NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
29 Jan. 2019: 22 Jamadiul-I 1440:
Vol:11, No:114
INDIA
Ayodhya case: Centre moves SC, seeking nod to
hand over 67-acre non-disputed land around 2.77 acres Babri site to ‘original
owners’
Central govt has asked the Supreme Court to
allow it to restore the acquired "superfluous" excess land adjacent
to Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid area to its rightful owners in Ayodhya after
carving out the exact extent of land necessary to access the disputed
area.67.703-acre land, mainly belonging to Hindus, is vested with the Centre as
its custodian under the Acquisition of Certain Area in Ayodhya Act of 1993.The
government is asking the court to modify its March 2003 decision in the case of
Mohd Aslam alias Bhure, who had filed a writ petition challenging some aspects
of the acquisition.It was also in the Bhure case, in an interim order on March
14, 2002, the court made it clear that "no religious activity of any kind
by anyone either symbolic or actual including bhumipuja or shila puja, shall be
permitted or allowed to take place" in 67.7 acres of the land.In 2003, the
court ordered status quo on land acquisition. Justice Rajendra Babu, in a
judgment, concluded that the disputed Babri Masjid area of 0.313 acre and the
acquired adjacent land of over 67 acres were both intrinsic to each other. The
court held that the future use of the acquired land would depend on the outcome
of the then pending title dispute in Allahabad High Court. The acquisition of
67.7 acres was incidental to outcome of title dispute. Pronouncing its judgment
in the title suits in 2010, HC ordered a three-way division of the disputed
area. Subsequently, both the Hindu and Muslim side appealed to the SC against
the HCjudgment. CJI Ranjan Gogoi has now formed a Constitution Bench to hear
the title suit appeals after a hiatus of over seven years.Now, in this modification
application,Centre has drawn the court's attention to the fact that Ram Janam
Bhoomi Nyas, which rightfully owns the majority of the acquired land adjacent
to the 0.313 acres of the disputed area, wants its land back. Centre said Ram
Janmabhoomi Nyas has filed an application claiming its land measuring
approximately 42 acres (out of the 67.703 acre acquired) is superfluous.To
facilitate this, the govt asked the court to allowit to
"restore/revert/hand over back superfluous/ excess/vacant land (other than
the land admeasuring 0.313 acres) to owners/occupiers from whom the land was
acquired under the Act of 1993."Govt wanted the court to "modify the
order of March 31, 2003 so as to enable the Central Government to determine the
exact extent of land required from out of superfluous excess land to ensure
that the successful party in the dispute pending regarding the disputed land
can have property access to and enjoyment of rights in the disputed
land."The government sought the modification of the 2003 Bhure verdict on
the basis of the apex court's direction in its March 2002 Ismail Farooqui
judgment.
Centre moves SC seeking nod to return 67-acre
land around disputed Ayodhya site to original owners
‘Ayodhya petition a legal decision, govt not
touching disputed land’: Javadekar on Ram temple
Clarifying central govt’s position on petition
seeking permission to handover 67 acre land to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, Union
minister Prakash Javadekar said that the plea before the top court is a “legal
decision” taken in sync with BJP stand for building a Ram Mandir at the
disputed site. He, however, maintained that government has not “touched” the
disputed land at Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya.“BJP has always maintained that a
Ram temple should be built on Ram Janmabhoomi site.Whatever legal measure is required,
BJP will try for that.PM had clarified that people want temple but matter is
sub-judice and measures will be taken accordingly. Today’s application is also
a legal decision,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.He further said petition
filed by the government does not interfere with the status of the disputed
land. “Government is not touching the disputed land,” Javadekar asserted at a
press conference in New Delhi.HT
Govt petition on Ayodhya land 'insidious':
Owaisi
Describing Centre's plea in the Supreme Court
to return excess land acquired by it in Ayodhya to their original owners as
"insidious", AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said NDA Govt was trying to
prevent fair adjudication of the dispute."This insidious attempt by Central
Govt should not be ignored. They're trying everything in their capacity to
prevent a fair and independent adjudication of Babri Masjid dispute,"AIMIM
leader tweeted.In 2003, the SC held that unless the dispute was resolved,
status quo had to be maintained over surplus land, he said." Govt knows
this, threatening the judicial process like this is another (failed) attempt to
save BJP from their rapidly diminishing political fortunes," MP said. AIMIM
leader alleged that the Centre's plea was another example of bringing the
"political fight of the Central government in the court room." Owaisi
said in 1993, the apex court passed orders that all parties should wait till
disputes are resolved.At this stage, the Centre filing such an application for
return of 50-60 acres land to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas after 3-4 orders rejecting
the same, "is completely frivolous and superfluous and full with
politics," he said in the Facebook post. PTI
Ayodhya: After Modi govt moves SC, Muslim
petitioner makes ‘entire country will burn’ threat
New Delhi:Haji Mehboob, a petitioner in Babri
Masjid dispute case, opposed NDA govt’s move to seek the Supreme Court’s nod
for giving a part of the 67 acres of undisputed land around the disputed Babri
Masjid site to original owners.Threatening violence, Mehboob described the move
as political. “The whole world knows about the current position of BJP, therefore
Modi govt took this step,”said petitioner.He added that if the “government
would have taken this step two years back, people would have accepted it. We
know that it is a big game. If this happens, the entire country will burn.
