NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
28 Jan. 2019: 21 Jamadiul-I 1440:
Vol:11, No:113
INDIA
SC seeks information on detention centres,
foreigners detained in Assam in the last 10 years
The Supreme Court today directed Centre to
provide it various details including number of functional detention centres in
Assam and the number of foreigners detained there during the last 10 years.A
bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna was hearing a
petition filed by activist Harsh Mander on the condition of detention centres
in Assam and the prolonged detention of foreigners there.The SC asked Centre to
provide various details about the detention centres, the period of detention of
detainees and the status of their cases before Foreigners Tribunal."We
would like to know as to how many detention centres are there. We also want to
know how many persons are lodged there and since when," bench said.It also
asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to provide details as to how many persons
are being declared foreigners so far and how many of them have been deported
till date.The bench also sought the year-wise details of foreigners who have
illegally entered into India during the last 10 years.The bench, which has
sought details within 3 weeks form the authority, has now posted the matter for
further hearing on Feb. 19.PTI
‘Fleeing Rohingya paid Rs 10,000 each to
agents to go to Bangladesh’
31 Rohingya,who were stuck between India and
Bangladesh borders for 4 days, were among the over 100 refugees who left camps
in J&K’s Narwal area over past fortnight. Last Tuesday, BSF arrested the
refugees and handed them over to Tripura Police.All of them had been staying in
rented jhuggis on land belonging to one Jamat Ali since 2014.While others seem
to have managed to enter Bangladesh, these 31 got stuck, their neighbours said.
For safe passage to Bangladesh from India, they paid agents Rs 10,000 per
person and to arrange money, they sold all belongings at throwaway prices, said
Jamaat Ali’s son Ishfaq.They had been living peacefully till police and revenue
officials started collecting biometric details of refugees from Myanmar, said
Nazim ul Haq. Haq said those who were stuck between the borders included his
mother-in-law, sisters-in-law and other relatives.Drive to collect biometric
details had followed campaigns by some outfits demanding deportation of the
refugees. During the drive, Haq said, rumours spread that the Govt was
collecting their details to send them back to Myanmar from where they fled following
a military offensive. He said groups of Myanmar refugees had been holding
discussions about their fate for the past three-four months. However, the
immediate provocation for them to leave for Bangladesh was India’s move to
deport five members of a Rohingya family to Myanmar in Manipur early this year,
he said. Haq said he too had planned to leave. “I would have been left alone
here as all my relatives were leaving,’’ he said. However, he said, he could
not arrange money to pay the agent on time. “I decided to meet them (relatives)
later. In the meantime, news came about their getting stuck between borders.’’
Ishfaq said, “When we came to know about these families planning to go to
Bangladesh, we advised them against it. But, all of them, except one or 2, left
without informing us.’’indianexpress
SC sends plea challenging Hindu prayers in
Kendriya Vidyalayas to Constitution bench:IE
The Supreme Court today sent a petition
challenging the recital of Hindi and Sanskrit prayers by Kendriya Vidyalaya
students in morning assembly to a Constitution bench. The SC directed that the
plea be placed before CJI Ranjan Gogoi for referring it to an appropriate
bench.The petition,filed by MP-based lawyer Veenayaj Shah,said prayers are
“based on Hindu religion” and was being “imposed” on students irrespective of
their faith and belief.According to Revised Education Code for Kendriya
Vidyalayas implemented in 2013,“compulsory attendance” of students in the
morning assembly is required where they have to recite prayers. “Common prayer
is in Sanskrit and Hindi, and all the students irrespective of their faith and
belief have to perform the prayer in a respectful manner by closing their eyes
and folding their hands. All the teachers share the collective responsibility
of supervising the assembly and making sure that every student folds his/her
hands, closes his/her eyes and recites the prayers without fail,” petitioner
contended and alleged that “any student failing to do so is punished and
humiliated in front of the entire school”.Shah quoted the prayers in the
petition and said it “is being enforced throughout the country in all Kendra
Vidyalayas.As a result, parents and children of the minority communities as
well as atheists and others who do not agree with this system of prayer, such
as agnostics… rationalists and others would find imposition of this prayer
constitutionally impermissible.”
