NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
13 April 2019: 06 Shaban 1440:Vol: 11, No:174
INDIA: ELECTIONS
Anil Ambani’s French company got tax waiver of
143.7 mn euro at time of Rafale deal:Le Monde report
New Delhi:Le Monde reported that Anil Ambani’s
France-based telecom firm ‘Reliance Atlantic Flag France’ was given tax waivers
worth 143.7 million euros by local authorities just a few months after PM
Narendra Modi announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from
Dassault.In fresh revelations that are bound to further fuel the controversy
around Rafale deal, France’s Le Monde reported on Saturday that French
government waived tax liability worth 143.7 million euro for Anil Ambani’s
French-based company, Reliance Atlantic Flag France, barely 6 months after
Prime Minister Modi announced a government to government deal for 36 Rafale
fighter jets in Paris.According to the report, French authorities had raised a
demand of 151 million euros from Ambani’s company after tax audits for the
period between 2007 and 2012, including default interest and penalties.
Ambani’s firm had offered a settlement for 7.6 mn euro in 2013 which was
rejected by the French tax authorities. However, on Oct.22, 2015, French
authorities accepted 7.3 million euros as a settlement from Ambani’s company
for the period between 2008 and 2014. Coincidentally, it was on April 10, 2015
that PM Modi had announced deal for buying 36 Rafale aircraft from France
during an official visit to Paris. Soon after the announcement, Anil Ambani’s
Reliance Defence had emerged as the lead offset partner for the deal. The total
offsets for the deal worth 7.87 bn euro to be discharged in India were valued
at Rs 30,000 crore. Ambani’s Reliance group said that it “denies any
favouritism or gain from settlement.Reliance Flag settled disputes as per legal
framework in France available to all companies operating in France”.In late
April 2015, a few days after Modi’s announcement, Anil Ambani firm Reliance
Aerostructures LTD formed a joint venture with Dassault. The production unit of
joint venture, called Dassault Reliance Aviation Limited was inaugurated in
Nagpur in 2016 in the presence of top Indian and French ministers.MoU for the
deal was signed between the Indian and French defence ministers in Delhi on
Jan.25, 2016 and the deal was signed on Sept.23, 2016.As reported by Indian
Express, days before MoU was signed in Delhi, another of Ambani’s firms,
Reliance Entertainment had invested in a French film produced by then French
President Francois Hollande’s partner,Julie Gayet. Hollande had subsequently denied
any connection with the deal but told AFP that giving offsets to Ambani was
part of a ‘new formula’ for buying 36 Rafale aircraft which was put forth after
BJP government under PM Modi assumed power in May 2014. Govt has denied these
charges.indian express
Anil Ambani firm got €143.7 mn tax relief from
France after Rafale announcement: Le Monde report
PM Modi acted as middleman for Anil Ambani,
Congress alleges after Le Monde report on Rafale
New Delhi:Alleging that Narendra Modi acted as
a “middleman” for Anil Ambani, Congress on Saturday got fresh fodder to attack PM
over the Rafale issue after French newspaper Le Monde reported that authorities
waived off taxes worth 143.7 million euros in favour of Ambani’s telecom firm
‘Reliance Atlantic Flag France’. The taxes, according to the report, were
waived a few months after PM Modi announced the deal to procure 36 Rafale jets
from Dassault Aviation.“PM Modi is acting as middle man for Anil Ambani. How
many other companies in France have got a tax benefit? Is this not a quid pro
quo for the purchase of aircraft? It is clear ek hi chowkidar chor hai (Only
one watchman is the thief),” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala
said.Citing the Le Monde report, he said layers of corruption and money trail
have been unveiled in Rafale saga and cited a timeline of events to buttress
his claim.indian express
Jharkhand: Old ox dies, mob kills man, three
injured are booked for bovine slaughter
Gumla (jharkhand) :When Adranish Kujur told
the village of Jhurmo in Jharkhand that his 20-year-old ox had died in his
field, at least 35 villagers went to carve it up. Minutes later, a mob, armed
with rods and sticks, attacked them, claiming they had slaughtered a cow. While
most managed to flee, Prakash Lakra was killed and 3 others injured in the
assault.2days after the mob violence, as Jhurmo still recovers from the shock
of the lynching, Jharkhand police Friday booked the three injured men, who are
currently undergoing treatment at hospital, under the state’s bovine slaughter
Act. And 2 of 7 men charged with Lakra’s murder have been arrested. On
Wednesday, the mob had attacked the four men in a field between Jhurmo and the
neighbouring Jairagi village and then took them to Dumri police station. Police
rushed 4 — all tribal Christians — to the Community Health Centre in Dumri
block of Gumla where Lakra was declared dead.3 injured have been identified as
Peter Phuljans (50), Belasus Tirkey (60) and Janriush Minz (40) and are now
being treated at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi.Dr Roshan
Khalkho said that Phuljans, Tirkey and Minz suffered lacerated wounds,
abrasions and bruises. “All 3 had difficulty walking and were writhing in pain.