Remember this, country will not be saved.”Times Now
Govt opposes PIL seeking equal inheritance for
Muslim women
Ministry of Law and Justice has opposed in
Delhi High Court a plea alleging gender-based discrimination in inheritance
provisions of Muslim Personal Law (Sharia), stating that the petition is
“devoid” of any merit and is liable to be “dismissed”.In its affidavit filed in
the court registry, the ministry stated, “In view of the importance of the
subject matter and sensitivity involved, which requires in-depth study of provisions
of various personal laws governing different communities, this respondent (Law
Ministry)…has requested Law Commission of India to undertake examination of
various issues relating to Uniform Civil Code and to make recommendations
thereof.”Affidavit, filed through Centre’s standing counsel Monika Arora,
stated, “As and when Report of Law Commission in the matter is received, this
respondent may take necessary action in consultation with various stakeholders
involved.” Ministry stated that the petition is “not sustainable in law or on
facts”, and also pointed out that a writ petition with similar prayer had been
dismissed by Kerala High Court, which had held that constitutionality of Muslim
Personal Law cannot be adjudicated in a writ petition filed in public interest.
“It’s for the Legislature to decide whether any statute is to be framed to
govern Muslims in the matter of succession,” the ministry said, citing the
Kerala HC order.The affidavit was filed in the backdrop of CJ Rajendra Menon
and Justice VK Rao’s direction on a public interest litigation, filed by Sahara
Kalyan Samiti, which has moved the High Court seeking equal inheritance rights
for Muslim women.The outfit has alleged that Muslim women were discriminated
against as far their right to inherit is concerned. PIL argues that women are
“only entitled to half of the share of their male counterparts”.indianexpress
Muslim body files plea challenging prayers at
Kendriya Vidyalayas after SC agrees to hear petition
New Delhi:Continuing the tirade against
compulsory recitation of Sanskrit and Hindu hymns in Kendriya Vidyalayas, a
Muslim body— Jamiat Ulema- has also jumped on to the bandwagon and filed a
petition in the Supreme Court of India on Monday regarding the morning prayers
and said that students are forced to join hands and recite Hindu prayers.The
body claims that this practice is unconstitutional. Though their petition has
not been accepted by the Supreme Court, they have been given the liberty to
advance their arguments as and when the SC sets up the Consitution bench to hear
the matter.“Common prayer prescribed in Article 92 of Chapter 10 of the Revised
Education Code for Kendriya Vidyalayas Sangathan is inspired from Hinduism.Even
though such a prayer is not in consonance with many other faiths, all students,
irrespective of their faith and belief, have to compulsorily recite the said
prayer. Such recitation is supervised by teachers and on failure to recite the
said prayer, the concerned student is reprimanded. Since the said common prayer
is based on Hinduism, the members of the minority communities who are forced to
recite the said prayer are aggrieved by the said provision,” the petition said.Times
Now
Govt should not decide on Personal Law: Muslim
League leader
Kozhikode: Responding to govt and court
interventions into Muslim personal laws like tripe talaq, Muslim League state
general secretary KPA Majeed asked the administrators not to take decisions on
Muslim Personal Law. He was addressing a symposium on significance of triple
talaq bill organised by Vanitha League here on Tuesday at the Town
Hall.“Religious scholars in Muslim community will decide on Muslim Personal
Laws. But the central government is trying to grab their rights. The party will
organise strong protest inside and outside the Parliament,” said KPA Majeed.In
his inaugural address, he hailed the Muslim community as the community which
has least number of divorce cases.“Triple talaq is not reported in Kerala. The
centre is taking such actions like triple talaq bill as part of implementing
uniform civil code,” said KPA Majeed.mathrubhumi
Music in Muslim weddings 'Un-Islamic':Clerics
in MP
Shattered with sound of drums, clerics
residing in Jhabua refused to preside over a wedding on Tuesday.In the region, Qazis
have banned drums, DJ's and music on the occasion of marriage from the past two
and a halfyears. They believe that only vocal music is permissible (halal) and
that instruments are forbidden (haram) in Islam.Speaking to ANI, Hazi Haroon
Rasid, Qazis said: "We will not conduct 'nikah' in weddings where music
and dance will happen and DJ will be there. We have banned such thing in our
society as it was un-Islamic . Two and a half years ago, the decision to ban
drums, music and DJ was taken by all. I also spoke to the family of groom in
this regard but they decided to breach the practice. Following which I
announced that the marriage will be boycotted by all Qazis of this
area."Hours after Qazis' refusal, the family members of the bride and
groom called another Qazi from the nearby Rajghad town to solemnise the
wedding.ANI
‘Punished because complained about your
misconduct’: Transferred CBI SP to interim chief