Awaiting Govt Sanction to Prosecute Vanzara,
Amin: CBI on Ishrat Jahan killing Case
Ahmedabad: CBI told a special court today that
it is waiting for Gujarat Govt 's sanction to prosecute retired police officers
accused in Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case. Court of special CBI judge
J K Pandya posted the matter for hearing on Feb.16 after CBI said it is
awaiting a reply from the state Govt on
sanction to prosecute retired police officials DG Vanzara and NK Amin under
section 197 of CrPC.The court had earlier rejected discharge applications of
the 2 retired officers, who were named as accused by CBI in 2004 alleged fake encounter
of Ishrat and three others.While rejecting their discharge applications in
August last year, the court had sought status from the CBI on whether sanction
was sought from the state Govt to
prosecute them so that it could proceed further with the framing of charges
against the 2 ex police officials.CBI had, at the time, told the court that
permission was sought from the state Govt
to prosecute the retired police officials.PTI
Maharashtra: Pay compensation to men tortured
on false rioting charges, MSHRC orders Home dept
Mumbai :Ruling that Maharashtra Police misused
its powers and tortured 5 men imprisoned on false charges of rioting,
Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) directed the state’s
additional chief secretary (Home) to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to 5
Jalna residents.It further directed DGP to initiate a departmental inquiry in
the matter.In his complaint, Irfan Rehman Khan (27), a tailor based in Baid
Pura, Jalna, claimed that on the eve of Holi, on March 23, 2016, there was
communal violence near a mosque following which a complaint was filed with the
Sadar Bazaar police. The complaint alleged that a few men threw colour powder
on people coming out of the local mosque after offering prayers. Police filed
an FIR against Khan, along with four others — Arbaaz Rehman Khan, Mohsin Yusuf
Khan, Shaikh Mansur Shahid and Shehbaaz Khan— on charges of rioting and and
causing hurt. 5 were detained on March 30, 2016.In his complaint to MSHRC, Khan
alleged that they were subjected to communal remarks by Police SI Shailesh
Shejul.Men were allegedly subjected to custodial torture for a whole day before
being presented in court, when they received bail. According to documents with
MSHRC, however, 5 men were acquitted of all charges in 2017. indianexpress
Maharashtra ATS raid:10th arrest
Mumbra’s engineer
Maharashtra ATS has arrested yet another youth
from Mumbra who was allegedly part of a larger conspiracy busted by ATS last
week with the arrest of nine youths, including a minor, from Mumbra and
Aurangabad,fresh arrest is an engineering graduate identified as Talha alias
Abubakar Potrekar, 24.Talha has been living in a rented flat at Dosti Emerald
tower in Shil Daighar, Mumbra with his mother and grandfather since Oct.6,
2018,Talha's father, Hanif Potrekar, works in Dubai. According to sources,
Potrekar was allegedly part of newly formed outfit, Ummat-e Mohammadia, and
being well educated, was given the task of recruiting like-minded youngsters to
execute their plot against the nation. Advocate Khizer Patel, Talha's lawyer,
said, "All these allegations are baseless. Talha may have come in contact
with the other boys but he isn't involved in any unlawful' activities as
claimed by ATS. ATS has also showed recovery of laptops, mobiles which are
common articles. ATS demanded 14 days custody but the court granted only 10
days."ATS has been arresting youths who are part of a WhatsApp group.It is
alleging that they had been plotting their attack through this group.midday
Sleuths suspect Amroha-Delhi terror handler
based in Pak
New Delhi :Security officials suspect that the
handler of alleged Amroha-Delhi terror module,which NIA claimed to have busted
last month, was based in Pakistan, sources said. The handler assumed the online
identity of Abu Malik Peshawari and was instrumental in motivating the module’s
alleged mastermind — Mufti Suhail, a preacher from Delhi’s Jaffrabad — to join
the Islamic State, NIA has alleged.The “preliminary conclusion” on the
handler’s identity is based on analysis of purported online chats between
Suhail and Peshawari, sources said.“Urdu that Peshawari speaks and writes is
largely identified with a certain region in Pakistan. Such Urdu is neither
spoken in India nor in any other part of the world. We are yet to identify him
or come to a definitive conclusion that he is a Pakistani,” said an officer
speaking on condition of anonymity.NIA has arrested 12 persons in the
Amroha-Delhi case. indianexpress
NIA fails to find terror fund links in Gujarat,
through hawala to build a mosque in Palval
Hmedabad: Just before the Republic Day, teams
of NIA camped for 2 days in Surat and Valsad to search for proof to establish
terror funding links to Rs 70 lakh channelled through hawala to build a mosque
in Palval village in Haryana. However, they have returned empty handed say
sources. NIA suspects the presence of one Kamran, a Pakistani citizen currently
residing in Dubai behind the funds said sources from central agencies. Kamran
is suspected to be linked with Hafiz Saeed. 3 persons, Mohammed Salman, 52,
imam of the mosque, and two others, Mohammed Salim and Sajjad Wani, both of
Haryana, have been arrested by NIA in the case. Gujarat police sources privy to
the development said NIA teams had camped in Surat and Valsad for 2 days and
had searched several premises connected with two suspects. However, the agency
until now hasn’t been able to find any concrete proof to link the money to
terror funding by LeT. Sources said NIA is not giving up and probing the case
further. “We are pursuing every lead to unearth the links,” said an
intelligence official. “We had information about the funding, but in the
absence of direct evidence that the suspects were aware about the terror
funding we couldn’t take any action against them,” said a top Gujarat police
official. TOI
Mumbai: IS suspect held in 2016 seeks bail
Mumbai: Mohammed Rais, an ISIS supect arrested
in August 2016 from Parbhani, is seeking bail contending that a prima facie
case against him is not made out and hence NIA court can grant him bail using
discretionary powers. Prosecution is yet to file reply on his plea. Advocate
