NEWS
DIGEST, EVENING
27 April 2019: 21 Shaban 1440:Vol: 11, No:186
INDIA
SC gives RBI final warning, orders
it to disclose wilful defaulters’ list under RTI
The Supreme Court on Friday gave the RBI
"one last opportunity" to disclose annual inspection reports of banks
as it just stopped short of issuing a contempt notice against RBI Governor
Shaktikanta Das, and ordered the Reserve Bank of India to disclose the wilful
defaulters' list under RTI.The top court also ordered the central bank to
withdraw its non-disclosure policy, which the court concluded is in violation
of the apex court's judgment in 2015.Taking a serious view of the continued
defiance the court came down heavily asking the RBI to make full disclosure of
its annual inspection reports on the financial health of banks including
position of NPAs and also withdraw its disclosure norms as it came in the way
of making public informations on the state of banks under the RTI.A bench of
Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Justice M. R. Shah said: "Any further
violation will be viewed seriously."IANS
PM's Assets Grew By Half In 5 Years, Tax
Department Owes Him Rs. 85,000
New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi's total assets grew 52 % since 2014. He declared total assets of Rs.
2.51 crore in his affidavit with the Election Commission when he filed his
nomination on Friday from Varanasi constituency for the Lok Sabha poll. In
2014, he had declared total assets of Rs. 1.65 crore. PM's movable assets
nearly tripled from Rs. 51 lakh in 2014 to Rs. 1.41 crore this year. He
declared immovable assets worth Rs. 1.1 crore on Friday.The main sources of PM
Modi's income are his salary and interest received on bank deposits. PM had Rs.
38,750 in hand as on March 31 this year. He declared no liabilities, though
income tax department owes him a projected returns of Rs. 85,145 and PMO has to
give him Rs. 1,40,895. PM Modi has a balance of Rs. 4,143 in a State Bank of
India account in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He owns a property in Gandhinagar that
he bought in 2002 for Rs. 1,30,488;its current market value is approximately
Rs. 1.1 crore.In the last 5 financial years, PM Modi declared his annual income
as Rs. 19.92 lakh (2018), Rs. 14.59 lakh (2017), Rs. 19.23 lakh (2016), Rs. 8.58
lakh (2015) and Rs. 9.69 lakh (2014).ndtv
IAS officer who checked PM Modi’s chopper says
will fight case in court
Bengaluru:Breaking his silence, Mohammed
Mohsin, IAS officer who was suspended by Election Commission of India (ECI) on
April 16 for checking the helicopter in which PM Narendra Modi was travelling,
said he had not violated any rules and was unaware of the charges against
him.“I acted strictly as per the letter and spirit of the ECI guidelines. I
have not violated any rules and I have not done anything wrong in this matter.
This is why I asked for a copy of the report against me, but they have so far
not shared this. I am fighting this case in the dark,” he said.An officer of 1996
Karnataka cadre, Mohsin was serving as general observer for the Sambalpur Lok
Sabha constituency in Odisha, where the PM addressed a rally on April 17. ECI
order had stated that Mohsin did not act in conformity with its instructions
concerning those guarded by Special Protection Group. It also barred him from
election duty until further notice.On Thursday, it revoked his suspension, but
recommended that the Karnataka state Govt , to whom Mohsin now reports, carry
out disciplinary action against him.Mohsin claimed he was not at the spot when
the alleged incident occurred.“I was not at the spot when the incident
happened.I am not aware of what happened at the helipad. I have only read media
reports, which I can neither confirm nor deny,” he said.Describing the events
of the day, Mohsin said he had visited the helipad where chopper of the PM was
parked.HT
IAS Officer Mohsin to Challenge EC Order
Recommending Action Against Him
IAF’s public clarification on report of
holding back Mi 17 crash inquiry report until after LS polls
Indian Air Force has issued an extraordinary
clarification after a report said that it was holding back findings into Mi-17V5
helicopter crash that killed six IAF officials. This was after a report by
journalist Ajai Shukla alleged that the IAF had been ordered to put on hold its
findings into the Mi-17V5 crash until after the elections since the conclusion
had the potential to cause embarrassment to BJP-led govt!IAF took to Twitter to
clarify, “Today in an article written by Ajai Shukla he has incorrectly
speculated that IAF Court of Inquiry constituted to investigate the Mi-17 V5
crash at Srinagar on 27 Feb has been put on hold.This is his imagination and
IAF categorically denies this.“CoI of aircraft accidents are meticulous &
time consuming. All past inquiries of aircraft accidents bear testimony to
this. Proceedings of a CoI are not commented upon by IAF till completion of the
inquiry in all cases.There is no connection between elections & completion
of CoI.”In his blog, Shukla, also a former military officer, had reported that IAF
had been ordered ‘to put on hold (until after the elections) its Court of
Inquiry findings that IAF helicopter shot down the day after the Balakot strike
was downed by an IAF air defence missile in a “friendly fire” incident.’ Shukla
wrote in his blog, “For reasons that remain unclear, Mi-17V5 helicopter was not
in the safe corridor as it approached from the direction of Budgam, to south of
Srinagar. The ground missile units assumed the radar track they picked was that
of a hostile aircraft.”jantakareporter
Beijing tries to woo India after BRI summit
snub
After India boycotted BRI summit for the
second time in a row, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday tried to rope in
New Delhi to his Belt and Road Initiative with vows to prevent debt risks.Xi
made the remarks at the launch of the second BRI summit in Beijing on Friday,
which aims to rediscover ancient Silk Road to connect Asia to Europe and Africa
involving massive investments in maritime, road and rail projects.India
maintained that the project violates its sovereignty and would push the
countries into a debt trap. Many nations across Asia, Europe and Africa, too,
have expressed similar concern.“Belt and Road is not an exclusive club,” Xi
told the gathering of 37 world leaders. “We also need to ensure commercial and
fiscal sustainability of all projects so that they will achieve the intended
goals as planned.”On Thursday, Chinese finance minister Liu Kun said that the
country would present to the forum a debt sustainability framework to “prevent
the debt risks”. Lack of transparency in deals under BRI between Chinese
companies and local Govt s has also raised alarm. “Everything should be done in
a transparent way and we should have zero tolerance for corruption,” Xi said.
