05 AUG. 2019:
03 ZilHajj 1440:Vol: 11, No:263
INDIA:
J&K ISSUE
Special status of J&K scrapped; Bifurcation Bill
passed, Ladakh, J&K to be Union Territories
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the
govt has scrapped the special status granted to the state of Jammu and Kashmir
by modifying Article 370 of the Constitution. Article 370 of the constitution
is a ‘temporary provision’ granting special autonomous status to J&K.Speaking
in Rajya Sabha, Shah assured that when “the situation gets normal and the right
time comes” the govt is ready to make J&K a state again, adding that it may
take longer than expected. While the Union Territory of Ladakh will be without
a legislature, the Union Territory of J&K will be with a legislature. Hours
after the announcement, the Rajya Sabha has passed J&K Reorganisation Bill,
2019 that proposes the bifurcation of the state into 2 union territories-J&K
and Ladakh. Late Sunday night, mainstream party leaders – NC leaders Omar and
Farooq Abdullah, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, among others – were placed under
house arrest and mobile, broadband internet and cable TV services were entirely
shut down.The govt order also said no public meetings or rallies would be
allowed and there would be “no movement of public and all educational
institutions shall also remain closed”. Identity cards of service officials
would be considered as movement passes in various areas. Indianexpress
BSP, AAP, BJD spring surprise by backing govt on
Article 370, JD(U) stages walkout
Even as the Govt today modified Article 370,
which gives special status to J&K, and moved a bill to bifurcate the state
into two separate union territories, it received support in the Parliament from
unlikely quarters, with staunch critics like Mayawati’s BSP and AAP backing the
move.Apart from BSP and AAP, fence-sitters like Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, Jagan
Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP, Bodoland People’s Front (BDF), TRS and TDP also supported J&K
Reorganisation Bill, which provides for formation of Union Territory of Ladakh
without legislature and a separate one for J&K with the legislature.NDA
allies Shiv Sena, AIADMK and SAD also backed the Govt move amid a massive
uproar by the Opposition.In an embarrassment for BJP, BJP’s Bihar ally JD(U),
which had also opposed the Triple Talaq Bill, staged a walkout as soon as Home
Minister Amit Shah moved the resolution on Article 370 as also J&K
Reorganisation Bill 2019.“ Nitish Kumar is carrying forward the tradition of JP
Narayan,Ram Manohar Lohia and Fernandes. So our party is not supporting the
Bill moved in the Rajya Sabha today. We have different thinking. We want that
Article 370 should not be revoked,” senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said.Besides
JD(U), Congress, TMC, DMK, PDP, CPM, RJD and Vaiko’s MDMK vehemently opposed
the move, with members creating a ruckus in the Well of the House and shouting
slogans such as ‘We want justice’ and ‘Don’t divide Kashmir’. SP members,
however, did not join them in the well.Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said his party supported the
Centre’s decisions on J&K. “We hope this will bring peace and development
in the state,” the CM tweeted. indianexpress
NDA has cut off India's head:Ghulam Nabi Azad
New Delhi:Leader of the the Opposition in the
Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday accused the Union Govt of doing
vote-bank politics by abrogating Article 370 that guaranteed special status to J&K.August
5 would be written in Indian history as a black-letter day,he said at a press
conference in the Parliament complex.Azad charged the Rajya Sabha TV with
blacking out Opposition protests inside the House.“ NDA has cut off India's
head and the BJP is responsible for weakening India...People of J&K and the
people of India -- from Srinagar to Kanyakumari, from Sikkim to Gujarat -- will
fight against this. All the secular parties will fight this and will stand with
the people of the State,” he said.Article 370 was the thread that not only
bound the 3 regions -- Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh - but also with the rest of
India. “I make this allegation that that they are doing this to get votes... If
there was one provision that acted like a thread and bound every region then it
was Article 370. There were provisions for all three regions and religions,” he
said. Thehindu
‘Darkest day of democracy’: Opposition leaders
condemn scrapping of Article 370
Indian govt’s decision to repeal Article 370 is a
move against UNSC resolution: Pakistan Prez
In the first official reaction coming in from
Islamabad, Pakistan President Arif Alvi said today that the Indian Govt's
decision to repeal Article 370, which gives special status to J&K,was
against the resolution of the UNSC. "India's attempt to further change
status of Indian Occupied J&K is against the resolutions of UNSC and
against wishes of the Kashmiri people,"official Twitter handle of President
said."Pakistan supports and insists on a peaceful resolution based on
wishes of Kashmiri people and stands with them in their hour of need," he
