20 July 2019:
16 Dhul Qadah 1440:Vol: 11, No:249
INDIA
Centre to Come Up with Anti-mob Lynching Law
in this Parliament Session
New Delhi:A year after the Supreme Court
directed the Govt to enact a law to deal with the rising cases of mob lynching
in the country, the Centre is working out such a legislation and is likely to
introduce it in the ongoing session of Parliament, according to sources.The Ministry
of Home Affairs had asked Law Ministry to draw out a draft law after carefully
examining rising incidents of violent lynching sparked by rumours spread on
social media platforms, each of which has no less than 200 million users in the
country.Referring to the SC directive, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi asked Centre
why it was delaying the enactment of the law.“I would like to ask Home Minister
(Amit Shah), why a law on mob lynching is not being made? Last year, the SC had
asked the Govt to make a law on mob lynching. If you make all SC’s orders into
laws, why not this?”Owaisi said in Lok Sabha.Rajasthan, which has witnessed
over a dozen cases of lynching by the mob over the past two years, has
announced plans to come up with a law against mob lynching.Earlier this month,
the UP Law Commission also came up with a draft Bill recommending harsh
punishment, including life imprisonment, for people involved in cases of mob
lynching.IANS
Bihar's Chhapra lynching: 7 arrested so far,
police deployed after fresh clashes
7 people have been arrested in connection with
the lynching of 3 people over alleged attempt to steal a buffalo in Pithauri
village of Saran district of Bihar. Police said that a few others have been
taken into custody for interrogation and assured that justice will be
done.Saran SP Harikishore Rai said that prima facie investigation suggests that
the three victims had gone to take away the buffalo and were caught by the
villagers. He, however, refused to divulge further details.“Pithari village had
reported a case of theft of three goats a day before. We have detained some
villagers for questioning and are also looking into a complaint of the families
of the victims,” he said.On Friday, three people were beaten to death by a mob
in Nandlal Tola of Pithauri village over an attempt to steal a buffalo.The
deceased persons were identified as Raju Nat, Bides Nat and Naushad
Qureshi.Police told PTI that they were attacked by a mob which accused them of
trying to steal a buffalo. While two of them died on the spot, another
succumbed to injuries on way to the hospital.However, families of the victims
vehemently denied the charges. Later, a clash erupted between the villagers and
family members of the deceased persons. Deputy SP Ajay Kumar Singh said that he
rushed to the village after fresh clashes were reported.He said that it was not
a case of mob lynching. “The cattle allegedly being stolen was a buffalo. The
attackers and the attacked belonged to the same social groups. The attackers
will be identified and booked for taking law into their own hands,” he
said.Meanwhile, victims’ families also created ruckus at the hospital where the
bodies were taken for post mortem. This prompted police to use mild force to
bring the situation under control. Heavy deployment of police was also in place
at the village in view of the killings.financialexpress
Accused of killing peacocks, MP man thrashed
to death by mob
Bhopal: A man accused of killing peacocks was
thrashed by a mob in Lasudiya Atri village in Neemuch district of Madhya
Pradesh on Friday.The victim, identified as Hiralal Banchada, suffered critical
injuries and died of his wounds in hospital. The shocking incident comes only 2
days after 3 men, from same district, were stripped and beaten for allegedly
stealing a goat. In all, at least 3 cases of mob-related violence have been
reported from the state in as many days."Someone informed the Dial 100
emergency service of the state police about the incident. A police team rushed
to the village and brought the critically injured man to the hospital, where he
died later,"Rakesh Sagar, SP Neemuch district, said.10 men, 9 of whom have
already been arrested, have been booked for murder and rioting, and also under
relevant provisions of SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act.A separate case has been
registered for killing peacocks against the victim, his son Rahul, and 2
others, who are absconding, under Wildlife Protection Act.The incident happened
around 9 pm in an area under the jurisdiction of the Kukdeshwar Police Station,
after villagers saw four men running through agricultural fields. They chased
and caught one man- Hiralal Banchada-and found 4 dead peacocks. The mob then
thrashed him and left him lying, critically injured, in the fields.On Thursday,
a mentally challenged man was beaten up in Raisen district on suspicion of
kidnapping children.He was found unconscious in Aklapur village and admitted to
a hospital in Bhopal, where he died yesterday.The police are still searching
for the accused. On the day before that, swift action by Dewas police saved the
life of a mentally challenged woman who was thrashed after also being suspected
of kidnapping children. Police have lodged a case against villagers.ndtv
Aurangabad: Hindu couple rescues Muslim man
from miscreants
Aurangabad: A Hindu couple came to the rescue
of a Muslim man after he was allegedly waylaid, beaten and forced to chant “Jai
Shri Ram” by a group of 10 unidentified men in the Hudco Corner area of the
city around 12.30am on Friday. This is the first such incident to have been
reported from the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. After victim Imran Ismail
Patel, 28, approached Begumpura police, 10 unidentified men were booked for
unlawful assembly and rioting. According to Patel, a waiter by profession, he
was going home on his motorcycle when the group of men, who were also on
motorbikes, waylaid him. They asked Patel questions before assaulting and
forcing him to chant the slogan. Hearing Patel’s cries for help, the Hindu
couple rushed out of their house and pleaded with the attackers not to harm
him. They also retrieved the keys of Patel’s motorcycle from the assaulters and
ensured that he went home safely. When contacted, the couple refused to comment
on the issue, saying they feared a backlash from the goons. Taking cognisance
of Patel’s complaint, DCP Nikesh Khatmode-Patil and crime branch inspector
Madhukar Sawant spoke to him. Patel said, “The group snatched the keys of my
motorcycle. They asked me several questions. Then they slapped me while forcing
me to say ‘Jai Shri Ram’ thrice. Hearing my cries for help, the couple came to
my rescue.” The couple also stopped one of the assaulters from hitting him on
the head with a stone, Patel said. “They even misbehaved with the couple for
coming to my rescue,” he added. TOI
Family claims man lynched after bike accident
in Alwar
Jaipur:On day Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot
announced that the state Govt will bring a law against mob lynching, a
28-year-old was allegedly assaulted by locals in Alwar, who succumbed to his
injuries 2 days later.Harish Jatav, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday
following an alleged assault on July 16 by locals for accidentally running his
bike into a 55-year-old woman,his relatives say.Alwar SP Paris Deshmukh said, “On
July 16 Harish was on his way back from Bhiwadi when he met with an accident in
Phalsa village with Hakeeman, 55, who was crossing the road. Harish,who was
alone on his bike, fell down and the woman too sustained injured. After being
informed by locals, the police reached the spot and took Harish to a hospital,
which administered his first aid and referred him to Delhi, where he was
admitted in Safdarjung Hospital. Next day, on July 17, Hakeeman as well as
Rattiram, Harish’s father, submitted separate complaints at Chopanki police
station into the accident.In his complaint,Rattiram alleged that some people
had assaulted Harish.”SP, however, said “Investigation so far, including
accounts by independent eyewitnesses, does not point to a mob lynching.” He
said that post-mortem is being conducted at Safdarjung Hospital and things will
be clearer once the post-mortem report is received. However, Harish’s family
insists that he was assaulted by locals.Uncle Jaswant said Harish, who worked
as a truck driver, did not regain consciousness ever since he was attacked by
the mob. SP said that Harish did indeed sustain head injuries but added that at
the time of accident, he was not wearing a helmet. “The confirmation (whether
it was a lynching) will come from the post-mortem report,” Deshmukh said.In his
complaint, Harish’s father Rattiram, 60, had named one Umar Sher, a contractor,
and unnamed others, as the accused. Hakeeman’s husband Jamaluddin, 65, too
filed a complaint against Harish, accusing him of driving fast when he rammed
his motorcycle into his wife. “She had lost consciousness following the accident.My
sons Saraju and Ajru witnessed the accident and we rushed to the spot, where we
found that biker was intoxicated,” Jamaluddin had alleged in his complaint.
