*05 DEC. 2019: 07 Rabius Sani 1441:
Vol: 12, No: 75*
*INDIA-CAB NRC*
Anti-citizenship bill protesters hit Assam streets
Guwahati: Protesters took to the street across Assam against the
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill today as Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti said it
would move the Supreme Court if the Bill is passed in Parliament. Workers of
several social and youth organisations joined the KMSS in a massive rally here
demanding that the Bill be scrapped, while opposition Congress MLAs
demonstrated against it in the Assembly premises.All Assam Students' Union
(AASU), AIUDF and others also took out rallies across the state denouncing the
Bill which is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Dec.9 and taken up
for passage the next day. Accusing ruling BJP at the Centre and the state of
sacrificing the sentiment of the Assamese people at the cost of vote bank
politics, KMSS chief Akhil Gogoi said, "If CAB is not scrapped, the people
will overthrow Sonowal-led BJP govt in 2021 (when Assam goes to
polls)"."If 1.9 crore Hindus of Bangladesh come to Assam within a few
years and attain Indian citizenship under CAB, the existence of the Assamese
language will be threatened and the jobs and land will be taken away by them
depriving the indigenous people," Akhil Gogoi said. "If the Bill is
passed by Parliament, the KMSS will move the Supreme Court. The movements on
the street will also continue. Assam will never accept CAB,"Gogoi, said. Leaders and supporters of KMSS coming
from other parts of the state to join the protest programme here were detained
by the police at various places. PTI
Tripura tribal party blocks road, rail in ADC as stir against CAB, says
changes insufficient
Agartala :Road and rail blockade called by Indigenous Nationalist Party
of Twipra’s (INPT) virtually paralysed movement in areas under Tripura Tribal
Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) throughout the day today. 12-hour
blockade, which started at 6 am today, was held in protest against Citizenship
Amendment Bill. INPT general secretary Jagadish Debbarma said, “This blockade
is not movement of a single community. It is the movement of the genuine Indian
citizens. Citizenship Amendment Bill is not in favour of true Indian citizens,
instead it seeks to grant citizenship to immigrants who entered here till
Dec.31, 2014. This Bill must not be passed in the Parliament of India.” Asked
if the changes incorporated in the Bill by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday is
acceptable to them, INPT leader said the changes were merely cosmetic and
would not make any real changes for tribals.“We don’t want CAB to be
implemented in Tripura and other NE Indian states. That’s it. Implementing it
in general areas and exempting 6th Schedule areas would not make any real
effect. It is insufficient and not acceptable to us,” Jagadish said.This is the
third major protest in Tripura ADC against CAB in last 2 months.indianexpress
Snowballing Protest: Controversial citizenship bill draws flak
New Delhi:After Union Cabinet cleared the controversial Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill (CAB), various activist groups and organisations have joined
hands to hold massive protests in New Delhi as also cities across the country
including Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune and Patna. It’s being strongly opposed from
many quarters including national-level political parties on the ground that it
seeks to offer citizenship on the ground of religion – as stated by home
minister Amit Shah openly — which went against basic tenets of the
Constitution. Several activist groups like United Against Hate (UAH), NRC
Virodhi Morcha, Rihai Manch, SDPI have called for street protests against
the bill. CPI(M) has said it would hold similar protests in association with
Congress party. UAH would hold a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi at 3pm
on Dec.7. It urged people to join the action plan to say a resounding “no” to two-nation theory and a firm “no” to
grant of citizenship on based on religion.Urging the people to join the protest
in the defence of the Constitution, UAH’s Umar Khalid said, “CAB should not be
seen in isolation.Its extremely dangerous implications become clear when seen
along with NRC. In short, it is nothing but a 21st Century rehashed version of
the two-nation theory advanced by Veer Savarkar and Jinnah.”Nadeem Khan of UAH
said the organisation would geherao or hold protests at offices of secular
parties who take votes from Muslims if they supported the “anti-Constitution
and anti-Muslim” Citizenship bill. The citizenship bill, along with the
nationwide NRC, is seen as a plot by the Modi government to create a
Rohingya-like situation where millions of Myanmarese were persecuted and forced
to flee their homeland, he said.A host of activists units like All India
Progressive Women Association, PUCL, NAPM would hold a national convention
against NRC at Ambedkar Bhavan in New Delhi from 10am to 2pm on Dec8. Calling
the citizenship bill and the NRC “anti-poor, communal and anti-people”, they urged
the people to say “no” to attempts at making large sections of the people
stateless by way of acts of religious discrimination. Caravan Daily
ABMSU, SIO join protest against contentious citizenship bill
New Delhi:As opposition parties and prominent political groups continue
to protest over Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, or CAB, in various regions of