said in another tweet.IANS
J&K: Pakistan president calls for joint
session, Pak Army chief calls Corps Commanders meeting
Pakistan
President Arif Alvi has immediately called Joint Session of Parliament in the
wake of Narendra Modi-led govt’s decision to scrap Article 370. PML-N president
and opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto have
been demanding an emergency meeting of the parliamentary leaders to discuss the
ongoing situation. Meanwhile, Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa called
for a meeting of the Corps Commanders Conference to discuss the situation after
India decided to scrap Article 370.NewsX
Imran Khan says India’s move to scrap Article 370
‘illegal, violates UN resolutions’
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday
termed India’s move to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution which gave
special status to Jammu and Kashmir as “illegal” and said it will “further
deteriorate” relations between the nuclear-capable neighbours.Khan made the remarks
while speaking with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad on the situation
in Kashmir, Geo News quoted a statement issued by the Foreign Office.During
their conversation, Khan said changing the status of Kashmir was “illegal and a
violation of UN resolutions”.“India’s move will further deteriorate relations
between nuclear-capable neighbours,” Khan was quoted as telling the Malaysian
prime minister.On his part, Prime Minister Mahathir said that Malaysia was
closely monitoring the situation in Kashmir and would remain in contact with
Pakistan, the channel reported.Mahathir also said that he was looking forward
to the UN General Assembly session next month and a meeting with Khan on the
sidelines in New York.PTI
No unilateral step can change disputed status of
J&K': Pak foreign office
J&K: 8,000 more paramilitary troops airlifted
to state from parts of country; IAF and Army on alert
At least 8,000 paramilitary personnel were
airlifted to J&K on Monday from several parts of the country, including UP,
Odisha and Assam, NDTV reported.The security forces were being brought to
Srinagar on C-17 transport planes of the Indian Air Force, NDTV quoted
unidentified sources as saying. This deployment was an addition to the 35,000
soldiers who were already brought into J&K recently. Meanwhile, Indian Army
and Air Force were also put on high alert after the decision to revoke Article
370, according to ANI.scroll.in
UN Appeals to India, Pakistan to Exercise
Restraint
UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has
appealed to India and Pakistan to “exercise maximum restraint” to ensure that
the situation does not further deteriorate, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric
said, amidst sudden spike in tensions between the two neighbours. “UN Military Observer
Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) observed and reported an increase in
military activity at the Line of Control in recent days. The UN appeals to both
sides to exercise maximum restraint to ensure that the situation does not
further deteriorate,” a statement issued by Dujarric said.PTI
J&K:Amnesty cautions Centre on rights
violations
Amnesty International India has issued a
statement against Centre’s decision to revoke the special status granted to J&K,
saying that it could stoke ongoing tension in the state and end up alienating
the locals. It also cautioned the govt that the developments could increase
risk of further human rights violations. scroll
It’s a political decision, it’s not a wise
decision: Soli Sorabjee on Article 370
Shortly after Centre moved to revoke Article 370
through a Presidential Order, former attorney-general of India Soli Sorabjee
said “nothing revolutionary has been done” and that it was merely a political
decision.“It’s a political decision, it’s not a wise decision,” Sorabjee told
ANI. Asked if this was a historic step by NDA govt, Sorabjee responded saying
“a historic step can also be a blunder.” “Nothing revolutionary has been done.
Article 35A wasn’t a part of the Constitution. It was inserted by a
Presidential Order. The laws of India which were not applicable to the state of
J&K will now apply,” he added. Sorabjee also highlighted the manner in
which the leaders in the state like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were put
under house arrest.“You didn’t ask me about the arrests, but to my mind I don’t
like this at all. I think it is very unnecessary and very unpleasant. It sends
a wrong signal to people of Kashmir. I don’t approve of it,” Sorabjee
said.thequint
Repealing Art.370 an extremely regressive,
undemocratic step: ex J&K interlocutor Habibullah
Denouncing the move regarding article 370, former
J&K interlocutor Wajahat Habibullah underscores that this is an extremely
regressive step. He highlights that the Govt has made it real for the people of
Kashmir that they weren’t living in a democracy anymore.“This is an extremely
regressive step and what its objective is, I fail to understand. If the idea
was to remedy the law and order situation, then this is going to make it worse.
