-cap) of BSE-listed companies slumped by Rs 7,25,401.31 crore
to Rs 1,44,48,465.69 crore this year.BSE benchmark Sensex has gained 2,011.5
points, or 5.90 per cent, in 2018.From its all-time peak of 38,989.65 scaled on
August 29 this year, the Sensex has fallen by 2,921.32 points, or 7.5 per cent,
to 36,068.33."In stark contrast to the bullish opening today, the last
trading session of the calendar year, market closed on a flattish note. Mixed
cues from global markets, lack of any fresh trigger, ensured that the session
remained uneventful," said Joseph Thomas, head research, Emkay Wealth Management.30-share
BSE index fell 8.39 points to finish at 36,068.33 on final trading session of
2018. Experts said the later part of the year has been challenging for equity
markets due to both global and domestic triggers.PTI
WORLD
Hasina wins Bangladesh elections as opposition
calls it mockery, demands fresh polls under neutral admin
Dhaka:Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami
League (AL) party has won Bangladesh's parliamentary vote, the country's
election commission has announced, after the main opposition alliance rejected
the violence-marred polls.300 seats were up for grabs in 350-member parliament,
or Jatiya Sangshad, in Sunday's elections. Another 50 seats are reserved for
women.An AL-led coalition won a massive 288 seats, while main opposition
alliance dominated by BNP secured just six.In the last elections 4 years ago,
which were boycotted by BNP, AL had won 234 seats. A party needs 151 seats to
form a government.Bangladesh's ruling party had surged ahead within hours of
the counting of the votes - an outcome Jatiya Oikya Front, BNP-led opposition
alliance had feared.In a hurriedly called news conference earlier on Sunday
night, leader of Jatiya Oikya Front dubbed the election
"farcical"."We reject the farcical election and want the
election commission to hold a fresh election under a non-partisan
administration," said Kamal Hossain, an 82-year-old jurist who wrote the
country's secular constitution.71-year-old Hasina is set for a record fourth
term in office in the South Asian Muslim-majority nation of 160 million. critics
have accused Hasina of authoritarianism and crippling the opposition. Her
bitter political rival and leader of BNP, Khaleda Zia, 73, is serving a 17-year
jail term for corruption. More than 40 opposition candidates pulled out of
election after polls opened, citing vote-rigging and ballot-stuffing, according
to the Daily Star.The opposition claimed thousands of its activists were arrested
in the lead-up to the polls."We are getting disturbing reports outside
Dhaka that overnight votes have been cast illegally," said Hossain of JOF.Ali
Riaz, professor at the department of politics and govt at Illinois State
University in US, said: "It was a travesty of an election"."What
happened throughout the country, polling centre by centre, from driving out the
polling agents to ballot stuffing, can't be called an election, let alone a
credible election."The sheer scale of the victory, as of now, reveals the
nature and scale of the rigging. It cannot be described as the verdict of the
voters," Riaz said. Elections commission said it would probe allegations
of vote rigging.Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, joint secretary-general of BNP called
election a "mockery". aljazeera
PM Hasina wins landslide in disputed vote:BBC
BBC on Bangladesh poll results, vote rigging
allegations; 'Voters too scared to speak out'
Sheikh Hasina's Awami League has run
Bangladesh since 2009, but one of the leading opposition parties has accused it
of using stuffed ballot boxes.A spokesman for BNP alleged there were
"irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats being contested. Soon before
polls opened, a BBC correspondent saw filled ballot boxes at a polling centre
in the port city of Chittagong. The presiding officer declined to comment.Only
ruling party polling agents were present at that and several other polling
centres in the second-largest city of the country. HRW South Asia director
Meenakshi Ganguly said on Twitter that "with serious allegations of voter
intimidation, restrictions on opposition polling agents and several candidates
seeking a re-poll, there are concerns about the credibility" of the
election. At least 47 candidates from the main opposition alliance withdrew
before polling closed, alleging vote rigging and intimidation. Activists,
observers and the opposition party had warned that the vote would not be fair, but
the governing party accused the opposition of peddling false claims. Covering
from Dhaka, BBC News's correspondent Yogita Limaye said, "As we went from
polling booth to polling booth on Sunday, one pattern became clear. People who
were supporters of Prime Minister Hasina's party were vocal, and happy to
answer our questions on camera, about what issues they'd voted on. The others
were mostly too scared to speak out.One man told us that several members of his
extended family found that their votes had already been cast when they went to
the polling booth. He said he didn't think it was a fair election but didn't
want to be identified.It wasn't hard to see why he felt intimidated. Outside
every polling booth we went to, there were dozens of workers from the prime
minister's party, listening intently when anyone was interviewed. No-one from
the opposition parties was visible.While the election commission has said it
will investigate claims of vote-rigging, the organisation has itself been
accused of bias by the opposition. So far, PM has not responded to these latest
allegations but two days ago rejected claims the election was unfair."BBC