North-East, hundreds of students belonging to All BTC Minority Students’ Union
(ABMSU) staged a protest near the Parliament House in New Delhi on
Tuesday.ABMSU students, who had come all the way from Assam to the national
Capital, were also joined by members of the Students Islamic Organisation of
India (SIO).ABMSU students also submitted a memorandum to President of India
Ram Nath Kovind, beseeching that CAB should not be allowed as it was “grossly
against the interest of Assamese people and the Assam Accord.”SIO general
secretary Syed Azharuddin, addressing the protest demonstration said, “We will
oppose if NRC is carried out all over the country. We also oppose CAB as both
the issues are being created to divert attention of citizens away from failure
of Narendra Modi government and create fear among masses”.indiatomorrow
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to be introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday
New Delhi: The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks
to grant citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and
Afghanistan if they faced "religious persecution" there, is likely to
be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday and will be taken up for passage the
next day.With the BJP enjoying majority in Lok Sabha, the bill will easily
clear the lower house of parliament, but it can face trouble in Rajya Sabha,
where the government does not have the numbers. Reports suggest that BJP is in
talks with NDA allies and other parties to secure the required numbers in Rajya
Sabha.The previous BJP government had introduced the bill in parliament but
could not push through amid massive protests by a united opposition. The bill
had later lapsed.Many opposition parties have called the proposed law a
violation of secular principles and the right to equality enshrined in the
constitution, since it leaves out Muslims.ndtv
"Citizenship Bill Can't Be Secular Because...: BJP's Himanta Sarma
Guwahati: A day after Union Cabinet greenlit the controversial
citizenship bill, Assam BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma told NDTV that a bill
providing citizenship to "religiously persecuted" refugees from
Muslim-dominated neighbours could never be secular since there was "no
religious persecution of Muslims in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
"This bill will look to protect people who have been religiously persecuted
in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh...so how can it be secular? Remember,
in an Islamic country, how can you convince a court that a person practicing
Islam has been religiously persecuted?" Mr Sarma told NDTV today.ndtv
Shiv Sena to oppose Citizenship Bill
Mumbai: Shiv Sena, which joined hands with the Congress and NCP to form
the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, is set to vote against the Citizenship
Amendment Bill, 2019, in Lok Sabha.Seemingly, BJP's former ally has acquired a
‘secular’ streak and is claiming that the Bill would pose a threat to national
security.Congress, Trinamool, DMK, Samajwadi Party, RJD and Left are already
vehemently opposed to the proposed legislation.Shiv Sena MP Rajendra Gavit
indicated as much when he said his party has strong reservations over the Bill.
Another Sena MP, who preferred anonymity, observed that the Bill links religion
to citizenship, which is against the ethos of our civilization, culture and
Constitution. freepressjournal
Citizenship Bill likely to be taken up in Parliament next week, how
'fence-sitters' Shiv Sena, BJD, JD(U) will affect votes in Rajya Sabha
Congress will oppose CAB in Parliament: Rahul
Making the Congress’ stand on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill clear, former
Congress president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi Thursday said the party will
oppose the contentious legislation aimed at providing citizenship to non-Muslim
refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.“Congress party is against
any form of discrimination against anybody in this country. So anybody who
discriminates against anybody who is Indian, we are against them. That is our
line. We believe that India belongs to everybody– all communities, all
religions, all cultures,” Gandhi told reporters in Kerala’s
Kozhikode.indianexpress
‘Divisive’: Mayawati shreds Citizenship Bill’s ‘current form’
Lucknow/New Delhi:BSP chief Mayawati has said that her party is against
Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in its current form and suggested the Centre
to send it to the parliamentary committee.BSP is against the current form of
the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the government should reconsider aspects of the
bill and it should be sent to the parliamentary committee,” she said at a press
conference in Lucknow.She said that Centre has brought CAB in a hurry and it is
“unconstitutional and divisive”. “It is against the dream and constitution of
BR Ambedkar.CAB is being forced on the country,” BSP chief said.Mayawati
asserted that if the central government takes decisions in favour of the
welfare of people, BSP will support it just the way the party supported
abrogation of Article 370 in J&K.HT
Bhim Army Slams Pan-India NRC, Calls it Govt's 'Conspiracy to Destroy a
Particular Community'
Lucknow: Amidst growing debate over NRC across India, Bhim Army has
dubbed the move as a "conspiracy to destroy a certain community".
