NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
26 March 2019: 18 Rajab 1440:Vol: 11, No:160
INDIA
Unemployment single biggest issue in India: survey
At
least 19% of the respondents say that unemployment is the single biggest
problem in the country today. Development, growth and poverty is at 15%, of
which poverty alone is stated by 11% of those surveyed. Politics and Society
between Elections (2019) is a survey released by Azim Premji University
(Bengaluru) and Lokniti (CSDS, Delhi) on public opinion relating to politics,
society, and governance between elections across 12 states including Assam,J&K,
Kerala, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, UP , Uttarakhand, West
Bengal, and National Capital Region of Delhi.Of 12 states surveyed, 6 (Uttarakhand,
Delhi, UP, Tripura, Punjab and J&K) stated that unemployment was the most
important issue. But, amongst these states, unemployment issue was most
predominant in Uttarakhand where the figure was 17% points higher than the
average. In J&K too, biggest issues were unemployment and development,
growth and poverty. The report states that, “Unemployment as an issue finds
more support when one moves from non-literate voters to highly educated voters.
For the college-educated respondents, unemployment is an issue for 26% of the
respondents. The corresponding figures for the matriculate, the primary
educated and the non-literate were 19, 13 and 12% respectively. The biggest
issue clearly differs across education.” Interestingly among the non-literates,
the predominant issue was of growth and development (18%), for primary educated
respondents, it was physical infrastructure (19%) and for the matriculate and
college educated voters it was unemployment(19% and 26% respectively).As
expected, unemployment is the biggest issue for younger voters, and it declines
as they survey those above 36 years. Lack of jobs is a constant source of worry
for those belonging to the age group of 18- 35 years and this issue takes a
back seat for those respondents above the age of 36 years. The only significant
difference with regard to gender on the most important issue facing India is in
the case of unemployment where more men state it as an issue than
women.nationalheraldindia
Govt's performance below expectations on jobs,
health care, agri: Survey
Mumbai:A voter survey by Association for
Democratic Reforms suggested disappointment with the Govt’s performance on key
issues, including jobs, providing healthcare and drinking water.All top-3
priorities had an average rating of 2.15-2.55, indicating below average
performance. Other priorities include better roads and public transport,
agricultural issues, and law and order matters. The Govt fared poorly on these
indicators as well.The survey was conducted between Oct. and Dec.2018. It
covered 534 Lok Sabha constituencies and 270,000 respondents participated in
it. A total of 46.8% of respondents put employment as their top priority. Another
34.6% cited healthcare as the most important issue. Drinking water was third
with 30.5%.“Govt’s performance score on top-10 voters’ priorities is below
average… On Better Employment Opportunities, which is the topmost voters’
priority, the performance of the Govt has been rated as one of the worst (2.15
out of 5),” the survey said.Defence and military issues were low on the list of
both urban and rural voters. A total of 44.21% of rural voters saw‘ Better
Employment Opportunities’ as their biggest priority. A “strong
defence/military” was a priority for 3.02 % of rural voters, while terrorism
got 3.34%. The percentage of urban voters who identified military issues and
terrorism as key issues was 5.18% and 4.1%, respectively. Voters rated the Govt’s
handling of both issues as below average.business-standard
People Unsatisfied with Govt Performance:
Survey
Raghuram Rajan raises doubts about India
growing at 7%, says cloud over GDP data needs to be cleared
Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan today
expressed doubts over Indian economy growing at 7% when not enough jobs were
being created and said the current cloud over GDP numbers must be cleared by
appointing an impartial body to look at the data.Rajan, who has also served as
Chief Economist at IMF, said he had no idea what statistics are pointing at
currently and “a revamp” was needed “to really figure out what India’s true
growth rate is”.“I know one minister (in Modi Govt) has said (that) how can we
be growing at 7% and not have jobs. Well, one possibility is that we are not
growing at 7%,” he told CNBC TV18.He did not name the minister.On doubts being
raised by some over economic data after revision in growth rate, he said a
cleanup act is needed and an impartial body appointed to look at the numbers.“I
just think that we need now to essentially clean up, find out what in fact is
the source of confusion with the new GDP numbers, with the revisions etc. I
would say setting up an impartial body to look at it is an important step to
resorting confidence,” he said.HT
Consulted Raghuram, top economists for income
scheme: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday
said that the Congress had consulted leading economists, including Raghuram
Rajan to check the feasibility of the minimum income scheme that was announced
on March 25.While addressing a meeting of the booth workers in Jaipur, he said
that the Congress wanted to tranfer money directly to the people’s accounts and
in line with that, they discussed the plan with many economists.He said that
the Congress party wanted to make PM Modi’s promise of Rs 15 lakh in every
account come true.“We began work six months ago. We thought of the PM’s plan to
transfer money directly into the bank accounts. But he lied about the Rs 15
lakh to be put in the accounts. We decided to make it come true,” he said.HT
Telephonic interceptions carried out in
national interest: MHA to Delhi HC
New Delhi : Ministry of Home Affairs has told
the Delhi High Court that telephonic interceptions by the Law Enforcement
Agencies are carried out in the “interest of the sovereignty and integrity of
India”.The submissions were made in the backdrop of a petition alleging illegal
phone tapping of NSA Ajit Doval, then Law Secretary Suresh Chandra, and some
senior CBI officers.The ministry further informed the bench headed by Chief
Justice Rajendra Menon that Rule “419A of the Indian Telegraph (Amendment)Rules
2007 adequately provides for constitution of a Review Committee by the Central Govt
and the State Govt, as the case may be, to review the directions for
interceptions”.The ministry said in its affidavit, “Review Committee within a
period of sixty days from the issue of directions shall suo motu make necessary
enquiries and investigations and record its findings whether directions issued…
are in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 (2) of the Indian Telegraph
Act.“When the Review Committee is of the opinion that the directions are not in
accordance with the provisions referred to above, it may set aside the
directions and order for destruction of the copies of the intercepted message
or class of messages.”The affidavit said that records pertaining to such
directions for interception and of intercepted messages shall be destroyed by
the relevant competent authority and the authorised security and Law
Enforcement Agencies every six months unless these are required for functional
requirement.It further said that the “requirement of giving justification with
each proposal for interception has already been incorporated in Standard
Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May 2011
and concerned law enforcement/security agencies have been sensitised from time
to time to follow these guidelines”.The court is scheduled to hear PIL on
Tuesday, which has also sought a direction to the CBI for framing comprehensive
guidelines regarding tracing, tapping and surveillance of phone calls along
with preparation of stocks and accountability of officials.
