17 NOV.
2019: 19 Rabiul Awwal 1441: Vol: 12, No: 59
INDIA: BABRI MASJID VERDICT
Ayodhya: AIMPLB to file review plea, rejects land
offer
Luchnow:All
India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) today declared that it will file a
review petition against the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya issue.AIMPLB also
decided not to accept 5-acre land for the mosque at an alternative site since
it is against the tenets of Islam. “We have decided to file a review petition
as we cannot accept any other land except that meant for the masjid. Thus land
offered would not be accepted,”AIMPLB member SQR Ilyas said while addressing
the media after their meeting. Senior AIMPLB member and convener of All India
Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMAC) Zafaryab Jilani said that the case had
been filed in court on behalf of all Muslims and the board was representing the
sentiments of the community which wanted to exercise its constitutional rights
and file a review petition. Jilani said in reply to a question that senior lawyer
Rajiv Dhawan would continue as their lawyer and they would try to file the
petition within 30 days of the judgment. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Arshad
Madani, who attended the board meeting, told reporters that he approved of the
decision to file a review petition."Though we do not have much hope and
know that the petition will be dismissed, we will still file a review petition.
It is our right,"he said. Reacting to Babri plaintiff Iqbal Ansari's
refusal to file a review petition, Jilani said that the board was exercising
its constitutional right and there was no politics in the issue. He said that
Ansari was probably being pressured by the district administration not to file
a review petition. The board spokespersons said that the SC verdict was
self-contradictory."The court has accepted the fact that namaaz was
offered on the site and that idols were forcibly placed at the site on the
night on Dec.22-23, 1949. The SC judges also ignored the fact that under Waqf
rules, the place of mosque cannot be shifted. There was also no proof of any
temple under the domes of the demolished mosque," they said. They said
that they had not contested the case for an alternative land. Earlier in the
day, the venue of the board meeting was hurriedly changed from Darul Uloom
Nadwatul Ulama to Mumtaz Degree College,following protests by supporters of
Maulana Salman Nadvi. Jilani, however, told reporters that officials from the
district administration had tried to stop the meeting at Nadwa and hence the venue
had to be changed.Members who had arrived at the venue were taken to Mumtaz
Degree College and the media was not informed of the venue. These included
senior leaders Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, vice president Maulana
Jalaluddin Umri, Asma Zahra of the women's wing, board secretary Maulana Wali
Rehmani, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and president of Jamait Arshad Madni. UP
minister Mohsin Raza, meanwhile, said that AIMPLB was trying to derive
political mileage and was also attempting to vitiate the atmosphere by holding
a meeting after the verdict had been welcomed by the entire country. He
demanded a probe into the funding of AIMPLB.IANS/PTI / indianexpress
Ayodhya: AIMPLB, Jamiat to file review petition
Over 103 eminent citizens, scholars call for
Ayodhya verdict review
New
Delhi:Over 103 academics, authors and artistes including prominent economist
Prabhat Patnaik and political scientist Zoya Hasan have publicly called for a
review of the Supreme Court verdict empowering the Centre to build a temple at
site where Babri Masjid once stood. According to The Telegraph, the statement,
issued through CPM-backed Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust, has been signed by 103
people.Some of the prominent signatories are political scientists C.P. Bhambri
and Zoya Hasan; economists Prabhat Patnaik, Utsa Patnaik, C.P. Chandrashekhar
and Jayati Ghosh; historians D.N. Jha, Irfan Habib and Shireen Moosvi;
journalists Antara Dev Sen, Sukumar Muralidharan, Anand Sahay and Pamela
Philipose; theatre artistes M.K. Raina, N.K. Sharma and Keval Arora; and former
bureaucrat Wajahat Habibullah.The signatories said: “Finally, the court’s
assigning to the government of India the task of setting up a Hindu religious
trust to build the future Rama temple on the Babri Masjid site implies that in
the court’s view it is the government’s duty to cater to Hindu religious
interests.This surely is hardly in consonance with the supposed secular nature
of our state. We, the undersigned, therefore, earnestly urge the Supreme Court
to review its judgment.”Supriya Varma, an archaeology professor at JNU who
appeared as a prosecution witness in the case and objected to an ASI report
that claimed that a non-Muslim structure predated the mosque at Ayodhya site, is
also a signatory.Telegraph/Caravandaily
More land needed to create Ayodhya temple township:
Architect
After
the Supreme Court ordered construction of a Ram Temple on the disputed site in
Ayodhya, the main architect of temple, Chandrakant Sompura said today more land
would be needed to create a township for the temple. Sompura, who made the
design for Ram Mandir nearly 30 years ago, said: "The construction of the
temple itself would not take up much space, but for the construction of the
township, we need more land." "Right now, we have included a hall for
food, a bhog shala, a Pujari quarter, and also a place for visitors to stay. However,
we need to construct hospitals and hotels, so that it will be a township of its
own and attract people from all across the country and even foreigners,"
