NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
03 March 2019: 25 Jamadiul-II 1440:Vol:11, No:141
INDIA
Air strikes were meant to warn, refutes media
reports on casualties:Union minister
Union minister of state SS Ahluwalia has
claimed that the Indian air strikes in Pakistan were only meant as a warning
and refuted media reports which claimed over 300 casualties in the strike. “Did
Modi say that 300 people have been killed?” Ahluwalia, the minister of state
for electronics and information technology, said at a press conference in West
Bengal. Video of his speech was shared by some Opposition leaders.“Has any BJP
spokesperson said it? Has Amit Shah said it anywhere? Why was there no
destruction? By throwing a bomb next to your house, it was made clear that we
can destroy you.That was what was needed. We didn’t want any human casualty,”
he is heard saying in the video.Multiple media reports, quoting unidentified
officials, had pegged the number of casualties at over 300, and some estimated
it at even 600. IAF has refused to give any number officially, and said it
would be premature to give an estimate.Ahluwalia said neither government
officials nor ministers had given an official figure of the casualties. “I was
asked whether I stand by the government’s statement or by the reports of Indian
media which have said 300 to 350 terrorists were killed,” Ahluwalia, an MP from
Darjeeling, said. “I stand by the government’s statement. How can I vouch for
media reports?”Congress leader Omprakash Mishra and CPI(Marxist) shared the
video of press conference on social media.“No terrorists killed in Pakistan by
our airstrike,”Mishra said on Facebook. “BJP MP and central minister Ahluwalia
says media reported about killing of terrorists but BJP never said so. PM did
not claim so.” CPI (M) asked if the government was backtracking from its claims
on striking a terror camp in Pakistan. “If what Minister says is correct, then
what it means is that Modi Govt has connived with lies pedaled by the
jingoistic media [and] taken the country for a ride,” the tweeted. “They now
say they deliberately did not take terrorists out as they did not want human
casualties.” scroll.in
‘Did PM Modi, Amit Shah say 300 terrorists
were killed?’ Ahluwalia slams media reports
Balakot Air Strike Was A Message, Did Not
Intend To Kill says Union Minister:NDTV
By invoking Rafale, Modi himself is
questioning Balakot air strikes: Congress
New DelhI:Congress on March 3 claimed that
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself “questioned” the recent anti-terror
air strikes in Pakistan by his remarks that the country is feeling the absence
of Rafale fighter jets as the results could have been different if India had
these aircraft.The party also said it had neither sought proof of such strike
earlier nor is it asking for it now.“PM has himself questioned the air strikes.
He said had the Rafale jets been there (with IAF), the results would have been
different. What is the meaning of this,”Congress spokesman Manish Tewari asked
during a press conference in New Delhi.Asserting that PM should himself explain
what would have been different with Rafale jets, he held Modi responsible for
the delay in induction of French-made fighter jets into the IAF by “cancelling”
the earlier negotiations.Modi on March 2 hit out at the Opposition for doubting
the armed forces on the anti-terror air strike in Pakistan and said the country
was feeling the absence of Rafale jets as the results could have been different
if India had these aircraft. “India is feeling the absence of Rafale. Entire country
is saying in one voice today, if we had Rafale probably the result would have
been different. The country has suffered a lot due to selfish interests earlier
and now politics over Rafale,” he said at a media event.thehindu
India refuses to share proof of strikes in
Pakistan amid doubts of militant deaths:Reuters
A top Indian minister has said the government
would not share proof that “a very large number” of militants were killed in
air strikes inside Pakistan this week, after doubts were raised there were any
casualties in the attack that stoked tensions between the nuclear-armed
rivals.The flare up appeared to be easing on Saturday after Pakistan handed
back a captured Indian fighter pilot on Friday night, amid efforts by global
powers to prevent another war between the arch enemies.Finance Minister Arun
Jaitley, one of PM Narendra Modi’s top lieutenants, said “no security agencies
ever share operational details”.“It’s a very irresponsible stand,” Jaitley
said.
Social media warriors, go to front: Wife of
pilot killed in crash
Nashik:The wife of an Air Force officer who
was among the seven killed when an Mi-17 chopper crashed in Jammu and Kashmir's
Budgam last week sent out a strong message to those who are using social media
to vent their anger over India-Pakistan tension. Vijeta Mandavgane's husband,
Squadron Leader Ninad Mandavgane, was cremated with full military honours in
Maharashtra's Nashik.Vijeta Mandavgane urged social media users to show
restraint and not whip up sentiments."There is a lot happening on social
media and on TV. Media acts responsible and sometimes don't. You shout slogans.
