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OCT. 2019: 02 Rabiul Awwal 1441: Vol: 12, No: 50
INDIA
WhatsApp confirms Israeli spyware used to snoop on
Indian journalists, activists: Govt asks WhatsApp to explain breach
As
the revelation by Whatsapp that Indian scribes and human rights activists were
among users targeted by an Israeli spyware created a storm, IT Ministry today
asked Facebook-owned messaging platform to explain the breach. In a separate
statement, the Home Ministry said attempts to malign the government for reported
breach were completely misleading and “strict action” would be taken against
those found guilty of violating the law. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
said government is “concerned” at the breach of privacy of citizens of India on
WhatsApp.“We have asked WhatsApp to explain the kind of breach and what it is
doing to safeguard the privacy of millions of Indian citizens,” he said,
assuring that government is committed to protecting the privacy of all Indian
citizens. “Government agencies have a well-established protocol for an
interception from highly ranked officials in central and state governments for
clear stated reasons in the national interest,” he added.While WhatsApp has
declined to reveal the identities and “exact number” of those targeted for
surveillance in India, its spokesperson told Indian Express that WhatsApp was
aware of those targeted and had contacted each one of them.“Indian journalists
and human rights activists have been the target of surveillance and while I
cannot reveal their identities and the exact number, I can say that it is not
an insignificant number,”a WhatsApp spokesperson said. WhatsApp also said it
was suing NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance firm, that is reportedly behind
the technology that helped unnamed entities’ spies to hack into phones of
roughly 1,400 users.It is learnt that at least two dozen academics, lawyers,
Dalit activists and journalists in India were contacted and alerted by WhatsApp
that their phones had been under state-of-the-art surveillance for a two-week
period until May 2019.However, it did not say on whose behest the phones of
journalists and activists across the world were targeted. indianexpress
Indian Intelligence used Israeli spyware to snoop
on WhatsApp users
WhatsApp spyware: 14 confirmed cases of activists,
lawyers, scholars targeted in India
14
individuals – human rights activists, scholars and journalists – have so far
confirmed to Scroll.in that they were targeted by a spyware on the messaging
platform WhatsApp. Some of them suggested that Indian government agencies may
have been involved in the surveillance, as they were told by a Canada-based
cyber security group that is assisting WhatsApp in investigating the spyware
attack. 3 lawyers who were targeted linked the security breach to the Bhima
Koregaon case, in which 10 human rights activists were arrested last year on
charges of links with a banned Maoist outfit. scroll
Congress accuses Modi govt of ‘snooping’, urges SC
to hold Centre accountable
Congress
today alleged that Modi government has been “caught snooping” after WhatsApp
confirmed journalists and human rights activists in India have been targets of
surveillance, as it urged the Supreme Court to hold the Centre accountable over
the issue. “Modi govt. caught snooping! Appalling but not surprising! After
all, BJP Govt- 1. Fought against our right to privacy. 2. Set up a multi-crore
surveillance structure until stopped by SC. SC must take immediate cognisance
and issue notice to BJP government,” Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep
Surjewala said in a tweet.“A government that spies on
journalists/activists/Opposition leaders and treats its own citizens like
criminals has lost the right to lead in our democracy. We urge the SC to take
suo motu cognisance of these illegal activities and to hold this government to
account,” he said in another tweet.PTI
J&K ISSUE
China: Bifurcation of J&K into UTs ‘unlawful’
and ‘void’, includes Chinese territory; India slams Beijing
Beijing:On
a day the official bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union
Territories came into effect, China termed the move “unlawful” and “void” and
said it was “not effective in any way”. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Geng Shuang said so-called UTs of J&K and Ladakh included some of China’s
territory into its administrative jurisdiction.“Indian government officially
announced establishment of so-called Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and
Ladakh Union Territory that included some of China’s territory into its
administrative jurisdiction. China deplores and firmly opposes that. India
unilaterally changes its domestic laws and administrative divisions challenging
China’s sovereignty,” Geng Shuang said at a Foreign Ministry press
briefing.“This is unlawful and void and this is not effective in any way and
will not change that fact that the area is under Chinese actual control,” he
said. Geng further urged India to “earnestly respect Chinese territorial
sovereignty, abide by our treaties and uphold peace and tranquility in border
areas and create favourable conditions for proper settlement of boundary
question.” Reacting to China’s statement, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said
Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh were an integral part of India. “China
is well aware of India’s consistent & clear position on this issue. The