Indianexpress
Actor Ajaz Khan sent to 14-day judicial
custody for controversial videos on lynching
Mumbai:
A court here sent actor Ajaz Khan to judicial custody for 14 days on Saturday
for allegedly uploading videos promoting communal hatred on a social media
platform. Khan was arrested by the cyber wing of the Mumbai police and booked
under IPC section 153A.The actor had posted 2 videos on a social networking
website on July 9.The first one was regarding an alleged lynching incident in
Jharkhand, in which Khan had allegedly asked the members of a particular
community to unite and take revenge.dailyexcelsior
Muslims who stayed in Indian on promises of
Azad, Nehru,Bapu now being punished:Azam on lynchings
SP MP Azam Khan has said Muslims who stayed in
Indian during partition because of the promises made by the founding fathers of
the country are now being punished. Speaking on the mob lynching of three men
in Bihar's Saran district over alleged attempt to steal cattle, the Rampur MP
said, "It is the punishment Muslims are getting after 1947. Muslims will
face it whatever may it be.""Why didn’t our ancestors go to Pakistan?
Ask this to Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Bapu. They had
made promises to Muslims," Khan, known for his controversial statements,
said. dnaindia
Babri demolition:SC orders trial against
accused including Advani to be completed within 9 months
The Supreme Court has ruled that the trial
against LK Advani and the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition must be
finished within the next 9 months.The accused, including senior BJP leaders
Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and LK Advani were charged
with criminal conspiracy for their alleged role in the demolition in 1992.Now
the SC has given a deadline stating that the trial must be finished in the next
9 months — going into Feb.or March 2020. The SC also said that the examination
of witnesses and documents must be kept as short as possible.In April 2017, the
SC had asked the special judge to complete the trial in 2 years. Earlier, the
court had granted bail to all accused including Advani, Joshi and Bharati in
the case. Bail was granted against the submission of a personal bond of Rs
50,000 each.Besides Advani,Joshi and Bharti, accused against whom the
conspiracy charge was invoked included ex-BJP MP Vinay Katiar and Sadhvi
Ritambara. In 2001, a CBI court had dropped conspiracy charges against them and
the Allahabad High Court upheld the judgment in 2010.But the SC on 19 April
this year ordered prosecution of Advani, Joshi, Bharti and other accused for
criminal conspiracy in the 27-year-old case. The SC had asked the special court
to conduct day-to-day hearing, and that fresh charges were to be framed within
a month.firstpost.com/ANI
SC seeks attorney general’s view on plea
seeking to redefine minorities using state-wise data
The Supreme Court has sought Attorney General
KK Venugopal’s assistance for dealing with a plea seeking state-wise population
data on minority communities instead of national data. The SC noted senior
lawyer Mukul Rohatgi’s submissions that the law, which allows the declaration
of a minority community on the basis of national data, was illegal.The bench
comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi asked BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, petitioner,
to furnish a copy of the plea to Venugopal’s office.It also listed the matter
for hearing after 4 weeks.PIL plea has challenged the central govt’s
26-year-old notification that have the minority status to 5 communities –
Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis. It has also sought to declare
Section 2(c) of National Commission for Minorities Act,1992,as unconstitutional
as the notification was issued under the sub-section.BJP leader, in his plea,
stated that the notification was in violation of basic fundamental rights.
Upadhyay contended that Hindus – considered to be a majority community
according to the national data – were in the minority in several states in the
North East, and J&K . According to him, the Hindu community has been
deprived of benefits made available to minority communities.scroll.in/PTI
Sonbhadra killings: My objective has been
served, says Priyanka Gandhi after meeting victims’ family
Family members of the victims in Sonbhadra
firing case met Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Saturday at
the Chunar guest house in Mirzapur where she was detained on Friday from
visiting the district, reported ANI. Twelve members of the affected families
met the Congress general secretary at the guesthouse, senior party leader Ajay
Rai told PTI.“My objective has been served as I have met them (victim of
Sonbhadra firing). I am still under detention, let’s see what the
administration says. Congress party will give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to
the kin of the person who died in the incident,” Priyanka said. Congress leader
was detained and stopped from going to Sonbhadra where 10 people were gunned
down this week, triggering a standoff with the BJP Govt in UP. UP DGP OP Singh
had said on Friday that Priyanka and others were not allowed to go there
because CrPC Section 144 was in force in Sonbhadra district to maintain
peace.Even as she continues to sit on dharna, the Congress leader insisted
earlier today she won’t leave until and unless she is allowed to meet the
victims’ entire family. “It has been 24 hours. I am not going to leave until
and unless I am allowed to meet the victims of Sonbhadra’s firing
case,”Priyanka saidI.She also shared a video of aggrieved Sonbhadra families
who were seen mourning the death of their near ones. “Is it a crime to wipe
these tears?” she asked in a tweet.indianexpress
TMC Leaders Sit on Dharna at Varanasi Airport
After Being Stopped From Visiting Sonbhadra
New Delhi:A delegation of TMC sat on dharna at
the Varanasi airport on Saturday after being stopped from visiting the
Sonbhadra district, where 10 people died in a caste violence. TMC said that a
delegation comprising party senior leaders, including Derek O'Brien, Sunil
Mondal and Abhir Ranjan Biswas were stopped at the Varanasi airport after they
deboarded the plane in Varanasi.TMC in its tweet quoted Brien as saying:
"Trinamool Parliamentary delegation detained at Varanasi airport.ADM, SP
have not told us under which section. ("Doing as told from topmost").
