*25 DEC. 2019: 27 Rabius Sani 1441:
Vol: 12, No: 92
*
*india:anti-citizenship
act stir*
NPR not linked to NRC, says Amit Shah; Congress terms it a lie, counters
with MHA report
Seeking to put an end to apprehensions about the updation of National
Population Register (NPR), Union home minister Amit Shah said that there is no
link between NPR exercise and NRC. His statements comes on a day that Union
Cabinet approved a proposal to update NPR. In an exclusive interview with ANI,
Shah said that that information obtained through NPR cannot be used for NRC
which was a separate process. He said the union cabinet has not ever discussed
NRC."NPR is register of population, NRC is register of citizens. There is
no link between the two and the 2 have different processes," Shah told
ANI. He also added that information obtained through NPR cannot be used for NRC
which was a separate process.However, the Centre has unequivocally stated in
the past that the two processes are linked. For instance, former minister of
state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju had stated in a reply to a question in
Parliament in May 2015, "It has been decided that NPR should be completed
and taken to its logical conclusion, which is creation of National Register of
Indian Citizen (NRIC) by verification of citizenship status of every usual
resident in NPR and National Identity Cards would be issued to
Citizens."Similarly, a PIB release from 26 Nov.2014 stated, "NPR is a
register of all the usual residents which include citizens and non-citizens as
well. NPR is the first step towards creation of NRIC by verifying the
citizenship status of every usual residents."Shah, in his interview on
Tuesday, also said that PM Narendra Modi was right in saying that there has
been no discussion on a nationwide NRC process "either in Cabinet or Parliament."
However, Shah himself had told Rajya Sabha on 20 November that NRC process will
be carried out across India.Shah also said that NPR will not affect the
nationality status of any citizen of the country. "NPR will not affect
anyone's nationality. Even if somebody's name is missing from NPR, then too,
his citizenship will not be threatened," the home minister said.Shah
asserted that NPR is a continuation of a move started by ex UPA Govt. Soon
after Shah's interview, Congress tweeted:"Once again BJP govt is caught in
a trap of their own making. 2018-19 Annual Report of Union Home Ministry
clearly states NPR is first step to NRC. Also in 2014 ex MoS Home Ministry
Kiren Rijiju replied to a question in RS stating the same."firstpost
Amit Shah says no NPR-NRC link, his Govt linked it 9 times in House
Amit Shah’s U-turn on pan-India NRC: ‘PM Modi was right’, no talks on it
now
NPR set to be new flashpoint, Congress unsure of its own idea
Oppn questions govt''s motives on NPR
NPR will serve as database for NRC, oppose it: Arundhati Roy
New Delhi:Writer and activist Arundhati Roy today claimed that National
Population Register (NPR) will serve as a database for NRC and asked people to
oppose it.Addressing a protest gathering at Delhi University, she also claimed
that the NRC was targeted against Muslims of the countryShe hit out at PM
Narendra Modi, accusing him of "lying" on the NRC issue during a
rally at Ramlila ground on Sunday. PTI
Modi lied on NRC as he has support of pliant media': Arundhati Roy slams
news channels during protest against CAA at Delhi University
Give your name as Ranga Billa, address 7, Race Course Road to NPR
officials: Arundhati to people
'Centre Trying to Fool & Cheat People in Name of NPR': TMC, Oppn
Parties Say It Is 'First Step to NRC'
Kolkata:After union cabinet approved NPR, Trinamool Congress said that
BJP is trying to "fool and cheat" the people of the country as the
population register is the "first step towards NRC".Elaborating, he
said BJP is cheating the people as NPR will be carried out alongside the
census. This will confuse the innocent people who will think it is the census
and not the first step of NRC. To buttress his point, O'Brien said that the Govt
had in a written reply in Parliament in 2014 said that NPR by verifying the
citizenship status of every usual resident is the first step towards creation
of National Register of Indian Citizens.Trinamool Congress, which has been at
the forefront of protests against the proposed NRC and the newly amended
citizenship law, has already stayed the process of updation of NPR in West
Bengal.PTI
CAA-NRC:Women take lead at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh sit-in protest
New Delhi : A sharp voice pierces through the noise of women chatting,
girls giggling and infants bawling. The men are mostly on the margins.“Aap
logon ko bola tha paanch minute chup rehne ke liye; aap wo bhi nahi kar sakte?
(I requested you to keep quiet for five minutes; can’t you even do that?)”A
hush descends. Humera Sayed (22) has effortlessly managed to silence a crowd
comprising women more than twice her age. “The thing is, when I am on stage, I
feel like I own it,” Sayed, pursuing BSc from Delhi University’s Gargi College,
says later.The stage is essentially a makeshift tarpaulin and wooden structure
pitched on a busy thoroughfare in Shaheen Bagh. And the audience — a mass of
women, with children in tow, unruffled by the biting cold.Over the last 10
days, Shaheen Bagh has emerged as the focal point of resistance against the
Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed NRC.While protests at other
places such as Mandi House and Jantar Mantar have come and gone in waves, the
women of Shaheen Bagh have been unrelenting, having vowed not to withdraw their
agitation until CAA is “rolled back” or the Centre “promises not to implement NRC”.
From the stage, there are no fiery speeches, loud sloganeering or flag waving.
Instead, speakers regale the audience with poetry, songs and plays, while a
projector occasionally plays documentaries.“We are not here to oppose anything.
We are here to uphold our Constitution, the only holy book, the Constitution of
Ambedkar. We are telling people that the book is being tinkered with and we
won’t let that happen,” Sayed, who lives in Shaheen Bagh, says. Asked whether
the elders, especially men, take offence to her admonishing them, Sayed says,
“Instead, people ring me up when I don’t turn up.” Explaining why women are
leading the charge here, Adeela, a homemaker, says, “More than anything else,
NRC will have a devastating impact on families. We hold our families together.
More than the men, women from families with limited means are vulnerable in
terms of not having proper documents to establish their identity, let alone
descent.”Shakeela Bano says the visuals of Delhi Police assaulting students of
Jamia Millia Islamia left many women in the area shaken, drawing them to the
protest site. “The women of the families are taking turns. Some come and sit
here during the day, some in the evening, and some sit through the night. It’s
not easy, but necessary,” she adds.Musarrat, sitting on the staircase of a
large garments showroom overlooking the protest, also stresses on “saving
families from being torn apart”. “We have relatives in Assam and have heard how
flawed the system is. The spelling of my name differs from one identify card to
another, which is the case for many in this country. Tomorrow, in the event of
an NRC, what do I do? And (Home Minister) Amit Shah has told a channel that
even Aadhaar and voter IDs won’t be accepted,” she says.While political faces such
as Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, CPM leader Brinda Karat and former
Congress MLA Asif Mohammed Khan have stopped by the gathering, the coordination
work is being done by Aasif Mujtaba (30), a PhD scholar at IIT Delhi.Under
Mujtaba, around six groups of volunteers take care of the safety of women,
preventing the entry of dubious elements, providing medical aid, arranging food
and bedding for those staying overnight.At night, when the performances end,
the organisers screen films using a projector. On Tuesday, Lion of the Desert,
a film set during the reign of Italian dictator Mussolini, was screened.Groups
of policemen posted in the area keep an eye on the gathering from a distance.
Locals said many shopkeepers have approached the police to clear the road,
citing loss of business. The protest has blocked a key stretch —Kalindi Kunj
Road— linking the densely populated Shaheen Bagh with the satellite township of
Noida for 10 days and 11 nights.
Biryani, bankers and burqas: Inside a sit-in protest on an Indian
highway in Shaheen Bagh:Reuters
CAA protest: Shaheen Square soldiers on
CM Kamal Nath refuses to implement CAA in MP; leads march against CAA,
NRC
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kamal-nath-madhya-pradesh-citizenship-amendment-act-6184438/
Bhopal:Denouncing controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, Madhya
Pradesh CM Kamal Nath Wednesday said the new law was against the society,
Constitution and religion and announced it would not be implemented in the
state as long as Congress remained in power.“Any law that is anti-people,
anti-constitution, anti-society, anti-religion will not be implemented in
Madhya Pradesh till Congress is in power,” said Nath after leading a march
against CAA in Bhopal. Congress leader cleared his stand on the legislation.