matter of reorganization of erstwhile state of J&K into UTs of J&K and
Ladakh is entirely an internal affair of India,” Kumar said.“We do not expect
other countries, including China, to comment on the matters which are internal
to India, just as India refrains from commenting on internal issues of other
countries,” MEA spokesperson said.China also reiterated its “consistent and
clear” position on the Kashmir issue. “It is a dispute left from history and it
should be properly and peacefully resolved based on UN charter, the relevant
UNSC resolutions and other bilateral treaties and relevant side should resolve
dispute through dialogue and consultations and uphold regional peace and
stability,” Geng said. On Thursday, the functioning of 2 UTs at a bureaucratic
level came into effect even as normal life remained affected across the Kashmir
valley as a complete shutdown was observed. Girish Chandra Murmu was sworn in
as first Lieutenant Governor of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.To a
question on Pakistani media reports noting a trust deficit between China and
India in light of President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Chennai, Geng said,
“Regarding President Xi and Prime Minister Modi’s meeting in Chennai, I believe
both sides have released statements and press releases and both sides exchanged
views on the global, regional, long term and strategy issues in a friendly
atmosphere and agreed to develop closer partnerships.”Further, Geng said China
and Pakistan were all weather strategic partners and their cooperation was very
close. He also noted that India and China discussed cooperation in various
areas, including people-to-people exchange mechanisms. indianexpress
Shutdown in Kashmir as two Union Territories come
into existence
Srinagar:Kashmir
observed a shutdown today as two Union territories carved out of the erstwhile
state of Jammu and Kashmir came into existence, with some valley residents
accusing the government of robbing them of their special status and
identity.While National Conference termed the move as “unconstitutional”, the
BJP welcomed the move, saying it will usher in peace and development in Jammu
and Kashmir and Ladakh. Normal life remained affected across the Kashmir valley
as a complete shutdown was observed, officials said.Shops remained shut and
public transport was off the road. Only private cars and few auto-rickshaws, in
some areas of the city here, were plying, they said.NC — Jammu and Kashmir’s
grand-old party — termed the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 and to
bifurcate the state into two Union territories as unconstitutional and not in
the interest of the people of the country.This entire exercise in
unconstitutional. Parliament does not have power in terms of Article 3 as
applicable to Jammu and Kashmir or otherwise also to fragment a state or divide
it into pieces. The only power the Parliament has is to form a new state. Maybe
Parliament can chip away a part of a state and create a new state. There is no
power to make a state disappear, NC leader Justice (retd)Hasnain Masoodi told
PTI.MP said the concurrence of an elected state government was necessary for
abrogation of article 370 or the revocation of the special status of Jammu and
Kashmir.Some people in the valley said the Centre’s decision has robbed them of
their identity and special status. PTI
How can labourers be killed under your watch in
Valley? Mamata attacks Centre
Describing
the killings of 5 labourers from West Bengal in a terror attack in Jammu and
Kashmir as pre-planned murder, chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today questioned
the security arrangements in place in the Valley after abrogation of Article
370. Chief minister said, the labourers were set to return to their homes
soon.“But the manner they were murdered brutally after being abducted, I think
it is a pre-planned murder,” Banerjee said. She also demanded a “strong investigation”
into the incident to find out the truth.PTI
CPM: Killings fallout of govt’s Article 370
decision
Kolkata
:Condemning the killing of 5 migrant labourers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam,
CPM politburo member Prakash Karat alleged that such terror activities are a
fallout of the situation created by the Centre’s move to abrogate Article 370
that gave special status to the state.Karat was speaking to reporters after
addressing a public meeting at JNU organised by students’ union against BJP
government’s decision on J&K.“It shows that a very dangerous situation has
developed since the Modi government has abolished the state of Jammu and
Kashmir and suppressed all civil liberties and democracy,” he told reporters.CPM
politburo member Mohammad Salim said in a tweet, “#ModiMadeDisaster in #Kashmir
While security apparatus is busy in PR jobs under @AmitShah migrant workers
from #Murshidabad are being killed. #PicnicForEuroFriends and
#KillingsOfDeshiLabourers.”indianexpress
Only residents of J&K can be aggrieved by its
bifurcation into union territories, says Madras HC
Chennai:If
at all any person could be aggrieved over the withdrawal of special status to
Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the State into 2 Union Territories
(with effect from today) without the approval of its Legislative Assembly, it
could only be a permanent resident of the then State of Jammu and Kashmir and
not anyone else, Madras High Court ruled today.A Division Bench of Justices M.