Phone Calls Of NSA Doval, Asthana Were Not
Intercepted: CBI
Adityanath hate speech case: HC found no
illegality in denying prosecution sanction, UP Govt tells SC
New Delhi :Defending its decision to deny
sanction for prosecuting UP CM Yogi
Adityanath in a 2007 hate speech case, the state Govt on Monday told the
Supreme Court that the Allahabad High Court had found there was no illegality
in the decision.“The High Court has observed after going through the original
records that… there is no illegality,” the state said in an affidavit filed in
the apex court.The affidavit said the case was investigated by the Crime Branch
CID and that “after analysing complete records and in the light of the legal
opinion received, the Home Department, Govt of UP reached the decision that
there is no justification to grant sanction for prosecution. Accordingly, the
CBCID closed the case.”“The order of the sanctioning authority”, the Govt said,
“was based upon opinion received by the Law Department stating that in the
absence of the evidence, there is no justification to grant prosecution…”The
top court was hearing a petition by Parwej Parvaz, a UP resident, challenging
the February 2018 High Court order upholding the state’s decision to deny
sanction to prosecute Adityanath. It was on Parvaz’s plea that an FIR was
lodged in 2008 against Adityanath, who was then a member of Parliament.indianexpress
SC adjourns pleas challenging amendments in
SC/ ST Act again
The Supreme Court today deferred the hearing
to April 30 on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of amendment
in SC/ ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Earlier on Feb.19, the top court
deferred the hearing to March 26.At that time, the central Govt and other
parties were given three days time by a bench of Justices UU Lalit and Indu
Malhotra in the case for arguments.Earlier the apex court had said that the
petitions against the amendment and review pleas against the March 20, 2018
judgement will be heard together.newdelhitimes
Muslim law board discusses content of
submission to panel
New Delhi:In an emergency meeting on the
Ayodhya issue held on Sunday, the executive committee of All-India Muslim
Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) discussed contents of its submission to the Supreme
Court-appointed mediation committee later this week. Sources said the committee
members resolved that contents of the submission should be carefully framed to
deter any political party from making it an election issue. The AIMPLB will
make its submission to the 5-member mediation committee led by former SC judge
F M Ibrahim Kalifulla on March 27.Committee members remained tight-lipped about
the submission and cited the apex court’s order stressing on confidentiality to
ensure success of the mediation process. AIMPLB executive committee member
Kamal Farooqui said, “We have (always) maintained that we are very positive
about mediation – only the resolution should keep in mind the dignity of both
parties and uphold justice. We are positive. Now it is for the other side to
make a proposal.” Zafaryab Jilani, another member, said, “The court’s order is
very clear: no party can disclose (to the media) either their own stand before
the mediation panel, or the proceedings before the panel,”In its March 8 order,
the top court had held, “Court-monitored mediation proceedings will be
confidential.”Jamiat-Ulama general secretary Mahmood Madani, who is a member of
the executive committee but was not present in Sunday’s meeting, said: “Islam
does not allow a mosque to be built on the ruins of a temple – it does not even
allow construction of a mosque in a personal property even if that person is a
Muslim. So all that really needs to be done in this case if to prove in court that
a temple existed there before the masjid, and that the masjid was built on its
ruins.indianexpress
Ayodhya case: Nirmohi Akhara files plea in SC
to shift mediation to neutral place
New Delhi: Nirmohi Akhara on Monday filed a
plea in the Supreme Court, seeking modification in the Ayodhya title suit
mediation order.In the plea, Nirmohi Akhara said that it wants the SC to move
the mediation out of Faizabad and shift it to a neutral place.The plea demanded
the judges to be appointed as the mediators in Ayodhya title suit.On March 13,
25 litigants in Babri Masjid land case, including Nirmohi Akhara's Mahant
Dinendra Das, appeared before 3-member mediation panel on Avadh University
premises.india today
J&K HC notice to Centre on plea
challenging ban on Jamaat-e-Islami
Srinagar:J&K High Court has issued a
notice to the Union Home Ministry for a response on the ban of Jamaat-e-Islami
J&K (JeI), after an ex-Jamaat member plea challenged the Centre’s move.