They were beaten up on their arms, shoulder, scapula region and seems that
blunt force was used.”Dr Khalko also alleged that police had tried to “coerce”
him to violate procedure. “When a person is brought dead, we don’t make an
entry in the register but send the body directly for postmortem. However, the
police put pressure and asked me to make an entry in the register. This can
indicate that he died during treatment,” he said.Police said a case was
registered against those injured after a complaint by the accused villagers. We
have registered a case against the 3 injured under Jharkhand Bovine Animal
Prohibition of Slaughter Act,”said ML Meena, ADG.indian express
22 days after attacked, Gurgaon Muslim family
withdraws complaint
Gurgaon:22 days after a mob armed with rods and
sticks barged into Mohammad Sajid’s home in Gurgaon’s Bhoop Singh Nagar and
allegedly beat up him and his relatives, the family and the accused claimed to
have reached an “understanding”.The complainant in the case, Dilshad, Sajid’s
nephew, had submitted affidavits in court earlier this week, stating that the
men arrested for the crime are “innocent”.While the first affidavit was
submitted on April 8, the others were submitted in subsequent days. In the
first affidavit, Dilshad stated that the accused, Rajsingh alias Amit, “has not
done any violence with us” and in fact “saved” the family from the perpetrators
and helped them reach the hospital.“Now we have no objection to the case
against Rajsingh… being dismissed and his bail granted,” affidavit states. Confirming
the development, Sajid said, “We have agreed to an understanding because if we
want to stay in this society, we have to listen to the society too. We would
like the families and households of both sides to remain intact.”Inspector
Surender Kumar, SHO of Bhondsi police station, said, “They have reached an oral
agreement.”Sources said both parties have agreed to withdraw the FIRs
registered in the matter.indianexpress
SIMI case: Kerala HC acquits 5 convicted by
NIA court
Kochi: A Division Bench of the Kerala High
Court on Friday acquitted 5 persons convicted and sentenced by the Special
Court for NIA in a case relating to holding a secret meeting of the outlawed SIMI
at Panayikulam in Aluva in 2006.NIA court had sentenced the first and second
accused to 14-year rigorous imprisonment, while three other accused were
sentenced to 12 years of jail term under various sections of IPC, including
124A (sedition), and provisions under the UAPA. As many as 11 accused were
acquitted by the special court.Those acquitted by the Division Bench headed by
Justice A.M. Shaffique are Shaduly, alias Haris Abdul Karim, a native of
Erattupetta (first accused), Abdul Rasik of Erattupetta (second accused), Anzar
Nadvi of Aluva (third accused), Nizamuddin of Panayikulam (fourth accused) and
Shammas of Erattupetta (fifth accused).The prosecution allegation was that a
secret meeting of SIMI was arranged by them at Panayikulam on Aug.15, 2006,
which was attended by the other accused.According to the prosecution, they had
brought pamphlets containing seditious and inflammatory writing.The accused in
their appeals contended that there was no evidence to prove the meeting was
convened by SIMI. the hindu
Telangana : UMF want punishment for Assam
Muslim trader attackers
Charminar: Days after a Muslim trader was
beaten up for selling beef, the United Muslim Forum Telangana and Andhra
Pradesh on Friday demanded immediate action against the perpetrators.Shaukat
Ali, 68, was beaten and forced to eat pork as punishment by a mob for selling
beef in Assam last week.The attack however triggered anger and many
organisations, including Hindus and Muslim criticised the attack. United Muslim
Forum (UMF) deplored the assault and said there were no restrictions on selling
beef in Assam. The UMF sincerely made an appeal to Election Commission of India
to intervene in this matter, as the attack took place just ahead of
polls."The attack deeply hurt the Muslim sentiment across the country.
Instead of breaking silence and taking note of the attack, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has been maintaining silence,'' said Syed Muneeruddin Ahmed
Muqtar, UMF general secretary.Holding the Assam government responsible and
accountable for such attacks, the UMF called on Muslims to use their vote
against communal forces and parties.TOI
‘You will
not let country live in peace’: Supreme Court dismisses plea to offer puja at
Ayodhya
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea
seeking permission to conduct a puja at the 67-acre plot surrounding the
disputed land in Ayodhya. The court also pulled up the petitioner for
attempting to get sanction to offer prayers at the site.“You will not let this
country live in peace...Somebody has to always poke,” Chief Justice Ranjan
Gogoi told the petitioner, reported Indian Express. The petitioner said he
wanted access to the “undisputed part” of the land, added the publication.The
petitioner had moved court after the Allahabad High Court junked his plea and
imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh. The Supreme Court upheld the penalty.The
petitioner was Amarnath Mishra, an Allahabad resident, News18 reported.
