08 June 2019:
04 sHAWAL 1440:Vol: 11, No:217
INDIA
Ex-soldier Sanaullah declared "foreigner"
in Assam released from detention centre
Guwahati: Mohammad Sanaullah, the retired
Indian Army soldier who was declared an illegal immigrant by a tribunal and
sent to a detention centre in Assam last month, was released today on bail.Gauhati
High Court, which ordered his release yesterday, had also issued notices to the
centre and the state govt.Notices were also issued to the Election Commission,
National Register of Citizens (NRC) authorities and the investigation officer
of Assam Border Police Chandramal Das. Sanaullah - who served the army for 30
years and then joined the Assam Border Police - was arrested and locked up at a
detention centre on May 29. 53-year-old has been accused of being a foreigner
who has been living illegally in the country.Earlier this week, three men who
allegedly signed the case report on Subedar Sanaullah had claimed that no
investigation has been done in the case. They filed a police complaint,
accusing Chandramal Das of fabricating the investigation report.At the time of
the alleged investigation- in May 2008 and Aug2009- Sanaullah was in Manipur,
conducting counter-insurgency operations, his service record shows. Even
Chandramal Das has accepted that Subedar Sanaullah was not in Assam during that
period. The officer has said that Mohammad Sanaullah was not the man he
investigated. But the man whom he investigated was also called Sanaullah, which
is why a mix-up of reports at the administrative level may have occurred, he
said.Shahnaz Akhtar, ex-soldier's daughter, thanked the media for highlighting
the story. "We will continue our fight.We thank NDTV for your effort and
also other media as well. It's because of the media that the truth came
out," she said.The case has raised the locals' concerns and doubts about
the methods of the Foreigners' Tribunal, which is tasked with verification of
identity to weed out illegal migrants. Assam having a porous border with
Bangladesh, infiltration from across the border is a permanent concern.But
locals say such slipshod methods -- coupled with the government's overdrive to
find foreigners -- are leading to unending harassment of genuine Indians.The
locals also worry that this same mechanism might be adopted in case of those
left out of the final version by NRC.ndtv
Imran Khan writes to Modi again, seeks talks
on Kashmir, other matters: Reports
Pakistan PM Imran Khan has written to his
Indian counterpart Narendra Modi seeking dialogue, Express Tribune reported on
Friday, quoting diplomatic sources. In the letter, Khan congratulated Modi once
again for his victory in the Lok Sabha elections, and sought talks to resolve
Kashmir and other outstanding matters.“PM Imran wrote that peace and prosperity
in the region could only be achieved through peace and stability and it was
necessary to work together for this purpose,” The Express Tribune reported. The
Pakistan prime minister told Modi that “mutual respect” was essential for
regional development, and that poverty could be overcome only through
dialogue.The letter arrived through diplomatic channels about two days ago, Indian
Express reported, quoting officials in India. Khan also said Pakistan follows a
policy of peaceful neighbourhood. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
Qureshi also wrote to his new Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, congratulating
him on his appointment.Qureshi told Jaishankar that Islamabad wanted talks with
New Delhi on “all important matters” and was committed to peace in South
Asia.However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs had clarified on Thursday
that Modi and Khan do not plan to hold a bilateral meeting at Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek.scroll.in
Onus on Islamabad for India-Pak peace:White House
Washington :Amidst new peace overtures from
the Imran Khan government after the re-election of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, the White House has made it clear to Pakistan that the onus for sustained
peace in South Asia was on it by putting the terror groups out of
business.“What the United States is really looking for in Pakistan are arrests
and prosecutions and not allowing these groups to operate and move around
freely, acquire weapons, cross into India, carry out attacks,” a senior White
House official told PTI this week.PTI
Modi in Maldives Live: PM addresses People’s
Majlis, stresses on ‘Neighbourhood-First Policy’
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/narendra-modi-award-maldives-sri-lanka-live-updates-5771006/
PM
Narendra Modi on Saturday was conferred with the Maldives’ highest honour “Rule
of Nishan Izzuddeen” during his first bilateral visit to the island nation in
the second term. The Prime Minister held wide-ranging talks with Maldivian
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and signed six agreements to strengthen
bilateral ties in a number of key areas including defence and maritime. Upon
his arrival this evening, Modi was greeted at Male airport by Foreign Minister
Abdulla Shahid and also received a ceremonial welcome by President Solih at
Republic Square.Modi, along with President Solih, will jointly inaugurate two
key projects –Coastal Surveillance Radar System and the Composite Training
Centre of the Maldives National Defence Forces – with an eye on China’s pro-active moves in
Indian Ocean region. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had described the two as
“important projects”, valued at about Rs 180 crore, which will be remotely
inaugurated by the two leaders. Besides this, Modi will travel to Sri Lanka
later in the day where he will review the progress on a key trilateral MoU
which India, Japan and Sri Lanka have signed – the development of the East
Container Terminal in Colombo, located just about 3 km away from the
China-supported “port city”, which is being built on reclaimed land.Before the
visits, PM Modi had said: “I am confident that my visit to the Maldives and Sri
Lanka will further strengthen our close and cordial ties with our maritime
neighbours, in line with our ‘Neighbourhood-First Policy’.”indianexpress
India, Maldives ink 6 pacts as PM Narendra
Modi, Prez Solih hold talks
US experts heap praises on EAM S Jaishankar,
call him one of world’s best diplomats
Washington :Some of the former top US