Justice Tashi Rabstan, after hearing the petition, sought a response from the
Union Home Ministry “within 3 weeks”.Mehraj Azeem, petitioner, pleaded before
the court in Srinagar that the ban declaration made on Feb.26 by the Centre
“was effected without seeking confirmation from the tribunal as mandated from
the Act and in absence of such compelling reasons available permitting such
immediate declaration”.Claiming that JeI existed for more than 6 decades “with sole
intent of socio-religious well being of society, Azeem pleaded before the judge
to “consider the organisation’s social work, like during the floods of 2014,
and contribution in the education sector”.“JeI has contested elections, both
Parliamentary as well as Assembly, and has a registered election symbol,” Azeem
said.JeI was banned after invoking UAPA. The lawyer, Syed Musaib, representing
the petitioner, said, “By invoking bans, an unnecessarily larger threat is
created as the same ideas gain greater currency once they are pushed
underground, a point well recognised by the relevant Act itself.”Around 200 JeI
activists and its leaders have been rounded up since the ban. The authorities
also sealed several properties of the organisation, including the main
headquarters in Srinagar’s Batamaloo area. the hindu
HC notice to centre to explain ban on Jama’at
Palatial bungalows, mills acquired through
terror funding operations identified in Kashmir : agencies
Intelligence agencies have identified 19
properties including palatial bungalows, huge plots of land, nursing homes and
plywood mills linked to terror funding operations and owned by individuals
associated with Kashmiri separatists.This includes 10 properties in the name of
Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali, businessman currently serving term in Tihar jail on
allegations of terror funding.Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has put together a
dossier with details of properties acquired through terror financing in Kashmir
by several individuals.Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Sallaudin's house in
Islamabad, Pakistan is also on the list.As part of a crackdown on terror
funding, Govt has been seizing properties belonging to terror financiers.In
total, properties of 13 persons have been identified by NIA in this
connection.In a separate action, ED has already zeroed in on proceeds of such
crime and has begun action to freeze and seize such assets."Money obtained
through these channels is also being used by major secessionist formations,
particularly Hurriyat Conference. These funds are used for maintaining top APHC
leadership and also massive propaganda machinery being used to instigate hatred
among the people of J&K towards the Govt
of India. It is also being utilised to sustain the spreading of false
information through media contacts, newspapers and social media,"report
says."Extensive use of such funds is also being made to finance
institutions focussed on subverting the local population including through
selected mosques, madrasas and organisations like recently banned
Jamat-e-Islami J&K. These then form a fertile pool of vulnerable young
minds, which can be poisoned and exploited as gun fodder for violent activities
aimed at destabilisating the state," the report added.indiatoday
Son was framed: father of Sajjad Ahmad Khan
New Delhi:The father of Sajjad Ahmad Khan, 26,
an alleged JeM militant, who Delhi police said was arrested last week, alleged
that his son was picked up by police as early as Feb. 22. The special cell of
the Delhi police had said in a press release that Sajjad Khan was arrested on
March 21, on charges of criminal conspiracy, waging war and under relevant
Sections of the UAPA.The accused was later handed over to NIA, which claimed
that the police made the arrest based on specific information provided by it.
“Sajjad Khan was specially sent to Delhi to set up hideouts in Delhi. This was
done to select specific targets and also to radicalise and recruit Muslim
youths to further terror activities,” a press release by NIA had said. However,
on Monday, both NIA and Delhi Police distanced themselves from the arrest. NIA
said the Delhi police should answer on Sajjad Khan’s arrest, while the latter
refused to comment.Contesting the claims of the police and NIA, Ghulam Nabi
Khan said his son, a shawl vendor, had left for Delhi in Nov, as he had done
for the past 4 years.“We came to know that the Delhi police’s special cell
picked up my son and 6 other people from Delhi Gate around Feb.22.It was
published even in local newspapers. I rushed to Delhi and met the police
officials at Lodhi Road.Police confirmed his arrest and promised to release him
soon,” Khan, a carpenter and a small farmer, said. “I reached home with hope he
would be released. Within days, I saw he being framed with an attack in Kashmir.