Sharif Shaikh along with advocate Abdul Rahim Bukhari contended before special
NIA judge D.E. Kothalikar that there is no evidence against Rais that shows
that prima facie a case under UAPA is made out against him and hence he is
entitled for bail.The lawyers argued that there is a restriction to grant bail
under UAPA however, that restriction is curtailed when there is no prima facie
case made out against an accused and the court can grant bail to accuse using
its discretionary powers given under section 43(D).According to applica-nt’s
lawyer, the charges-heet has very weak evidence against Rais no incriminating
recovery from him or at his stance and all Forensic science laboratory (FSL)
reports about his belongings are also clear. They have claimed that the on-ly
evidence against him as per prosecution is that he is author of an oath of
affiliation with ISIS but that oath has been recovered from another accused at
the instance of some other co-accused.They said that this letter and statements
of few of his friends could be te-sted during the trial and hence there is no
need to keep him behind bars. The prosecution is expe-cted to file its reply on
Monday on this bail plea.Asianage
AIIMS Delhi faculty form seeks caste and
religion data of senior doctors
New Delhi:In a move that has been described as
“shocking” and “not justified” by senior doctors, including its Director, AIIMS
in Delhi has asked its faculty to fill and submit a form that seeks details of
their caste and religion among other requirements.The one-page form, which was
distributed by AIIMS faculty cell last week, is aimed at creating “a database
of all senior doctors”. Apart from name and age, the other details it asks for
include those related to salary and appointment.When contacted, Dr Randeep
Guleria, Director, AIIMS-Delhi, said he was “unaware” of such a form being
distributed. “No senior doctor is ever asked about his or her caste and
religion. I have not seen the form but even then it doesn’t make any sense. We,
at AIIMS, are not bothered about the caste and religion of any doctor and it is
not justified to ask these things,” Guleria said.“This is shocking. Why do they
want to talk about the caste and religion of any doctor who is working in the
hospital? Even during entrance examinations, students object to such
questions,” said a senior doctor at AIIMS, who received the form and spoke on
condition of anonymity. Former director of AIIMS, Dr MC Mishra, said he has
never heard of such a question being asked of doctors. “In institutions like
AIIMS, we should stay away from talking about this demography,” he said.
indianexpress
Muzaffarnagar riots: UP govt directs officials
to withdraw 18 cases
Muzaffarnagar : 9 months after it sought the
opinion of the district administration on withdrawal of 131 cases related to
the Muzaffarnagar riots, the state Govt
has directed them to file withdrawal applications for 18 such cases in
court.District Govt Counsel Rajiv Sharma
said, “3 days ago, I received withdrawal application in 18 cases of
Muzaffarnagar riots from state law department. It will soon be sent to court
after examining of records. These cases were lodged under Rioting, Arms Act and
dacoity charges. No public representatives are accused in any of them.” “The
applications will be moved through Govt counsels in concerned courts. These 18
cases are among those on which Govt had sought details including opinion on
withdrawal,”said ADM Amit Singh.In February last year, a delegation of ‘Khap
Chaudharis’ led by BJP MP Sanjiv Balyan had met CM urging him to withdraw cases
lodged against Hindus.indianexpress
Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case
should be heard soon: Ravi Shankar Prasad
Patna: Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has
said the Ayodhya case that has been pending for almost 70 years, should be
heard soon as the people of the country expect the construction of a grand Ram
temple where Babri Masjid once stood.Prasad said: "Ayodhya case has been
pending for the last 70 years. Allahabad High Court order was in favour of the
temple, but then it is on hold in the Supreme Court now. This matter should be
cleared soon." He said that even PM
Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah have said that the matter
should be resolved under a Constitutional ambit. The Minister said many people
complain that many issues, including those relating to Sabarimala and adultery
are heard expeditiously. "But the
people feel that the Ram temple matter should also be heard soon without any
further delay," Prasad said, adding, "We all respect the SC, we have
our faith in the judiciary."IANS
Taj Mahal not built by Muslims, it's a Shiv
Mandir: Union minister Hegde
BJP leader and Union minister Anant Kumar
Hegde said Taj Mahal was not built by Muslims and history is proof of this
claim.Hegde, who in known for making outrageous statements that have often
sparked controversy, again stoked the debate over the history of Taj
Mahal.Hegde said, "Taj Mahal was not built by Muslims. Shah Jahan in his
autobiography has said he bought this palace from King
Jayasimha.""It's a Shiv Mandir that was built by King Paramatheertha,
which was known as Tejo Mahalaya. Tejo Mahalaya became Taj Mahal. If we keep
sleeping like this, most of our houses will also be renamed as masjids. In
future, Lord Ram will be called Jahapana and Sita will become Bibi." Hegde
didn't stop at that and continued elaborating on how history has to be written
and rewritten.indiatoday
'Tiranga yatra' row: UP minister threatens to
get AMU VC sacked: indiatimes
UP state minister Raghuraj Singh has
threatened to get the vice chancellor of AMU sacked if any action is taken
against the students, who took out Tiranga Yatra in the campus. Raghuraj Singh
said that 26th Jan.is a festival for all Indians and anyone can take out a
Tiranga Yatra. He said, “This university is being run with public money, not
from VC’s personal account or Pakistan’s donations”. He said if Tiranga Yatra
is not taken out in “Hindustan”, then will it be taken out in Pakistan or
Bangladesh.BJP's MP from Aligarh, Satish Kumar Gautam, also shot off a letter
on Friday to HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, seeking his intervention into the
matter. In his letter, Gautam, who is also AMU’s court member questioned if it
was unconstitutional to organise a patriotic event in any part of the country?
