16 NOV. 2019: 18 Rabiul Awwal 1441: Vol: 12, No: 58
INDIA
Assam NRC a tool to render Muslims stateless: US
panel on religious freedom
US
Commission on International Religious Freedom, or USCIRF, has described
NRCexercise in Assam as a “tool to target religious minorities, and, in
particular, render Indian Muslims stateless”.The commission on Friday said NRC
was one more example of the “downward trend in religious freedom conditions
within India”. The remarks came a day after it appeared before US Congress and
criticised the Indian Govt’s actions in J&K. The panel, which is an
independent, bipartisan entity of US federal Govt, observed that the final NRC
list released on August 31 excluded 19 lakh people, or around 6% of Assam’s
population.The commission pointed out the concern of many domestic and
international organisations that NRC is a “targeted mechanism to disenfranchise
Assam’s Bengali Muslim community”, as well as establish “a religious
requirement for citizenship”. USCIRF said the ruling BJP Govt had pushed for
the implementation of the citizens’ database in other states, notably
Maharashtra, UP and West Bengal. It pointed out that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s
remarks about implementing a nationwide register of citizens. The commission
alleged that “following Aug.2019 release of NRC, BJP Govt has taken steps that
reflect an anti-Muslim bias”. The commission said that for many “impoverished
families” presenting the required documents was a challenge because of
inadequate family record-keeping, illiteracy, or lack of money to travel to Govt
offices and file legal claims. “People were also kept off the list because of
minor inconsistencies in paperwork, such as differences in the spelling of a name,”it
added.PTI/ scroll.
Citizenship Bill: Protests break out in Assam as
BJP set to introduce legislation in Parliament
As
Modi-led Govt is set to push the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill
during upcoming Winter Session of Parliament, beginning on Nov.18, protests
broke out across Assam on Friday against legislation, PTI reported. The Govt
has listed the Bill in its items of business for session.Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill seeks to amend a 1955 law to grant citizenship to persecuted
Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Muslim-majority
nations of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan if they have lived in India for
six years. It had been passed by the previous Lok Sabha but was not tabled in
the Rajya Sabha.Opposition parties have criticised the Bill as discriminatory
on religious grounds as it deliberately omits Muslims.All Assam Students’ Union
asserted that the legislation will not be accepted by people of the state at
any cost. Members and supporters of Asom Jatiyabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad took
out rallies and held sit-in demonstrations against the re-introduction of the
Bill. They accused the BJP and the state Govt of adopting an “anti-Assam policy
to settle illegal Hindu migrants in the state by amending the Citizenship Act”.RTI
activist Akhil Gogoi said protests were part of anti-Citizenship (Amendment)
Bill movement. Gogoi, who is also leader of social forum Krishak Mukti Sangram
Parishad, urged all the political parties and NGOs to stand unitedly against
the Bill.Samujjal Bhattacharyya, chief advisor of All Assam Students Union,
said: “We will not tolerate the Bill at any cost and continue to protest
against it. We will not accept the divisive policies of Govt in the name of
religion”. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam politician who is considered BJP’s
point-man for North East, said the Bill would be introduced within the first
two days of the winter session and it will not impact the interests of
indigenous people.scroll.in
Mamata Govtto set up detention centres for arrested
foreigners, says ‘don’t link it with NRC’
New
Delhi :Detention centres will be set up soon by Mamata Govt in West Bengal, PTI
reported today. Informing about development, West Bengal Correctional Services
Minister Ujjwal Biswas told PTI that these centres shall have “absolutely no
connection” with NRC.The state Govt has plans for two detention centres and has
already finalised a piece of land in New Town area for the first centre, Biswas
was quoted as saying.The process of scouting for land in Bongaon in North 24
Parganas district for second detention centres is also underway, minister
added. Talking about the plans, Biswas said it is possible that an existing Govt
building in Bongaon could be prepared as the second camp to temporarily contain
the people of foreign origin, till the piece of land is finally identified.“These
detention camps are being constructed adhering to Supreme Court directives,
according to which foreign nationals under trial and those convicted should not
be kept with local inmates,” he was quoted as saying.“This has absolutely no
connection with NRC. Please don’t link it to NRC,” minister added. As many as
110 foreign nationals are currently under trial and have been kept with local
inmates at different correctional homes in the state,sources
added.indianexpress
Govtis dumb, says IAS officer who resigned protesting
lockdown in Kashmir
A
forthright tweet by Kannan Gopinathan, who resigned from IAS to protest against
the crackdown in Kashmir is creating waves on social media. Gopinathan has been
travelling to states and addressing public meetings to build up awareness about
NRC, sought to be implemented across the country by Home Ministry.NRC is an
absurd idea, he maintains, under which Govt is demanding that citizens prove
their citizenship with 50-year-old documents. His experience of working in the Govt,
he said, proved that few among the poor are either aware or have the
wherewithal to preserve documents. He said at a meeting of All India Peoples
Front in Kolkata, “Any move by Govt to implement NRC across the nation should
not only be seen as an anti-Muslim move, but also 100% as an anti-poor drive of
the BJP-led Govt.”The most effective way of opposing NRC, he said, was to
follow Gandhian way of Non-Cooperation. Citizens should not waste their time
and money in collecting documents, he added.nationalheraldindia
Sabarimala temple opens today: 10 women sent back
by police
Kochi:
As Sabarimala shrine opened for 2-month-long pilgrim season today at 5 pm,PTI
reported that the police has sent back at least 10 women from Pamba. The women,
who are aged between 10 to 50, had come from Andhra Pradesh to offer prayers at
the temple. “After they reached Pamba, police checked their identity cards and found
that they were in the barred age group and informed them about the current
situation in Sabarimala. They did not proceed further,” police authorities were
quoted as saying.On Friday, state Govt indicated that it would not “take young
women to Sabarimala temple” due to the “grey areas” in the Supreme Court’s verdict
in the case. The SC had put a batch of review petitions on hold and referred
the matter to a larger bench on Thursday. "Yesterday, Govt said that they
won't provide security to women, so women are going to #SabarimalaTemple
without protection.Now, women are being stopped, so I think Govt is working
completely against women,"Trupti Desai said.indianexpress
Islam doesn't ban women from mosques: AIMPLB lawyer
Jilani
Zafaryab Jilani, advocate of All India Muslim
Personal Law Board, stated that Islam does not ban women from entering the
mosques. He claimed that the writ petition regarding the issue was submitted in
the Supreme Court due to some misunderstandings and that the w Board will file
a counter affidavit on the issue.“Islam does not ban women from entering
mosques. The people who approached the court were denied entry to the mosques
due to wrongful actions. No mosque denies entry to Muslim women. If someone
denies entry to women, it is against Islam. Even in Mecca and Medina, there are
only restriction and not bans” said Jilani.mathrubhumi
BABRI MASJID VERDICT
3 Muslim petitioners want review of Ayodhya
judgment as AIMPLB gets set to decide tomorrow
Lucknow:Ahead
of its crucial meeting on Sunday, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB)
met Muslim litigants in Lucknow to know their views before taking a final call
on whether or not to go for a review of the Supreme Court verdict in Ayodhya
case.“2 important items on AIMPLB’s agenda at tomorrow’s meeting are to take a
decision on challenging the Ayodhya verdict and decide whether or not to accept
the five-acre alternative land as directed by the SC,” said Kamal Farooqui, an
AIMPLB member.He said apart from members of the executive body, the Board has
also invited its legal experts and advocates of Muslim litigants, who fought
the Ayodhya case, for the brainstorming session to be held at Lucknow-based
Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema. Since the AIMPLB was not a direct party in the
Ayodhya case, it would have to rope in at least one out of the total 8 Muslim
litigants if it decides to go for a review, which now seems almost certain.But
Iqbal Ansari, whose father Hashim Ansari of Ayodhya was one of the first and
oldest litigants in the case, has decided not to challenge the Ayodhya verdict,
come what may. “These people with fake beard and cap may say whatever they have
to say but I will not go for a review of the Supreme Court verdict,” he said
emphatically.Ansari said he had got a call from AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab
Jilani and he had conveyed his stand to him.Mehmoob, incidentally, met Maulana
Salman Nadvi, another cleric who was in favour of solving Ayodhya dispute
through talks and is now in favour of accepting the court verdict, in Lucknow today.