Instead of that, if you truly want to bring about change, for my Ninad, for WC
Abhinandan and the martyrs, do a small thing. Either join the forces or make
your family members join the forces. If you can't, then at least bring about
small changes around you to help the nation. You can keep your surroundings
clean, not litter the roads, not urinate in the public, not harassing
girls," Ms Mandavgane told reporters. The message was widely shared
online.ndtv
IAF air strike: Karnataka college professor
forced to kneel, apologise for criticising BJP rhetoric
A professor at Dr PG Halakatti College of
Engineering and Technology in Karnataka’s Vijaypura district was forced to
kneel and apologise to activists of BJP and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi
Parishad on Saturday, for a Facebook post that allegedly criticised Centre for
creating war hysteria following IAF strikes in Pakistan. Professor Sandeep
Wathar also allegedly praised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Indian
Express reported on Sunday.“Who sounds more intelligent in all this?” Wathar
had said regarding India-Pakistan tensions following the Balakot strike and the
intrusion by Pakistani jets into India. “You…bhakts. You will [be] the reason
for destruction of millions of lives if this tension escalates. BJP…absolutely
zero shame.” BJP and ABVP activists have demanded that Wathar be suspended. BJP
spokesperson Vivek Reddy claimed that the posts were an attempt to break the
country’s unity and praise an enemy country.Professor has since deleted the
Facebook posts.Wathar was made to kneel and apologise. “I won’t repeat it in
future, forgive me for my Facebook post,”he is heard saying in a video.scroll.in
IAF air strike: Digvijay says Centre should
provide evidence of Indian operation in Balakot
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday said
that the Centre should provide evidence of the Indian Air Force’s strike on a
Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Pakistan’s Balakot on Feb26. “I am not questioning the
recent IAF action against Pakistan-based terrorist camps,” Singh told reporters
in Indore, according to PTI. “But pictures of any incident in open space can be
accessed through satellite technology. So we should also give evidence, the way
US government presented evidence of Osama bin Laden’s killing before the
world.”He also praised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for releasing IAF
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman from custody. “I also congratulate the
honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan for showing us a new way of
being a good neighbour and returned the brave Indian Air Force officer to us,”
Singh said. “Now he should show courage by handing over Hafiz Saeed and Masood
Azhar to us.” scroll.in
‘BJP, PM Modi using India-Pakistan tension to
hide govt’s failures’, says Mayawati
BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday alleged that BJP
and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are trying to hide their failures using the
situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the cross-border tension.“The people are
concerned over terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir as well as continuing tension
on India-Pakistan border, BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are busy using
the event to hide the failure and incompetency of his government and this is
not hidden from the public,” Mayawati tweeted. She accused BJP of indulging in
petty politics following Pulwama attack. “Worried 130 crore people have seen as
to how BJP could not desist from indulging in petty politics even at such a
time and they have now realised that country’s honour and security is not in
strong and safe hands,” she said, according to PTI.
‘BJP
ministers leaked exaggerated casualty numbers when IAF gave none,’ says
Trinamool
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien accused BJP
ministers of “leaking exaggerated numbers” to the media about the casualties in
Indian Air Force’s strikes across the Line of Control on Tuesday. He wondered
whether any statistics given by the government can be taken seriously.O’Brien
questioned the authenticity of the media’s reporting by questioning reportage
attributing numbers of casualties to “sources”. “Journalists? Or slaves to
propaganda aka sources?” he tweeted along with screenshots of TV news reports
giving various numbers of killed in the strike.O’Brien also accused Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah of playing “divisive
politics”.scroll.in
Plebiscite solution invalid for Kashmir, won't
allow it to secede from India: Chidambaram offers solution
Chennai: Congress leader P Chidambaram has ruled
out the plebiscite route for Kashmir saying the solution was offered in a
different day and age and the situation has changed since then. Amid a tussle
between the government and the opposition to use the latest stand-off with
Pakistan for political gains, Chidambaram said engaging the neighbouring
country is “very complicated” but necessary to avoid war, making a pitch for a
dialogue with Islamabad.
"Plebiscite was offered under very different conditions; please
understand that,” he was quoted by the news agency PTI as saying. At a public
event in Chennai, Chidambaram while taking questions from the audience said the
option of the plebiscite was offered to a “United Kashmir”. “Nearly one-half of
Jammu & Kashmir has been occupied by Pakistan now. The plebiscite solution
was offered to the whole of Jammu and Kashmir...now Jammu thinks differently,
Ladakh, Leh and Kargil think differently today..." the senior Congress
leader said. Times Now
Masood Azhar is alive: Jaish denies reports of
his death
After numerous speculations over
Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar's death, the outfit came out with a
statement on Sunday and denied any such report. In an interview to CNN, Foreign
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi earlier admitted that the JeM chief is in
Pakistan and is "very unwell", but said the govt can act against him
only if India presents "solid" and "inalienable" evidence
that can stand in a court of law. "He is in Pakistan, according to my
information. He is unwell to the extent that he can't leave his house, because
he's really unwell," Qureshi said. India TV News
Speculation Over Masood Azhar’s ‘Death’
Jaish-e-Mohammad was not behind Pulwama
bombing:Pakistan foreign minister
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi
has denied that Jaish-e-Mohammad had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama
bombing. In an interview with BBC, Qureshi claimed that “people known to them
[Jaish-e-Mohammad]” have contacted the terror group. “The people here, who are
known to them, have contacted Jaish leadership,” said Qureshi. The minister said,
“We’re not sure of that...The leadership when contacted said ‘no’ [they had not
claimed the attack]. They denied that.”Qureshi said that Jaish-e-Mohammad had
not claimed responsibility for the attack. scroll.in
Jamaat lauds de-escalation between India and
Pakistan, urges media to avoid war-hysteria
New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has
lauded the de-escalation between India and Pakistan after the extremely
heightened tension prevailing between the two neighboring countries. JIH
President Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari along with Vice President Nusrat Ali
and Secretary General Muhammad Salim Engineer addressed the media in its
monthly press conference here today. The JIH Secretary General of while
briefing the media said,"We appreciate the de-escalation of the situation.
We hope practical steps are taken to achieve this and an atmosphere of peace
and amity prevails between the two countries. The tension seems to have reduced
perceptibly and both the countries are exploring the process of negotiation and
dialogue. We condemn the Pulwama attack that took place on 14th February.