“Do Modi ji and Amit Shah ji think we are illiterate? We have read the
legislation. We understand their niyat (intention). The question is not what is
written but what is unwritten. The question is not how it will be used but how
it will be misused,” Nath retorted when asked about PM’s comment that
opposition CMs were not informed.Nath said his party also wanted to implement
the National Population Register (NPR), however, without the NRC’s association
with it.“We also wanted the NPR that they have brought, but there was no NRC
associated with it. They are bringing it together, which has made their
intentions clear),” PTI quoted Nath as saying after participating in the
march.At the outset of the protest march, the CM told the crowd he would fight
against the amended Citizenship Act till the end as it was “against the basic
structure of the country”.Besides Nath, CMs of Chhattisgarh, Punjab and West
Bengal have also announced that they will not implement the new citizenship
law.indianexpress
"NRC, CAA Onslaught On Constitution", Says Kamal Nath, Leads
Peace March
Owaisi leads Muslims' delegation, urges TRS govt to stay NPR in
Telangana, saying no difference between NRC, NPR
Hyderabad:AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi along with representatives of a
body of Muslim organisations in Telangana met CM K Chandrasekhar Rao today and
requested him to stay the work on updation of NPR on the lines of
Kerala.Emerging from the meet, Owaisi described it as 'positive' and said they
informed Rao NPR was first step toward NRC. The latter was 'sympathetic' toward
their cause and sought two days time to inform the ruling TRS' stand, he said.
Hyderabad MP, accompanied by representatives of city-based United Muslim Action
Committee in the meeting, said NPR was the first step toward NRC and there was
a necessity for all like-minded parties to come together on the issue.NPR is
the first step towards NRC. We have informed the CM about it. We urged him to
stay implementation of NPR on the lines of Kerala Govt. We gave the order copy
of Kerala,' he told reporters here.Owaisi said the CM told them he would hold
talks with like-minded political parties on NPR issue and if needed organise a
public meeting.He claimed KCR, as Rao is popularly known, asked him to invite
leaders of all political parties to MIM's proposed public meeting in Nizamabad
on Friday on the issue.We will also invite the Congress, CPM and CPI. TRS will
participate. This is an issue to save the country, Owaisi quoted KCR as having
said.Showing some documents, MP said according to Govt websites, NPR is the
first step towards undertaking the proposed NRC.Addressing a protest meeting
against NPR, NRC and CAA at Mahabubnagar late on Tuesday night, he alleged PM
Modi and Home MinisterAmit Shah were not telling the truth with regard to NRC
and detention centres to house suspected illegal immigrants. Referring to
Modi's speech in Ramlila ground in Delhi that there was no discussion on NRC,
he said President in his address in Parliament after the NDA Govt was formed
had said NRC would be brought. Owaisi also said while PM said no detention
centres had been built, a detention centre has come up in Karnataka and a huge
such facility was being built in Assam.PTI
Telangana Muslim leaders meet CM over NPR, NRC
Govt contradicting its stance on NPR: Yechury
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has hit out at Central Govt
over National Population Register (NPR) saying " Govt is contradicting its
stance on the same."He said, "They are doing NPR up-gradation and
have added additional criteria. They are also asking for information on
twenty-one heads. Now it has been said nine times that NPR will be the basis on
which NRC will be created. Now, this is something Govt itself had stated.
Whatever the PM is claiming on NPR was not discussed with us.""Is
there something in the written form which states that NPR will be on the basis
of the NRC. What is its final objective?" he asked.ANI
Karnataka opens first detention centre meant to house illegal immigrants
Bengaluru: Amid nation-wide protests over controversial citizenship law,
the first detention centre in Karnataka, reportedly meant to lodge illegal
immigrants and migrants overstaying in the country, has been opened in
Sondekoppa village near here.The facility with several rooms, a kitchen and
toilets has been kept ready on the directions of the Govt, a social welfare
department official said.However, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai objected to
the term ‘Detention Centre’.Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he had said, “In
qualified terms, it is not a detention centre. There is no purpose per se to
detain someone on the issue of citizenship.”PTI
Won’t Allow Detention Centres for NRC in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray
Tells Muslims
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has assured Muslim community he would
not allow detention centres to be set up in the state under NRC exercise. He
has also reportedly scrapped his predecessor Devendra Fadnavis’ decision to
build the first such centre for illegal immigrants in Nerul in Navi
Mumbai.Thackeray, who met two delegations of Muslim politicians and clerics on
Monday, said the community should not fear being asked to leave the state amid
widespread protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act. The new
law excludes Muslims from an expedited process to acquire citizenship and has sparked
fears that it would render Muslims stateless when NRC is rolled afterwards. Thackeray
told delegation that misinformation is being spread about detention camps.
“That is a system is for foreign nationals who have served their sentence for
the cases related to drugs or other offences. These foreign nationals are kept
in detention camps during the time till they complete their documentation
process for deportation. So, there is no need to fear about it.”He added that
his Govt would not allow any detention camps in state in connection with NRC
and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) when concerns were raised during the
meeting. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra CM also scrapped his Devendra Fadnavis’s
decision to develop the state’s first detention centre for in Navi Mumbai,
Mumbai Mirror reported.news18
Jamaat Urges CMs Not To Implement NRC, NPR Till CAA Is Repealed
New Delhi:Jamaat-e-Islami Hind(JIH) has urged CMs of all the states in
the country not to implement the contentious NRC and stop the process of
National Population Register (NPR) unless Centre assures that it is rolling
back NRC and the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) with immediate
effect. JIH president Sadatullah Hussaini, in separate letters sent to all CMs,
said, “You are the chief representative of the people of your state. You are
duty bound to protect the safety, security and fundamental rights of your
people. We, therefore, urge you to disallow the implementation of the proposed
NRC in your state. As law and order is a state subject, you are quite within
your constitutional rights to ensure the non-implementation of NRC. We also
urge you to stop the process of NPR until the Centre assures the nation that it
will not implement NRC and shall rollback CAA”. indiatomorrow
Jamaat writes to all CMs not to Implement NRC before CAA revoked
After Bengal and Kerala Rajasthan puts NPR on hold
After Bengal and Kerala, the Rajasthan Govt will put stay order on
NPR.Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot told media that in his state NPR will not be
implemented.Gehlot also accused Amit Shah and Narendra Modi of polarising the
country and spreading enmity among different communities.“They (BJP, Modi and
Shah) want to push the country in (an atmosphere of) hatred but we will not let
this happen,” sabrangindia.in quoted him as saying. Gehlot also asked the
central Govt to repeal Citizenship Act.tdnworld.com
Muslims have 150 countries to live, Hindus have one: Gujarat CM Vijay
Rupani
Vadodara :Leading a rally in support of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act
(CAA) at Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani said while
Muslims have 150 countries where they can go to, “for Hindus there is only one
country – Bharat”.BJP on Tuesday took out 62 rallies in different cities of
Gujarat in support of the new citizenship law. While Rupani led a rally in
Ahmedabad, Deputy CM Nitin Patel led one in Mehsana, among many such pro-CAA
marches. Rupani said, “Muslims in India were happy and their population rose
from 9% to 14%…because of the secular Constitution they live a dignified life
in India.”indianexpress
If even one Jharkhandi is uprooted due to CAA, won’t implement it:
Hemant Soren
New Delhi :JMM working president Hemant Soren, who is set to be the CM
of Jharkhand, on Tuesday said he will go through the details of the citizenship
law and if even one person from his state is uprooted due to the amended
legislation, then it will not be implemented. Soren, who led JMM-Congress-RJD
alliance to a win in the assembly polls, also said that he had not gone through
the details of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the possible NRC and he
would make a “holistic review” of them.“I have not gone through the NRC and CAB
(now CAA) documents that the Govt of India wants to implement. Citizens are on
the roads against these laws. We will go through it and if it uproots even one
Jharkhandi from his or her home, then it won’t be implemented,” 44-year-old
Soren told PTI in an interview.“NPR has been done today. We will do a holistic
review of the entire act and the policy at the state level and I need to be
convinced that not a single Jharkhandi is uprooted from his or her home due to
this law,” he said when asked about his take on the CAA and NRC with many
states ruled by Opposition parties asserting that they will not implement the
controversial citizenship law."His remarks came hours after the Union
Cabinet approved updating NPR.PTI
CAA won’t impact Goan population, Muslims shouldn’t fear: CM Sawant
Panaji: In view of concerns raised by citizens over the implementation
of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), CM Pramod Sawant briefed BJP legislature
party about the act and asked them to create awareness in their constituencies
to do away with misconceptions. BJP has also decided to hold a rally and public
meeting on Janu.3 in Panaji in support of CAA. “We welcome CAA and it does not
impact the Goan population. Because of CAA, no Goan will lose his or her Indian
citizenship or get cancelled,” he said.He also said Goans should not panic and
that some forces in the state are trying to create unnecessary issues and
instigate them. He also assured the Muslim community that they should not fear
CAA as “they are original Goans and it will not have any impact on their
nationality”.TOI
KCR must make stand on CAA, NRC clear:Jamat- e-Islami Hind Telangana
Charminar: Jamat- e-Islami Hind Telangana (JIHT) on Tuesday demanded CM
K Chandrasekhar Rao to clear his stand on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and
NRC. Citing the example of CMs Jagan Mohan Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), Mamata
Banerjee (West Bengal) and other politicians, JIHT president Hamid Mohammed
Khan said that it was time KCR broke his silence.“We want our CM to clear his
stand on CAA and NRC in the state. A writ petition should be filed in the
Supreme Court on behalf of state Govt against the controversial bills and the
CM should lead the anti-CAA and NRC movement in the state,’’ the JIHT president
said. JIH urged the CM to ensure a passage of resolution in the state assembly
against the CAA and NRC. “The lawmakers must take note of Jharkhand’s poll
results and realise that voters decide fate of politicians. We want a peaceful
life without any hurdles,’’ said Mohammed Abdul Moin, an Old City resident .