With what mindset, did the administration send notice to the students?
Meanwhile, former vice president of AMUSU, Nadeem Ansari has announced to burn
a Saffron flag on Feb 20, if the university authorities do not taken any action
against the students who took out Tiranga Yatra in the campus. Ansari alleged
that the students who took out Tiranga Yatra actually wanted to repeat “Kasganj
like violence”.
Remove Muslim in AMU as it’s uncomfortable:BJP
MP
BJP’s Aligarh MP Satish Gautam has said that
the term ‘Muslim’ in AMU’s name makes many people uncomfortable and it would be
best to rename the over-a-century-old varsity.“Word ‘Muslim’ makes a large
section of the society uncomfortable. It will be suitable to call its as
Aligarh University,” Gautam said. Asked if Banaras Hindu University should also
be renamed, BJP MP said, “India is a Hindu Rashtra and there is no point in
removing ‘Hindu’ from BHU.” Gautam has been in news for his frequent tirade
against AMU. TOI
Institutes of Eminence: IB names universities
critical of Modi, reports The Print
IB sent Union Ministry of HRD a note last
month, saying that those associated with universities like Ashoka University,
KREA and Azim Premji University have been critical of the Govt , and of PM Narendra Modi, The Print reported on Monday.
Hence, the ministry has been reportedly hesitant to grant these universities
Institute of Eminence tag.IB said that ex RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, who has
been critical of the Centre, is on the board of KREA University, which is
located in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The college is yet to begin its first
batch.IB’s note also said that Pratap Bhanu Mehta, who is the vice chancellor
of Ashoka University, located in Haryana’s Sonepat, is an “unrelenting critic
of the govt”. Agency added that the university’s founder-chairperson Ashish
Dhawan “also funds anti-Govt propaganda sites like The Wire”. Dhawan is on the
board of directors of Independent Public Spirited Media Foundation, which funds
The Wire,according to report. The other colleges the agency has flagged including
Jamia Hamdard), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Bhubaneswar),IIPH
(Gandhinagar), OP Jindal Global University (Sonepat), and Vellore IT.scroll
Move to transfer Delhi HC’s Justice
Muralidhar, stalled by Supreme Court judges
New Delhi:Shortly after sudden, unexplained
reversal of the Supreme Court Collegium’s decisions on judicial appointments
set off disquiet in the legal fraternity, there was a move in Collegium to
transfer high-profile Justice S Muralidhar out of Delhi High Court, sources
have confirmed.That move has been stalled, as of now, after members of the
Collegium headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi reportedly advised against it. One of
them, Justice MB Lokur, retired recently, and the other, Justice A K Sikri, is
due to retire in March. Sources said the proposal could be revived
later.Sources said that the move to transfer Justice Muralidhar was discussed
twice in Collegium for postings and transfers in HCs, in Dec and in Jan.Known
for his bold pronouncements on communal violence and personal liberty,Justice
Muralidhar, especially in 2018, authored many judgments which have been widely
discussed. These include one concerning imprisonment of intellectuals and
activists, including Gautam Navlakha, for alleged Maoist links. He delivered
the Hashimpura verdict convicting members of UP PAC in the 1986 mass killings.
It was a 2-judge bench led by him that convicted ex Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in
a case related to the Sikh riots,in Dec.2018. indianexpress
Undergoing transformation…values of democracy
at stake: Justice Sikri
Ahmedabad :Supreme Court judge Justice A K
Sikri told a gathering of law graduates on Sunday that the “values of democracy
are at stake”. Sikri said, “Today, we are undergoing transformation of a
different kind. See the world at large. Even the values of democracy, which
Greeks gave to this world 2,500 years ago, are at stake…there is a backsliding
of democratic values.” “There are so many challenges, which we may be facing,
of a different nature. In all this and in our constitutional scheme, judge has
to perform a very vital role.One Ahron Barak, ex president of Supreme court of
Israel, equal to our Chief Justice of India, has said there are two roles which
a judge in a democracy is supposed to perform. One is to uphold the law and
Constitution and save the democracy. Second is to bridge the gap between law
and society. So, therefore, those of you who join judicial fraternity, these
are the roles you have to perform in the challenging world.”indianexpress
"Assam Citizens List A Waste Of
Paper":Ex-CM
Guwahati: Former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi
described the National Register of Citizens (NRC) a "waste paper" and
said it should have been linked to voters list."The whole exercise by
spending crores of rupees to update NRC for detecting illegal foreigners have
been wasted. The process was started in 2013 and in 5 years they (BJP Govt )
could not publish a correct NRC," the senior Congress leader said.NRC is a
"waste paper and has become valueless now", Gogoi told a press
conference in Guwahati.It should have been linked to the voters list till
Jan.2019. Those over 40 lakh people left out of the complete draft of NRC are