Fight RSS ideology that is trying to divide
India: Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson
Porbandar :Stating that Gandhians’ only
loyalty can be towards the India envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi, his
great-grandson Tushar Gandhi has called for fighting the ideology of RSS, which
he said was trying to divide India. Addressing an event to commemorate 150th
birth anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi, Mahtma’s wife,in Porbandar,Tushar made a
distinction between Gandhiwadi (believers in Gandhian philosophy) and what he
called Gandhi ke karykarta (workers). Tushar Gandhi, who is son of Mahatma’s
grandson Arun, said that Gandhiwadis can remain neutral, but those who call
themselves Gandhi’s workers cannot in the present era as RSS was threatening
the very ideals espoused by Gandhi.“I do note hate the RSS functionaries. But I
oppose RSS… that idea, which is dividing the country… I do not say that others
have not done this. We oppose them as well. We will have to protest, otherwise
we don’t deserve to be called Gandhi’s workers,” he said.He added that
Gandhians will have to play their role in protecting the democracy. “People
will come and go. Symbols do not scare me because we are a strong democracy. We
had even sent Indira Gandhi home when she had set out to become a dictator.
That strength is not dead even today. But the idea underpinning that strength
has weakened. We will have to make it strong,” he said.Tushar alleged RSS, a
right-wing organisation whose headquarters is in Nagpur, was behind Mahatma’s
murder. “In my book Let’s Kill Gandhi, I have exposed the allegations that
Nathuram Godse had levelled against Mahatma to assassinate him and which Sangh
even today is trying propagate. They need to be countered. In my every speech,
I say that while Godse might have been Bapu’s assassin, the assassination was
ordered by RSS,” he said. Historian Narottam Palan also alleged that Gandhians
has veered off their path and therefore lost their influence in the society,
calling for soul-searching among those associated with Gandhian
institutes.indianexpress
Stop Parties from Using Armed Forces to
Further Their Political Agendas: Veterans Write to President
New Delhi:More than 150 veterans from India’s
Armed Forces have written to President of India, as Supreme Commander of the
Armed Forces, urging him to direct all political parties that “they must
forthwith desist from using the military, military uniforms or symbols, and any
actions by military formations or personnel, for political purposes or to
further their political agendas.”Among the 156 signatories to the joint letter
are three former Army chiefs - General (retired) SF Rodrigues, General
(retired) Shankar Roy Chowdhury and General (retired) Deepak Kapoor, four
former Navy chiefs and former Air Force chief NC Suri.In the letter, the
veterans have mentioned several recent remarks or acts of some political
leaders, mostly form the BJP, related to the Armed Forces or their operations,
including UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s infamous “Modiji ki Sena”
remark.India Tomorrow
Maneka Gandhi Says if Muslims Don’t Vote for
her She Won’t Work for Them
Union Minister for Women and Child Development
Maneka Gandhi on Friday appeared to have threatened the Muslim community in
Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to vote for her if they wanted jobs.Addressing an
election rally in Turab Khani village, she said that she would not give jobs to
Muslims if they did not vote for her. She also said that she would not like it
if she won without the support of Muslims, reports IANS.A video is being shared
on social media in which Maneka Gandhi is addressing a gathering of Muslims in
Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur conveying this threat. She is heard saying that they
should vote for her or else she may not be inclined to their requests.Maneka
Gandhi said: “This is important. I am winning. I am winning because of the love
and support of people. But if my victory is without Muslims, I won’t feel that
good. Dil khatta ho jayega (things will become sour). Then when a Muslim comes
to me for work, I think let it be, how does it matter. It’s all give and take,
isn’t it? We aren’t all sons of Mahatma Gandhi, are we? (laughter). It’s not
that we keep on giving and then losing in the election. This victory will
happen with or without you.”“This is your chance to lay the foundation. When
the election comes and this booth throws up 100 votes or 50 votes, and then you
come to me for work we will see… I don’t see any divides, I see only pain,
sadness and love. So it is up to you,” she added.
