NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
03 April 2019: 26 Rajab 1440:Vol: 11, No:167
INDIA
Hindus feature on NIA's most wanted terror
accused list
New Delhi:PM Narendra Modi's remarks on Hindus never
indulging in terror activities don't match the claims of NIA - country's
federal anti terror probe body.NIA website has a section for 'most wanted' in
terror related cases and this includes accused from various religions, be it
Hindus, Muslims or Christians.When it comes to a bounty, it's some of the
Maoists or the Red rebels that exceed the amount compared to Islamic
terrorists.Maoist leader Laxman Rao alias Ganapati has the highest cash reward
of Rs 15 lakh on his head.Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange part of a
"terrorist gang" according to NIA wanted in the Samjhauta Express
train bombings and Mecca Masjid blast in Ajmer come in the second highest
category and attract a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh each along with several others
belonging to Indian Mujahideen.The Interpol has also issued a red corner notice
for both crimes involving the use of weapons and explosives, and
terrorism.Aseemanand and 3 others were recently acquitted in the Samjhauta
train blast case in which 68 people had died.Ramesh, another accused in Samjhauta
case is absconding and declared most-wanted by NIA.Another Hindu wanted in a
terror case named by NIA is Somraj Jay Prakash alias Anna wanted in a bomb
blast case of Margaon, Goa in 2009. Rudra Patil also named as an accused in the
case is absconding.The 2 have an Interpol Notice issued in their name.Braj
Kishore Giri is named in a case for planting a pressure cooker bomb at railway
tracks in Motihari, and 3 persons, Moti Lal Paswan, Umashanker Patel and Mukesh
Yadav were arrested by the Motihari Police in connection with the
case.indiatoday
US-based historian Truschke, Vardarajan, Ashutosh
Owaisi reminds Modi instances of Hindu terror
NewDelhi:Reacting sharply to ‘no Hindu terror’
statement made by PM Narendra Modi,
noted historian and academician Audrey Truschke has reminded PM of the terror
incidents carried out by Hindus at different points of time.In a series of
tweets, Truschke, who is an assistant professor at US-based Rutgers University,
mentioned assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, 2002 Gujarat pogrom and 2007
Samjhauta Express blast. Sharing the statement made by Modi published on the
front page of TOI, Truschke, who is the author of the book “Aurangzeb: The Life
and Legacy of India’s Most Controversial King,” said “India’s PM, Modi, thinks
that no Hindu, ever, has committed an act of terrorism. Hindus are about 15% of
world population, by the way, so it’s a pretty large group. A few hard facts
from the past…”.Mentioning the assassination of Gandhi, she said “Perhaps single
most well-known act of terrorism in the entire history of India is when
Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. Anyone who knows anything about Indian
history knows that a Hindu shot Gandhi. Modi knows this. Why might he want to
gloss over that? Well…”Similarly, prominent journalists Siddharth Vardarajan
and Ashutosh Gupta and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also asked PM about Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi.‘PM – who is Godse !! If not a terrorist,” asked
Ashutosh.Reacting to PM’s statement, Owaisi said “The one who killed Mahatma
Gandhi, what was he? Godse. Was he Owaisi’s brother? Who was he? Was he not a
terrorist? Speak up Modi. Who was Godse?” She also said that Hindu terrorism is
not a thing of the past. At the present time, saffron terror is being used by Hindutva
individuals and groups who commit terror activities.Terming 2002 pogrom a terror
act, Truschke said “2 high-profile cases:2002 pogrom in Gujarat and 2007
Samjhauta express bombing, to which an RSS guy confessed”.She also reminded
Modi of prosecution, intimidation, violence committed by Hindus against Muslims
of India.“Last 5 years in India have seen numerous small cases of intimidation
and violence used against Muslims in particular, by Hindus.Not infrequently,
these are caught on tape.They are more rarely prosecuted”. According to
Truschke, it is insane to say that no Hindu committed an act of terrorism. Like
Muslims and Christians, Hindus also committed the terror act. “In summary, it
is nothing short of insane to say that no Hindu has ever committed an act of
terrorism. It is just as insane as saying no Muslim or no Christian has ever
committed an act of terrorism. So why did Modi say it?”Slamming BJP for
ignoring the facts about India’s past and present, Truschke said “The world of
facts, about India’s past and present, is not kind to BJP interests. So they
leave it behind. The best hope for BJP in the current election is to run on a
platform of violence while verbally denying the ground beneath their feet and
pray that nobody notices”.caravandaily
Ex-diplomats question Abu Dhabi Crown Prince
on reports of Modi inaugurating temple during polls
Experts and former diplomats have criticised
the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and the Saudi Arabia
for pitching behind PM Narendra Modi,
calling it a dangerous game. This was after reports emerged that Modi may be
taking part in the second foundation laying ceremony of a Hindu temple
belonging to the Swami Narayan sect in Abu Dhabi on 20 April.As reported by the
Abu Dhabi govt-owned paper, Modi had taken part in the first foundation
ceremony in during his visit to the kingdom in Feb.2018, when he also launched
the project of the capital’s first Hindu temple.The latest round of foundation
ceremony comes right in the middle of the Indian elections amidst Modi making
desperate attempts to provoke India’s Hindu voters to seek a second term for
himself in office.Ex-diplomat KC Singh criticised the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
and Saudi Arabia for helping Modi extract the much-needed electoral mileage in
the elections. Singh wrote on Twitter, “News today Modi likely to inaugurate
Abu Dhabi Temple in April. Code of Conduct ? Crown princes of AbuDhabi/ SArabia
playing a dangerous game by pitching behind Modi. Foreign nations should
absolutely avoid direct/indirect interference in Indian polls.” Ambassador
Rajiv Dogra too agreed with KC Singh, advising Abu Dhabi against this visit on
the grounds that Modi will use the visit to extract the electoral advantage in
the ongoing elections. “UAE is the most liberal of Gulf monarchies and our
relationship with them is also very old. However, a visit by PM to participate
in a shilanyas in election season will throw up visuals that will be used in
the elections,” Ambassador Dogra was quoted by The Hindu.The publicity material
sent by the organisers have not yet confirmed Modi’s name as one of the guests.