New Delhi :CBI SP T Rajah Balaji, who was
recently transferred out of Delhi by interim CBI Director M Nageswara Rao, has
accused him of “abuse of official position” and acting out of “malice and
prejudice” because he had complained about Rao’s “misconduct” to the then
director in March, 2017.In a letter written to Rao on Jan.22, day following his
transfer from Anti-Corruption Branch in Delhi to CBI Academy in Ghaziabad,
Balaji has alleged that his posting in Delhi had been made “on humanitarian
grounds” on account of his mother-in-law suffering from cancer and receiving
treatment at AIIMS. He has said it was on this ground that the government had
even given him accommodation in East Kidwai Nagar, a government colony close to
the hospital. Balaji has also approached the Supreme Court with a petition
challenging his transfer, sources said. The petition, sources said, also has
evidence against the interim director.“You know better than me that you are not
a man of honour,” Balaji has said in the letter, further requesting the interim
director to “redeem” himself. Quoting Shakespeare, Balaji has said, “‘There is
some soul of goodness in things evil/ Would men observingly distill it out.’ I
readily admit I do not have the intelligence to ‘distill’ good out of you. But
I urge you to search your heart and recall this fact: you bear, or think you
bear, an animosity to me, not to an ailing old woman. I request you on purely
humanitarian grounds in the hope that you can truly make a start to redeem your
humanity. It is never late in life to become a good man again. Trust me. Trust
the better part of your heart.”indianexpress
No rights for minorities in a Hindu Rashtra:
Amnesty International
Hyderabad: While comparing the Constitutions
of various South East Asian countries with India, Aakar Patel, the managing
director of Amnesty International India, indicated that if India indeed
transformed into a Hindu Rashtra, it would be a volatile country like the
others, where rights of the minorities would not be upheld.Citing the example
of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which has had four Constitutions in the
last 70 years, Patel said that they neglected the rights of minorities like
Hindus or Ahmadis. He similarly talked about Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
whose Constitutions did not define secularism like that of India. Coming to the
concept of Hindu Rashtra, he said, “It is not only a political change, but also
a cultural change that its propagators want.” Patel, while quoting Madhav
Sadashiv Golwalkar,second sarsanghachalak of RSS said that the concept was
steeped in the caste system. He said, “Golwalker, in his idea of Hindu Rashtra,
dismissed the idols as Gods, but instead emphasised on the worship of human
beings as gods.”However, he said, “For Golwalker, human beings were only Hindus
under the caste-system -- Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras.”
newindianexpress
Prakash Ambedkar calls RSS 'terrorist organisation'
Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr BR Ambedkar
and chief of Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, has called RSS a terrorist
organisation."RSS is a terrorist organisation. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
worships arms and ammunition. I want to know why they need arms when they have
police and the Army," Ambedkar said at the Vanchit Bahujan Sabha on
Sunday.AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi who was present at the event said that
Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, was conferred on B R Ambedkar
out of compulsion and from the heart. "Tell me, out of the total Bharat
Ratna awards given, how many were Dalit, Adivasi, Muslim, poor, upper caste and
Brahmin? Babasaheb (Ambedkar) was given Bharat Ratna, but out of compulsion and
not from heart," Owaisi said.ANI
11 northeastern political parties oppose
Citizenship Bill; appeal to scrap legislation
11 northeastern political parties came
together on Tuesday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and decided
to appeal to the Central government to scrap the legislation.The parties from
seven states excluding Sikkim participated in a two-day convention and
unanimously decided to oppose the Bill that seeks to grant citizenship to
migrants from six non-Muslim minority groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and
Afghanistan.Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the convener of the
convention, said the parties will send a delegation to meet Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind seeking a scrapping of the Bill
which will "endanger the lives and identity of the indigenous
people".IANS
Mamata: Centre creating reign of terror with
NRC
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata
Banerjee lashed out at the Centre on Monday, accusing it of invading privacy by
recording conversations of judges, journalists, businessmen and couples, while
creating a reign of terror in the name of NRC. “People of my generation and
older ones have a problem with birth certificates. Many do not have them. Now,
NRC is saying people without birth certificates will be declared non-resident.
They have their own theory of citizenship, wh-ich leads to no-man’s land.