he added. Sompura also said that the temple will consist of nearly 250 pillars,
and that each pillar will contain nearly 16 statues of Ram.While speaking on
the estimated cost of the project, Sompura said: "the completion of the
project would cost nearly Rs. 50-60 crores, excluding the development
cost."ANI
POLITICS
Congress-NCP pay homage to Bal Thackeray for first
time amidst Maha impasse; Fadnavis heckled by Sena workers
For
the first time, Congress and NCP paid homage to the founder of Shiv Sena, the
late Bal Thackeray on his seventh death anniversary and later BJP also joined
in, today. The day started with thousands of Shiv Sainiks coming from across
Maharashtra and queuing up at 'Shivtirth' for their turn to offer tributes to
the charismatic and firebrand leader who passed away on this day in 2012.Later,
NCP state president Jayant Patil, ex Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and
Jitendra Awhad, also reached Shivaji Park - where 'Shivtirth' is situated - and
paid their respects.An erstwhile close confidante of the late leader, Bhujbal
was seen getting emotional and later recalled the relationship he enjoyed with
the late Thackeray.NCP President Sharad Pawar who is in Pune paid rich tributes
to the leader, describing him as a person who kindled pride in the Marathi
'manoos', was known for his courageous personality through which he gave a
direction to society and politics. Congress leaders including Bhai Jagtap came
and paid homage and recalled his services to the state and people of
Maharashtra. Subsequently, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, his wife Rashmi,
other family members and top party leaders entered Shivaji Park and offered
floral tributes, bowed before a statue of late Thackeray and paid homage.Ex CM
Devendra Fadnavis was heckled by some slogan-shouting workers of the Shiv Sena
as he left Shivaji Park here after paying tribute to Bal Thackeray. Some
workers of the Shiv Sena, which recently snapped ties with the BJP, standing
close to the former CM's convoy shouted in Marathi Fadnavis' assembly poll
campaign slogan: 'I will be back (as CM)' along with Sena's traditional
'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai' war cry.Fadnavis and his entourage, which
included several senior BJP leaders, moved on without reacting to the
jeers.IANS /PTI
Sena MPs To Sit In Opposition Benches In Both
Houses: Union Minister
Shiv
Sena MPs are being allotted seats on the opposition side in both houses of
parliament as its minister has resigned and party is "working out"
alliance with Congress and NCP to form government in Maharashtra, Parliamentary
Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said. The party said on Saturday that it would
not attend a meeting of NDA constituents on the eve of the winter session of
Parliament."Shiv Sena's minister has resigned from NDA government... they
are not attending today''s NDA meeting and working out alliance with the
Congress and the NCP. So it is natural that they will be allotted seats on the
opposition side in both houses," Joshi told reporters after the all-party
meeting.PTI
Parliament winter session: PM Modi says open to
discussion on all issues; Opposition demands Farooq Abdullah’s presence
A
day before the Parliament winter session is set to begin, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi Sunday assured that the government will discuss all issues as Opposition
demanded that detained Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah be allowed to attend the
House. The demand was raised during an all-party meeting attended by the prime
minister today.“Govt is ready to discuss all issues within the framework of
rules and procedures of Houses,”Modi was quoted as saying by PTI.At govt-convened
meeting, Opposition demanded that issues of economic slowdown, job loss and
farm distress must be discussed during the session, Congress’ leader in Lok Sabha
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. Farooq Abdullah’s detention was also raised at the
all-party meet, NC MP Hasnain Masoodi said, adding that the government is under
constitutional obligation to ensure his participation in the Parliament session.
“How can a parliamentarian be detained illegally? He should be allowed to
attend Parliament,”Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said. Congress
also demanded that ex finance minister P Chidambaram be allowed to attend the
session. “Past precedents are such that MPs have been allowed to attend
Parliament sessions even if their cases were being heard.indianexpress
‘Govt should not mistake us Nagas for Kashmir’
80
kms to the north of Imphal city, atop a hill, lies Ukhrul. An uneasy calm is
palpable in the town, headquarters of one of Manipur’s 5 Naga districts. At the
heart of it, next to a new statue of Mahatma Gandhi —old one was vandalised
ahead of the 2014 general elections — a banner announces a candle-light vigil
“for an inclusive, honourable solution… for lasting peace in our Naga
Homeland”. The other signs of the long-lasting demand for Greater Nagaland,
going back to the early 20th century, have gone “underground”. They include
cadres of the main NSCN (I-M) camp in Hebron, Nagaland, as well as other camps
in the state and Manipur, who have “gone to jungles” in preparation for what
might happen now that the Oct. 31 deadline for final Naga peace accord has
lapsed. Around 300 are estimated to have crossed over into Myanmar. Indian
government too has rushed in forces, apprehensive of what may follow. The
fulcrum of much of the developments is Ukhrul home of NSCN (I-M) supremo
Thuingaleng Muivah, one of the tallest leaders of Naga movement and chief
negotiator in the talks with the government. For six decades, Naga leaders such