We have told them that we will cooperate, wish to meet injured and then proceed
to Sonbhadra to meet and give confidence to grieving families."news18
Karnataka Assembly adjourned till Monday
without taking up voting on confidence motion
Karnataka Legislative Assembly has been
adjourned till Monday without taking up the voting on the confidence motion
moved by CM H D Kumaraswamy.In a face-off with Governor Vajubhai Vala, the
JDS-Congress Govt in Karnataka defied the two deadlines set by him to
demonstrate its majority in Assembly Friday itself. As the first deadline
neared, ruling coalition vociferously questioned governor's power to issue such
a direction, with Kumaraswamy citing a Supreme Court verdict that a governor
cannot act as ombudsman of the legislature. The second missive by Governor was
dismissed as a "love letter" by Kumaraswamy who criticised Vala for
talking about horse-trading now "when it had been happening" for the
last several days.Before adjourning the House for the day, Speaker Ramesh Kumar
said the motion of confidence would reach finality on Monday and it would not
be prolonged further under any circumstances, to which the Govt agreed.In his
second missive to Kumaraswamy, governor expressed his "prima facie
satisfaction" that the Govt has lost its majority confidence of the
house.PTI
K’taka CM, Cong move SC against Governor’s
interference in Assembly proceedings
Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy and Congress moved
the Supreme Court on Friday accusing Governor Vajubhai Vala of interfering with
the Assembly proceedings during the debate on trust vote, and sought
clarification on its July 17 order causing hindrance in issuing whip to the
legislators.Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao filed
separate applications on Friday afternoon after the 1.30 PM deadline set by the
Governor to conclude the proceedings of the confidence motion was not met.Both
the applications sought clarification of the July 17 order of the apex court by
which the 15 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs were granted relief that they cannot be
compelled to participate in the ongoing Assembly proceedings.The order
"whittles down" a political party's power to issue whip to its MLAs
as it has a constitutional right to do so and the court can't restrict that,
they said.PTI
Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit passes away at
81
Former CM of Delhi Sheila Dikshit passed away
at a private hospital in the Capital on Saturday. Ms. Dikshit was 81.She was
admitted to Fortis Escorts Hospital this morning and passed away at 3:55 p.m.,
according to hospital sources.Ms. Dikshit was brought in the morning on 20th to
Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla, New Delhi, in a critical condition with
cardiac arrest. She had been appointed
as the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president on Jan.10, days after Ajay
Maken resigned from the post citing ill health.
Punjab CM accepts Navjot Sidhu’s resignation
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has
accepted Navjot Singh Sidhu’s one-line resignation and forwarded same to
Governor.An official spokesperson disclosed that Amarinder Singh, who had been
indisposed for the last 2 days since arrival from Delhi, saw the resignation
letter this morning before sending it to Governor VPS Badnore to complete the
formalities. The CM had earlier, in Delhi, said he would see the resignation
letter, which was received at his Chandigarh residence in his absence, and take
a decision. The letter, however, was just a single sentence resignation, with
no explanation or elaboration, said the spokesperson.HT
Muzaffarnagar whitewash: Like in murder,
accused got away in rape, rioting cases too
Witness after witness, even police officers,
turning hostile; victims openly alleging fear and intimidation; long delays in
medical examination in gangrape cases, in one case a delay of three months; no
cross-examination of doctors or police list goes on.In 40 of 41 Muzaffarnagar
riot cases, all the accused walked free. An investigation of court records of
these cases by Indian Express shows that just as with the 10 cases of murder reported
Friday, in the four cases of alleged gangrape and 26 cases of rioting as well,
there were glaring gaps in prosecution which resulted in the acquittals of 168
men.All acquittals are in cases involving attacks on Muslims. At least 65
people were killed in the 2013 riots, all these cases were registered and
investigation began when Akhilesh Govt was in power, the trial spanned both his
and the current BJP govt. Consider the key findings in 4 gangrape cases that
the court used to justify the acquittals:1)A victim in one case deposed that
her medical examination was conducted after 3 months. The doctor told the
court: “We did not find any bodily injuries during the medical test. It was
found that she is 17 weeks pregnant.” There is no mention of the delay. Neither
the doctor nor the investigation officer was cross-examined to explain the
delay.2)-In the second case, the victim was examined one full week after she
filed her complaint. However, the acquittal order makes no mention of the
doctor’s final opinion and only states that he proved the authenticity of the
medical examination documents before court. There is no word on what his
findings were. 3)-3rd case merely mentions a “medical examination
report”. Not only is the order silent on the findings in that report but court
documents show that doctor was not even listed as a witness. This is in clear
violation of procedure under law.4)-In 4th case, the judgment points
out that the victim was examined 40 days after she filed complaint. Doctor deposed
that the victim “is a mother of 5 children and conducting a medical test is not
justified…and there is no indication of rape.” Doctor wasn’t cross-examined to
either explain the delay or his conclusion.Indian Express
Indian Express: In 40 of 41 Muzaffarnagar riot
cases, including murder, all accused are acquitted
How 10 murder cases fell: “Police tutored
me…forced to sign blank papers”
IMA Ponzi scam: Mansoor Khan taken to
Bengaluru, tussle between ED, SIT over who gets custody
Mansoor Khan, IMA Group founder who was
arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after he landed at Delhi Airport
on Friday morning, has created tussle between the ED and Karnataka SIT. India
Today TV has learnt that after being taken to Banglore on Saturday morning,
both ED and Karnataka SIT wanted his police custody first to question him in
connection with the multi-thousand crore Ponzi scam. Sources say that the
Karnataka SIT may file an application before the court for Mansoor Khan's
custody or joint interrogation. Mansoor Khan was produced before the magistrate
judge in Delhi on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday by ED and was
granted transit remand. Around 3 am on Saturday, ED team took Mansoor Khan to
Banglore through a flight from Delhi, where he is expected to be produced
before the designated court for further custody.Sources maintain that on
Friday, Mansoor Khan was grilled by the ED officials whereas the SIT officials
were hoping to examine him but with no luck. "As the arrest has been made
by Enforcement Directorate, the primary agency to have the right of questioning
and police custody is ED," said a source. However, the Karnataka SIT is
the first agency to lodge an FIR in this case based on which the Enforcement
Directorate registered an ECIR and started its probe. According to sources,
Mansoor Khan revealed few big names which can have far-reaching political
implications in future during the questioning in Delhi.indiatoday
Samjhauta blast: Pakistani woman challenges
acquittal of Aseemanand, 3 others
Chandigarh :A Pakistani national, the daughter
of one of the 68 people killed in the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast, on Friday
filed an appeal before the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the
acquittal of Swami Aseemanand and the other accused in the case. Hafizabad
resident Rahila Wakil, whose father Muhammad Wakil was killed in the blast, filed
the appeal through a relative based in UP . However, the plea has not been
cleared by the High Court Registry yet for hearing due to certain technical
objections.“We have filed the appeal and it will soon come up for hearing,”
said advocate Momin Malik, who represents Wakil. Haryana Police, NIA and the
Centre have been included as respondents in the case besides the accused, who
stand acquitted at present.12 years after the blast, a special NIA court in
Panchkula on March 20 had acquitted Aseemanand, Lokesh Sharma, Kamal Chauhan
and Rajinder Chaudhary.The court had observed that a “dastardly act of
violence” remains unpunished for want of credible and admissible evidence.