still in the voters list and they will cast their vote, he said."We (when
Gogoi was the CM ) had impressed upon the Centre that a similar NRC updation
exercise has to be taken up in all states and not exclusively in Assam,"
Gogoi added.Regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, he said it has not only
been opposed in Assam but also across the country with the BJP's allies -- the
JD(U), Shiv Sena and most of the CM s in the northeastern states being against
it.PTI
NDFB chief Daimary, 14 others convicted in
2008 Assam serial blasts case
National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)
chief Ranjan Daimary and 14 others were today convicted by a CBI Special Court
in 2008 case of serial bomb blasts that left 88 people dead in Assam.CBI
Special Judge Aparesh Chakraborty convicted Daimary and 14 others under various
sections of the IPC. The quantum of the judgment will be pronounced on
Wednesday. Besides Daimary, the others convicted are George Bodo, B Tharai,
Raju Sarkar, Nilim Daimary, Anchai Bodo, Indra Brahma, Loko Basumatary,
Khargeswar Basumatary, Prabhat Bodo, Jayanta Bodo, Ajay Basumatary, Mridul
Goyary, Mathuram Brahma and Rajen Goyary.PTI
It's not murder but culpable homicide if woman
kills husband for calling her and daughter prostitutes: SC
New Delhi :It's not murder but culpable
homicide if a woman killed her husband for calling her and their daughter
‘prostitutes,’ the Supreme Court has held.A woman in Indian society does not
like to be provoked by being called a ‘prostitute.’ It is not murder but
culpable homicide if she reacts to such a slur with deadly force, the Supreme
Court said in a judgment, which is based on an appeal filed in a murder case
from Tamil Nadu. The woman in question was having an extramarital affair. On
the day of the incident, her husband called her and their elder daughter
"prostitutes". Her lover, who is also their neighbour, intervened on
the women's behalf, which enraged husband even more. The lover slapped the
husband, and helped by the woman, strangled him. They burnt the body and
disposed it off in a friend's car. The body was found 40 days later. The woman
made an extra-judicial confession to the teacher of their village. Both the
trial court and the Madras HC found the woman and her lover guilty of
murder.Hearing the plea against the conviction, the Bench said the verbal
insult amounted to a "sudden provocation", which led the woman lose
the power of self-control. The husband was attacked and killed in the
"fraction of a minute". thehindu
IRCTC scam: Delhi court grants bail to Lalu,
Rabri, Tejashwi
New Delhi A Delhi court on Monday granted
regular bail to former Bihar CM Lalu
Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and others in connection
with a money laundering case in the IRCTC scam.Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj of
Patiala House Court granted the relief to the accused on a personal bond of Rs
1 lakh and one surety of like amount each and scheduled the next hearing for
February 11.
Govt can’t present ‘full budget’, it will be
unconstitutional:Yashwant Sinha
New Delhi:Former finance minister Yashwant
Sinha has said that NDA Govt cannot present
an economic survey, bring a finance Bill or introduce new services during in
interim budget and doing so will be unconstitutional. His comments come amid
reports that BJP-led Govt may present a full Budget and not an interim one.
Traditionally,in an election year, outgoing Govt presents an interim budget or so-called vote
on account. Although, several Govts, including Congress-led UPA in 2009,haven’t
shied away from making policy pronouncements in interim budgets.“Those who say
there is no rule against presenting a full budget, why do we have Article 116
in the constitution then? said Sinha, a finance minister in the previous NDA
dispensation.HT
Rahul promises minimum income guarantee to
poor if Congress returns to power
Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced on
Monday that his party would ensure minimum income guarantee for every poor in
the country if it returns to power after the Lok Sabha polls due in
April-May.He accused PM Narendra Modi
and the ruling BJP of trying to create 2 Indias -- "one of the Rafale
scam, Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi and the other of the
poor farmers".Rahul Gandhi made these remarks at the 'Kisaan Abhaar
Sammelan' held in Raipur to express gratitude to Chhattisgarh's people,
particularly farmers, for voting the party to power in the state after a gap of
15 years."Congress has decided to take a historic decision... Congress-led
Govt is going to give minimum income guarantee. This means, each poor person in
India will have minimum income. This means there will be no hungry, poor people
in India," Gandhi said.PTI
Chhattisgarh police set up team to probe
alleged ‘fixing’ in 2014 Antagarh bypoll under BJP regime
Chhattisgarh Police have set up a 4-member
team to probe the alleged fixing of Antagarh Assembly bypoll held in 2014
during the previous BJP regime in the state, a senior official said today.The
team has been constituted under the supervision of IG of Police, Raipur Range,
the official added."Complaints pertaining to 'Antagarh tape row' related
to withdrawal of Congress candidate during by-election held for Antagarh
Assembly constituency in 2014 were pending for investigation in Raipur and Kanker