They vowed to not let government achieve their "agenda behind NRC"
and said that it stands with 'Bahujans'."The main conspiracy behind NRC is
to deprive our people of their constitutional rights. Govt wants to destroy a
particular community; we will never let them achieve this. We stand by our
Bahujan community," Bhim Army Chief Chandra Shekhar Azad tweeted.news18
1,154 illegal immigrants arrested at India-Bangladesh border till Oct
31: Centre
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
has said that 1,154 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were arrested by the
security forces till Oct.31 this year."1,154 illegal migrants arrested by
security forces at India-Bangladesh border till 31st Oct.," MHA said in a reply
to Rajya Sabha. ANI
*BABRI MASJID CASE*
Ayodhya: AIMPLB to file review petition on Babri’s 28th anniversary tomorrow
by Dr. Rajiv Dhawan
Ayodhya: On the day of 28th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition, All
India Muslim Personal Law Board will file review petition against the Supreme
Court Judgment pronounced on 9th Nov. which gave complete ownership title to
the disputed land on which Babri Masjid was constructed. This information was
furnished by one of the contestants of the case, Haj Mahboob. He also said that
this petition will be filed by Dr. Rajiv Dhawan. He will be accompanied by
Zafaryab Jeelani, The petition will be signed by Haji Mahboob, Mohammed Omer,
Maulana Mahfoozur Rahman and Badshah Khan.AIMPLB will provide legal assistance
to the review petition and it will be pursued by senior lawyer, Dr. Rajiv
Dhawan. It may be mentioned that another review petition has already been filed
by Jamiat-ul-Ulema.siasat/ India Legal Bureau
6 more litigants set to file
review petitions:AIMPLB
Security Tightened In Ayodhya Ahead Of Babri Masjid Demolition
Anniversary
Ayodhya: Barely a month after the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya
dispute, police are on high alert for the 27th anniversary of the Babri Masjid
demolition on December 6.Security has been tightened in the temple town with a
senior Uttar Pradesh Police official saying the arrangements are similar to the
plan they had devised for November 9, day the top court pronounced the verdict
on Babri Masjid land dispute case."The security plan for Dec.6 will be a
continuation of the plan we had devised for Nov.9," ADGP (Law and Order)
PV Ramasastry told PTI, adding that the precautions taken by them were the same
as they had adopted on the day of the verdict.Ayodhya's senior police officer
Ashish Tiwari said the entire district had been divided into four zones, 10
sectors and 14 sub-sectors. PTI
Babri Demolition; Civil groups to hold demonstration, public meeting in Delhi
tomorrow
New Delhi:On the occasion of 28th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition
tomorrow, several civil groups will jointly hold a protest march and public
meeting in New Delhi.The march will start from the Mandi House area at 2:30 PM
and proceed towards the Jantar Mantar where it will culminate into a public
meeting. “This demonstration and public meeting are being organized to condemn
the monstrous crime that was committed 27 years ago, the demolition of a place
of worship and the unleashing of communal violence in which thousands of people
were killed,” said the organizers at a press conference at Press Club of India
here today. Events are being organized jointly by Lok Raj Sangathan, SDPI, WPI,
Communist Ghadar Party of India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and PFI. The press
conference was addressed by representatives of these organizations including
Lok Raj Sangathan chief S Raghavan, WPI president SQR Ilyas and Inamur Rahman, Assistant
Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind .indiatomorrow
Praveen Jain, a prime witness in Babri Mosque demolition recalls horror
New Delhi: Even after the Indian Supreme Court this November described
the demolition of the 16th-century Babri Mosque as a crime, punishment eludes
the perpetrators over a quarter-century later.Prosecution witnesses, who are
often summoned to depose against the accused in a district court in Lucknow --
the provincial capital of India’s largest state of Uttar Pradesh -- complained