diplomats and foreign policy experts have hailed the appointment of S
Jaishankar as the new External Affairs Minister and have exuded confidence that
US-India strategic ties will be further enhanced under his watch.Jaishankar,
64, known for his skillful diplomacy, tough negotiating tactics and strategic
vision, has served as the Indian ambassador to the US from 2013-2015.“I am
thrilled to see Jaishankar take on the role of Minister of External Affairs. He
is a seasoned and skilled diplomat, and his depth of experience as a global
strategist has made him a key figure in the development of India’s foreign
policy,” Nisha Desai Biswal, who served as the Assistant Secretary of State for
South and Central Asia in the previous Obama Administration, told PTI.Biswal,
who is now president of US India Business Council, was Obama administration’s
point person for South and Central Asia when Jaishankar arrived Washington DC
in Dec.2013, amidst the bilateral crisis following the arrest of senior Indian
diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York. In the next few days, Biswal and
Jaishankar worked together to resolve the crisis.PTI
Ground Zero: Minorities in north India bear
the brunt of post-election hate crimes
Street thugs have taken advantage of the
post-election triumphalism to stage attacks on minorities in parts of north
India. It is the last Friday of Ramzan and lying on a blue rexine bed that is
standard in private nursing homes, with an intravenous tube (IV) and a catheter
attached to him, Mohammad Qasim,29, has anguished look of a man who is weary of
carrying the burden of his name. As his cousins rush out of the nursing home to
offer Alvida Juma (jumu’atul vida) namaz, tears course down Qasim’s cheeks. He
says, “I cannot even get up to offer my prayers, and this is more painful than
the bullet lodged inside me.”3 days after the spectacular verdict of the 2019
general election that gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi a second term, Mohammad
Qasim was shot at for being a Muslim in Kumbhi village. It falls under the
jurisdiction of Cheria-Bariyarpur police station in Begusarai district,
Bihar.Injured Mohd. Qasim is being treated at a private nursing home in Begusarai
town on Monday.Looking back, it would appear that the atmosphere had already
been vitiated by politicians in the run-up to the general election. Hindutva
poster boy and Union Minister Giriraj Singh won Begusarai Lok Sabha seat by
defeating CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar; RJD candidate Tanvir Hussain came a
distant third. Campaigning for the polls, Singh repeatedly hit the headlines
with controversial statements. “My ancestors died and were cremated… but you
need a yard of land even after you die. If you say you cannot chant Vande
Mataram, this nation will never forget you,” he had said in the course of an
election rally. He had also demanded the Election Commission impose a ban on
the use of green flags. This was not the first time Singh had courted controversy
in his attempts to create a wedge between religious communities.The past five
years of Modi government have seen a spate of lynchings across north India. For
a few weeks in the run-up to Eid-ul-Fitr every year, Mohammad Murtaza would
hire a couple of tailors on daily wages to handle the increased load of work in
his shop, in the Jacubpura area of Gurugram. Shops such as these are common in
this area. This year Murtaza called his distant cousin, Mohammad Barkat Alam,
25, from Bihar’s Begusarai district to learn the tricks of the trade. Looking
back at the incident of May 25, Murtaza is deeply perturbed by the turn of
events over the past few days. Says Murtaza, referring to Alam, “It has not
even been a month and he has already invited so much trouble for himself and
all of us. The police and the media have all got involved. I had called him to
teach tailoring for a better living, but will now send him back after Eid. That
too will not be easy as he is now involved in a legal tangle.”New to the city,Alam
was returning to the shop from the local Jama Masjid, about 100 m away, on May
25 around 10 p.m. through a narrow alley when a few young men on a motorcycle
and on foot allegedly accosted him and told him to remove his skull cap. They
told him that he was not allowed to wear the skull cap in this area. When Alam
protested, one of them slapped him and hit him on the head, displacing the cap.
An altercation broke out. Though there is no evidence to confirm or deny it,
Alam claimed that his tormentor asked him to chant “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and
“Jai Shree Ram”, and threatened to feed him pork if he didn’t obey his
command.On his part, Murtaza says his family back in Begusarai have been
staunch supporters of the BJP and had been voting for the party.the hindu
NGOs warned of penal action if they don’t
inform Home Ministry of changes in office-bearers
New Delhi:Home Ministry has warned NGOs, who
have changed their office-bearers and key functionaries without informing the
Ministry, with penal action, if they fail to do so within a month. All NGOs and
associations registered under FCRA, 2010, which makes them eligible to receive
foreign funds and donations, have to submit online application for addition,
deletion and change of details about office-bearers and key functionaries
within one month.As per norms, all associations, granted a certificate of
registration under Section 11 and 12 of FCRA, 2010 have reported details of
their office-bearers and key functionaries while applying for registration.“It
is noticed that some associations/persons, having been registered under the
Act, have changed their office-bearers/key functionaries without approval from
the MHA and without updating this data on a real time basis through the online
application meant for change of these details...all such associations are
hereby called upon to submit online changes failing which penal action shall be
initiated under the appropriate provisions of the FCRA Act, 2010 and Rules,
2011,” the order issued by MHA on Friday said.thehindu
Draft National Education Policy moots
all-India entrance tests for UG courses in public colleges
New Delhi:Admission to undergraduate courses
in all government-funded universities and colleges will soon be through
all-India entrance tests, if the draft National Education Policy is approved.