Mohd Umar, another Muslim litigant of Ayodhya, who met Jilani in Lucknow today,
however, said he would abide by whatever decision the Board takes on Sunday.
“There are some inconsistencies in the verdict and I feel there is a scope for
correction. I will go by whatever my seniors in the AIMPLB tell me to do,” he
said.Of the remaining four litigants, Maulana Arshad Rashidi (state chief of
Jamait-e-Ulama), Maulana Hifzur Rehman, Maulana Hisbullah and Misbahuddin are
expected to tow AIMPLB line. AIMPLB held
discussions with some of the plaintiffs in the Ayodhya case on challenging the
verdict. Jilani met some of Muslim plaintiffs to ascertain their opinion on
challenging the verdict.HT/deccan herald
3 Muslim petitioners want review of Ayodhya
judgment, says Zafaryab Jilani
Salman Nadwi not allowed to enter Ayodhya; says
Muslims should accept 5-acre land
Ayodhya:
Muslim scholar Salman Nadwi said he is in favour of Muslims accepting the
5-acre land at Ayodhya which the Supreme Court awarded to Muslim parties. Nadwi
earlier today was stopped from entering Ayodhya and turned back. The scholar
was sent back to Lucknow from Raunahi toll plaza, the entry point of Ayodhya
district, since the situation in the city has remained sensitive after the
verdict. Nadwi told media that he only wanted to meet people from both
communities to establish peace in the backdrop of Ram Temple verdict. He said
it’s important to establish peace and harmony between the two communities and
the focus should be on the implementation of the verdict. Nadwi who was in news
for supporting the mediation process on Ram Temple along with Sri Sri
Ravishankar was stopped from visiting Ayodhya today. Times Now
Ayodhya verdict: Jamiat undecided over filing
review, forms panel to take call
New
Delhi: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind's executive committee has been unable to come to a
consensus on whether to file a review petition on the Supreme Court's Ayodhya
verdict and formed a panel on Friday to decide on it after consulting with
lawyers and experts.Panel comprises Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani, Maulana
Asjad Madani, Maulana Habibur Rahman Qasmi, Fazalur Rahman Qasmi and advocate
Ijaz Maqbool.An emergency meeting of the working committee of the Jamiat was
held to review the recent Supreme Court verdict under the chairmanship of
Arshad Madani at the central office of the Muslim body here, a statement said. "Babri
Masjid was a mosque in the eyes of law and justice and it is still a mosque
according to Shariah and will remain so till the Day of Resurrection regardless
of its structure and name," Jamiat executive committee said. "This is
because no individual or party has the right to withdraw the claim of mosque in
return of an alternative piece of land," it added.It was decided at the
working committee meeting that a panel should be constituted which, after
consulting with lawyers and experts, would decide whether to submit a review
petition or not.Sources said most of Jamiat office-bearers were not in favour
of filing a review petition on the Ayodhya judgment, but some were insisting
that it was important to challenge the decision.Arshad Madani had on Thursday
said Sunni Waqf Board should not accept 5-acre plot, which the SC in its
judgment has directed the Centre to allot for a mosque.PTI
Ayodhya: Fresh Demarcation Process of Acquired Land
Begins
Ayodhya:A
week after the Supreme Court ordered construction of Ram Temple on the site
where 16the century Babri Masjid once stood in Ayodhya, the administration in
UP town has begun preparing the fresh demarcation process of the acquired land.
67.7 acres land was acquired by the union Govt in Jan.1993 through the
Acquisition of Certain Area of Ayodhya Act 1993. The acquired land includes Kot
Ramchandar, Jalwanpur and Awadh Khas of Faizabad Tahsil. According to the
section 3 of Acquisition Act 1993, right, title and interest of acquired land
vest in the union Govt. Acquired land, include residential houses, agricultural
lands, Hindu temples and Muslim graveyards.According to sources, before the
formal constitution of Trust for Ram Mandir, the status of the land is to be
made clear.As such the local administration has been asked to measure the land.