of a nightmarish bureaucratic hellhole and tardy justice moving at a snail’s
pace. Soon after the demolition of the
mosque on Dec. 6, 1992, a case was filed against eight people -- LK Advani,
Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore,
Vishnu Hari Dalmia, and Sadhvi Rithambara -- all of them are top leaders of
India’s ruling BJP and other Hindu radical outfits. Of the group, Singhal,
Kishore, and Dalmia have since died.Another case was filed against a mob of
volunteers who climbed atop the mosque to smash it with tools like pickaxes and
dynamite.Sharing his experience with Anadolu Agency, Praveen Jain, India’s
leading photojournalist and a prime prosecution witnesses, narrated the
harassment he faced in deposing against bigwigs in the court. Jain was covering
the event, taking pictures, and witnessing the demolition. He had also
documented evidence to prove that demolition was pre-planned and the volunteers
did not act on their own.“Perhaps the other photographers who are also witnesses
do not speak because there is a lot of harassment in these cases. It has been
done to me on so many occasions.Defense lawyers representing leaders ask inane
questions,” said Jain, who now works with local news website theprint.Anadolu
Agency
*ECONOMY*
RBI surprises with no change in repo rate, sharply cuts annual GDP
growth forecast from 6.1% to 5%
RBI on Thursday went against majority expectations and kept repo rate
unchanged at 5.15 per cent in its fifth bi-monthly policy review of the year.A
large number of economists exuded confidence that RBI’s six-member Monetary
Policy Committee (MPC) would lower the key interest rate once again as growth
in the second quarter reached a six-year low of 4.5 per cent.However, the
central bank already cut repo rate -- at which banks lend from the RBI -- five
times since January without any improvement in growth. It seems that the
central bank will now explore other options to revive growth.All six members of
RBI's MPC voted against the cut but maintained an accommodative stance,
allowing it to act whenever necessary.In what seems to be another setback, the
central bank also lowered its GDP growth forecast for the entire year to 5 per
cent from 6.1 per cent.In a statement released after the announcement, RBI
said, "GDP growth for Q2 turned out to be significantly lower than projected.
Various high-frequency indicators suggest that domestic and external demand
conditions have remained weak. Based on the early results, the business
expectations index of the Reserve Bank's industrial outlook survey indicates a
marginal pickup in business sentiments in Q4." RBI also added that overall
sentiments are muted in several key sectors including manufacturing and
construction. It expressed concern over contraction in the output of eight core
industries as well.Citing a sudden spike in inflation, it sharply increased its
inflation projection from 4.7 to 5.1 per cent after retail inflation jumped to
a 16-month high of 4.62 per cent in Oct. RBI's growth and inflation forecast
could be a matter of concern as the situation could worsen further, as FInance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had stated that slow economic growth has not
bottomed out yet.indiatoday
‘Unprecedented, incompetent’: Chidambaram attacks Centre, RBI over
economic slowdown
Former Union minister P Chidambaram today said that the “government was
wrong” about the economic slowdown and “clueless” about measures needed to
improve it. Congress leader addressed the press conference after he walked out
of Tihar Jail in New Delhi on Wednesday night.“We will be lucky to end the year
if growth touches 5%,” Congress leader said during the briefing. “Please
remember Dr Arvind Subramanian’s [former chief economic advisor] caution that
5% under this government, because of suspect methodology, is not really 5% but
less by about 1.5%.” The former finance
minister said that RBI’s forecast showed that Centre had poorly managed the
country’s economy. “Between Feb.and Dec, RBI has reduced the growth forecast
from 7.4% to 5%,”he said. “Either RBI was incompetent in its calculation or the
government has gravely mismanaged the economy.”Chidambaram said that Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had been “unusually silent” on the economic slowdown.