How can he be a part of any attack when he has been in Delhi from Nov.and in
police custody since Feb?” he asked.the hindu
Delhi,Mumbai,Goa on alert as agencies warn attack
The police in Delhi, Mumbai and Goa have been
alerted by the intelligence agencies about twin threats from Islamic State and
al-Qaeda, reported TOI, on quoting sources. The report, on Monday, warn of
terrorists avenging the New Zealand incident and a possible strike on Jewish
establishments."We have taken all precautions regarding our intelligence
inputs, all SPs been alerted, and ATS put on alert," Goa IGP Jaspal Singh
told ANI. Delhi Police too said that they were "keeping a close watch on
the developments.”The Quint
Goa put on terror alert due to fear of
possible attack on Israeli tourists
Pak: 7 held for alleged abduction of 2 Hindu
girls, however they refute claims of forcible conversion
Police in Pakistan have detained at least 7
people for their alleged involvement in the purported abduction and forced
conversion of two Hindu girls to Islam and their underage marriage in Sindh
province, Dawn reported on Monday. However, 2 girls and the men they were
reportedly married to have sought the Islamabad High Court’s protection and
refuted the claims that they were forcibly converted.On March 24, PM Imran Khan
had ordered an investigation into the matter after two videos about the case
surfaced on social media. In one video, the father and brother of the girls
claimed that they were abducted and forced into converting to Islam. In the
other video, the girls claimed they had converted of their own free will.Girls’
video also showed a cleric marrying them to two older men. The cleric claimed
that the girls were influenced by Islam much before and converted to the
religion of their own accord. He alleged that their family was spreading “false
propaganda”. Nikah Khwan, who officiated the weddings, and relatives of the men
who married the girls were among those arrested and handed over to the Sindh
police.scroll.in
UP suspends 7 school teachers for social media
posts critical of Pulwama, Govt
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/up-Govt-adityanath-pulwama-balakot-facebook-twitter-5642648/
New Delhi:From questioning Pulwama attack to
praising Pakistan PM Imran Khan, from criticising the effectiveness of the
Balakot strike to making “political” statements against the ruling
establishment — at least seven state Govt school teachers have been suspended
by the UP Govt for posts like these on
their Facebook page or WhatsApp groups, Also suspended is a Basic Shiksha
Adhikari (BSA), a Group-A education service officer. While two suspensions were
for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct after polls were announced on
March 10, the Govt has also ordered an FIR against a private school
teacher.Prabhat Kumar, UP Additional Chief Secretary (Basic Education), said a
proper inquiry was conducted before BSA was suspended. “I have no information
about teachers (suspended). BSAs of respective districts must have done this,”
he said.Those facing action:Dinesh Yadav, BSA, Muzaffarnagar, Surendra Kumar,
primary school Headmaster, Barabanki, Amrendra Kumar, primary school teacher,
Sultanpur, Ravindra Kanojia, primary school teacher, Rae Bareli, Ravi Shankar
Yadav, primary school Headmaster, Mirzapur, Nandji Yadav, primary school teacher,
Azamgarh, Satya Prakash Verma, primary school teacher, Shravasti, Nirankar
Shukla, primary School Headmaster, Rae Bareli, Rajesh Shukla, primary school teacher,
Rae Bareli and Dileep Singh Yadav, teaches without salary in a private Inter
College, Shahjahanpur. Indianexpress
Delhi man arrested for spying for ISI: report
Jaipur :Rajasthan Police Monday arrested a
42-year-old man from Delhi for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s intelligence
agency ISI, officials said.Mohammed Parvez was already arrested by NIA for
anti-national activities and was in judicial custody since 2017. He was brought
here on Monday for interrogation, following which the state police arrested
him, Additional Director General (Intelligence) Umesh Mishra said.Parvez
allegedly honey-trapped Indian Army soldiers through fake identity to collect
confidential and strategic information and passed those to ISI, which gave him
financial support, the officer said.During questioning Pervez revealed that he
was in contact with ISI handlers and had travelled to Pakistan 17 times in the
last 18 years, he said.PTI
After Kartarpur, Pakistan looks at opening
pilgrim corridor to Sharada Peeth in PoK
New Delhi :After Kartarpur, Pakistan is
proposing to open a corridor to the 5,000-year-old Sharada temple, which was
once a centre of learning believed to have been established by Emperor Ashoka.
The site, also known as Sharada Peeth, is located on the banks of the Neelum
river over 100 km from Muzaffarabad in PoK.Pakistani media reported Monday that
Islamabad has given the green signal for the move. TV channel Express News
quoted sources in the Pakistan Govt to report that India’s foreign ministry had
already sent a proposal to open this corridor. “After Kartarpur, a piece of big
news is in the offing for Hindus. Some of the Govt officials will visit the
area and will later submit a report to the prime minister,” said a report in
Express Tribune, a leading English daily in Pakistan, citing sources in the
Pakistan foreign ministry.indianexpress
Attackers threatened to bulldoze our house if
we didn't vacate it in 24 hours: Gurugram Muslim Family
Gurugram:Muslim family, whose male and female
members were brutally assaulted by a mob of 40-50 people on Holi day for playing cricket on road, told a civil
fact-finding team on Monday that the attackers threatened to demolish the house
of the family if they did not vacate it in 24 hours. Narrating the Thursday incident to a
fact-finding team of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Delhi & Haryana zone), a member
of victim family said: “Our children were playing cricket. 2 people came on
bikes and passed provocative remarks. Our children returned to home thinking it
was not a big issue because the two were drunk. They were sitting on the ground
floor. The two had gone threatening to return in five minutes and teach us a
lesson. Very soon, a mob of 40-50 people came and went on rampage. While
leaving they asked us to vacate the house, otherwise they would demolish it
with bulldozers tomorrow.”“They were asking us to go to Pakistan. This is our
country India – county of peace and tranquility. I request media and
politicians not to give it a communal or religious angle and maintain peace,”
said the family member.While male members were being beaten up, young women ran
upstairs and saved themselve. One of them narrated the incident.The family said
that they dialled 100 but police did not turn up to help them.India Tomorrow
Jamiat to fight the case of Gurugram attack
victims
New Delhi: Expressing deep concern over the