Kashmir will be on a boil as it will be taken very badly by people in Kashmir,”
points out Habibullah.“It remains for the courts to say if a Presidential order
can change the Constitution. I can’t give a legal opinion, but on the face of
it, this is illegal. Article 370 was a temporary provision but changing
anything in the Constitution without consultation with the people is itself
unconstitutional. Most people don’t even know what has happened as they have
been cut off.This is an undemocratic measure. Why have they taken such an
undemocratic measure? Because they know that it would have regressive
repercussions in Kashmir. If fact, it is Kashmir which has always been a
problem for them. Earlier, they would say J&K, now problem is in the open.Problem
is Kashmir,” explains first CIC.nationalheraldindia
Omar, Mehbooba arrested: Reports
Former J&K CMs Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba
Mufti were today formally arrested after being placed under house arrest late
on Sunday night, NDTV reported. Mufti has been reportedly taken from her home
in Srinagar to a nearby govt guest house.Earlier in the day, both the leaders
condemned the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution,
which provides special status to J&K. They have been vocal in their
criticism against this move and Abdullah also indicated that his party might
challenge it in court.An order issued to Mufti by the chief executive officer
said her “activities are likely to cause breach of peace keeping into
consideration your recent activities”.scroll.in
Totally unconstitutional and undemocratic: Punjab
CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Article 370
Terming it as “totally unconstitutional”, Punjab CM
Captain Amarinder Singh flayed Centre on
the manner in which it imposed its decision on J&K, saying that the democratic
fabric of the nation had been ripped apart with this unprecedented “violation”
of the Constitutional norms.“It is a dark day for the Indian democracy,” said Amarinder,
adding that the Constitution of India had been rewritten without following any
legal provisions. “Such a historic decision should not have been taken and
pushed through in this arbitrary manner,” he said. This will set a bad
precedent as it would mean that the Centre could reorganise any state in the
country by simply imposing President’s rule,he said. indianexpress
J&K Bills: Punjab bans celebrations, protests
Kashmir: Scrapping Article 370
"Unconstitutional", "Deceitful" Says Legal Expert A.G.
Noorani
New Delhi: Modi Govt’s decision to abrogate
Article 370 of the Indian constitution through controversial means is “utterly and
palpably unconstitutional,”said respected scholar and constitutional expert AG
Noorani. The author of many books about Kashmir, including on Article 370,
tells HuffPost India that the Supreme Court must declare this decision as
“void”. He said,”It is utterly and palpably unconstitutional. An
unconstitutional deed has been accomplished by deceitful means. For a
fortnight, the Governor and other people told a whole load of lies. And I am
sorry that the Army Core Commander (Chief) was also enlisted to spread this
false thing of inputs from Pakistan. It was all a falsehood. They have
undermined the Army’s non-political character. This is patently
unconstitutional. Thing is that I had always predicted that they are out to
fulfill their Saffron agenda: Uniform Civil Code, Ayodhya and Abrogation of
Article 370. It remains to be seen how they accomplish the Ayodhya agenda. “
Yasin Malik is Absolutely Fine: Tihar Prison DG
Refutes Rumours of Kashmiri Separatist's Ill Health
New Delhi: DG of Tihar Prison on Sunday said the
reports about the ill-health of Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, who is
presently lodged in Tihar prison, is completely "incorrect" and he is
"absolutely fine". Goes said there is no reason for any worry about
his health. Goel's statement came hours after Malik's wife Mushaal Hussein
Malik in a video message talked about her apprehension regarding the health of jailed
JKLF chief. Malik is currently in jail in connection with terror funding cases.
"Malik is absolutely fine. There is no reason for any worry about his
health," Goel said.DG also said rumours regarding Malik's health are
completely false.In the video message, the Pakistan-born wife of Malik had
claimed that his health conditions was deteriorating and he needed urgent
attention.news18
Article 370: It’s the beginning of disintegration
of India, says Chidambaram
Senior Congress leader and ex Union Home Minister
P. Chidamabaram, said the Govt move of scrapping Article 370 was “the beginning
of the disintegration of India if the current Govt continues to be in
charge.”Monday was the worst day in the constitutional history and “the idea of
India as a union of States is in grave danger,” he said.“What they have done is
a constitutional monstrosity. People of India, people of every State must wake
up to the grave danger that was set as an example today by these completely
unconstitutional and illegal resolutions. I want to warn every party, every
State, every citizen of India that the idea of India as a union of States is in
grave danger,” he said at a press conference.“They can dismember every State
and break it up. This is the beginning of disintegration of India. I am sorry
to use such strong words but this is the worst day in the constitutional
history of India,” he stated. He accused the Govt of “dismembering” J&K,
and claimed that every State in the country could be similarly dismembered.“All
that they have to do is to dismiss the elected Govt, impose President's rule,
dissolve the elected Assemblies, Parliament takes the power of the State
Assembly, Govt moves a resolution and Parliament approves it and the State can
be broken up,” said he, who is also a noted constitutional lawyer.“What have
they done.They dismembered the State of J&K by mischievously interpreting
both Article 3 and Article 370 of the Constitution. If this can be done in
J&K, then let me caution you that it can be done to every other State,” he
noted.“Every State can be broken up into two or 3 or more Union Territories by
mischievously misinterpreting Article 3 and Article 370 and they won't stop at
that,” he added. thehindu
J&K bifurcation: DMK sees ‘murder of
democracy’
Article 370 revoked in J&K: MHA asks security
forces to remain alert
New Delhi: Soon after the Govt’s decision to
abrogate Article 370 of Constitution from J&K, officials today said all
security forces formations across the country are on 'high alert'.The Ministry
of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory, directing all CAPFs and central
security agencies to take "necessary precautions" to ensure that
peace and communal harmony is maintained across the country. "An advisory
for remaining on a high alert mode has been issued to all the security forces
across the country, especially for their units based in J&K," said a
senior official.The concerned authorities have been asked to pay special
attention to areas that are communally sensitive.It read: "Adequate
publicity may be given to the measures taken by state Govts, Union Territories
to inspire confidence in the sections concerned and to sensitise the public
against any mischief or breach of peace."Law enforcement agencies in the
states and Union Territories have been asked to keep an eye on the circulation
of unverified news, rumours, and messages on social media.timesnownews
Left Parties to Hold Country-Wide Protests on
August 7 Against Dismantling of J&K
Condemning scrapping of Article 370 of the
Constitution and dismantling the state of J&K amid massive troop build-up
and a clampdown by central forces in the state, CPI(M) and other Left parties
have called for a nationwide protest day on Aug 7.“This is the biggest attack
on national unity and the concept of India as a Union of States,” said a
statement by CPI(M) politburo.“It is universally acknowledged that the unity of
India lies in its diversity. BJP-RSS rulers cannot tolerate any diversity and
the federal principle. They are treating J&K as occupied territory.