The district administration has begun preparations to demarcate the land
acquired by the Centre after the demolition of the Babri Masjid before it can
be handed over to the Trust to be formed by Centre as directed by the SC. IANS
Ayodhya: Security stepped up ahead of Babri Masjid
demolition anniversary
There are loopholes in Ayodhya judgment but review
will serve no purpose: Tahir Mahmood
Tahir
Mahmood, noted jurist and ex chairman of National Minorities Commission, said
that Waqf Board should opt for a plot away from the disputed land and build a
school or orphanage on it. He said, "going strictly by the letter of the
law, there certainly are loopholes in the judgment, but one should not lose
sight of the fact that the court was constrained not to decide the case on a
purely jurisprudential basis and had to give due weight to extra-judicial
considerations."He added,"In Ayodhya judgment, the court agreed that
the mosque was not built by destroying a temple, that idols were surreptitiously
placed in 1949, and that its demolition was unlawful, and yet it gave the
decision contained in its operative part. How does one expect that a plea for
review will prompt the court to change its mind?"TOI
Shift Ram Lalla to a makeshift place till temple is
built: Seers
Ayodhya:
Shift Ram Lalla deity out of tent immediately into a makeshift structure till a
grand temple is built over the next 2-3 years, devote the full 67-acre acquired
land to the temple complex, give 5-acre land for the mosque outside 14-Kosi
‘cultural’ area of Ayodhya, and the mosque should not be named after Babar
since he was an aggressor -- this is the common refrain among saints and the
Hindu stakeholders in Ayodhya, despite them bickering over issues regarding the
composition of the proposed trust.Triloki Nath Pandey, the ‘next friend’ of Ram
Lalla who was allotted one-third of the 2.77 acre land by the Allahabad High
Court as a representative of the deity in court, told ET that Ram Lalla should
not be housed in a tent anymore.economictimes
Want my masjid back: Owaisi asks for Babri,
questions Ayodhya verdict
Reacting
to Supreme Court's verdict on Ayodhya land dispute, AIMIM chief Asaduddin
Owaisi has said he 'wants his masjid back'.Owaisi said he will oppose anything
that is against India's Constitution and pluralism. "For me, the
Constitution is supreme and it gives me the right to disagree respectfully with
any SC judgment. I will oppose anything that is against the Constitution,"
he said.Owaisi said, "Our fight was not for a piece of land. It was to
ensure that my legal rights are realised. The SC also categorically said that
no temple was demolished to construct a mosque. I want my masjid back."indiatoday
'Owaisi becoming second Zakir Naik': MoS Supriyo
says AIMIM chief 'speaks more than required'
Union
Minister of State (MoS) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul
Supriyo today condemned AIMIM chief for the latter's recent statements
regarding the Supreme Court verdict on Babri Masjid title dispute case. MoS
said that Owaisi was 'becoming the second Zakir Naik', a reference to his
inflammatory statements, and said, "If he speaks more than required, then
we do have law and order in our country."DNA india
Expressing Concerns Over Justice, Civil Society
Members Request Review of Ayodhya Verdict
New
Delhi: A number of prominent personalities have asked for the Supreme Court’s
Ayodhya judgment to be reviewed as it has “caused widespread concern among all
those who have the interests of justice and fairness at heart”.In a statement,
the signatories said that the “first source of concern” is that the court has
delivered a judgment “which has been made possible only by the criminal
destruction of the Babri Masjid” on December 6, 1992, which the court itself
described as an “unlawful act”. They said the archaeological on the site, which
the judgment relied on, would not have been possible without the destruction of
the majid. thewire
Hyderabad: Sedition case against Muslim women for
Babri Masjid protest
Hyderabad:
Saidabad police has registered a sedition case against 2 daughters of Moulana
Abdul Aleem Islahi and other women who offered a special prayer for Babri
Masjid at Idgah Ujale Shah, Saidabad, on Thursday under various sections.Police
has registered a criminal case against Ms Zille Huma alias Huma Islahi, and Ms Shabista,
both daughters of Moulana Abdul Aleem Islahi, and others for sedition, act prejudicial to
the maintenance of harmony between different religions, promoting enmity
between different groups on grounds of religion, inciting and defilement of a
place of worship. The complaint lodged by Saidabad sub-inspector Din Dayal
Singh stated that the women had gathered to offer a prayer and dua in
connection with the SC verdict.After leading the prayer MsIslahi shouted
provocative slogans. Later, speaking to media she criticised the judgment, the
police officer said. The complaint stated that the gathering displayed flexies
containing “inflammatory” slogans. They appealed to the Muslim community to
raise their voice against the judgment.deccanchronicle
POLITICS
Shiv Sena won’t attend Nov 17 NDA meet in Delhi,
break-up a formality: Raut
Mumbai
:As Shiv Sena continued its attack on BJP over Govt formation, the party on
Saturday said that it will stay away from today meeting of NDA constituents in
Delhi, on the eve of the winter session of Parliament beginning on Nov.18. While
Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the party will not attend NDA meeting tomorrow,
another party leader Vinayak Raut said they are not attending because they have
not been invited.indian express
Maharashtra Govt formation: Draft CMP ready, Sena,
Cong, NCP shift focus to power-sharing formula
Mumbai
:Even as a final decision on whether 3 parties can join hands to form a non-BJP
Govt is pending, sources said that preliminary talks regarding the likely
power-sharing arrangement are being carried out at the state level.Sources
added that the initial proposal being discussed is regarding proportionate
distribution of key ministerial portfolios between the three parties.While 42
ministerial berths are up for grabs, sources said the preliminary talks are
regarding distribution of 9 key portfolios — home, finance, revenue,
cooperatives, public works, water resources, urban development, rural
development and agriculture. Congress, which won lesser seats as compared to
NCP and Sena, has been insisting on an equitable power distribution model on
the ground that each party needs the other to come to power. In the Assembly
polls, Sena won 56 seats, NCP 54, and Congress 44.e NCP, on the other hand, is
eyeing home, cooperatives, and finance portfolios, and has been bargaining hard
on the ground that it has only two seats less than Sena, which is expected to
lead formation if it comes into existence.For a consensus on key portfolios, a
proposal to group these departments in lots of 3 in the order of importance and
annual budgets and dividing them proportionately was discussed at the meeting,
a source said. For instance, if home portfolio goes to one party, the revenue
portfolio will be held by another, and urban development will be held by the
third party. Similarly, key departments driving the state’s rural economy—
agriculture, cooperatives and rural development—will be proportionately
distributed between 3 parties.On Thursday, first joint meeting between 3
parties in Mumbai saw the emergence of a draft CMP, meant to thrash out
differences on governance issues. It is learnt that 3 parties also held initial
talks regarding distribution of portfolios. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and
Sharad Pawar are likely to hold further deliberations in this regard on
Nov.17-18. Thorat also hinted that the leadership of the 3 parties are yet to
take a final call on power sharing. Stating that the talks so far had been
constructive, he said, “I can say that you won’t have to wait much longer for
an elected Govtin the state.”Pawar on Friday said “talks are focused on
providing a stable Govt that can last the full 5 years”. He said he cannot give
a deadline for Govt formation, but ruled out “possibility of mid-term polls.”indianexpress
Sena-Congress-NCP meeting with governor postponed
Mumbai:A
meeting between Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and a delegation of
Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP MLAs scheduled for this evening has been postponed, Sena
leader Eknath Shinde confirmed. The meeting was postponed because members of
the delegation were in their respective seats carrying out drought inspection
visits and filing election expenditure documents. Sources said MLAs had asked
for free time on Friday but were released only today. The meeting is expected
to be rescheduled but there is no word, as yet, on a new date. ndtv
Out of power, BJP afraid turncoat MLAs may defect,
says NCP leader Nawab Malik
Switching over to Shiv Sena from Congress, how Uddhav's
lone Muslim MLA helped in bridging gap between rivals
Consensus needed among parties on ‘one nation, one
poll’: CEC
Ahmedabad:Simultaneous
polls, or ‘one nation, one election’, was “not happening very shortly” unless
political parties sit together and evolve consensus and bring about requisite
amendments in law,Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said here on
Saturday. This is not something in which EC could do much except saying it
would also prefer such an arrangement, he added.“And this is not a bureaucratic
statement, just saying we agree in principle, etc. However, it is for the
political parties to sit together and evolve some consensus, do the requisite
amendments in law so that (poll) cycle can be brought together,” Arora said. “Unless
that is done, it is kind of a good thing to talk at seminars, but it is not
happening very shortly,” Arora said here.PTI
SOUTH ASIA AND J&K
3 J&K ex
CMs may remain in detention: minister
Jammu
:A day after Lt Governor G C Murmu said that Assembly elections in J&K may
be held soon, Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday hinted
that three former CMs of the erstwhile state may remain under detention for
some more time.Singh said this was the first festive season in J&K in 30
years that not a single incident had taken place. Without naming anyone, he
added, “Now you people say that it could be possible as those three people were
under detention. This means things will be alright if they stay in detention.