attack on Muslim family in Gurugram, Jamiat Ulama- General Secretary Maulana
Mahmood Madani demanded Govt action against the spate of such incidents
occurring one after another.Madani wrote a letter to Haryana chief minister
Manohar Lal Khar inviting latter’s attention towards the incident which has
created unrest among the people of the country since the incident came to light
after the video was uploaded on social media. He demanded stringent action against
the culprits and justice to victims.Maulana Madani also informed that a
delegation of Jamiat met the affected family at Dhamaspur Gururam and announced
to fight the case for them. siasat
Former civil servants urge EC to delay release
of Modi biopic, say it violates Model Code of Conduct
47 retired civil servants on Tuesday urged the
chief election commissioner to stall release of PM Narendra Modi’s biopic till
May 23, once the results of the Lok Sabha elections are declared. In a letter,
they pointed out that the release would be a violation of the Model Code of
Conduct.PM Narendra Modi will be released on April 5, less than a week before elections
begin on April 11. The last phase of the elections will be held on May 19 and results
will be declared on May 23.scroll.in
BJP asked me not to contest Lok Sabha polls:
Murli Manohar Joshi
BJP has asked veteran leader and one of the
party founders Murli Manohar Joshi not to contest in the upcoming Lok sabha
elections.Dr. Joshi has issued a brief statement for voters in Kanpur, from
where 85-year-old leader had won in 2014.The statement said BJP general
secretary Ram Lal,a RSS appointee,had conveyed Joshi the party leadership’s
decision that he should not be contesting the elections.BJP leaders said the
party has taken a “principled decision” that veterans should make the way for
younger leaders.The Hindu
BJP fields State Minister from Kanpur, Maneka
Gandhi swaps seat with Varun Gandhi
Lucknow:BJP has fielded UP Cabinet Minister Satyadev Pachauri from Kanpur
replacing veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi. Pachauri is an MLA from Govind
Nagar seat and currently holds the Khadi Village Industries, Sericulture,
Textile, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Export Promotion portfolios.Jaya
Prada, former Samajwadi Party MP, will contest the Lok Sabha election 2019 from
Rampur as a BJP candidate. The new BJP entrant and yesteryear actor replaces
Nepal Singh, and will go head-to-head against senior SP leader and her bete
noire Azam Khan. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, who was Pilibhit MP, has swapped
seats with her son Varun Gandhi,who had won Sultanpur in 2014.Releasing a list
of 29 names from UP, the BJP also made changes on other seats, replacing
incumbents or shifting them elsewhere. Ashok Dohre was replaced by Ram Shankar
Katheria in Etawah, a reserved seat. Another State Cabinet Minister Rita
Bahuguna Joshi has been fielded from Allahabad, from where she was once a
Mayor. Sitting BJP MP Shyama Charan Gupta recently changed sides to the SP and
is fielded from Banda in Bundelkhand.In another reserved seat in Bahraich,
where BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule quit the party and joined Congress, BJP has
fielded a sitting MLA Akshayvar Lal Gaud. A sitting MLA Upendra Rawat from
Zaidpur has also replaced Priyanka Rawat as the candidate in Barabanki, adjoining
Lucknow. Virendra Singh Mast, who won from Bhadohi in 2014, has been shifted to
Ballia in place of Bharat Singh.Union Minister Manoj Sinha will once again
defend his constituency Ghazipur while BJP State head Mahendra Nath Pandey will
contest from Chandauli this time too.thehindu
Kanhaiya mocks Giriraj Singh's 'reluctance' to
contest from Begusarai
Union Minister Giriraj Singhs
"reluctance" to contest Lok Sabha polls from Begusarai was comparable
to a kids refusal to attend school in the event of failing to complete his
homework, CPI candidate from seat Kanhaiya Kumar has said."Watched the
news on TV and learnt that BJP minister known for sending off people to free of
cost Pakistan tours is not ready to come to Begusarai for contesting the
polls", Kumar said. dnaindia
BJP Leader Says 2 Gujarati Thugs' Have Been
Fooling People, Gets Expelled
After a former spokesperson of the BJP dubbed
the party's top leadership as "Gujarati thugs" and asked if the BJP
has chosen a 'pradhan mantri' (PM) or a prachar mantri (advertisement
minister), party expelled senior Lucknow-based leader.While attacking BJP's top
leadership in a series of tweets, I P Singh also hailed SP chief Akhilesh
Yadav's candidature from Azamgarh and offered him his residence for use as his
poll campaign office."I P Singh has been expelled from the party for six
years on directions of the BJP state president," said a party release in
Lucknow.The expulsion followed after Singh attacked BJP leadership in a series
of tweets from his official Twitter account having a prefix
"usuldaar" (principled) to his name."I belong to a principled
'kshatriya' family. 2 Gujarati thugs have been befooling Hindi-speaking people
for the last five years after capturing the country's Hindi heartland, while we
are silent," he said in one of his tweets Friday.outlookindia
Confirmed: Shatrughan set to join Congress on
March 28
After some initial hiccups, BJP rebel
Shatrughan Sinha is all set to join Congress on March 28 in the presence of
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, National Herald has learnt.A reliable source has
confirmed to Herald that Sinha who has been on the forefront of PM Modi’s
critics in the BJP, has finally made up his mind after the saffron party
announced Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as its candidate for Patna Sahib LS
seat last week.Angry with his party’s decision, Sinha tweeted:“I am capable of
paying back”.nationalheraldindia
Bihar Police arrested two Bangladeshi
nationals
A team of Bihar Police arrested two
Bangladeshi nationals, who were travelling on fake Indian identifications and
seized documents related to various terror groups including ISIS, police said
on Monday. The duo, identified as Khairul Mandal and Abu Sultan of Chapatalla,
Jhenauda in Bangladesh, are allegedly members of ISBD. dnaindia
Activists in Elgar case can’t be tried for
terror acts: Lawyer
Pune: Defence lawyer Rohan Nahar on Monday
said the activists arrested in the Elgar Parishad case cannot be tried for
terrorist acts under the stringent UAPA because no blast or firing on mob had
taken place in the Koregaon Bhima riots on Jan.1, 2018, a day after Parishad
was organised at Shaniwarwada. Arguing for regular bail pleas of activists P
Varavara Rao and Rona Wilson, Nahar submitted before a special court that
Section 15 of UAPA (terrorist act) was not applicable to the case as the
chargesheet of the Pune police was silent on the alleged terrorist acts
committed by the activists.It is the police’s case that the Maoists supported