Perhaps they think we will wait for their citizenship. We live in an
independent country and will protest. We want mental peace and my appeal is to
ens-ure Gabbar does not return. They will have to face the people’s court,” she
said at a spo-rts department programme.Banerjee added: “Some people were trying
to target the Bengalis by saying they would drive out some people from Bengal.
We would rather eat half a bread and continue to live together instead of
driving out anyone. We are all Indian citizens. There is no need to prove our
citizenship for a second time. We are all voters here and have bank accounts
and have studied here, so who can stop us from residing in India? Not knowing
the date of birth of one’s mother or not having a birth certifiate does not
mean you can drive them away.”“India is facing a crisis as democratic rights
and property rights are being curbed. Data related to bank accounts, mobile
phones and computers are no longer a secret.”TOI
DHFL promoters siphoned off ₹31,000 crore of
public money, donated ₹20 crore to BJP: Cobrapost
In a sensational revelation, investigative and
media portal Cobrapost alleged that the promoters of Dewan Housing Finance
Corporation (DHFL) have siphoned off more than ₹31,000 crore public money in
what it called the biggest financial scam in the history of India. Addressing a
press meet in New Delhi, Aniruddha Bahal, Editor of Cobrapost, said the
siphoning off was primarily carried out through grants of loans and advances to
shell companies and some other means.Public money earmarked for slum
rehabilitation disappears into shell companies. Rs 631 crore comes back after
two years without any interest or dividend, some is used to buy cricket team,
another to finance London bank.Money has also been routed through these dubious
companies and parked outside India to acquire assets, Cobrapost claimed after
apparently analysing documents available with public authorities and
information available in public domain. Calling it India’s largest financial
fraud, Bahal alleged that the siphoned off money was routed through dubious
companies and parked outside India. The money was used to acquire assets by the
DHFL promoters, he said.According to Bahal, 32 Indian banks sanctioned a
whopping ₹50,000 crore worth of loans for DHFL. The state-owned SBI has the
highest exposure, at ₹11,500 crore, he added.nationalheraldindia
Cobrapost ‘exposes’ India’s largest financial
scam, Rs 1 lakh crore of public money lent to DHFL with no chance of recovery,
Rs 20 crore donated to BJP
MP: In wake of communal clash, police slap
sedition charge
Bhopal:2 days after a communal clash erupted
in Khujner town of Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgadh district, the police have booked
members of the Muslim community for sedition and for promoting enmity on
religious grounds.Police had initially booked 16 members of both communities
under sections related to rioting, use of obscene language and criminal
intimidation, among other charges, after a brawl during a cultural programme
organised to mark Republic Day.Members of both communities had lodged
complaints against each other. The police have so far arrested six persons in
connection with the clash. The administration had imposed Section 144 in the town
on Saturday.In its complaint, the majority community had accused the Muslims of
raising “anti-India and pro-Pakistani slogans”. Home Minister Bala Bachchan had
on Sunday said it was a minor skirmish and there was no evidence to support the
allegation that “anti-India slogans” had been raised.indianexpress
Karnataka: 8 arrested for opposing R-Day rally
in front of mosque in Haveri
HAVERI: Haveri police have registered a case
against 8 persons for allegedly opposing school children who were taking out a
rally on Republic Day in Haveri on Saturday.The case against eight persons was
booked on Saturday night under the section IPC 341 and they were released on
bail.The incident was reported in Hirur village of Hangal taluk of Haveri when
the students of Government Primary School were taking out a march on the road
where a mosque is located. The police have now deployed additional forces at the
village which has a history of communal clashes in the past.Police said, the
arrested persons came out of the mosque and demanded that the students stop the
band as it was against the law of the village. The group tried to snatch the
band equipment and entered into a verbal duel with the school authorities
despite the latter's explanation that the rally is of a school and not by any
religious group.newindianexpress
NIA files supplementary chargesheet against 5
people in Bodh Gaya blasts case
New Delhi:NIA has filed a supplementary
chargesheet before NIA Special Court in Patna against five people in connection