districts," said an order issued by state DGP D M Awasthi.In 2015-16, a CD
audio tape was leaked which had purported conversations suggesting exchange of
money to make Manturam Pawar, the Congress candidate in the 2014 Antagarh
Assembly (Kanker district) bypoll, withdraw at the last minute to facilitate
the BJP nominee's victory. Antagarh bypoll was won by BJP's Bhojraj Nag.PTI
Union Minister, After "Hindu Girl"
Comment, Targets Rival's Muslim Wife
Bengaluru:Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde has plumbed new lows in
public discourse with a series of inflammatory and wild statements. On
Sunday,he declared at a public event that any hand that touches a Hindu girl
"should not exist". This morning, he hit out at a Congress leader by
dragging his Muslim wife into a Twitter spat."We have to rethink the
priorities of our society. We shouldn't think of caste.If a Hindu girl is
touched by a hand, then that hand should not exist," said Hegde in
Karnataka's Kodagu, adding to a growing list of controversial, ill-considered
comments. ndtv
In Gadkari's "Spin Dreams" Comment,
Opposition Sees Message For PM
Mumbai: Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who
recently made headlines with a series of cryptic comments seen as hidden
messages to the BJP leadership, had more to say on Sunday. His words delighted
Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi, who declared that Gadkari's message was for PM
Narendra Modi."Political leaders are fond of spinning dreams, but if they
cannot deliver it, they may take a beating from the people. So promise only
what is possible," Gadkari said in Mumbai. "I'm not one of those who
spin dreams. Whatever I say is with 100% authority," added the minister,
who was seen sitting and chatting with Rahul Gandhi at Saturday's Republic Day
function.Gadkari has launched an attack on PM Narendra Modi... Modi ji, the
people are coming," tweeted the MP Congress, quoting the minister.ndtv
Ready to step down, says Kumaraswamy; signals
fresh strain in Congress-JD(S) ties
Signalling a fresh strain in relations between
Congress and JD(S), Karnataka CM
Kumaraswamy said he was ready to step down if the Grand Old Party does
not control its MLAs. Kumaraswamy’s furious reaction came after a ruling
Congress MLA demanded that Siddaramaiah be made CM again. “Congress leaders
have to watch all that issues. I am not the concerned person for it. If they
want to continue with it, I am ready to step down.They are crossing
line…Congress leaders must control their MLAs,” JD(S) said.The development
comes after MLA ST Somashekhar, head of Bengaluru Development Authority,
claimed at an event on Sunday that development works had come to a grinding
halt in the state.indianexpress
Removal of middlemen has kept Haj pilgrimage
expense under control: Naqvi
Mumbai :Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Monday claimed eliminating middlemen has ensured that Haj pilgrimage had not
become expensive despite removal of Haj subsidy.Haj subsidy was removed last
year in the light of a 2012 Supreme Court verdict.Speaking during the inaugural
session of a training programme related to Haj , Naqvi said transparency
ensured by Govt meant there was no
additional, unnecessary financial burden on pilgrims.He added that for the
first time post-Independence, a record number of 1,75,025 Muslims from India,
including about 48 % women, performed
Haj last year and that too sans any subsidy.PTI
Bharat Ratna: Owaisi questions Centre on
choice of award recipients
Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the on its choice
of recipients of the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.“Tell me
out of the total Bharat Ratna awards given how many were Dalit, Adivasi,
Muslim, poor, upper caste and Brahmin?” he said while addressing a rally in
Kalyan in Thane. “Babasaheb was given Bharat Ratna, but out of compulsion and
not by heart,” he said.Owaisi said Ambedkar deserved Bharat Ratna because he
was the architect of the Constitution. Ambedkar was posthumously conferred
Bharat Ratna in 1990.scroll
Ijtihad needed to tackle modern challenges to
Islam: Khurshid
Jaipur : Former Union minister Salman Khurshid
said there is a need to resort to ijtihad to interpret Islam to tackle modern
challenges before the Muslim community. "In
modern and contemporary society, there is a great need for a serious look at
ijtihad to interpret Islam in terms of modern challenges," said Khurshid,
replying to a question on as to who speaks for Muslims in India. The problem,
however, lies in acceptance of interpreters and their interpretations, he
added.In India, we have Muslim Personal Law Board; lot of people accept it, but
lot others do not," said Khurshid.Similarly, the country has the Supreme
Court, but lot of people question if it is equipped to deal with the core of
Islam, he added. Khurshid was speaking here at Jaipur Literary Festival session
on 'Islam: Multiple Histories'.Rejecting any threat to Indian Muslim world from
Wahhabism, an Islamic doctrine and religious movement, he highlighted the facts
that Sufism and Bhakti andolan came together in India,which has imbibed ideas
of Saint Kabir.PTI
Odisha: In Kendrapara, playground sparks
tension
Kendrapara :Kendrapara town in eastern Odisha
shows no visible signs of having gone through a near communal riot and curfew.
The eateries, and auto repair and furniture shops, carry out brisk business.