Then let them remain in detention.”Singh made these remarks in his inaugural
address at a regional conference on Replication of Good Governance Practices in
the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.NC MP Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar
Abdullah and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti have been under detention in Kashmir
since Centre decided on Aug 5.indianexpress
Govthas been harsher than at any time I can
remember: Farooq’s sister
Srinagar
:Awami National Conference president Begum Khalida Shah has described the
current clampdown on the political leadership in Kashmir as the worst she has
witnessed.“This time, the Govt has been harsher than at any time that I can
remember in the past. They have surpassed all previous episodes of atrocity,”
said Shah, who is ex CM Farooq Abdullah’s elder sister. Speaking at her home,
where she has been detained, she said this was the first time in her 84 years
that she had been placed under custody. “I remember when my father (Sheikh
Abdullah) was fighting for Kashmir. We were in Gulmarg in 1953 and the military
took him away. Even then, the family was not harmed, the reason was (Article)
370. This time, we have all been held hostage on account of ‘the situation’
which they (the Govt) have themselves created.”indianexpress
BJP has succeeded in alienating the entire
population of Kashmir: Human rights lawyer Haksar
Human
rights lawyer and author Nandita Haksar responding to questions on developments
in J&K, has said, "the way BJP has nullified the special status of J&K
by the unprecedented clampdown and repression, arrests and detention of even
leaders who have risked their lives for India has succeeded in alienating the
entire population of Kashmir."Speaking about abrogation of Article 370,
Haksar said, " procedure by which the entire process was done has been
given a very serious legal challenge by eminent people who have filed petitions
before the Supreme Court of India.It sounds a bit technical but people should
understand how Govt has sabotaged provisions of the Constitution.”nationalherald
Hand over wanted Indians living in Pakistan if
serious about better ties with India: Jaishankar
London:
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the relationship with Pakistan
remains “difficult” because it openly practices terrorism against India, and if
Islamabad is serious to cooperate with New Delhi, it should hand over the
Indians wanted for terrorist activities living in Pakistan.In a wide-ranging
interview with French daily Le Monde, the minister said Pakistan does not deny
sending terrorists to India.“Relationship is difficult since many years, mainly
because Pakistan has developed an important terrorist industry and sends
terrorists to India to carry out attacks. Pakistan itself does not deny this
situation,” he said, in response to a question about Pak Foreign Minister’s
recent statement that relations with India are “close to zero”. PTI
With 40,000 troops, Army exercise in Thar desert
assesses capability to strike at enemy territory
Jaisalmer:In
a clear message to Pakistan, Sudarshan Chakra Corps of Indian Army’s Southern
Command is conducting one of the biggest military exercises in Thar desert to
assess capabilities to strike across the border deep in enemy territory in Western
theatre. The exercise is aptly named Sindhu Sudarshan, signifying the target of
reaching Sindhu river.2-month-long exercise Sindhu Sudarshan, which is now in
its last leg, comprises 40,000 troops in an ‘all arms’ battle. indianexpress
US expresses concern over threat from ''theocratic
groups'' in South Asia:ANI report
US
House of Representative in a release has expressed strong concern about the
threat posed to democracy and human rights by "theocratic groups"
operating in South Asia. "US should more actively engage with the Govt of
Bangladesh regarding shared interests in safeguarding human rights, religious
freedom, and secular democracy in Bangladesh while preventing the growth of
religious extremism and militancy," US Congressman Jim Banks said a
statement submitted to US House Committee on Foreign Affairs.The statement also
called on govts of Bangladesh and Pakistan to deny, disrupt, and dismantle the
ability of Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates to continue posing an immediate
and ongoing threat to religious freedom and regional stability.The House urges
BNP and all political parties to unequivocally distance themselves from Jamaat
and other extremist organisations, Banks said.The statement called on US agencies,
to halt all partnerships and funding arrangements with groups affiliated with
Jamaat and its domestic affiliates, including the Islamic Circle of North
America, ICNA Relief, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, and Muslim Ummah
of North America.ANI
OTHERS
CBI searches Amnesty offices in two cities, rights
body says it’s harassment
New
Delhi :CBI Friday searched offices of Amnesty India in Bengaluru and New Delhi,
saying it was acting on an FIR registered after a complaint from Ministry of
Home Affairs about alleged violation of provisions of the Foreign Contribution
(Regulation) Act and Indian Penal Code by the rights body.Confirming the
searches, Amnesty India, in a press release, said: “Over the past year, a
pattern of harassment has emerged every time Amnesty India stands up and speaks
out against human rights violations in India. Amnesty India stands in full
compliance with Indian and international law. Our work in India, as elsewhere,
is to uphold and fight for universal human rights. These are the same values
that are enshrined in the Indian Constitution and flow from a long and rich
Indian tradition of pluralism, tolerance, and dissent.”“As part of Nobel
Prize-winning movement, Amnesty India holds itself to the highest evidentiary standards.
Over four million Indians have supported Amnesty India’s work in the last six
years and around 100,000 Indians have made financial contributions. Our work in
India, as elsewhere, is to uphold universal human rights and build a global
movement of people who take injustice personally,” it said.indianexpress
Hindu Mahasabha wants Godse’s court statement in
school syllabus
Bhopal:Hindu
Mahasabha has demanded that Nathuram Godse’s statement in court during the
Mahatma Gandhi assassination trial be included in school syllabus. Observing
Godse’s 70th death anniversary, some activists of the Hindutva organisation
gathered at its office here and garlanded photographs of Godse and Narayan
Apte,a co-conspirator in Gandhi’s assassination who was also hanged, and
performed ‘aarti’ while police kept guard outside the private building. Mahasabha
had in 2017 installed a bust of Godse in the office amid religious fanfare.