as Muivah, late comrade Issak Chisi Swu and ex-ally S S Khaplang, have held off
the might of the Indian State — while supporting almost all the armed
rebellions in Northeast.The ceasefire, signed between I K Gujral-led government
and NSCN (I-M) in 1997, marked a pause in an armed conflict that had claimed hundreds
of lives by then. In 2015, amidst much fanfare, Modi-led NDA-I govt announced
that the two sides had reached a ‘framework agreement’, without revealing the
contours of it. 5 years later, there is no clarity still,with the ceasefire now
hanging by a thread.indianexpress
SOUTH ASIA AND J&K
Kashmir: If Govt Depts want internet, heads have to
take responsibility for any misuse
Srinagar:
Government departments in Kashmir can get back their internet services only
with a rider: the head of the department will be held responsible for any
misuse. This is part of an undertaking that field departments in Kashmir are
required to submit to the Jammu and Kashmir police to seek restoration of
internet facilities in their offices to carry out department work. The
government-enforced internet gag in the restive Valley completes 105 days on
Sunday. This unprecedented step, according to many officials The Wire spoke to,
has badly hit work culture in the Valley – where a governance deficit continues
to add to people’s woes.The prevailing situation, a senior official from the
engineering department said, forced field departments to take up the matter
with the respective administrative heads at the civil secretariat, highest seat
of governance in J&K.After days of deliberations, the government brought issue
to the notice of security agencies.thewire
Don’t Air Iran, Turkish, Malaysian TV Channels:
I&B Ministry Tells J&K Cable Operators
Information
and Broadcasting Ministry today asked cable operators of Kashmir Valley not to
air any channel from Iran, Turkey and Malaysia.A senior official of the
Ministry Vikram Sahay had a long meeting with cable operators, here in
Srinagar, at the Information Department office.In the meeting, according to
operators, the official read out Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and
directed them to adhere to the regulations of the law. Sahay, who is the joint
secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, told the operators that
they are violating the law by airing channels from 'Muslims' countries,
especially Iran, Turkey and Malaysia. Sahay was told that while no channel from
Malaysia was being aired in the Valley. Sehar TV, a religious channel of Iran,
was being aired as it is watched by the Shia community. The operators also told
the official that Al-Arabiya channel-run by Saudi Arabia-was also being aired.
The official said that both, Al-Arabiya and Sehar TV shouldn’t be aired in the
region.In the meeting, the official also sought information from the operators
about the most popular TV shows in Kashmir. However, the operators, while
talking to the media after the meeting with Sahay, said that the internet
blockade is posing difficulties for them and they are unable to fully control
their operation and some channels automatically prop up.The operators brought
to the notice of ministry official that religious channels like Astha were
being aired in the Valley.Sahay refused to talk to media persons. outlookindia
Caught on TV: Ex-Army officer wants ‘death for
death, rape for rape’ in favour of Kashmiri Pandits
Retired
Major General SP Sinha has stirred a controversy by asking for “death in return
for death, and rape in return for rape” to avenge atrocities against Kashmiri
Pandits during their exodus from Kashmir in 1990. The former Army officer made
the comments while appearing on a live debate on Hindi news channel TV9
Bharatvarsh. His statements were met with strong disapproval from other
panelists, much of the audience, and the moderator, journalist Sumaira Sheikh.
Some sections of the audience, however, approved, though they reprimanded by
Sheikh.scroll
Detained J&K politicians shifted to MLA Hostel,
Mufti’s daughter claims leaders ‘roughed up’
New
Delhi:As Srinagar continues to battle harsh weather conditions, the Jammu and
Kashmir administration on Sunday shifted all 34 political leaders who had been
detained at the Centaur Hotel since August 5 to MLA Hostel, officials said.PDP
chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti claimed that leaders like Sajad
Lone, Waheed Para, and Shah Faesal were “roughed up” during the transfer.“SKICC
detainees shifted to MLA hostel, Srinagar today. Police manhandled them &
roughed up Sajad Lone, Waheed Para & Shah Faesal. Is this how you treat
elected representatives? Why humiliate them? J&K is under martial law &
police seems be inebriated with power,” Iltija tweeted from Mehbooba’s handle.“The
same Waheed Para whose work for strengthening democracy in J&K was lauded
by former Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh.The very same Shah Faesal who was
called Kashmir’s role model when he topped UPSC exam. Once appreciated &
now humiliated. Why?” Twitter thread added.On Friday, Mehbooba was also shifted
from her accommodation in Chashma Shahi to a government residential quarters in
Srinagar, close to the city centre of Lalchowk.She was the first mainstream
political leader to be shifted to a different location following their arrest
after the abrogation of Article 370.“She was shifted in the afternoon today. We
had requested the government to shift her because the hut where she was kept
was not fully equipped for Kashmir’s winters. I had written a letter a month
ago,” Iltija said.indianexpress
J&K: 5 suspects arrested in Sopore area of
Baramulla district
5
terror suspects were arrested on Saturday by a joint team of police and