Young men on motorbikes speed through the narrow lanes. And a few flags hung
near shop signs move listlessly in the breeze marking Republic Day.But early
last week, the town came dangerously close to a major clash between members of
a little-known “nationalist” organisation and local residents following an
argument over using a school playground to mark the birth anniversaries of
freedom fighters Subhas Chandra Bose and Veer Surendra Sai. “People have come
to their senses after experiencing the inconvenience of a curfew,” says Mujibur
Rehman, a resident and lawyer practicing in the district court. “There was
similar trouble in 2008, and people had forgotten how it was.”Dispute arose
over use of the playground by Kendapara unit of Rashtriya Suraksha Samiti,
which describes itself as “a nationalist outfit HQRS in Nagpur”.Rehman says
Samiti men may have been treated unfairly, but adds that Kendrapara’s 15,000
strong Muslim community had no role in the matter.indianexpress
BJP Corporator Among 15 Booked for Communal
Clash in MP Town on Republic Day
Bhopal: 15 people, including a BJP corporator,
were booked on Sunday for the communal clash that broke out in Khujner town in
MP on Republic Day, a police officer said.5 of them have been arrested so far,
he said. Prohibitory orders were clamped in the area, where two groups of
different communities had clashed at a Republic Day function. Administration had
imposed prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 in Khujner, he said.
Inspector Ramkumar Raghuvanshi, said the situation in Khujner was under
control.He said both the groups had lodged cross-complaints based on which 2
separate FIRs were filed.15 people from both the communities, including BJP
corporator Kamal Yadav, were booked and 5 of them arrested, Raghuvanshi said.
Yadav is not among those arrested.News18
Gujarat: Mosque opens doors to remove
misconceptions about Islam
Ahmedabad: “Let us visit the mosque, see live
namaz (prayer) and understand Islam.” This was a statement “inviting non-Muslims
to understand Islam”, written in a poster outside a one-year-old mosque in Soni
Chawl in the city, just 6km away from Naroda Patiya which witnessed a massacre
taking the toll of 97 lives in the 2002 communal riots. Around 120 non-Muslims,
mostly Hindus, men and women attended ‘Masjid Umar Bin Khattab” in the special
gathering to make people aware of the tenets of Islam and to remove
misconceptions about the religion. Organisers of the event – “Let Us Visit the
Mosque” stressed that people from all religions should come and ask questions
about Islam to know the basic principles of the religion and to remove
prejudices. A Nikol resident, Pravin Patel, who runs an embroidery business,
said that he had visited the mosque and learned why prayers were offered 5
times a day and how Islam gives the liberty to express your views. Pointing at
a poster carrying an aayat from Quran,
he said that it is written that every person has a right to express his
view.Moinuddin Nasrullah, trustee of the mosque, said, “Non-Muslims wonder what
we Muslims do inside the masjid. Solution for this issue is to invite
non-Muslims to a masjid. Some Muslims think that non-Muslims should not allowed
to enter a mosque. The concept that non-Muslims cannot enter a mosque is not in
line with the teachings of Prophet. At the time of Prophet, Jews and Christians
could enter a mosque.” TOI
WORLD
All foreign forces will leave Afghan:Ashraf
Ghani
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Monday
all foreign forces will eventually leave the war-torn country - a key Taliban
demand - as talks with the armed group progressed.Ghani said based on an
international agreement, foreign troops will not be required in the
future."No Afghans want foreign forces in their country for the long
term,"Ghani said in a televised address."Current presence of foreign
forces is based on need, and this need has always been contemplated and will be
contemplated... And according to an exact and arranged plan, we are trying to
bring down that number to zero," he said.The president's comments came as
both US and Taliban officials hailed progress after 6 days of talks in Qatar
ended on Saturday.A senior US Govt official told Reuters on Monday that
Washington was committed to the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan
after 17 years of war.Official, who declined to be identified, described
"significant progress" in discussions last week with Taliban leaders
in Doha on foreign troops' pullout, but more negotiations were needed on a
ceasefire and its timing.Abdul Hakim Mujahid, ex Taliban official and currently
a member of the High Peace Council, an independent body of Muslim leaders and
respected Afghan figures, said he believes the Qatar talks resulted in a
"good understanding between both sides" but more discussions are
needed in the coming weeks or months.aljazeera
Erdogan: Safe zones in Syria will allow
refugees to return home
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/erdogan-safe-zones-syria-refugees-return-190128094136080.html
Turkey is aiming to form safe zones in
northern Syria so that Syrian refugees hosted by Turkey could return to their
home country, President Tayyip Erdogan said. Speaking in Istanbul, Erdogan also
said nearly 300,000 Syrians had already returned to areas controlled by
Turkish-backed rebels in northern Syria, adding that he expected millions of
Syrian nationals to return to the proposed safe zones.Turkey hosts about 4
million Syrian refugees.On Friday, Erdogan said that Turkey expected the safe
zone to be set up within a few months, otherwise, it would establish a buffer
zone without the help of other nations. He added that the zone will aim to
protect Turkey from "terrorists", referring to US-backed Syrian Kurdish
militia that controls areas in northeastern Syria along the Turkish
border.aljazeera
Over 600 US troops arrive in Syria to secure
withdrawal
Over 600 additional US troops have arrived in
Syria to provide protection to other American forces during their pullout from
the war-torn country, Reuters reported local sources saying. The sources, who
spoke on condition of anonymity, said the additional troops arrived at US air