Trampling on the Constitution, they are converting Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh as
two centrally-ruled Union Territories. This is the biggest attack on national
unity and the concept of India as a Union of States,” the party said. The
politburo noted that in the run-up to “these authoritarian measures”, tens of thousands of troops were deployed in
the state, leaders of major political parties were detained and movement of
public prohibited.Demanding that Govt "end the seige in Kashmir", CPI-ML
Liberation party tweeted that the Govt through its decision had ended the last
bridge between the state and the Constitution.newsclick
Not Just J&K, India's Constitution Provides
Special Powers to 10 States: The wire
Is J&K the only state to enjoy special powers
under the constitution? No.While Article 35A granted under Article 370 gave
J&K special status, Article 371 was brought in to create special provisions
for Maharashtra and Gujarat. Both these Articles have existed from the time the
constitution was adopted in 1950.However, parliament, under powers granted by
Article 368, added a number of constitutional provisions under Article 371 to
grant special powers and privileges to as many as nine other states.Take
Article 371A which bestows special powers on Nagaland. The state can have its
own administrative and legal mechanisms based on Naga customary laws, and the
right to carry on religious and local social practices. People can have land
ownership and the right to transfer land and other resources as per local
practices. The provision also grants special powers to the governor to overrule
the decision of CM on a law and order situation. There is also Article 371B,meant
for Assam.Article 371C was brought in to generate certain special provisions
for Manipur.Article 371D and E are meant for AP which grants the president
certain special powers over the state Govt, including ensuring reservation in
employment and education. Article 371F is for Sikkim as per which it became an
Indian state in 1975.Article 371G concerns formation of Mizoram as a state in
1986. Again, Article 371H is applicable for Arunachal Pradesh, which also
grants the governor special powers on the state’s law and order situation.
Under Article 371I, Goa assembly has special powers to make laws on sale of
land, ownership of property.Article 371J grants special powers to 6 backward
districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka region under which they can establish special
development boards, reservation in jobs and education institutions, etc.
Germany urges India to hold talks with Kashmiris
Berlin :Germany urged the Indian Govt on Monday to hold
dialogue with the people of J&K and comply with the Constitution, as
tensions rose over a move to scrap the special status of the region.Speaking at
a news conference in Berlin, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr said
Germany was closely following developments in the region.“We believe that all
further steps of the Govt must comply with India’s Constitution,” she said, and
urged the Govt to respect civil rights secured by the law.“We are calling on
the Indian Govt to hold dialogue with the population concerned about its plans,
its intentions,” Adebahr added.Anadolu Agency
OTHERS
Rajasthan passes Protection from Lynching Bill
Jaipur :Rajasthan Assembly on Monday passed the
Bill, against mob lynching, which makes it cognisable, non–bailable and
non-compoundable offence with life imprisonment and fine up to Rs 5
lakh.Following “many” such lynchings “resulting in loss of livelihood, injuries
and death of persons at the hands of mob” the Gehlot Govt said it hopes to “nip
the evil in the bud.” The state had witnessed a spurt in lynchings in 2017,
beginning with dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in April 2017. The Bill, tabled on July
30,was discussed today and subsequently passed by voice vote.During the
discussion in the state Assembly on Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill,
Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said that there already are sufficient
provisions in the Indian Penal Code to penalise those who commit such offences.