Neither the NIA, nor the Centre has filed any appeal in the case.indianexpress
Shiv Sena threatens to perform puja in Taj
Mahal, administration steps up security
New Delhi:Agra administration has agreed to
the request of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to provide extra security at
the Taj Mahal following a threat from Shiv Sena of performing puja inside the
mausoleum.In its letter to the administration, ASI stated that under the
provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act,
1958, performing any kind of religious practice or beginning a new tradition in
the protected monument was a violation of the Act.On July 17, Shiv Sena’s Agra head
Veenu Lavania announced that he and his aides would perform “aarti” at the Taj
Mahal and dared the police and district administration to stop him.“Taj Mahal
is not a mausoleum but Tejo Mahalaya, a temple of Lord Shiva. We will perform
‘aarti‘ at Tejo Mahalaya on every Monday of ‘sawan’,” Lavania was quoted as
saying by IANS.IANS
Resolution of Kashmir issue on cards…no power
on earth can stop it: Rajnath
Kathua :Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on
Saturday said that resolution of Kashmir issue is on the cards and that “no
power on the earth can stop it”. Singh, who visited Kargil War Memorial in
Drass sector today, also inaugurated 2 bridges in Kathua and Basantar. “Resolution
of Kashmir issue will take place soon, he said before inaugurating a 1,000
meters long bridge over river Ujh in border Kathua.Referring to his numerous
appeals as Home Minister for talks to all those raking up Kashmir issue, Singh
recalled that how Hurriyat leaders did not open their doors for visiting
members of the all-party delegation once led by him to the Valley. “Resolution
of Kashmir issue is bound to take place and no power on earth can stop it,” he
said.indianexpress
In Apparent Reference To PoK, China's New
Envoy Appeals To India: Report
Beijing: As Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit India later
this year for his second informal summit with PM Narendra Modi, China has said
the two neighbours should not allow any "individual case" to disrupt
the bilateral relations and take more initiatives to move forward the bilateral
ties in a steady and sound way.China's new Ambassador to India Sun Weidong said
that with two strong leaders at the helm in both the countries, the ties are
set to reach new heights.Under the strategic guidance provided by President Xi
and PM Modi at their first informal summit in Wuhan last year,China-India
relations have gathered a "very good and sound momentum of
development", Mr Sun told the Indian media in Beijing on Friday as he is
set to travel to New Delhi to take over his new assignment. "This year the
two leaders are going to hold another informal meeting. I believe, this will be
a top priority in our bilateral relations which will surely take our relations
on to new heights," he said.Officials say talks are on for Xi Jinping's
visit to India which is expected to take place in Oct this year. The talks
might be held in Varanasi, they said.A veteran Chinese diplomat with vast
experience in South Asian affairs, Sun till recently served as China's
Ambassador to Pakistan, where Beijing is cementing its all-weather ties with
Islamabad with the USD 60 billion so-called "CPEC", which is strongly
objected to by India as it passes through Gilgit-Baltistan region of PoK, which
is part of J&K - India's northernmost state.During his hour-long
interaction with the media, Mr Sun focussed on critical bilateral issues like
the boundary dispute and the trade gap between India and China which last year
crossed USD 57 billion in a USD 95.5 billion total trade."We have to do
more than managing differences and take more initiatives in shaping our
relationship," he said.However, in an apparent reference to the so-called
"China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" or "CPEC", which passes
through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or PoK, Mr Sun said both the countries should
not allow "individual cases" to disrupt ties, reported PTI.PTI
India acquiring S-400 missile defence system
from Russia ‘problem’ for US: PACOM commander
India acquiring the S-400 missile defence
system from Russia is a “problem” for US,a top American commander has said,
asserting that Washington will continue to hold dialogue with New Delhi over
the issue. India inked an agreement with Russia last October to procure a batch
of the S-400 missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore.“India acquiring
S-400. It’s a Russian air defense system from Russia. That’s a bit of a problem.
But we continue dialogue. I think they intend to do that,” Admiral Philip
Davidson, who is Commander of Indo-Pacific Command, told Aspen Security Forum
in Colorado. Davidson’s remarks came response to a question from Nick Burns, a
former top American diplomat who played a key role in the India-US civilian
nuclear deal.PTI
Outrage after Germany ambassador in India
visits RSS HQRS
Controversy is raging after Germany’s
Ambassador to India,Walter Lindner, visited the Nagpur HQRS of RSS on July 17,
despite the group’s implication in anti-minority pogroms and heavily documented
inspiration by European fascist movements, including that of Nazi Germany. He
has tweeted about his visit with photographs of himself with RSS chief Mohan
Bhagwat before the photograph of Golwalkar.Golwalkar believed that being Indian
meant being Hindu. So he wrote, “Only the Hindu has been living here as the
child of this soil.” Just in case his reader misunderstood his intentions, he
also phrased it another way: “We repeat: in Hindustan, the land of the Hindus,
lives and should live the Hindu Nation.”And the RSS and its affiliate
organisations go by this theory. Spokesperson Arvin Valmuci of Organization for
Minorities of India (OFMI) in the press release of OFMI has said that “Being
pictured with Nazi apologist Golwalkar, the Guru of Hate, sends a chilling
message to India’s minorities. The global rise of neo-Nazism, especially its attempts
to align with RSS to promote violent supremacist goals, poses a dire threat to
the peace and harmony of the whole world. Ambassador Lindner legitimizes
fascist ideology, including that of the defeated Nazi regime, by engaging with
RSS on any level other than the harshest censure.”Valmuci also stated that the
RSS has a stated goal of establishing India as an ethno-state. “Just like the
Nazis wanted a purified Germany of Germans, where only Aryans were allowed to
live and thrive, RSS wants India to be a nation where all non-Hindus are either
treated as foreigners or else eliminated.” TCN
SC seeks Centre's response on Waseem Rizwi's
plea to ban green flags with crescent and star
New Delhi: A Supreme Court bench headed by CJI
Ranjan Gogoi has asked the Centre to file its response on a plea filed by Shia
Waqf Board chief Syed Waseem Rizvi, seeking a ban on green flags with crescent
and star which resembles those with Pak's political party - Muslim League. The SC
has asked Centre to file a reply within 2 weeks. Rizvi in his petition has
argued that such green flags hoisted predominantly in Muslim dominated areas
can "flare passions, tensions," while claiming that these green flags
especially with crescent and star have never been part of any Islamic practice
and do not have any role or significance in Islam.TimesNow
Modi govt will make same mistake as Rajiv
Gandhi if triple talaq not criminalised: Arif Mohd Khan
Batting for criminalising the practice of
triple talaq, former Union minister Arif Mohammad Khan on Friday said that if
it is not done the Modi Govt will be committing the same mistake as Rajiv
Gandhi did in the Shah Bano case. Without naming the Congress, Khan said the
party that had won over 400 seats in 1984 was suffering from the “curse of the
destitute”. “What was Shah Bano given?Rs 147 to keep her body and soul
together.The curse of destitute is haunting” them, he said. Khan said he wrote
a 6-page letter to PM Narendra Modi in Oct.last year, requesting him to
criminalise the practice of triple talaq.Delivering a lecture here on ‘Why
triple talaq should be made a punishable offence’, Khan said a lot of “churning
is taking place in Rajya Sabha” over the passage of Muslim Women (Protection of
Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019. “I am hopeful that this time the ordinance
criminalising triple talaq would be passed by Rajya Sabha as there is a lot of
churning taking place and people are talking about what happened in 1986 (Shah
Bano case),” he said.PTI
NIA Act: It would be a traversity of justice
if a convict's appeal is not heard on merits: Delhi HC
In a significant judgment upholding rights of
accused especially the right to liberty, Delhi High Court allowed the plea of
an accused person namely Farhan Sheikh while condoning the delay in filing and
re-filing the appeal saying appellant has shown "sufficient cause"
for the delay.Bench of Justice Vipan Sanghi and Justice I.S.Mehta while passing
the judgment noted that they are dealing with the right of an accused/ convict,
whose personal liberty stands curtailed by the conviction and the impugned
order on sentence passed by Special Court and in their view, it would lead to
the travesty of justice if the appellant's substantive appeal is not heard on
merits, and is rejected at the threshold only on account of bar of limitation
prescribed under Section 21(5) of NIA
Act,particularly, when appellant has moved the application under Section
5 of Limitation Act.livelaw
‘BJP’s Ishrat using Islam to boost political
career’
New Delhi: All India Imam Association (AIIA) head
Moulana Sajid Rashidi has said Ishrat Jahan is using the Islam religion to move
forward in her political career hours after she claimed that she was allegedly
threatened for attending a Hindu religious event.“Ishrat is resorting to Islam
to advance herself in the politics of Bengal and is trying to defame Islam.