However we feel that the manner in which the ruling party tried to exploit the
Pulwama attack for electoral benefits is highly appalling and most political
parties have objected to it strongly”. Mr.Salim Engineer continued saying: “role
of a large section of our media especially the electronic media was highly
irresponsible when the situation between the 2 countries had become very
fragile, It looked as if TV studios had turned into war rooms. The media had
created a climate of war mongering and mass hysteria, trying its best to push
the country into a war with its neighbor. The debates, discussions and news
emanating from the TV rooms had become tools for incitement and
propaganda.”Answering a query,Maulana Umari said: “Jamaat-e-Islami Hind feels
that the ban on an organization in J&K by the name of Jamaat e Islami Jammu
and Kashmir (JIJK) and arrest of its leadership and members is completely wrong
and an unwise step. JIJK is active in the fields of education, social
reformation, welfare and charity. We feel that the government must withdraw its
ban on JIJK considering its aforesaid role in the state. This step will send a
clear and positive message to the people of J&K”. newsdigestdaily.in
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind lauds de-escalation
between India and Pakistan,urges media to avoid war-hysteria
Muslims condemn Arnab’s Republic TV for
calling Maulana Umari Commander in Chief
New Delhi: Anger prevails among Muslim
community after the Republic TV of Arnab Goswami made a nefarious attempt to list
President Jamat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Jalaluddin Umari among terrorists by
calling him Commander in Chief of Jamat-e-Islami, Kashmir.It must be noted that
keeping in view the situation in Kashmir following Pulwama attack, the
government of India has put a ban on Jamat-e-Islami Kashmir but Jamat-e-Islami
Hind has nothing to do with the said organisation. However, Republic TV created
confusion by reporting such fake news. As reported by the Inquilab, in another
reprehensible move, CNN News 18 while showing shots of the property of Masood
Azhar of Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) also showed the video of Masjid-e-Haram, Masjid
Nabawi and Masjid-e-Aqsa, the three holiest places of Muslims; thus hurting the
sentiments of Muslims.This is all done to polarise the situation. It is not out
of place to mention here that, father of Republic TV Chief Arnab Goswami is the
leader of BJP and the channel is funded by BJP members. No wonder it is using
cheap tactics to tarnish the image of Muslims of the country.Meanwhile, Muslim
leaders have called for legal action against Republic TV which is trying to
defame Muslims by airing false news.siasat
JK Jamaat leaders arrested,dozen assets sealed in Jammu
Jammu: 3 prominent leaders of the recently banned Jamaat-e-Islami
J&K(JeI) were arrested and nearly a dozen assets sealed during raids across
six districts of Jammu province, police said Sunday.The day-long raids on the
offices and houses of JeI leaders and activists were conducted in Kishtwar,
Doda, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts Saturday, during which a
large quantity of incriminating documents were seized for scrutiny, a police
officer said.He said at least 6 bank accounts linked to the group have been
identified and the banks concerned directed to immediately freeze them. Top
leaders of the organisation along with over 150 activists were arrested in Kashmir
Valley, where the group has a large presence, last week.Mohammad Majeed Sheikh,
Mohammad Iqbal Naik and Ghulam Qadir Bhat were arrested from Kishtwar district,
where another Jamaat leader, Ghulam Nabi Gundana, was put under house arrest as
he had undergone surgery recently, officer said. He said 2 Jamaat activists,
who were detained in Doda, were later released after questioning.All schools
run by JeI in the districts were searched during the raids on Saturday, the
officer said adding these schools were not sealed but are being kept under
surveillance. Meanwhile, vice president of state Congress and ex minister GM
Saroori voiced his resentment against the crackdown on JeI and said the action
against the group is against the democratic set up of the country.“Jamaat is
not a terrorist organisation… It is running over 300 schools in the state for
six decades and providing employment to thousands of educated youth,” Saroori,
who hails from Kishtwar district, said.He said the action against the religious
organisation seems “politically motivated” in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha
election. “If govt has any proof against Jamaat, it should make it public. The
action against anyone involved in terrorism or waging war against the country
is justified but banning a group which is involved in religious preaching and
believes in Islamic ideology is against the democratic values,” he said.PTI
J&K Jamaat Workers' Properties Sealed In
Kashmir
Srinagar: Days after the centre banned Jamaat-e-Islami J&K (JeI),
houses of dozens of workers and leaders of the group have been sealed by
authorities at several locations across the Kashmir valley. Magistrates issued
orders of sealing all institutions and properties linked to the JeI. Meanwhile,
NIA over the last 5 days, raided seven locations, including on the houses of
separatists like Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, in connection with cases related to
funding and separatist groups in J&K. NIA claimed that it found
"high-tech internet communication setup" from the residence of
Mirwaiz.NDTV
Omar Abdullah asks govt to review ban on J&K Jamaat, says it’s
having major social impact
Srinagar: Omar Abdullah Sunday said the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami
J&K “is having a major social impact” in Kashmir and appealed to the
government to “urgently review” its decision to seal schools and mosques run by
it.“The politico-religious role of the Jamaat (JeI) is one aspect but there is
also the social aspect. The recent ban is having a major social impact which
isn’t being taken into consideration,” Omar wrote on Twitter.He said people
were being “turned away from mosques” where they usually congregate for prayers
and schools with tens of thousands of students and employing thousands of
teachers were being “sealed”.“There is nothing to suggest (that) sealing
mosques will improve the security environment. Sealing schools risks forcing so
many young kids out on the streets rather than studying to make a future for
themselves,” he said.Omar said that while the government may take some time to
review the need to ban the organisation, “there is a need to urgently review
the ban on schools and the sealing of mosques”. Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (KCCI) also opposed the ban on the Jamaat.“The ban is part of a
provocative and motivated crusade against a particular community. Political
advantage is being extracted out of the prevailing hostile situation by
creating deep divisions amongst sections of the society,” a KCCI spokesman said.“The
onus is on the government to start explaining to the public the compulsions