He said that the Bill defines two people as a mob, which goes against the
definition of a mob, and accused the Govt of trying to please a particular
community through the Bill. Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore termed
the Bill a “black law, which will affect generations to come.” indianexpress
Assam districts panic, notices at night for NRC
hearings 300 km away: indian express
On Sunday, Abu Sama and Abu Bakkar boarded a
packed bus with their young children and wives, hoping to make it to a hearing
of National Register of Citizens(NRC) in Jorhat, over 300 km away, scheduled
for Monday. The daily wage labourers were among the hundreds of people in at
least 2 districts of Lower Assam, Kamrup (Rural) and Barpeta, to have received
“sudden” notices to appear for NRC hearings in far-off towns within the next
few days, starting Monday.The notices started arriving Saturday night. With the
short deadline adding to the panic, and the Govt tight-lipped, villagers across
the 2 districts hired vehicles to make the long travel, many of them for the
first time in their lives. The bus Sama and Bakkar boarded was hired for Rs
30,000 by those served notices in their village. Other families were seen
clambering onto Tata Sumos and pick-up trucks, headed, apart from Jorhat, for
towns like Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Golaghat.Referring to Sontoli, a local
police officer said, “It seems almost every house has received a notice in this
area.”A few of his colleagues too had got notices, he added, and had applied
for leave.In adjoining Goroimari, where many received notices too, there was
panic selling to arrange money for travel.NRC state coordinator Prateek Hajela
did not respond to calls or multiple text messages regarding the notices. He
had earlier been censured by the SC, which is monitoring NRC, for talking to
the press.The notices come 3 days after Assam Govt tabled in the Assembly
district-wise data of exclusion from the draftNRC published last year— defying
a SC order against it — to underline that in districts bordering Bangladesh the
exclusion percentage was lower than in areas with indigenous populations. indianexpress
Muslims included in Assam NRC being made to give
another test, alleges organisation
Ayodhya: 4 proposals saw some light till talks
failed
New Delhi:Attempts to find a settlement in the
Ayodhya dispute by the Supreme Court-appointed mediation committee continued
till the last minute of the deadline, with intense talks towards the end of
July holding out a tantalising hope that a “breakthrough” could be achieved.
After a firm proposal submitted by those asking for the mosque did not elicit
any response from those asking for the temple, the committee tried to get a
consensus on what it called “the four elements” for arriving at a deal. But, with
some of the contesting parties not agreeing to these proposals, the committee
had to report to the SC that the proceedings had “failed”. Based on detailed
conversations with the sides involved in the mediation, Indian Express has
learnt that the side asking for a mosque submitted a proposal in a sealed
envelope, during the committee’s second meeting in Faizabad,for a mosque and a
temple adjacent to each other within the disputed area. It also gave a detailed
layout for the same. But the proposal was a non-starter as it elicited no
response from the side asking for the temple.Thereafter, mediation committee
tried to break the logjam by formulating four essential elements for a possible
deal, which were underpinned on the premise that the mosque would be completely
relocated outside the contentious area. Though some sides did warm up to the
four elements, an agreement could not be reached on the same.*Freeze status of
all places of worship as per 1991 Act, or as on Aug.15,1947*Ask ASI to
streamline process of declaring mosques as ‘monuments’ *In lieu of Babri
Masjid, give alternative land and funds for a mosque elsewhere *Repair,
refurbish, restore “about 20 mosques” in Ayodhya. IE
Jamiat, Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas put spokes in
Ayodhya mediation effort:TOI
2 more INLD MLAs, one Independent join BJP in
Haryana
In another setback for INLD ahead of the
Haryana Assembly polls, 2 more party MLAs besides one Independent MLA joined
the ruling BJP in Haryana today. INLD's Ram Chander Kamboj, MLA from Rania
assembly segment in Sirsa district, who had recently resigned from the party
and Naseem Ahmed, legislator from Firozpur Jhirka, joined BJP fold. Independent
MLA from Saffidon, Jasbir Deswal, who has been supporting BJP, too joined the
ruling outfit in the presence of CM and
State unit chief Subhash Barala. Notably, Naseem Ahmed had switched over to the
Congress, days before General Election were held for the 10 Lok Sabha seats in
Haryana in the sixth phase on May 12.However, he had not resigned from his
parent party INLD then.All 3 MLAs have joined BJP "unconditionally",Barala
said.PTI
Of 89 secretaries in Modi govt, there are just 3
STs, 1 Dalit and no OBCs
New Delhi: Only one of the 89 secretaries posted
at the Centre belongs to the Scheduled Castes (SC), while 3 belong to the
Scheduled Tribes, latest Govt data tabled in Parliament shows.None of the
secretaries belong to the OBCs, according to the data compiled by the Ministry
of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. A majority of the secretaries are