There are also questions on whether Modi can take part in a religious event
abroad when the Model Code of Conduct is in effect.jantakareporter
JNU sedition case: Delhi govt seeks month’s
time to grant sanction to prosecute Kanhaiya,Umar others
Delhi govt has informed Patiala House court
that it needs a month’s time to grant sanction to prosecute ex JNU students’
union president Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a 2016 sedition case. Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate Deepak Sherawat directed AAP govt to file a “proper reply” citing a
definite time-frame, reported PTI.The court had earlier expressed displeasure
over the Delhi Police for not procuring requisite sanctions in the case and
asked the police to proceed in the matter without it.Delhi government is yet to
grant approval to prosecute Kumar and others under IPC Section 124A
(sedition).Police also charged ex JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban
Bhattacharya for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans during an
event.indianexpress
SC cancels bail granted by Delhi HC to trader Watali
in terror funding case
The Supreme Court has set aside the Delhi High
Court order granting bail to a trader from J&K, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali,
an accused in terror funding case. The NIA had moved the apex court challenging
the bail granted to the accused by Delhi HC in a terror funding case.The SC
order setting aside Watali’s bail was passed by a bench headed by Justice AM
Khanwilkar. The Delhi High Court had in September last year granted bail to
Watali, who was arrested for his alleged role in a terror-funding case. He has
been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail after his arrest in August
2017.indialegallive
Air pollution killed 1.2 million people in
India in 2017, says report; bigger killer than smoking
China and India together were responsible for
half of the total global attributable deaths from air pollution in 2017, a new
global study released Wednesday has revealed. Long-term exposure to outdoor and
indoor air pollution is estimated to have contributed to nearly 5 million
deaths in 2017, of which China and India reported 1.2 million deaths each.
China’s “major regulatory reforms appear to be driving substantial reductions
in PM2.5 exposure,” it notes.State Of Global Air report 2019, produced by the
Boston-based Health Effects Institute (HEI), noted that air pollution
collectively reduced life expectancy by 1 year and 8 months on average
worldwide, rivalling that of smoking. “This means a child born today will die
20 months sooner, on average, than would be expected in the absence of air
pollution,” SOGA2019 noted.Overall, 10 countries with highest mortality burden
attributable to air pollution in 2017 were China (1.2 million), India (1.2
million), Pakistan (128,000) Indonesia
(124,000), Bangladesh (123,000), Nigeria (114,000), US (108,000), Russia(99,000),Brazil
(66,000), and Philippines (64,000), the report states.Across the world, air
pollution is responsible for more deaths than many better-known risk factors
such as malnutrition, alcohol use and physical inactivity, states the report.