TOI
CAA-NRC-NPR effect: People queue up to get birth certificate at Municipal
office in UP’s Hapur
In the wake of the Citizenship Act, NRC and NPR, Hapur Municipal
Corporation is witnessing the swarm of citizens seeking for a birth certificate
on Wednesday. Some of these people have birth year of 1948 while some have
1952. According to Executive officer of Hapur Municipal Corporation, the
unexpected rush has increased in the past week, he told the ANI, “There has
been a sudden rush to get birth certificates made. Some are from 1948, some
1952 etc, the issue we are facing is that we are not able to get info of such
old dates,trying to do best we can. I can’t say right now why this unexpected
rush."People agonized by the passed bill in the Parliament queuing in the
civic body after Modi Govt had announced that the birth or place of
birth-related documents is compulsory for the newly introduced Citizenship
law.nationalheraldindia
*CAA-NRC PROTEST & CRACKDOWN IN UP*
CAA Row Live: Over 5,500 people detained, 925 arrested says UP Police; NHRC
issues notice to UP DGP, seeks response on violence, killings
UP Police data till Dec.23 says 5,558 people detained and 925 people
arrested. The police has filed 213 FIRs. NHRC has issued a notice to UP DGP and
sought a response on violence and killings in the state during the
anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in many parts of the state. NHRC has
sought a reply within the next four weeks. A total of 16,761 social media posts
(7,513 on Twitter, 976 Facebook and 171 YouTube posts) have been found by
police to be objectionable. FIRs have been filed against many such posts and
these accounts will either be blocked or removed. Apart from these accounts, UP
Police is also scanning other objectionable posts related to CAA and NRC.It has
come to light that police have issued show notices to 110 people, in which the
police claim that they were involved in the violence during anti-CAA protests
in Lucknow.India Today
CAA: UP Police Tortured Children Swept Up In Citizenship Law Protests
Nagina:UP police detained at least 5 minors, one of whom is only 13, at
the Bijnor Police Cantonment and tortured them over a period of 48 hours before
releasing them, HuffPost India can establish based on interviews with the
children and their parents, a review of photographs in local papers, and videos
from the incident. These instances of
torture have occurred in the context of UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s call for his
state Govt to take “revenge” against those protesting against the citizenship
law, and the Narendra Modi Govt’s attempts to violently silence any opposition
to it. The policemen told the children they were beating them to teach them to
never attend a public demonstration again, said the minors who endured the
abuse. While HuffPost India has documented the accounts of these 5 children
through face-to-face interviews, the total number of minors detained and
tortured by the police in Nagina, an urban settlement in Bijnor, could be as
high as 22. At least one child is still in police custody, his father and elder
brother told HuffPost India. The boy’s name appears in a FIR of the incident
filed by the police, but his date of birth printed on his Aadhaar card puts his
age at 14 years. The child’s father said that the police insist he is an adult
and have refused to listen to them. HuffPost India has reviewed FIR and the
child’s Aadhaar card. huffingtonpost
In Bijnor, Children Give Harrowing Accounts of Beating by UP Police
After CAA Protest
Report on AMU violence: ‘Cops raised Jai Shri Ram slogans, admin failed
in its duty’
A fact-finding report on the violence and police action at AMU last week
has alleged that police used stun grenades, “usually used in war-like
situations or terror operations”,against AMU students. Based on anonymous
testimonies of students, teachers and others present on campus at the time of
the incident, the report concluded that there were “unbridled human rights
violations” and the university administration failed in their “duty to protect
the campus and its residents against brutality by UP Police”.Denying the
report’s claims, police have said that students initiated the violence and
minimum force was used for self-defence. When contacted, Aligarh (City) SP
Abhishek said, “Police personnel might have used stun grenades…In terms of how
many stun grenades were used… it can only be concluded after a probe. We have
clippings of students throwing back tear gas shells. The stun grenades are
non-lethal and only produce sound impact which can be used to disperse crowd.”Ex-IAS
officer Harsh Mander, academic Nandini Sundar, rights activist John Dayal and
author Natasha Badhwar were part of the 13-member team that issued the report,
titled ‘Siege of AMU’, at a press conference here on Tuesday.The report stated
that a student, who picked up a stun grenade thinking it was a tear gas shell,
lost his hand even as the university administration defended use of the device.
“Students spoke of soldiers and police persons raising chilling slogans like
Jai Shri Ram while attacking the students and setting ablaze their scooters and
vehicles…” the report states. It mentions alleged use of religiously charged
terms such as “aatankvadi” (terrorist) by the police.The report says that “V-C
claims to have invited forces into the university, but it is unclear why the
RAF soldiers then broke down the gates”.indianexpress
The Siege of AMU: A Fact Finding Report
AMU students seek answers from police over use of ‘excessive force’
AMU Students Union Report Calls Police Action a "State Sponsored
Terror"
Giving chilling details about police brutality in its fact finding
report running into 32 pages, AMU Students Union (AMUSU) has termed the police
action on AMU students on Dec.15 as “state sponsored terror”. Report said that students’ protest
against the controversial Citizenship Bill
from Dec.8 till the afternoon of Dec.
15, was completely peaceful. After the news of police crackdown on Jamia Millia
Islamia students reached AMU, the students came to the main gate of the
university to stage their protest.What happened in the next few hours was
"state sponsored terror unleashed on AMU students”, AMUSU report titled
“Protest Against Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 & The Unleashing of State
Terror in AMU”, said.India Tomorrow
FIR against 1,200 AMU students for carrying out peaceful candlelight
march
UP Police on Wednesday filed an FIR against 1,200 AMU students for
carrying out a candlelight march. The case has been registered under Sections
188 and 341 of the Indian Penal Code for violating Section 144 of CrPC, which
was imposed in the area.The march, carried out by students against CAA on Dec.