from IAS.The representation of SC/ST/OBC officers in central Govt
ministries/departments is lopsided even at the additional secretary, joint
secretary and director levels. For instance, of the 93 additional secretaries
in central Govt ministries, just six are SCs and five are STs, while there are
no OBCs of this rank either. Among the 275 joint secretaries, 13 (4.73 % ) are
SCs, 9 (3.27 % ) are STs and 19 belong to the OBC category.theprint.in
Once EVMs go, BJP will go too,says Raj Thackeray
MNS chief Raj Thackeray is at the forefront of
the opposition’s movement against EVMs. On Friday Raj, Congress state chief
Balasaheb Thorat, NCP’s Ajit Pawar and Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathan leader
Raju Shetty held a press conference, calling for the use of ballot papers in
the upcoming assembly election. They said a rally would be held in Mumbai on
August 21 to raise awareness about the issue. MNS will also launch a
door-to-door signature campaign. Last week, Raj met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to seek her support. Raj said
once EVMs go, BJP will go too. While he refused to confirm if the MNS would
fight the election, Raj said unless ballot paper returns, the country’s
democracy would be under threat. Raj said, "this is not the first time I
have spoken against EVMs. See in elections, people win or lose. But look at
BJP. Even before the election they were claiming they would get 250 seats. Then
they said 300. Where do think they get these figures from? Now they are saying
they will get 200 seats in the upcoming Maharashtra poll. Lok Sabha results
were shocking for everyone. For those who lost and even for those who won. If
BJP is so confident, why doesn’t it agree to use ballot papers?"
mumbaimirror
Unnao rape: SC orders victim to be airlifted to
Delhi
The Supreme Court today directed that the Unnao
rape victim, who suffered critical injuries in a car-truck collision last week,
be airlifted from Lucknow to Delhi AIIMS. In a health bulletin issued earlier
in the day, the doctors treating the victim and her lawyer said that both of
them are critical but stable.“There has been an improvement in the health of
the female patient. The male patient is breathing without ventilator
support&is in a deep coma”, the bulletin said.Earlier, the SC had deferred
the hearing on the issue of transfer of the woman and her injured lawyer to
Friday as no one on behalf of their families appeared and sought their
transfer. However,family’s lawyer D Ramakrishna Reddy later appeared before a
bench of Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose and said that the mother now
wanted her injured daughter to be shifted to AIIMS for better care as she was
still critical. Indianexpress
IMA
founder may have kept bribe records
Bengaluru: Investigations by a SIT of Karnataka
police into a nearly Rs 1,400 crore scam, where over 40,000 investors in a firm
called I Monetary Advisory Ltd have been cheated through a Ponzi scheme dubbed
as sharia-compliant, have revealed that the firm’s founder, Mohammed Mansoor
Khan, maintained records on his computer of bribes he paid officials.The names
of several top police officers who served in the eastern jurisdiction of
Bengaluru city, where the IMA Group is located, are present in the records
maintained by the alleged scamster, multiple police sources familiar with
details of records found on Khan’s electronic gadgets said.With SIT moving to
obtain custody of Mansoor Khan on Thursday — for the first time after IMA
founder was brought back to India from Dubai 10 days ago by officials of SIT
and the ED of Ministry of Finance – investigations are expected to focus on the
alleged payments documented by Khan on his computer.indianexpress
Thousands converge in central Delhi with message
of peace and brotherhood
New Delhi:Thousands of people from various
corners of the country converged in central Delhi on Monday for an event
organised by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind to spread the message of communal harmony and
peace. People from UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Delhi, among others, attended the event at the Talkatora Stadium
where leaders from all faiths called for unity among all religions and peace,
said Mohammad Younus Ansari, 28, a resident of Delhi."We are one and there
is no reason why we should hate each other. We have remained together for
decades, overcoming every challenge thrown at us. There's a certain section of
people who are trying to instigate one community against the other for their
vested interests. We will not them succeed," he said. Mohammad Iqbal, 58,
said, "India belongs to all. We also fought for its
independence...nurtured its soil with our sweat and blood. Some people for
their narrow political gains are trying to make project the country as a Hindu
Rashtra, and we are against it."PTI
WORLD
‘Israel to advance 2,400 settlement houses, vast
majority deep in West Bank’
Israeli authorities are set to advance over 2,400
settlement housing units this week, in parallel to granting retroactive
approval to four unauthorised settlement outposts. According to settlement
watchdog Peace Now, the Higher Planning Committee of Civil Administration – a
branch of the Defence Ministry which deals with a number of matters pertaining
to the occupation – will convene today and tomorrow to discuss the plans.The