China will also promote “green” development, he said, amid warnings that some
of the massive projects are causing environmental damage in Asia. AP
Pak PM: We hope to have ‘civilised
relationship’ with India after elections
New Delhi :Pakistan PM Imran Khan has
expressed that his country is hoping to have a “civilised relationship” with
New Delhi after the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in India are over. He also
stated that while Pakistan has a “decent relationship” with other countries,
its relationship with India is “only problem” for ensuring peace and stability
in the region. “Whatever happens in Afghanistan affects Pakistan’s bordering
areas. So we are working for a peaceful region. We have a decent relationship
with Iran and we are trying to strengthen them. The only problem right now is
our relationship with India,” he told state-run APP, according to PTI. “But we
are hoping that after the Indian elections, we will again hope to have a
civilized relationship with India too,” he said.His recent remarks come days
after he had said that there may be a better chance of peace talks with India
and “some kind of settlement in Kashmir” if BJP wins Lok Sabha polls, causing a
furore in Opposition. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hit back at the
opposition and alleged it could be a “ploy by Congress to oust the ruling
party.”Khan, who is currently in China to take part in the 2nd Belt and Road
Forum, (BRF), said that unless there is peace and stability in the region,
economic prosperity is difficult for Pakistan, and that is what right now the
Pakistan Govt is working on.India once
again gave Belt and Road Forum a miss over its opposition to China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC), which cuts through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. US also
did not attend the forum this year.indianexpress
About 200 US companies seeking to move
manufacturing base from China to India: Report
About
200 American companies are seeking to move their manufacturing base from China
to India post general elections, a top US-based advocacy group has said,
observing that there is a fantastic opportunity with firms looking at
alternatives to the Communist giant.US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum's
(USISPF) President Mukesh Aghi said that the companies are talking to them
about how to set up an alternative to China by investing in India.Aghi said
that USISPF’s recommendation to the new Govt would be to accelerate the reforms and bring
transparency in the decision-making process.PTI
Ailing Muslim Prisoner Allegedly Assaulted by
Cops at Hospital in Rajasthan, Dies
Jaipur:An ailing elderly Muslim prisoner was
allegedly assaulted by cops at Kota hospital in Rajasthan 5 days ago. The
person identified as Mohammad Ramzan, 60, died late Friday night. His family is
not giving permission for autopsy before registration of FIR against the erring
cops and announcement of compensation.Giving details of incident, Adv. Ansar
Indori said: “Ramzan, resident of Mangrol in Baran district in the state, was
convicted in a case in 1992 and awarded two years imprisonment. He got bail and
moved the high court challenging the lower court order. When the high court
upheld the lower court order, his bail was cancelled and he was sent to prison
in 2018. He was sick. Some days back, his condition worsened. The jail sent him
to district hospital for treatment, from there he was referred to Kota hospital
in Kota district. At the Kota hospital five days ago, some cops who were
staying with him at the hospital assaulted him. They were drunk. They also
hurled communal abuses at him. As he was already sick, after the beating his
condition worsened and he died late Friday night.” Talking to India Tomorrow
from Kota, a relative of Ramzan said that the family is not giving permission
for autopsy. They are demanding registration of a case against the cops who
allegedly assaulted him and compensation for the family.In a video believed to
be shot at the hospital after the alleged assault some days ago, prisoner said:
“3 policemen beat me with pipe. They were my guard and deployed by the police.
They beat me 8-10 times with the pipe. They threatened to beat me more if spoke
about it.”India Tomorrow
Sick Elderly Muslim Prisoner Dies after
Alleged Assault by Cops in Rajasthan
Rights Groups Demand Impartial enquiry into
Assault on Muslim Undertrials at Jaipur Jail
Jaipur:Human rights groups Rihai Manch and
Association for Welfare, Medical and Legal Assistance (AWMELA) have demanded
for an impartial inquiry into the brutal assault on Muslim undertrials lodged
in Jaipur Central Jail.A delegation of the human rights groups had visited the
jail only to discover that Muslim undertrials, accused in various terror cases,
had been dragged and beaten with lathis, rods and pipes by the jail
authorities. “Karapal Wilson Sharma, jailer Mahendra Pratap Vishnoi, chief
Karapal Kailash Sharma, jailer Raj Mahendra Singh, Sunit Sharma, Awdhesh
Sharma, Bhagwan, guard Ramesh Chandra Meena and inmate Gunna Sardar along with
other jail personnel, home guards and few other inmates, about 50 in number,
entered the high security ward number 10, dragged out under trials one by one
from their cells and brutally beat the inmates with lathis, iron rods and
pipes,” stated the fact-finding report prepared by the delegation. According to
the report, the inmates were ruthlessly assaulted at 12.30 am on 30 March
because they had been demanding for the installation of complaint box and along
with a judge visiting them so that they could easily raise their grievances.
They even went on a hunger strike to make those in authority pay heed to their
demands. One of the undertrials Salman fell sick because of the hunger strike.
He was one of the inmates who was brutally beaten by the jailers.Caravan Daily
CJI ‘framing’ case: Complainant deposes as
in-camera hearing begins
New Delhi:The former woman employee of the
Supreme Court who levelled sexual harassment charges against CJI Ranjan Gogoi
appeared Friday before an in-house committee of three serving judges,
constituted to inquire into the allegations. The inquiry which remained
inconclusive Friday, will resume on a date fixed by the three judges.