Private institutes will also be strongly encouraged to make use of the common
admission tests, which will be available from 2020. Both aptitude and subject
knowledge-based tests will be offered.The system seems to have some
similarities to the SAT, a standardised aptitude test widely used for
admissions to colleges and universities in the United States. SAT, however, is
used as a criterion alongside school grades.In India, the common entrance test
has largely been the domain of aspirants to professional or post-graduate
courses, but that is already changing. The new National Testing Agency (NTA)
has already conducted premier professional entrance tests — JEE, NEET, and CMAT
— this year. Later this month, the NTA will also conduct admission tests for
applicants to more than 170 Delhi University (DU) courses, including 12
undergraduate programmes. These DU students could well be the pioneers of a new
era in undergraduate admission if the draft Policy is implemented.thehindu
Hindi words on name boards of central govt
offices blackened in Tamil Nadu
Tiruchirappalli :Hindi text on the name boards
of central government offices here including the BSNL and Airport, was
blackened, police said Saturday. The matter came to light this morning, they
said adding the text in English was left untouched.Read | Amid din over
3-language proposal, Tamil Nadu tops voluntary Hindi learning in southern
statesThe incident comes in the backdrop of the raging controversy over 3-language
formula initially proposed by Centre, which the opposition parties in the state
termed as an attempt of “imposing” Hindi.Principal opposition party DMK and
others had stoutly opposed the move and insisted that only two-language formula
should continue. The cantonment and airport police have been informed about the
incident.indian express
AP: Jaganmohan Reddy takes charge as chief
minister, 25 Cabinet ministers sworn-in
In what YSR Congress called a
“socially-inclusive Cabinet,” 25 new ministers were Saturday inducted into the
Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s Council of Ministers in Andhra Pradesh.In line with his
electoral promise, Mr. Jagan gave Cabinet berths to seven legislators from the
backward classes, five from the Scheduled Castes, one each from the Scheduled
Tribes and Muslims, and four each from the Kapu and Reddy communities.The Kamma
community, which dominated the previous Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet, got just one
berth now.The Kshatriya and the Vysya communities also got one berth each.State
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the
new ministers at a glittering public function adjacent to the Secretariat at
Velagapudi in capital Amaravati.The 26-member Cabinet, including the Chief
Minister, has three women members; two from the Scheduled Castes and one from
the Scheduled Tribes.Mr. Jagan brought back senior leaders Botsa Satyanarayana,
Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, Pinipe Viswaroop, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao,
Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, who worked as
ministers in his late father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s Cabinet in the erstwhile
united AP.In fact, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose
resigned from their Cabinet posts in the then Congress government and joined
the YSRC floated by Mr. Jagan and have been sailing with him for the past eight
years.PTI/the hindu
Vigilance raids J&K Bank, hours after
chairman was replaced
Srinagar:A team of the J&K Vigilance
Commission on Saturday raided the headquarters of the J&K Bank in Srinagar,
hours after an official communique announced the removal of Parvez Ahmad as the
bank chairman.A bank employee told The Hindu that the entry and exit points of
the bank headquarters in Srinagar were sealed by the security forces in the
afternoon. "Employees were barred from leaving the premises," said
the employee. The vigilance team accessed the Human Resource department and the
main office of the former chairman for investigation.There has been no official
communique from the vigilance department on the reasons behind the raids.The
move came just hours after Vishal Sharma, additional secretary of State Finance
Department, issued an order announcing “cessation of Ahmad on Board of
Directors (BoD) of J&K Bank. Ahmad cease to be director on BoD and no
longer be chairman cum managing director of board,” reads the order.thehindu
2 ex-SPOs among 4 JeM men killed in Pulwama
encounter
Srinagar :2 Special Police Officers (SPOs) who
joined militant ranks were among four Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) men killed in
Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday.Shabir Ahmad Dar and Mohammad
Salman Khan, residents of Pulwama and Shopian districts respectively, were
killed less than 24 hours after they abandoned their posts. J&K police said
after deserting, the SPOs had become the members of JeM and were killed in an
encounter.A police spokesperson said that a cordon and search operation was
launched by joint forces at Panjran village in Litter area of Pulwama on
Thursday evening following the presence of militants in the area.“During the
search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party. The fire was
retaliated leading to an encounter,” the spokesperson said.The gunbattle, which
continued for more than 12 hours, led to the death of four militants.“In the
ensuing encounter, two listed terrorists and two SPOs who had recently deserted
(the force) and become members of JeM were killed,” the police spokesperson
said.The slain militants have been identified as Ashiq Hussain Ganaie of
Panjran in Pulwama, and Imran Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Arihal,
Pulwama.indianexpress
J&K: Al-Qaeda affiliate claims to have
appointed successor of Zakir Musa:TOI
Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, the Kashmir cell of
Al-Qaeda, has claimed to have appointed a new chief to succeed Zakir Musa, who
was killed in an encounter with security forces two weeks ago, TOI reported.30-year-old
Hameed Lelhari is a native of Pulwama in J&K and a member of
Jamait-Ahl-e-Hadith.In a video released on Wednesday, a spokesperson of the
Al-Qaeda affiliate claimed that Lelhari had replaced Musa and Ghazi Ibrahim
Khalid was appointed his deputy commander. The video was released by the
affiliate’s media wing Al Hurr.Lelhari earlier served as Musa’s deputy after
they split from the Hizbul Mujahideen and swore allegiance to Al-Qaeda in July
2017. Unidentified police officials confirmed to TOI that he had taken over the
affiliate but said he is “hardly a top terrorist”. They confirmed the veracity
of the video, but were not aware about his deputy’s identity and
background.Another unidentified senior government official told The Economic
Times that the militant group might have links with Pakistan.scroll.in
Malegaon blast case trial: Pragya appears,
complains of chair, dust and an infection
Mumbai :Appearing in court for the first time
since the trial in 2008 Malegaon blast case began in Dec, accused and BJP MP
Pragya Singh Thakur had one answer for 2 questions she was asked: “I do not
know”.Thakur chose to stand through most of the proceedings, complained about
the seating arrangement and the cleanliness of the court, and wondered why she
was called at all.Special Judge V S Padalkar invoked his powers under Section
313 of the Criminal Procedure Code, to record an accused’s statement, and asked
Thakur, “Do you know how many witnesses have been examined by the prosecution?”