security forces in the Sopore area of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district,
news agencies reported.Kashmir Zone Police, in a statement, said, "Sopore
Police has arrested three individuals for threatening and intimidating locals
in the area. Incriminating materials, including threat posters of LeT outfit,
were recovered. A case has been registered." Later J&K police stated
that 2 terrorist associates were arrested today - Ulfat Bashir Mir & Aijaz
Ahmad Bhat - at Kupwara Bypass crossing. Incriminating materials, including
ammunition, were recovered. As per initial investigation, both are linked to
Lashkar-e-Taiba and a case has been registered against them for the same, the
police said.dnaindia
J-K: Army man killed, 3 injured in IED blast in
Akhnoor
New
Delhi :One Army jawan was killed and two others were injured in an IED blast in
Akhnoor of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place near LoC in Palanwala
sector of the area.indianexpress
BJP leader Nirmal Singh removed as Jammu And
Kashmir assembly speaker
Jammu:
Jammu and Kashmir administration headed by Lt Governor GC Murmu has issued a
notification ending the tenure of legislative assembly Speaker and senior BJP
leader Nirmal Singh who was appointed to the post under provisions of
now-revoked J&K Constitution.The order comes days after several political
parties, especially the Jammu-based National Panthers Party (NPP), questioned
Mr Singh's continuation on his post despite the dissolution of the Assembly,
scrapping of provisions of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state
into two Union Territories.PTI
OTHERS
Allahabad HC seeks Centre, UP govt to come clear on
issue of merger of Shia, Sunni waqf
boards
Lucknow
bench of Allahabad High Court asked both Central and Uttar Pradesh government
to clear their stand on the issue of the merger of Shia and Sunni Waqf Boards
into a common Muslim Waqf Board.The court also asked both the govts to pass appropriate
orders on a PIL seeking quashing of Shia and Sunni waqf boards in UP and
establishing a single waqf board to be called Muslim Waqf Board.Passing the
order on Friday evening, the bench comprising Justice Pankaj Kumar Jaiswal and
Justice Alok Mathur explained that it was not passing any order on the merit of
the case. Petitioner Hussain had petitioned the high court seeking disbandment
of 2 separate waqf boards referring to Section 13 (2) of the Waqf Act.The Act
provides that the state government is empowered to set up separate waqf boards
for Shia and Sunni sects only upon the satisfaction of either of two
conditions: one, the number of Shia waqfs is more than 15 per cent of all waqfs
in the state. Two, the income of the properties of Shia waqfs in the state is
more than 15 per cent of the total income of properties of the waqfs in the
state.newindianexpress
Salman Hasani should quit, Maulana Rabey Hasani
writes: Siasat report
Maulana
Salman Nadvi informed that he has received a letter written by Maulana Rabey
Nadvi, Rector of Nadwat-ul-Ulema of Lucknow in which he has advised him to
tender his resignation as he has reached the age of superannuation. Extension
of his service may not be possible in view of the stand taken by him. If he
does not tender his resignation, action would be taken against him, the letter
says.Reacting to this, Salman Nadvi told that so far, he has been abiding by
the traditions but there is a limit to it. He pointed out that there are many
aged teachers who are a continuation in the institution despite their
retirement and some of them are so old that they can’t even read the texts
properly but they are being continued in service. Why can’t they be dismissed,
he asked. There are also teachers who remain absent from classes and do not
complete the syllabus.Salman Nadvi pointed out that the managing committee
can’t take any decision against him without hearing his version. If any action
is taken against him, it would be unconstitutional, he said. If this is done,
legal action will be launched.Criticizing Maulana Rabey Hasani, Salman Hasani
told that Maulana Rabey Nadvi wants to appoint his son-in-law, Maulana Hamza
Nadvi as his successor which would not materialize.He raised the issues of
giving certain facilities to the students of Bhatkal and asked why are not
these facilities provided to the students belonging to Kashmir.siasat.com
‘Muslim women have to reclaim their lost space’,
says journalist Ziya Us Salam
At
a time the Supreme Court has clubbed the issue of women’s entry to the
Sabarimala temple in Kerala along with similar issues such as the entry of
Muslim women to mosques, journalist Ziya Us Salam’s ‘Women in Masjid: A Quest
for Justice’ couldn’t have come out at a more opportune time.He says its high
time mosques in India opened their doors to women. Salam said, "the tacit
ban on women’s entry is a result of sustained indoctrination. Many women have
forgotten the rights conferred on them by the Quran. The way forward comes from
looking back. Look back to the sunnah (way of life) of Prophet Muhammad.He
permitted women to enter mosques. Quran permits them as well. The answer lies
in following the Prophet. Who are maulanas to deny what is sanctioned by the
Quran?Also, sooner or later, mosques will have to make provisions for women.They
are admitted in West Asia, US, Europe. Why not India? The book states that
Muslim women enjoyed greater freedom during Delhi Sultanate and Mughal
rule."newindianexpress
Assam NRC: Office functions without newly-appointed
state coordinator, work hangs midway
Guwahati:Process
to prepare the “speaking orders” by office of NRC is likely to get delayed as
it is functioning without the boss.The speaking orders will be issued to over