justifying targeting of religious institutions belonging to a particular
community. Sealing of residential houses and schools violates basic principles
of humanity and demonstrates the desperation of people after global rejection
of their politics of hate, communalism and pernicious designed propaganda,”KCCI
spokesman said.indianexpress
Kashmiri Leaders Oppose Decision to Ban
J&K Jamaat
Kashmir: Kashmiri Leaders like ex J&K CM
Mehbooba Mufti and bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal opposed Modi govt’s
decision to ban a non-violent Islamic group Jamaat-e-Islami J&K.“JeI is
involved in anti-national and subversive activities in the country intended to
cause disaffection,” said the notification released by the government. The ban
came after the crackdown on the Jamaat cadres arresting JeI chief Abdul Hamid
Fayaz and other senior leaders. Terming it ‘another example of high
handednesses’, PDP chief Mufti condemned the move of Modi government. She said
“Democracy is a battle of ideas, crackdown followed by banning of Jammat is
condemnable, another example of high handedness and muscular approach of GOI to
deal with political issue of J&K”.She also targeted the Modi government for
giving free hand Hindu radicalized group but banning an Islamic group that
tirelessly works for Kashmiris. She said “Why is GoI so uncomfortable with
Jamaat? Radicalized Hindu groups representing fringe elements are given carte
blanche to spread misinformation & vitiate the atmosphere. But an org that
has worked tirelessly for Kashmiris is banned. Is being anti BJP anti national
now?” The ban on JeI was also opposed by IAS Topper Shah Faesal.caravandaily
Ban on Jamaat-e-Islami: MHA gives J&K
Governor powers to order seizure of funds, assets
Ban on Jamat-e-Islami 'unacceptable', says
Kashmir Traders Association
OIC resolution condemns ‘Indian terrorism’ and
‘mass blindings’ in Kashmir
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has
adopted a resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, condemning the “atrocities and human
rights violations” in the state. This came a day after India’s External Affairs
Minister Sushma Swaraj urged the organisation to come together to fight global
menace of terrorism and extremism.The resolution on Kashmir had phrases such as
“mass blindings” – referring to the use of pellet guns by security forces on
protesting youth, and references to “Indian terrorism” in the state, The Hindu
reported. It also said the group “condemns the trend of unprecedented
escalation of ceasefire violations by Indian occupation forces”. The
recommendations included an appeal to members of the OIC to mobilise funds for
“humanitarian assistance to the Kashmiri people”.In response, India issued a
statement saying that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country, and
the matter is “strictly internal to India”. UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh
Abdullah said the group had sent a “very clear and positive sign to India”. However,
the resolution on Kashmir was kept out of main negotiated document, Abu Dhabi
Declaration. Indian Express, citing sources, said that resolutions such as the
one on Kashmir “are based on country proposals and are not negotiated
documents”./scroll.in
OIC: Sushma says Muslims in India microcosm of
its diversity, not influenced by extremist ideology
Abu Dhabi:External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj has told the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference that
Muslims in India were a microcosm of its diversity and very few of them have
fallen prey to the poisonous propaganda of radical and extremist ideologies.
Addressing the plenary of the conference as a “Guest of Honour”, a first for
India, she referred to India’ strong bonds with several member countries of OIC
including Bangladesh, Maldives and Afghanistan which are in its neighbourhood.,
IANS
‘Israel’
Playing Major Role in Ino-Pak Conflict: UK Analyst
A prominent British columnist has argued that
Israel’s warming relations with India has contributed to the escalating
tensions between India and Pakistan amid fears of an all-out conflict between
the two nuclear-armed rivals.Robert Fisk, the senior analyst writing for The
Independent, said in an article that ‘Israel’ was desperately seeking to
capitalize on the anti-Muslim sentiment among the Hindu nationalists in India
to sell more arms and weapons to New Delhi.Fisk said the recent escalation
between India and Pakistan is in fact a product of growing Israeli influence in
New Delhi, saying Israel’s fingerprints are visible all over the conflict.Fisk
said the Indian army’s use of Israeli-made Rafael Spice-2000 “smart bombs” in
its attack on militant positions inside Pakistan was a clear proof that the
regime in the occupied Palestinian territories was benefiting from the
conflict.“Well, don’t let the idea fade away. Two thousand five hundred miles
separate the Israeli ministry of defense in Tel Aviv from the Indian ministry
of defense in New Delhi,” wrote Fisk in his commentary, adding, “but there’s a
reason why the usual cliché-stricken agency dispatches sound so similar.”Fisk,
an award-winning journalist and writer, said that ‘Israel’ was trying to capitalize
on the growing power of the right-wing nationalist government of Indian PM
Narendra Modi by pretending that the two governments are both under attacks by
Muslims.Fisk said India was Israel’s largest arms client in 2017, paying $700
million for Israeli air defense. He said ‘Israel’ ensured the Indian government
about the lethal force of its weapons by providing evidences of their use in
Palestine and in Syria.Press TV
Israel is playing a big role in India’s
escalating conflict with Pakistan: Robert Fisk, The Independent
Over 600 citizens appeal for peace and reason
as India-Pakistan tensions escalate
Several activists, journalists, public
servants and citizens has expressed concern at the escalating tensions between
India and Pakistan and the “climate of intolerance” around it. They urged both
governments to refrain from further hostilities.The petition, called “Appeal
for Reason”, was signed by more than 600 citizens, including ex Chief Justice
of Delhi High Court AP Shah, writers Amitava Ghosh and Mukul Kesavan, activists
Aruna Roy, Bela Bhatia, Bezwada Wilson, Harsh Mander, Jean Dreze, Agnivesh and
Stan Swamy, lawyer Indira Jaising, Gujarat legislator Jignesh Mevani and former
Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung.scroll.in
J-K: 400 additional bunkers sanctioned for
border residents in Poonch and Rajouri
Jammu :The administration sanctioned
additional 400 individual bunkers for the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri
which witnessed intense shelling from Pakistani troops over the past five
days.“In view of the heightened cross-border shelling, govt has sanctioned
additional 200 individual bunkers each for Poonch and Rajouri districts,” an
official spokesman said.PTI
J&K: 2 suspected militants, one CRPF jawan
killed on third day of Handwara encounter
Indian security forces killed two suspected
militants in north Kashmir’s Handwara on Sunday, the third day of the gunfight.