Standing outside the witness box, Thakur said she would have to ask her lawyer.
“Mujhe nahi maloom (I do not know),” she said.The judge then said that after
examination of witnesses, including those injured in the blast and medical
experts, it could be concluded that a blast had taken place at Bhiku Chowk on
September 29, 2008. He asked her what she had to say about that. “Mujhe
jaankari nahi hai (I have no information),” Thakur said.indianexpress
Centre amends 60-year-old rule to give Cabinet
Secretary Pradeep Sinha 3-month extension
Centre on Friday gave a three-month extension
to Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha, the Ministry of Personnel, Public
Grievances & Pensions said in a press statement. As per existing rules, a
cabinet secretary’s total term with extensions could not go beyond four years. In
a notification issued on Friday, the Centre amended the All India Services
(Death-Cum-Retirement-Benefits) Rules, 1958. “Central Government may, if it
considers necessary in public interest to do so, give an extension in service
for a further period, not exceeding three months, beyond the period of four
years to the Cabinet Secretary,” the amendment states.scroll.in
Civil Society condemns the criminal intimidation
made to scholar Ram Puniyani
Civil society organisations and activists from
all over India have expressed shock and dismay that Dr. Ram Puniyani has
received threatening calls by unidentified callers yesterday, 6th June, who
used abusive and filthy language towards Dr. Puniyani and warned him to leave
in 15 days or face the consequences.A few months back, three unknown persons
posing as officials enquiring about passport application visited Dr. Puniyani
and made some personal enquiries, this despite the fact that Dr. Puniyani had
not applied for any passport. Condemning the actions of these cowardly callers,
civil society members have, in their press release, stated that these repeated
threats post a great danger to the life of Dr. Puniyani who has been a strong
secular voice and crusader for communal harmony. This is nothing but an attempt
to silence his voice and curb his emphatic efforts towards spreading the
message of peace and harmony. Already we have witnessed grave attacks on and
assassinations of rationalists and secular thinkers, including Dr. Narendra
Dabholkar, Prof. Govind Pansare, Prof. Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh,
amongst others. Several writers, journalists, RTI activists, artists, lawyers
etc. have been under attack by right wing forces. In light of these recent
attacks, it is important that the police authorities and state administration
takes serious note of and prompt action in this case, and take all measures to
ensure safety of Dr. Puniyani and his family.twocircles
Hindutva groups using poor, unemployed youths
in MP to spread hatred:say civil society teams
Civil society organisations in Madhya Pradesh
blamed poverty and unemployment among youth for the upsurge in incidents of mob
fury in the name of cow protection and communal violence in the state. The
“increasing grip” of Hindutva politics that use such poor and unemployed youths
and failure of the state machinery to curb the trend are also to be blamed,
they said on Friday. Representatives of organisations, who conducted fact finding
in two separate incidents of mob fury and communal clash in Seoni and Dewas
districts respectively, said it was unfortunate that even the Congress
government had not been able to plug the incidents. They demanded firm steps by
the government to curb the menace of violence and hatred in MP.At a press
conference held in Bhopal, they accused ‘Hindutva groups’ functioning by the
names of Bajrang Dal, Shri Ram Sena and Karni Sena of being those responsible
for spurring of such incidents and using the impoverished, poorly educated and
unemployed youth to further their cause of hatred. The organisations demanded
that “the young citizens who are presently trapped in Hindutva politics” be
identified and rehabilitated to live humane lives and contribute constructively
to the country. Representatives of organisations like MP Mahila Manch, National
Alliance of People’s Movement, All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch among
others, conducted fact finding of the incident in Seoni where three persons
were brutally beaten up for allegedly transporting beef. They also looked at
the incident of a clash between dalits and Muslims in Dewas district that left
a dalit youth dead. The team members said that one of the victims, Tausif Khan,
was returning home from his aunt’s place when he was caught in the situation
and beaten up brutally since he was found to be a Muslim.theweek
Former The Wire Journalist Arrested for
'Objectionable' Post Against Adityanath
New Delhi: Former journalist at The Wire
Hindi, Prashant Kanojia, was arrested by the UP police from his home in Delhi
on Saturday afternoon. The arrest is apparently over social media posts he
wrote about UP chief minister Adityanath.His wife, who was present when the
police came to pick him up, says that the police officials informed them that
they were from Hazratganj police station and were taking Kanojia to Lucknow by
road. Another person who called up Kanojia while he was being picked up also
said that he was being taken to Lucknow by the UP police.His phone has not been
reachable since.It is unclear why or how the UP police have made this arrest,
given that Kanojia is a resident of Delhi.Kanojia had recently posted on
Twitter and Facebook a video of a woman speaking to various TV channels about
wanting to marry Adityanath. She claimed in the video that she had been
conversing with the chief minister for a long time over video chat, and that
now she wanted to know if he was willing to spend his life with her.thewire
BJP MLA Raja Singh shares video message after
rumours claim his sister converted to Islam
Hyderabad:Raja Singh, BJP MLA representing
Goshamahal Assembly seat shared a video message after ‘fake news’ claimed that
his sister converted to Islam.In the video message, he dismissed the rumours
and said that none of his family members had changed his/her religion. He also
said that in future too, no one from his family will convert.He further claimed
that in the coming days, “Ghar Wapsi” will take place in full swing. According
to the report published in India Today, a photo collage of Singh and woman was
circulated on social claiming that his sister has converted to Islam.After
performing a reverse search, it was found that the woman in the photo is a
resident of Kerala who had converted to Islam in 2017.It may be mentioned that
after a few months, the woman had re-converted to Hinduism.siasat
Aligarh toddler's murder sends shockwaves
across nation, misinformation spreads like wildfire on social media
The brutal murder of a 2-and-a-half year old
in Aligarh to recover a debt of merely Rs 10,000 has sent shockwaves across the
country. Outraged netizens have demand justice for the victim, while many
others used the medium to send thoughts and prayers to the family. Following
intense media scrutiny, the police have taken two main accused into custody on
the basis of statements made by the victim's family.However, what is worrisome
is the hate mongering and misinformation being spread around a brutal crime
where the victim's family happens to be Hindu and the accused are Muslim. Some
have been quick to compare the barbaric crime with the brutal rape and murder
of a five-year-old girl in Kathua. Thursday, when the news broke, the girl's
name was trending on Twitter. Many on Twitter claimed the toddler was raped before being murdered.
It was also claimed that the victim’s arm was amputated, her eyes gouged out
and acid poured on her body. However, the post mortem has not confirmed these
claims.The report mentioned that the soft tissue around eyes has been lost, but
that the damage was caused by an individual before death or is due to animal
attack or natural decomposition is unclear. Police also said that no trace of
acid has been found on the body, as was being claimed by some.The report is also
inconclusive on rape because the body had putrefied by the time it was
recovered by the police. The report stated that the girl's arm had been
amputated, but whether that happened before death or after is unclear. Her
mutilated body was dragged by stray dogs out of a dumping ground.By Friday
morning, the term Kathua too had started drawing a huge search volume even
though there was no development in that case and some on Twitter attacking
celebrities and Left-leaning intellectuals.SSPAkash Kulhari said the girl went
missing from Tappal township on 31 May and police found her mutilated body in a
garbage dump near her house on 2 June.Police have arrested two persons — Zahid
and Aslam — on the basis of a complaint by the victim's father.firstpost.com
Cops step in, prevent escalation of tension
over prayers in Bareilly
Bareilly: Prompt steps taken by police ensured
that there was no escalation in tension over rumours during Friday prayers at
Chowki Crossing mosque in Bareilly city. ASP (city) Abhinandan Singh and circle
officer Kuldeep Kumar rushed to the spot and brought the situation under
control. The traffic on Chowki Crossing, which is one of the busiest in the
city, was affected for over an hour.