and funded the Elgar Parishad in Pune on Dec.31, 2017, as a part of a larger
conspiracy to create social unrest and overthrow the Govt. According to the
police, the alleged provocative speeches and inflammatory statements at Parishad
contributed to the caste clashes at Koregaon Bhima. Special judge K D Vadane
would hear Raut’s bail plea on March 29. timesofindia
2002 Best Bakery riots case: Trial begins against
2
Mumbai:Trial against two accused being tried
separately in the 2002 Best Bakery riots case commenced Monday with two cops
deposing as witnesses. The cops were assistant sub-inspectors in 2002 and had
noted information received from the hospital in the station diary. On March 1,
2002, two days after the Godhra carnage, a mob had attacked Best Bakery in
Vadodara, killing 14 people. Last month, the court had framed charges against
Mafat Gohil and Harshad Solanki under several IPC sections, including murder,
destruction of evidence and attempt to murder. TOI
Acquitted After 8 Years in Jail, 10 Years in
Courts: “I Just Want My Children To Be Able to Live In Dignity”
Lucknow: In a remote village in district
Sidharthnagar, 46 year old terror accused Abdul Mobeen is trying to pick up the
threads of his remaining life and weave a fresh narrative.He owns a small patch
of agricultural land where he has started rearing goats for living a life of
dignity free from the stigma of being labelled a terrorist 19 years ago.More
than half of his life has been spent either in jail or fighting the legal
battle which began after he was arrested from AMU on a slew of charges ranging
from "waging war against the state" to spreading ill will between two
religious groups.Mobeen spent eight years in jail. After finally succeeding in
obtaining bail from the Allahabad High Court in 2008, he spent last 10 years in
fighting legal battles to prove his innocence in 4 different cases of a similar
nature filed against him in Agra,Kanpur,Barabanki and Lucknow.He has been
exonerated in all 4 cases by sessions court. thecitizen
China destroys 30,000 ‘incorrect’ world maps
showing Arunachal not part of Chinese territory
Customs officials in China have destroyed
30,000 world maps printed in the country for not mentioning Arunachal Pradesh
and Taiwan as part of its territory, according to a media report.China claims
the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet. China
routinely objects to Indian leaders visiting Arunachal Pradesh to highlight its
stand.India says the State of Arunachal Pradesh is its integral and inalienable
part and Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they
visit other parts of the country.2 countries have so far held 21 rounds of
talks to resolve the border dispute covering 3,488-km-long LAC.China also
claims the estranged island of Taiwan as its part.PTI
Two children die in Delhi's Jamia Nagar fire
New Delhi: Two children died in a fire at
their apartment in Abul Fazl Enclave in south Delhi. Fire officials say that
they were trapped inside a room when the fire broke out and had died out of
suffocation. The fire department said a few others who were trapped in other
apartments were rescued by the locals and the firemen.The incident broke out
around 1pm when locals reported about a fire at the first floor of the
four-storied house. Five fire tenders were pressed into service and the flames
were controlled within an hour. The two children were shifted to the Holy
Family Hospital in Jamia Nagar where they were declared dead.TOI
WORLD
US officially declares Israeli sovereignty
over Golan
US President Donald Trump has formally
recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Israel-occupied Golan Heights,
reversing decades of United State's policy. The announcement came as Benjamin
Netanyahu visited the White House in a trip the Israeli PM said he cut short
after an early morning rocket, allegedly fired from the besieged Gaza Strip,
struck a home in central Israel, wounding seven people.Monday's decree
formalised Trump's statement last week, saying it was time for the US "to
fully recognise" Israeli sovereignty over the Golan. The move appeared to
give Netanyahu a boost before the closely contested April 9 Israeli elections.
"This was a long time in the making," Trump said alongside Netanyahu
in White House."Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in
southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a
potential launching ground for attacks against Israel - very violent
attacks," Trump said. "This should have been done numerous presidents
ago." Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967
Six-Day War and then effectively annexed it in 1981, a move that was never
recognised by the international community.Syria's foreign ministry called the
US decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan a "blatant
attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria.Turkish
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it was impossible for Turkey to accept
US decision on the Golan Heights. He added that action would be taken against
the US over the move, including at the UN. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
was "clear that the status of Golan has not changed," UN spokesman
Stephane Dujarric said on Monday. "UN's policy on Golan is reflected in
the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and that policy has not
changed," Dujarric said. A UNSC resolution adopted unanimously by 15-member
body in 1981 declared that Israel's "decision to impose its laws,jurisdiction
and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and
without international legal effect". It also demanded Israel rescind its
decision.Qatar also issued a statement rejecting the US move and saying the
Golan Heights are occupied Arab land. Arab League condemned the move saying
that "Trump's recognition does not change the area's
status."aljazeera
World rejects illegal US Golan Heights move
The international community has condemned the
unilateral and illegal action by the U.S. administration on Monday to formally
recognize Israel’s sovereignty over occupied Golan Heights. UN said: ''The
status of Golan has not changed. The UN’s policy on Golan is reflected in the
relevant resolutions of the Security Council."AA
Top US diplomat saddened by global Golan
reactions
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday
he is "saddened, but not surprised" by the world’s refusal to follow
Washington's lead in recognizing the occupied Golan Heights as Israeli
territory."We are simply recognizing facts on the ground," Pompeo
said one day after Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's
sovereignty over Golan Heights.Trump's decision was roundly rejected by UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres, Turkey, Canada, Russia, most Arab nations, as well as the
European Union."We hope those nations will join us to understand how
important that is, how right it is," Pompeo said of the unilateral U.S.