A jawan was also killed in the gunfight, Greater Kashmir reported. On Friday, a
civilian and 4 jawans had been killed in encounter.IG SP Pani told ANI that the
operation is almost over and a final search is under way. “We have recovered 2
bodies of terrorists, their identities are being ascertained,” Pani said. “The
reason for prolonged operation is the tough terrain along with a heavy civilian
population.”As many as 11 security men including a CRPF officer have been
injured in the battle.“This operation posed considerable difficulties to the
security forces due to the topography of the area,” the statement said. “Area
where the terrorists were hiding was very congested and civilians in the
adjoining houses had to be evacuated to the safer places away from the site of
encounter.”scroll.in
Don't make it Hindu vs Muslim; people of
J&K united in favour of Article 35A: Ghulam Nabi
Jammu: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad
on Saturday voiced support for Article 35A that gives special rights and
privileges to the citizens of J&K."The people of Jammu, Ladakh and
Kashmir are united in favour of continuation of the constitutional
provision.... Don't make it an issue of one region or Hindus versus Muslims.
All the three regions are united," Azad said."The abrogation of the
article will bring more harm to Jammu and Ladakh as people are ready to buy the
land in the two peaceful regions," Congress general secretary said.PTI
Security agencies debrief Abhinandan
New Delhi:Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman
on March 3 underwent debriefings by security agencies even as his medical checkup
continued for the second day at a military hospital in New Delhi, officials
said.A number of senior IAF officials also met Wg. Cmdr. Varthaman who was
brought to Delhi after he returned to India from Pakistan through the
Attari-Wagah border late on March 1.Wg. Cmdr. Varthaman was debriefed by the
security agencies and it will continue for the next couple of days. He also
underwent several medical tests as part of a cooling down process, the
officials said. “The efforts have been to ensure that he returns to the cockpit
soon,” a military official said.PTI
Ex-IAS officer Shah Faesal recommends Nobel
Peace Prize for Imran Khan, draws flak
As petition to nominate Pakistan PM Imran Khan
became viral, a recent post by former Indian Civil Service officer Shah Faesal
praising Imran Khan's conduct during the India-Pakistan standoff has drawn flak
on social media.A resolution was submitted in the Pakistan Parliament on
Saturday to endorse Prime Minister Imran Khan for the prestigious Nobel Peace
Prize. Information minister Fawad Chaudhry submitted the resolution in the
secretariat of National Assembly, the lower house. The resolution stated that
Imran's decision to release Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan
Varthaman has de-escalated hostilities between Pakistan and India, which made
Pakistan PM Nobel-worthy.Amidst the chaos on social media about the ongoing
crisis, ex-IAS officer Shah Faesal's post has been received in a bad light by
the netizens. 35-year-old wrote on Facebook that Imran Khan deserves the Nobel
Peace Prize for saving South Asia from a Nuclear catastrophe. newindianexpress
Soldiers from Assam village fight a bitter
battle to prove citizenship
Guwahati: Indian Army, CRPF and BSF have never
had a problem counting these soldiers as their own and deploying them to
protect the country’s borders from the frozen reaches of the Siachen glacier to
militancy hit Kashmir or to combat home-grown insurgents. But these
battle-hardened men from a western Assam village have struggled for years to
overcome a bigger threat back at home — a system that continues to doubt their
citizenship. Barpeta district’s Saru Harid, about 145 km west of Guwahati, is
often referred to as a village of ‘faujis’. At least half a dozen youth from
the village of some 6,000 people, most of whom are Muslims, join the security
forces every year.But that has not stopped the local administration,
particularly the State’s Border Police, from suspecting them to be foreigners
and asking them to prove their citizenship.The irony does not escape farmer
Ratul Ali, whose brothers are among at least 7 serving soldiers or paramilitary
personnel from Saru Harid labelled foreigners since 2003.thehindu
Days After Tragedy, Retired CRPF Soldiers March
In Capital For Pensions: ndtv
New Delhi: Hundreds of retired paramilitary
personnel from across the country on Sunday held a protest at Delhi's Jantar
Mantar to demand One Rank One Pension (OROP) for all servicemen that will
provide the same pension for the same rank, for the same length of service,
irrespective of the date of retirement. The protest comes just weeks after 40
CRPF men were killed in Pulwama. Several others have been killed since then in
encounters with terrorists."If an Army man dies, his family gets his
salary till the time he would have ideally served and his full pension also
after that. But the family of a CRPF soldier who loses his life doesn't get
that,"65-year-old Mohammad Sher of J&K, who served as a constable in
CRPF for 26 years said."We should also get martyr status," he added.
SC Might Hear Rafale Review Petitions On 6th
March
The 3 Judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed
by CJI Ranjan Gogoi is likely to hear the review petitions filed in Rafale case
on 6th March.This bench, also comprising of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM
Joseph would sit after the proceedings of CJI headed 5 judge constitution bench
in Ayodhya case gets over. Ayodhya case is posted on 6th March for the limited
purpose of passing orders on reference of the dispute to a Court appointed
mediation process. As this might not take much time, it is most likely that the
three judge bench will hear the review petitions in Rafale cases.Last week,
when these review petitions filed by former ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun
Shourie, Advocate Prashant Bhushan and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, were
taken up in CJI's Chamber, the judges had decided it to give an open court
hearing. Along with the review petitions, the Court will also hear the
correction petition filed by Central Govt, and also the petition filed for
initiating perjury proceedings against officials who allegedly misled the Court
by submitting false information in the notes submitted to the Court.livelaw.in
Centre approves NIA’s proposal to set up
research cell on Islamic State
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said govt
had approved a proposal of the National Investigation Agency to open a research
cell on the Islamic State terror outfit, PTI reported. Singh said 100 new posts
have been created in the probe agency for effective investigation and
supervision.“Terror funding is a big factor in promoting terrorism,” said Singh
in Hyderabad. “The way NIA performed its role, the result is that there has
been a decline in terror funding compared to earlier,” Singh said here.“We have
also given approval to the NIA to set up a research cell on ISIS,” Singh said.