Sathyanarayanan and N. Seshasayee said so while holding as not maintainable a
writ petition filed by Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi (DMSK) challenging the
constitutional validity of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019 which
bifurcated the State. Since the political party had been represented by its
president M.L. Ravi of Chennai, the Bench said: “The petitioner, admittedly, is
not a resident of Jammu and Kashmir and if at all any person is aggrieved by
the abrogation (sic) of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution and the
enactment, it could be the person who is a permanent resident of the then State
of Jammu and Kashmir.”thehindu
Jammu and Kashmir: European Union urges India and
Pakistan to restart dialogue
European
Union has urged India and Pakistan to prevent the escalation of tension over
Jammu and Kashmir, and resume bilateral dialogue, PTI reported.European Union
official Marketa Homolkova, the first secretary of the delegation of the
European Union in Geneva, told UN that two countries should ensure a peaceful
resolution to the Kashmir dispute that worsened after India revoked Jammu and
Kashmir’s special constitutional status.Homolkova made the remarks during the
General Assembly First Committee’s deliberations on regional disarmament and
security. They came amid an unofficial visit of 23 Members of European
Parliament to Jammu and Kashmir. At the end of the trip on Wednesday, the
politicians said India’s moves in the region were its internal matter. They
also voiced their support for India’s fight against terrorism.scroll.in
EU MPs’ visit to J&K not ‘internationalisation’
of Kashmir issue: MEA
Ministry
of External Affairs today said the visit by European Union parliamentarians to
Kashmir does not amount to “internationalisation” of the issue and such delegations
do not necessarily have to come through official channels.In its first remark
on the visit of the unofficial delegation of 23 European Parliament MPs to
Kashmir, for which the government came under severe criticism from the
Opposition, who called it third party intervention, MEA spokesperson Raveesh
Kumar said the important point was whether such an engagement served larger
national interest.indianexpress
‘Inspired by Patel’: Modi dedicates decision on
Article 370 to country’s first home minister
New
Delhi :Dedicating the abrogation of special status of Jammu & Kashmir to
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on National Unity Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today
said the provision under Article 370 only promoted “terrorism and separatism”
and was therefore, necessary to be done away with.“The new system in Jammu and
Kashmir and Ladakh is not meant to draw a line on the land (to draw a boundary)
but to build a strong link of trust,” the prime minister, who was attending a
function at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat on the occasion of Patel’s 144th
birth anniversary, said.indianexpress
Historian nails PM’s lies: Sardar Patel was the
architect of Article 370
Historian,
author and Senior Fellow at Centre For Policy Research, New Delhi, Srinath
Raghavan, delivered an illuminating talk at Hyderabad earlier in October on the
status of Kashmir. The 42-minute-long video clip has been already shared over
48,000 times and the talk has nailed several lies being spread by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues. Some of the historical facts,
available in the public domain for people to check for themselves, that he
dwells upon are as follows:"It was Sardar Patel who first asked Pakistan
to take Kashmir for Hyderabad. Pakistan had claimed both Junagarh, which had a Muslim
ruler but a majority of non-Muslim subjects, and Kashmir, which had a Hindu
ruler but a majority of Muslim subjects. Sardar told Pakistani delegations and
said in his public speeches that Pakistan should actually be laying claim to
Hyderabad and Kashmir,not Junagarh."nationalheraldindia
CPI(M) Nails BJP’s Lies on Kashmir
Attacking
the Modi government for making the formal declaration on separation of Ladakh
from Jammu and Kashmir on the birth anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel, the
CPI(M) on Wednesday said this was home minister Amit Shah’s formula of
“manufacturing history and subverting truth.” The party said this was a
“shameful” day for Indian democracy, and reiterated its demand that the Centre
restore Article 370 that had thus far given special status to Jammu and Kashmir
province.In a statement, the CPI(M) said, “It is a matter of record, also
referred to in the memoirs of Vallabhbhai Patel, that he was not only a party
to, but also involved in the drafting of Section 370 of the Constitution. It
was at his residence, on May 15 and 16, 1949, that the discussions on the
special status for the state were held between him, Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah.
