05
OCT. 2019: 05 Safar 1441: Vol: 12, No: 28
INDIA
Bangladesh
PM Hasina raises NRC issue with PM Modi 2 days after 'no problem' claim
New Delhi: Visiting
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on Saturday raised her concerns with PM Narendra
Modi over roll out of NRC in Assam. Govt sources said Indian side conveyed to
Hasina that publication of NRC was a court-monitored process and final scenario
on the issue is yet to emerge. This comes just 2 days after Hasina said she was
satisfied with Modi’s assurance on the sidelines of UN General Assembly that
Bangladesh should not be worried over NRC being implemented in Assam. Responding
to questions on NRC at a reception hosted by Bangladesh envoy Muazzem Ali,
Hasina had said: “I don’t see any problem. I had a talk with PM Modi.
Everything is OK.”In New York last week, Hasina told Modi that NRC has become a
matter of “great concern” for Bangladesh. Modi is learnt to have replied that
there is “nothing to be worried” about since India and Bangladesh have good
relations. During today’s bilateral talks, India and Bangladesh signed 7 pacts
including one for setting up of a joint coastal surveillance systems as Modi
and his Bangladeshi counterpart held "productive and comprehensive" talks
to further broadbase bilateral ties. The issue of Rohingya refugees also
figured in the talks and PMs agreed on need to expedite safe, speedy and
sustainable repatriation of the displaced persons to their homes in Rakhine
state of Myanmar, officials said. 7 MoUs signed will provide deepening
cooperation in areas of water resources, youth affairs, culture, education and
coastal surveillance. news18
Amit
Shah avoids NRC, CAB issues in Mizoram
Union Home Minister Amit
Shah today addressed a huge gathering at Mizoram but avoided the issues of NRC
and the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), who had led to protests in the state
recently.Several NGOs and other organisations under banner of a coordination
committee recently intensified the agitation against the visit of Shah saying
that the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Bill will affect Mizoram
and other parts of northeast.Several NGOs including Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) had
also decided to wear black clothes, particularly the shawl normally worn by
Mizo people during funerals to demonstrate their opposition to the CAB. The
coordination committee, however, on Friday evening decided to withdraw their
protests during the Home Minister's visit.IANS
Karnataka
NRC: No need to panic, say Muslim community leaders
Bengaluru:The State Govt’s
plan to extend NRC to Karnataka has not come as a surprise to the Muslim
community here. Although the formal announcement has triggered anxiety,
community leaders have termed it a “political gimmick and diversionary tactic”
by BJP.While community leaders have already started educating people to keep
all their official documents in order, they are also calling upon people not to
panic.In fact, even as Assam NRC was on, several audio and text messages by community
leaders advising people to apply for a Indian passport were widely shared on
WhatsApp groups, foreseeing the possibility of such an exercise elsewhere.
Advocate Akmal Rizvi from the Movement for Justice said, “It is a far-fetched
idea which may not work in the near future going by the Assam experiment, where
NRC was first introduced in 1951. But it definitely it is an agenda of BJP.”Mohammed
Saad Belgami, State chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, has called upon people not
to panic but at the same time ensure that all their identity documents are in
order. “Through the Jamaat we are setting up Nagarika Seva Kendras in mosques
across the State. These mosques can become nodal centres in facilitating people
to obtain their documents.” thehindu
Mob
lynching: FIR against 50 intellectuals who wrote open letter to PM Modi against
it
An FIR has been lodged
against about 50 signatories of an open letter to PM raising worries over rising
culture of mob-lynching, where Jai Shree Ram is being used as a war cry. FIR
has been lodged against eminent personalities ranging from academicians to
artists, including Ramchandra Guha, Mani Ratnam and Aparna Sen. The case was
opened after it was passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate Surya Kant Tiwari, when
in July a petition was filed by local advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha." CJM had
passed the order on Aug.20, accepting my petition upon the receipt of which an
FIR was lodged today at Sadar police station here,"Ojha said. About 50
signatories of the letter were named as suspects in his PIL in which they
purportedly "tarnished the image of the country and undermined the
impressive performance of PM" and were "supporting secessionist
tendencies".
‘Govt has not lodged any case’: Javadekar on
sedition charges against 49 celebrities
Facing criticism over
cases being filed against 49 eminent personalities who wrote a letter to PM
Narendra Modi on lynchings across the country, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar
today said the Govt has nothing to do with it.“Govt has not lodged any case. An
individual went to the court which has passed an order,” he said.