“The conviction rate of NIA is 92%. It’s a matter of pride for all
us.”scroll.in
Constitution knowledge made essential for
Qazis: AIMPLB
Lucknow: With triple talaq issue making part
of the poll narrative, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided
that qazis at Shariat courts (Darul Qaza) be imparted lessons on Indian
Constitution to ensure their knowledge on the provisions meant for the minority
community.The decision of AIMPLB is being seen in the perspective of the new
triple talaq rules. The triple talaq
victims often complain that Darul Qazas don’t lend them a judicious ear. They
opine that a new law is needed to
protect them against the divorce and also domestic violence perpetrated by the
in-laws as the AIMPLB claims that Shariat court is
competent enough to deal with such issues.AIMPLB member Khalid Rasheed Farangi
Mahali said that some people from the community had been defaming the sharia
courts. “Darul Qaza work very much within the constitutional framework. Most of
the issues that are brought to Darul Qaza are solved without hassle,” he
said.The Muslim body feels that apart from Islamic knowledge, the qazis should
also be aware of the various articles related to their community in the
Constitution. They have also decided that the words ‘adaalat’ and ‘court’ will
no longer be used to refer to Darul Qaza.“Qazis appointed in the Darul Qaza
will now be trained in the knowledge of Articles of Indian constitution
especially those related to the rights of Muslims. Darul Qaza has nothing to do
with the judicial system of the country,” said senior lawyer and member AIMPLB
Zafaryab Jilani.newindianexpress
5 charged with Bulandshahr cop’s murder,
saffron outfit leaders face lesser charges
A SIT probing last Dec’s violence in Syana
(Bulandshahr) in UP and the killing of a police inspector filed a charge sheet
on Saturday in a local court naming five men for the murder and 33 others
including Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj, BJP leader Shikhar Agarwal and VHP
leader Upendra Raghav for inciting violence and arson.The SIT submitted a
3,400-page case diary and 103-page charge sheet against the 38 accused in the
court of Bulandshahar CJM.SP Atul Kumar Srivastava said Prashant Natt, Rahul,
David, Johny and Lokendra were guilty of killing inspector Subodh Kumar Singh
of Syana police station while he was trying to pacify the angry mob, near
Chingrawathi village, after an incident of cow slaughter in the night of Dec.2
last year.Srivastava said the 33 other accused, including Yogesh Raj, Shikhar
Agarwal, Upendra Raghav and armyman named Jeetu have been charged for attempt
to murder, inciting violence, arson, damaging public property
etc.“Investigation against one accused, who is jail, was still underway,” said
Srivastava adding that NBW had been issued against five other accused who are
still at large.HT
11 Muslims Acquitted 25 Years After Being
Charged Under Anti-Terrorism Law
New Delhi: A Nashik court has acquitted 11
Muslim men nearly 25 years after they were first charged and arrested under the
now-repealed TADA.According to an Urdu daily, citing a lack of evidence and
violation of the TADA guidelines, Justice S.C. Khati of Nashik’s Special TADA
Court ordered their acquittal on Feb.27.Socio-religious NGO Jamiat Ulema had
provided legal assistance to the 11 men: Jameel Ahmed Abdullah Khan, Mohammed
Yunus Mohammed Ishaq, Farooque Nazir Khan, Yusuf Gulab Khan, Ayyub Ismail Khan,
Waseemuddin Shamsuddin, Shaikha Shafi Shaikh Azeez, Ashfaq Syed Murtuza Meer,
Mumtaz Syed Murtuza Meer, Haroon Mohammed Bafati and Moulana Abdul Qader
Habibi.11, according to The Siasat Daily, were arrested from different parts of
the country on May 28, 1994 and charged under section 120 (B) and 153 of IPC
and Section 3(3)(4)(5) and Section 4(1)(4) of TADA Act for allegedly conspiring
to avenge the December 1992 Babri Masjid demolition and obtaining terror
training. As per a July 2018 Hindustan Times report, 11 accused include a
doctor and an electronics engineer. They were alleged to have conspired to bomb
a railway station and a power plant in Maharashtra’s Bhusawal. After being
taken into custody in May 1994, the accused were granted bail within months.
The case then got stuck due to doubts over the applicability of TADA against
the accused. Gulzar Azmi, in-charge of Jamiat Ulema legal cell, was quoted as
saying: “Justice has not been denied but these men have lost so many years of
their precious life. Who is responsible for this? Will the government pay for
their loss and return their dignity? The families of these men have also
suffered a lot while some members of their families have also died.” the wire
Gujarat Police Accused of Filing FIR against
Victims after Muslims’ Homes Burnt Down in Khambat
Gujarat: A group of people pelted stones and
burnt down the homes of Muslims living in Khambat’s Akbarpura area on 24 Feb.