Maneka’s ‘won’t help Muslims’ remark: What Model
Code of Conduct says on invoking religion
BJP will make sedition law so strong it will send
shivers down spine: Rajnath
Ahmedabad :Taking on the Congress over its
promise to remove the law on sedition if voted in, Union Home Minister and
senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said that a BJP-led government will
instead make the law stronger — so stringent, in fact, that even the very
thought of the provisions will “send shivers down the spine”.Addressing an
election meeting in Gujarat’s Kutch district,Singh also praised Prime Minister
Narendra Modi for giving Indian scientists the “go-ahead” to conduct the
anti-satellite missile test, and pointed out that the country had this
capability since 2007.indianexpress
Congress moves poll panel for action against
Smriti Irani’s ‘false’ info on degree
New Delhi:Congress on Friday filed a
memorandum with the Election Commission of India (EC) and sought an “urgent and
necessary intervention against deliberate, corrupt and wilful falsification of
fact” by Union Minister Smriti Irani on her educational qualification. Party asked
the EC to initiate “appropriate proceedings” against the BJP leader. Reacting
to Congress’s attack, Irani said, according to PTI, “I have a message for
them…as much as you try, I will work for Amethi against the Congress. No matter
what you say, the more you harass me, the harder I’ll work.”In its memorandum,
the Congress told EC that Irani, who filed her nomination from Amethi on
Thursday, stated in her affidavit that after school, she had enrolled with
Delhi University’s Open Learning School for a correspondence Bachelor of
Commerce degree, which she did not complete.indianexpress
West Bengal:In Birbhum, Muslims tend to prefer
BJP over its rivals
Bolpur: Muslims in Birbhum keep flocking under
the BJP’s umbrella, defying the party’s grand polarisation plank in West
Bengal. Only a few days ago, about 200 Muslims from Sainthia led by a former
panchayat pradhan took up the saffron flag. This explains why BJP’s Birbhum Lok
Sabha poll candidate, Dudhkumar Mandal, took time off his busy campaign
schedule and paid a visit to Patharchapri mazar, raising eyebrows among Hindu
brigade.According to residents, Birbhum BJP’s Muslim connect isn’t a recent
phenomenon. In fact, BJP’s first casualty in the run-up to 2014 Lok Sabha polls
was a Muslim from Ilambazar called Sk Rahim. Villages that rose against the
administration soon after were all minority-dominated hamlets under Panrui and
Makhra blocks, 15km from Tagore’s Santiniketan. BJP victim in the 2018 rural
polls in Suri too was a Muslim, called Dildar Sheikh. All 5 injured in a clash
between Trinamool and BJP in Mohammadbazar only 4 days ago were Muslims.
Keeping in mind BJP politics with Birbhum characteristics,Dudhkumar Mandal has
been touring areas with a heavy Muslim presence such as Nalhati, Murarai and
Khayrasole. TOI
34 Criminal Cases Registered in his Name,
Sakshi Maharaj Claims to be Saint
Lucknow:With 34 criminal cases registered
against him, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj claims that he is a saint and curse will
befall all those who do not vote for him.“A saint has come to your door. When a
saint comes to beg and is not given what he asks for, he takes away all the
happiness of the family and in turn curses the family.“This I am not saying,
but I am quoting from sacred scriptures. I am not asking for money or land.
Those who do not vote for me will face divine displeasure,” he said on Friday
while addressing an election meeting in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.A look at the
affidavit filed with his nomination papers, gave detailed account of criminal
cases registered against him. The list makes him look less of a saint and more
of a criminal.According to his own admission, Sakshi Maharaj has cases ranging
from promoting enmity, four cases related to criminal intimidation, robbery,
dacoity, murder, forgery, cheating and criminal breach of trust.IANS
Must remove Modi, Shah for well-being of
country: Raj Thackeray
Mumbai :In his first election rally on Friday,
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray launched a scathing attack on PM
Narendra Modi while maintaining that for the well-being of the nation, it was
imperative to remove the Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah from the country’s
political landscape. Speaking at a rally in Nanded, from where state Congress
Chief Ashok Chavan is contesting, Thackeray also questioned the timing of the
Pulwama terror attack and the Balakot air strikes, reminding his supporters of
his prediction that Modi would create a war-like situation in the run-up to the
elections.indian express
Chandrababu Naidu: Election Commission has no
credibility, it’s functioning on PM Modi’s instructions
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu
Naidu on Saturday said the Election Commission has lost its credibility as it
functions on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his
office.Raising questions on the poll panel's independence and impartiality,
Naidu told reporter outside the EC headquarters in New Delhi that the level
playing field -- an essential attribute of democracy -- "now stands
disturbed".The Chief Minister was speaking after his meeting with Chief
Election Commissioner Sunil Arora.IANS
AAP still open to alliance with Congress in
Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh: Sisodia