with the Bodh Gaya blasts.The chargesheet has been filed under Sections 120B,
121A, 122, 123 and 471 of IPC, Sec 16, 18,18B & 20 of UA (P) Act and Sec 4
and 5 of Explosive Substance Act.Earlier on June 1,NIA Special Court awarded
life imprisonment to all the 5 accused in connection with the same.Umer
Siddiqui, Azaharuddin Qureshi, Imtiyaz Ansari, Haider Ali, Mujibullah Ansari
and a juvenile, were accused in the case.HT
SIMI suspect arrested in Azamgarh
Lucknow :Azamgarh police on Monday arrested a
SIMI suspect, a day after he was nabbed at Lal Bahadur Shastri International
Airport in Varanasi. He was then produced before a local court, which sent him
to jail, said Circle Officer (Sadar) Mohammad Akmal Khan. Forty-two-year-old
Mohammad Faiz — who ran a paan shop near his house in Azamgarh’s Khudadadpur
village — was arrested in 2001 on charges of being an active member of SIMI
after the Centre banned the outfit. He was released on bail around five months
later. The case is pending in court.In November last year, the Azamgarh Police
had issued a lookout notice against Faiz after it discovered during a verification
drive that he had travelled to Sharjah in July on a passport renewed while
withholding information about the case against him. The agency had also sent
reports to External Affairs ministry and Lucknow’s Regional Passport Office,
said Additional Superintendent of Police, Rural (Azamgarh),Narendra Pratap
Singh. When Faiz was caught Sunday, he was about to leave for Sharjah again.An
inquiry has been ordered into the roles of LIU and police station concerned for
issuing the accused a clearance report.indianexpress
Rajdev Ranjan murder case: Charges framed
against Shahabuddin, six others
New Delhi:Charges were framed against former
RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and six others in the murder case of journalist
Rajdev Ranjan Tuesday in Bihar, ANI reported. The next hearing has been
scheduled for Feb 12. CBI had last year filed a chargesheet against all of them
in a Muzaffarpur court. The other named in chargesheet are Laddan Mian alias
Azharuddin Beg, Rishu Kumar Jaiswal, Rohit Kumar Soni, Vijay Kumar Gupta,
Rajesh Kumar and Sonu Kumar Gupta.The former MP and other accused have been
charged under Indian Penal Code sections 120B (punishment of criminal
conspiracy) and 302 (punishment for murder) as well as section 34 of the Arms
Act.Ranjan, the Siwan town bureau chief for a Hindi daily Hindustan was shot
dead in July 2016 at Phal Mandi near the town station. Two bullets had pierced
through Ranjan- one on the forehead and the other on the neck.Ranjan’s elder
brother Kalicharan, had said after the murder: “Everyone can guess who the
killer is, but who can name him? Let there be a CBI probe. We have little trust
in the Grand Alliance government.”indianexpress
Dalit rights outfits oppose EWS quota
New Delhi:Opposing reservations in jobs and
higher education institutions based on economic criteria, Dalit rights
organisations have demanded that the Union government instead implement
reservation for SC/ST who convert to other religions, for Denotified Tribes,
and also in private institutions.These demands were placed by the nationwide
coalition of Dalit rights groups, the National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights
(NCDHR), on Monday while releasing its Dalit manifesto — a list of demands for
political parties — for the upcoming general elections. Ramesh Nathan from the
NCDHR said that reservation cannot be treated as a poverty alleviation
programme but is meant for those who have been historically oppressed. “Several
who convert out of Hinduism lose the benefit of reservation. Likewise, there
has been a longstanding demand for separate reservation for denotified
communities who are the most marginalised. Instead, the government is trying to
please the forward communities,” said Nathan.indianexpress
George Fernandes, former Union minister, dies
at 88
New Delhi :George Fernandes, former Union
minister and nine-time Lok Sabha MP, passed away Tuesday at the age of 88
following a prolonged illness. He had been bedridden for the past few
years.Fernandes was born in Mangalore in Karnataka in 1930. An anti-Emergency
crusader,Fernandes was a fiery socialist and arch-enemy of Indira Gandhi. He
went underground during Emergency, but was arrested in 1976 in connection with
the Baroda dynamite case. A year later, after Emergency was lifted, he was
elected to Parliament from the Muzaffarpur seat in Bihar with a resounding
victory. He was appointed Union Minister for Industries in the Morarji Desai
government from 1977 to 1979. During his term, he took on American
multinational companies like IBM and Coca-Cola, making them leave the country.