Congress leader said Modi had left it up to his ministers to “indulge in bluff
and bluster”. Figures released last week showed that Gross Domestic Product
growth slumped to a six-year low in October even as industrial output
contracted.“Nothing sums up state of the economy better than the following
series of numbers – 8, 7, 6.6, 5.8, 5 and 4.5,” former finance minister said,
noting the economic growth in the country. “Those are the quarterly growth
rates of GDP in the last six quarters. The third and fourth quarters of
2019-’20 are not likely to be any better,” he added.Chidambaram further
criticised the Centre’s measures to tackle with economic slowdown. “If the
diagnosis is wrong, the prescription will be useless, may be even fatal,” he
said. “Even after seven months into the fiscal year, the BJP government
believes that the problems faced by the economy are cyclical.”scroll.in
GST compensation: Kerala threatens to go to SC as 7 states ask Centre to
clear dues immediately
7 Opposition-ruled states and Union Territories held a meeting with
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to demand pending compensation under GST
regime, reported Business Standard. They urged that funds due for four months
since August be released as soon as possible.Punjab, Delhi, Puducherry, Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh pointed out that as much as Rs
50,000 crore was lying “unutilised” in the compensation fund even as states
wait for their money. Kerala even warned of approaching the Supreme Court over
the matter. GST Act promises states enough compensation from the Centre to keep
their annual revenue growth 14% for five years despite any likely loss due to
the implementation of the indirect tax regime. Most prevalent indirect taxes
were subsumed by new GST structure, which came into effect on July 1, 2017, and
states are eligible for the compensation till 2021-’22.scroll
Sitharaman says she doesn't eat onions, netizens ask what other items to
skip in national interest
Politicians belong to the privileged class and are often cut off from
the realities of the struggles of the common man who are trying to make ends
meet. So when they comment about the
issues faced by the common man it can be insensitive and sometimes offensive.
Case in point - the comments made by India's Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman in the parliament about the skyrocketing onion prices which have hit
the common man the hardest. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, on Wednesday, Sitharaman
said she "doesn't eat onions much".Sitharaman was responding to NCP
leader Supriya Sule’s questions on the low production and soaring price of
onions when an MP interrupted and asked the finance minister “Aap pyaaz khaate
hain (Do you eat onions)?”.To this, the minister replied, “Main itna lehsun,
pyaaz nahi khati hoon ji. Main aise pariwar se aati hoon jaha onion, pyaaz se
matlab nahi rakhte (I do not eat onions and garlic much. I come from a family
where we have nothing to do with onions).”indiatimes
"Am vegetarian...how will i know?": Union Minister Ashwini
Choubey on onion crisis
New Delhi: As people across the country grapple with skyrocketing onion
prices, BJP's Ashwini Choubey dismissed the crisis with a laugh, claiming that
as a vegetarian he had never tasted onions and did not know anything about the
crippling shortage. A Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare, Mr
Choubey also defended Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, whose "I
don't eat onions" comment was attacked by opposition parties today.Rising
onion prices, with rates threatening to climb as high as Rs 150 per kilogram in
Kolkata, have been the cause of much commotion inside and outside parliament.
On Tuesday the average selling price in the country was Rs 75 per kilogram; the
high was Rs 140 per kilogram in Port Blair."I am a vegetarian. I have
never tasted an onion. So, how will a person like me know about the situation
(market prices) of onions?" Ashwini Choubey said in a video shared by
ANI.ndtv
Egypt, Turkey and Afghan come to rescue as onion prices reach all-time
high of Rs.140 kg in several places
Sky-rocketing prices of onion has forced Union government and traders to
import the vegetable from foreign countries such as Egypt,Turkey and
Afghanistan. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her reply during a
discussion on supplementary grants, informed Lok Sabha about various measures
taken by the government to deal with the rising prices of onion. She said there
had been a fall in the area of onion cultivation and shortfall in production.
“There are also several structural issues related to storage and the government
is trying to address them.’’While the price of onions has crossed ₹100 per kg
because of shortage, the Minister said, “Steps taken by the government to check
the rising price include ban on exports, imposition of stock limit, import and
transfer from surplus to deficit area.’’The state-run trading firm MMTC has
placed another onion import order of 4,000 tonnes from Turkey and the shipments
are expected to reach by mid-Jan.This is in addition to 17,090 tonnes of onions
already contracted, which includes 6,090 tonnes from Egypt and 11,000 tonnes
from Turkey, it said.MMTC is importing onions on the behalf of the government,
which is trying to check prices of the key bulb by improving domestic supplies
through various modes, including imports.Around 10 to 15 trucks carrying onion
from Afghanistan are arriving every day through Attari-Wagah land route in
Amritsar with the price of the key kitchen staple going through the roof. In
Chennai, onions from Egypt have started arriving at the market, but in small
numbers. This has not helped in controlling prices. Moreover, quality is not
good. The mismatch between demand and supply has seen costs escalate, traders
said.PTI
HDFC Bank down for 4th day: Bank remains silent, customers question its
lackadaisical attitude
Country’s largest private sector lender HDFC Bank is down for 4th
consecutive day and the authorities haven’t made it clear when the bank’s
NetBanking and Mobile Banking App platforms will be stabilised. The latest
glitch at the private customer bank has rendered its 4 crore customers helpless.