Subsequently, it was Patel along with Gopalaswamy Iyer who formulated the draft
which finally became Article 370. It was again Patel, in the absence of Nehru
on a visit of the US, who piloted the bill on Article 370 in the Constituent
Assembly.”CPIM termed October 31 this year as a shameful day for India’s
democracy – that, on this day, a state should be divided and deprived of its
status as a full-fledged state without the matter being first referred to the
people of the state or its state assembly for their opinion.caravandaily
Kulbhushan case: Pakistan violated its obligations
under Vienna Convention, ICJ chief tells UNGA
International
Court of Justice (ICJ) President Judge Abduylqawi Yusuf told UN General
Assembly that Pakistan has violated its obligations under the Vienna Convention
in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, has been
sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on “charges of espionage and
terrorism”. India, on the other hand, has maintained that he was running a
business in Iran from where he was abducted and illegally taken to Pakistan.
Tabling ICJ report before the 193-member General Assembly on Wednesday, Yusuf
said in its July 17 verdict the principal judicial organ of the United Nations
“found that Pakistan had violated its obligations under Article 36 of Vienna
Convention and that appropriate remedies were due in this case.”In a major
diplomatic victory for India, ICJ had ruled that Pakistan must review the death
sentence awarded to Jadhav after a closed trial in April 2017.indianexpress
MahaRASHTRA POLITICS
Amid tussle for CM seat, Aaditya Thackeray meets
Maharashtra Governor with senior Shiv Sena leaders
Mumbai:A
delegation of Shiv Sena leaders, including MLA Aditya Thackeray,today met Maharashtra
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan here.A Sena leader said the
delegation sought prompt financial aid for farmers hit by untimely rains.Others
in the delegation included Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde, who was earlier
in the day elected the party leader in the state legislature.At the party
meeting, Shinde’s candidature was proposed by Aaditya Thackeray, whose name was
also doing the rounds for the post.The election was announced at the meeting of
the newly-elected Sena MLAs at party office Sena Bhawan in Dadar area.PTI
Shiva Sena elects Eknath Shinde as House leader,
denies softening stand on power share
Newly-elected
Shiv Sena MLAs today elected Eknath Shinde as leader of the party’s legislative
wing. Party leaders said Sena youth wing chief and Thackeray family scion
Aaditya proposed Shinde’s name, which was seconded by senior MLA Pratap Sarnaik
and Rajan Salvi.According to sources, party chief Uddhav Thackeray was not keen
to appoint his son Aaditya as the head of the Sena’s legislative unit. Uddhav
was present in the meeting held at the Shiv Sena headquarters in Dadar.Sunil
Prabhu, on the other hand, was elected as chief whip of the party in the
Maharashtra legislature. Shinde, MLA from Thane, was the leader of house in the
previous term as well, besides being a cabinet minister in the BJP-Sena
government.A delegation of Shiv Sena leaders, including Aditya Thackeray, is
expected to meet Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan
in Mumbai. A Sena leader said that the meeting will be held at 3.30 pm in which
the delegation will demand prompt financial aid for farmers hit by untimely
rains. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has brushed aside reports that his
party has softened its stand on its demand for ’50-50′ power-sharing with its
ally BJP ahead of government formation. On Wednesday, Raut had said it is
important for his party to remain in BJP-led alliance in the larger interest of
the state.Taking to Twitter today, the Shiv Sena MP said, “The (reports that)
Sena has softened (its stand), has compromised and relinquished equitable
distribution of posts, are all rumours.”indianexpress
OTHERS
AIMPLB urges Muslims to honour sc verdict in Ayodhya
case
Lucknow;As
the time to deliver the verdict in Babri Masjid title dispute case by Indian
Supreme Court is nearing, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has
appealed to the people to calmly accept whatever decision is given by the apex
court.The SC is expected to deliver its verdict before November 17, the day CJI
Ranjan Gogoi retires.Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, AIMPLB member, has
asked Muslims not to indulge in any protest or slogan shouting if the verdict
does not meet their expectations. He said that the Supreme Court decision
should be honoured and accepted by all, reports IANS.“There should be no
attempt to vitiate the atmosphere in the country and caution must be exercised
on the social media too. There is no need for any Muslims to be afraid or
apprehensive of the consequences,” he said.Backing the same thought, Shia
cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad also said that the court decision would be
acceptable to all and there should be no attempts by any party to disturb peace
in the country.“We respect the Constitution and the law and will abide by the
court verdict. Those who try to disturb peace cannot be termed as true
followers of Islam,” Kalbe Jawwad added.caravandaily
Ex- RBI chief Rajan reminds Sitharaman: 2-third of
tenure as RBI governor was under BJP
New
Delhi :Weeks after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hit out at Raghuram
Rajan for presiding over the “worst phase” of the Indian banking sector, ex RBI
Governor today reminded her that two-thirds of his tenure as the head of the
central bank was under BJP government.“I had just over eight months in previous
(Congress) government and I had 26 months under this (BJP) Government. So much
of my term (as RBI Governor) was under this government,” Rajan told CNBC. Rajan
was asked about Sitharaman’s comments in New York earlier this month where she
said that Indian public sector banks had the “worst phase” under former Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Rajan. On economic growth, Rajan said the country
was witnessing a substantial slowdown. “Peak in 2016 was 9 per cent growth in
one of the quarters, in the first quarter, now it is down to 5 (per cent).