19 lakh people left out of NRC citing the reasons behind their exclusions. The
process will be followed by the filing of appeals in various foreigners’
tribunals by those excluded challenging their exclusions.They will get 120 days
time to file the appeals.Recently, the state government appointed Hitesh Dev
Sarma,who is an officer of Assam Civil Services, as NRC state coordinator. He
replaced IAS officer Prateek Hajela who was transferred to his home state
Madhya Pradesh by the government in deference to an order passed by the Supreme
Court.While people were expecting Sarma to assume charge to expedite the work,
he went on a month-long leave. The development comes even as some opposition
parties are going for his jugular after they accused him of being “communal”
and “biased”. They are demanding government revoke his appointment. Sarma
allegedly made some controversial comments on Facebook on the issue of the
NRC.newindianexpress
Air India, Bharat Petroleum to be sold by March
2020, social media shocked
A
flood of responses started pouring in on Sunday, after Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman’s announcement of selling the shares of Air India and oil refiner,
marketer BPCL. From sarcastic comments
to hilarious one yet again, twitter has received one more reason to debate and
discuss over a current issue.One of the users wrote that it’s an extremely
decision and also said that they should sell PSUs as they are a burden for the
poor of this country. If Atal Bihari Vajpayee can privatise with half seats
then Modiji can also do very well.Another user wrote that it proves that the
government is unable to run its own organizations successfully. They just want
to get rid of them instead of making strategies to make them profitable.Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while speaking to a leading daily that the
government is looking for an investor for Air India and oil refiner, marketer
BPCL as they are planning to wrap up the sale by March. While speaking to a
leading daily, Sitharaman an investor showed interest in Air India. This is the
same sale, which was aborted a year ago, due to slightly warm
response.Additionally, the minister pointed out that as the tax collections are
under stress, the government is banking on receipts from the disinvestment to
shore up revenues. Due to the right decision timing, several sectors have come
out of the distress. Moreover, the strategic disinvestment of the two state-run
companies is critical. It is available for the government to meet its disinvestment
target of Rs 1 lakh crore for the current fiscal year.However, Sitharaman said
that she expected GST collections to be revived. There were signs of revival in
consumer sentiment.Regarding the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on Essar Steel,
the minister said the ruling strengthened the constitutionality and legal
strength of IBC law resulting into a significant impact on the balance sheets
of banks in the next quarter.She further stated that consumer sentiment has
shown some signs of revival which was manifested in demand of nearly Rs 1.8
lakh crore. newsx
PMC Bank Scam: Ex-BJP MLA's Son and Bank Director
Rajneet Singh Arrested
Mumbai:
One of the directors of the scam-hit Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC)
Bank, Rajneet Singh, son of ex-BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singh, was on Saturday
arrested by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), an official
said.Rajneet was taken into custody in the evening at the EOW office, as
investigators found his replies on the loan granted to the realty group HDIL,
which has failed to repay, unsatisfactory and unconvincing, according to the
official.Besides being a director, Rajneet is also a member of the loan
recovery committee of the bank, he said.Rajneet was questioned over the loan
provided by the bank to HDIL group companies and the steps taken, if any, to
recover the pending dues, the official added.“Rajneet provided unsatisfactory
and unconvincing explanations, which hints at his likely role in the scam,” he
said, adding that Rajneet will be produced before a holiday court and his
police remand will be sought.PTI
Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank report NPA
divergences; losses widen for 2019
New
Delhi:State-owned Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank have reported
divergences in their bad loans for fiscal ended March 2019, resulting into
widening of net losses for the year.Chennai-headquartered Indian Overseas Bank
has reported a net non-performing asset (NPA) divergence of Rs 358 crore for
2018-19, due to which the divergence in provisioning came in at Rs 2,208 crore,
according to a regulatory filing by the bank.The bank has an adjusted loss of
Rs 5,999.88 crore in the fiscal ended March 2019, higher than Rs 3,737.88 crore
reported earlier, due to the divergence.Banks have to report divergence in
asset classification and provisioning for NPAs as per the risk assessment Report
of RBI subject to certain conditions, which is the gap between the bad loans as
declared by lenders and that assessed by the regulator.Bank of India on the
other hand had a fall in its net NPA divergence by Rs 329 crore for 2018-19,
because NPAs reported by the bank were higher than that assessed by RBI.PTI
FIR registered in connection with 'vandalism' of
JNU's administration block
Delhi
police have registered an FIR in connection with the "vandalism" of
administration block of the JNU last week, officials said today.A complaint was
submitted by chief security officer of JNU on Thursday evening, following which
an FIR was registered against unidentified persons on Saturday, police said.