Abhinandan Singh told TOI, “After receiving information, we immediately
went to the spot with extra security personnel and spoke to the mosque’s
management committee. We assured them that the police had never prevented
anyone from offering of namaz. We had only asked them to offer namaz without
blocking the traffic. This issue has now been resolved and the situation is
peaceful.” Earlier, tension prevailed in Bareilly city after rumours over
purported reports that police have stopped people from offering their prayers at
the Chowki Crossing mosque on Friday. Soon, over a hundred people gathered at
the site and even visited the local police station. Some people started
spreading rumours that the police had ordered not to offer prayers at the
mosque. Nafees Khan, national general secretary, Ittehad-e-Millat Council, told
TOI, “We are following this tradition for over 50 years here and no one stopped
us. All the shopkeepers in this area offer prayers here every Friday. The area
inside the mosque is not enough to accommodate everyone. So, a few of us had to
offer prayers on the road. Since we are not starting anything new, there
shouldn’t be any problem.”TOI
Bilkis Bano case: IPS officer sacked a day
before retirement
Ahmedabad :Gujarat cadre IPS officer R S
Bhagora, an accused in the 2002 Bilkis Bano case, was dismissed from service by
the Union Home Ministry on May 30, a day before his retirement, a senior state
government official said Friday.The 60-year-old officer, who was to retire on
May 31, was serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) with the
Ahmedabad police when his dismissal order came, said M R Soni, Deputy Secretary
(Inquiry), Gujarat Home Department.“The state Home Department had received a
communication from the Union Home Ministry ordering dismissal of Bhagora from
service on May 29.“We had served the order on May 30, which effectively means
he was sacked a day before his retirement,” said Soni.PTI
Muslims no more a part of India, says Meerut
cleric:TOI
Meerut: Muslims are no more a part of this
country, they are like tenants here. However, if Muslims are loved like the
people of other religion, we are ready to even support BJP," cleric Qari
Shaafiq-ur-Rehman said in his Eid address at the Shahi Idgah in Meerut. Qari
refers to a person who recites the Quran at a mosque. Referring to the recent
political slugfest on Mahatma Gandhi and his assassin Nathuram Godse, Rehman
added: "The country does not belong to Gandhi anymore. It instead belongs
to the killer of Gandhi - Godse." Meerut shehr qazi Zainus Sajidin said,
"It's sad that Mahatma Gandhi is being put in a bad light and Godse is
being made a hero by the likes of Pragya Thakur. It is dangerous that people
like her were given ticket and have now become a Parliamentarian." Both
Rehman and Sajidin addressed the masses from Shahi Idgah as a part of Eid
tradition, in which the minority community is given a message from their
religious heads."We live in a democratic country where people chosen by
the masses form the government. Whether they are communal or secular, it is our
responsibility to save the Constitution and the democratic structure of the
country," said Sajidin. TOI
Jama Masjid has banned Tik-Tok
New Delhi:Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam
of Delhi's Jama Masjid, has said that the Tik-Tok app ban inside the mosque is
here to stay as he will not suffer people breaking into a song and dance on the
masjid premises.The Shahi Imam had imposed a ban on use of the Chinese social
media app Tik-Tok — which allows a user to make a video of oneself with a song
– inside the heritage mosque last month just before Ramzan started. The move
was made after the appearance of a few videos on social media in which some
visitors were seen doing handstands and dancing to songs.The Indian government
had earlier called for Tik-Tok's removal from Google Play Store and the App
Store and subsequently banned fresh downloads.After the Jama Masjid ban,
Tik-Tok said it "condones" posting of content that "might offend
or disrespect any person, place or religious beliefs. We have already removed
the video in question as well as any other related videos.”“Whether it’s a
mosque, or a temple, or a gurudwara, these places are for worship, not for
singing and dancing. I had come across such videos made on this app where
people were seen dancing inside the mosque courtyard and then I took the
decision,” the imam said.The Jama Masjid authorities have put up boards
proscribing the use of Tik-Tok on the premises. telegraphindia.com
‘People will beat us with shoes if we keep
delaying the Ram Mandir,’ says Shiv Sena leader
“If we don’t start constructing Ram Mandir,
the country will lose faith in us... People will beat us with shoes if we