J&K ISSUE
In a
first, US Senate Panel take a step against India on Kashmir
In what could become the
first step towards legislative action by American lawmakers against India on
the situation in J&K, US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has added an
appeal to end what it calls a “humanitarian crisis” in Kashmir in its report
ahead of the annual Foreign Appropriations Act for 2020. The amendment was
proposed by Senator Chris Van Hollen, who visited Delhi this week as a part of
a congressional delegation that discussed the Kashmir situation as well as
India-U.S. bilateral relations, trade ties and defence purchases with key
officials.According to the report, which was submitted to the Senate by Lindsey
Graham, senior Senator and key Republican leader known for his close ties to
President Donald Trump, the committee on Appropriations “notes with concern the
current humanitarian crisis in Kashmir and calls on the Govt of India to: fully
restore telecommunications and Internet services; lift its lockdown and curfew;
and release individuals detained pursuant to the Govt's revocation of Article
370 of the Indian constitution.”What makes the report as well as the tough
language on Kashmir more startling is that the document was submitted on
September 26, while PM Narendra Modi was still in US, and came just a few days
after his joint address at the ‘Howdy, Modi!’ event in Houston with Trump, as
well as their bilateral meeting in New York.“This amendment, which was accepted
unanimously by the bipartisan committee, is a strong expression of concern by
the Senate about the situation in Kashmir and sends the signal that we are
closely monitoring the human rights situation there, and would like to see the Govt
of India take those concerns seriously,” Van Hollen told The Hindu here, adding
that he had “hoped to share his concerns privately” with PM Modi, but had not
been able to meet him. Van Hollen had met with External Affairs Minister S.
Jaishankar in Washington last week and Senator Bob Menendez, also a part of the
delegation, met with Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal this week in
Delhi. Both Senators have made public statements in the last 2 months on the
Kashmir situation.While it is unclear whether their concerns over Kashmir
elicited any responses from Govt, The Hindu has learnt that Senator Van Hollen
was rebuffed when requested permission to visit Srinagar in an effort to assess
the situation on the ground.
US
Senate Panel Inserts Text on 'Humanitarian Crisis' in Kashmir in Report to Key
Legislation
If you
have nothing to hide: US Lawmaker questions India after being denied permission
to visit Kashmir
Deeply
Regret Statements of Turkey and Malaysia on Kashmir: India
New Delhi: India has said
it “deeply regrets” the statements of Turkey and Malaysia attacking New Delhi
on Kashmir issue, and termed it an internal matter. External affairs ministry
spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India has friendly ties with both the
countries.He reiterated India’s position that Pakistan has invaded and
illegally occupied parts of J&K and current developments in J&K are
purely its internal matter. Kumar called upon Ankara, which has issued several
statements on Kashmir since Aug. 6, to have a proper understanding of the
situation in Kashmir before making further comments. “India and Turkey are
friendly countries. We, therefore, deeply regret that since Aug.6, there have
been repeated statements by Turkish Govt on a matter completely internal to
India. These statements are factually incorrect, biased and unwarranted,” he
said.PTI
Don’t
cross LoC to extend help to Kashmiris, Imran Khan warns PoK residents
In his latest remarks on
Kashmir, ever since the conclusion of UN General Assembly session, Pakistan PM
Imran Khan Saturday warned the residents of PoK not to cross LoC to “provide
humanitarian aid or support” to the people of J&K.“I understand the anguish
of the Kashmiris seeing their fellow Kashmiris in J&K…. Anyone crossing LoC
to provide humanitarian aid or support for Kashmiri struggle will play into the
hands of the Indian narrative,” Khan tweeted.Khan’s tweet came a day after
thousands of Kashmiris from different parts of PoK carried out rallies on
vehicles to Muzaffarabad on the call of JKLF. Pakistan PM also warned the
people of PoK that any assistance for the Kashmiris will give India an excuse
to launch an attack across LoC.indianexpress
India
labeling Kashmiris' struggle for independence as 'Islamic terrorism': Imran
Khan
CPI(M)
slams upcoming BDC polls in Kashmir, calls it a 'travesty of democracy'
CPI(M) has said that elections
for Block Development Council (BDC) to be held on Oct. 24 in J&K, which is
in a state of lockdown, will be to be
held on Oct. 24 is “a travesty of democracy”. Following party’s 3-day central
committee (CC) meeting, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury told the press
that the situation in J&K is “far from normal” despite the Union Govt and
BJP claiming the opposite “from the roof-tops”.thewire
Yet another
fact-finding team comes back with horror stories from J&K
New Delhi: It has been 60
days since J&K has been under a lockdown with communication channels cut
off, movement hindered and political leaders under house arrest.Today, a
fact-finding team of four women who visited various parts of J&K recently
said at a press conference that there was palpable concern among people in the
region over the Centre’s decision regarding Article 370 and the state’s
bifurcation.The team, from the collective ‘Women Against Sexual Violence and
State Repression’, had visited J&K between Sept.23 and 28. They visited
Srinagar, Shopian, Kupwara and Baramullah.The collective said that the Indian
state has been refusing to understand the feeling of oppression, of grievances
that are unaddressed and desire for freedom. Govt’s decision to read down
Article 370 has, they said, “Created a sense of anger, outrage and strong
anti-India feelings among people across the Valley.”They also said that their
observations have been “very different from what Indian state and media have
portrayed.” For example, they said they did not find even one person who said
they were happy with the Centre’s decision to scrap provisions in Article 370 and
then lock down the state.They said that situation seemed ‘silent’ but is
‘abnormal’ and heavy presence of security personnel “every few metres ensures
terror in people’s minds about who they can speak to, who can step outside
their home, etc. The risk of being picked up is real.”thewire
'How
Can Centre Reopen 50,000 Temples in Valley, When There Are Only 4,000 in
J&K?'