Read this story in Bangla, Tamil, Malayalamindianexpress
‘By 2025, both India and China will have
higher proportion of those over 85 years’
Mumbai :Ageing populations in China and India
may have many things in common, suggested data from a collaborative project
undertaken by academics. “China and India are the only countries in the world
with population of more than one billion. Both together are home for one third
of the world’s population, and both populations are ageing rapidly,” said
Professor S Siva Raju, a faculty member at Centre for Population, Health and
Development in TISS School of Development Studies. TISS has partnered with the
Institute of Gerontology, Renmin University of China; Centre for Research on Ageing,
University of Southampton in UK and HelpAge India to form the China – India
Population Ageing Forum to study implications of population ageing and work out
suitable policy responses. Once the forum produces a report, it will be
presented to both the governments. “In 2025, both countries will have higher
proportions of those who are aged 85 or older (6.6 per cent in China and 5.1
per cent in India) than they do now (5.8 per cent and 3.6 per cent,
respectively), meaning that the elderly population will be more frail than it
is now and thus, more difficult to take care of,” stated a statement issued by
the forum.indianexpress
Rahul Gandhi promises passage of women’s quota
Bill if Congress voted to power
New Delhi:Congress president Rahul Gandhi
Tuesday promised that Women’s Reservation Bill will be passed in Parliament if
his party is voted to power, PTI reported. The women’s quota bill – which
provides 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and state legislatures
– has been in the limbo ever since it was passed by the Rajya Sabha way back in
2010. Addressing a rally in Cochin, Rahul said, “The first thing we will do
when we win the 2019 election is to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill in the
Parliament.”Rahul was responding to a suggestion from a party worker that there
was a need for more women candidates. “We want to see women in the position of
leadership,” he added. Repeating his promise of minimum income to the poor,
Rahul said, “He (PM Modi) has provided a maximum income guarantee to 15 of his
friends. If you are Anil Ambani you have a guarantee to maximum income you can
get. We are going to give a minimum income guarantee to all the
Indians.”indianexpress
Mathura farmers revive stir against stray
cattle menace, lock up bovines in schools
|Mathura:Troubled by the influx of stray
cattle which are majorly damaging crops, farmers in Jikhan Gaon village here
revived their agitation and locked bovines in schools and public health
centres.However, the district magistrate has taken exception to the conduct of
villagers since alternate arrangements are already available.“SDM Mathura Kranti
Shekhar was sent to ensure shifting of cattle from the Junior High school to
gaushalas earmarked earlier for the purpose,” District Magistrate Sarvagy Ram
Mishra said.He said over a dozen temporary gaushalas have been set up here.PTI
'Time to Tell Our Story': Priya Ramani
Summoned as Accused in Defamation Case Filed by MJ Akbar
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday summoned
journalist Priya Ramani to appear on February 25 in a defamation case filed by
former Union minister MJ Akbar after she levelled allegations of sexual
misconduct against him.Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal
issued the direction on Akbar's plea. Akbar, who resigned as Union minister on
October 17 last year, filed a private criminal defamation complaint against
Ramani after his name cropped up on social media as the #MeToo campaign raged
on in India.Ramani accused Akbar of sexual misconduct around 20 years ago,
which was denied by him. Welcoming the court’s decision, Ramani tweeted, “Time
to tell our side of the story.”News18
Madhya Pradesh: To claim insurance, RSS worker
faked death, killed farm help
Bhopal:MP Police is on the lookout for an RSS
activist, Himmat Patidar, who allegedly faked his own death by planning a
conspiracy to kill a labourer who worked for him two years ago. To claim
insurance money of around Rs 20 lakh, Patidar, police said, murdered a labourer
Madan Malviya, burnt his face to try and pass off the body as his own last week
in Ratlam district.Home Minister Bala Bachchan Monday said the body found in an
agriculture field that Patidar owned in Kamed village on January 23 was
Malviya’s, and not Patidar as was initially believed. Police established the
identity of Malviya after DNA tests on the body.Patidar had left his home the
previous night around 1.30 am telling his family that he was going to switch on
the water pump to irrigate the field but did not return. The next morning a
body bearing injury marks on the neck was found but the face was burnt to
conceal identity, police said. His cousin, Suresh Patidar, who is also a
district-level RSS functionary, lodged a complaint with Bilpank Police Station. indianexpress
A positive feeling, says Gujarati Hindus after
visit to masjid
Ahmedabad: Sending a message of communal
harmony, a mosque in Gujarat has opened its doors for people across all
religions.With a poster that read: “Let us visit the mosque, see live namaz
(prayer) and understand Islam,” Masjid Umar-Bin-Khattab “inviting non-Muslims
to understand Islam.”One-year-old masjid located in Rakhial area has started an
exhibition where people from any religion can come and witness the activities
going on in the Mosque.Around 120 non-Muslims, mostly Hindus, men and women
attended the special gathering.A Hindu visitor said that it is a very nice
gesture. He added, “I am happy that they have kept the mosque open for all.