decision.AA
Saudi denounces US recognition of Golan
Heights as Israeli territory
Saudi Arabia denounced US President Donald
Trump's recognition of Israel's 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights.“Attempts
to impose fait accompli do not change the facts,” the statement said. It said
the Golan Heights was an “occupied Syrian Arab land in accordance with relevant
international resolutions”.“It will have significant negative effects on the
peace process in the Middle East and security and stability of the region,”it
said.Reuters
Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds amid tense calm
in Gaza
Gaza City - A fraught quiet has settled over
the Gaza Strip after a night of Israeli air raids on the besieged coastal
enclave following a rocket strike on a home in central Israel. An
Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, announced around 19:00 GMT on Monday, was
confirmed by a Hamas spokesperson, but the exchange of fire between armed
groups in Gaza and the Israeli military continued until just before dawn on
Tuesday, residents in the strip said.The latest flare-up took place after a
long-range missile was fired from Gaza into the Israeli community of Mishmeret
- 20km north of Tel Aviv - early Monday morning, wounding seven people.No group
from Gaza has claimed responsibility, but Israel blamed Hamas, the movement
that rules the strip, and deployed tanks and reservists at the Israeli fence
east of the Gaza Strip.Throughout Monday night, Israeli warplanes targeted
Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions with air raids. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya's
office was destroyed in the attack, as well as several residential
buildings.Israeli army confirmed that its warplanes had carried out 15
bombardments in the Gaza Strip.According to Gaza Ministry of Health, seven
Palestinians were injured.Sameh al-Ghazali, a Gaza resident, lost his home in
Gaza City overnight. "We were shocked when we received a phone call from
the Israeli army last night telling us to evacuate our home within
seconds," the father of one said.The residential building he lives in,
which consists of three floors, is owned by four Ghazali families and also
hosts the al-Multazem Insurance Company. All the families living in the area
evacuated their homes as well. An F-16 missile levelled the building in a cloud
of dust.The ceasefire was announced after Gaza's armed groups launched a
barrage of rockets towards Israel but, in a joint statement, the armed factions
said they would stop firing rockets if Israel ceased its air raids."We
affirm our response to the Egyptian mediation of the ceasefire and declare our
commitment to calm if the Israeli occupation does as well," the statement
said.Yair Levin, a minister from Netanyahu's Likud party told Israeli news
outlet Ynet:"It is clear there is no ceasefire. We are responding to every
attack." So far, today, both Israel and armed factions in Gaza Strip have
stopped firing. aljazeera
Hamas announces Egyptian-brokered ceasefire
with Israel
Jordan MPs call for cancelling gas deal with
Israel
Jordanian lawmakers today called for the
cancellation of a gas purchase agreement signed with Israel in 2016.Describing
the deal as a form of economic “normalization” with Israel, MPs urged Govt to
seek alternative sources with which to meet the country’s natural gas needs.
After debating the issue today, MPs are now expected to vote on whether to
request that Govt cancel deal or refer it to Jordan’s constitutional court to
decide. Despite widespread popular opposition to normalizing relations with
Israel, Jordan has been extending a pipeline since last year to facilitate planned
import of Israeli natural gas.Anadolu
Palestinians protest abuse of detainees held
by Israel
Hundreds of Palestinians on Tuesday demonstrated
in the occupied West Bank to show solidarity with Palestinians languishing in
Israeli prisons.Separate demonstrations were held simultaneously in the West
Bank cities of Al-Bireh, Tulkarm, Jenin and Salfit.Some protesters held photos
of incarcerated relatives, demanding their immediate release.“Inmates are
subject to frequent abuses by the Israeli authorities,” Qadura Fares, head of
the Palestinian Prisoners Association, an NGO, told Anadolu Agency.Anadolu
Agency
US officials vow support for Israel at AIPAC
conference
US officials including Vice President Mike
Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with more than a dozen US lawmakers
appeared on stage on the second day of AIPAC's annual conference to vow support
for Israel as it responded to an alleged rocket attack by Hamas with air
strikes on Gaza.Pence listed the policy moves President Donald Trump had taken
to support Israel, drawing applause from about 18,000 attendees at the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee gathering." Under President Donald Trump,
if the world knows nothing else the world knows this: America stands with
Israel," Pence said.Trump meeting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu at the
White House, signed a declaration recognising Israeli control of the Golan
Heights. "President Trump also promised to shut down PLO office in
Washington if the Palestinian Authority didn't promise to take immediate steps
to stop funding terrorists who murder innocent Israeli civilians with American
tax dollars and when PLO refused, President Trump shut their office down,"
Pence said."When President Trump promised to cut off funding to
anti-Israel agencies at the UN, he meant it. And last year, US ended all US
contributions to UNRWA," vice president said."Beyond all that, the
president promised to stand up to the world's leading state sponsor of terror,
and he withdrew the United States of America from the disastrous nuclear deal
with Iran. There will be no more pallets of cash to the mullahs in Iran,"