In-chamber proceedings began three days after a full court of the SC on the
administrative side approved formation of a 3-member in-house inquiry
committee, for an inquiry into the matter. indianexpress
CJI ‘framing’ case: Ex-judge says he will
begin inquiry after the one into sexual harassment is over
Missionary school in Manipur burnt down after
disciplinary action against students
Manipur:A Christian missionary school in Sugnu
of Manipur’s Kakching district was burnt down on April 25 night, a few days
after school authorities suspended six of its students for indiscipline.The
incident took place at St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School in Sugnu, the
second oldest Catholic school in Manipur.“A total of 10 rooms have been
destroyed, two of them had important documents, files and equipment,” school
Principal Rev Fr Dominic said.The Principal said that school authorities had
initiated disciplinary action on six students a week ago but were allowed to
attend classes.ANI
TN Thowheed Jamath now on intelligence watch
list
Bengaluru:Intelligence agencies across South
India have brought a local Muslim body, Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) and
its sister wing, the Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath, under high surveillance, in the
wake of the explosions that ripped through Colombo.This was done after Sri
Lanka police pointed the finger of suspicion at National Tawheed Jamaat(NTJ),an
obscure group, for bombings. However, TNTJ’s state president Shamsulluha and
its Karnataka chapter member Md Ghani clarified that they have no links with
the NTJ and are a non-political Islamic organisation involved in the
socio-religious activity.“Our organisation was founded in 2004 in Tamil Nadu
and has branches across South India. Our work focuses on four objectives —
giving dawah (inviting people to Islam), socio-religious activities, open
questions forum to clear misconceptions of Islam by non-Muslims and organising
protests in a democratic manner against any injustice, irrespective of
religion,”said Md Ghani, orator, Audit Committee Member, Tamil Nadu Thowheed
Jamath.Blaming the media and others who tried to link 2 organisations because
of the common name ‘Thowheed Jamath’ which means ‘oneness with God’,
Shamsulluha said, “Just because we have a common name, they cannot call us
extremists.There are many organisations with Gandhi or words like Dravida and
Kazhagam in their names. Does it mean that all of them have the same ideology
or have links?”The Jamath members said they don’t get any funding from the Govt
, nor do they seek donations from outside the organisation. They are said to
have 8 lakh members in South India, including Kerala, Karnataka and AP. There
are 2,000 followers from Karnataka.“We have businessmen and several officials
among our members who fund us. During the Chennai floods, we donated a huge
amount of money and nearly 30,000 volunteers helped,”said Md Ghani. Explaining
how their name was “dragged” into this, he said a post on Facebook led to confusion.
The organisation put out a post on social media, condemning the attack, and
meanwhile, Sri Lanka police suspected that NTJ could be behind the blasts.“This
led to several people across the world trolling us and posting negative
comments. It is sad that this happened,” Ghani added. However, officials from
the state intelligence bureau said irrespective of these claims, some members
of the organisation will be on their radar.“There are at least 5 offices of
TNTJ in Karnataka, and also offices across Tamil Nadu. Their headquarters in KG
Halli and Chennai will also be under scanner,” said a senior officer.
newindianexpress
19 terrorists present in Tamil Nadu, planning
major attacks on trains in several states: Karnataka Police
Karnataka Police has issued an alert to as
many as seven states and one Union Territory warning them about terrorists
planning major attacks on trains in the coming days. According to sources, the
Karnataka DGP has written to top police officials in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, AP,
Telangana, Goa, Maharashtra and Pondicherry, alerting them about terror attacks
being planned on trains. The letter also talks about presence of 19 terrorists
in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram. According to the letter, a person claiming to
be a lorry driver named Swamy Sundar Murthy called the police control room in
Bengaluru and claimed to have information about terrorists planning attacks on
trains in as many as seven states, along with Pondicherry. Swamy also claimed about the presence of 19
terrorists in Ramanathapuram, the letter added.
newsnation
7 states including Kerala put on alert after
phone call on terror attacks
NIA plans to extend probe after S.Lanka’s bombings
Mumbai: NIA plans to question alleged
associates of ‘Islamic State-Coimbatore module’ following Easter bombings in
Sri Lanka. NIA wants to probe if there is a link between Indian suspects and
Lankan terrorists or their handlers, a source said.“While probing activities of
IS Coimbatore module, we stumbled on key conspirator of Sri Lanka’s bombings,
Zaharn Hashim. We have found many of his videos were used for indoctrination.
To probe a possible larger conspiracy, we will question associates of the module,”
said an official on condition of anonymity.The source said Computer Emergency
Response Team (CERT-In) played a part in unraveling the Lankan conspiracy.
CERT-In is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security
incidents.ET
Bengaluru: Tighter vigil at places of worship
Bengaluru: After the city police commissioner
issued a security alert to all religious prayers hall, the heads of three major
religions - Hindu, Muslim and Christian, plan to hold meetings to implement
various safety measures.In the wake of Easter Sunday attack in Sri Lanka,
Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar had issued security alert and asked
religious heads to increase security and alert police if they come across any
suspicious activity.Agamatraya Mahamandala President Somasundara Deekshith who
heads temples run by Muzrai Dept will meet the Muzrai Commissioner to enhance
security cover at all temples and post guards.Maqsood Imran Rashadi, Imam and
Khateeb of City Jamia Masjid said there are 1,200 mosques across the city and
6,000 across the state. Heads, presidents and secretaries of all these mosques
have been asked to install CCTV at all the entry and exit points.However, CCTVs
per se cannot prevent any disasters, he has also suggested to appoint
volunteers to zero in on movement of suspicious people and inform the same to
the police as well to the Jamia Masjid head.Imam said that during the Friday
prayer meetings terror attacks in the name of Islam must be condemned and youth
should be guided on the right path. He said the police commissioner had visited
city Jamia Masjid and was impressed by the security measures.Public relation
officer of Archdiocese of Bangalore J.A. Kantaraj said that once Archbishop of
Bengaluru is in town an emergency meeting would be convened to follow the
security diktats issued by the police department.Deccan Chronicle.