Islam clearly states that participating in any such program is not wrong but
participating in the worship ceremony of any other religion is wrong. Ishrat
participated in the Hindu ceremony while wearing a Hijab which is not allowed
in the Islam religion,” he said.However, BJP leader Rahul Sinha supported Jahan
and said that she is free to follow and participate in any religion of her
choice.siasat
NIA quizzes editor of JK daily in
terror-funding case
Srinagar:The owner-cum-editor of a local
English newspaper, “Kashmir Reader”, Mohammad Hayat Bhat of Pampore, Pulwama
district, appeared at NIA’s Delhi HQRS on Tuesday for questioning in connection
with a terror funding case, official sources said.NIA had summoned Hayat Bhat,
also known as Haji Hayat, last week. The questioning was still on, officials
added. “Kashmir Reader” was launched in 2012 by Bhat, who ran a small
advertising agency called “Helpline Advertising Agency” with aid from some
other country, official sources claimed. Bhat got the Srinagar Municipal
Corporation hoarding installation contract for Govt advertisements for 10
years, at about 150 places across Srinagar, for a meagre amount in 2007, said a
municipal corporation official. TOI
NIA searches houses of 6 TN men who allegedly
raised funds for IS
NIA, which is probing the alleged raising of
funds for setting up IS in India after the arrest and deportation of 14 Indians
from UAE, on Saturday launched searches at the houses of 5 of them who hailed
from the district.After getting necessary logistical support from district
police and administration, sleuths of the agency launched simultaneous searches
at the palatial houses of four accused in Kilakarai and one accused at
Thanichiyam in coastal Valinokkam with the local police and revenue
officials.Five separate teams launched the searches at 6 a.m. at the houses of
4 accused — A. Rafi Ahamed, 55, J.M. Jafarullah Khan, 40, I.M. Sahul Hameed,
41, and U. Faisal Sherif, 44, — at East Street, Kilakarai. Only watchmen were
present at the houses as the accused had been staying in UAE for long and had
not visited the houses for almost 2 years, police sources said.thehindu
16 Tamil Nadu men were planning terror
attacks, through knives, vehicles and poison: NIA
NIA targeting Muslim youth: TN MLAs
Chennai: NIA came under fire in the assembly
with 2 members accusing it of targeting Muslim youth. MJK MLA Thamimun Ansari
and IUML MLA KAM Muhammed Abubacker said while there can be no doubt that
terrorism in any form should be curbed, NIA should not be allowed to target
youth of the minority community. “Youth picked up on suspicion by the agency
are facing a lot of problems even after they are proved innocent. Their
pictures are circulated, portraying them as terrorists.This jeopardizes their
lives,”Ansari said. Abubacker urged Govt to regulate its functioning. Abubacker
also urged Govt to enact a special law against mob lynching. “Kerala had
enacted a law against lynching of innocent and Muslim youth in the name of
religion, while Rajasthan is in the process of doing it. I request state to
come up with such an act,” he said.TOI
Draft National Education Policy 'Is Against
Constitutional Values': Student Body
New Delhi:Draft National Education Policy
breaks constitutional structures and values,promotes commercialisation and
politicizes educational system by centralising all aspects of it, says Students
Islamic Organisation (SIO). It said policy must refrain from homogenising
India's heritage as being representative of any religion or certain castes. The
Ministry of HRD had released Policy prepared by a committee under the
chairmanship of DrK Kasturirangan for public consultation on May 31."If
the policy intends to promote "Indian knowledge system",it should
encompass all contributions from different religious, regional, and linguistic
communities who are inalienable part of the Indian knowledge tradition,"
it said today while releasing here a report,NEP-2019, prepared in collaboration
with Centre for Educational Research & Training (CERT). Instead of favoring
Hindi or Sanskrit, according to the report, there should be a two-language
formula, mother tongue and English, along with the option of studying a third
language of either religious or cultural significance to the students as per
Articles 29(1), 350A and 350B of the Constitution.It also said the proposed centralised
bodies such as RSA,NTA,NRF,etc.,under one command are against the federal
structure of Indian Union. "Such centralised bodies under one command will
inevitably fall prey to the political expediency of ruling parties. Education
has been in State List and in the Concurrent List since the 42nd Amendment and
hence these bodies will be in gross violation of Constitution," it said. The
report said policy takes a deeply contradictory approach towards the increasing
commercialization of education in India and actively proposing a market model
of education."Draft NEP betrays a homogeneous understanding of liberal
arts education and has a market-oriented outlook for higher education," it
said. "The policy is entirely silent on the question of children in
distress and conflict, such as children in conflict with law, children who have
been victims of trafficking and child labour, refugee children, children of
tribal, nomadic and migrant communities and children born and raised in prisons
with their mothers. This betrays a scant lack of respect to the question of
access of education as well as that of the substantive implementation of right
to education for all, not just for a few," the organisation said in its
report. ET Mohammed Basheer, former Education Minister, Kerala and MP, Ponnani
constituency; Syed Azharuddin,General Secretary, SIO; Prof Madhu Prasad, RTE
activist; Ambarish Rai, RTE activist; Shyamolie Singh, student activist, JNU;
Ramees EK, student activist,JMI and Syed Ahmed Muzakkir, Director, CERT were
present during the press conference.NDTV
I-Day: RSS to organise events in Delhi
madrasas to remember national heroes
New Delhi:RSS will be holding a programme in
madrasas where the national flag will be hoisted and those who have made
sacrifices from 1857 till now will be remembered around Independence Day, a
senior functionary said.RSS’s senior member Indresh Kumar made the announcement
at an event organised here to discuss the participation of Muslims in
nation-building.“A programme will take place from August 12 to August 15 in
Muslim areas and mohallas, madrasas and at different places wherein the
national flag will be hoisted, the national anthem will be sung, slogans of
‘Vande Mataram’ will be chanted and the sacrifices that have been made from
1857 to 1947 and 1947 till now will be remembered,” Kumar said.PTI
After NCERT syllabus, Adityanath govt
announces NCC, Scouts training for madrassa students
In a bid to modernise madrassas in the state,
the Yogi Adityanath Govt in UP has
decided that NCC and Scout training will be given to the students to bring them
on a par with students of other educational institutions. This comes after the
state Govt decided to introduce NCERT syllabus in the madrassas and hold exams
similar to UP board’s examinations. Minority Welfare Minister Baldev Singh
Aulakh said that Govt wants to bring madrasas to the mainstream and Muslim
students to face competitive exams. He said that NCC and Scout training will
make the kids physically strong and take up new assignments.“This NCC and Scout
are important for the children. By introducing this, the students will learn
more and get opportunity to explore themselves. NCC, Scout training will ensure
physical fitness. Also, children will learn about the nation and patriotism.