“Each year, more people die from air pollution-related disease than from road
traffic injuries or malaria,” it said.indianexpress
China hits out at US for ‘complicating’ Masood
issue
China on Wednesday hit out at US for
threatening to use “all available resources” to designate JeM chief Masood
Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’, saying Washington’s move is complicating the
issue and not conducive to peace and stability in South Asia.Chinese Foreign
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing here that China is
adopting constructive and reasonable stand on the issue to resolve it
properly.He was responding to a question about State Department spokesman’s
assertions that US will use all “available resources” to blacklist Azhar. US on
Tuesday reportedly said it will “utilise all available resources” to ensure Azhar,
was held accountable.The State Department was responding to China criticising
US, France and UK for moving a draft
resolution at UNSC as “not a constructive move” and that it “set a bad example”.On
Monday, Geng claimed “has been made to resolve the vexed issue and accused US
of scuttling its efforts.On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman
said vast majority of UNSC members believe that efforts should be made under
1267 Sanctions Committee to solve this designation through dialogue and
consultation instead of pushing the draft resolution at UNSC.“Also China has
been working hard with relevant sides and is making positive results. US knows
that very well.Under such circumstances US still insists on pushing the draft
resolution, doesn’t make any sense,” he reiterated. PTI
Pakistan could be blacklisted by FATF due to
‘lobbying by India’: Foreign Minister Qureshi
Pakistan could be blacklisted by Financial
Action Task Force (FATF) due to “lobbying by India”, Foreign Minister Shah
Mahmood Qureshi said as he estimated that the country could suffer USD 10
billion loss annually if it remains in the watchdog’s grey list.In June last
year, the Paris-based FATF had placed Pakistan on the ‘grey list’ of countries
whose domestic laws are considered weak to tackle the challenges of money
laundering and terrorism financing.“Foreign Office is calculating the annual
loss if Pakistan is pushed in the black-list by FATF as India is lobbying for
this,” Foreign Minister Qureshi told reporters at the Governor’s House here.PTI
J&K Has Banned a Third Local Daily from
Receiving Govt Ads: Kashmir Editors' Guild
Srinagar:Kashmir Editors’ Guild (KEG) has accused
J&K administration of banning yet another local daily from receiving state
advertisements, taking the number of proscribed publications to three.“KEG
regrets that while it was expecting the lifting of the ban on govt business to
two major newspapers – Greater Kashmir
and Kashmir Reader –govt has added Kashmir Uzma to the list,” said a statement
by the editors’ guild. “The ban, as usual, is unexplained and implemented
without conveying the decision to the newspaper,” it added.It said the ban is
in continuation with the onslaught that Kashmiri media has been facing since
1989.“The onslaught has led to untold miseries to the media and the shaking of
the institution’s faith in democracy,” the KEG said.PTI
UN Rights Experts Criticise India for
Deporting Rohingya Back to Myanmar
New Delhi: After the deportation of another
batch of Rohingya refugees last week, United Nations human rights experts have
called on India to stop their forced return to Myanmar in breach of
international law. 5 UN Human Rights Council experts – special rapporteur on
contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance E. Tendayi Achiume, special rapporteur on the human rights of
migrants Felipe González Morales, chair-rapporteur of the working group on
arbitrary detention Seong-Phil Hong, special rapporteur on minority issues
Fernand de Varennes and special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar Yanghee Lee – issued a statement on Tuesday on the planned deportation
of a Rohingya father and his two sons.“We are dismayed by the decision of the
Indian Government to continue forced returns of Rohingya to Myanmar, where they
face high risk of attacks, reprisals and other forms of persecution because of
their ethnic and religious identity,” said a joint statement from the experts.
They have relayed their concerns to the Indian authorities.thewire
BJP Terrifies Labourers In Village Of Muslim
Man Lynched By 'Hindutva' Goon
When Afrajul Khan’s coffin arrived at his
house, 2 neighbours wrapped their arms around Gulbahar Bibi’s waist and held
her back from falling on the body.The widow had spent the last two days
slipping in and out of consciousness and when Khan’s remains arrived, all she
wanted to do was hug him and cry.But the small crowd of women who’d gathered at
her home tried their best not to let Gulbahar touch or hug Khan’s body. It was
only later that she realised why.“When they started taking off the cloth
wrapped around him, clumps of burnt flesh came off and stuck to the
bedsheet,”Gulbahar said. She remembers screaming in horror and fainting
again.More than a year after Khan, a labourer from Malda district in West
Bengal,was hacked and burnt to death in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand town by a man
claiming to be a Hindutva ‘soldier’, his family is yet to come to terms with
his murder.Khan’s village, where the majority of men have migrated to other
states in search of work, remains fearful of what may happen if BJP gets a second
term at the centre. Jobs are hard to come by in the area, and the men who have
no option but to leave their homes keep their heads down, wary of attracting
any attention on themselves. Huffington post
Ahead of Polls, Gujarat's Muslims Have a Wish
List For Political Parties
Over last 2 decades, Hindutva forces have
succeeded in achieving communal polarisation in the laboratory of Gujarat. As Lok
Sabha polls approach, Muslims in the state have been making an effort to ensure
their safety and livelihood, while seeking rights that are constitutionally
granted to them.Over the last few days, various groups and organisations have
released charters and manifestos containing demands which specify what Muslims
in the state seek from various political parties. One such demand is enactment
of an atrocity prevention law along the lines of SC/ST (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, 1989, that make crimes against the community a non-bailable
offence.This demand has been vociferously aired by Minority Coordination
Committee Gujarat as well as Alpsankhyak Adhikar Manch.For Ikram Mirza of Jamaat-e-Islami
Hind,who also represents APCR, safety and security remain the biggest concern
as “discrimination has reached new heights”.“For example, just look at the
incident that took place at a Semeradi village in Amreli district a few weeks
ago.When police had gone to nab an alleged criminal, a constable was injured in
a scuffle.Police then retaliated by targeting entire village, which has 45
Muslim families. 28 vehicles carrying policemen ransacked houses, breaking
things and even destroying their stores of water.It is plain harassment in the
name of law and order,”he said.thewire
MIM Stood by Hindu Women Abandoned by
Husbands: Owaisi
MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said
his party stood by Hindu women who were abandoned by their husbands."Majlis
stood by our Hindu sisters who are victim to the cruel social evil of
abandonment without divorce," tweeted Owaisi.His comments came a day after
PM Narendra Modi raked up the issue of triple talaq at an election rally in
Hyderabad.Modi told the rally that he had to face criticism for bringing a bill
in Parliament to protect the country's "sisters and daughters" from
the "repressive tradition" of triple talaq. Asaduddin and his younger
brother Akbaruddin also hit back at Modi for calling MIM a 'big speed-breaker'
in the development of the old city of Hyderabad.IANS
WPI fields its President in Jangipur of West
Bengal
Kolkata:The Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency in
West Bengal is going to be one of the prime constituencies in the coming Lok
Sabha elections in the state. Except Congress which holds the seat, three other
leading parties, including BJP, have fielded Muslim candidates for the seat
represented by former President of India Pranab Mukherjee for 2 terms.Welfare
Party of India, one of the smaller parties that contested the seat in 2014
also, has this time fielded its national president SQR Ilyas. Ilyas has filed
his nomination papers in Jangipur. Congress, which has been winning the seat
since 2004 without any break, has fielded its sitting MP and Mukherjee’s son
Abhijit Mukherjee.Ex-President Mukherjee had won the seat in 2004 and 2009.