Goa: Surveillance in port town heightened
Security in the port town has been beefed up
in view of recent attacks in Sri Lanka. Apart from witnessing a large influx of
migrants, a number of sensitive sites such as the airport, oil reserves and
central agencies lie within Vasco’s jurisdiction. Vasco police inspector Nilesh Rane said that
while round-the-clock cover for every religious structure in the town was not
possible, security for churches has been heightened on Sundays. Similarly,
close vigils for mosques are maintained on Fridays and for Damodar temple on
Mondays, Rane said, adding that police robot vehicles are also put on regular
patrols.St Andrew’s Church, Madina masjid, Taybah masjid and Shafi masjid are
among the religious sites that have been listed as sensitive. TOI
A Bond Of Togetherness! Hindus, Muslims Come
Together To Preserve Assam Mosque
Puranigudam Minar, as the locals call it,
stands tall in a dusty bylane of Nagaon. Situated inside the Puranigudam
Masjid, built in 1824, the turret was about to be demolished to make way for a
highway expansion project. People of Purunigudam, cutting across religious
lines, would not let that happen.In 2015, NHAI proposed expansion of NH-37 into
4-lane highway. Minar was in its way.A few concerned locals, both Hindus and
Muslims, approached district administration with a memorandum to preserve Minar,
but the NHAI and public works dept said moving it would be difficult. Not
relenting, some of them started a crowd-funding initiative. Soon, their
campaign caught the attention of an engineering firm based in Haryana."We
proposed a technique called lifting-and-shifting ... We lift the structure from
its base, using plate rollers, and move it," explained Gurdeep Chauhan, engineer
who worked this out. Technique uses limestone and sticky rice."The base of
the Minar has a perimeter of 42 feet, intricately designed. A few accidents
have damaged it a little over the year,"he added.Now, the Minar is being
moved 70 feet away from the original site, engaging six labourers.
"Initially, we estimated a Rs 5-lakh budget. But it has shot up to Rs 8
lakh. So, our firm is chipping in. The work is 60% done. In another 20 days, we
will be able to finish it," Chauhan further said.TOI
Asaram son, 4 aides convicted of rape
Surat :A Surat district sessions court on
Friday convicted the son of self-styled ‘godman’ Asaram Bapu, Narayan Sai, and
four of his close disciples in a rape case.The judge will deliver the quantum
of sentence on April 30. Under strict police arrangements, Narayan Sai was
produced before court by Surat police from Surat district Central Jail, on
Friday. Police personnel were present inside and outside the courtroom,
prepared to handle any untoward incident, considering that the accused has a
large following.Narayan Sai and 9 others were charged under various IPC
sections for rape,unnatural sex, molestation, wrongful confinement, unlawful
assembly, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.Except Narayan, all
other 9 accused were out on bail.indianexpress
ELECTIONS
Congress set for landslide election victory,
US-based website’s report triggers debate
A report published in medium.com said that
Congress led by Rahul Gandhi could win as many 213 seats with 39% vote share.
It said that the BJP’s vote share may remain 31%, same as what the party
secured in 2014.Quoting an unnamed British research group, the website said
that 160 seats with 30 % of vote share may go to India’s regional parties. The
unnamed British research group, according to the website, has made its
prediction based on receiving inputs from 20,500 respondents spread over 24
states in India that included 52% male and 48% female.In 2014, Congress had won
just 44 seats even though it later went on to win several parliamentary
by-elections, taking its tally to close to 50. If the prediction of US-based
website holds true, this will be a huge turnaround in electoral fortunes for
Congress. India is currently going through its crucial Lok Sabha polls in 7
phases. 3 phases of polling have taken place with the counting scheduled for 23
May.jantakareporter
Election Commission Accused of Violating MCC
for Delaying Action on Modi
New Delhi: The citizen who earlier this month
alleged that the Election Commission (EC) refused to act on his repeated
complaints about the prime minister’s alleged violations of the model code of
conduct (MCC), has now accused the poll panel of itself violating the code
guidelines.In a complaint sent to EC on April 20, Mahendra Singh, president of
the West Bengal Forum for Mental Health, wrote that by not acting on his
repeated complaints about code violations by Modi, poll panel violated MCC
guidelines provided in chapter 23, page 227. These guidelines, he said, clearly
spell out that “Complainants will also be informed of the action taken by SMS
and by the call centre. Complainants can also see the details of the action
taken on their complaints. This system should be operational within 24 hours of
the announcement.All complaints should be dealt with promptly and
properly.”With EC not providing any answers to why action has not been taken on
his complaint against Modi, Singh asked:“When guidelines are so clearly
articulated by ECI in writing to all political parties and their strict
compliance sought, then where is scope for Commission to sit on my
complaint?”thewire
Urmila Matondkar: Modi has time to record
apolitical interview but not to address a press conference!
Congress candidate from North Mumbai
constituency, Urmila Matondkar took a jibe at PM Modi’s apolitical interview
saying that the PM could spare time amid a hectic campaigning schedule to
record an apolitical interview but he does not have time to hold a press
conference. The actress cum politician has been pitted against BJP’s Gopal
Shetty from Mumbai North. She said, “I am happy to know that our PM has ample
time to record apolitical interview with Akshay Kumar but not to address a
press conference. He did not hold a single press conference in last five years.