Today, I came here and witnessed Namaz, which gave me positive vibes. siasat
Was born Muslim, am proud Indian first: Dinesh
Gundu Rao's wife takes on Hegde
New Delhi:Tabu Rao reacted sharply to
"misogynistic" and "provocative" remarks made by Union
minister Anant Kumar Hegde, who said Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao
was a "guy who ran behind a Muslim lady". Tabu Rao is Dinesh Gundu
Rao's wife.In a Facebook post, Tabu Rao said she seemed to have beome a
"soft target" for Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who are "unable
to politically take on" her husband. Tabu Rao said that Anant Kumar Hegde
had dragged her "into political slugfest" even though she is a
"private person" who does not hold any party pr public position.Directly
responding to Anant Kumar Hegde's 'I only know him [Dinesh Rao] as a guy who
ran behind a Muslim lady' comment, Tabu Rao said, "Yes, I was born a
Muslim, but we are proud Indians first. The Constitution of India which is
built on the foundation of secularism guarantees every individual 'Liberty of
thought, expression, belief, faith and worship'."indiatoday
WORLD
UN Khashoggi report to be made public before
June, says investigator
United Nations official leading an
investigation into Jamal Khashoggi’s murder said on Tuesday that her report
will be made public before June.Speaking outside the Saudi consulate in
Istanbul, where journalist Khashoggi was killed and dismembered on 2 October by
a hit squad dispatched from Riyadh, Agnes Callamard said her report would come
out before June’s UN human rights council session."The report will be made
public a few weeks before I present it to the human rights council in Geneva,
so end of May possibly," the UN special rapporteur on extra-judicial,
summary or arbitrary executions said.Callamard, an independent expert hired by
the UN, headed to the neighbourhood where the consulate is located on Tuesday
morning to do some preliminary investigations.She said she had asked the Saudi
authorities for permission to enter the consulate, which remains open for
consular uses. Saudis have previously been reluctant to allow Turkish
investigators into the building, carrying out refurbishments in the days
immediately after Khashoggi disappeared inside the consulate."To be fair
the request to them has come quite late, so we need to give them a bit more
time to process our request," she told reporters."We are respectfully
calling on the authorities to give us access at some stage while we are
here.""We just wanted to have a sense of it," she added,
explaining why she had gone to the consulate without permission to
enter.Callamard’s investigation adds pressure on the Saudi authorities over
Khashoggi’s murder. middleeasteye
UN Khashoggi investigator meets Istanbul chief
prosecutor
Israel plan to displace 36,000 Arabs in Negev
Israeli Agriculture and Negev Development
Minister Ori Ariel has completed a plan to displace about 36,000 Arabs from
their “unrecognised” villages in the Negev, Arab48 reported .Reporting Israel
Hayom, Arab48 said that the Israeli government is to start implementation of
the plan this year if it gets approved, and it needs four years to be
completed.Israel, according to the plan, is going to build infrastructure and
security projects that necessitate the displacement of the Arab residents.The
estimated area of land planned to be confiscated in favour of these projects is
260,000 dunams (260 square kilometres), making it the largest ever land
confiscation by Israel since the creation of the Jewish state in 1948. Partial
displacement of the Palestinian villagers is expected to start this year,
starting from the north of Route 31.Full displacement to start in 2021.The
unrecognised villages are not shown on the map of Israel and the Israeli
authorities do not supply them with their basic services, including water and
electricity.Israel does not recognise the inhabitants of these villages or
their right to their land, which they inherited from their fathers and grandfathers,
instead claiming the area is “state-owned” land.middleeastmonitor
Israel plans to expel Bedouin from Negev
Malaysian PM calls Israel 'criminal' state
Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad on Monday
criticized Israel for being a "criminal" state."Israel is a
criminal state and deserves to be condemned," Mahathir wrote on his
personal blog post, citing Malaysia's solidarity with the Palestinian
people.The statement came days after the International Paralympic Committee
(IPC) stopped Malaysia from hosting this year’s world championship after it did
not issue visas to athletes from Israel.Malaysia was awarded the right to host
the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships two years ago.
Palestinian PM Rami Hamdallah resigns
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has
resigned, just days after Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas
announced plans to form a new government.In a statement today, PA spokesperson
Yusuf Al-Mahmoud said that “the prime minister and his ministers welcome
[Fatah, the Palestinian faction which dominates PA]’s decision to form a new
government,” adding that: “Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has placed his
government at the disposal of the President of the Authority [Abbas].”Hamdallah
confirmed the statement in a tweet, writing that: “We put our government at the
disposal of President Mahmoud Abbas and we welcome the recommendations of the
Fatah Central Committee to form a new government.”Hamdallah’s resignation came
following a request by Abbas this weekend after the latter announced that a new
Palestinian government would be formed. Commentators have seen this as a bid by
Fatah to strengthen its grip over the PA in the wake of declining popular support
and challenges from other Palestinian factions, namely Hamas – which governs
the besieged Gaza Strip.middleeastmonitor
US and Taliban agree in principle to framework
for peace deal, US envoy says
Officials from the United States and the
Taliban have agreed in principle to a framework that could eventually bring
Afghanistan's long-running war to an end, the US Special Representative for
Afghanistan said .In comments given to the New York Times and confirmed to CNN
by the US Embassy in Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad said the framework for peace would
see the insurgent group vow to prevent the country from being used as a hub for
terrorism in return for a US military withdrawal."We have a draft of the
framework that has to be fleshed out before it becomes an agreement,"
Khalilzad told the Times on Monday. "The Taliban have committed, to our
satisfaction, to do what is necessary that would prevent Afghanistan from ever
becoming a platform for international terrorist groups or individuals."The
peace negotiations in Doha, Qatar had previously been described on Saturday by
Khalilzad as "more productive than they have been in the past,"
signaling the first significant shift in the geopolitical stalemate in years.