continue postponing the matter,” said Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha leader Sanjay Raut,
once again raising the issue of building a temple at the site of the demolished
Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.Insisting that the construction begin at the earliest
Raut said, “In 2014 it was our [election] promise to build the temple. We got
the people’s mandate, but we did not make the temple. Again in 2019, when we
asked for the people’s support, we brought up the matter of the Ram
Mandir...Now the election is over, the government is back, so should we forget
Ram Lalla and Ayodhya?”
Eid Milap: Hyderabad mosque opens doors for
all communities
In an example of communal harmony, a mosque in
Hyderabad opened its doors for members of all communities to visit and
understand the principles of Islam.As part of its 'Visit My Mosque' program,
the mosque opens its doors on one day in the year for members of all religious
communities to visit the shrine and understand the various religious practices
under Islam.This year, 'Eid Milap' was held on June 6, and on the occasion,
locals were given a chance to visit Masjid-e-Quba.Mahita, a visitor, said,
"This is my first visit to a mosque. We thought that normally they don't allow
us into a mosque. But the mosque management has allowed and for the first time,
we witnessed how prayers are held. We also got to know many things after coming
here about Islam."Syed Mohsin Ali, the organiser of this event, said the
main objective is to spread awareness on Islam as well as to bridge the
existing gap between religious communities.ANI
UP: At least 19 people killed, 48 injured in
dust storm
At least 19 people died in many parts of up
following a dust storm and lightning on Thursday, PTI reported. At least 48
people were injured in these incidents.“While six persons died in Mainpuri,
three persons each died in Etah and Kasganj and one each in Moradabad, Badaun,
Pilibhit, Mathura, Kannauj, Sambhal and Ghaziabad in incidents related to dust
storm and lightning,” according to official data released by the Uttar Pradesh
Relief commissioner on Friday. As many as 41 people were injured in Mainpuri,
officials said. scroll
WORLD
Unsubstantiated claims that Muslim doctor
sterilised women raise tensions in Sri Lanka
Kurunegala :On May 23 Sri Lankan newspaper Divaina,
known for its nationalist stance, published a front page article alleging a
Muslim doctor had secretly sterilised 4,000 Sinhala Buddhist women after
Cesarean deliveries. Doctor, who was not identified in the article, was also
described as a member of National Thowheed Jamath, one of 2 local Islamist
groups blamed for Easter bombings. Reuters has no independent evidence to
support these claims.The article was produced roughly a week after Buddhist
mobs in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka had destroyed Muslim homes,
stores and mosques in rioting triggered by coordinated bombings in the capital
Colombo and two other towns. Divaina’s editor-in-chief, Anura Solomons, told Reuters
the paper’s story was based on police and hospital sources, whom he said he
could not identify.Allegations on a Muslim doctor might be forcibly sterilizing
Buddhists are particularly incendiary on an island where hardliners within the
Buddhist majority have accused Muslims of seeking to use a higher birth rate to
spread their influence.Two days later, a doctor, Segu Shihabdeen Mohamed Shafi,
was arrested. Police said he was accused of acquiring properties with money of
a suspicious origin.Police are also probing the sterilisation claims and have
called on any potentially affected women to come forward.Police spokesman Ruwan
Gunasekera told Reuters Shafi was charged under a money laundering act, but
declined to provide further information on the financial charges he faced or
the sterilisation claims. Shafi’s lawyer, Faris Saly, said the probe was flawed
because the authorities did not call for evidence of sterilisations until after
Shafi’s arrest, adding that all allegations were unsubstantiated. Shafi is a
prominent physician in the province’s Buddhist heartland of Kurunegala,a
district with a high concentration of army personnel and the constituency of
nationalist ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, now the leader of the
opposition.“If these allegations are proven, it will show that they want to
destroy the Sinhala race,” said Pradeep Kumar, a 38-year-old driver waiting in
a crowded hospital hallway as his wife lodged a statement detailing how Shafi
had delivered their daughter by C-section 11 years ago.He added the couple were
concerned after hearing about the case as they had been trying unsuccessfully
to have a second child for six years. Shafi’s family said he was being framed.