23, was peaceful but in violation of the Section in force that disallowed
assembly of more than four people.timesnownews
First notices go out in UP to 28 residents: Pay Rs 14 lakh for damage to
property in Rampur
Lucknow :Days after 16 people were killed in UP where protests over the
citizenship law led to a police crackdown and a warning from CM Yogi Adityanath
that “revenge will be taken”, Rampur district administration became the first
in the state to initiate the process for recovery of damage to Govt property
including police motorcycles, barrier, dandas.In identical notices issued
Tuesday to 28 people, including an embroidery worker and a hawker of spices who
are already in custody, the administration, while holding them responsible for
acts of violence and damage to Govt property, has sought explanation on why
recoveries should not be made for damage worth Rs 14.86 lakh.Embroidery worker
Zameer’s mother Munni Begum said that she does not even have money to hire a
lawyer for her son in custody. “I have not received any recovery notice from
the district administration so far. We don’t even have money to arrange a
lawyer for Zameer. How can we pay any compensation?”. She said police came to
their house in Nai Basti Sunday afternoon and took Zameer with them.Zameer’s
neighbour Mehmood, who sold spices on a cart for a living, was also arrested by
police on Sunday in connection with the same incident. Mehmood’s brother-in-law
Faheem, a daily-wage labour hand, said Mehmood too was home on Saturday. Near
Bilaspur Gate in Rampur, Seema, wife of labour hand Pappu, said her husband had
been wrongly arrested in a case of arson. She too said her husband was home on
Saturday, and that the police came the next day. “No one was ready to listen,”
she said. Zameer, Mehmood and Pappu have since been sent to Rampur jail. In the
notice, loss of property worth Rs 14,86,500 has been cited. It lists, among
others, a police jeep of Bhot police station (Rs 750,000), motorcycle of a
sub-inspector (Rs 65,000), motorcycle of City Kotwali police station (Rs
90,000), wireless set, hooter/loudspeaker, 10 dandas, 3 helmets, three body protectors.indianexpress
SP MP Azam Khan’s close aide among 150 identified for vandalism in
Rampur
Cops barged into our homes at night, smashed everything,snatched cash, jewellery:Muzaffarnagar’s
Muslim Families
Muzaffarnagar:There is a broken clock on the wall of Haji Hamid Hassan’s
room. The hands of the clock are stuck at three minutes to 11. “That’s when
they came,” says the 72-year-old. “They (police) smashed this clock first and
it has been stuck since then.”Hassan says he was in his room at 10:57 PM with
his 14-year-old grandson Ahmed when the cops stormed into his house and started
smashing everything up.The family, based in the Muslim-majority neighbourhood
of Sarwat, had been saving for years for the wedding of Hassan’s two
granddaughters in Feb. The house, which bore a festive look before Friday, now
looks like a tornado has been through it.Refrigerators, washing machines and
cupboards, which haven’t even been unpacked, are smashed and broken. The family
has four scooters, all of which have been broken. Ruqaiyya, the 21-year-old
bride-to-be, is in the hospital with a head wound. Five other members of the
family, including 14-year-old Ahmed, have sustained injuries.“We agree that
burning buses is wrong, but why hurt us? What did I do? I am 72-years-old, I
wasn’t even at the protest,” he says.Locals in Muzaffarnagar allege that
upwardly mobile Muslim families of means have been made the target of a police
crackdown.News18
Posters of ‘wanted’ men come up in Meerut where 5 killed in violence
during CAA protests
Meerut: Days after five men were killed in Meerut in the violence that
erupted in the wake of the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act,
walls of the city are dotted with posters of “wanted” men.The posters have come
up outside police stations and other areas, featuring photographs of men who
allegedly perpetrated the violence last Friday. The informers will be given
appropriate reward, say the posters put up by the local police.The Meerut
police said they would stop at nothing to catch them.As many as 15 FIRs have
already been filed, naming 172 people. As many as 43 of them have been arrested
so far, the police said.theprint
Meerut Police say 24-year-old’s death not linked to violence, kin say
cops shot him
Meerut :While 6 people died in Meerut on Friday following protests
against the citizenship law, police have officially linked five of these deaths
to the agitation. According to a report prepared by senior police officers in
the district, they are yet to associate the killing of 24-year-old Aleem,
previously mis-identified as Areef, to the violence around the protests.The
report states that “someone left him at the hospital” on Friday, where he was
declared brought dead. The police have stated in a report that he “was not
found to have been involved in any incident” related to the violence that day.
Police sources said that nobody has come forward to state that Aleem was
involved in any of the incidents.However, Aleem’s family strongly protested the
police version and alleged that Aleem was shot by the police.indianexpress
UP Police Arrest Muslim Lawyer Offering Legal Aid to Protestors, Claim
Militant Links
Jaipur: UP police has arrested Mohammad Faizal, a Rajasthan based
24-year-old Muslim advocate who had gone to Shamli to offer legal aid to
protestors who had been arrested during an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act
protest in UP. UP police has registered an FIR against Faizal. The police have
identified Faizal as a member of the PFI.“Faizal along with three other men was
involved in inciting violence and distributing objectional pamphlets. We have
also recovered data from his phone as proof that he is a PFI member,”
Dharmendra Yadav, a police officer at Shamli police station told The
Wire.However, the family of the advocate has denied any links to the PFI. They
claim that the UP police had registered false cases against him.Advocates have
requested the Kairana Bar association to intervene in the matter.“Advocates
from across the country are travelling to UP to assist the arrested protestors.
Faizal is a part of National Confederation of Human Rights organisations
(NCHRO) and he was asked by NCHRO to go to UP to offer legal aid but the police
arrested him along with a few relatives of the protestors who were seeking help
from Faizal,” Ansar Indori, a human rights advocate told The Wire.“The police is
falsely labelling him as PFI member. NHRC has written to the Kairana Bar
association to intervene but unfortunately, there has been no response,” he
added.thewire
Filmmaker Bhardwaj on UP Police vandalism: Will there be a judicial
inquiry?
Filmmaker and music composer Vishal Bhardwaj said he was
"disgusted" with reports of vandalism by the UP Police during violent
protests against the amended Citizenship Act last week.The filmmaker also asked
whether a "judicial inquiry" will be ordered after reports of police
allegedly indulging in vandalism emerged. "Disgusting to see what UP
police is doing. Breaking CC TVs and Ransacking. Damaging public property. Now
what? Will there be a judicial inquiry? (sic)" Bhardwaj wrote on Twitter
Tuesday night.PTI
Stop State Repression and Police Violence in UP:Activists
NEW DELHI: While condemning the alleged police brutalities in the
BJP-ruled UP, civil society groups, political leaders and activists on Tuesday
quoted sources to say that as many as 27 persons including an 8-year-child were
killed in police firings on CAA protesters and related incidents in the state
alone.They condemned UP deputy CM and the police for dragging the name of PFI
for the violence. Addressing a joint press conference here, they said the
police atrocity reports coming from India’s largest state should have been of
grave concern to all, and the police unleashed a reign of terror in the
state.Quoting different sources, they said at least 27 people have been killed
so far, most of them due to police gunshots, in the state alone.Videos and
other evidenced showed the police indulged in vandalism and used indiscriminate
violence against peaceful protesters.“An atmosphere of terror and fear is being
created by Yogi Adithyanath Govt with the ulterior motive of crushing the
agitations and taking revenge on the minorities”, they said.Shrinivas Raghavan,
president of Lok Raj Sanghatan, said UP Police is targeting PFI to divert
attention of the public from its alleged crimes and violence. Front leader
Parvez Ahmad said PFI was working openly in some parts of UP under an ad-hoc
committee and there was no record of any subversive activity about them so far.
The state convener of PFI, Wasim Ahmed and members Qari Ashfaque and Mohammed
Nadeem, who were arrested earlier from Lucknow, were later charged under
serious provisions and depicted before the media as the masterminds of the
violence. Bhai Tej Singh, president of Ambedkar Samaj Party said the ongoing
movement against the CAA was a secular struggle but the BJP was trying to give
it a communal colour. Among others, Bhanu Partap Singh and Adv. Mahmood Pracha, also addressed the
media.Caravan Daily
Will oppose any law dividing the country: BHU student refuses degree in
protest against CAA
A Banaras Hindu University (BHU) student has refused to accept his
degree in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said he will
oppose any law dividing the country.Rajat Singh refused to accept his Masters
(History of Arts) degree at the University's annual convocation programme in
solidarity with students who were arrested for protesting against CAA.Singh
said he opposes the arrest of students protesting against CAA and also the law
itself. "I oppose the arrest of students, I oppose this communal law, I
oppose any law that attempts to divide the country," he said.indiatoday
Shock in Varanasi as 56 social activists charged with violent rioting –
after a peaceful protest
UP police have arrested more than 700 people over the last week for
protesting against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. Most of the
arrests have taken place in working-class Muslim neighbourhoods where residents
allege the police turned violent, fired bullets without warning and ransacked
homes.However, in Varanasi, even social activists among the educated middle
class have not been spared. Scroll.in found that as many as 69 activists were
arrested on Dec. 19, after they staged a peaceful demonstration. 56 them have been charged with grievous crimes
such as violent rioting. Many of those arrested are long-time social activists
in Varanasi. Others are young scholars – for instance, Divakar Singh, a
research scholar at BHU, who has a one-month old child. Two other activists
arrested, Ravi Kumar and Ekta, have a one-year old child. Many others are
students.scroll
Sadaf Jafar from jail: ‘Whether I get bail or not, fight against CAA
must continue’
Showing exceptional fighting spirit, social activist Sadaf Jafar – who
was badly beaten up by the UP police and who has been lodged behind bars in
this numbing chill for taking part in anti-CAA protest in Lucknow – has
reiterated her resolve to fight against discriminatory CAA.Delivering her
message to the countrymen through her lawyers and friends who met her in
Hazratganj jail, Lucknow, Jafar conveyed: “Whether I get bail or not, fight
against CAA must continue.” Jafar was arrested on Dec. 19 from Parivartan
Chowk, Lucknow where she reached to protest against the CAA that, for the first
time, seeks to make religion a test for citizenship of India. She was live on
Facebook when male cops reportedly thrashed her.nationalheraldindia
*CAA-NRC
PROTEST*
Yediyurappa does U-turn on compensation to Mangaluru firing victims;
says none will be paid until investigation proves them innocent
Mangaluru:CM BS Yediyurappa today reversed his earlier announcement that
the kin of those killed in police firing last week would be paid a compensation
of ₹10 lakh each.He said that
compensation could not be paid until investigation into the violent
incidents prove that the two are innocent. Govt has announced a CID as well as
Magisterial inquiry into the violence. Yediyurappa on Sunday had announced a
compensation of ₹10 lakh each to the kin of the 2 victims of police firing.