Calling the office a temple, the outfit had sought a piece of land to build a
temple for him. The then BJP Govt had served a notice to the outfit and later
seized the bust amid tension.On Friday, the Mahasabha held its event under the
banner of Yuvak Hindu Mahasabha (YHM) and later handed a memorandum to the
district administration with a charter of four demands, one of which was to
include Godse’s court statement in the school syllabus.The second demand was to
observe Guru Gobind Singh’s sons’ sacrifice as Bal Shahid Diwas in place of Bal
Diwas.indianexpress
Odisha Withdraws Controversial Booklet Relating to
Gandhi’s ‘Accidental’ Death
Bhubaneswar:Following
sharp criticism from all quarters, Odisha Govt today said that it had withdrawn
a controversial booklet for school children that erroneously said Mahatma
Gandhi died due to “an accidental sequence of events”.Nathuram Godse had shot
Gandhiji to death on Jan. 30, 1948 at Birla House in New Delhi in the presence
of hundreds of people. Godse was then apprehended, tried and sentenced to
death. Placing his statement in the ongoing Odisha assembly, state school and
mass education minister Samir Dash said that the error in the booklet was
inadvertent and there was no intention on the part of Govt to distort or change
facts relating to Gandhi’s death. “Booklet will be reprinted and redistributed
in schools within a month,” Dash said.The minister added that a person
responsible for printing the booklet had been disengaged from service while an
explanation had been sought from two other officials in the matter. School and
mass education department has also asked education officials at district and
block levels to destroy the booklets and other soft copies. thewire
Bhushan, Shourie call for CBI probe into Rafale
deal
New
Delhi :A day after the Supreme Court dismissed review petitions seeking a probe
into the Rafale deal, advocate Prashant Bhushan and former Union minister Arun
Shourie called for a CBI probe into the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets by
the Govt. They claimed that the separate judgment authored by Justice K M
Joseph mandates that the CBI launch a probe.On Thursday, the Supreme Court
bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi turned down petitions seeking a review of its
2018 decision on the matter. It stated that there were no grounds for the CBI
to initiate a probe into allegations of impropriety or irregularity in the
deal.Justice K M Joseph, who along with the CJI and Justice S K Kaul made the
bench, in a separate concurring judgment said though the review had been
dismissed, it will “not stand in the way” of CBI from taking action on the
document after obtaining previous approval under Section 17A of the Prevention
of Corruption Act.indianexpress
Govt withdraws controversial amendments to Forest
Rights Act
New
Delhi: Union Govt on Friday withdrew certain controversial amendments to Indian
Forests Act 1927. The minister for environment, forests and climate change,
Prakash Javadekar, said that the ‘zero draft’ – as the proposed bill was called
– had created the ‘wrong impression’ that Govt intended to do away with certain
provisions of the Act which protect the rights of forest dwellers and tribal
communities.“It was a ‘zero draft’. It was mistakenly taken as a ‘Govt draft’
and circulated. 11 states have drafted their own forest laws. This was just
prepared by ministry officials to study how various forest laws can be put
together in one draft and circulated. But now we have decided to withdraw the
complete draft,” Javadekar said.The decision comes just a few weeks before the
Jharkhand assembly elections. The state has a sizeable scheduled tribe
population.thewire
Tension in UP district after mosque construction
stopped
Sambhal:A
mosque allegedly being erected illegally overnight in Sambhal district, was
stopped leading to tension. Police have been deployed in the area.Work at the
under-construction mosque in the Saraitareen area was halted late on Wednesday
after people from another community objected to it.The roof of building had
already been completed when the police locked up the premises to stop prayer
gatherings from taking place. DM Avinash Krishna Singh said police force had been
deployed at the site to stop further construction and also to prevent any kind
of clash.According to reports, some people had started offering namaaz inside a
madarsa in Saraitareen some months ago.Later construction of a mosque began
inside the same madarsa premises and neighbours from the other community
objected to it.The construction was stopped after police intervened, with the
sub-divisional magistrate issuing orders that no further construction could
take place.On Wednesday morning, people from the other community living in the
vicinity informed police that construction was restarted night before.SHO
Ravindra Kumar of Hayatnagar police station reached the spot and got the
premises locked up.Those who had gathered there went to a nearby mosque, from
where they announced on loudspeakers that police had stopped them from offering
Namaaz and thrown their holy book out of the "new mosque". Soon, a
large crowd gathered there and the women broke the locks in the presence of
police.The officials then held talks with members of the community and assured
them madarsa premises would be opened and that they could continue with all
religious activities barring community prayers.DM said: "Situation is
under control and construction has been stopped."IANS
Sedition case: Give Shehla 10-day notice before
arrest: court to police
New
Delhi:A court has directed the Delhi Police to issue a 10-day pre-arrest notice
to Shehla Rashid if the need arises to arrest her in the alleged case of
defaming Army, while disposing of her anticipatory bail application. On Aug.18,
Rashid posted a series of tweets, alleging excesses by the forces against
children and youths in the Valley. Mentioning two of the tweets, advocate Alakh
Alok Srivastava, the complainant has said, “She is deliberately and
intentionally spreading fake news with the intention to incite violence…”On
Friday, Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora said, “Keeping in view the
nature of allegations and also considering the submissions of IO (investigating
officer) that the investigation is at a preliminary stage, anticipatory bail
application is disposed of with directions to the IO that if need arises for
the arrest of the applicant/accused, she be issued a ten days pre-arrest
notice.”indianexpress
Elgaar Parishad case: Gautam Navlakha gets
protection from arrest till Dec 2
Mumbai
:Bombay High Court on Friday granted activist Gautam Navlakha interim
protection from arrest till December 2 when the court is expected to hear
anticipatory bail pleas of Navlakha and activist and professor Anand Teltumbde,
both charged under UAPA sections in the Elgaar Parishad case.Navlakha moved the
High Court on Wednesday after a special court in Pune turned down his
anticipatory bail application and refused to grant further interim protection
from arrest.Justice Prakash Naik observed on Friday that the cases of Navlakha
and Teltumbde arise from the same offence and their petitions are being
contested on the common issue of maintainability and hence, it would be
appropriate to hear them together.indianexpress
Ex-Army doctor held in Hyderabad by UP ATS for
Kushinagar mosque blast
Lucknow:
3 days after stacked explosives went off in a mosque in Kushinagar district of UP,
a former army major, Dr Ashfaq Alam, was picked up by UP ATS from Hyderabad’s
Old City area and flown to Lucknow on Friday for interrogation. Dr Alam has
been arrested, taking the arrest count in the case to six.Dr Alam, who was
present in Kushinagar at the time of the blast, is accused of tampering with
evidence and criminal conspiracy. Doctor is grandson of one of key accused in
the case, Haji Qutubuddin, who would frequent the mosque to offer namaz.
Qutubuddin is charged with stashing explosives in the mosque in a bag. ATS
officials privy to probe said Dr Alam had come to his hometown Kushinagar to
attend a relative’s wedding on Nov 8.Dr Alam served in the Army Medical Corps
till 2017 before taking voluntary retirement to prepare for Civil Services
examination. Dr
Alam’s wife too is a doctor in the Army and is posted in Hyderabad. UP additional DGP
(ATS) said,
“Alam was unable to give a convincing reply on why he fled the blast site after
calling police. He was confronted with the other accused during quizzing.