Video shows bags believed to contain
Khashoggi's remains: report
Video footage leaked to Turkish media shows a
Saudi hit team in Istanbul carrying bags reportedly containing the remains of Jamal
Khashoggi, whose murder sparked an international outcry and jeopardised the
kingdom's relations with its Western allies.The video shows the arrival of some
of the members of the team at the Saudi consul-general's residence in Istanbul
on the day Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate, several hundred
metres from the residence.One of the hit team members is seen carrying bags, which
according to the Turkish media, may contain body parts of the journalist, who
was a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as
MBS.Khashoggi entered Saudi consulate on Oct.2 to obtain documents certifying
he divorced his ex-wife so he could remarry. He was killed and dismembered
inside the consulate, in what Turkey called a "premeditated murder"
orchestrated by Saudi govt.Saudi officials have countered that claim, insisting
Khashoggi was killed in a "rogue operation", after initially claiming
he had left the building before vanishing.Turkey said the killing was ordered
at the highest level of Saudi leadership, implying Prince Mohammed was behind
the murder. The kingdom has maintained MBS had no knowledge of the killing.
Saudi authorities last month requested the death penalty for five unnamed
suspects in Khashoggi's murder, while 11 suspects were indicted and referred to
trial.Al Jazeera's Sinem Koseoglu, said
the video first aired on Turkish news channel A Haber, which sourced the
footage through Ferhat Unlu, a journalist with the probe unit of Daily Sabah
paper. The publication is known for its close ties to Turkish intelligence and
has in the past reported on a series of leaks from the Turkish probe into the
murder of Khashoggi. The journalist recently released a co-authored book about
the killing, titled Diplomatic Atrocity: Dark Secrets of the Khashoggi
Murder."The reporter said there is no evidence that the luggage carried by
the hit team was taken out of the consul's residence. Therefore, we are facing
new questions," Koseoglu reported late on Sunday."Consul-general's
residence was searched, but there was a well that the Saudis did not let the
Turkish investigators search properly. These new pictures have changed the
course of the investigation," Koseoglu added. aljazeera
Trump 'slowing' US pullout from
Syria:Republican Senator
President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown
to the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham
has said."I think we're in a pause situation," the South Carolina
Republican said outside White House. On Dec.19, Trump announced the withdrawal
of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to
take place swiftly.Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump's decision,
which had drawn bipartisan criticism.He had warned that removing the troops
would hurt national security by allowing ISIL to resurge, betraying US-backed
Kurdish fighters of the YPG armed group battling remnants ISIL, and enhancing
Iran's ability to threaten Israel.Graham said later on Twitter that Trump would
make sure that any withdrawal from Syria "will be done in a fashion to
ensure:1) ISIS is permanently destroyed 2) Iran doesn't fill in the back end,
and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected."Graham told reporters that Trump
was committed to making sure Turkey did not clash with the Kurdish YPG forces
once US troops leave Syria, and assured the NATO ally that it would have a
buffer zone in the region to help protect its own interests.US commanders
planning the withdrawal are recommending that YPG fighters battling ISIL be
allowed to keep US-supplied weapons, according to US officials. That proposal
would likely anger Turkey.Reporting from the Turkish city of Gaziantep near the
border with Syria, Al Jazeera's Mohammad Adal said Turkish forces were crossing
into Syria on Sunday night.aljazeera
Damascus allows Iraq to hit IS targets in
Syria:State media
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has
authorised Iraqi forces to attack ISIL targets inside his country without
waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, Syrian state agency SANA
said.The development comes as 2 neighbours, who are also both allied with Iran,
work to coordinate their fight against rival groups ahead of a planned US
military withdrawal from Syria. Iraqi warplanes and artillery have pounded ISIL
positions inside Syria in the past, after getting the green light from Syrian
authorities.On Saturday, al-Assad received a letter from Iraq's PM Abdul-Mahdi
calling for both countries' coordination in "fighting terrorism",SANA
said.Separately, in Tehran, Iran and Syria signed on Sunday a long-term
strategic and economic deal as the war winds down in the latter.aljazeera
Israel protests against Jordan minister
stepping on flag
Israel says it has filed a complaint to Jordan
over a picture of a Jordanian government minister stepping on an image of the Israeli
flag.Jumana Ghuneimat, minister of state for information, was pictured last
week stepping on the flag design when entering a meeting at a trade union
complex in Amman. Footprints were also printed on the flag design.The image of
the flag has been affixed to the floor at the entrance to the complex for
several years to protest against Israel's occupation of the Palestinian
territories and Jordan's normalised ties with Israel, union officials
say.Israel called Jordan's ambassador in for clarifications, foreign ministry