He did not talk to the media which is the fourth pillar of the democracy but he
did not consider it important or necessary to talk to them. Instead, he
recorded an ‘apolitical interview’ with Akshay Kumar! As far as Akshay is
concerned, what can I say about him?”The veteran actress who is known for her
versatile acting prowess and critically acclaimed films like Pinjar, Satya has
been criticised by her opponents for being an aspiring politician with zero
experience in politics.nationalheraldindia
If J&K is in loss due to Article 370, let PM
Modi leave Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti
Mehbooba Mufti says if J&K is in loss due
to Article 370, let PM Narendra Modi leave Kashmir: When J&K like other
states is witnessing Lok Sabha elections and Assembly polls are around the
corner, Article 370 and Article 35A have become major issues for political
parties to stay relevant and grab the power. Almost in every election rally,
politicians make comments related to the special status enjoyed by J&K.Following
the same, ex CM Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asked PM Modi to leave Kashmir if he
thinks the state is a loss due to Article 370 of the country’s Constitution.She
was referring to the statement of PM Modi that after retaining power at Centre,
BJP Govt would put an end to Article 370 and Article 35A, enjoyed by state
residents. NewsX
‘Salute’ Yasin Malik for choosing death over
bowing before Delhi: Farooq Abdullah
Srinagar: NC president Farooq Abdullah saluted
JKLF chairman Yasin Malik for “choosing death over bowing before New Delhi”. Addressing
an election rally in Kulgam district Abdullah congratulated Malik for his
strong willpower and praised his unwillingness to sell self-respect of
Kashmiris. Reacting to Farooq’s statement Mehbooba Mufti's PDP said that it was
Farooq who forced youngsters like Yasin Malik to pick up the gun.Peoples’
Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone also called out the "hypocrisy"
of former J&K CM and blamed him for
torturing Yasin Malik and putting a bounty on his head. Lone tweeted: “Dr Farooq congratulating Yasin
Malik for his sacrifice after Delhi imprisoned him. Dr Farooq did U not arrest
him and torture him post 1987. Did u not put a bounty on his head post 1987And
y doesn’t ur son go on hunger strike. Y should other people’s sons sacrifice
their lives.”TOI
WB: Imams send thousands of letters, urge
Muslims to vote for 'secular' party
Imams and clerics all over India under the
banner of the All India Milli Council are writing letters to Muslims urging
them to vote unitedly for a secular party in Lok Sabha polls. Letters do not
name any political party. In West Bengal alone, 10,000 letters have been sent
by the state chapter of the Islamic body, signed by its president Qari Fazlur
Rahman, imam who leads Eid namaz at Red Road, and vice president Maulana
Shafique Qasmi, imam of Nakhoda Masjid. "We've appealed to Muslims to use
the opportunity carefully so that no communal force in the country can raise
its head and a secular force is voted to power," Rahman was quoted as
saying by DNA. “Through the letters, we are urging Muslims not to make a
mistake in 2019 polls. We are stating that political consciousness is necessary
along with religious consciousness,” said Rehman.The clerics are also using
sermons to urge community members to vote for a secular party that has the
maximum chance of winning in their areas, as they feel that division in the
Muslim vote bank has led to a rise of 'fascist forces'. Quoting an Islamic
scholar, the letter also said even if Muslims say their 'namaz' on time five
times a day, it would amount to nothing if there is no political consciousness
among them.newindianexpress
Mamata hits out at PM Modi, says Hindus or
Muslims do not indulge in riots, it is RSS which does it
Raniganj: Miffed over PM Narendra Modi’s
disclosure that she sends him kurtas and sweets, a vitriolic Mamata Banerjee
Friday said that the people of Bengal will offer him ‘rosogollas’ made of clay
with fillings of gravel instead of votes. TMC supremo had earlier said that BJP
will score a ‘big rosogolla’, also invoked in the state to mean score zero in
examination due to the shape of its famed sweet, in the ongoing general
elections from West Bengal, which sends 42 MPs to the Lok Sabha. “Modi is
coming to Bengal regularly to seek votes. But the people will give him
rosogollas made of clay with fillings of gravel; his teeth will break if he
tries to take a bite,” Banerjee said at a rally at Raniganj. Banerjee had
earlier said that Modi has made a “political issue” of the “courtesy” shown by
her by making public that she sends sweets to him.freepressjournal
Will Not Support Pragya, Unless She
Apologises: BJP Muslim Leader
BJP Muslim leader Fatima Rasool Siddique said
she will not campaign for the party’s candidate for Bhopal Lok Sabha seat
Pragya Singh Thakur, unless she apologises for remarks that allegedly hurt
religious sentiments, reported PTI.Siddique, who contested the Assembly polls
from the Bhopal North seat in November last year, said some of Thakur’s
statements were “communal and obnoxious,” on Thursday. She said “I won’t
campaign for her as she has made statements like waging a ‘dharm yudh’
(crusade). Her controversial statement against former ATS Chief Hemant Karkare,
a martyr who laid down his life fighting terrorists in the 26/11 attacks in
Mumbai, has also hurt me badly.”“Pragya's statements about dharm yudh and
against Karkare have not gone down well in my community also," she said.
Siddique said, 49-year-old right-wing activist’s remarks have also tarnished
the image of BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.The
Quint
Mumbai: Imams urge Friday congregations to
vote out 'communal forces':TOI
Mumbai: At Friday congregations across
mosques, two days ahead of polling in the city, imams appealed to Muslims to
use their votes to stop "communal forces" from coming to power.
Though community organisations or senior clerics have desisted from issuing a
fatwa to defeat the BJP and its allies, the message at many Friday sermons was
loud and clear: If not now, we may not get another chance to stop the saffron
juggernaut. The call is significant in the context of the fact that there are
concerns among community leaders that the Muslim vote may get split between the
principal opposition parties and smaller parties like the SP, which has put up
candidates in all seats in Mumbai, and MIM. Muslims make up nearly 20% of
Mumbai's electorate. Maulana Abdul Jabbar Azmi Mahirul Qadri,imam of Hindustani
Masjid at Byculla and head of the Imams' Association, said he used his sermon
to hammer home the need to vote. "I told the people that voting is as
important as food and clothes. In today's toxic atmosphere when fascist forces
are out to change the Constitution, it is our duty to save secularism in the
country and stop it from slipping into dictatorial rule," Qadri said.
"Votes are the only tools through which an anti-minority regime can be
stopped."