Cleric Azimuddin, who was brought from West Bengal at a salary of Rs 6,000 to
serve as the muezzin, kept changing his statements. First, he said the bag with
explosives was kept in the mosque even before he became imam. Later, he blamed
Qutubuddin for keeping the bag.”Besides Azimuddin, Dr Alam and Qutubuddin, 3
others in police net are Javed Ansari, Izhar and Ashiq Ansari. Another
accused, Salauddin Ansari aka Munna, is on the run. TOI
NIA court sentences 5 to jail terms in Burdwan blast
Kolkata:
A special NIA court on Friday sentenced five accused in Khagragarh blast case
to varying terms from five years to six years in jail after convicting them for
conspiracy and waging war against the country and under various provisions of
UAPA.The five had pleaded guilty for the blast, in which two suspected
terrorists were killed and a third was injured while they were making bombs and
explosive devices in a rented house at Khagragarh in Burdwan district of West
Bengal. Siddhartha Kanjilal, chief judge at City Sessions Court who was
presiding over the special NIA court, sentenced Enamul Haq and Habibur Rahaman
to five years' rigorous imprisonment.The court sentenced Habibur Sheikh, Faizul
Rahaman and Burhan Sheikh to six years' rigorous imprisonment, NIA lawyer
Shyamal Ghosh said. Among those sentenced, two were women.All 19, out of a
total 31 accused in the case, had admitted their guilt and were given jail
terms of six to ten years.PTI
NIA files chargesheet against 11 in RSS leader
Jagdish Gagneja murder case
Mohali:
NIA Friday filed its chargesheet against 11 people, including a British
national, in the murder case of RSS leader Brigadier (Rted) Jagdish Gagneja. It
also moved an application in the special NIA court here for discharging four
accused in the case. The court will next hear the case on Nov. 21.During
investigation, it was found that Gagneja was killed as part of trans-national
conspiracy hatched by senior leadership of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). 8
acts of targeted killings and attempted killings were executed as part of this
conspiracy between January 2016 and Oct.2017 in Punjab.All the persons targeted
belonged to specific communities and organizations and the objective of the
conspiracy was to destabilize the law and order situation in Punjab and to
revive the terrorism in the state.The NIA chargesheet has been filed against 11
people including Hardeep Singh Shera, who is the main accused, Dharminder Singh
alias Gugni, Pahar Singh, Malook Singh and Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian, UK
resident Jagtar Singh alias Jaggi Johal, Gursharanbir Singh Wahiwal, and
Harmeet Singh alias PhD who is supposed to be operating from
Pakistan.indianexpress
My daughter didn’t wear a headscarf out of fear,
says Fathima’s mother, family will seek legal help
The
family of Fathima Latheef, the 19-year-old who committed suicide in IIT Madras
after religious discrimination, said they will seek legal routes for justice.
The Chennai police have, meanwhile, transferred the case related to the suicide
to the Central Crime Branch. A special team under the Additional Commissioner
would probe into the case, according to reports. The girl’s family alleged that members of the
faculty were the reason for their daughter’s death and she had to face
religious discrimination at the institution. Latheef, a first-year student of
Integrated MA programme in Humanities and Social Science at IIT Madras, was
found dead in her hostel room on last
Saturday.The police have reportedly interrogated 24 people including teachers
and students at the IIT Madras in connection with the case.Alleging that
faculty members were responsible for the death of their daughter, Latheef’s
parents have decided to move legally to get justice. While talking to media,
the parents said that Latheef had accused faculty member Sudarshan Padmanabhan,
associate professor of Philosophy, for her death in the suicide note on her
phone. In another note on the phone, the names of two more faculty members were
present. The parents said that their daughter had told them earlier of her
difficulties at the institute, including discrimination in the name of her
religion. While speaking to a news channel, her mother Sajitha said that
Fathima didn’t wear a headscarf out of fear and that they opted South India for
education thinking it would be safer than other places. She recalled her
earlier conversation with her daughter in which Fathima said that ‘her name
itself was a problem there’. After she complained regarding low internal marks,
Fathima reportedly had to face strong discrimination from the faculty member.
The girl had written in one her notes that ‘they were disgusted to see a Muslim
name topping every test’. TwoCircles
Bhopal: Minority commission recommends setting up
of a separate minority welfare ministry
Bhopal:
MP Minority Commission has recommended formation of a separate minority welfare
ministry to focus on development of people belonging to minority community. The
decision was taken in a meeting of MP Minority Commission that took place in
the state capital on Friday. Commission passed resolution unanimously. Chairman
of the commission, Niyaz Mohd Khan said that there is a separate ministry in
the union Govt for minority welfare, similarly there should be a separate
minority welfare ministry in the state also. freepressjournal
Punjab: Dalit man who was forced to drink urine,
thrashed succumbs to injuries
Chandigarh:
A 37-year-old Dalit man, who was mercilessly thrashed and forced to drink urine
in Punjab’s Sangrur district, succumbed to his injuries Saturday morning at a
hospital here, police said.“He succumbed to his injuries at Post Graduate
Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER),” Sangrur Senior
Superintendent of Police Sandeep Garg said.He was admitted to PGIMER and his
legs were amputated. Garg said section 302 of IPC has been added to FIR
registered in this matter.Dalit man, a resident of Changaliwala village, had an
altercation with Rinku and some other persons on October 21 but the matter was
resolved with the intervention of villagers.He had told police that on Nov. 7,
Rinku called him to his house and they discussed the matter. The man had
alleged that he was then thrashed by four persons after being tied to a pillar
and when he asked for water, he was forced to drink urine.4 persons were
arrested on the charges of abduction and wrongful confinement at the Lehra
police station in Sangrur, police said.PTI
Anil Ambani, 4 Others Resign From Bankrupt Reliance
Communications
Mumbai:
Billionaire industrialist Anil Ambani has resigned as Director of Reliance
Communications as the bankrupt telecom operator nears sale of its assets under
an insolvency process."Chhaya Virani, Ryna Karani, Manjari Kacker and
Suresh Rangachar have also resigned from positions of directors," the
company said in a statement."Manikantan V has also tendered his
resignation as a Director and Chief Financial Officer of the company earlier.