New Delhi :AAP leader and Deputy Chief
Minister Manish Sisodia Saturday said his party is still ready to form an
alliance with the Congress in Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh but it would not
agree for a tie-up just in the national capital.He said the priority of the Aam
Aadmi Party is to stop the Modi-Amit Shah duo which, he said, is proving to
become very “dangerous” for the country.“We wanted to form a united opposition
against the BJP and were ready to ignore our differences because right now the
priority is to stop the dangerous Modi-Shah duo,” he said.“In last one week,
meetings were held between the AAP and the Congress and we proposed alliance on
33 seats in Delhi, Goa, Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab seats, out of the 23
seats is with NDA,” he said.He said a tie-up between the two parties could have
caused a “damage” to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the 23
seats.“But the Congress purposely wasted time to take a decision on alliance
and now it says it can tie up with the AAP only in Delhi. Forming an alliance in
Delhi alone would not solve the problem,” he said.“We still saying that an
alliance can be formed (with Congress) in Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh if they
are ready then we are ready too but alliance cannot be done alone in Delhi,” he
added.The uncertainty over alliance between the AAP and the Congress has been
continuing for weeks now. The talks between the two sides derailed after they
failed to reach an agreement over seat-sharing in Delhi and
Haryana.indianexpress
Outrage after Dubai-based ‘Chowkidar’
gynecologist allegedly justifies ethnic cleansing of Muslims and Christians;
Dubai Police asked to act
Social media has erupted with huge protests
after a Dubai-based gynecologist, also a BJP supporter, allegedly posted a
justification for the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in India. Dr Nishi Singh’s
profile says that she has lived in Dubai for nearly 25 years and she ‘speaks to
you as a mother, as a daughter, a wife, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a physician
and a woman.’However, her social media profile is replete with support for the
Hindutva ideology. One of her social media posts that appeared to cause a huge
outrage was posted on 12 April in response to a post by another Twitter user,
who expressed his fear for the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in India.Reacting to
BJP President Amit Shah’s recent controversial threats that his government in
future will remove every single ‘infiltrator’ except Buddhists, Hindus and
Sikhs, one Twitter user wrote, “Ethnic cleansing of Muslims and Christians is a
poll promise in Indian elections. Dr Singh replied with no sense of remorse,
seemingly to lend credence to his interpretation of Shah’s controversial
remarks. She wrote, “And conversions(sic) is a single point agenda of All
Abrahamical faiths aided by unlimited funds from undeclared sources carefully
camouflaged as community service.”Not only did her hate tweet, now deleted,
condone the planned ethnic cleansing of Muslims and Christians, it also
attacked Islam and Christians. No sooner did she post her tweet, social media
platforms particularly Facebook was inundated with angry reactions with users
contacting the Dubai Police to take action against her for her
bigotry.jantakareporter
Supreme Court’s Interim Order on Electoral
Bonds Inconsistent with Two Laws:thewire
New Delhi: Supreme Court’s interim order
issued on Friday directing political parties to inform the Election Commission
the details of donors and the amount they received through the electoral bonds
in a sealed cover is inconsistent with at least two legal provisions, namely,
Section 13A (b) of Income Tax Act and the Proviso to Section 29C of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951.Section 13A of Income Tax Act, interim
order rightly notes, is a special provision relating to the incomes of
political parties. Under this provision, any income of a political party, which
is chargeable under the head “income from house property” or “income from other
sources”, or any income by way of voluntary contributions received by a
political party from any person shall not be included in the total income of
the previous year of such political party.This is provided that (a) such
political party keeps and maintains such books of account and other documents
as would enable the assessing officer to properly deduce its income therefrom;(b)
in respect of each such voluntary contribution other than contribution by way
of electoral bond in excess of Rs 10,000, such political party keeps and
maintains a record of such contribution and the name and address of the person
who has made such contribution.The provision makes it clear that the political
party concerned is not expected to “keep and maintain a record of such
contribution and the name and address of the person who has made such
contribution” if the amount is in excess of Rs 10,000, and by way of electoral
bond.thewire
Pakistan Finance Minister says FATF judging
his country with rigged jury, demands India’s removal as co-chair
Pakistan cries foul over FATF action: Pakistan
Finance Minister Asad Umar on Thursday evening expressed apprehensions over his
country being judged by a rigged jury at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
for failing to curb anti-terror financing and money laundering activities.