Nausin, 23, and Jalil Kudroli, 49, were killed on Thursday during a protest
against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the proposed National Register of
Citizens.While the family and eye witnesses have claimed that the two were
uninvolved in the agitation and were bystanders, the police have named them as
accused in FIR. Terming Dec.19 Mangaluru violence as a premeditated conspiracy,
Yediyurappa today said those directly involved in the violence will be arrested
immediately and dealt with as per law. the hindu
HRW, Amnesty call for immediate stop on crackdown against peaceful
protesters, express concern on large-scale killings of protesters
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty India have called on the Indian
authorities to desist from using lethal force against demonstrators protesting
against the recently amended anti-Muslim Citizenship Act. Human Rights Watch’s
South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly said, “Indian police, in many areas, have
been cracking down on anti-citizenship law protests with force, including
unnecessary deadly force…The authorities should prosecute violent protesters,
but they also need to hold police officers to account for using excessive
force.” Several videos of police brutalities against protesters have surfaced
on social media platforms. All killings have occurred in states ruled by PM
Narendra Modi’s political party, BJP. Among those killed include 18 in UP, 5 in
Assam, and 2 in Karnataka. Most of those killed are Muslims including one
8-year-old boy. According to police, many of its personnel too have sustained
injuries. Amnesty India’s Executive Director Avinash Kumar too termed CAA a
bigoted law, which legitimises discrimination on the basis of religion. “CAA is
a bigoted law that legitimises discrimination on the basis of religion. The
people of the country have the right to protest against this law peacefully and
express their views. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly does not only
facilitate freedom of expression, but also allows public debate. However, rather
than respecting, protecting and promoting this right, Central Govt in Delhi and
various state Govts are clamping down on protestors by using repressive laws”,
Kumar was quoted as saying.jantakareporter
Jadavpur University Gold Medalist Tears Copy Of CAA, Pledges ‘Hum Kagaz
Nahin Dikhaenge’
People are finding different ways to protests against the controversial
Citizenship Act. There are some who opt for street protests, while some are
pretty much active of social media to debate the relevance of the newly formed
Act by Modi Govt. And then, there are some who are bravely making strong
statement by choosing university convocations as the cite of protest. After
what happened at Pondicherry University earlier this week, a gold medalist from
Jadavpur University tore a copy of the Act to shreds while receiving her degree
at the convocation ceremony at the university. The name of the student is
Debasmita Chowdhury, who was from the department of international relations.
She went up to the dice to receive her degree along with a copy of the
controversial act. She then faced the gathering and addressed loudly: “Hum
Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge” (I will not show my papers). indiatimes
Kerala's Al-Jamia graduates reject CAA, NRC during convocation
Kerala:The convocation ceremony
of Al-Jamia Al-Islamiya Santhapuram concluded here recently, expressing its
solidarity with the ongoing nationwide protests against the Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) and NRC. It urged the central Govt to withdraw the
draconian laws.A total of 358 students including 111 girls received their
degrees from prominent scholars and academics during the ceremony, which
included a musical drama highlighting the bravery of Malabar Muslims in
confronting British colonial forces during the freedom struggle.Earlier, students
wearing graduation gowns gathered in Al-Jamia grounds and raised slogans
against NRC and CAA. They denounced police brutalities against
protesters.Addressing a cultural session, T. Arifali, secretary-general of
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, called for the continuation of the agitation until the
BJP Govt trash the two laws that differentiate citizens on the basis of
religion and violates India's secular an democratic principles.“I believe it
will take decades to restore India’s democracy and secularism as BJP Govt has
demolished these basic pillars that united the people of India despite their
religious, racial and linguistic differences," Arifali said.The
convocation ceremony was inaugurated by Dr. Ahmed Al-Raissouni, president of International
Union of Muslim Scholars.saudigazette
Assam govt warns staff against political posts on social media amid CAA
protests
Assam Govt has warned its employees of disciplinary action for
“indulging and participating in political activities” on social media platforms
such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram.The warning follows the
cease-work by some 4 lakh Assam Govt employees on Dec.22 to protest the
Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Teachers
and students have been at the forefront of the agitation against the CAA in
Assam, which began violently, leading to the death of 4 people in police
firing. 2 others were burnt alive by mobs.One of Assam’s oldest churches has
curtailed Christmas celebrations as a mark of protest against CAA.All India
Bengali Organisation (AIBO) has demanded indigenous status for Bengali speakers
of Assam while slamming CAA as a design to convert Hindu Bengali citizens into
refugees by Modi Govt. thehindu
After Naga party sends notice to MPs who voted for CAB, RS member quits
party post
Rajya Sabha MP from Nagaland K G Kenye has resigned as secretary-general
of NPF after party sent him and its Lok Sabha MP from Outer Manipur, Lorho S
Pfoze, showcauses notices for having voted in favour of the Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill in Parliament.The notices were sent on Dec.17 by the party’s
disciplinary committee, former Nagaland CM and Leader of the Opposition TR
Zeliang said.Kenye, who quit the party post on Dec.20, said: “I have resigned
as party secretary-general. I have not resigned from the party itself. I will
continue to be a member of NPF. I resigned to save my party from any
embarrassment.”Not indicating whether any further action will be taken against
either MP, Zeliang said:“…NPF has always opposed the Bill. We have had several
meetings and passed several resolutions against this Bill. They needed to
consult the party before the vote.”indianexpress
Madurai:Denied cops’ nod for anti-CAA rally, DMK, Muslim outfits to move
court
Madurai: The city police on Tuesday denied permission for a rally
planned by various Muslim outfits along with DMK allies through the city roads
on Dec.31 to register their opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act. The
organizers have now decided to knock on the doors of the court for
permission.Leaders of opposition parties in Madurai district led by DMK urban
district secretary G Thalapathi along with representatives of various Muslim
outfits approached city police commissioner S Davidson Devasirvatham in the
morning and handed over a petition seeking permission. However, commissioner
denied it citing sensitivity of issue.TOI
"I am scared about NRC, can't deny it," AIADMK Minister
Nilofer Kafeel to TNM
A video of AIADMK Labour Minister Nilofer Kafeel addressing members of
her community in Dharmapuri district, was shared widely on social media. As
residents of the state threw a volley of worried questions at her, Minister
attempted to assuage their fears regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act and
the NRC.One Muslim resident asks Minister- "Those who are poor don't have
records or documents. If Govt asks, how will they prove anything?