They are unable to perform any transaction. The share of HDFC Asset Management
also slipped nearly 5 per cent on Thursday morning.HDFC Bank, which had bagged
the 2019 Best Digital Banking Award from Asiamoney, is struggling to fix the
glitches to date. Nobody really knows what is happening inside the bank. Even,
the bank’s MD Aditya Puri, who was in Chandigarh on Wednesday to attend the
Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit being held on 5th and 6th December in
Mohali, didn’t say a word on the ongoing crisis at the bank. Aditya Puri’s
tenure as MD and CEO of HDFC Bank ends on October 26, 2020.newsx
Forbes Asia names Azim Premji Asia's most generous philanthropist
Azim Premji made history this year as Asia’s most generous
philanthropist, giving away shares worth $7.6 billion in his tech firm Wipro to
his education-centred Azim Premji Foundation. Forbes Asia announced its annual
Heroes of Philanthropy list on Wednesday, highlighting 30 outstanding altruists
in Asia-Pacific region.List includes billionaires, entrepreneurs and
celebrities across the region who are committed to solving some of the most
pressing issues facing Asia-Pacific. Premji retired in July as Wipro’s
executive chairman after over 5 decades at the helm, and said he would focus
more on philanthropy. On Forbes India Rich List 2019, Premji consequently saw
his net worth fall from $21 billion in 2018 to $7.2 billion, and his rank
slipped from No. 2 in 2018 to No.17 this year. The first Indian to sign Giving
Pledge, his total lifetime giving now stands at $21 billion. To select the
honorees,Forbes Asia sifted through dozens of candidates, reviewing their
monetary contributions, the depth of their involvement and the reach of their
philanthropic efforts. The goal is to highlight those giving their own money,
not their company’s (unless they are majority owners of a privately-held firm)..Forbes
India
*KASHMIR
& SOUTH ASIA*
Internet curbs: Kashmiris lose WhatsApp accounts on 120th day of
inactivity, thrown out of groups
WhatsApp accounts belonging to Kashmiri users have begun to expire as
the region completed 120 days of an internet blockade on Tuesday. Social media
platform deletes accounts that have stayed inactive for that long.Several
Twitter users shared screenshots showing that friends and family members based
in Kashmir had exited WhatsApp groups they had been part of – most likely
without their knowledge.A Facebook spokesperson confirmed to BuzzFeed News that
the disappearances from WhatsApp groups were the result of the company’s policy
on inactive accounts. “To maintain security and limit data retention, WhatsApp
accounts generally expire after 120 days of inactivity,” the spokesperson said.
“When that happens, those accounts automatically exit their WhatsApp
groups.”When the users get internet connections back, they will need to
register themselves with WhatsApp again, recreate their profiles, and ask the
group administrators to be added back. It is not yet clear how many Kashmiris
were affected.A Twitter user observed that “an important part of their
[Kashmiri WhatsApp users’] digital imprint is vanishing and they don’t even
know it’s happening”.Kashmiri activist Shehla Rashid tagged WhatsApp on Twitter
and said: “Please pay attention to this. There is no Internet in Kashmir for
the past 4 months now, and your algorithm is deleting Kashmiri Whatsapp
accounts which have been inactive for over 120 days, for no fault of theirs.”“I
initially thought that internet services had been restored in Kashmir and maybe
these people were just removing themselves from WhatsApp groups on their own,”
London-based Kashmiri doctor Mudasir Firdosi told BuzzFeed News. “But I quickly
realised that’s not the case.”A Twitter user called Soprich said: “Suddenly all
my contacts from Kashmir are ‘leaving’ the #Whatsapp groups, and their WhatsApp
accounts are getting lost. Remember there is NO internet in #Kashmir from the
last 4 months. What kind of sinister moves are these?”scroll.in
Not only WhatsApp, Indian journalists and activists were also targeted
using email malware: Amnesty
Indian journalists, human rights activists and civil society
organisations were not only targeted through the Pegasus spyware but also
through email malware, Amnesty International has claimed.These emails were sent
out between September and Oct, and were customised to appeal to the interests
of individual users, reported The Wire. Amnesty International’s “Technology and
Human Rights” programme discovered the digital attacks last month. The targets
received the malware through emails with subject lines designed to be relevant
to them, and content resembling a file-sharing service such as Google Drive or