Srinagar: Last week,
Union minister G. Kishan Reddy said the Govt of India will restore and reopen
50,000 closed temples in Kashmir Valley. The statement took Sanjay Tickoo, a
prominent Kashmir Pandit leader, by surprise. Fighting for preservation of
temples in the Valley since 1989, Tickoo said 50,000 temples never existed in
the state.“These are exaggerated figures,” he told The Wire. “I don’t know
where the minister has got the number from.”According to Tickoo, there were
1,842 holy places including temples, springs, caves and trees in Kashmir.“This
includes 1,100 big and small temples,” Tickoo said. “In the entire state of
J&K, we have not more than 4,000 temples.”Tickoo heads Kashmiri Pandit
Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS), a body of Kashmiri Hindus who stayed in the Valley and
did not migrate, following the onset of militancy in 1989. “That time, we
submitted a complete list of temples to the high court, following which
directions were issued to Govt to undertake a survey to locate and protect
these religious places across the Valley,”he said.“After completion of survey, Govt
informed the court that there are 464 temples in Kashmir, out of which 174 were
damaged.” Thewire
J&K:
Governor Malik allows NC delegation to meet Farooq, Omar Abdullah
Jammu :Governor Satya Pal
Malik’s administration Saturday allowed a delegation of opposition National
Conference to meet its party president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar
Abdullah who are, at present, under detention in Kashmir Valley.“The delegation
led by Provincial President Devender Singh Rana and comprising ex party MLAs
will leave for Srinagar by Indigo flight from Jammu on Sunday morning,” said
party spokesperson Madan Mantoo.A message regarding permission to meet both NC leaders
under detention was conveyed to Rana by a senior official in the administration
on Friday evening, he added.A day after he was allowed to move out of the house
nearly two months after the dilution of Article 370 , Rana had asked Governor
Malik to allow their delegation to meet party president and vice president so
as to decide their future course of action.indianexpress
Big
mistake: IAF admits to shooting down its own chopper with 6 onboard in Feb
In an admission that may
embarrass union Govt, new IAF chief Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria accepted on
Friday that shooting down the Indian chopper in J&K earlier this year was a
“big mistake.”An Mi17 V5 chopper was shot down at Budgam near Srinagar on
Feb.27. It was just a day after Indian Air Force said that its fighters had
crossed over into Pakistani territory, following the attack on CRPF convoy that
killed 40 troopers. The chopper downing led to the death of 6 IAF personnel and
a civilian."It was a big mistake on our part. We accept it," the new
Air Chief said. IAF Boss added that a Court of inquiry was initiated and was
completed last week. IANS
'I
am Looked at with Suspicion': briefly captured by Pak, solider Quits Army Over
Harassment
Dhule: Soldier Chandu
Chavan, who inadvertently crossed into Pakistan in 2016, has said he i quitting
the Army due to incessant "harassment" in the force."Since I
came back from Pakistan, I have been continuously harassed in the Army and am
being looked at with suspicion, that is why I decided to quit," he said.
Chavan has sent his resignation letter to his unit commander in Ahmednagar,
sources close to him have said.Chouhan was captured by Pakistan Rangers and for
four months, was beaten, tortured and almost killed before being handed over to
India.PTI
J&K:
10 injured in grenade attack outside Anantnag deputy commissioner’s office, say
reports
Suspected militants hurled
a grenade outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Anantnag district of J&K
today, PTI reported citing police. However, grenade exploded on the roadside,
causing splinter injuries to 10 people. Among those injured were 6 civilians,
one traffic police official and a Govt employee, reported ThePrint. They have
all been admitted to hospital.scroll
NIA
Files Supplementary Chargesheet Against JKLF Chief Yasin Malik, Others
NIA has filed a supplementary chargesheet before a
Delhi court against JKLF chief Yasin Malik and several others in 2017
terror-funding case for allegedly conspiring to wage a war against the central Govt
by carrying out terrorist and secessionist activities. Separatists Asiya
Andrabi, Shabir Shah, Masarat Alam Bhat have also been named as accused in the
chargesheet. Ex-J&K MLA Rashid Engineer has also been named in the
chargesheet, special public prosecutor Sidharth Luthra told PTI.PTI
Priyanka
attacks Modi govt over Kashmir ‘lockdown’, says innocent children impacted most
Congress leader Priyanka
Gandhi has attacked the Modi Govt over lockdown in J&K for the last 2
months, saying it has affected innocent children the most. Congress general secretary
also tagged a media report on Twitter which reported that children in Kashmir
were away from schools and were disconnected from friends.The about two months
'bandh' in J&K has impacted innocent children the most, Priyanka Gandhi
said.PTI
OTHERS
SC
advances deadline to end hearing on Babri Masjid land case to Oct 17
Hearing on appeals
challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya case will conclude
on Oct. 17, the Supreme Court said on Friday. This is one day earlier than Oct.18
deadline set earlier.Winding up hearing on Friday, CJI Ranjan Gogoi, who heads
a 5-judge Constitution bench hearing the dispute, asked the parties to finish
their arguments by Oct.16 so that it can hear them on the question of relief
the following day and wrap up the proceedings.With CJI set to retire on Nov.17,
the bench has a little over 4 weeks to write and pronounce the judgment on the
appeals against the Allahabad High Court verdict. indianexpress
Continuation
of grants by British a proof to our title: Muslims side tells SC
On Friday, the Muslim
side began argument on its suit claiming title to Babri Masjid disputed site.