The administration had submitted photographic and videographic evidence in the
matter.On Wednesday, students had painted various messages for V-C inside the
administration block as they barged inside the building to talk to him about
the hostel fee hike. Left-backed AISA condemned the registration of FIR.2 other
complaints — one by professor Buddha Singh, chairman of Swami Vivekananda
Statue Installation Committee and another by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha —
were filed on Saturday against "objectionable" messages written on
base of a statue of Swami Vivekananda.PTI
Another Person Arrested in UP's Kushinagar Mosque
Blast Case
Gorakhpur:
One more person was held in connection with the Kushinagar mosque blast case,
taking the total number of arrests to 7, a senior police official said. 7th
accused in the blast case was arrested in Turkpatti police station area of
Kushinagar district late Friday night, SHO Sanjay Kumar said. He identified the
man as Salauddin Ansari alias Munna.PTI
Telangana: Journalist Critical of Central, State
Govts Charged Under UAPA
New
Delhi: In what appears to be yet another case of the government punishing
journalists for their critical writing, the Telangana police charged N. Venugopal,
editor of Telugu monthly journal Veekshanam, under UAPA and Telangana Public
Security Act, among other stringent laws.Although he has not been arrested, he
was booked as the seventh accused in a case of Maoist conspiracy against the
state.Venugopal has been a severe critic of the majoritarian leanings of the
Modi government as well as of K. Chandrashekar Rao-led TRS government in the
state. He was one of the most important civil society voices advocating for a
separate Telangana state. However, since the formation of the state, he has
emerged as one of the strongest critics of TRS establishment and its alleged
“anti-people policies”.In the remand case diary, the police named him as an
accused and said that he is a member of “Viplava Rachayitala Sangham(Revolutionary
Writers Association)”. Popularly known as “Virasam”, the forum was founded by
Varavara Rao and is known for its radical Left positions. However, Veekshanam’s
editorial team said that Venugopal has ceased to be associated with Virasam
since 2009, following a “controversy on an article he wrote at that
time”.thewire
Kerala: Event put off in view of Hindu marriage,
village to mark Milad-un-Nabi today
Muslims
of a village in Kerala’s Kozhikode district will celebrate Milad-un-Nabi, the
birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, a week later, on Sunday, after having
postponed the event on its original date, November 10, as a friendly gesture to
accommodate and help smooth conduct of a Hindu wedding at a house opposite the
local mosque.Jama Masjid at Edivetti village, under Changaroth panchayat of
Kozhikode, sits right across the house of Indira Nambiar, whose daughter
Prathyusha, a post-graduate student, got married last Sunday. Mahallu committee
(local committee) secretary NC Abdurahiman said, “Hindu family had already
fixed the wedding for Nov.10. They did not realise it was Milad-un-Nabi.
Functions take place through the day during a marriage, and we would have also
conducted many cultural events (on Milad-un-Nabi). We decided to postpone the
functions at the mosque to avoid disturbing the marriage function.”Indira
Nambiar said they did not imagine that the mosque would postpone its functions
for her daughter’s wedding. “The mahallu committee told us that they were
postponing their event to November 17 to help us. We did not make any such
request. Many members of the masjid came to our house to bless my daughter that
day,” she said.indianexpress
FIR against activists after offering prayers to
Godse
Gwalior:MP
police have registered an FIR against some activists, two days after they
worshipped Nathuram Godse here on his ''70th sacrifice day'' and distributed
leaftlets that denigrated Mahatma Gandhi. FIR was lodged by Congress activist
Ravindra Chouhan, who said that he was handed a leaflet on Thursday that used
objectionable language for Gandhi adding that his feelings and those of others
who follow Gandhi''s ideals had been hurt.ADG Rajababu Singh said teams have
been dispatched to arrest outfit''s leader Naresh Batham and his associates,
and no one would be spared.IANS
Vehicles torched outside agency that acquired
farmland in Unnao for township
New
Delhi :A day after farmers clashed with police during a protest against land
acquisition in Unnao, several plastic
pipes and vehicles outside a state agency godown were torched on Sunday.The
incident occurred around 11 am outside the godown of the Uttar Pradesh State
Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), which acquired the land for the Trans-Ganga
City project near Kanpur.“Some anti-social elements had set fire to plastic
pipes kept outside the godown. Apart from this, two vehicles were also set
afire,” Additional District Magistrate Rakesh Singh was quoted as saying by
PTI. Adding that action will be taken against the culprits, the DM further
mentioned that there has been no loss of life in the incident.indianexpress
60% jump in farm fires between 2002-2016: Study
New
Delhi:Between 2002 and 2016, fire count in Punjab’s fields increased by 60%, a
study that has drawn a link between rising paddy productivity and stubble
burning in the state suggests.According to the study, ‘Connecting Crop
Productivity, Residue Fires, and Air Quality over Northern India’, published in
the journal Nature, rice production in Punjab increased by 25% and vegetation
index by 21% between 2002 and 2016. Crop residue is estimated to be 1.5 to 2.25
times the quantity of the crop.The rise in fire counts led to an increase in
aerosol loading by nearly 43%, which are fine particles suspended in the air that
cause air quality to deteriorate and aid formation of haze and smog, over not
just Delhi but the Indo-Gangetic plain, the study said. It also noted a 60%
spike in the concentration of ground-level particulate matter of 2.5
micrometres over Delhi post-monsoon.indianexpress
Are you Pakistani? Are you a terrorist? Questions Muslim
children face at school
Stereotypes
about the Muslim community have entered into classrooms and playgrounds, seeping
in from the polarising rhetoric prevailing in the larger world of politics,
society, mass media and social media.