“He is being targeted because of political problems and jealousy. I cannot
exactly tell who it is, but there is a group,” said his wife Fathima Imara, a
kidney doctor at the same hospital.In an interview,she described her husband as
a devout Muslim and caring physician.Reuters
Israel has 'right' to annex W. Bank land: US
envoy
US ambassador has said Israel has the right to
annex at least "some" of the occupied West Bank, in comments likely
to deepen Palestinian opposition to a long-awaited US peace plan.The
Palestinians have rejected the peace plan before it has even been unveiled,
citing a string of moves by US President Donald Trump that they say show his
administration is irredeemably biased. The Palestinians are likely to see the
latest comments by US ambassador to Israel David Friedman as a new nail in the
coffin of a peace process that is already on life support.In an interview
published by New York Times on Saturday, Friedman said some degree of
annexation of the West Bank would be legitimate.aljazeera
Sudan arrests opposition leaders after Ethiopia
mediation effort
Sudanese security forces have arrested two
opposition leaders shortly after they met with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy
Ahmed during reconciliation talks in Sudan's capital, Khartoum.Abiy, who has
emerged as a key regional leader, met representatives of both sides on Friday
in a bid to revive talks between Sudan's ruling generals and protest leaders
after the military launched a brutal crackdown on protesters that killed dozens
of people this week.Among the protest movement delegates he met were opposition
politician Mohamed Esmat and a leader of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation
Movement-North (SPLM-N), Ismail Jalab. Esmat was arrested on Friday soon after
his meeting with Abiy, while Jalab was arrested at his residence early on Saturday,
their aides said."A group of armed men came in vehicles at 3am and took
away Ismail Jalab ... without giving any reason," Jalab aide Rashid Anwar
told AFP, adding that SPLM-N spokesperson Mubarak Ardol was also detained. "We
don't know where they are being held," he added. Esmat and Jalab are both
leading members of the Freedom and Change alliance, which brings together
opposition parties and groups with the organisers of the mass protests that
have gripped the East African country since December last year.The arrest of
Jalab comes just days after the SPLM-N's deputy leader, Yasir Arman, was seized
from his home in Khartoum. SPLM-N has led uprisings among non-Arab ethnic
minorities in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states since 2011, which Sudan's
military rulers had vowed to end peacefully after their overthrow of longtime
leader Omar al-Bashir in April.aljazeera
Trump OKs advanced bomb parts to be built in
Saudi: NYT
When US President Donald Trump bypassed
Congress last month to approve a multibillion-dollar arms deal to Saudi Arabia,
he also allowed the kingdom to develop complex precision-bomb parts, according
to New York Times.Trump's emergency declaration allows American arms firm
Raytheon to share technology with Riyadh that could allow Saudi Arabia to
develop its own laser-guided bombs, the newspaper reported on Friday. Among the
components which the Saudis are now allowed to work on with the firm are the
control systems and vital electronics for Raytheon's Paveway series of smart
bombs. That technology was previously closely guarded by Washington. aljazeera
Trump to host Qatar emir at White House amid
Gulf tensions
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
will meet US President Donald Trump next month, says the White House, as the
Gulf state continues to endure the two-year economic blockade imposed by its
US-backed Arab rivals.The emir will meet Trump in Washington on July 9 for
talks on regional politics, security and counterterrorism cooperation,
according to the announcement on Friday, which came amid a US effort to build
pressure on Gulf power, Iran."The visit will build on the long-standing
partnership between US and Qatar and further strengthen our already substantial
economic and security ties," the White House said. aljazeera
Syrian attacks on civilians continue amid
rebel counterattack
Heavy fighting raged in northwestern Syria on
Friday after rebels launched a counterattack to repel an offensive by gov forces in the war-torn
region. Syria and ally Russia ramped up deadly air raids and artillery fire on
the rebel-controlled northwest in late April against Hay'et Tahrir al-Sham
(HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate whose fighters dominate the area.Thursday's
push back by HTS troops and allied rebel groups against the village of Jibeen
follow a series of Syrian government advances in recent weeks, the
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said on Friday. aljazeera
Syrian goalkeeper who became rebel icon dies
in Hama battle
A Syrian goalkeeper turned rebel fighter who
starred in an award-winning documentary died on Saturday of wounds sustained
fighting government forces in northwestern Syria, his faction and a war monitor
said. Abdel-Basset al-Sarout, 27, was a goalkeeper from the central city of
Homs, who became its most popular singer of protest songs after the Syrian