Bringing out evidence in the form of grants received from the British Govt for
the upkeep of the mosque, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan told the SC that this
showed continuity of possession and title of the mosque. They linked this up
from time the mosque was constructed in 1528 during the rule of Emperor Babur.
During that time, a grant was paid by Royal Treasury of Emperor Babur(Cash
Nankar) towards the upkeep and maintenance of the mosque. A sum of Rs 302,
three anas was earmarked for this purpose. This grant was continued by the
British Govt. Muslim side produced an extract of the Govt records which bears Govt
orders of March 13, 1860 and June 29, 1860 showing the name of Babur as
donor/grantee. In 1864, British converted the Cash Nankar grant into a grant of
revenue-free land situated in village Sholapur and Bahoranpur in the vicinity
of Ayodhya. In Aug.1863, following enquiries the amount of Rs 302 was
sanctioned as grant in perpetuity for upkeep of the Janmsthan mosque. Dhavan
also countered the arguments by the Hindu side which claimed that the Muslim
side was unnecessarily making "communally divisive" arguments by
making references to the riots of 1934(partial destruction of the mosque
domes), 1949 (placement of idols inside mosque structure) and 1992 (demolition
of the mosque). Dhavan submitted that “illegalities are central to
determination” of the case, and if anything was communally divisive, it was the
demolition of Babri Masjid on Dec. 6, 1992.Hindu side has claimed that the
birthplace is also a juristic person.
The Muslim side has opposed this saying that mere belief was not enough
to attribute juristic personality and there should be some manifestation. Touching
on this, Dhavan said that if belief, spirituality and sacredness are the tests,
they would apply to Islam as well. To this, Justice Bobde asked whether living
beings or objects were revered in Islam, unlike Hinduism where manifestations
of divinity are revered. Dhavan said both Hindus and Muslims pray to one
supreme being. Intervening, Justice Bobde said that for Muslims, prayers are
“only to Allah”. Dhavan replied that while for Hindus it is “manifested through
multiple forms”, for Muslims it is “manifested through multiple prayers”. He
said India is a multi-civilisation state and there is a stress on one
civilisation now. He also said that there is a certain animosity for Islam
today, and what the world forgets is there would have been no western science
without Islamic philosophers. Dhavan said no one is questioning that Ram was
born somewhere in Ayodhya. “The dispute would not have been there but for the claim
that he was born under the central dome of the Babri Masjid — that’s when
Muslims said prove it.” The arguments remained inconclusive and will resume
when the court reopens after Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays on
Oct.14.dnaindia/ indianexpress
Ayodhya
title dispute: Muslim side continues pleadings in Supreme Court
Ayodhya
hearing: Mediation details leaked on Twitter, claims lawyer of Muslim parties
Najeeb
Ahmed and Sahil Singh's Mothers, Subodh Singh's Wife Join Hands in Fight for
Justice
New Delhi: Fatima Nafees,
the mother of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, along with a host of activists
announced on Thursday that they will march to home minister Amit Shah’s
residence on Oct.15. Nafees was accompanied by Rajni Singh, wife of inspector
Subodh Singh who was killed by a mob in Bulandshahr, Sangeeta Singh,mother of
Sahil Singh who was attacked because he was allegedly mistaken to be a Muslim,
and JNU professor Ghazala Jamil. Moderated by the activist Nadeem Khan, the
conference also saw representatives from AMU speak. They announced a nationwide
campaign beginning on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary and continuing
till Oct. 15. “We will march till Amit Shah’s residence on Oct. 15. We are
trying to get as many people behind us as we can. Besides ammi [Fatima Nafees],
families of Gauri Lankesh and Tabrez Ansari will also be joining us,” said
Khan. He also stated that the march to the home minister’s residence would not
be needed if their demands are met before that. He explained, “We simply have 3
demands – reopen Najeeb’s case, cancel bail for the accused in Subodh Singh’s
case and run a fair probe for Sahil while cancelling bail for the ones guilty.”