The incident charged the area with communal animosity. Acting on the incident,
the police filed an FIR against 52 people of which 35 are Muslims. “People who
lost their homes and were victims of violence have been named in FIR. This
phenomenon is not new. Following riots in Vadavali, Patan in 2017, cases were
filed against Muslims,” Advocate Shamsad Pathan, Who is also the convener of
Alpsankhyak Adhikar Manch, was quoted by News Click as saying. “Interestingly,
role of an outfit named Sriram Sena formed about 3 years ago in Khambat is
being played down,” he said.Informing about the cases registered against the
people, Govind Patil, investigator officer, said “A total of 52 persons have
been identified in FIR, and 800 to 900 people have been booked. Of the 52
identified, 27 have been arrested, while the rest are absconding. Combing
operations are underway, and more arrests will be done soon”. Caravandaily
Lok Sabha polls 2019: AAP declares candidates
for 6 of 7 seats in Delhi, says no tie-up with Congress
New Delhi: AAP has announced names of its
candidates for 6 of 7 Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. The announcement was made by
Delhi AAP convenor Gopal Rai, who also said that the party will not be entering
into an alliance with the Congress.While Atishi Marlena has been nominated to
contest from East Delhi, Guggan Singh will contest from Northwest Delhi. AAP
political affairs committee member Raghav Chadha will contest from South Delhi,while
Pankaj Gupta has been nominated to contest from the Chandni Chowk seat. Dilip
Pandey and Brijesh Goyal will contest from Northeast Delhi and New Delhi seats
respectively.The party has not yet decided who will contest from the West Delhi
seat.HT
Whoever speaks against PM faces I-T, ED raids:
Naidu
AP CM Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday alleged that
whoever speaks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces ED and Income Tax
(IT) raids."Whoever speaks against Narendra Modi faces IT and ED raids. We
will not be afraid of all these acts. We will fight for justice until we
achieve it. I am speaking on behalf of 5 crore people. I will not tolerate any
injustice to Telugus residing in any part of the world," he said.ANI
Trump says India charges US ‘very high tariff’
on exports, reiterates call for reciprocal tax
US President Donald Trump has claimed that
India charges America very high tariffs on exports, and called for a reciprocal
tax. “India is a very high-tariff nation. They charge us a lot,” he said in an
address to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC, PTI
reported. Trump once again cited the export of Harley Davidson motorbikes to
India as an example. “When we send a motorcycle to India, it’s a 100% tariff,” he
claimed. “We brilliantly charge them nothing. So, I want a reciprocal tax or at
least, I want to charge a tax. It’s called the mirror tax, but it’s
reciprocal.”scroll.in/PTI
WORLD
US downgrade of Palestinian mission to 'take
effect on Monday'
US is expected to move ahead with a downgrade
of its mission to the Palestinians on Monday by merging its Jerusalem consulate
with the embassy to Israel, a US official has said.US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo on Saturday said the announcement to merge the two offices in October was
intended to improve "efficiency and effectiveness" and did not
constitute a change in policy.But Palestinian leaders have seen the decision as
yet another move against them by US President Donald Trump's administration,
which they froze contact with after his 2017 decision recognising Jerusalem as
Israel's capital.A date for the merger of the consulate into the embassy had
not been announced, but a State Department official told AFP on condition of
anonymity that it "is expected to take place on March 4".The
Jerusalem consulate general, which has acted independently as a de facto
embassy to the Palestinians since the Oslo accords of the 1990s, will be
replaced by a new Palestinian affairs unit within the embassy.PLO
Secretary-General Saeb Erekat said at the time of the announcement last year:
"It [merger] has nothing to do with efficiency and a lot to do with
pleasing an ideological US team that is willing to disband the foundations of
the international system."aljazeera
Israel bans Waqf officials from Aqsa amid
tension
Jerusalem :Israeli police have banned two top
religious officials from entering East Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque,
according to a Palestinian official on Sunday. "Sheikh Abdul Azi Salhab,
the head of the Muslim Waqf (Endowment) Council in Jerusalem, was banned from
entering the mosque compound for 40 days," Firas al-Dibs, a spokesman for
the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, a Jordan-run organization responsible for
overseeing the city’s Islamic and Christian sites, said. He said Sheikh Najeh
Bkerat, the deputy director of Muslim Endowments and Al-Aqsa Affairs, was also
banned from the holy site for four months. Israeli police also banned a mosque
guard from entering the holy site for a six-month period, the spokesman said.
Israeli ban has drawn fire from Jordan's Awqaf Ministry, which described the
move as an "intimidation". "This is an intimidation of the Awqaf
Council members…and a direct targeting of the Hashemite (Jordanian)
guardianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites," the ministry said.
Anadolu
Arab parliamentarians meet in Amman for
Jerusalem
Amman :An inter-Arab parliamentary conference
kicked off in Amman on Sunday with a view to drawing support to the holy city
of Jerusalem."Main topic of our conference is Jerusalem after US decision
that undermined all human principles," Ali Abdelal, head of the Arab
Parliamentary Union, told the opening session.