Video of PM Modi accepting shawl in Muslim
dominated area goes viral
Varanasi: PM Narendra Modi accepted a shawl
from an man in Sonarpura, a Muslim dominated area of Vanarasi Lok Sabha seat.In
the video which went viral on social media, the man can be seen waving the
shawl as he wanted to gift it to Mr. Modi. In order to accept it, Modi stopped
his cavalcade. Soon, one of his security guards approached the man and asked
him to toss it.When Modi received the shawl, he wore it.siasat
Pak wants Modi to remain PM so that
fundamentalism can be stronger there: Yechury
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury Friday
claimed that Pakistan wants Narendra Modi to remain the PM of India so that
Hindu communalism grows in India which will eventually strengthen Muslim
fundamentalism there. The comments from Yechury came after Pakistan PM Imran
Khan told foreign journalists in Islamabad that there may be better chance of
peace talks with India and resolving the Kashmir issue if BJP wins.“Pakistan
wants Modi to win.indianexpress
SRI lANKA BLASTS
Sri Lanka's Muslims hold subdued Friday prayers
amid tight security
Colombo:Armed police and sniffer dogs guarded
mosques in Sri Lanka as Muslims trickled to Friday prayers, with many staying
away over fears of revenge attacks after the island's Easter suicide
blasts.Some mosques cancelled prayers, and Sri Lanka's Muslim affairs minister
called on Muslims to pray at home instead, in solidarity with churches that
have closed over security fears.Other Muslims have expressed fears that they
could be targeted by Islamist hardliners, after the community's religious
leadership said the attackers would not be buried at mosques in the
country.Among mosques that did hold prayers on Friday in the capital Colombo,
attendance was thin, with some of the few worshippers who did show up saying
they wanted to stand up to extremists."We are sending a message to
extremists that we will not be scared or deterred," said Reyyaz Salley,
chairman of Dawatagaha Jumma mosque in the capital Colombo."But the main
reason we are here is because we want to say a special prayer for the victims
of the church bombings," he added.Salley said Friday prayers at Dawatagaha
Jumma Masjid regularly attracts up to 700 worshippers, but only around 100
turned up this week.Prayers were also cut short from the usual one hour to 15
minutes because of security situation.AFP
Sri Lanka falsely identifies American Muslim
activist Amara Majeed as ISIS terrorist
Sri Lankan Govt has been slammed for releasing
a photo of American Muslim activist and author Amara Majeed and claiming that
she is an ISIS involved in the Easter Sunday attacks.The events unfolded after
photos of six suspects were released by Sri Lanka to seek help from locals.
Amara's photo was circulated to claim that she was a terrorist named Abdul
Cader Fathima Qadiya.Sri Lanka's CID had released the photos. They later
clarified that Amara's photo was incorrectly used by the department to identify
Qadiya.They have acknowledged that it was a mistake and apologised to Amara. Amara
is an American Muslim activist from Baltimore. She is the founder of 'The Hijab
Project' and author of the book 'The Foreigners', which combat stereotypes
about Islam.ibtimes.co
Sri Lanka police hunt 140 after Easter
bombings as shooting erupts in east
colombo:Sri Lankan police are trying to track
down 140 people believed linked to Islamic State, which claimed responsibility
for the Easter bombings, as shooting erupted in the east during a raid.Muslims
in Sri Lanka were urged to pray at home after the State Intelligence Services
warned of possible car bomb attacks, amid fears of retaliatory violence.And US
Embassy in Sri Lanka urged its citizens to avoid places of worship over the
weekend after authorities reported there could be more attacks targeting
religious centres.Reuters
6 children, 3 women among 15 killed in in
raids on terror hideouts in Sri Lanka
At least 15 people, including 6 children and 3
women, were killed when suicide bombers blew themselves up during a shootout
with security forces in Sri Lanka's eastern province, police said Saturday. The
security forces continue their hunt for alleged members of National Thowheeth
Jamath (NTJ)."A total of 15 bodies recovered, 6 men, 3 women and 6
children. At least 4 suspected suicide bombers are dead and 3 others who were
injured are in hospital," a poluice spokesperson said.PTI
‘Do not wear veils, hinder forces’ efforts’:
Sri Lankan Muslim scholars urge women after blasts
Amid manhunt for those responsible for the
deadly serial blasts that tore through churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on
Easter Sunday, an association of Islamic theologians have urged Muslim women
not to “hinder the security forces in their efforts by wearing veils”. All
Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) in a statement released in the aftermath of
heightened tensions following the bombings, called upon the Muslim women in the
country to not cover their faces with a ‘niqab’ that hinders the security
forces from validating their identity.“As responsible citizens, Muslims are
duty-bound to maintain peace and order of Sri Lanka,” the statement read.It
further requested everyone to comply with authorities and forces who are
investigating the matter.The organisation also asked the people to keep their
national identity card with them at all times and produce it when requested by
security forces. Sri Lanka has released photographs of six suspects, including
three women, wanted for their involvement in deadly Easter attacks. the
statesman
India: Religious heads condemn Sri Lanka
attacks
Jaipur: Representatives of various religions,
from across the state came forward, to show solidarity towards the victims and
survivors of the recent terror attacks in Sri Lanka, that took away over 350
lives. Religious leaders of Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Arya Samaj, Jain and
Muslim faiths gathered for a press conference and unanimously criticised the
violent act committed by the people who have wandered away from the path.
Satyavrat Samdevi, representing the Arya Samaj said that such an incident was
actually a death of humanity. “All those people who committed this act belonged
to educated and wealthy families but were given false preachings about their
religion. Our culture is unity in diversity, and people of our country must be
united against this threat,” said Samdevi. Mohd. Saleem Engineer, vice-president
of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, while criticizing the terrorists said, violence in the
name of religion is not religion. “People behind such gruesome attacks must be
arrested and strict action must be taken against them. No religion in the world
teaches to hurt other believers. Violence is not a solution to any problem and
this should be dealt with strictly,” said Saleem. TOI
Mysuru Muslim leader appeals to stand outside
Church to offer solidarity with Christians: PTI
Mysuru chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has
appealed to Muslims to stand outside a church here while Sunday service is
underway to offer solidarity to Christians following the attacks in Sri Lanka
that killed over 250 people. President of JIH, Mysore, Munawwar Pasha, said the
appeal has been made to convey the message that Muslims and other communities
stand by the Christians at this hour of grief.“I am sending this message to ask
the Muslims to stand outside the main church of Mysuru, St Philomena, this
Sunday to extend solidarity and show that we stand united and hate cannot
divide us,” he told PTI. In the audio message, circulated through social media,
Pasha said when New Zealand had faced the terror attack at a mosque last month,
the Muslims were overwhelmed with the amount of support received from various
communities.“We saw thousands stand together in solidarity with us against the
far right attack,” he said..