said.Majed Qatarneh, spokesman of Jordan's Foreign Ministry, confirmed that
Israel had sought clarifications over the incident and the ministry was
handling the issue through "diplomatic channels"."Israeli side
was informed that the building is a private one and the minister entered it
from the main entrance for an official meeting," he said."We have
emphasised that we respect the peace treaty with Israel."Jordanian PM Omar
al-Razzaz was reported to have entered the building through a side
door.aljazeera
Israeli ministers announce 'New Right'
political party
2 Israeli ministers have announced their split
from the religious-nationalist Jewish Home party and have set up a new
right-wing faction that they say will be a partnership between secular and
religious politicians. Naftali Bennett, the minister of education, and Ayelet
Shaked, the justice minister, announced their new party, Hayemin Hehadash or
New Right,in a news conference in Tel Aviv and vowed to take votes away from
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party.According to Jerusalem
Post, the New Right will alternate between religious and secular candidates on
its list.aljazeera
Israel allows Sheikh Salah back home to
continue term
Israeli Magistrate Court in Haifa yesterday
ordered the head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah, to be
placed under house arrest at his home in Umm Al-Fahm after he spent six months
under house arrest in Kafr Kanna, Arab48 reported.Salah was released by jail in
July on condition he not be allowed to return to his home town of Umm Al-Fahm
after he served one year in prison. He was also banned from accessing tools of
communication including telephones, the internet and social media sites.The
court looked into an appeal filed by his defence team and accepted it, allowing
him to return to his home.middleeastmonitor
Netanyahu says Brazil moving its embassy to
Jerusalem matter of 'when, not if'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
on Sunday that Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro told him that it was a
matter of "when, not if" he moves his country's embassy in Israel to
Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.The far-right Bolsonaro, who takes office on Tuesday
and is hosting Netanyahu and the leaders of other countries in Rio de Janeiro
for his inauguration, has said he would like to follow the lead of US President
Donald Trump and move the embassy.Bolsonaro has said he wants closer ties with US
and Israel, breaking with decades of center-left policies which sought to position
Brazil nurturing relations with all countries. Still, he has come under intense
pressure from Brazil's powerful agriculture sector not to do so, as it could
hurt Brazilian exports to Arab nations. Despite Netanyahu's comments, a senior
official from Brazil's incoming government told Reuters on Sunday no decision
had yet been made on the issue.middleeasteye
Jerusalem governor calls on Brazil not to
relocate its embassy
Palestinian Jerusalem Governor Adnan Ghaith
has called on Brazil not to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied
Jerusalem, Quds Press reported.In a statement, Ghaith called for the Arab
states and friends all over the world to put pressure on Brazil in order to
cease the relocation plan.Ghaith reiterated that the eastern part of the
occupied holy city would be the capital of the future Palestinian
state.middleeastmonitor
Israeli forces raid West Bank town, arrest 10
Ramallah:Israeli army forces raided the West
Bank town of Kobar on Monday and arrested 10 Palestinians, according to local
residents. Residents said Israeli soldiers searched several houses in the town
and arrested 10 people.Israeli army has yet to issue an official statement on
the arrests. Israeli forces have staged several raids into the town since the
beginning of this month after the killing of Assem Barghouti, a local resident
who was accused by Israeli authorities of carrying out a shooting attack east
of Ramallah on Dec. 9, in which six Israelis were injured. Israeli media also
said Barghouti’s brother was involved in another shooting attack east of
Ramallah, in which two Israeli soldiers were killed. Anadolu Agency
Egypt releases 3 Gazans from prison: Hamas
Gaza:Egyptian authorities have released three
Palestinians from prison, Palestinian group Hamas said. In a statement, Hamas
said its leader Ismail Haniyeh met the three Palestinians, who had been
arrested by Egyptian authorities a few months ago. During the meeting, Haniyeh
said relations with Egypt were developing, according to the statement. Palestinian
media identified the three Palestinians as Hossam Abu Watfeh, Mohamed Ghaith
and Ayman Malika. Anadolu
Larijani appointed to head powerful Iran
council
Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani - chief of
Iran's hardline judiciary who has been blacklisted by Washington - was
appointed on Sunday as the new head of the powerful Expediency Council, state TV
reported.Larijani, 57, was appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, who also made him a member of the Guardian Council, which vets laws
and elections for compliance with Iran’s Islamic constitution, TV reported. Expediency
Council is a key behind-the-scenes institution, settling disputes between
different branches of government, AFP said. A statement on Khamenei's website
said "critical changes" were expected within the Expediency Council
in the near future, without giving details. The new council head is one of five
Larijani brothers who all hold powerful positions within Iran’s establishment,
most notably his eldest sibling Ali Larijani, who is speaker of parliament.