The aforementioned resignations will be put up to the committee of creditors
for their consideration,"company said.The development follows RCom's
consolidated loss of Rs. 30,142 crore for the second quarter released late on
Friday after provisioning for statutory license fee and spectrum usage dues as
compared to a profit of Rs. 1,141 crore in Q2 FY19.ANI
Justice Kureshi takes oath as CJ of Tripura HC
Justice
Akil Abdulhamid Kureshi, former Judge of the Gujarat and Bombay High Court, on
Saturday took oath as the fifth Chief Justice of Tripura High Court.The new
Chief Justice was sworn-in by Tripura Governor Ramesh Bais at a simple ceremony
at the Durbar Hall of the old Raj Bhavan.The swearing-in ceremony was attended
by CM Biplab Kumar Deb, Deputy CM Jishnu Dev Varma, their cabinet colleagues,
two other judges -- Subhashish Talapatra and Arindam Lodh.Leaders of different
political parties, senior police officers, civil officials, and para-military
officers were also present along with seven sitting judges of Bombay High Court
and two sitting judges of Gujarat High Court. IANS
Bhopal gas tragedy activist Abdul Jabbar dies
Abdul
Jabbar, whose name had for the past 35 years become synonymous with Bhopal gas
tragedy survivors’ battle for better rehabilitation and health facilities, died
on Thursday-- in near penury and for want of proper treatment through 2 months’
of hospitalisation.For all the funds he raised to help the fellow citizens
affected by the poisonous gas, his own modest means prevented Jabbar from
getting a good treatment. 62-year-old activist, who fought for justice for
nearly 20,000 victims and thousands of survivors of world’s worst industrial
disaster in recent times, was buried in a graveyard near the Bhopal Railway
station after Friday Namaz with hundreds of his admirers in attendance.nationalheraldindia
Rajasthan Govt Sanctions Rs 1.88 Cr for Madrasas
after Centre Stops Grants
Congress Govt led by CM Ashok Gehlot has
recently sanctioned Rs 1.88 crore for madrasas in the state, after the Centre
stopped giving grants to them under the 'School Suvidha Anudaan' scheme,
bringing these educational institutions to the verge of closure.Rajasthan
Minority Affairs Minister Saleh Mohammad said "Although Modi Govt makes
tall claims for benefits of minority class, but it has shown its real face by
stopping funds for madrasas in Rajasthan. However, due to sensitivity of Gehlot
on this issue,madrasas in Rajasthan have got a new lifeline", he added. In
the current financial year, these madrasas were on the verge of closure as
financial assistance of Rs 9 crore has not been given to 3240 madrasas in
Rajasthan.The central Govt, via Rajasthan School Education Council, was
allocating Rs 5,000 per year for primary education and Rs 12,000 per year for
secondary education to these madrasas. However, in the financial year 2018-19,
these funds have not been released which meant a cash crunch for these
institutes, sources said.IANS
Gujjars miffed at Rajasthan Govt’s bid to include
Muslim nomadic tribes in MBC category
Gujjars
in Rajasthan are again on warpath with the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress Govt. This
time, they are trying to save their 5 % reservation as Most Backward Classes
(MBC). Ashok Gehlot Govt in Rajasthan has started a survey of Muslim nomadic
castes with an intention to include them in MBC. However, Gujjars have
vehemently opposed this move.Himmat Singh Gujjar has said that any reservation
to Muslim castes is un-Islamic. Vijay Bainsla son of Col Kirori Singh Bainsla
who led the Gujjar agitation movement says that Govt can give reservation to
anyone but not from 5 % of MBC. Meanwhile, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is trying
to hit two birds with one stone by winning the Muslim vote bank by giving them
reservation while on the other hand, this move will put Deputy CM Sachin Pilot
under pressure from his own Gujjar community.Muslim Mirasi, Manganiar, Langha,
Dadhi, Nagarchi and Rana are some of Muslim castes set to get a
reservation.Taking to his Twitter handle Vijay Bainsla said that the MBC
society will not tolerate any tampering with MBC 5 % reservation.Times Now
Alwar police cremate 'unclaimed' body of 33-yr-old
Muslim man
Alwar:
An unclaimed body which was cremated by the Alwar police according to Hindu
rituals has turned out to be of a Muslim man. The deceased has been identified
as Irshad. Irshad went missing from Uton village of Haryana on Nov. 5. The
cause of Irshad's death has not been ascertained yet. According to the police,
they had found an unclaimed body in a nullah in Lakkad Chowk, Alwar. A group of
people allegedly came to the police station to identify the body. However, they
could not do the same and returned. Sher Mohammad, ex-head, MEO Panchayat Alwar
accused the police of making a 'goof-up' and said that the police did not let
the deceased's family identify him. He said that when Irshad's family went to
the police station to identify the body, the police sent them away. Instead of
showing the pictures and clothes of the deceased, the police sent Irshad's
family away. The police did not cooperate with the family even as they returned
the next day. Sher condemned the incident and urged the senior authorities to
take action against the persons who are responsible for Irshad's cremation. The
family members of the deceased have claimed that he was murdered and that the
police must investigate the same. timesnownews
#ReleaseAlisohrab trends after reports of
journalist’s arrest by UP Police for tweet on Kamlesh Tiwari
Twitterati
have erupted in anger on reports that the UP Police had arrested journalist Ali
Sohrab for one of his objectionable tweet, posted in the immediate aftermath of
Hindutva leader Kamlesh Tiwari’s murder. According to reports, UP Police
arrested Sohrab, who owns the Twitter handle @kakavaani, from his Delhi
home.Lawyer Anas took to Twitter to inform about Sohrab’s arrest. He wrote, “An
FIR registered in P.S. Hazratganj, Lucknow has resulted in arrest of
@AliSohrab007. Transit remand has been granted. Never agreed with him but we’re
keeping an eye on this development. Speaking to lawyers in Lucknow.”Anas also
said that since none of the charges against Sohrab entailed a punishment of
more than three years, getting a bail should not be difficult.Janta Ka Reporter
made several attempts to get reactions from the Lucknow Police but they were
unavailable for comment.Meanwhile, Twitterati have trended hashtag
#ReleaseAlisohrab demanding his imemdiate release.jantakareporter
BHU backs appointment of Muslim professor to
Sanskrit department amid protests by students
Banaras
Hindu University in UP has backed the appointment of a Muslim professor to its
Sanskrit faculty, PTI reported. The administration of the college said that the
university is committed to providing equal opportunities to everyone,
irrespective of their religion, caste, community or gender.Students of Sanskrit
literature department at the college have been for the past week protesting
against the appointment of Firoz Khan as an assistant professor in the
department.scroll
Delhi is world’s most polluted city; Kolkata,
Mumbai also in top 10, says global air quality monitor
India’s
Capital Delhi is the most polluted city in the world, according to IQ
AirVisual, a Swiss-based group that gathers air-quality data globally. Data also
showed Kolkata and Mumbai on its list as the world’s sixth and ninth most polluted
cities.AirVisual’s data is updated frequently so the Air Quality Index count
and the ranking changes during the day.“Delhi experienced its longest period of
hazardous air pollution on record during late Oct.and early Nov.,”AirVisual
said. “For 9 consecutive days from Sunday, Oct.27, overall Delhi air quality
was in the hazardous zone, a level at which the entire population is likely to
be affected.”4 Chinese cities – Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Beijing –
were also in top 10 polluted list. Remaining 3 cities include Pakistan’s Lahore
at 3rd spot, Tashkent in Uzbekistan at 4th and Kathmandu
in Nepal at the 7th.scroll
Tap water in Mumbai safe for drinking; not in 17
state capitals: Govtstudy
Mumbai
residents need not buy reverse osmosis (RO) water purifiers as a study by the
Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has found samples of tap water collected from
the financial capital compliant with the Indian standards for drinking water,
according to a report.However, other metro cities of Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai
failed in almost 10 out of 11 quality parameters tested by the Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS) which is under the aegis of Consumer Affairs Ministry.