uprising broke out in March 2011. Following a government crackdown on peaceful
protests, he took up arms against the forces of President Bashar al-Assad's govt.Al-Sarout
starred in the documentary Return to Homs by Syrian director Talal Derki, which
tracked his evolution from protest leader to fighter, and won a top prize at
the Sundance Film Festival in 2014.Jameel al-Saleh, commander of the rebel
faction Jaish al-Izza, announced al-Sarout's death in a message on Twitter,
describing him as a "martyr" who died "fighting for the sake of
God".aljazeera
Pentagon Steps Up Dispute With Turkey Over
Weapons Purchase From Moscow
Trump administration stepped up a dispute with
Turkey on Friday, saying the Pentagon would end cooperation over its new
fighter jet program because Turkey is refusing to back down on buying Russia’s
most sophisticated antiaircraft system.In carefully choreographed steps, Acting
Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan released a letter he sent Thursday to the
Turkish minister of defense, Hulusi Akar, outlining the path the Pentagon is
taking to stop Turkey from participating in the F-35 fighter program. The steps
include halting the training of Turkish pilots on the advanced fighter jets
starting July 31.US has already stopped delivery of F-35 parts to Turkey, a
North Atlantic Treaty Organization member that has built increasingly close
ties in recent years to Moscow. Turkey has bought four F-35s, but the jets
remain in the US.nytimes
After waiting for decades, Muslims in Athens
finally get a mosque
Athens:Without minaret or dome, the beige,
rectangular structure in a former industrial area has none of the ornate grace
typical of Islamic places of worship. But for the Muslims of Athens, it is the
result of a long-fought battle - and the city’s first formal mosque in more
than 180 years.Greek authorities said on Friday that Athens would open its
first official mosque probably by September when 850,000 euro construction
project is completed.Although there are mosques in other parts of Greece, the
capital has not had a formal mosque since it drove out occupying Ottomans in
1833, and the few that are left have been repurposed. Plans to build a mosque
began in 1890 with an act of parliament, but all fell through, including one
timed for the 2004 Olympics. “Soon the first prayers will be made by the imam..
We hope that can take place by September,” Education Minister Kostas Gavroglou
told journalists.Reuters
Theresa May steps down amid chaos in British
politics
Theresa May has formally stepped down as
leader of Britain's governing Conservative Party, officially triggering a
leadership contest that has effectively been running for several weeks.The
prime minister announced last month she would step down on Friday, June 7,
after her authority to govern collapsed following three failed attempts to win
parliament's approval for a negotiated deal to leave the European Union.The
final straw came when compromises offered to attract more support for the
Brexit deal failed to sway opposition politicians and enraged members of her
own party. aljazeera
Controversy after British Home Secretary Sajid
Javid became only cabinet minister not invited to State banquet for Trump
A huge row has erupted in the British politics
after Home Secretary and Prime Minister hopeful, Sajid Javid, was not invited
for the State banquet held for US President Donald Trump at Buckingham
Palace.Javid was the only senior cabinet ministers to not receive an invitation
for the lavish banquet held by the Queen in honour of Trump. Among those
cabinet members invited to attend the banquet were Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt
Environment Secretary Michael Gove. Both Hunt and Gove have announced their
candidatures to succeed May, who resigned on Friday.Despite being a key
functionary of the Conservative party, Javid has been a known critic of Trump.
In November, 2017, he had slammed Trump for sharing Islamophobic tweets from
the far-right extremist group Britain First in 2017. He had tweeted, “So POTUS
has endorsed the views of a vile, hate-filled racist organisation that hates me
and people like me. He is wrong and I refuse to let it go and say nothing.”The
powerful Muslim body, Muslim Council of Britain, has written to Theresa May
asking if Sajid Javid was not invited to the state banquet with Donald Trump
because he is of Muslim heritage.jantakareporter
Flash: views & NEWS
Former CEC Nasim Zaidi: EC must not just be
neutral but must also be ‘seen’ as neutral
As cases of terror by Muslims continue, how
community leaders react could make a world of difference:Hamid Foroughi, The
Conversation & Harry Hutson, The Conversation
Religious war supercedes insurgency in
Kashmir:IANS Special story
How a Budding Social Alliance Helped Elect
Maharashtra's First Muslim MP in 15 Yrs:Asaf Ali Lone
Did Adivasis in Bihar Attack Muslims Fearing
Land Encroachment?
https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/did-adivasis-in-bihar-attack-muslims-fearing-land-encroachment
Elections are only a means to an end for the
RSS’s millennial project: Aakash Joshi
Parting Ways With BSP Is Good News for the
Samajwadi Party:Rajan Pandey
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:34 PM)
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