When he became President in 2012, Congress fielded his son Abhijit and won the
seat. Abhijit won it again in 2014 but with a narrow margin of 8,000 votes.To
fight against Abhijit of Congress, CPI-M has fielded Zulfikar Ali and ruling Trinamool
Congress has fielded Khalilur Rehman. Interestingly, BJP has also fielded a
Muslim candidate -- Mahfuza Khatun. Khatun, ex CPI-M MLA, had recently joined
BJP.The polling for Jangipur seat will be held in the 3rd phase on 23rd
April.Jangipur falls in the district of Murshidabad where Muslims comprise
about 67% of the population as per Census 2011.India Tomorrow
EC seeks report on NaMo TV, I&B ministry
says channel an advertorial platform
The ministry of information and broadcasting
has told the Election Commission that NaMo TV is not a licenced channel but a
direct-to-home advertisement platform. Election Commission had taken notice of
the launch of NaMo TV ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and sought a report from
ministry of I&B.In its reply to the EC, I&B ministry said the party
[BJP] is incurring cost of the advertisements, sources said.NaMo TV, a 24-hour
TV channel broadcasting PM Narendra
Modi's election campaigns, was launched on March 31.indiatoday
Narendra Modi is a terrorist:Chandrababu Naidu
Chittoor:A day after PM Narendra Modi compared AP CM to blockbuster "Baahubali" movie's
primary antagonist Bhallala Deva, Naidu retorted by calling PM a terrorist, in Chittoor. Chandrababu said,
"Modi is a hardcore terrorist. He is not a good Samaritan. I request the
minority brothers present here only one thing. If you vote for Modi, many
problems will arise. This Modi brought triple talaq act planning to put you
behind bars, right?"Evoking the Gujarat riots of 2002, he said, "I
was the first person who demanded his resignation. Later most of the countries in
the world banned his entry. After becoming the PM , he is once again trying to
attack minorities."Earlier on April 1, PM Modi repeatedly called TDP chief 'U-turn Babu'
and alleged that TDP has been involved in stealing people's data.indiatoday
Over 80% of clean Ganga fund not yet spent
New Delhi: Only 18% of the total money
collected under Clean Ganga Fund (CGF) founded by Modi govt has been spent so
far, a RTI query filed by The Wire has revealed.In Sept.2014, the Union cabinet
had approved the formation of CGF for Ganga cleaning. It was finally set up in
Jan. 2015, with the objective of collecting funds from the general public, as
well as private and public sector companies, non-resident Indians and people of
Indian origin. From the time of its conception till Dec. 2018, a total of Rs
243.27 crore was received. But so far, only Rs 45.26 crore has been spent on
cleaning the river – about 18% of the total amount. The comptroller and auditor
general’s (CAG’s) report on National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) cautioned
that only a small portion of the amount received under CGF has been spent. CAG
report stated that it important to spend CGF money in order to carry forward task
of Ganga cleaning. CAG advised the NMCG to draw out a plan for the growth and
utilisation of CGF.However, despite CAG’s warning,only 18% of CGF money was
spent.thewire
Cong Muslim candidates upset SP-BSP-RLD
alliance
Lucknow: Congress fielding Muslim candidates
in at least 7 seats in UP with significant Muslim votes has upset BSP-SP-RLD
alliance.These parties have alleged that even as Congress claims to be against
BJP, its only agenda seems to be to derail the alliance’s election. Out of 7
seats, Congress is hopeful of doing well in at least 2 — Saharanpur and Kheri.
However, more contentious of the seats include Badaun where Congress’s Salim
Shervani is pitted against SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav.