WORLD
In another America First move, Trump withdraws
from UN Arms Trade Treaty
UN: Continuing Washington’s drift from
multilateralism, US President Donald Trump has announced that he was
withdrawing the country from the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).At a meeting, he
dramatically pulled out a letter for ending US participation in the treaty and
signed it on stage to a standing ovation by the audience of weapons control
opponents.He called ATT “badly conceived” and said:“UN will get notice that we
are formally rejecting this treaty.”US signed the treaty in 2013 but has not
ratified it. Trump said that he was withdrawing it also from Senate.Advancing
his America First policy, he has already withdrawn US from UNESCO, the
Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INFT),which bans nuclear-tipped
missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 km, and the agreement on denuclearising
Iran that was made by the five permanent members of UN Security Council,
Germany and Tehran.IANS
Bangladesh Jamaat reformists to announce new
political initiative: media reports
Dhaka: Pro-reform leaders within Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
will announce their fresh political initiative on 27 April and have finalised a
declaration in this regard. Meanwhile, central leaders of the party are taking
measures to ensure no one from the main party or from its student front Chhatra
Shibir join the programme. Those involved in the new initiative have said they
are not directly going to announce a new party at the moment. They will not
follow Islam or religion-based parties in their new initiative, but will place
importance more on equality and human rights.It has been learnt that Mujibur
Rahman (Manju), recently expelled from Jamaat, is at the forefront of this
process. He had at one time been the central president of Islami Chhatra Shibir
and later a member of Jamaat’s central majlis-e-sura. Mujibur Rahman is to
announce the new political initiative at a press conference to also be attended
by eminent persons as guests or observers.Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mujibur
Rahman said, “I envisage new politics of people’s aspirations, good governance
and people’s rights. This will reflect the mindset and thoughts of the new
generation.”The reformists say that Jamaat leaders at various levels are going
all out to thwart their initiative. They are keeping a sharp watch to ensure
the party leaders and activists do not join this process and are ready to take
disciplinary action if they do so. They have already summoned at least 50
leaders and members of Jamaat and Shibir in Dhaka, Chittagong. Sylhet and
Rajshahi and have warned them in this regard. Some among these leaders are
reportedly joining the reform process.Jamaat sources have said that the party’s
central secretary general Shafiqur Rahman has gone to London via Malaysia in an
effort to prevent the reformists from forming a new party. There are large
number of Jamaat leaders, workers and supporters in these two countries who are
in favour of reforms. Shafiqur Rahman travelled to Malaysia last week in this
regard where he addressed several informal meetings and spoke against the
reformists. He is presently in London. Incidentally, Abdus Razzak, the leader
who recently resigned from Jamaat, has been residing in London from beforehand.Prior
to his Malaysia trip, Shafiqur Rahman had been in Saudia Arabia. He met with
party leaders there too and cautioned them against the reformists. After he
returned, pro-reformist Jamaat leader Shahjahan Chowdhury then went to Saudi
Arabia too. He has reportedly long been pushed to one side in the party.Concerning
his sudden London trip, Shafiqur Rahman told Prothom Alo that he is in London
on a visit. When asked if he was there to prevent the reformists’ move, he
said, “That’s the first time I have heard about this.” Prothom Alo
Former members to float new party, Bangladesh Jamaat
says ‘not worried’: Dhaka Tribune
Amir-ul- Azeem New Pak Jamaat Secretary
General
Ameer Jamaat e Islami Pakistan, Senator
Siraj-ul- Haq , after consultation of Shoora has appointed Amir-ul- Azeem as
the new Secretary General of the party for the next 5 years.Amir-ul- Azeem has
served as Information Secretary of Jamaat e Islami Earlier, he has been the
chief of the Islami Jamiat e Talaba.8 new Naib Ameer of the JI are Liaqat
Baloch, Prof. Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Rashid Naseem, Asad Ullah Bhutto, Dr Farid
Ahmed Piracha, Mian Muhammad Aslam, Dr.Meraj-ul- Huda Siddiqui and Abdul
Ghaffar Aziz.These office bearers took their oath at a simple ceremony held at
Mansoora, on Friday morning.Two senior most Naib Ameers of the JI, Prof.
Khurshid Ahmed and Hafiz Muhammad Idrees declined to accept the office of the
JI deputy chief for the next term on account of their ill health. Siraj paid
rich tributes to their valuable services for the JI.He said that the two
elderly leaders had devoted their lives for the JI and the Islamic revolution
in the country. He expressed the hope that the two would continue to their
patronage for the JI. Urdupoint.com
Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood leader dies
during sermon
Amman:A leading member of Jordan’s Muslim
Brotherhood group has passed away during attending a Friday sermon at a mosque
in Amman.“Abdul-Latif Arabiyat died after losing consciousness while listening
to Friday sermon,” Murad al-Adayla, secretary-general of the Islamic Action
Front (political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan), said.Arabiyat was
born in 1933 in Jordanian town of Al-Salt west of Amman.He later served as
parliamentary speaker for three successive terms from 1990 to 1993.Arabiyat,
who also served for a time as Islamic Action Front’s leader, was 86 years old
at the time of his death.Anadolu Agency
Jordanians stage pro-Palestine rally near Dead
Sea
Thousands of people demonstrated on Friday in
Jordan’s western Dead Sea region against the so-called “Deal of the Century”, a
backchannel US Middle East peace plan, terms of which have yet to be
publicized. Organized by the Islamic Movement (affiliated with Jordan’s Muslim
Brotherhood), the rally was held in the Sweimeh area adjacent to the
Israeli-occupied West Bank.Protesters chanted slogans in support of Jerusalem’s
Al-Aqsa Mosque and condemned recent incursions into the mosque compound by
Jewish settlers and Israeli officials.Demonstrators also demanded the right of
Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in historical Palestine, from
which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.Anadolu
Agency
Thousands gather for prayers outside Sudan
army HQ
Thousands of protesters have been staging a
sit-in for 3 weeks outside military headquarters in Khartoum and say they will
not go home until military leaders immediately hand over power to civilian
rule.While the resignation of three members of ruling military council
triggered jubilation among the protesters, the release of several members of
former President Omar al-Bashir's Govt aroused their anger.The feeling in Khartoum is
that the military council has been hoping the protesters will become
disappointed and go home, but so far, the demonstrators have refused to disperse.aljazeera
'Do not forget Rohingya': UN urges support for
refugees
Top UN officials have urged the international
community not to forget the plight of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and
called for global support to ensure their safe and voluntary return to Myanmar.