"thenewsminute
After Delhi police denial, Students, PG owners confirm police asked to close
PGs and coaching centres
A video has gone viral on social media of Delhi Police officials asking
students in Mukherjee Nagar to vacate their hostels from today to Jan.2 and
return home. Delhi police have termed the video as fake According to a report
in Times Now, residents and owner of coaching institutes confirmed that some
police officials has asked them to close coaching centres and vacate hostels. Residents
stated that police have cited it as a safety measure and also in view of
protest against the CAA.Some students took to Twitter on Wednesday to ask for
help.In the viral video, ACP, Model Town, Ajay Kumar can be seen instructing
students to vacate the area citing law and order situation.Towards the end of
the video, Kumar also said that action will be taken if no one is found
complying with the order.However, Delhi Police is claiming that the video and
photos are fake and doctored.nationalheraldindia
Daryaganj Violence: Court Seeks Delhi Police Response on Bail Pleas of 6
Accused
New Delhi: A court on Tuesday sought response of Delhi Police on bail
pleas filed by six arrested in connection with a violent Anti-CAA protest at
Daryaganj.Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar has asked the police to file
reply by Dec. 28.A magistrate court had on Monday rejected the bail pleas of
all the 15 arrested in the case and sent then to 14 days judicial custody.PTI
Amid CAA protests, Tripura royal scion forms ‘apolitical outfit’ to
protect tribal rights
Amid rising protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in
Tripura, ex state Congress president and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya
Debbarma Wednesday announced the formation of a new ‘apolitical party’ for
indigenous welfare activism, including protests against the citizenship law.The
party, named ‘Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance’ or TIPRA, aims to work
towards protecting the rights of indigenous people of Tripura, Pradyot said in
a social media post.indianexpress
Missing from India's citizenship law: 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees
Nearly 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees living in India are not eligible for
citizenship under a new law, sparking concerns they may be forced to return to
the island nation they fled during a decades-long civil war, many with no homes
to return to.India's Citizenship Act (CAA) aims to fast-track citizenship for
persecuted Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who arrived
in India before Dec.31, 2014, from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and
Pakistan.The law excludes nearly 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamils, an ethnic minority
living in India, including about 60,000 in camps in southern Tamil Nadu state,
according to the home department.Most of these refugees are Hindu or Christian
whose forefathers were born in India, said S Velayutham, an advocacy officer at
the non-profit Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation in the southern
city of Chennai."Many were sent by the British as indentured labourers on
Sri Lankan tea plantations, and hoped for a better life in India when they came
here during the war," he said."Some 25,000 children were also born in
the camps. They do not know any country but India, but now they may have no
choice but to go to Sri Lanka," he told Reuters.aljazeera
*OTHERS*
‘Sign of Weakness’: US Congresswoman Jayapal hits back after Jaishankar refuses
to meet her, also targets citizenship act, NRC
US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal on Tuesday wrote in The Washington Post
that Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar’s decision to pull out of
a meeting with American legislators because of her invitation to the event was
surprising. She also expressed concern about Citizenship Amendment Act and the
proposed nationwide NRC.Jayapal – who introduced a bipartisan resolution in the
House of Representatives a few months back asking India to uphold human rights
in Jammu and Kashmir – said it was “wholly inappropriate” for a foreign Govt to
try and dictate which members of Congress can participate in meetings. “It is
also a sign of weakness for any great democracy to refuse to allow those who
have some criticisms to participate in a meeting – a giant missed opportunity
for two countries that value dialogue and dissent.”Jayapal said she had “raised
the issues of religious freedom in India to PM Narendra Modi directly” during a
congressional visit in 2017.Jaishankar also participated in that meeting, she
added.“Unfortunately, the situation in India has gotten far worse since that
visit. There has been a spike in attacks against religious minorities
throughout India,” she added. “Indian Govt’s imposition of a media blackout in
Kashmir is now the longest-running Internet shutdown ever to occur in a
democracy. While some landlines have been restored, millions still have no
access to mobile services or the Internet.”Jayapal said foreign journalists had
largely been kept out of the region “and even Indian members of Parliament have
been unable to visit the area”. She pointed out that hospitals had been unable
to get supplies, and emergency health services were severely disrupted.She said
Citizenship Amendment Act was “an unprecedented break from India’s secular
constitution”. She pointed out that along with NRC, the amended law “could be
used to prevent Muslim migrants from becoming citizens and voting”. caravandaily
Home Ministry orders withdrawal of 7,000 paramilitary troops from J&K
New Delhi :Following a high-level review meeting on the situation in
Jammu and Kashmir, which was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah and NSA Ajit
Doval, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday said 72 companies of Central
Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) would be withdrawn from the Union Territory with
immediate effect.MHA has ordered the withdrawal of over 7,000 paramilitary
troops from Kashmir, officials were quoted as saying by PTI. One such company
has about 100 personnel. As per the order, 24 companies of CRPF, 12 each of
BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB are being sent back. The meeting was chaired by Ajit
Doval and attended among others by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir G C
Murmu, Union Home Secretary Ajay K Bhalla, senior security adviser in MHA on
the UT K Vijay Kumar among others, PTI reported.indianexpress
"India's Great Slowdown": Arvind Subramanian
New Delhi: What the country faces today is "not an ordinary
economic slowdown", Arvind Subramanian - former chief economic adviser to Modi
govt - told NDTV's Dr Prannoy Roy today. Subramanian, who earlier this year
claimed that India's GDP growth between 2011 and 2016 had been overestimated by
2.5 percentage points, also cautioned against believing GDP data as absolute
indicators of an economy's prosperity, saying it was now "globally
accepted that GDP numbers need some looking at carefully".In an in-depth,
hour-long interview Subramanian, suggested data like (non-oil) import and
export rates (down to 6 per cent and -1 per cent, respectively), capital goods
industry growth (down 10 per cent) and consumer goods production growth rate
(from 5 per cent two years ago to 1 per cent now) might be better
indicators."...this is not an ordinary slowdown... it is India's great
slowdown," Subramanian said.ndtv
Cabinet okays downsizing of Railway Board, merger of 8 services
New Delhi: Union cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has given the
green signal for an organisational restructuring of Indian Railways, including
merging eight different services into one and creating Railway Board leaner in
a major revamp to downsize the 150-year-old national transporter that runs
approximately 22,000 trains every day. Announcing this after Cabinet meeting,
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said: “Today’s historic decision to restructure
the Railway Board has set the path for Indian Railways to move on a very
high-growth trajectory as it would be a unified organisation that will work
single-mindedly.” After the restructuring, Indian Railways will now have only
one cadre Indian Railway Management Service that will replace the existing
eight Group A services.timesnownews
‘Worked for 19 yrs to get Kartarpur Corridor opened….my name not cleared
by police for visit’
Amritsar:SAD (Taksali) leader Jasbir Singh Zaffarwal, who claims to have
spent 19 years lobbying for Kartarpur Corridor, has been denied permission to
visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib due to Punjab Police not giving him security
clearance for visit.While Zaffarwal had visited Pakistan twice on visa to lobby
for Kartarpur Corridor in 2006 and 2008, police now say that he is on ‘hideout
list’ which classifies him as someone who is suspected of sheltering persons of
criminal background. “Jasbir Singh Zaffarwal’s name is mentioned on the
‘hideouts list’. It means he is suspected for being a threat to national
security. He is suspected of sheltering the persons with criminal background. indianexpress
Partition migrant who made teaching Urdu his life’s purpose
Ludhiana :With these words, Prem Singh Bajaj, would scribble the date in
Urdu on the blackboard and then explain the beauty of the language he loved
teaching to a motley group of students huddled in small classroom inside
Ludhiana’s Punjabi Bhavan. The groups always comprised of lovers of Urdu —
young and old — with some wanting to pick it up early in life and others trying
to learn the language after retirement.For nearly 24 years, Bajaj (88), a