Similarly, samples drawn from 17 other state capitals were not as per the
specification ‘Indian Standard (IS)-10500:2012’ for drinking water.tribuneindia
WORLD
Israeli army launches fresh air raids on Gaza,
targets Hamas
Israel
has said it carried out fresh air raids on the Gaza Strip in response to rocket
fire from the besieged enclave, two days after a precarious ceasefire went into
force following a round of fighting that killed dozens of Palestinians. Israeli
army said its attacks early on Saturday did not target positions of the Islamic
Jihad group but sites belonging to Hamas, which administers the Gaza Strip.
There was no immediate comment by Hamas.The air raids marked the first time
Hamas was targeted since this week's escalation began early on Tuesday with
Israel's targeted assassination of Bahaa Abu al-Ata, a top commander of Islamic
Jihad, the enclave's second-most powerful group after Hamas. After 2 days of
violence, in which 34 Palestinians died but no Israeli fatalities, a ceasefire
was agreed. Fire from both sides was reported on Saturday.In a statement on
Saturday, the Israeli army said it was attacking Hamas targets after "two
rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory" and were
intercepted by air defences. Palestinian security sources told AFP Israeli attacks
were aimed at 2 Hamas sites in the north of the territory.aljazeera
Israeli army to probe 'unexpected' Gaza civilian
deaths
Israel's
military has said it will investigate the death of civilians in Gaza after an
attack that it originally said targeted a leader of Islamic Jihad group.aljazeera
Voting closes in Sri Lanka presidential elections marred by attack on
convoy of Muslims
Colombo:Polls closed this evening after a day of voting for Sri Lanka
next President, an election marred by shots fired at a convoy of Muslims
heading to cast their ballots in what some called a coordinated effort to
disenfranchise minority group.There were no reported injuries in the convoy
attack and police were investigating, said Manjula Gajanayake, spokesman for Colombo-based
Centre for Monitoring Election Violence. The centre said there were reports
elsewhere of minor election law violations, such as supporters influencing
voters near polling stations and distributing mock ballots with party
symbols.Campaigning for Sri Lanka presidential election was dominated by
worries over national security, which was pushed to the forefront after deadly
Islamic State-inspired suicide bomb attacks on Easter Sunday that killed 269
people. At the same time, there fear among both Tamils and Muslims about a
return to power of front-runner Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a hardline former defence
official under his brother, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa brothers
are revered by Sri Lanka Sinhalese Buddhist majority for defeating Tamil Tiger
rebels in 2009 and ending the nation's long-running civil war. But because of
their heavy-handed rule during and after the war, some minorities fear their
return.Results are expected as early as Nov. 17. Muslims attacked today were
part of a convoy organised by Premadasa supporters and was taking them back to
vote in the northern district of Mannar. As they were heading to vote, they
were shot at, pelted with stones and blocked by burning tires hours before
polls opened.Shreen Saroor, an activist working with displaced Muslims, said
the attack made them more determined to vote and they were using public
transport and private vehicles to get to the polling stations in Mannar. There
is a concerted effort to keep the Muslims away from the ballot box, Ratnajeevan
Hoole, a member of the Elections Commission, said.AP
Sri Lanka election: Minorities fear vote result
Car bomb kills at least 12 in Syrian town held by
Turkey
A
car bomb exploded today in a northern Syrian town controlled by Turkey-backed
opposition fighters, killing at least 12 people and wounding others, Syrian
opposition activists and Turkey's Defense Ministry said. Northern Syria has
been hit by several explosions that have killed and wounded scores of people
over the past month. That's since Turkey began a military operation against
Kurdish fighters in the wake of Donald Trump's decision to pull the bulk of US
troops out of northern Syria.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights reported that 14 people, including nine civilians, were killed today the
town of al-Bab in Aleppo province.PTI
Turkey: Over 6,000 Syrians moved from Istanbul
Turkey
has sent more than 6,000 Syrian migrants in Istanbul to temporary housing
centres in other provinces since early July, local governor’s office said on
Friday, two weeks after a deadline for Syrians not registered in the city to
leave.Authorities had given Syrians not registered in Istanbul until October 30
to move to another province or face forced removal from the city, reported
Reuters. middleeastmonitor
Tunisia: Habib Jemli tasked with forming a new Govt
Tunisia's
recently elected President Kais Saied has tasked agricultural engineer Habib
Jemli with forming a Govt after the Ennahdha party nominated him for the PM's
job.After the announcement on Friday, Jemli said cabinet members will be chosen
on "their competence and integrity, regardless of their political
affiliation", in a video posted on the presidency's Facebook page. Jemli,
who described himself as an independent, served as a junior minister in the
first Ennahda-led Govt formed in late 2011 after the fall of longtime ruler
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to a pro-democracy uprising. The 60-year-old has two
months to form a coalition out of a deeply fractured Parliament in which
Ennahdha, as the largest party, took only a quarter of the seats in last
month's election. In case Jemli fails, Saied will nominate another PM.Tunisia's
new Parliament on Wednesday elected Ennahdha's Rached Ghannouchi as its speaker
after the rival Heart of Tunisia party backed him, opening the way for a
possible coalition Govt between them. Any new Govt will need the support of at
least two other parties to command even the minimum parliamentary majority of
109 seats needed to pass legislation.aljazeera
Bill Gates tops Jeff Bezos as world’s richest
person with Amazon slide
Microsoft
Corp. co-founder Bill Gates overtook Amazon.com Inc.’s Jeff Bezos as the
world’s richest person on Friday, reclaiming the top ranking for the first time
in more than 2 years.Gates may have been helped in part by the Pentagon’s
surprise decision announced Oct. 25 to award a $10 billion cloud-computing
contract to Microsoft over Amazon. Shares of Microsoft have since climbed 4%,
giving Gates a $110 billion fortune, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires
Index. Amazon’s stock is down about 2% since the announcement, putting Bezos’s
net worth at $108.7 billion.Gates, 64, had briefly topped Bezos, 55, on an
intraday basis last month after Amazon posted its first profit drop in two
years, but shares of the world’s biggest online retailer pared the decline.Bloomberg
Flash:
NEWS, views and Articles
Babri Masjid demolition trial is a textbook example
of how delayed justice can be:Ananya Bhardwaj
Fact Check: Afghan and Turkish mosques passed off
as Babri Masjid
Inheritance of Loss | Muslim Viewpoint:Rahul
Noronha
Ayodhya verdict offers justice for some, but not
fairness for all:Shah Alam Khan
BJP has been effective in transmitting its version
of Indian history to the next generation of learners:Christophe Jaffrelot
Ayodhya verdict: Misrepresentations, half-truths
and lies being propagated on ruling a result of serious misreading of judgment:
Kartikeya Tanna
Why Sikhs Don't See Khalistan Terror Through
Kartarpur Corridor as a Serious Threat:Chander Suta Dogra
Jaishankar’s foreign policy audit sits uneasy with
his reading of current global situation:Rajesh Rajagopalan
Minority communities’ trust in system and Govt
stands shaken and hurt : Humra Quraishi
‘Bitter truths must remain in memory’: CJI Ranjan
Gogoi refuses interview requests on last day
UP CM, his Deputy fling corruption charges at each
other
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