Earlier, Islamabad had submitted a 26-point action plan to the FATF to choke
the funding of terrorist groups, including Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz
Saeed-led JuD and its affiliates, and launched a concerted diplomatic effort to
avoid being blacklisted by it.Responding to a question about what actions the
FATF might take in Pakistan’s case, Asad Umar said his country has made
significant improvements since the last review. The next review would take
place in the middle of May and the deadline for Pakistan to send a report for
the review is April 15, but the country would send the report on time and then
the review team would visit Pakistan in May but the actual deadline for the
final decision is in September, he said.Newsx
Elgaar Parishad case: Prosecutor cites letters,
booklet to oppose bail pleas of six accused
The prosecutor in Elgaar Parishad case has
opposed the bail pleas of six accused. District Government Pleader Ujjwala
Pawar cited letters and a booklet to argue that there was a conspiracy to wage
a war against the country. Pune City Police submitted a copy of a booklet –
“Maowadyanvirodhat Ladha Kashasathi Va Konasathi” – allegedly written by
activist Sudhir Dhawale. They argued that its contents promoted “hatred and
disaffection” towards the elected governments. The booklet was said to have
been seized from another accused, Mahesh Raut, during searches conducted at his
residence in 2018. scroll
Savarkar to be taught in JNU? Proposal has
been put forth, administration feigns ignorance
In what is seen as yet another attack on the
prestigious JNU, a proposal to set up a study centre in the name of Hindutva
ideologue, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar has been put forth by Savarkar Rashtriya
Smarak (SRS) and ABVP.Working president of the Swatantryaveer Savarkar
Rashtriya Smarak, Ranjit Savarkar confirmed to National Herald that a proposal
to set up Savarkar Adhyayan Kendra (Savarkar Study Centre) has been submitted
to V-C office on March 14.“And the discussion is on the final stage,” he
revealed.However, when asked the same, the JNU administration feigned
ignorance. We called Vice-Chancellor, Jagadesh Kumar at his mobile number but
he did not answer.Registrar of the University, Pramod Kumar, also denied having
received any such proposal. Talking to NH he said, “We have not received any
proposal about setting up of a Centre in the name of Savarkar. As far as ABVP is
concerned, being a student organisation, they are free to propose
anything.”When contacted, president of JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU), N Sai
Balaji downplayed the report saying, they (ABVP and the BJP government or any
Right-wing organisation) would not dare to put forth such proposal till
election is over.nationalheraldindia
Najma Akhtar becomes Jamia Millia first woman
V-C
National Institute of Educational Planning and
Administration Professor Najma Akhtar was on Thursday appointed V-C of New
Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia, becoming the first woman to head 99-year-old
university. Akhtar’s appointment was approved by President Ram Nath Kovind, who
also cleared the appointments of Sanjiv Sharma as V-C of Mahatma Gandhi Central
University in Bihar and Rajneesh Kumar Shukla as V-C of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya
Hindi Vishwavidyalaya in Maharashtra. Some reports said Akthar is also the
first woman vice chancellor of any central university in Delhi.Akhtar said her
dream is to establish a medical college at Jamia during her tenure.She said she
will interact with the students of the university, besides the deans, heads of
departments, the executive council and the Academic Council. She said there are
some courses that are not needed and some where new courses are needed.“Either
we replace them or we modify them or we modernise them. Jamia needs new courses
and I feel many areas have old-fashioned courses,” she added. She also stressed
on the need to have more international students in the university. Manipur
Governor Najma Heptulla is the university’s chancellor.scroll.in
Pulwama aftermath: Mumbai shop told to pay Rs
2 lakh for newspapers, journals from Pakistan
Mumbai:Mohammed Asif, the 50-year-old owner of
the well-known Naaz Book Depot on Mohammed Ali Road in south Mumbai, has been
working at the shop ever since he was a child.Set up over 70 years ago, the
shop was opened by his late father Abdullah Haji Ali Mohammed, and its unique
selling point was that it stocked Pakistani newspapers and journals, both
English and Urdu. The publications had a diverse clientele — Muslims with
family connections in Pakistan, Urdu newspapers which scanned it and picked up
some of its content to reproduce in their publications and Pakistan-watchers,
including students and researchers.But that USP is in danger now. Until Feb,
there was no import duty on newspapers and magazines from Pakistan. However,
following the Pulwama attack, India on Feb.16 hiked import duty on Pakistani
goods to 200 per cent. When Asif reached the airport on Feb.19 to pick his
regular monthly consignment of Pakistani literature sent to him from Karachi
via a flight from Dubai, he had not foreseen what was to come.“One consignment
comprising a few bundles — each bundle weighing nearly 5 kg, and the total
about 40 kg — used to cost us around Rs 5,000. But since newspapers and
magazines were also included in the recent import duty hike, I was asked to pay
Rs 2 lakh. How could I have afforded that? Would the customers ever buy a
magazine worth Rs 450?” he asks.Asif was forced to return empty-handed, but he
regularly visited the customs office for 10 days hoping that the policy had
been changed. He was told that things might return to normalcy after elections
are over. But one cannot say for sure.indian express
Ahmedabad: In a modern Madrassa, women network
and socialize: dnaindia
Muslim women from across Ahmedabad are using
their afternoons to build a network, learn and share. An initiative by a
50-year-old Taskeen Sareshwala, director of Shama group of schools in
Ahmedabad, called ‘Discover yourself through Islam’, is bringing them on a
platform to not just understand the religious texts but also learn and unlearn
issues that they face involving many fun activities.Nazia Bhavnagri, who
studied clinical psychology and a mother of 3 children, said, “While we have
read our religious texts during the childhood, understanding The Quran in real
life makes me more relatable. Only now, I understand how beautifully Islam is
related to science. We want to pass it on to our children that core values of
Islam are rooted in science.”The sessions are held at Taskeen’s residence in
Paldi where she involves women in games, quizzes, role plays, etc. The
gatherings are not just to socialize but to learn and do something
constructive, said another participant. The sessions have evolved around topics
like how relevant is todays education, global food dishes, gratefulness,
relationships, families, etc.“I also run an initiative called ‘Happy Homes’
where I teach ways of life through Islam including how to adjust, how to
behave, moral values, how to live in the society in best way, how to maintain
good relation with people around you, etc,” she said.“The misconception of a
madrassa needs to be changed. Education and religious beliefs can go hand in
hand. I do go to gym and swimming but wearing a Hijab. A hijab does not stop me
from doing any activity,” Nazia said.Another participant, Aasiya Kankoriwala,
said, “This madrassa that she runs also has sessions on teenagers. So take care
of the psychology otherwise it will just remain a session of religious fanaticism.