published agenda for the meeting includes at least 2,430 housing units in
settlements all over the occupied West Bank. Reports indicate that the vast
majority of the housing units set to be advanced are located in settlements
outside Israel’s illegal Separation Wall.The plans also include the
“legalisation” of four illegal outposts. While all Israeli settlements are
considered illegal under international law, Israel distinguishes between
authorised and unauthorised settlements. In practice, the latter are built with
the tacit approval of occupation authorities.The four outposts to be
“legalised” – effectively establishing new settlements – are located in the
northern Jordan Valley, southeast of Bethlehem, and east of Jerusalem.Under PM
Benjamin Netanyahu, Peace Now noted, “more than 30 new settlements (“outposts”)
have been established”, along with “retroactive legalisation of existing
outposts”.MEMO
‘2233 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa compound in July’
Over 2,200 Jewish settlers forced their way into
East Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in July, according to a
Palestinian NGO on Monday.“Around 2,233 Jewish settlers guarded by Israeli
security personnel stormed the compound in July,” Wadi Hilweh Information
Center said. NGO said Israeli authorities also banned 14 Palestinians,
including two minors and two women, from entering the holy site for different
periods of time last month.Anadolu Agency
Egypt begins demolition 2km either side of Sinai roads
Egyptian authorities have begun implementing a
2016 decree which allocates 2 kilometres of land either side of several roads
in Sinai as Ministry of Defence property. The roads affected will be Al-Arish
Road in Rafah, Ras El-Naqab Road in Nuweiba, Ras El-Naqab Road in Taba,
Ismailia Road in El-Awja, East Port Said Road in El-Shat and Oyoun Mousa Road
in Sharm El-Sheikh. The Executive Council of North Sinai has begun removing the
walls on either side of these roads and then will begin removing houses and
other structures. Both Al-Arish and Sheikh Zuweid will be heavily affected, as
well as Bir Al-Abd in North Sinai. When the decree is implemented more than 80 %
of the local population will be
displaced.This latest phase is part of the systematic displacement of the
residents of Sinai, which has accelerated under the presidency of Abdel Fattah
Al-Sisi, and has already seen roughly 100,000 people forced
out.middleeastmonitor
Drone attack kills dozens at wedding in Libya
At least 40 people have been reported killed and
dozens injured after an air attack hit a wedding ceremony in southwestern
Libya, according to media reports.Reports said forces loyal to strongman
Khalifa Haftar launched the attack on Sunday in the town of Murzuq.Al Jazeera
learned that the victims were attending a wedding when the attack took
place.Nearly 1,100 people have been reported killed since Haftar, based in
eastern Libya, launched an offensive against the capital Tripoli on April 4.On
Saturday, Libya's UN-recognised Govt of National Accord (GNA) said it had
downed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of Haftar's forces.aljazeera
Afghan policeman opens fire on colleagues, kills
7
A policeman in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar
province has opened fire on his colleagues, killing seven other policemen, an Afghan
official said.Sunday's attack was the latest case of so-called "insider
attacks" - when an Afghan policeman or soldier turns his weapon on Afghan
forces or international troops.Provincial spokesperson Jamal Nasser Barekzai
said the attacker fled the scene of the shooting in Shawali Kot district,
adding that an investigation was under way.Taliban spokesperson Qari Yusouf
Ahmadi said the attacker joined the Taliban.The armed group, which effectively
controls about half the country, is currently holding talks with US to end the
country's 18-year conflict.The latest and eighth round of negotiations began on
Saturday in Qatari capital Doha.A Taliban source told AFP that efforts were
under way to organise a direct meeting between US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay
Khalilzad and Taliban cofounder Mullah Baradar, who heads the movement's
political wing.aljazeera
US mourns as Democrats blame Trump's rhetoric for
shootings
2 mass shootings that killed 29 people in less
than 24 hours in US has prompted debate over whether President Donald Trump's
rhetoric was partly to blame for the surging gun violence.The first assault
occurred on Saturday morning in the border city of El Paso in Texas, where a
gunman killed 20 people at a Walmart store before surrendering to the police.Texas
Governor Greg Abbott said the gun assault appeared to be a hate crime, and
police cited a "manifesto" they attributed to the suspect,
21-year-old Patrick Crusius, as evidence that the bloodshed was racially
motivated.A four-page statement posted on an online message board and believed
to have been written by the suspect, called the Walmart attack "a response
to the Hispanic invasion of Texas". Assistant Police Chief Matt Carper
identified the suspect as 24-year-old Connor Betts, a white male from Bellbrook,
Ohio, and said his sister Megan Betts, 22, was among those killed. The motive
behind the shooting was not immediately clear.aljazeera
Al-Bashir’s party: ‘Constitutional Declaration’
exclusionary, overrides Sharia reference