Badaun has around 18 lakh voters out of which around 15% are Muslims and 30%
Yadavs, claim parties. Sources said BJP will gain if two strong candidates are
pitted against each other and Muslims drift towards the Congress. Naseemuddin
Siddiqui, former BSP leader, is being seen as the other spoiler. He moved to
Congress in 2018 and is contesting from Bijnor, where BSP has fielded Malook
Nagar, a Gujjar. Reports suggest that 30% Muslim voters in this constituency
will lead to a vote split.In Sitapur, Congress has fielded former BSP leader
Kaiser Jahan. This seat is with BSP which has so far not announced its
candidate. SP sources said other than some Congress candidates, who had an
individual presence, Congress did not have a base in any of these constituencies.
They claimed that fielding Muslim candidates on specific seats seemed like an
attempt to damage the alliance election, since soon after that they spread
information that Congress would leave seven seats for the alliance but did not
include seats important to the alliance in these.TOI
BJP : 100 Muslims join BJP; SP calls it
propaganda
Agra: Inamul Jafri, 43, who had been loyal to
the Samajwadi Party for over two decades, joined BJP with around 100 Muslims on
Monday in presence of party’s Agra seat candidate SP Singh Baghel. SP Singh
Baghel said, “The support of people from Muslim community will ensure historic
mandate for BJP on Agra seat.”However, downplaying the incident, Samajwadi
Party city president Wajid Nisar said, “A few young boys were misled by BJP
leaders to showcase that Muslims are ending their loyalty for SP and joining
BJP. This is part of their propaganda. Inamul Jafri was made to contest councillor’s
election by the party twenty years ago. He has not been an active member of the
party for many years. He has joined BJP for his personal gains.”Besides Inamul,
city-based businessman Haji Mubarak, Raheeshu, Mohammed Hanif, Amir Khan,
Shahzarool Hussain, Imran Jafri, Syed Rehman Ali were some other prominent
faces who joined BJP.TOI
SC order on RBI’s ‘Feb 12, 2018 circular’:
Congress vindicated, says Chidambaram
New Delhi:Congress leader and ex Union finance
minister P Chidambaram Wednesday targeted the BJP for its “wrong policies” and
“wrong approach” that drove companies in the steel, power and coal sectors into
insolvency. He also criticised the party for its “one-size-fits-all” approach
to NPA problem.Chidambaram’s comments come a day after the Supreme Court struck
down RBI’s controversial ‘Feb.12, 2018, circular’, which replaced all earlier
guidelines on resolution of stressed assets with a new framework. Issued when
Urjit Patel was Governor of the central bank, the circular introduced a one-day
default norm — “As soon as there is a default in the borrower entity’s account
with any lender, all lenders — singly or jointly — shall initiate steps to cure
the default”.Chidambaram said the Congress is “vindicated” by the apex court’s
judgment.indianexpress
Poll panel steps in to allow launch of book of
N.Ram on Rafale deal
Chennai:A few hours after an election flying
squad in Chennai served a letter banning the release of a book on the Rafale
fighter aircraft scam, the publishing house managed to launch the book by
obtaining the nod from Election Commission of India.Sources in Commission later
said the members of flying squad that conducted the raid have been relieved
from duty and issued a show cause notice.A new team has been constituted as
part of the flying squad, they added.The book Nattai Ulukkum Rafale Bera Oozhal
(Rafale scam that is rocking the country), by social activist S. Vijayan was
brought out by Tamil publishing house Bharathi Puttakalayam. The price tag of
the slender volume is ₹10. thehindu
‘Eroding independence’: Govt wants to probe
complaints against former CICs, ICs too
New Delhi :Itis not just complaints against
the sitting Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and Information Commissioners
(ICs) that the government proposes to scrutinise by setting up committees
dominated by bureaucrats, as reported in Indian Express Tuesday but also
complaints against ex CICs and ICs.In a March 7 note to Secretary, Central
Information Commission, DoPT proposed that complaints against ex commissioners
too be scrutinised by a committee chaired by the sitting CIC with DoPT
Secretary and Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat, as its members. The
proposed guidelines state:“If on preliminary scrutiny, the concerned committee
considers it necessary to investigate into the allegation, it shall devise its
own procedure and method of investigation which may include recording of
evidence of the complainant and collection of material relevant to the inquiry
which may thereafter be conducted by a judge of the SC.”Findings of the
committee would be submitted to the President. If he is of the opinion there
are reasonable grounds for inquiry, he would refer it to CJI, who may nominate
a SC judge to conduct an inquiry.indianexpress
‘Soul of India at Stake’: AG Noorani Decries
RSS at Book Launch
Scholar, lawyer and author AG Noorani launched
his latest book The RSS:A Menace to India, a comprehensive, research-intensive
deep-dive into one of India’s biggest and most secretive organisations on
Tuesday, 2 April.When asked if with RSS’s seeming omnipresence in today’s
times, can we afford to accept the organisation as a political reality, Noorani
told The Quint, “With RSS, no compromise! Fight to the finish.”In a political
climate where it seems creative freedoms are curbed and intimidation is