middleeasteye
Khomeini’s grandson expects Iranian regime to
collapse
Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Ayatollah
Khomeini, the founder of the Iranian regime, has said that he expects the
Iranian regime to collapse, saying there is no guarantee the regime will
survive. “The foundation of any society is to win people’s satisfaction. There
is no guarantee that we stay in power and the others go” local media quoted
Hassan as saying.“The continued collapse of society and the spread of hatred
and hypocrisy lead to forcing people to have 2 personalities,” he said. “If we
lose our principles, and become preoccupied with formalities instead of
fundamentals, it is an alarm bell that signals danger to this society” Hassan.2
days ago, Faezeh Rafsanjani, daughter of the late Iranian leader Hashemi
Rafsanjani said: “the regime has morally collapsed and the Iranian regime’s
body would follow if an alternative to the current regime became available to
the people”.MEMO
Russian IS militants' kids returned home from
Iraq
30 Russian children whose mothers are in
prison in Iraq for belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group arrived on Sunday
in Moscow from Baghdad, Russian authorities said. The children, some appearing
as young as three or four years old, were led through Baghdad's international
airport to a Russian state plane to take them to Moscow, AP reported. Many of
the girls wore headscarves and conservative garb. A few appeared anxious and
afraid; others looked with wonder around the airport and appeared excited to fly.The
fathers of the children, aged three to 10 years old, are believed to have been
killed in combat during Iraq's 3-year war against the militants, a Russian
diplomatic source told AFP before their plane departed."Plane of the
Russian emergency situations ministry has landed," Chechen leader Ramzan
Kadyrov said, adding that it had touched down at Moscow's Zhukovsky
airport.middleeasteye
Afghan Prez polls postponed until July 20:
official
An Afghan official has said that presidential
elections, which were originally scheduled for coming April, will be held on
July 20 next year. The polls were postponed to allow time to fix technical
problems that surfaced during Oct's parliamentary elections, deputy
spokesperson for the Independent Election Commission Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi
reminded on Sunday.More time is needed to verify voter lists and to train
election workers on a biometric identification system, aimed at reducing fraud.
Parliamentary polls were overwhelmed by delays after the few staff trained on
the biometric system did not show up at the polling booths and countless
registered voters could not find their names on voter lists.aljazeera
UAE activist Mansoor loses final appeal
against 10-yr sentence
A UAE appeals court has upheld a 10-year
prison sentence against prominent pro-democracy activist Ahmed Mansoor for
criticising the government on social media, Amnesty International
reported.Mansoor, an electrical engineer and poet, was arrested in March 2017
and sentenced in May by Abu Dhabi's Federal Appeals Court for "defaming UAE
through social media channels". Mansoor was among five activists convicted
and later pardoned for insulting UAE's rulers in 2011. He was arrested again in
March 2017 at his home in Ajman on charges of publishing false information and
rumours, and of promoting a sectarian and hate-incited agenda.Mansoor was also
charged with using social media to "harm national unity and social harmony
and damage UAE's reputation".ljazeera
S
& NEWS
1984 riots: While moment of justice is lauded,
lament of the court is not being heard:Apoorvanand
Anger amongst Dalits against police inaction as
Bhima Koregaon preparations Start:Varsha Torgalkar
How ancient DNA may rewrite prehistory in
India:By Tony Joseph, BBC
‘There is complete lack of transparency in appointment
of CICs:Anjali Bhardwaj
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:01 PM)
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