There are people who have raised a concern about whether 5 is really 5. The
reality is, there has been a substantial slowdown,” he said. “I think 5 is bad
enough. So, you have to do something about it because 5 doesn’t get jobs given
we are adding 1 million people to the workforce every month.”“India needs far
stronger growth but it is not going to come from tinkering. It really needs
another generation of reforms. Good news, the government has political strength
and the power to undertake those reforms. Bad news, [it] hasn’t done so so
far,” he said.indianexpress
Core sector output declines by 5.2% in Sept
8
core industries recorded 5.2 per cent decline in September year-on-year,
mirroring further slowdown in economy, according to government data released today.
Index was dragged down by coal mining which came in at minus 20.5 per cent. Figures
for the same month last year stood at 4.3 per cent. The cumulative growth
during the period of April to Sept 2019-20 was 1.3 per cent.ANI
Malegaon blast accused Kulkarni gets security
Pune:Sameer
Kulkarni, an accused in 2008 Malegaon blast case, was on Wednesday provided an
armed police guard for protection at his residence in Pune district. Kulkarni,
currently out on bail, told PTI he wrote to state government in May this year
seeking protection, but he might have been provided the security now in the
wake of the killing of Kamlesh Tiwari in Lucknow.“Except a letter acknowledging
that my application has been received, I did not receive any communication from
the state government after I sought protection,” said Kulkarni, who resides in
Pune’s Chinchwad area. However, on Tuesday he got a call from the Pimpri
Chinchwad police, informing that an armed guard of constable rank was assigned
to him, he said.“I did seek protection then (in May)... security might have
provided now in the wake of Tiwari’s killing,”he said.freepressjournal
Breakthrough in Naga peace talks as NSCN(IM) and
government reach a deal
The
deadlock between the government and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim
(Isak-Muivah) over a separate Naga flag and constitution has been broken,
Scroll.in has learnt. NSCN (IM), the largest Naga armed group, has agreed to
sign a peace accord without a separate Naga constitution and with a
“conditional flag” that can only be allowed for non-governmental purposes.“We
have agreed to finalise the agreement,” a member of NSCN (IM)’s negotiation
team told Scroll.in. “The flag and the Constitution will be pursued later.”This
development comes just as the October 31 deadline set by the Centre for a final
settlement with Naga armed groups was about to lapse. However, it is not quite
clear when the agreement will formally be signed. “There will be a proper
signing ceremony soon,” said the leader. “We have to go over all the agreed
competencies before signing. It may take some time.” For over six decades, Naga
nationalists have fought the Indian state for a sovereign ethnic homeland that
would include Nagaland as well as the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam,
Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar across the border. Over the decades, the Naga
armed movement split into several factions, often at war with each other.scroll
NIA searches houses of 5 men in Tamil Nadu
Coimbatire:NIA
officials this morning conducted searches at the residences of five people in
Coimbatore, Trichy, Nagapattinam and Tuticorin districts of Tamil Nadu.Sources
said the raids were conducted based on a tip-off that the men had been in
contact with people who were earlier arrested for suspected ISIS links and
those who were arrested for planning to kill Hindu outfit leaders.On Thursday,
NIA officials conducted raids at the residence of a 22-year-old engineer from
GM Nagar who is working in a private firm and the residence of a 30-year-old
man from Anna Nagar, who runs an eatery. Sources said that NIA officials seized
two mobile phones and two laptops from both of them.NIA teams conducted
searches at two residences in Trichy and in Nagapattinam in connection with
some unlawful activities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. An NIA team searched the
house of Shahul at Inamkulathur in Trichy in the morning. Sources said the team
had seized some documents from the house.A team also went to the residence of Mohammed
Ajmal in Sanamagalam in Nagapattinam. Since he was unavailable, the team went
to his relative's house in Nagore where the team found him. The team seized
some documents from the house. Ajmal is expected to be taken to some other
place for further inquiry.A three-member team conducted a search in the house
of Abdullah Sahath Ali at KTM Street in Kayalpattinam, Tuticorin district. Abdullah, a cab driver, was not present, and
the team quizzed his family members. The team seized a mobile phone.TOI
"Final assault on RTI" says Sonia Gandhi as
government brings new rules
Congress