growing, the publishers of the book, LeftWord Books, alleged they were being
threatened by the Delhi Police before the launch.thequint
Lok Sabha elections: BJP’s ignoring of Brahmin
leaders raises hackles in RSS
RSS top brass has conveyed its dissatisfaction
to BJP’s central leadership over the treatment being meted out the party’s
Brahmin leaders in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and several other states, RSS sources
said.RSS is learnt to have conveyed to BJP President Amit Shah that ignoring
several sitting Brahmin MPs in the northern states could have a pan-India
impact on the party’s prospects in the Brahmin community. RSS is said to have
reminded the BJP that Brahmin community had thrown their weight behind Narendra
Modi’s campaign in 2014 which helped BJP-led NDA win on several seats across
the country. “BJP has been sidelining its Brahmin leaders, some of them very
senior in stature and age. Congress, on the other hand, is finding a resonance
among the community, especially after Priyanka Gandhi’s foray into UP’s
politics,” Amit Shah had been told last month, as per top RSS sources.In Bihar,
the sitting BJP MP from Valmiki Nagar Satish Dubey has been sidelined for a
ticket so that BJP could accommodate its ally JDU. Valmiki Nagar constituency
is among 5 seats that BJP has sacrificed for its ally, besides Nawada,
Jhanjharpur, Darbhanga and Gopalganj.In UP,ignoring of candidature of senior
leader Murli Manohar Joshi for a second term from Kanpur has also not gone down
well with the RSS. Another veteran leader and sitting BJP MP from Deoria,
Kalraj Mishra, is also not contesting the elections this time around,
apparently due to lack of support from PM Narendra Modi and Amit
Shah.nationalheraldindia
Congress wants Modi booked immediately after
Rs 1.80 crore ‘recovered’ from CM Khandu’s convoy before PM’s election rally in
Arunachal
In a stunning attack against the BJP, the
Congress on Wednesday accused the saffron party in Arunachal Pradesh of
carrying out ‘cash for votes’ scam alleging that Rs 1.80 crore in cash was
recovered from CM Pema Khandu’s convoy.
Releasing the videos of 2 cars carrying the huge quantity of black money in the
midst of a high-octane election campaign, the Congress also asked the Election
Commission to register a case against PM Narendra Modi as well as the CM and his deputy. The money was allegedly
recovered from the CM ’s convoy in Pasighat around midnight, hours before Modi
was to address a rally there on Wednesday morning.Congress’ chief spokesperson
Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein should be
immediately sacked. He also said that Tapir Gao’s candidature must also be
terminated. Gao is the saffron party’s Arunachal Pradesh president and has been
from Arunachal West constituency.jantakareporter
MGNREGA wages fall below minimum wage in 34
states, Union Territories
Foolowing the lowest increase since its
inception, wages being paid under the MGNREGA have fallen below the minimum
wage in 34 of 35 states and union territories. Data shows that this is maximum
recorded divergence between Centre-notified MGNREGA wages and state-notified
minimum wages since 2009, when both were brought on a par for the first
time.indian express
US deports Indian national wanted in home
country for attempted murder, extortion
New York:Ubaidullah Abdulrashid Radiowala, 46,
also known as Obed Radiowala, is a key accused in the 2014 cases of alleged
conspiracy to kill Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt and firing on film-maker
Karim Morani.A man, wanted in India on charges including attempted murder,
extortion, theft and possession of illegal firearms, was removed from the US
and turned over to Indian authorities, an official statement said Tuesday.PTI
MP: Security restored at RSS office after govt
drew flak from BJP
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rss-office-bhopal-security-congress-digvijaya-singh-5654312/
Bhopal:Withdrawal of security outside RSS
office in Bhopal led to a war of words between the ruling Congress and Opposition
BJP, forcing Kamal Nath govt to restore it within 24 hours.Security personnel
were deployed outside Samidha, organization’s office in Arera Colony, more than
a decade ago. Late on Monday, SAF guards were withdrawn and a tent pitched
outside the big bungalow was removed.The govt initially justified the decision
stating that there was a shortfall of security personnel and they would be
deployed somewhere else in view of the elections.indianexpress
Meraj: Namaz was mandated for Muslims this
night
Mumbai: Night of Wednesday marks Islamic
observance of Shab E' Meraj, which commemorates Prophet Mohammed's ascent to
heaven and meeting with Allah. It was this day that the 5 daily namaz were
enjoined upon Muslims.It is observed on 27th day of the month of Rajab. The
story goes that after a spiritual journey (Isra) from Mecca to Jerusalem, Prophet
was led through the 7 heavens by Archangel Gibrael, where he met previous prophets.Then
he was ushered into the Allah's presence. Allah Almighty asked what gifts he
had brought Him, to which the Prophet said faith through his deeds, wealth and
tongue. Allah then awarded him the namaz, the final two verses of Surah Baqarah
and the Muqhimat, which is forgiveness of all sinners except those who commit
‘shirk’ (associate partners with Allah).Maulana Akram Ishati of the Four
Bungalows mosque in Andheri said, "One can gauge the importance of namaz
by the fact that it is the only prayer to be obligatory from heaven."