But he added that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed."The
sides are working on a ceasefire that would lead to a sequenced agreement for
dialogue, initially between US and the Taliban and then between the Taliban and
Afghan government, a source with knowledge of the talks told CNN last week.An
Afghan source close to the negotiations told CNN on Monday that while a
ceasefire and US withdrawal were both discussed, neither side came to final
conclusions.
US presses criminal charges against Huawei for
violating Iran sanctions
US announced criminal charges against China's
Huawei Tech Co Ltd, escalating a fight with the world's biggest
telecommunications equipment maker just days before trade talks take place
between Washington and Beijing.Justice Department charged Huawei and its chief
financial officer Meng Wanzhou on Monday with conspiring to violate US
sanctions on Iran by doing business with Tehran through a subsidiary it tried
to hide, which Reuters first reported on in 2012.Huawei is world’s largest
manufacturer of cellular-tower electronics and 3rd -biggest
smartphone producer.middleeasteye
Pakistan SC dismisses review plea against Asia
Bibi’s acquittal
The Supreme Court of Pakistan today dismissed
a petition challenging the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was
convicted and sentenced to death under charges of blasphemy. A 3-member bench,
headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, dismissed the review petition filed
by Qari Muhammad Salaam, Dawn reported. Bibi, who faces threats from Pakistan
hardliners, is now free to leave the country.Security was tightened in
Islamabad where the court is located. Paramilitary Rangers were deployed in
addition to the regular police to deal with any unsavoury situation. Bibi’s
lawyer, who fled to the Netherlands after receiving death threats for defending
her, returned home last week to represent her in the case. Bibi has been in
hiding since the SC acquitted her in Oct.In the petition, it has been argued
that the SC’s acquittal of Bibi did not meet the standards of jurisprudence as
well as Islamic provisions and the “normal principle of justice with reference
to application in blasphemy laws”.indianexpress
UN: Boko Haram threat displaces 30,000 from
Nigeria's Rann town
More than 30,000 people fled the Nigerian town
of Rann over the weekend amid fears of renewed attacks by the Boko Haram armed
group, according to the United Nations refugee agency.UNHCR spokesman Babar
Baloch told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday the town's population "seems to
be panicking and they are on the run as a pre-emptive measure to save their
lives."Rann, near the border with Cameroon in northern Borno state,
already saw an exodus of about 9,000 people earlier this month to Cameroon
after a Boko Haram attack on January 14 killed 14 people.aljazeera
World can’t ignore suffering of Rohingya:
UNICEF
A top UN official has said that international
community cannot be silent in the face of suffering of persecuted Rohingya
Muslims’ children in Myanmar. “[We cannot ignore] the suffering faced by [Rohingya]
refugees currently sheltering in Bangladesh,” said Henrietta Fore, executive
director of UNICEF, at a forum late Monday in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyitaw.“We
must work together to find a peaceful future for all,” added Fore, the first
top UNICEF official to have visited Myanmar in 30 years. UNICEF chief asked
Myanmar to take steps to “rebuild the trust that is fundamental to every
society.”“But reconciliation must follow accountability,”she said, referring to
persecution of Rohingya in Myanmar’s Rakhine state over the years.Fore asked
the Buddhist-majority country to roll out of a “universal maternal and child
cash transfer” program in Rakhine and “ensure all children receive a birth
certificate.”
Riyadh releases 10 businessmen from detention
RIYADH:Saudi authorities have released 10
businessmen from detention, according to an activist group on Tuesday.
"The authorities have released ten of the Ritz-Carlton [Hotel] detainees
in the past two days," the so-called Prisoners of Conscience group said on
Twitter. The activist group said Ethiopian-born billionaire Mohammed Hussein
al-Amoudi was among those set free. There was no comment from Saudi authorities
on the report. On Monday, the Ethiopian television confirmed that al-Amoudi had
been freed by Riyadh. In November 2017, Saudi authorities arrested dozens of
businessmen and princes on corruption allegations and held them in the
Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh.
flash:
views & NEWS
Pakistan’s support source of optimism about US
engagement with Taliban:C. Raja Mohan
Rights of women in Islam are based on equity
not equality:Rasia Hashmi
Fact check: No, school children in Kerala did
not hoist Islamic flags on Republic Day
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:49 PM)
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