9-year-old Zoya* found herself answering a rather confounding question
at her Delhi school recently: does her father make bombs at home? What led to
the question? The classmate had seen a picture of Zoya’s father in her school
diary, in which he has a beard.Things slowly got worse. Zoya’s classmates would
often refuse to sit with her during lunch because they assumed that she was
eating meat. “As if dal and chapatti don’t exist in a Muslim’s diet,” says her
father Irfan Ahmed, a journalist. “This is such a stupid stereotype, that
Muslims are always gorging on beef or mutton or whatever.” As these instances
became more common, Ahmed taught his daughters to stand up to the bullying and
not back down.Fathima still remembers the day her 11-year-old son Abdul came
back from school and asked if being a Muslim was a ‘bad thing’. “He said he did
not want to go back to school. He was in tears,” says Fathima. “When I tried to
find the reason, he asked me why Muslims were called ‘terrorists’. I was
stumped.”Fathima slowly discovered that for nearly 2 years, Abdul had been
bullied in his up-scale school in Bengaluru by a group of boys in class. “My
son was told that as a Muslim he had no place in India and that he should move
to Pakistan,” says Fathima. “He was also repeatedly told that all Muslims were
terrorists. He just couldn’t handle it anymore.”Fathima then complained to the
school, which eventually intervened, disciplined and counselled the bullies,
who apologised to Fathima and Abdul. “But it happened only when I said I would
file a police complaint,” says Fathima. “My son went through harassment only
because he was Muslim.” By then, Abdul had been diagnosed with clinical
depression. Stories like Zoya’s and Abdul’s are far from uncommon in the
country today.“There is an anti-Pakistan, anti-Kashmir, anti-Bangladesh
narrative that is endorsed by mainstream news TV and is unfortunately also
championed by the state and our leaders,” says Natasha Badhwar, writer and
activist.thehindu
WORLD
Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa wins presidency as
Premadasa concedes
Colombo:Gotabaya
Rajapaksa has won Sri Lankan presidency after a closely fought election, as his
main opponent Sajith Premadasa of the ruling United National Party (UNP)
conceded defeat.Rajapaksa, a former defence secretary and brother of 2-time
former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, based his campaign for Saturday's election
on providing strong leadership on national security issues, following
coordinated bombings in April that killed at least 269 people.Rajapaksa secured
victory with 52.25 percent of the vote, according to final results announced by
Sri Lanka's election commission."As we usher in a new journey for Sri
Lanka, we must remember that all Sri Lankans are part of this journey,"
Rajapaksa said in a Twitter post."Let us rejoice peacefully, with dignity
and discipline in the same manner in which we campaigned."Earlier on
Sunday, Premadasa had issued a statement conceding defeat: "At the
conclusion of a hard-fought and spirited election campaign, it is my privilege
to honour the decision of the people and congratulate Gotabaya Rajapaksa on his
election as the seventh President of Sri Lanka."Keheliya Rambukwella,
spokesman for Rajapaksa's SLPPparty, said national security is Rajapaksa's
"primary concern", along with the revival of the economy.Rights
groups have long called for investigations into alleged rights abuses committed
during Rajapaksas previous terms in power, including UN allegations that more
than 40,000 people were killed by security forces in the final days of the
country's civil war in the north, as Tamil rebels took shelter among
civilians."As defence secretary during his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's
decade-long presidency ending in 2015, he was a leading figure in a government
that many minority Tamils and Muslims, as well as opposition politicians, blame
for terrible political violence and repression,"International Crisis
Group's Alan Keenan said earlier this week.aljazeera
Lebanese tycoon Safadi withdraws PM candidacy
Former
Lebanese finance minister and business tycoon Mohammed Safadi has withdrawn his
candidacy to be the next prime minister, amid pressure from protesters who have
been calling for an overhaul of the country's political system.In a statement
released by his office on Saturday, Safadi, 75, said it would be difficult to
form a "harmonious" cabinet supported by all the parties.Safadi added
that he hoped outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri would be designated again for
the post.aljazeera
One month on: Hope, defiance as Lebanon protests
persist
Beirut:
A month has passed since people in Lebanon first took to the streets in what
quickly became a nationwide protest movement against a ruling class seen as
corrupt and incapable of running the country. Hundreds of thousands of people
have taken part, demanding an end to Lebanon's political system where power is
apportioned among ethnic and religious groups, and formation of an independent
technocratic govt to tackle the country's spiralling financial crisis and
improve access to basic services, such as electricity and water.It began on Oct.17
with a small demonstration in Beirut over proposals for new taxes, including on
WhatsApp calls, which soon spread to dozens of towns and cities across the
country. Protesters lit fires on main roads and blocked highways, while banks,
schools and universities closed. Normal life was put on hold as a new
revolutionary reality dawned.aljazeera
Israel-Gaza ceasefire continues to hold
A
shaky ceasefire in and around Gaza has been tested after 2 rockets were fired