Initially, Allah Almighty mandated 50 namaz a day, which the Prophet entreated
and reduced to five. These five, however, earn the reward of 50.Neither fasting
nor special prayer is obligatory at Shab E' Meraj though, given that the
Prophet did not instruct his followers to celebrate the occasion.TOI
How these mosques are going green by changing
their taps
WORLD
Algeria: Joyous scenes of celebrations after Prez
Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigns
Algiers:"I am super happy and excited. We
have won a battle. This will be a sleepless night", Bilal, a 27-year-old
carpenter, told Al Jazeera in downtown Algiers as he and thousands of other
Algerians celebrated President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation. The ailing,
82-year-old leader announced he was stepping down with immediate effect in a
letter published by state-run APS on Tuesday, just hours after the army chief
demanded action to remove him from office."My intention ... is to
contribute to calming down the souls and minds of the citizens so that they can
collectively take Algeria to the better future they aspire to," Bouteflika
said in the letter to the president of the Constitutional Council."I have
made this decision to avoid and prevent the arguments which distort,
unfortunately, the current situation, and avoid its turning into serious
skirmishes, to ensure the protection of persons and property," he
added.Under the capital's Tunnel des Facultes that leads to Maurice Audin
square, a jubilant group of protesters, some draped in the national flag,
jumped up and down with excitement while singing "the country is ours and we'll
do what we want". Others set off fireworks at the entrance of the tunnel.
Standing near a plaque dedicated to Audin, a French anti-colonial activist
during Algeria's Liberation war, Youcef, a 26-year-old video editor, said he
believed that Bouteflika's dismissal marked the beginning of a new era in the
North African country."It is the first day of a new life for the Algerian
people. April 2 will be a red-letter day in Algeria's history, such as July
5", Youcef told Al Jazeera, referring to the country's Independence
Day.Farida, a 23-year-old mathematics student, who was heading to central
Algiers with her 3-year-old daughter, agreed."This feels new.We are
experiencing an exciting and historical moment. My generation has grown up only
knowing one president our whole life.""We've had enough. We were
desperately waiting for a change," said Farida, adding that she had been
involved in the protest movement since it broke out on Feb.22. Similarly,
Brahim, a 36-year-old law professor, believed that Algeria had reached a
turning point, comparing the end of President Bouteflika's 20-year rule, the
longest in the country's history, to France's defeat in the War of Independence
in 1962.Al Jazeera
Bouteflika: Algeria's longest-serving
president
Brunei enacts new penal code as sultan calls
for 'stronger' Islam
Brunei is enacting a strict new penal code
that imposes death by stoning for adultery and gay sex, as well as amputations
as punishment for theft, despite widespread criticism. An absolute monarchy,
ruled for 51 years by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, oil-rich Brunei first announced
the new penal code in 2013, but full implementation has been delayed.Bolkiah,
72, is the world's second-longest reigning monarch and ranks as one of the
world's wealthiest people.New law mostly applies to Muslims, though some
aspects will also apply to non-Muslims. It stipulates the death penalty for a
number of offences, including rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insulting or
defaming Prophet.It also introduces public flogging as punishment for abortion
as well as amputation for theft and criminalises exposing Muslim children to
the beliefs and practices of any religion other than Islam. The sultan first
announced plans for the code in 2013.Small Muslim-majority island had
introduced penalties in stages, all of which come into force on Wednesday.
aljazeera
Turkey election: 8 Istanbul districts to
recount votes
Turkey's High Election Board (YSK) will
recount local election votes in eight districts of Istanbul following
objections, YSK head Sadi Guven said on Wednesday after President Tayyip
Erdogan's AK Party appealed results across the city.The main opposition, which
had earned a narrow victory over the ruling AK Party according to initial
results, had appealed the recount, prompting YSK to halt them late on Tuesday .Speaking
to reporters in Ankara, Guven said that the recount would mostly focus on
invalid votes, adding that this was not an unprecedented decision.Appeals to
YSK were still ongoing, he said.But the opposition Republican People's Party's
(CHP) candiate that had been projected to win, Ekrem Imamoglu called on YSK to
declare him mayor. He said that while there could be minor errors in vote
counts the outcome will not change.Initial results published by state-run
Anadolu Agency on Monday showed that ruling AK Party lost the mayoral elections
in the country's 3 largest cities - Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir - in a stunning
election setback for Erdogan.aljazeera
Turkey warns of external meddling after local
polls
Turkey called on all parties late Tuesday to
refrain from taking any actions that could be seen as interfering in the
country’s domestic affairs following weekend local elections.“We urge all
parties, including foreign govts, to respect the legal process and refrain from
taking any steps that may be construed as meddling in Turkey’s internal
affairs,” Fahrettin Altun, Turkey's presidential communications director, said
on Twitter in response to remarks by US State Department spokesman."Free