The press conference was organised by ‘United Against Hate’, an activist group
which has been advocating for fair investigation for Ahmed’s case.thewire
Rutgers
University backs Professor Audrey Truschke's remarks on Hindutva
After assistant professor
at Rutgers University and historian of medieval India Audrey Truschke faced
criticism for comments on Hindutva that she had made at a rally outside UN HQ,
Rutgers University-Newark has come out in support of the professor and her
remarks, according to a report in Newsweek.On Sep.27, when PM Narendra Modi
addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, thousands of South Asians and
North Americans protested outside the UNGA headquarters against the rising tide
of violence against minorities and the Indian Govt’s decisions in
Kashmir.Addressing the protest rally, professor Truschke criticised PM Modi and
the BJP’s ideological adherence to Hindutva. Truschke also claimed at the rally
that Hindutva was inspired by Nazism. Clarifying that while a lot of people
were “loose with that [Nazism] terminology”, Truschke said that “early Hindutva
espousers openly admired Hitler. They praised Hitler’s treatment of the Jewish
people in Germany as a good model for dealing with India’s Muslim minority”. “When
we talk about rising fascism in India, we are not being dramatic,”Truschke said
at the rally. She also referred to Govt’s imposition of a communication’s
blackout in Kashmir as a “human rights disaster”.thewire
MP: School
play shows Godse in RSS uniform, sparks row
Bhopal :A play performed
in a Jabalpur school, in which Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse was in RSS
uniform, has drawn the wrath of the organisation, which has approached the
police.Students of Small Wonders Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur, staged a
short play on the occasion of Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary on Wednesday. In
it was a scene in which a boy wearing the RSS uniform was pointing a pistol at
another boy, who was dressed as the Mahatma.Yatindra Upadhyay, who identified
himself as an RSS worker, approached Lordganj Police Station with a complaint
that the play defamed the RSS. The complaint said that neither was Godse associated
with the organisation, nor did the organisation have anything to do with the
Mahatma’s assassination.City SP Deepak Mishra said a non-cognizable report
under IPC Section 500 was given to police.
The school management posted an apology on Facebook Friday. indianexpress
Modi
heading a fascist regime:Siddaramaiah
Mangaluru :Former
Karnataka CM and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah today alleged that PM
Narendra Modi was running a ‘fascist’ Govt at the Centre.“Modis administration
is similar to that of Adolf Hitler. Nobody dares to speak against him,” he
said, talking to reporters at the international airport here.Siddaramaiah was
here on his way to Kalasa in Chikkamagaluru where he would meet the family of a
farmer who committed suicide recently. He was also scheduled to address a
public meeting there.He lambasted the Centre for ignoring the states demand for
a relief of Rs 5,000 crore to help those affected by floods.PTI
Who's
on RSS magazine's cover? Gandhi
The Oct. 6 issue of the
Organiser magazine is headlined Soul of Swaraj, a special issue on Mahatma
Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary.Critics of RSS have fumed at the
attempted "appropriation" of Gandhi by the Sangh, but all road signs
since 2014 have pointed in this direction - the Mahatma on the cover of the
Organiser. On Oct. 2 that was 150th
anniversary of Father of the Nation, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat penned a piece on
Gandhi in Organiser. He mentioned Gandhi’s visit to a Sangh camp near Wardha in
1936, and another one in Delhi during Partition. “Gandhiji expressed his joy
over the discipline of Sangh swayamsevaks and the complete absence of the
divisive feelings of caste and creed in them,” Bhagwat wrote.telegraphindia
Suspense
continues on Justice Kureshi
The Centre has cleared
the appointment of chief justices of 7 high courts but refrained from taking
any decision on the elevation of Justice Akil Kureshi.The Supreme Court
collegium had initially recommended Justice Kureshi as the chief justice of
Madhya Pradesh High Court. The Centre objected to this, following which the
collegium “modified” its decision and recommended him for Tripura High
Court.However, in the latest round of transfers endorsed by the Centre, it has
chosen to sit over the file of Justice Kureshi without citing any reason.In
2010, Justice Kureshi had remanded Amit Shah, now Union home minister and BJP
chief, in police custody in an alleged fake encounter case.telegraphindia
Maharashtra
elections: Congress fields journalist whose testimony nailed Sena in ’93 riots
Mumbai :On the evening of
Jan.8, 1993, then 27-year-old reporter Yuvraj Mohite overheard Shiv Sena
founder Bal Thackeray give orders to his party cadre to attack Muslims during
the riots that had engulfed the city. Mohite’s deposition before the Srikrishna
Commission — set up to investigate the 1993 Mumbai riots — was instrumental in
the Commission making its judgment about the involvement of Thackeray and the
Shiv Sena in the riots.26 years later, Mohite, who is now a Congress candidate
from Goregaon Assembly seat, is reluctant to talk about the ‘day’.“What
happened? What transpired on the day? The events following it, are in the past.