towards a town in Israel. Israeli warplanes struck Hamas targets in Gaza in
response. About 34 people died earlier this week in the worst cross-border
fighting in months.aljazeera
WhatsApp blocks hundreds of Palestinian
journalists’ accounts
WhatsApp
has blocked
access to hundreds of Palestinian journalists and activists who were providing
live updates during Israeli offensive on Gaza, Safa news agency reported.This
came less than 24 hours after the end of the two-day Israeli offensive which
resulted in the death of 34 Palestinians and wounded 111 others. Palestinian
journalists and activists, who were active during the Israeli offensive,
reported that their accounts were blocked and they were unable to use them. Gathering
of Palestinian Journalists condemned this step and accused WhatsApp of being
complicit in Israel crimes against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.It also
said that this came as a result of their efforts to disclose the Israeli crimes
against the Palestinian civilians and civil targets.“This is to cover up the
Israeli crimes and this is a continuation of the mother company, Facebook, as
well as Twitter which had banned and blocked pages and accounts of hundreds of
Palestinian journalists and media companies with thousands and millions of
followers,” the group said.middleeastmonitor
Tunisian president hails the resilience of Gaza
Strip
Tunisian
president, Kais Saied, hailed the resilience and steadfastness of the Gaza
Strip in a Facebook post .While he was the first and only Arab president to
post about Gaza, which was under Israeli attack, he wrote “Gaza insists on
remaining the land of dignity.”The president also called on the International
Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities to stop the Israeli attacks
on the people of Palestine.middleeastmonitor
Imminent end of crisis between Qatar and other
Gulf States
Signs
of an imminent end for the crisis between Qatar and the other Gulf States have
been emerging, likely through Kuwaiti mediation.Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Qabas,
reported that the Kuwaiti Emir sent a message to the Saudi King, urging him to
end the crisis.There have been reports that athletes from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
and the UAE are taking part in the Gulf Cup Tournament, to be organised by
Qatar this month.AFP reported that a Qatari delegation is planning to pay an
official visit to Saudi Arabia in the coming few days.According to Bloomberg,
an informed source claims that the solution to the crisis is concentrated on
reinstating Qatari-Saudi relations, hoping that this would end UAE and Bahraini
boycott.middleeastmonitor
‘Absolutely no mercy’: Leaked files show China’s
mass detention of Muslims in officials’ own words
The
students booked their tickets home at the end of the semester, hoping for a
relaxing break after exams and a summer of happy reunions in China’s far
west.Instead, they would be told that their relatives and neighbors were
missing — all of them locked up in an expanding network of detention camps
built to hold Muslim ethnic minorities.Authorities in Xinjiang region were
worried that the situation was a powder keg. And so they prepared. Leadership
distributed a classified directive advising local officials to corner returning
students as soon as they arrived and keep them quiet. It included a guide for
how to handle their questions, beginning with the most obvious: Where is my
family?“They’re in a training school set up by the government,” the prescribed
answer began. If pressed, officials were to tell students that their relatives
were not criminals — yet could not leave these “schools.”The question-and-answer
script also included a barely concealed threat: Students were to be told that
their behavior could either shorten or extend the detention of their
relatives.The directive was among 403 pages of internal documents that have
been shared with New York Times in one of the most significant leaks of govt
papers from inside China’s ruling Communist Party in decades.NYT/TOI
Flash:
NEWS, views and Articles
Liberals must also share responsibility for the
Ayodhya verdict: Did they expect anything different?Purushottam Agrawal
What the Ayodhya judgment makes evident: New India
is a place of 'no Muslim things':Misria Ali
Look at history as sequence of events, not
psyche-soothing myths: Tariq Ghazi
‘Homophobic, misogynist and a bigot’ — meet Jair
Bolsonaro, India’s Republic Day chief guest:Srijan Shukla
For future reference:Ayodhya verdict offers a
precedent to end other such disputes:Soni Mishra
Pakistan’s Kartarpur peace initiative doesn’t come
from a position of weakness:AYESHA SIDDIQA
How Western Media Bias Allows Israel to Get Away
with Murder in Gaza:RAMZY BAROUD
Fifth Column: Rafale was reckless campaign,
Congress has to focus on chinks in Modi’s armour: Tavleen Singh
What would reverberate is for VHP to say sorry for
destruction of Babri Masjid: Meghnad Desai
Gained in translation: In the shadow of
Ayodhya:Khalid Alvi
Parts of Delhi HC Order Denying Chidambaram Bail
Taken From an Unrelated Case:Ravi Nair
‘Wanted employment, not alms’: His fight began with
Bhopal gas leak, lasted till death despite personal cost
Are lies finally running out of steam? Is the truth
catching up with BJP?Rahul Pandey
National Press Day: Indian media has sacrificed
truth at the altar of servitude and largesse
MEA ‘brief’ on Ayodhya verdict skips mention of
1992 mosque demolition
SC should not only be impartial but seen to be
so:SA Aiyar
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:04 PM).
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