and fair elections are essential for any democracy.That means acceptance of
legitimate election results, which is essential,” Palladino said at a press
briefing.“We expect nothing less from Turkey, which has a long, proud tradition
in this respect,” he added.Anadolu Agency
Egypt sentences dozens to prison on terror
charges
Cairo:Egypt has sentenced over 70 suspected
members of the Muslim Brotherhood group to prison on terror-related
charges.Ismailia criminal court on Tuesday sentenced 9 of the defendants to 15
years in prison and 43 others to 10 years. Another 22 were sentenced to three
to seven years, and 14 were acquitted. Nearly half of the defendants were tried
in absentia.The defendants were accused of burning police vehicles and
attacking a coffee shop. Violence came in response to the dispersal of two mass
sit-ins in Cairo in 2013, in which security forces killed hundreds of
Brotherhood supporters.AP
Palestinian killed by settler
An Israeli settler shot and killed a
Palestinian man on Wednesday after an alleged stabbing attack near the occupied
West Bank city of Nablus, according to the Israeli army.Medical sources said Palestinian,
identified as Mohammad Abdul-Fattah, a resident from the northern West Bank
district of Salfit, was in critical condition. He was taken to an Israeli
hospital east of Tel Aviv, where he was pronounced dead, according to Maan news
agency.A Nablus hospital says another Palestinian, 22-year-old Khaled Rawajbeh,
was moderately wounded in Wednesday's shooting, which took place near a
checkpoint.aljazeera
Senator Anning blasted for New Zealand mosque
attack comment
The parliament in Australia has overwhelmingly
voted to censure an independent far-right senator, Fraser Anning, for his
"inflammatory and divisive comments" about the Christchurch mosque
attacks.In a bipartisan motion, the Senate voted on Wednesday to censure
Anning, saying his comments were "seeking to attribute blame to victims of
a horrific crime and to vilify people on the basis of religion" and does
not reflect the opinions of the Senate or of Australians. Last month, a
self-confessed Australian white supremacist killed 50 people in a terror attack
on two Christchurch mosques in New Zealand.
Netanyahu promised no deal with Hamas until
release of soldier’s remains, claims family
The mother of an Israeli soldier killed in
Gaza said on Tuesday that PM Benjamin
Netanyahu has promised her that he will not agree a deal with Hamas without the
release of her son’s remains, Quds Net News has reported.“Our struggle to
regain Hadar has not come to an end yet,” Leah Goldin told Radio 103. “We have
the promise from Netanyahu, who said there would not be a truce with Hamas and
there would not be reconstruction projects in Gaza before the release of the
[bodies of] soldiers [held in Gaza].”She compared her son Hadar and other
soldiers with humanitarian aid. “Do you offer humanitarian aid? Hadar and the
others’ issue is humanitarian, too.”middleeastmonitor
Hamas supports Jordan in face of external
pressure
Head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail
Haniyeh, yesterday reaffirmed the movement’s support for Jordan in the face of
“foreign pressures, especially US and Israeli pressure, aimed at changing the
region’s geopolitics”. Haniyeh added that Hamas “will not accept any solution
to the Palestinian cause at the expense of Jordan and its sovereignty”,
stressing that the “deal of the century” targets Palestine, Jordan and
Palestinian refugees. Haniyeh also reiterated movement’s rejection of “settling
Palestinian refugees in their places of residence, especially at the expense of
Jordan’s sovereignty”. middleeastmonitor
Plan advances for Jewish religious school
Israeli authorities in occupied East Jerusalem
are advancing plans for a new Jewish religious school in Palestinian
neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, settlement watchdog Ir Amim reported.According
to Ir Amim, the District Planning and Building Committee has now deposited for
objections the plan for the Ohr Somayach Yeshiva. The plan “calls for
construction of an eleven-story building with eight levels above ground and
three below, including a dormitory for hundreds of students and housing for
faculty, to be located at the mouth of Sheikh Jarrah”, explained NGO,
describing it “as an alarm bell in the context of Israel’s ramped up efforts to
deepen its circle of control around Old City Basin.”MEMO
Israel to displace 65,000 Bedouin citizens in
‘development’ plan
Israeli government has announced a plan that
would see tens of thousands of Bedouin Palestinian citizens displaced from
their communities, under the guise of development.According to far-right news
outlet Arutz Sheva, plan unveiled by state’s Bedouin Authority aims to
“regulate”situation of some 125,000 Bedouin citizens in the Negev who currently
live in homes or entire communities that are deemed illegal or “unrecognised”
by authorities.Bedouin Palestinian citizens have faced systematic
discrimination since the founding of the state, including mass displacement,
segregation, land confiscation, and lack of investment. middleeastmonitor
Flash: views & NEWS
Dear Narendra Modi, Hindutva terror is a fact,
not a fiction: Ashok Swain
Delhi must act with maturity,keep a long view,
find a political solution in J&K, to counter Pak:ArunPrakash
RSS Stands for Principles That Are in
Violation of the Indian Constitution:Hamid Ansari
Encounter killings will boomerang on BJP in
Western UP :Biswajeet Banerjee
‘Who Was Godse?’ Asks Twitter After PM’s ‘No
Hindu Terror’ Remark
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 6:24 PM)
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