They have their own set of questions, so once they cross age of 10, these kidswho
attend such sessions remain very sound.”
WORLD
Sudan after military coup: 16 killed by stray
bullets at protests and sit-ins
At least 16 people were killed and 20 others
wounded by stray bullets at protests and sit-ins on Thursday and Friday, a
Sudanese police spokesman said in a statement on Saturday as the nation waited
to hear from its newly appointed leader. Government buildings and private
property were also attacked, spokesman Hashem Ali added.The transitional
military council said on Saturday head of the National Intelligence and
Security Service (NISS), Salah Abdallah Gosh, has resigned from his
post."The chief of the transitional military council, Abdel Fattah Burhan,
has accepted the resignation of ... chief of NISS," the council said. Gosh
had overseen a sweeping crackdown led by NISS agents against protesters taking
part in four months of mass demonstations.The spy chief's resignation comes
less than 24 hours after the Sudanese military replaced the country's
transitional leader who had been in power only one day.Thousands of jubilant
protesters celebrated in the streets of Khartoum on Friday, after Defence
Minister General Awad Ibn Auf, announced he was stepping down as head of the
ruling military council.He had been named the de facto leader after President
Omar al-Bashir was forced out of office on Thursday after 30 years of rule.Ibn
Auf said he would be replaced by General Abdel Fattah Burhan, general inspector
of the armed forces, as head of the transitional council, which will rule the
country for two years until elections."This is for the benefit of our
nation ... This country has great people and a great army," Ibn Auf said
in a brief TV statement, adding that he hoped the civilians and the military
would work together.Burhan, who was appointed as al-Bashir's chief of staff and
head of the ground forces in February, is expected to speak to the nation on
Saturday. Al Jazeera's Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said the
demonstrators "have been very clear that their desire is to see Sudan led
by a civilian govt. Not one led by the military". While it's not clear
whether Burhan will hand power to a civilian leader, she said protesters might
be more receptive to Burhan than his predecessors. "Most people are
hopeful because Abdel Fattah [Burhan] is not from the ruling party. He also
does not have any political affiliation. He doesn't have the same tainted
history as Omar al-Bashir and Awad Ibn Auf. Both were accused of war crimes in
the region of Darfur," she said. Hajooj Kuka, an activist, said removing
al-Bashir and his allies was the first step to meeting the demands of the
protesters.Earlier on Friday, the military council had assured the country that
they had "no ambitions" to permanently rule the East African nation..But
the protest's main organisers reacted by vowing demonstrators would stay on the
streets until they got a civilian govt. Aljazeera
New gay sex laws preventive, says
Brunei:Reuters
Brunei said new laws imposing the death
penalty for gay sex and adultery were designed more for “prevention than to
punish” in response to the UN condemnation of the measures.UN said Muslim-majority
former British protectorate violated human rights on April 3 by implementing
Islamic laws which punish sodomy, adultery and rape with the death penalty,
including by stoning, and theft with amputation.But Erywan Yusof, Brunei’s
second minister of foreign affairs, defended the new laws in a letter to the
UN, saying the move was focused more on “prevention than punishment”. “Its aim
is to educate, deter, rehabilitate and nurture rather than to punish,” Yusof wrote
to the UN.In the letter Yusof said the offences would not apply to non-Muslims
in Brunei, which has has been at the centre of a media storm since it announced
the rollout of more Sharia laws in March.Its UN letter said the
“criminalisation of adultery and sodomy is to safeguard the sanctity of family
lineage and marriage of individual Muslims particularly women”.