chief Sonia Gandhi has accused the government of attempting to "erode or
dilute" the landmark RTI law. Modi government, she said, saw the law as
"an obstacle to enforcing their majoritarian agenda". The attack from
the Congress chief came a week after the Centre curtailed the tenure of
information commissioners from five to 3 years under the new RTI rules. Rights
activists have called the move an assault on information commissioners and
their independence and autonomy.The new rules, Mrs Gandhi said, "diminish
the office of the Information Commissioner in a manner that it leaves them at
the mercy of the very government it is required to hold
accountable"."Any official who allows the release of information
against the Government can now be swiftly removed or simply not continued in
office. This will have a chilling effect on all Information Commissioners-
Central and State," read her statement that was tweeted by Congress this
morning. The government's controversial amendment to the Right To Information
Act cleared both houses of parliament in July.ndtv
Mughal and British-era history should not be taught
at primary and high school level: BJP MLA
Ballia
(UP):BJP MLA Surendra Singh today said Mughal and British-era history should
not be taught at the primary and high school level as it reminded one of the
days of slavery.Instead, the history of Shivaji, Rana Pratap, Lord Rama and
K.B. Hedgewar, founding Sarsanghachalak of RSS, should be taught, Singh
said.“The Mughal and British-era history of foreign invaders being taught in
schools reminds one of the days of slavery. It could be incorporated in the
syllabus at the graduation or post graduation level but it is not good to teach
it at the primary to high school level,” Singh told reporters here.“Instead,
history of Shivaji, Rana Pratap, Lord Rama and Lord Krishna as also that of
K.B. Hedgewar and M.S. Golwalkar should be taught so that children could get
inspiration from their lives and learn dedication towards the nation.”PTI
'Consuming non-veg food may turn us into
man-eaters': BJP leader Gopal Bhargava
BJP
leader Gopal Bhargava put his foot in mouth on Wednesday as he claimed that
consumption of non-vegetarian food from childhood might turn people into
cannibals."Eating non-vegetarian food is prohibited in our sanatan
sanskriti. If we have non-vegetarian food from childhood, we may grow up to
become man-eaters," said Bhargava, Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh
Assembly, while criticising Congress government's recent move to serve eggs in
mid-day meals."What else can be expected from a 'malnutritioned'
government? They serve eggs even to those who do not want them. We cannot force
the people to eat anything," Bhargava added.Madhya Pradesh Women and Child
Development Minister, Imarti Devi on Wednesday told ANI that the Congress-led
state government had decided to introduce eggs in mid-day meals offered to
children in Anganwadis starting next month to tackle malnutrition. Responding
to allegations of the opposition, the minister, on Thursday said that eggs are
not non-vegetarian food."They (opposition) can say what they want. If doctors
who treat malnourished children say that eggs are good for the health of
children, then they are good. Also, eggs do not come in the category of
non-vegetarian food, they come under vegetarian food," she told media
persons. outlookindia
CPI stalwart Gurudas Dasgupta dies
Veteran
CPI leader and former Lok Sabha MP Gurudas Dasgupta passed away on Thursday in
Kolkata. He was 83.Dasgupta had been suffering from lung cancer for the last
several months. Known for his oratory skills, Dasgupta was a veteran leader of
All India Trade Union Congress. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1985. He
was also a member of the Lok Sabha from Panskura in 2004 and Ghatal in
2009.indianexpress
India’s life expectancy rises to 68.7 years: National
Health Profile 2019
Life
expectancy in India has increased from 49.7 years in 1970-75 to 68.7 years in
2012-16, as per National Health Profile 2019 released on Wednesday.For the same
period, the life expectancy for females is 70.2 years and 67.4 years for
males.IANS
Dalit women prevented from entering temple in UP
A
case of Dalit women being denied entry into a temple in Bulandshahr district of
Uttar Pradesh has come to light with a video of the incident going viral on
social media. According to informed sources, the incident took place on Oct.25
but video went viral on Wednesday.In 6-minute long video, a man wearing a black
shirt can be seen standing in front of the closed gates of a temple while
voices of women can be heard demanding to know why they are not being allowed
to worship at the temple.IANS
This Rajasthan cop built a school to educate 450
children who used to beg on streets
Jaipur:
A policeman has become the hero of Rajasthan's Churu district with his 'Apni
Pathshala' - the school he runs for
homeless children near the women's police station at the district headquarters.