Following a visit to refugee camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, Mark Lowcock, UN
under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said the body was seeking to
raise nearly a billion dollars to help Rohingya refugees and their host
community. aljazeera
Commission asks US to punish Saudi over executions
United States Govt commission on religious freedom has urged
action against ally Saudi Arabia after its mass execution of 37 people, most of
them Shia Muslims.The US Commission on International Religious Freedom, whose
members are appointed by the president and legislators across party lines but
whose role is advisory, said the US State Department "must stop giving a
free pass" to Saudi Arabia.On Friday, the commission issued a statement
after reports emerged the youngest of the 37 men executed on Tuesday was only
16 when he was charged.Abdulkarim al-Hawaj's death sentence had prompted an
outcry from UN, which had urged the kingdom to overturn ruling.Hawaj reportedly
"confessed" to his crimes after being beaten and tortured with
electricity while his hands were chained above his head, human rights charity
Reprieve has said.aljazeera
Turkey indicts third US Consulate worker in
Istanbul on terrorism charges
Turkey has indicted a third US Consulate
employee and his wife and daughter on charges of membership of a terrorist
group, according to a copy of the indictment seen by Reuters, a move likely to
further strain ties between Ankara and Washington.Nazmi Mete Canturk, a
security officer at the US Consulate in Istanbul, and his wife and daughter are
accused in the indictment of links to the network of Fethullah Gulen, the
US-based Muslim cleric blamed by Ankara for a failed 2016 coup.A Turkish
prosecutor is seeking jail sentences for all 3 on charges of membership of an
armed terrorist organisation, according to the indictment, which was completed
on March 8 but has not been made public.It says Canturk was in contact with
dozens of individuals under investigation for being members of Gulen’s network
and that “evidence has been obtained regarding suspect’s actions in line with
the instructions of the (terrorist) organisation”.middleeastmonitor
US man rammed car into pedestrians thinks Muslim
A man in California deliberately ploughed his
car into a group of 8 pedestrians because he thought some of them were Muslim,
local authorities have said.Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, faces 8 counts of
attempted murder for injuring eight people, including a 13-year-old girl, after
he deliberately veered his car into the pedestrians. The teenage girl was the
most seriously injured in the incident and is currently in a coma with severe
brain trauma.3 adults also remain in hospital with injuries that include broken
limbs and fractures.aljazeera
Petition to stop mural of PM Ardern hugging
Muslim lady
More than 9,000 people are calling for a
proposed mural depicting the New Zealand PM hugging a Muslim woman to be
scrapped.More than $11,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign for 23-metre-high
mural of Jacinda Ardern.Renowned street artist Loretta Lizzio had offered to
donate her time "to paint an image of unity, an image of hope" on
Tinning Street silos, which is in north of Melbourne .But the idea to promote
the message of peace following the Christchurch massacre which left 50 people
dead has been met with some opposition.About 9,300 people have signed a
change.org petition in a bid to halt the project."Its (sic) not wanted in
Australia. Nothing to do with Australia," one woman commented on petition.
GoFundMe page for the mural raised the $11,000 needed to paint it in just one
day.Yahoo News UK
Nearly 39,000 displaced as Libyan crisis
worsens:UN
UN is “gravely concerned” about reports of
indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas of Tripoli, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman
for UNSG Antonio Guterres, said.Nearly 39,000 people have been displaced since
fighting broke out in Libya’s capital, Dujarric said, citing data from UN
Migration Agency, and the humanitarian crisis there is worsening. Anadolu
US imposes visa sanctions on Pakistan
US has
imposed visa sanctions on Pakistan after it refused to take back its citizen
deportees and visa over-stayers, as per US State Department."Consular
operations in Pakistan remain unchanged.This is a bilateral issue of ongoing
discussion between the US and Pakistani Govt s and we are not going to get into
the specifics at the time," Sputnik quoted a US State Department
spokesperson as saying.ANI
Shia cleric assassinated in Iran
A Shia clergyman was killed in an armed attack
in Iran’s northwestern Hamadan city, according to a security official on
Saturday.Hujjat-ul-Islam Mustafa Ghasemi, 46, was shot dead while leaving a
local madrasah, an Islamic religious school, Bahsh Salih, head of the
provincial police department, told local media.There was no claim of
responsibility for the attack. Police launched an investigation into the
incident.Anadolu
Flash: views & NEWS
Bilkis Bano case: Courts must censure wrongful
behaviour of the state: M R Shamshad
In era of ideology and nationalism,
reflections on what ails Pakistan: Khaled Ahmed
'Modi Magic': Amartya Sen Says Constant
Distractions Key to BJP Govt
How Irani has failed both BJP and women:Apsara
Reddy
Afghan peace:US, Russia, China on same page?R.
Mohan
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/afghan-peace-us-russia-and-china-on-the-same-page-5698226/
Mistakes Which Rahul Gandhi has Made:Amulya
Ganguli
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