Saudis 'gave Libya's Haftar millions of
dollars before offensive'
Days before Libya's renegade General Khalifa
Haftar launched an offensive on the country's capital, Tripoli, Saudi Arabia
offered tens of millions of dollars to help pay for the operation,Wall Street
Journal has reported. The offer came during a visit by Haftar to Saudi capital,
Riyadh, ahead of his April 4 military campaign, the Journal said.Citing senior
advisers to Saudi government, the Journal said the offer of funds - accepted by
Haftar - was intended to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders, recruit and pay
fighters, and other military purposes. Aljazeera
Libya: Hafter forces strike military camp in
Tripoli
US 'urged MBS to cut ties' with aide linked to
Khashoggi murder
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to cut ties with a former close royal adviser
linked to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Guardian reported, citing unnamed
sources. According to the Guardian, Pompeo has privately raised concerns about
MBS's contact with Saud al-Qahtani, who is accused of masterminding Khashoggi's
murder. Khashoggi was killed on October 2, 2018, after entering the Saudi consulate
in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. After initially
offering several contradictory statements, the Saudi kingdom confirmed the
journalist was killed inside its consulate in Turkey. US intelligence agencies
have reportedly concluded that MBS was involved in Khashoggi's killing - a
conclusion the kingdom denies. aljazeera
Police use tear gas, arrest scores of
protesters in Algeria
Police have fired tear gas and arrested scores
of protesters in Algiers as massive crowds gathered for the first Friday
demonstrations since the announcement of presidential elections to succeed
deposed leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika.Police said in a statement on Friday that
108 people were arrested after clashes with "infiltrators" among the
protesters, who injured 27 policemen. Witnesses said police in anti-riot gear
fired tear gas in the evening to disperse a crowd of several hundred young
people in the city centre after an otherwise largely peaceful demonstration
which was joined by families throughout the day.The crowd size on Friday was
estimated at hundreds of thousands of people, although there was no official
count. The demonstrators were chanting for the overhaul of the government
following Bouteflika's removal.aljazeera
Syria says Israeli air attack injures six
soldiers
Israeli planes targeted a military position
near the Syrian province of Hama wounding six soldiers, but the country's air
defences intercepted and downed some of the rockets, Syria's state news agency
reported.Citing military sources, SANA news agency and state television said
that Israeli aircraft using Lebanese airspace targeted "one of our
military positions towards the city of Masyaf" and that several buildings
were destroyed. "The enemy missiles were dealt with and some of them were
shot down before reaching their target, resulting in the damage of a few
buildings and the injury of three fighters," SANA added.aljazeera
18 Killed, 48 Injured as Bomb Rips Through
Vegetable Market in Pakistan’s Quetta
A bomb ripped through an outdoor Pakistani
market on Friday, killing at least 18 people, half of them ethnic Hazaras,
officials said, in an attack apparently aimed at minority Shi'ite Muslims.Some
48 people were wounded in the blast in the southwestern city of Quetta, capital
of resource-rich Baluchistan province, officials said. Balochistan is the focus
of $57-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a transport and energy link
planned between western China and southern deepwater port of Gwadar.The blast
took place at Hazar Ganji, a fruit and vegetable market on the outskirts of
Quetta. No group immediately claimed responsibility.Reuters
'Scared' Muslims Avoid Christchurch Mosques a
Month After Attacks
Christchurch: 4 weeks on from the New Zealand
mosques massacre, the Christchurch Muslim community was struggling to get
worshippers to overcome their fears and return to Friday prayers. "They
are still very scared," Linwood mosque Imam Ibrahim Abdelhalim told AFP.
"Normally we would expect around 100, but now it's about 30." A 28-year-old Australian, Brenton Tarrant, a
self-avowed white supremacist, has been charged with 50 counts of murder and 39
of attempted murder after opening fire at Linwood and Al Noor mosques on March
15.The Muslim community was further shaken this week when a 33-year-old man,
wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the name of US President Donald Trump,
shouted abuse at worshippers at the Al Noor mosque. AFP
Assange should face justice in Sweden: British
MPs
More than 70 British members of parliament have
signed a letter urging the home secretary to ensure that WikiLeaks cofounder
Julian Assange is extradited to Sweden if a case there is reopened against him.
The letter, signed late on Friday by mostly Labour Party MPs, urged UK Home
Secretary Sajid Javid to "stand with the victims of sexual violence"
and ensure the rape claim against him can be "properly
investigated"."We do not presume guilt, of course, but we believe due
process should be followed and the complainant should see justice be
done," it said. 47-year-old Australian activist was arrested by British
police on Thursday and forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in London
after his asylum was revoked, bringing to an end more than six years in the
building.aljazeera
Flash: views & NEWS
New normal of Hindutva communalism in BJP's
India threatens the foundational idea of the country's pluralism:Angshuman
Choudhury, Prannv Dhawan
Fate of a Muslim in Assam:Nirban Ray
Half the Vote: A Muslim woman in Godhra says
she’s proud that a man from her state is prime minister:Aarefa Johari
Priyanka Preparing UP for 2022, Rahul the
Congress for 2024 — Saeed Naqvi
Not just 2019: Hindutva hardliners in
Muzaffarnagar are building a base for the long run:Revati Laul, IndiaSpend.com
Assange's Arrest Signals a War on
Investigative Journalism and Right to Dissent:Inderjeet Parmar
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:23 PM)
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