The Govt wants madrasas students to compete with other school kids and join Air
Force and military. They should also be given chance like other students,” he
said, adding that the Govt is aiming to modernise madrassas in every sense. Maulana
Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahli, member of AIMPLB, welcomed the Adityanath govt’s
decision to modernise the madrasas. financialexpress
JNU professor alleges harassment over her Muslim
identity, minority commission sends notice
New Delhi: JNU was issued a notice by Delhi
Minorities Commission after a professor complained that she was being harassed
due to her Muslim identity, an allegation denied by the varsity authorities.The
notice and an interim order were issued to the varsity's Registrar over the complaint
which alleged "systematic harassment" by JNU administration,
especially by Director of the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and
Inclusive Policy where the complainant is a teacher under a UGC-funded scheme,
the DMC said.The professor has alleged that this was happening with the
connivance of the JNU V-C, it said.The notice said the professor has complained
with ample proofs that her salary has been stopped since April for no legal
reason and she is not assigned classes or opportunity to supervise MPhil and
PhD students. She is also not allowed to attend the Centre faculty meetings and
is denied even the use of the official Internet and official email ID."Not
content with all this, JNU administration is pressurising her to vacate her
accommodation on the campus. Before joining JNU in 2013, complainant served
Hyderabad Central University for 4 years as a permanent faculty member,"
the notice said.The complainant has alleged that all this was happening due to
her Muslim identity, with a plan to finally "kick her out" claiming
that she does no work, the notice said.However, a varsity official said,
"She is in the university as part of a planned project by UGC and is not a
permanent employee. Her salary is issued by the UGC and not by the varsity.UGC
had not released salary but now they have released it and she has been
paid."PTI
SC Bar Association condemns CBI raids on
lawyers Jaising, Grover
Supreme Court Bar Association Executive
Committee on Friday expressed concern over last week’s Central Bureau of Investigation
raids against senior advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover, for alleged
violations of FCRA by their non-Govtal organisation Lawyers’ Collective, Live
Law reported. “SCBA EC expresses its concern over the raids and search
operations conducted by CBI at the residences and offices in Delhi and Mumbai,
of its two senior members known for their human rights work and public cause
litigations,” the statement by President Senior Advocate Rakesh Kumar Khanna
said. “There should not be any interference with the independence and
professional discharge of duties of an advocate.”scroll.in
AAP leader comes out in support of jailed
ex-cop Sanjiv Bhatt
AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh
Saturday met Shweta Bhatt, wife of sacked IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt who was last
month sentenced to life imprisonment in a 29-year-old custodial death case. Bhatt
was suspended from the Indian Police Service in 2011 and sacked by Ministry of
Home Affairs in August 2015 for ‘unauthorised absence’ from service.“In Sanjiv
Bhatt’s matter, the people of Gujarat and sensitive people believe whatever
happened to him is not right. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in a
30-year-old case, which raises a huge question on the entire system,” Singh
told reporters after meeting Shweta Bhatt at her residence here.PTI
Home Ministry working to expand scope of NRC
across India to deport illegal immigrants
While the finalisation of the National
Register of Citizens (NRC) is at an advance stage in Assam, Home Ministry is
working on modalities to implement across the country the exercise to identify
illegal immigrants for deportation. An amendment in Foreigners(Tribunals)
Order, 1964, issued by the central Govt on May 30 paves the way for expanding
the scope of NRC beyond.The amended order empowers state Govts and even
district magistrates of all states and Union Territories to set up tribunals to
identify a “foreigner” who is living in India illegally.Until now, only the
Centre had the power to constitute such tribunals, which were essentially
quasi-judicial bodies unique to Assam.The NRC exercise in Assam - under the
supervision of the Supreme Court - is one of the most keenly watched processes
in the country as several lakh people will be rendered stateless once the final
list is published.IANS
SC to hear govts' pleas on Tuesday for NRC recheck
The Supreme Court decided to hear all
stakeholders on July 23 on pleas of Centre and Assam Govt for reverification of
20% of the final draft NRC data which they claimed was required to correct
“wrongful inclusion of lakhs of illegal Bangladeshi migrants and exclusion of
indigenous Assamese” in border districts. They also sought extension of the
July 31 deadline for publication of the final NRC. Arguing before a bench of CJI
Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R F Nariman, Centre and Assam, alleged that local NRC officials, in
collusion with illegal migrants, manipulated lists to benefit illegals and
disadvantage genuine citizens. TOI
NRC: minority outfits fear large-scale
exclusion
Guwahati:Minority organisations in Assam
apprehend a large-scale exclusion from the final NRC to be published on July
31. They have attributed it to the alleged pressure on officers handling the
vetting process to be strict in accepting certain documents issued in other
States, including in the northeastern region. Vetting, or careful examination
of documents, is the last and most crucial phase of the exercise.It has 2
stages. The revenue circle officers take care of the first and the Deputy
Commissioners of the districts handle the second. Expected to be completed by
Saturday in some districts, vetting entails critically investigating the
opinions of some 3,300 disposing officers for inclusion or exclusion of the
applicants.The fear that the applications of most of those who reapplied —
primarily the Bengali-speaking Hindus and Muslims and Gurkhas — could be
rejected has stemmed from the NRC authority’s alleged instruction to treat
certain documents with “utmost suspicion”.“Despite the SC allowing these
documents...,we have come to know that officials handling the vetting process
have been told not to entertain them.There is a conspiracy to deliberately keep
certain communities out of NRC,” said leader of All Assam Minority Students’
Union. Some leaders of All Assam Bengali Youth Students’ Federation, too, expressed
a similar apprehension.thehindu
Centre, Assam officer’s report at odds over
NRC re-verification
Gauhati HC grants anticipatory bail to poets
alleged of writing communally charged poetry on NRC
Gauhati High Court has granted anticipatory
bail to 9 people accused of writing communally charged poetry on Assam's
citizenship crisis.An FIR had been lodged against them, by an informant
alleging that a "Miya poetry" composed by Kazi Nei @ Kazi Sarowar
Hussain and translated into English by Salim M. Hussain had gone viral in
media. Such poetry had portrayed Assamese people as xenophobic which was a
threat to the security of the nation in general and Assam in particular.