Pence said.aljazeera
Pentagon authorises $1 billion for Trump's border
wall
Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan said
Monday he had authorized $1 billion to build part of the wall sought by
President Donald Trump along US-Mexico border. Department of Homeland Security
asked the Pentagon to build 57 miles of 18-foot fencing, build and improve
roads, and install lighting to support Trump's emergency declaration as
concerns the border. Shanahan "authorized the commander of the US Army
Corps of Engineers to begin planning and executing up to $1 billion in support
to the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol," a
Pentagon statement read.AFP
Top Chinese leader backs crackdown on Uighurs
Xinjiang needs to "perfect"
stability maintenance measures and crack down on "religious
extremism", the ruling Communist Party's fourth-ranked leader said on a
tour of the Chinese region where members of the Uighur community have been put
in internment camps.Critics say Uighurs and other Muslims who live in Xinjiang
are being held in detention centres, though the Govt calls them
"vocational training centres".Authorities say it has a genuine need
to prevent "extremist thinking" and violence.During a March 20 to
March 25 visit to Xinjiang, including Kashgar and Tumxuk in the Uighur southern
part of the region, Wang Yang said the situation in Xinjiang was
"continuing to develop well", the official Xinjiang Daily said on
Tuesday.Authorities "must perfect stability-maintenance measures, and
maintain high pressure on the 'three forces'," the paper cited Wang as
saying, referring to "terror,extremism and separatism".aljazeera
French Muslims sue Facebook, YouTube over
Christchurch footage
One of main groups representing Muslims in
France is suing Facebook and YouTube, accusing the media companies of inciting
violence by allowing the streaming of footage of the Christchurch massacre on
their platforms.The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) said the
companies had disseminated material that encouraged terrorism and harmed the
dignity of human beings. There was no immediate comment from either social
media company.The shooting at two mosques in New Zealand on March 15, which
killed 50 people, was livestreamed on Facebook for 17 minutes and then copied
and shared on social media sites across the internet. Facebook said it raced to
remove hundreds of thousands of copies.However, footage could still be found on
Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube a few hours after the attack, as
well as Facebook-owned Instagram and Whatsapp.aljazeera
Turkey court opens espionage trial of US
consulate staffer
The trial of a Turkish employee of the US
consulate in Istanbul has started after he was charged with espionage and
attempting to overthrow the Turkish Govt in one of several cases heightening
tensions between the United States and its NATO ally.Metin Topuz, a Turkish
citizen and liaison with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, was arrested
in 2017 and has been accused of having ties with US-based preacher Fethullah
Gulen, who Ankara says ordered a failed 2016 coup against President Tayyip
Erdogan.The trial begins as relations between the US and Turkey have worsened
with disagreements over Syria's war, Turkey's purchase of Russian missiles and
the US refusal to extradite Gulen.aljazeera
Pakistan's top court grants bail to Nawaz
Sharif
The Supreme Court of Pakistan agreed on
Tuesday to release former PM Nawaz Sharif on bail for six weeks to receive
medical treatment but said he would not be allowed to leave the country.Sharif
is serving a seven-year sentence imposed last year for failing to disclose the
source of income that allowed him to acquire the Al-Azizia Steel Mills in Saudi
Arabia.He has been suffering from a heart condition and kidney problems and has
been admitted to hospital. A previous bail application was rejected last
month.aljazeera
Nearly 2M need urgent help in Mozambique: UN
At least 1.85 million people are in need of
urgent humanitarian assistance in Mozambique,where hurricane Idai made landfall
earlier this month, UN humanitarian agency said.A statement released by the UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA) said the cyclone
caused a major humanitarian crisis in the country, destroying infrastructure,
homes and farms, and affecting livelihoods of many people.“As of 25 March, the
official death toll was 447, with more than 15,000 people injured,” The UN
agency said in a statement quoting local authorities.AA
Iran flood: More than a dozen killed in flash
flooding
Flash flooding in southern and parts of
western Iran has left at least 19 people dead and more than 100 injured as the Govt
urged people to cancel trips and warned of more rains, according to Fars news
agency.aljazeera
Flash:
views & NEWS
3 recent events -- custodial death of Rizwan Pandit, banning
Jamaat,JKLF -- prove alarm bells are ringing louder than ever in Kashmir: Manoj
Joshi
Time for a Minimum Income Guarantee in India
Has Come:Nayanika Mathur
Analysis: Brahminism, the thread that unites
across parties?
That Shia Voters in UP Support the BJP Is A
Myth:MEHRU JAFFER
Our democratic polity is seriously ill, and
coalition-khichdi is just what it needs to get better again:
Alok Rai
For ruling regime and Opposition, healthcare
doesn’t seem to be an issue: Shah Alam Khan
Your name missing from voters’ list? This app
can help: Saba Rahman
Swami Aseemanand gets bail yet again; Whither
Indian justice system?Dr Ram Puniyani
How to sell a massacre: NRA's playbook
revealed
53-year-old Qayyum arrested for killing
relative of former RJD MP Shahabuddin
55% English-speaking Indians fear airing
political views online, fewer non-partisans trust news, says study
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 9:27 PM)
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