The Sudanese National Congress Party described
the constitutional declaration document agreed upon by the Military Council and
the forces of Declaration of Freedom and Change as “bilateral and excludes all
political and social components.”This came in a statement issued on Saturday
night by party that used to be led by the ousted President Omar Al-Bashir.“This
bilateral agreement has excluded all the components of political and social
life, which would complicate the future of the transitional period with
political practices based on exclusion, isolation and inclusiveness,” the
statement said.The statement continued:“The deal has overridden the
Constitution of 2005, which came with a consensus of all political parties without
exception.” “Contrary constitutional requirement to adhere to Islamic Sharia
reference in legislation, this agreement has been silent about this. It,
therefore, makes room for broad secular trends.” the statement added.It also
pointed out that the agreement has intentionally changed the ruling regime from
a presidential system to a parliamentary system without any popular mandate
through an elected parliament.On Saturday morning,African Union mediation in
Sudan announced a “deal between Military Council and the Forces of Freedom and
Change on all points of the constitutional declaration,” hours after the start
of a meeting in the capital Khartoum.MEMO
Syrian army to resume operations in rebel-held
Idlib
Syrian army has said it will resume operations
against rebels in Idlib, according to state media.The announcement came just
days after a truce was brokered during talks in Kazakhstan following weeks of
deadly air raids by the Syrian Govt and its allies in the country's last
remaining rebel-held area."Armed terrorist groups, backed by Turkey,
refused to abide by the ceasefire and launched many attacks on civilians in
surrounding areas," SANA reported army as saying."The armed forces
will resume their military operations against terrorists," it
said.aljazeera
Iran, Qatar hold joint coastguard meeting,
Bahrain says it’s ‘under attack’
Iran and Qatar held their fifteenth coast guard
meeting in order to enhance relations and develop field cooperation, according
to Iranian media.The meeting, held in Tehran, consisted of the Iranian side
headed by Border Guard Commander Brigadier General Ghasem Rezaei and the Qatari
delegation headed by Lieutenant Colonel Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mohannadi, assistant DG
of the country’s Coasts and Borders Security. Following the talks between the 2
states, Bahrain responded to the meeting and accused them of undermining and
targeting its national unity, with Bahraini Interior Minister General Shaikh
Rashid stating at a meeting that “Qatari and Iranian conspiracies to subvert
national unity and spark chaos are doomed to failure.”Al-Khalifa outlined that
Iran and Qatar both play a trouble-making role in Gulf region, with Iran
instigating sectarianism in Bahrain’s affairs while Qatar seeks to undermine
family bonds and social cohesion. He reiterated that “this is against Arabic
and Islamic values.”MEMO
Erdogan announces invasion east of Euphrates
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
publicly announced the decision to launch a long-awaited military operation in
Syria, east of the Euphrates River, and said that the US and Russia have been
warned and provided with the information necessary.Speaking at an inauguration
ceremony in the north-western city of Bursa yesterday, Erdogan stated that “We
entered Afrin, Jarabulus, and Al-Bab, and now we’re going to enter east of the
Euphrates,” adding that “We shared this with the US and Russia.”The military
operation has been highly speculated on in recent weeks following talks between
Turkish military figures such as Minister of Defence Hulusi Akar and US Envoy
to Syria James Jeffreys regarding a proposed safe zone in northern Syria. At
the start of the talks in July, Turkey warned that it would conduct the
operation if an agreement was not reached for the establishment of the zone.MEMO
Flash:
NEWS, views, Articles
Explained: Article 370 has not been scrapped but
Kashmir’s special status has gone:Faizan Mustafa
As Kashmir Is Erased, Indian Democracy Dies In
Silence: Aman Sethi
At last, once-colonised becomes
coloniser:Indrajit Hazra
What Revoking Articles 370 and 35A Would Mean for
Kashmir:Siddharth Varadarajan
This is what Modi govt has done to scrap Article
370, 35A in J&K:Apoorva Mandhani, Debayan Roy
Watch | Shah Faesal: If Article 370 Is Repealed,
India's Relationship With Kashmir Will Also End
BJP Delusion – Article 370 of Constitution of
India can not be Abrogated: Justice Rajinder Sachar
Pulling a Vietnam in Afghanistan:Stanly Johny
Rajasthan’s effort to criminalise mob lynching is
a good start:Farheen Ahmad Anmolam
‘Hindus have been disproportionately targeted’:
Why Assam Govt is not happy with the NRC:Arunabh Saikia
Explained | How the status of J&K is being
changed:K. Venkataramanan
Article 370 ‘scrapped’: Full text of President’s
Order
Can Presidential orders do away with Article 371A
to 371G?AG Noorani
Kashmir Explainer: From Article 370 to Article 3,
Modi-Shah Upend the Constitution
Article 370, Federalism and the Basic Structure
of the Constitution:Faizan Mustafa
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq,(Released at: 8:55 PM)
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