It is past and it is gone. It has no relevance here and now,” said Mohite, who
will square off against BJP’s incumbent MLA Vidya Thakur. indianexpress
‘Tax
chief told me to drop sensitive case, said he was secure after acting against
Oppn leader’
New Delhi :Chairman of
Central Board of Taxes Pramod Chandra Mody gave a “shocking” directive to bury
a “sensitive case” and claimed that he had “secured” his position at top
because of a “successful search” action against an Opposition leader.This is
the key allegation in an unprecedented complaint against the nation’s top tax administrator
by Alka Tyagi, who was Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Unit 2) in Mumbai when
she sent her complaint to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on June 21,
less than a month after new Govt was sworn in. Tyagi’s 9-page complaint, reviewed
by Indian Express, alleges “tremendous pressure” from Mody. An almost identical
complaint has been sent by her to PMO, Central Vigilance Commission and Cabinet
Secretary, sources confirmed.As reported by Indian Express earlier this month,
a break-in was reported by Tyagi in her office and she had submitted a written
complaint about this to her senior, Principal Chief Commissioner SK
Gupta.Tyagi, an IRS officer of the 1984 batch, has alleged that an old
vigilance case against her, which Mody had himself later disposed of and in
which she was given an all-clear, was recalled by Mody and is being used as a
“weapon of blackmail” to stall her posting. 2 months after this complaint, Govt
extended Mody’s tenure for a year. And on Thursday, Tyagi herself, due for a
posting as Principal Chief Commissioner of IT, was moved out to National
Academy of Direct Taxes in Nagpur as Principal DG of IT (training). Tyagi’s
complaint alleges a string of irregularities that include how CBDT chairman
“repeatedly” asked Tyagi to drop “proceedings” in a “sensitive case’’ involving
“serious allegations.”indianexpress
Rakesh
Asthana Likely to be Absolved of All Bribes Charges Soon
New Delhi: Former CBI
special director Rakesh Asthana, who was accused of taking bribes to the tune
of Rs 2.95 crores, is likely to be absolved of all charges soon. Indian Express
has reported that the investigating officer of the case, superintendent of
police Satish Dagar has submitted a report that exonerates him of all charges.
Dagar had sought voluntary retirement for “personal reasons” in August. His
application is still pending. According to sources who were cited by the paper,
the report is lying with top officials of the CBI at present. Once it is
legally vetted, it will be sent to the agency’s director Rishi Kumar Shukla,
following which a closure report may be filed at the CBI court. thewire
Bulandshahr
violence: Local BJP MLAs hobnob with murder accused Shikhar Agarwal
As soon as he was
released, BJP youth wing leader Shikhar Agarwal, the prime accused in killing
of inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Dec.2018 mob violence in Bulandshahr, was
greeted by Khurja BJP MLA Vijender Singh and Syana BJP MLA Devendra Singh
Lodhi.Both these constituencies fall with Bulandshahr district limits. Photos
and videos on social media show supporters of Agarwal garlanding him and
shouting slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram. The Allahabad High
Court had also granted bail to another accused in the case, Yogesh Raj, who is
also the local Bajrang Dal convenor.“This is nothing but collusion with the Govt.
How are these MLAs taking photographs with a murder accused? Shikhar Agarwal is
confident nothing will happen to him. He has the political backing of BJP MLAs.
This is just like what happened in Jharkhand when Jayant Chaudhary garlanded
the lynchers of Ramgarh incident,” said Shrey Subodh, son of the slain
officer.nationalheraldindia
Unnao
rape case: Counsel pulled up for posting court proceedings online
A Delhi court today
pulled up the counsel for one of the parties in Unnao rape case, allegedly
involving expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh, for posting on social media the
details of the in-camera proceedings of the case pertaining to alleged murder
of the victim's father.District Judge Dharmesh Sharma also warned the counsel
against posting online the proceedings of the case, which is presently at the
stage of the recording of prosecution evidence.The warning came when the
counsel for the other party, during the in-camera proceedings, claimed his
opponent's counsel has been posting details of the proceedings, including those
of the ongoing recording of the evidence, on social media, said a lawyer privy
to the matter.PTI
Aarey
protest: Section 144 imposed, 200 activists detained after Bombay HC allows
axing of over 2,500 trees for construction of Mumbai Metro 3 car shed
Mumbai: Prohibitory
orders under Section 144 of CrPC were imposed in the area near the metro-rail
project site at Aarey Colony in Goregaon East and 20 activists arrested after a
protest was held on Friday night against the felling of trees in the locality.