Dharamveer Jakhar started the school on 1 January 2016, with a mission to make children hold
pencils instead of begging bowls. He wants these children to reach the mainstream
and contribute to nation-building someday.Dharamvir first noticed the children
during his duty hours when they begged near the station premises. "When I
talked to these kids they told me they don't have parents or any other
relatives. Initially, I thought they must be lying but I went to their slums
and learnt that they were telling the truth. I felt if I don't help them they
will waste their entire life begging and started teaching them for an hour
every day", he said. Dharamveer is assisted by two women constables and
some young volunteers who take lessons at the school. The school has about 450
children today."All of this was not an overnight achievement, it took us 4
years to reach so far and now we have had more than 450 children study at the
school. We got 200 students admitted to government schools and around 90 are
studying in classes VI-VIII. We maintain constant communication with them so
that they can continue their studies uninterrupted", cop
added.newindianexpress
WORLD
Bangladesh SC upholds death sentence of
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Azharul Islam
Bangladesh's
highest court today upheld a death sentence against a top Islamist leader for
war crimes in a move that lawyers said meant he would almost certainly be
executed in the coming months.A T M Azharul Islam, a stalwart of opposition
party Jamaat-e-Islami, was sentenced to death in 2014 for rape, murder and
genocide during the country's 1971 independence war.He would become the sixth
Islamist leader to be hanged for their role in the war, which saw Bangladesh
break away from Pakistan after a nine-month conflict. The Supreme Court led by
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain rejected an appeal by the 67-year-old in a
majority verdict, defence lawyer Khandker Mahbub Hossain told
reporters."We will file a review petition against the verdict," he
said, adding Islam was an 18-year-old student during the war and did not have a
leading role helping the Pakistani military.But it is rare in Bangladeshi
judicial history for a verdict to be overturned on review. All previous death
sentences arising out of the 1971 war cases have been upheld.A prosecutor told
AFP that Islam could be hanged within months if the review backs the
verdict. Islam was assistant secretary
general of Jamaat. He is the last of its prominent leaders to face war crimes
accusations.In recent years, the controversial International Crimes Tribunal,
set up by the government in 2010, has sentenced dozens of people to death
including 5 Jamaat leaders on war crimes charges. Defence lawyers said charges
were fabricated. Jamaat, which is banned from contesting elections, said the
war crime trials were only aimed at eliminating Bangladesh's top Islamist
leaders.Rights groups have said the trials fell short of international
standards.AFP
Fierce clashes erupt between Syrian army,
Turkish-led forces
Heavy
fighting between Syrian army troops and Turkish forces erupted near Ras al-Ain
as Turkish-backed forces seized villages surrounding the border
town.Turkish-backed rebels said there were intermittent clashes between the two
militaries in recent days south of the town, which Turkey seized from Syrian
Kurdish-led forces earlier this month.Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting
from Sanliurfa, said thousands of people were fleeing the fighting near Ras
al-Ain and Tal Tamr towns.Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters - known as Syrian
National Army (SNA) - launched an offensive and took over areas previously
under control of Kurdish fighters south of Ras al-Ain, he said.As fighting
intensified, Syrian troops deployed reinforcements from Derbasiyah to Tal
Tamr."SNA took over western parts of the town. People have had enough each
time someone controls the area and ends up being worse than the previous armed
group," Tal Tamr resident said.aljazeera
US military conducts Syria border patrol as troops,
tanks arrive
US
forces patrolled part of Syria's border with Turkey on Thursday in the first
such move since Washington withdrew troops from the area earlier this month. American
infantry troops and tanks also arrived in Syria's Deir Az Zor region and are
expected to head to the northeast, where US President Donald Trump has vowed to
secure oilfields under the control of its Kurdish ally, SDF.5 armoured vehicles
bearing US flags patrolled a strip of the frontier north of the town of
Qahtaniyah. The patrol was seen by an AFP correspondent and the SDF confirmed military
activity to Reuters. American patrol was accompanied by Kurdish SDF forces, main
US ally in the years-long battle against the ISIL.aljazeera
73 killed in gas canister blast and fire on Pak
train
Islamabad:At
least 73 people were killed and 48 others injured after a fire engulfed a train