In late 2017,US administration unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as the
capital of Israel, triggering world outcry. "This reckless decision…has run
counter to all principles of international law and is legally invalid,"
said Abdelal, speaker of the Egyptian parliament. Atef Tarawneh, Speaker of Jordanian
parliament, called for rallying Arab efforts with a view to activating the
joint Arab action. Anadolu Agency
Top Palestinian official hails UNRWA
Palestinian refugees’ lives are better thanks
to UN agency to help Palestinians, said Riyad Al-Maliki, Palestine’s foreign
minister.Speaking at a UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees
(UNRWA) event hosted in Istanbul, Turkey’s commercial capital, Maliki thanked
Afghanistan for their $1 million donation for Palestinian refugees.He also
hailed the UNRWA’s support, saying the agency provides for the basic needs of
Palestinian refugees such as education and food.“The UNWRA is successfully carrying
out a very demanding task today. Great results have been achieved. The efforts
made last year are very important,” he said.AA
British Labour Party head calls for UK to
condemn Israel’s targeting of Palestinians
Head of British Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn has
called for the UK govt to condemn Israel’s killing of Palestinians as well as
to freeze arms sales to the occupation state.His remarks came in the wake of a
UN report which found that Israel might have committed war crimes against
Palestinians. Corbyn said: “UN says Israel’s killings of demonstrators in Gaza
– including children, paramedics and journalists – may constitute ‘war crimes
or crimes against humanity’”.“Govt must unequivocally condemn killings and
freeze arms sales to Israel.”MEMO
Netanyahu: Israel, Russia to cooperate on
foreign troop exit from Syria
Israel and Russia will work together on
securing an exit of foreign forces from Syria, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu
said on Sunday after visiting Moscow to advocate against the Iranian presence
in the country.As Syrian President Bashar al-Assad beats back an 8-year-old
insurgency, Israel worries that his reinforcements from Iran and Tehran-backed
Lebanese militia Hezbollah will stay on to form a new front against it.Israel
has carried out hundreds of strikes against suspected Iranian and Hezbollah
targets in Syria. middleeastmonitor
US-Taliban negotiations in Qatar enter fifth
day
Negotiations between the Taliban and the US
officials in Qatar entered fifth day in an attempt to end the 17-year war in
Afghanistan.The talks mark the highest level negotiations between the two sides
since US ramped up peace efforts last year.Cofounder of the Taliban, Mullah
Abdul Ghani Baradar, has joined the talks as the new head of the Taliban team.
He met the US special representative, Zalmay Khalilzad, for the first time on
Monday.Since then, the two men and their respective delegations have been
working to hammer out details of a framework agreement reached in six days of
negotiations in Doha in Jan."We have two core issues. The withdrawal of
all foreign forces from Afghanistan is a core issue for us. And a core issue
for the American side is that the soil of Afghanistan should not be used
against the Americans and against its allies," said Taliban spokesman
Suhail Shaheen as talks entered a second day on Tuesday. US has also been asking for a Taliban
ceasefire. "If we do not reach a solution in this round of talks, then we
will in the next round of talks, but that is our target," Shaheen said. In
the latest round of talks, working groups are trying to find formulas that work
for both sides.Meanwhile,Taliban continues with its offensives in Afghanistan,
despite the talks.Taliban fighters killed at least 23 Afghan security forces in
an attack on Friday on Camp Shorab, a sprawling military base in Helmand
province. In northern Sari Pul province, Taliban ambushed a convoy of Afghan
security forces, killing 9, said spokesman for governor.aljazeera
Egyptian military court upholds jail sentence
of former anti-corruption chief
An Egyptian military court has rejected an
appeal made by Egypt’s former anti-corruption chief and an opposition figure
against a 5-year prison sentence for spreading false news harmful to the
military, Reuters reported his lawyer as saying on Sunday.Shortly before his
arrest Hisham Genena had served on the campaign team of former military chief
of staff Sami Anan, who was planning to run as an independent candidate against
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in March 2018 elections. But Anan’s presidential
bid was cut short in when the military arrested him in January 2018 for
allegedly running without permission.Genena was arrested a month later after he
told HuffPost Arabi news website that Anan possessed documents that were
damning of senior Egyptian officials.MEMO
Jailed exEgypt MP Beltagy’s health
deteriorating: Family
The health of Muslim Brotherhood leader
Mohamed al-Beltagy, who was jailed after Egypt’s 2013 military coup, has
recently deteriorated, members of his family said. “For the third year in a
row, we have been prohibited from visiting him in Cairo’s Al-Aqrab Prison,” the
family said.“We recently learned of his deteriorating health condition,” the
statement read. “He has suffered a stroke inside prison.”“We hold the Egyptian
regime, the Interior Ministry, the Prison Service and the attorney-general
responsible for his safety,” it added. The family goes on to demand
al-Beltagy’s "immediate" transfer to a hospital for the necessary
treatment. Anadolu Agency
US: Anti-Muslim signs at West Virginia Capitol
roil state, draw outrage
West Virginia : An anti-Muslim poster outside
the West Virginia House of Delegates chamber falsely connecting a freshman
congresswoman to the Sept. 11 attacks has drawn strong rebukes from local and
national lawmakers, while causing the resignation of a Capitol staffer and the
reported injury of another.The sign, which loomed over a table loaded with
other Islamophobic flyers on a “WV GOP Day” at the legislature Friday, bore an
image of the burning World Trade Center juxtaposed with a picture of US Rep.
Ilhan Omar, one of the first Muslim congresswomen ever elected.“‘Never forget’
— You said,” was written over the Twin Towers. On Omar’s picture, a caption
read, “I am the proof you have forgotten.”“No wonder why I am on the “Hitlist”
of a domestic terrorist and “Assassinate Ilhan Omar” is written on my local gas
stations,” Omar wrote on Twitter as the images went viral. AP
Flash: views &
NEWS
It’s Advantage Modi, But Poll Results Far from
Being Sealed in Favour of BJP — Amulya Ganguli
From Pulwama until Abhinandan's Return, Where
All Has Narendra Modi Been?thewire
‘Crackdown on Jamaat Will Only Increase Its
Social Significance’:AZAAN JAVAID
Ban on Jamaat-e-Islami is an attack on ‘Middle
ground’ in Kashmir, say experts
As fear of war grips Kashmir, its largest
English daily will no longer get state ads:Hilal Mir
What Modi says about ‘pilot projects’ – and what
it says about his record on terrorism/LManoj Joshi
‘Biggest sign of statist control is that no
businessman will speak out against govt. It’s different in the US’
While RSS has maintained a radio silence in
this regard, common people are beginning to question the timing of the
attacks:Sujata Anandan
Hiring Muslims in China to detain more Muslims:
NYT
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