retired principal of Lajpat Rai DAV College in Jagraon, taught the language at
a classroom housed inside the Punjabi Bhavan. The class was part of a 6-month
certificate course in Urdu run by Punjab’s Department of Languages.After his
retirement from the college, Bajaj also served as director of Punjab Sahit
Akademi’s reference library for over two decades and took its collection of
books from 7,000 to 62,000. The collection now boasts of 3,000 rare Urdu
books.On Tuesday, Bajaj passed away at his residence in Vikas Nagar of Ludhiana
after a brief illness.indianexpress
Delhi: Shazia Ilmi says being sidelined at BJP events
Delhi BJP vice-president Shazia Ilmi has raised the issue of state
leadership displaying a bias against her during party gatherings, including at PM
Narendra Modi’s rally at Ramlila Ground Sunday.In the party’s internal WhatsApp
group for state office-bearers, Ilmi is learnt to have raised the matter of
differential treatment being meted out to her by denying her an all-access pass
— a facility provided to other senior office-bearers.Ilmi said, “I never wanted
to raise this through the media, but someone has leaked the internal WhatsApp
group chat.” She said this wasn’t the first time she has faced such bias, so
she raised the issue in the group. “Central leadership has taken strict
cognizance of the issue,” she said.indianexpress
Jharkhand Governor invites Soren to form Govt: JMM
Ranchi:JMM today said Governor Droupadi Murmu has invited its working
president and CM-designate Hemant Soren to form Govt.The governor’s invitation
comes a day after Mr. Soren called on the govenor at Raj Bhavan to stake claim
to form Govt, submitting a letter of support of 50 MLAs to her. A Raj Bhavan
source said the swearing-in ceremony will be held on Dec. 29 at Mohrabadi
ground.PTI
A day after his deputy Sheikh Imran is removed, no-confidence motion
against Srinagar mayor
Srinagar:The crisis in the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) deepened
on Tuesday as 40 corporators moved a no-confidence motion against its Mayor
Junaid Mattu— a day after a similar motion was submitted against his deputy. Fresh
no-confidence motion moved by independent corporators was supported by BJP.The
deputy mayor of the SMC, Sheikh Imran, was removed from his post on Monday
after a majority of corporators passed a no-confidence motion against him.“BJP
has supported the no-confidence motion against the SMC Mayor moved by
independent corporators,” Kashmir BJP media incharge Manzoor Bhat told
reporters here.Bhat said the mayor and his deputy had “failed” to carry out
develoPMental work in the city and had lost the confidence of the
corporators.PTI
Mangaluru: Forum promotes mosque visits
Growing Islamophobia in many quarters has spurred Highland Islamic Forum
(HIF), a city-based youth organisation, to join hands with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
(JeH) to come up with a unique move that seeks to demystify myths surrounding
the religion. As part of this initiative, HIF and JeH are now facilitating
unannounced visits by members of other faiths to mosques, to see and understand
for themselves, first-hand, what transpires there.Having rolled out this
initiative in July this year, the JeH with local Muslim organisations in
different locations and HIF here,has facilitated mosque visits in Basavakalyan,
Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur and Mysuru. Spurred by the response, JeH now plans
to extend it to Udupi, Shivamogga and Sagar and gradually across Karnataka,
Mohammad Kunhi, secretary, state unit of JeH, said. “We are bringing mosque
management committees on board for this initiative,”Kunhi said. Noting that
many of those who visited the mosques became emotional, Kunhi told TOI this was
due to some of their misconceptions about their place of worship being
debunked.“They were taken aback by the simplicity of mosques, of these being
structures where the devout prayed,” he said. TOI
Karnataka man who wanted Ram Mandir in Mecca arrested in Saudi Arabia
Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia has intervened in an alleged case against
a Karnataka man working in Saudi who was arrested for posting blasphemous posts
on Facebook and insulting members of the Saudi royal family on social media.
The man, identified as Harish Bangera from Kundapur in Karnataka, was working
with a Dammam based Saudi company as an air conditioner mechanic, reported The
News Minute.A post on Bangera’s Facebook account suggested that Ram Mandir
should be built at Mecca, the holy place of Muslims. Post has been brought down
since Monday. In another post, Bangera has also abused members of the Saudi
royal family. Although, a video is also being passed on social media in which
Bangera can be heard apologizing to his Muslim brothers.Karnataka Govt have
informed that the Ministry of External Affairs has been alerted and is looking
into the matter. freepressjournal
Hyderabad Rape & Murder: AIIMS Docs Submit Clipping, Brief Report on
Second Autopsy of 4 Accused to HC
Hyderabad: Video footage and a brief report on second autopsy on the
four slain accused in the brutal rape and murder of a woman veterinarian was
submitted to the Telangana High Court.A team of forensic experts from the
AIIMS, Delhi, conducted the autopsy at a hospital here on Monday, following
which the bodies were handed over to their families, a top official said.news18
Chhattisgarh urban body polls: Congress wins in 1283 wards
Congress has emerged on top in the Chhattisgarh urban body elections,
the results of which are still coming in. The counting continued all day on
Tuesday but the final picture will emerge late on Wednesday.Unlike in the Lok
Sabha elections six months ago, the voters have backed Congress. The party has
won 1,283 out of 2840 councillors' posts in 151 bodies of the state. BJP is far
behind in terms of numbers. It had dominated the civic bodies in the past 15
years.This time around BJP has won in 1,131 wards. Former CM Ajit Jogi's outfit
Jan Congress of Chhattisgarh has ended up on the margins with 36 councillors,
while Independents with 364 councillors hold the key in many councils and
corporations.PTI
Office Boy Of A Prominent Student Outfit Missing For 4 Days, Police
Complaint Lodged
New Delhi:21-year-old Abudrrahman Saifi, an office boy at the
headquarters of Students Islamic Organisation of India(SIO) in Okhla’s Abul
Fazal Enclave in Delhi, has been missing under mysterious circumstances for the
last four days. SIO secretary Haider SK has lodged a missing complaint at
Shaheen Bagh Police Station. According to the complaint, he was last seen at
Falahi Chowk, near SIO office, at 3 p.m. on Dec. 22.Haider told India Tomorrow
that he was sent to get some documents photocopied from a nearby photocopier
centre. He was employed as a daily wage
worker. “However, when he did not return till late evening, we began search for
him. He had also left his cellphone behind in office and hence, no
communication could be established with him. We contacted his family members in
Lucknow but he has also not reached there”, said Haider. He was very active on
social media and because of this, he was called a journalist by people in his
circle. India Tomorrow
30,000 Women Got Uterus Removed To Avoid Wage Loss: Congress Leader
Nagpur:Congress leader Nitin Raut, who is chairman of the party's
scheduled caste department on Wednesday, wrote a letter to Maharashtra CM
Uddhav Thackeray urging him to take some significant steps to help the women
working in the sugarcane fields of the state.Raut informed Thackeray, that
there are around 30,000 poor women who underwent a hysterectomy, a surgery to
remove a woman's uterus, as they could not work during their menstrual cycle
and were not getting paid.ANI
RSS activists attacked Bengaluru office, set motorcycle on fire:CPI
RSS activists attacked the office of the CPI in Bengaluru on Wednesday,
setting a motorcycle on fire besides damaging property, CPI has alleged.A FIR
has been registered by the party cadre in this regard.D Raja, General Secretary
of CPI, issued a statement, saying, “CPI strongly condemns growing intolerance
and sheer desperation resulting into attack on party state HQRS in Bengaluru as
well as continuing detention of party leaders especially in Manipur and UP.”“What
happened in Bengaluru in the wee hours today, that is 1.40 a.m., is utter
violation of all decency and unleashing of brutal attack on the property of
Opposition parties, their leaders and cadres,” he added.nationalheraldindia
Delhi Police restricts powers of arrest
Delhi Police has issued a standing order regarding arrest of any persons
with regard to offences punishable by up to 7 years in jail or less. The order
was issued on Monday by the office of Commissioner of Delhi Police. Section 41
of CrPC authorises powers of arrest to police with or without a warrant from a
magistrate. The section was modified in an amendment to minimise abuse of the
power. Many police officers were unaware of the amendment. The order reads that
no arrest can be made just because it is lawful for the police officer to do
so. “The existence of the power to arrest is one thing... The justification for
the exercise of it is quite another. The police officer must be able to justify
the arrest apart from his power to do so. Arrest and detention in police
lock-up of a person can cause incalculable harm to the reputation and
self-esteem of a person,” read the order copy.the hindu
*WORLD*
Israel army admits 'mistakes' over attack that killed 9 members of a family
in Gaza
An attack in Gaza that killed 9 members of the same family was due to
faulty assessment of the risk to civilians, Israeli army has said as it
admitted "mistakes". Air attacks on November 14 targeted the home of