travelling through central Pakistan, completely destroying at least three
coaches, officials said.The accident took place near the town of Liaquatpur,
about 150 kilometres south of the city of Multan on Thursday morning, Railways
Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told Al Jazeera by telephone.The train was
carrying passengers from the southern city of Karachi to Rawalpindi.aljazeera
Anti-govt marchers poised to enter Pakistani
capital
Thousands
of anti-government protesters led by right-wing political leader Fazl-ur-Rehman
are poised to enter the Pakistani capital Islamabad, after a five-day march
through the country where they have demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan resign
and fresh elections be held.Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl
(JUI-F) party, led the protesters through southern Sindh and central Punjab provinces
and into the outskirts of Islamabad on Wednesday."The government will have
to hand over power back to the people," he said on Wednesday night,
addressing supporters in the central city of Gujranwala, about 200km south of
Islamabad.The country's main opposition PML-N and PPP have supported JUI-F's
protest.Since last week, government has moved to strip Hafiz Hamdullah, an
outspoken JUI-F leader, of Pakistani citizenship and has also arrested another
major leader.On Thursday, the government banned the youth volunteer wing of the
JUI-F, called Ansar ul-Islam, as a "terrorist organisation".aljazeera
Afghan woman politician sees Taliban talks as only
hope
Afghan
women have no choice but to hope the Taliban respects their rights for the sake
of peace, said Fawzia Koofi, the first woman to lead a political party in
Afghanistan.During its rule from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban imposed a medieval
interpretation of Islam on Afghanistan, the question now is how much has it
changed.Banned from involvement in politics or speaking publicly, from working,
school and leaving their homes without a male relative, women disappeared
behind the all-enveloping burqa and the walls of their homes during those five
years.But with momentum building behind talks to end decades of conflict, Koofi,
whose mission is to ensure women take their rightful place in her country's
democracy, is part of the healing process.This year, she took part in the first
two rounds of so-called intra-Afghan talks - aimed at bringing together Taliban
representatives and Afghans from the government and civil society - to find a
way to end decades of war."There is no other option. Like many other
women, I have my concerns, especially when it comes to the Taliban perception
of women’s rights," Koofi told Reuters news agency in an
interview."But given that my people have suffered more than four decades
of war, I think the desire of all is a dignified peace, so I have no choice but
to be cautiously optimistic." Kofi, 44, the first woman deputy of the
lower house of parliament, is likely to attend the third round of intra-Afghan
talks, expected in China soon. The earlier rounds were held in Russia and
Qatar. REUTERS
CIA-backed Afghan forces possibly committing war
crimes: HRW
CIA-backed
Afghan strike forces are once again under fire in Afghanistan, this time for
tactics - night-time raids into homes in remote villages, forced
disappearances, attacks on healthcare facilities and summary executions - that
Human Rights Watch says amount to "atrocities" and possible "war
crimes".In a damning 50-page report released on Thursday, the New
York-based rights group documents 14 cases across nine provinces over the last
two years, that they say clearly illustrate that the Afghan forces trained and
funded by the US intelligence agency have shown little concern for civilian
life and or accountability to international law.aljazeera
Britain set for elections on December 12
In
his fourth bid the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson managed to get the
approval of the MPs to finally resolve the Brexit deadlock by calling a general
election, on 12 December which would be the most unpredictable in a
generation.The margin of 438 to 20 underlines the fact it was by no means a
victory for Boris instead it was a unanimous decision of the members of the house.
The Labour leader Jeremy Corby who had planned during earlier three votes to
ensure the defeat of Johnson’s bill this time supported the bill. He had
announced that Labour would support an election as a “once-in-a-generation
chance to transform the country”. The pre-Christmas vote will be the first Dec.poll
since 1923.nationalheraldindia
Flash: NEWS, views, Articles
J&K’s transition calls for a break from past
political strategies, closer integration of people:J S Sandhu
Internationalising the Kashmir issue:Karan Thapar
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Anwarulhaq (Released at: 6:05 PM)
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