The incident took place a day after the Bombay High Court allowed axing of over
2,500 trees to facilitate the construction of a car shed of Mumbai Metro
project. Reports said as many as 200 activists were detained and the Mumbai
Police blocked roads leading to Aarey as protesters decided to intensify their
fight to save Mumbai’s green belt. The Mumbai Police have also filed an FIR
against 38 people, Mumbai Police PRO Pranaya Ashok said.newsx
Former
TV9 CEO Prakash arrested in Rs 18 crore cheating case
Hyderabad :V Ravi
Prakash, former CEO of TV9, was arrested by officials of Banjara Hills Police
Station on Saturday for allegedly withdrawing over Rs 18 crore from ABCL which
promotes TV9.TV9 was taken over by ABCL, owned by businessman Jupally Rameshwar
Rao of the My Home Group, last August. and Prakash, who owns 8.25 % stake, was
ousted as CEO.On September 24, the new board of directors lodged a complaint
against Prakash alleging that he and former director MKVN Murthy withdrew Rs
18,31,75,000 between September 2018 and May 2019 as bonus or ex-gratia payments
to themselves.indianexpress
WORLD
Nearly
100 dead as calls grow for Iraqi Govt to resign over protest response
As the death toll nears
100 people killed and with thousands injured in a week of intense
demonstrations, the Iraqi Govt on Saturday announced the lifting of a curfew in
Baghdad as calls came for it to resign.In the worst violence seen since the
declared defeat of Islamic State group in March, security forces fired live
ammunition into crowds of people protesting across Iraq against corruption,
unemployment and a lack of services. According to the Govt-backed Iraqi Human
Rights Commission, at least 93 people have been killed so far, while nearly
4,000 people have been injured. Reuters reported police snipers shooting at
protesters on Friday, escalating the death toll. Security sources have also
accused gunmen of hiding among the demonstrators, while a number of police
officers have been killed. Demonstrations have taken place in numerous regions
across the country in the past week, including Baghdad, Basra, Nasiriya and
Mosul.Concrete barriers have been erected in the capital Baghdad in areas where
police clashed with protesters, a significant move in a period when many of the
previous concrete barriers erected to prevent IS car bombings were being
removed.Iraqi Govt has also imposed a blackout by blocking internet access
across the country.middleeasteye
'The
people are being robbed': Voices from Baghdad
Saudi
looks ‘positively’ at Yemeni truce proposal
Saudi Prince Khalid Bin
Salman believes that his country looks “positively” at the truce proposal
announced by Houthis in Yemen, Arabi21.com reported on Friday.In a series of
tweets, the prince wrote “we look positively at the truce announced by Yemen
because this is what we have been seeking. We hope it is really implemented.”He
added “reports by the Iranian regime regarding a truce in Yemen, and linking it
to its attempts to solve its current crises, is a cheap exploitation of Yemen
and Yemenis after it had ignited the crisis and continued to aggravate
it.”Prince Khalid accused the Iranian regime of seeking to exploit Yemen, to
serve its own interests, while also simultaneously degrading the Yemenis. “We
are completely with the Yemenis,” the prince announced.Iran has several times
denied its involvement in Yemen and its internal affairs, stressing that it is
supporting a united Yemen.On Monday, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman called
for Iran to stop funding the Houthis in Yemen.middleeastmonitor
UAE
coup attempt in Yemen’s Socotra
Yemeni sources revealed
on Friday that pro-UAE militias attempted a coup in the archipelago of Socotra,
the largest island in the east of the country, following the dismissal of a security
official. Concurrently, Arab Coalition accused the Houthi group of firing two
ballistic missiles, despite the declared truce with Saudi Arabia. Sources close
to the Govt told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that on Friday, militias belonging to the
so-called Southern Transitional Council carried out an attempt to take control
over security headquarters in the governorate, including breaking into the
headquarters of the rescue police and looting its contents.The sources pointed
out that the movements in Socotra were carried out in coordination with the
dismissed security director, Ahmad Ali Al-Rajdahi, hours after the issuance of
the decision which ousted him from his position as Socotra’s police chief,
substituting him with Brigadier General Fayez Salem Tahes.middleeastmonitor
Netanyahu
abandons snap Likud primaries
Israeli PM and Likud
chairman, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Friday the abdication of snap
primaries in Likud party.According to Times of Israel, Likud Central Committee
will meet next week to confirm its unequivocal support for Netanyahu as
leader.On Thursday, Netanyahu accepted a
suggestion put forth by member of Knesset, Haim Katz, that Likud Central
Committee will convene and publicly support Netanyahu for PM in the coalition
negotiations.The suggestion included a declaration that Likud would only join a
Govt headed by Netanyahu, for full term or as part of a rotation. Israeli media
claimed that Netanyahu backtracked from the idea of snap primaries after the
popular former Likud minister, Gideon Saar, tweeted: “I am ready.”The Guardian
stated that this tweet sparked a flurry of speculation that Saar, who has been
tipped as Netanyahu’s successor, would fight to dethrone his
nemesis.middleeastmonitor
Israeli
siege paralyses Gaza factories
Palestinian MP Jamal
Al-Khodari stated on Friday that 100% of Palestinian factories in Gaza have
suffered partial or full damage, resulting from the 12-year-long Israeli
siege.In a statement, Al-Khodari claimed that hundreds of shops and factories