Rasmi Abu Malhous, Palestinian Authority (PA) employee in Gaza, and his brother
Mohamed.Nine members of the Sawarka family were killed by four attacks over
their home in Deir al-Balah. Five victims were children.The air raids killed
Rasmi, his second wife Maryam, 45, and three of his 11 children- 3-year-old
Salim, Mohannad, 12, and 3-month-old Firas.The bombing also killed Mohamed's
wife Yousra, 39, and 2 of their sons, Moaaz, 7, and Waseem, 13. Mohamed died on
November 22 as a result of his wounds.Israeli army claimed it targeted the
house of a military commander belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad armed
group, an allegation rejected by victims' family.Mohamad Awad, a member of the
Sawarka Bedouin tribe and a neighbour of the family, told Al Jazeera the
Israeli bombing was a "war crime" because Rasmi and his brother
Mohamed were civilians and had nothing to do with any armed groups.Awad denied
the Israeli army's claim that Rasmi was a member of Islamic Jihad, and said he
was an employee of the Ramallah-based PA Govt.aljazeera
Khashoggi's fiancee says execution of those convicted would conceal
truth
Ankara: The fiancee of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi
described the sentencing of five people to death in relation to the killing as
unfair and invalid, adding that their execution would further conceal the
truth.Khashoggi disappeared after going to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on
October 2, 2018, to obtain documents for his planned wedding. His body was
reportedly dismembered and removed from the building and his remains have not
been found. A Saudi court on Monday sentenced five people to death and three to
jail over the murder, while dismissing charges against three others, finding
them not guilty.A UN investigator accused Riyadh of making a “mockery” of
justice by exonerating senior figures who may have ordered the killing.Reuters
Saudi foreign minister to visit pakistan to address Imran's concerns
post malaysia summit pull-out
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister
Prince Faisal bin Farhan will pay a one-day visit to Pakistan on Thursday in
what appears to be a damage control exercise by Riyadh to address the growing
criticism against it in Islamabad, triggered after PM Imran Khan pulled out of
the key Kuala Lumpur summit, a media report said on Wednesday. Pakistan faced
huge domestic and international embarrassment after PM Khan refused to attend
the summit in Malaysia which is seen as an attempt to create a new bloc in the
Muslim world that could become an alternative to the dysfunctional Organisation
of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) led by the Saudis.Khan had accepted Malaysian PM
Mahathir Mohamad’s invitation to the summit which was held from Dec. 18 to 21,
but pulled out of it at the eleventh hour reportedly due to Saudi pressure.PTI
Pakistan rejects US report calling it a violator of religious freedom,
points at India instead
Pakistan has cited US’ move to list the country as a violator of
religious freedom, Dawn reported. US had on Dec. 18 retained Pakistan among
countries that tolerate religious discrimination, along with Myanmar, China,
Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan,
and called them “Countries of Particular Concern”. Pakistan Foreign Office said
in a strongly-worded statement on Tuesday that the US report “is not only
detached from the ground realities of Pakistan but also raises questions about
the credibility and transparency of the entire exercise”. Foreign Office also
questioned India’s omission from the list, alleging that New Delhi was the
“biggest violator of religious freedom”. Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson
Mohammad Faisal said that Pakistan’s designation in the list reflects
“selective targeting” of countries. Targeting India, Pak Foreign Office said:
“In today’s India, people belonging to minority communities are being lynched,
persecuted and killed with impunity. NRC and the recently adopted Citizenship act
are the latest examples of the Indian Govt’s actions to discriminate against
people and evidently pave the way towards cleansing of society on the basis of
religion.”scroll
Ethiopian Muslims protest after several mosques burned
Several thousand Muslims across Ethiopia in recent days have protested
the burning of four mosques in the Amhara region. The Dec. 20 attacks in Motta
town also targeted Muslim-owned businesses. Muslims have called for the
perpetrators to be brought to justice.PM Abiy Ahmed has called the attacks
``attempts by extremists to break down our rich history of religious tolerance
and coexistence.'' Recent ethnic-based unrest in some parts of the country has
at times taken religious form.Prominent Muslim scholar Kamil Shemsu on Tuesday
told AP there are ``political actors who want to pit one religious group
against another'' and blamed the negative role of activists and videos
circulated online.AP
kids among 8 killed in Syria as
missile hits school
At least eight people, including five children, were killed on Tuesday
as missiles hit a school in northwest Syria sheltering displaced civilians, a
monitor and opposition activists said.The strikes targeted the village of Jobas
near the town of Saraqeb in southern Idlib province, the last rebel stronghold
in the war-torn country.Syrian Govt troops also besieged a Turkish observation
post in the area but have not attacked it so far, opposition activists
said.aljazeera
Afghan official says Taliban abducted dozens of peace activists
Taliban fighters have kidnapped more than 2 dozen activists, whose
convoy was going village-to-village to rally for peace, in Afghanistan's
western Farah province, local officials said. Massoud Bakhtawar, the deputy
governor of Farah, said the activists were travelling with six cars from Herat
to neighbouring Farah on Tuesday evening when their convoy was stopped by the
Taliban. Bakhtawar said 27 activists were taken to an unknown location. Another
official put the number abducted at 26.
Burkina Faso mourns dozens of victims after double attack
An attack in Burkina Faso has killed 35 civilians, almost all of them
women, in one of the deadliest assaults to hit the West African country in
nearly five years of violence.Seven soldiers and 80 armed fighters were also
killed in Tuesday's double attack on a military base and Arbinda town in Soum
province, in the country's north, according to the military. Burkina Faso,
bordering Mali and Niger, has seen regular attacks - hundreds have been killed
since the start of 2015 when violence began to spread across the Sahel
region.aljazeeraThe Taliban have previously accused the activists of being
financed by the Kabul Govt among others, which the group have denied.aljazeera
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
India’s young have picked up mantle of an older battle — for a country
that is equal, just and kind:Harsh Mander
'My father hates Muslims': India's new law divides families:aljazeera
“Let us not burden the next generation with talk of war and cultural
differences”: Harsha Bhogle on anti-CAA protests
The politics of exclusion and disenfranchisement is hurting investment
and the cooperative spirit:Kaushik Basu
Revelations of hacking call for a relook at India’s surveillance
regime:Gurshabad Grover
Anti-CAA protests have taken the highest toll in UP. CM Yogi has much to
answer for: Editorial, indian express
Fact check: Is the Govt right in denying NPR-NRC link?K. Venkataramanan
Alphabet soup simmers: CAA through, NRC hanging and now NPR from April
‘Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai’: Rahat Indori’s line from three
decades ago is rallying call
Explained: Why NPR isn’t NRC, and yet…:Deeptiman Tiwary
Lacking powerful leaders and worldly-wise elders, today's young Muslims
have had to teach selves secularism, political savvy:Omar Anas
Leadership vaccuum, economic oppression, demonisation pushed Indian
Muslim into corner, ex-RS MP Mohammed Adeeb tells Firstpost:Neerja Deodhar
When the Delhi Police identified a man by his clothes and detained him,
on Modi’s cue:ANJALI NAYAR
https://caravanmagazine.in/politics/when-delhi-police-identified-man-by-his-clothes-and-detained-him
Fact Check: No poster saying India should be a Muslim nation at anti-CAA
protest Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attended
3000 Dalits set to embrace Islam in Coimbatore after 'untouchability
wall' claims 17 livesIndia
Why the CAA Is More Lethal Than a Projected NRC:Badri Raina
Applicability of CAA on nationwide NRC: Notion that citizenship law
automatically applies en masse to all non-Muslims left out of NRC in Assam not
legally correct:Arunav Kaul
Population List NPR Then And Now: Key Difference That Has Raised
Concerns
CAA Protests: ‘Apolitical’ Techies Are Risking Jobs To Turn Up
CAA: This Instagram Account Helps You Counter Anti-Muslim WhatsApp
Forwards:Nehmat Kaur
Timing of Cabinet approval for NPR baffling, even as protests rage in
country:Mala Jay
Did the Union Cabinet Just Set the Stage for NRC by Pushing for
'Updated' NPR?The Wire Analysis
Under All-India NRC, Passport May Not Be Enough to Prove
Citizenship:Devirupa Mitra
Anti-CAA protests: Activist Deepak Kabir's wife says he was arrested for
asking about missing protesters, claims he is paying price for confronting
injustice
Even those who voted for CAA in Parliament can stop the discrimination
that NRC will engender: Prashant Kishor
‘This is now People’s Movement’: Jantar Mantar Reverberates with
‘Aazadi’ and ‘Inquilab’
US teen who blasted China with eyelash tutorial, criticises CAA in new
viral skincare video
Compiled
and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:44 PM).*
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