Furthermore the poetry was also alleged to be contemptuous and was likely to
create communal violence in the state.livelaw.in/
Lok Sabha passes NHRC amendment bill, govt
assures protection of human rights
The Lok Sabha on July 19 passed a bill to
expedite the process of appointment of chairperson and members of the National
Human Rights Commission (NHRC) after the Govt assured steps were being taken
"round-the- clock" to protect human rights.Piloting Protection of
Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Minister of State (Home Affairs) Nityanand
Rai, said changes in legislation will help in protecting human rights
effectively.Addressing concerns raised by members on the amendment Bill, the
minister said the Govt has made humanity "rajdharam", adding, during
the era of PM Narendra Modi the women were coming forward and shouldering
greater responsibilities. The amendment provides for reduction in the tenure of
chairpersons of national and state human rights bodies to three years from the
current 5 years.It also stipulates that besides a ex CJI, as is the current
requirement, a former Supreme Court judge can also become NHRC chairperson. Similarly,
a former high court judge can also become a state human rights commission
chairperson besides a high court chief, according to the bill. Rai said the
bill also gives more administrative and financial powers to these bodies.On the
demand of Asaduddin Owaisi that the
chairperson of NHRC should be from the national commission for minorities, the
minister said there is a provision for OBC which will also include
minorities.He further said till date NHRC has been bestowed with A rating and
in the "coming days also the A rating would be maintained." Global
Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions(GANHRI) had earlier accorded A
rating to NHRC.Participating in the discussion, Pinaki Misra (BJD) said what
differentiates India from China, Pakistan and others is that "our
NHRC" is more consitutionally vaild. Owaisi asked the Govt "Why do
you want to put the MPs of the ruling party in NHRC" and also asked the
Centre to frame a legistion to prevent mob lynching.Opposing the bill, N K
Premchandran (RSP) urged the Govt to come up with a comprehensive bill.PTI
With 43% share in hate crimes, UP still most
unsafe for minorities, Dalits
UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the state police may
claim to have improved the state's law and order situation but records of
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) show that despite this, UP continues to be the hub of harassment of
minorities and Dalits.So much so that in the past three years, 43 % of all cases of harassment of minorities and
Dalits,taken up by NHRC, were registered in UP . This includes cases of
lynching. Indiatoday
Campaign to boycott hate mongering a ‘paper’
A signature campaign was organised today after
the Friday prayers in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand district in more than 35 mosques
against Dainik Jagran Hindi newspaper that had published fake news that Muslims
were mob lynching of a juvenile thief on 12th July.The enraged Muslims had burnt
copies of the newspaper then.And today they sent a memorandum to President of
India appealing him to enact a strict law that will prevent such fake news that
are communal and spread hatred and incite violence. Had not the people been
proactive in Jamshedpur, there would definitely be violence between the 2
communities.Around 15000 people from not just the Muslim community but also
Sikhs, Dalits and other backward caste communities signed the protest campaign.
The signature campaign was organised by
Bahujan Kranti Morcha and Raashtriya sikch Morcha. Leaders of both groups in
Jharkhand Kashif Raza Sidddiqui and Rohit Deep Singh said,” We have been
continuously boycotting Dainik Jagran from the last 7 days. And today we have
collected 15000 signatures from peace loving people which we are going to send
across to President of India”.TCN
Allahabad High Court sends notice to PM Modi on plea challenging his
election to Lok Sabha
Allahabad High Court on Friday issued a notice to PM Narendra Modi on
a petition challenging his election from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, PTI
reported. The plea was filed by former Border Security Force constable Tej
Bahadur Yadav, whose nomination papers to stand for Lok Sabha election against
Modi in Varanasi were rejected in May.Justice MK Gupta fixed the hearing on the
matter for August 21.In his plea, Yadav claimed that his nomination papers had
been wrongly rejected,and hence Modi’s election as a MP should be declared null
and void.PTI/scroll
Centre appoints new Governors in 6 states,
Anandiben transferred to UP
New Delhi: Centre Saturday appointed 6 new
Governors in the states of MP, UP , West
Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland and Tripura.MP Governor and former CM of Gujarat
Anandiben Patel has been transferred as appointed the new as Governor of UP.
Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon was also transferred and appointed as the Governor
of Madhya Pradesh. Senior Supreme Court advocate Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed
as the new Governor of West Bengal, replacing Keshari Nath Tripathi.zee
WORLD
18 Indians Among 23 Sailors Aboard British
Tanker Seized By Iran
Tehran: Iran opened an investigation on
Saturday into a British-flagged tanker it alleges collided with a fishing
vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions mount in the strategic waterway.The
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it seized the Stena Impero on Friday for
breaking "international maritime rules" in the strait, a chokepoint
for around a third of the world's sea-borne oil.Britain said Iran had seized
two ships in the Gulf, and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned of
"serious consequences" if the issue was not resolved quickly.The
British owner of the second tanker, the Liberian-flagged Mesdar, said the ship
had been temporarily boarded by armed personnel, but was free to leave and that
all crew were "safe and well".The incidents came hours after a court
in Gibraltar said it would extend by 30 days the detention of an Iranian tanker
seized two weeks ago in an operation aided by British Royal Marines on
allegations of breaching EU sanctions against Syria.The Guards also said
Thursday they had seized another "foreign tanker" and its 12 crew
days earlier for allegedly smuggling fuel, without giving further
details.Tensions in the Gulf have soared in recent weeks, with US President
Donald Trump calling off air strikes against Iran at the last minute in June
after the Islamic republic downed a US drone, and blaming Iran for a series of
tanker attacks.AFP
Tanker seizure shows Iran choosing 'dangerous
path': UK
UK has told all British ships to avoid using
the Strait of Hormuz for an "interim period" after Iran seized a
UK-flagged tanker. The British Govt on Saturday also summoned the Iranian charge
d'affaires in London over the incident, shortly after Jeremy Hunt, the UK
foreign secretary, said the seizure showed "worrying signs Iran may be
choosing a dangerous path of illegal and destabilising
behaviour"."Our reaction will be considered but robust," Hunt
wrote on Twitter, adding that the UK "will ensure the safety of our
shipping".Iranian officials, meanwhile, said they had opened an
investigation into the Stena Impero, alleging that it had collided with a
fishing vessel off the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, near where the
tanker is now anchored.aljazeera
US to deploy troops to Saudi as Gulf tensions
soar
US has authorised the deployment of military
personnel and resources to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon has said, as tensions in
the Gulf mount over US's standoff with Iran, the kingdom's archrival.The
Pentagon said in a statement on Friday that the move would provide "an
additional deterrent" in the face of "emergent, credible
threats" in the region.The statement on Friday came after Saudi Arabia's
defence ministry confirmed that the kingdom would host US forces to boost
regional security and stability."Based on mutual cooperation between Saudi
Arabia and USA, and their desire to enhance everything that could preserve the