have shut down due to the Israeli siege, as well as the repeated aggressions on
the besieged enclave.Al-Khodari, who was an academic and a businessman,
explained that the Israeli occupation is still imposing restrictions on Gazan
imports and exports, in addition to the entry of industrial materials, under
the pretext of dual use.middleeastmonitor
Palestinians
to resume taking Israeli collected tax money
Ramallah: The
cash-strapped Palestinian Authority (PA) will once again accept tax revenues
collected on its behalf by Israel, after rejecting the money for months,
Israeli and Palestinian officials said.The PA had stopped taking the money
because of a dispute with Israel over stipends paid to the families of
Palestinians militants killed or jailed by Israel.The change of policy could
help PA relieve a deepening financial crisis. A spokeswoman for Israeli Finance
Ministry said that 1.5 billion Shekels (about $430 million) would be handed
over to the PA on Sunday.Hussein al-Sheikh, PA minister of civil affairs, said
that following understandings reached with Israeli Finance Minister Moshe
Kahlon on Thursday, both sides would begin discussions on a range of financial
issues next week. Reuters
Egypt
spied on key opposition figures using mobile apps
Egyptian Govt is spying
on journalists, politicians, activists and lawyers through smartphone apps in a
coordinated cyberattack, reports a cybersecurity firm. According to a report
published by Check Point, which provides research into cyber threats, Govt
specifically targeted 33 individuals through apps posing as information
services but which actually bugged their phone. One of these apps was
iLoud200%, which offered to create storage space but sent locations to the
attackers. Another was IndexY that stored, transmitted and recorded call logs
to be used by attackers.Through the apps, which were available on the official
Google Play store, authorities were able to target files and emails, identify
who users contacted and when, and locate them even when their location services
were turned off.Check Point believes the perpetrators set up a messaging
channel on Telegram that said it supported protesters but is in fact
administered by the intelligence services. The channel had links to a Facebook
page calling for a second revolution and asking new members to identify
themselves to the administrator.MEMO
Saudi
allows foreign men and women to share hotel rooms
Saudi Arabia is allowing
foreign men and women to rent hotel rooms together without proving they are
related, after the kingdom launched a new tourist visa regime to attract
holidaymakers.Women, including Saudis, are also permitted to rent hotel rooms
by themselves, in a break with previous regulations.The moves appear to pave
the way for unaccompanied women to travel more easily and for unmarried foreign
visitors to stay together in Gulf state, where sex outside of marriage is
banned. Saudi Commission for Tourism confirmed a report on Friday by Okaz,
adding: “All Saudi nationals are asked to show family ID or proof of
relationship on checking into hotels. This is not required of foreign tourists.
All women, including Saudis, can book and stay in hotels alone, providing ID on
check-in.”Reuters
Pak
singer Shazia Khushk quits singing for Islam
Pakistani folk singer
Shazia Khushk has decided to quit the profession. According to Pakistani media
report, the celebrity who sang famous songs like "Lal meri pat..."
and "Dane pe dana..." said she was quitting showbiz. "I've
decided to spend the rest of my life in service of Islam," she said.Shazia
added that she had received many singing offers from overseas but had to
decline owing to the religious obligations."I'm grateful to my fans for
loving my songs and hope that they will strongly support me in my new
move," said the folk singer who is known for her melodies in Sindhi,
Balochi Dhatki, Sairaiki, Urdu, Kashmiri, Gujrati,Brelvi and Punjabi .IANS
UAE’s
first astronaut in space shares a breathtaking picture of Mecca from
International Space
The first astronaut from
the UAE, Hazza Ali Almansoori to visit space, just sent back a breathtaking
aerial view of Mecca — Islam’s holiest site.Taken from the International Space
Space (ISS), the Masjid Al Haram (Grand Mosque) can be seen centered in the
image with the caption, “As the place that lives in the hearts of Muslims and
they turn to for prayers.”businessinsider
Flash:NEWS,views,Articles
I
find it hard to deny that Kashmir has been internationalised, writes Karan
Thapar
'Vital
security interest': Why Israel is quietly rooting for Egypt's Sisi:Lily Galili
in Tel Aviv
Could
Pakistan have stayed out of US-led global campaign after 9/11? Khaled Ahmed
Jethmalani
felt political one-upmanship stalled resolution of Kashmir issue:Saifuddin Soz
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ram-jethmalani-lawyer-death-kashmir-issue-6054158/
Satellite
picture of Mecca shared by Emirati astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori goes viral
‘Graves
Don’t Lie’: Srinagar Family Rubbishes Govt Report Denying Their Son’s
Death:Mudasir Ahmad
Delhi
Matters: Centre's Plan of Demolishing Heritage Reeks of Thoughtlessness:Sohail
Hashmi
https://thewire.in/urban/delhi-matters-centres-plan-of-demolishing-heritage-reeks-of-thoughtlessness
‘Block
Development Council elections a red herring to digress attention from people
suffering in Valley’:Gulzar Bhat
An
open letter to Indian Muslims: Kashmir has exposed your leaders’ feet of clay:
Abbas Muzaffar
Hate
Crimes Against Minorities Linked to Rise of BJP: Study
Kashmir
siege: Man with cancer jailed, family fears for his life
India’s
judges are ignoring the govt’s abuses in Kashmir
Ajit
Doval's Proposal To Neighbouring Nations For Future "Opportunities"
Patanjali
downgraded as acquisition raises risks
Democratic
Candidate Bernie Sanders Had A Heart Attack, His Team Confirms
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