bases in eastern Syria’s Harab Isk and Sarrin villages, which will be used as
main evacuation centres in the event of withdrawal.US bases in the towns of
Rmeilan and Tal-Baidar in Syria’s northwestern Al-Hasakah province will be used
for airway of heavy weapons, the source added.A Pentagon official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, declined to comment on the number of troops being sent
or their destination, citing security concerns, on Thursday.middleeastmonitor
Fatah: New Govt will rule West Bank, Gaza Strip
Fatah said that the upcoming Govt , which will
exclude Hamas and many other Palestinian factions, would rule the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip, Al-Wattan Voice reported. Fatah said the new Govt would look for unity and stressed that anyone
who is hostile to it “must be an enemy of the Palestinians.”Official Fatah
spokesman Atef Abu-Saif said: “We will not care about anyone who prefers to
remain out of the national consensus… We want to serve out people; therefore,
we want to form a Govt. ”He added: “This Govt
will be for the Palestinians in the West Bank,Jerusalem, Gaza Strip and
diaspora. Hamas has nothing to do with it.”Abu-Said claimed: “PLO is the
guardian of the PA as it represents all the Palestinian people.This Govt will
represent all the Palestinians because it is of PLO. Anyone who obstructs it,
he will be obstructing the Palestinians, PLO and the Palestinian
state.”middleeastmonitor
Fatah discusses forming new Govt without Hamas
Killing of Palestinian by Israeli settlers
'shocking': UN envoy
UN's Middle East envoy has termed the killing
of a Palestinian man by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank
"shocking and unacceptable".Nikolay Mladenov called on Israel to
"put an end to settler violence and bring those responsible to
justice".Hamdi Naasan, 38, succumbed to his wounds on Saturday near the
village of al-Mugheir after Israeli settlers from the nearby illegal settlement
of Adei Ad fired shots.According to the Palestinian health ministry, Naasan was
shot with a live bullet in the back. At least 30 other Palestinians were
injured, of whom 6 were shot with live ammunition, according to Maan news
agency.aljazeera
Top Turkish diplomat meets UN rapporteur over
Khashoggi
Ankara:Turkey’s foreign minister on Monday met
with an UN official to discuss the killing last fall in Istanbul of a Saudi
journalist.Mevlut Cavusoglu met with Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur on
extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, who is leading an international
inquiry into the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, starting with a visit to Turkey
starting today through next Sunday. Along with Cavusoglu and Callamard, the
meeting in the official Foreign Ministry residence saw the attendance of
several experts.Callamard and the experts will also meet Justice Minister Abdulhamit
Gul. They are also expected to meet with Irfan Fidan, Istanbul's chief public
prosecutor.Anadolu Agency
France's Macron to press Sisi on human rights
in Cairo meet
French President Emmanuel Macron met with his
Egyptian counterpart President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo aiming to raise
concerns over human rights and boost ties between their countries.The two
leaders met on Monday to oversee the signing of around 30 deals between Egypt
and France worth several hundred million dollars.Shortly after his arrival in
Egypt on Sunday, Macron said he would talk "more openly" with Sisi on
human rights."Things have got worse since October 2017" when Sisi
visited Paris, said Macron, referring to the human rights situation in the
North African country.Sisi's Govt is
seen by Egyptian civil society as "more hardline than the regime of
(Hosni) Mubarak", he said, referring to the longtime president who was deposed
in 2011.aljazeera
Egypt keeps Rafah crossing closed, trapping
Palestinians in Gaza
Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip are
still unable to leave the enclave as Egyptian authorities continue to close the
area’s sole crossing.Egypt opened Rafah crossing only to Palestinians stranded
on its soil, allowing them to re-enter the Gaza Strip.Authorities had closed
crossing on Thursday ahead of the anniversary of Jan.25 Revolution which led to
the ousting of long time dictator and president Hosni Mubarak.MEMO
Venezuela: Guaido calls for more protests as
Maduro displays military might
In a show of force, embattled Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduro has met members of the armed forces and overseen the
display of military hardware as opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is
challenging his leadership, called for a new round of street protests. Maduro
is confronting an unprecedented challenge to his authority after Guaido on
Wednesday declared himself interim president before cheering supporters in the
capital, Caracas, citing a fraudulent poll last year.Guaido urged all
Venezuelans to take the streets in "peaceful protest" at midday on Wednesday to ask for humanitarian aid to
be allowed in the country amid an economic and political crisis that has led
millions to flee in recent years, according to the UN.35-year-old leader of the
opposition-dominated National Assembly also called on people from across
Venezuela and from all over the world to hold mass demonstrations on Saturday
to coincide with a EU ultimatum for fresh elections, which has been rejected by
Maduro.aljazeera
flash:
views & NEWS
Hate crimes in UP have changed lives forever:
When I walk past, people shut their doors, says Muslim man falsely accused of
cow slaughter:Kunal Purohit
Hate crimes in UP caused by combination of
petty politics, gender issues and economics:Indiaspend
JNU: A sedition case that has many confused:
Sourav Roy Barman
Fact Check: Bangladeshi woman's viral video is
not of religious conversion but exorcism:Chayan Kundu
Degrees of Freedom: How an event three years
ago has changed JNU:Aranya Shankar
‘Can only a Muslim raise community’s issues?’Jyoti
Punwa
Patthalgarhi-II in Maharashtra district:
Signboards warn visitors: indianexpress
Search for CBI Director Narrows to 10 Officers
With Prior Experience in Agency: the wire
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