security of the region and its stability ... King Salman gave his approval to
host American forces," a ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by Saudi
state news agency SPA.A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
the deployment would include about 500 military personnel and is part of a
boost in the number of US troops in the Middle East that the Pentagon announced
last month.US military also said it had patrol aircraft monitoring the Strait
of Hormuz, and was developing a "multinational maritime effort" to
ensure freedom of navigation in key Middle East waterways.aljazeera
Saudi envoy to UN: It is time to end war in
Yemen
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the UN, Abdullah
Al-Mouallimi, yesterday said that his country does not want war with Iran and
that the time to end the war in Yemen has come.“We do not want war with Iran in
Yemen or elsewhere,” Al-Mouallimi said, “it is high time that the war in Yemen
should end and the Houthis should accept UN resolution 2216 by ending their
illegitimate occupation of power in Yemen,” Anadolu reported.In the presence of
Yemeni representative Abdullah Al-Saadi, the Arab League, the Emirati Deputy
Permanent Representative to the UN and a representative of the Bahraini
delegation on behalf of the Arab Group, Al-Mouallimi handed a copy of the
decisions taken at the Arab Summit in Mecca to the UN chief.MEMO
Sudan: Deal between military, protest leaders
suspended, talks postponed
A power-sharing deal between the Sudanese
military and protest leaders has been suspended and talks postponed over
differences among the opposition parties, protest leaders said.Sudanese and
Arab media reported protest leaders as saying that the talks aimed at signing
the second part of the deal were put off because opposition leaders needed more
time to resolve differences among themselves.“The talks have been postponed,”
Omar Al-Digeir, a prominent protest leader, told mass media. “We need more
internal consultation to reach a united vision,” he added, without setting a
new date for the resumption of talks. middleeastmonitor
Egypt: Family of deputy Brotherhood guide
persecuted since 2013
The family of Khayrat Al-Shater, deputy to the
Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been subject to persecution since
July 2013 when he refused to accept the military coup against late Egyptian
President Mohammad Morsi, Arab 21 reported.Last week, Al-Shater sent a message
for the first time since he was arrested, speaking about several issues. He
stated that the deputy of the US Secretary of State, Qatar’s foreign minister,
an EU representative and UAE’s foreign minister met him in prison in July 2013
and asked him to accept the de facto ruler of Egypt –army which carried out the
coup.Al-Shater said that they told him if he accepted the military coup, they
would release him and all members of his group. He said however that he refused
their offer.Rights groups have recently revealed that Al-Shater’s family
members, including his sons, daughters and sons-in-law were detained, tortured
and prevented from family visitations.middleeastmonitor
10 civilians killed in Afghan security forces
airstrikes
At least 10 civilians, including women and
children, have been killed in airstrikes by Afghan security forces in the
western Badghis province, officials said.Two other people were wounded in
Friday night's attacks in Bala Murghab district, Ziauddin Akazai, a lawmaker
from Badghis, said.Abdul Aziz Beg, head of the provincial council, said
fighters surrounded an army base in the district.He said helicopters were
trying to reach the base, but fighters were shooting from nearby villages.
Three children, two women and five men were among those killed in the attacks,
Beg said.The Taliban, who control roughly half of Afghanistan, posted photos of
dead children on their Twitter account.Also on Friday, at least eight people
were killed and more than 30 others injured after an IED blast went off near
the entrance of Kabul University. aljazeera
Israel to demolish 100 Palestinian homes in
occupied West Bank
Israel is due to begin demolishing 100
Palestinian homes near the separation barrier after a seven-year battle in
Israeli courts.Many worry that a legal precedent has been set in Wadi
al-Hummus, this being the first time demolition orders have been issued for 16
properties built with permits from the Palestinian Authority on land under its
sole administration.aljazeera
Archaeologists find mosque from when Islam
arrived in holy land:Reuters
:Archaeologists in Israel have discovered the
remains of one of the world’s oldest rural mosques, built around the time Islam
arrived in the holy land, they said .The Israel Antiquities Authority estimates
that mosque, uncovered ahead of new construction in the Bedouin town of Rahat
in the Negev desert, dates back to 7th to 8th centuries. There are large
mosques known to be from that period in Jerusalem and in Mecca but it is rare
to find a house of prayer so ancient whose congregation is likely to have been
local farmers, the antiquities authority said. Excavated at the site were the
remains of an open-air mosque — a rectangular building, about the size of a
single-car garage, with a prayer niche facing south towards Mecca.“This is one
of the earliest mosques known from the beginning of the arrival of Islam in
Israel, after the Arab conquest of 636 C.E.,” said Gideon Avni of the
antiquities authority.
'I’m an outsider': Why Raghuram didn't apply
for top job at Bank of England
Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has
indicated the political challenges posed by Brexit were the reasons he didn’t
apply to head up the Bank of England.In an interview with the BBC, Rajan
confirmed he hadn’t sought the position and cited the fact that central banking
“has become much more political in recent times" as an explanation for why
not.Bloomberg
Anxiety in India over Afghan peace
process:Anadolu Agency report
As major powers move toward finalizing a deal
in Afghanistan, anxiety looms large in India over the fate of its $3 billion
worth of investments and clout in the war-torn country.In the first annual
budget of his second tenure presented in parliament earlier this month, PM
Narendra Modi allocated 4 billion rupees ($58 million) for development work in
Afghanistan. But anticipating a setback in case of a
hostile Govt taking over Kabul, it slashed allocations for the construction of
Iran’s Chabahar port to a mere 450 million rupees ($6.5 million) from 1.5
billion rupees ($21.8 million) for the year 2019-20.Last November, the US had
exempted the port from its sanctions regime against Iran. India had committed a
capital investment of $85.21 million for the development of two berths of the
port and container terminals and the incurring of an annual revenue expenditure
of $22.95 million over the next few years.Keeping in view its unending
hostilities with neighboring Pakistan, Chabahar port was hyped as a significant
strategic point for India, not only to connect to Afghanistan, but also to
control access to Central Asia and parts of Russia.Experts believe that the
anxiety in India stems from the fact that even after providing $650 million to
$750 million as humanitarian and economic aid, making it the largest regional
provider of assistance for Afghanistan, it has been left out of the peace
talks. Adding to concerns is that Pakistan has joined the US, Russia and China
to strike a deal with the Taliban.Former Indian envoy to Afghanistan Rakesh
Sood admitted that neither India nor its ally the Afghan Govt has found a place
at the negotiating table. He, however, warned that the conflict in Afghanistan
will not end, because peace was never the real objective of the talks. Instead,
they were aimed at providing an excuse for American forces to leave the
country.Sood said Pakistan’s patient investment in the Taliban has paid
off.“After US exits, it will declare an end to its longest war. But it will not
end the conflict in Afghanistan because peace in Afghanistan was never the real
objective of the current flurry of talks. That is why the Afghans and India
feel aggrieved,”he said.
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Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq
(Released at: 7:27 PM)
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