Dropbox. To avoid suspicion, the emails were sent using names such as Sneha
Patil, Payal Shastri, and Jennifer Gonzales. Some of the subject lines were:
“Reminder summons for rioting case”, “Pune SHO sexually abuse journalists” and
“Re:Summons notice for rioting case Cr.24/2018”.The malicious program was
couched in a PDF file that the targets were requested to download. The malware
got installed on the device while the file appeared, giving the attacker full
visibility and control of the computer. The hacker could then access the
target’s files, camera, take screenshots and record everything being typed on
the keyboard.scroll
4 months in detention, Jammu’s National Conference call for release of
ex-CMs
Jammu :National Conference in Jammu on Thursday demanded release of all
political leaders including three former chief ministers of the erstwhile State
of Jammu and Kashmir.Unanimously adopting a resolution commemorating the 114th
birth anniversary of late Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, party
leaders at an event held at party headquarters, urged the Centre to reach out
to people of the Valley and understand their aspirations. The event started
with religious prayers offered by various senior party leaders. 3 former CMs
including — Dr Farooq Abdullah, son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — have
been under detention since night of August 4, a day before the Centre abrogated
Article 370 of Indian Constitution and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into union
territories. Mufti belongs to the PDP, while the father-son duo are from NC.indianexpress
Kashmir economy suffered losses of ₹15,000 crore since August: Trade
body
SRINAGAR:The economy of Kashmir has suffered losses of Rs 15,000 crore
since August 5, when the government abrogated Article 370 provisions, a
commerce body has claimed, saying that this is just a “conservative
estimate”.The Centre had repealed provisions of the article that gave special
status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into
union territories of Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.“Our conservative estimates
put the losses to the Kashmir economy due to the situation after August 5 at ₹15,000
crore. We will be coming up with comprehensive data about the losses within a
week,” Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Sheikh Ashiq
Hussain told PTI.More than the losses to the economy, job loss due to clampdown
on Internet services, protests and strikes was more worrying, he said.The
handicraft, tourism and e-commerce sectors were the worst hit by the situation
post the Centre’s decision, Hussain said. PTI
Supreme Court agrees to hear former RSS activist’s plea for live
streaming of Article 370
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear former RSS ideologue
K N Govindacharya’s plea seeking live streaming of Constitution bench hearing
of batch of pleas challenging abrogation of provisions of Article 370. A bench
of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant said that the
matter will be listed for early hearing, after senior advocate Vikas Singh,
appearing for Govindacharya said that despite filing of the application 15-days
back, their plea has not been listed.Singh along with advocate Virag Gupta said
that from December 10 a 5-judge constitution bench is scheduled to hear a batch
of pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370 provisions. Govindacharya had
earlier filed writ petition seeking enforcement of apex court’s verdict of Sept
26, 2018, in which it had directed for live streaming of matters of national
importance.PTI
"Condition In Kashmir Is Worse Than Militancy Days of 1990s":Srinagar-Based
Activist Tanveer Khan
NEW DELHI:Srinagar-based political activist Tanveer Hussain Khan has
said that the condition in Kashmir is worse than what it was during the days of
militancy in 1990s.Tanveer made the remarks during an informal discussion on
present condition in Jammu and Kashmir organized by ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony
and Democracy) here. “The condition in Kashmir is worse than the days of
militancy in nineties. This has erupted following abrogation of Article 370 in
August this year. There is no improvement in the situation. People are still
living without internet. Pre-paid mobile phones do not function. Section 144 is
still imposed in the Valley”, Tanveer said in response to a question.India
Tomorrow
18 Indians on board Hong-Kong vessel kidnapped off Nigerian coast: Ship
tracking agency
18 Indians on board a Hong Kong-flagged vessel were kidnapped by pirates
near the Nigerian coast, said a global agency tracking maritime developments in
the region.Sources said that following the reports of kidnapping of the
Indians, the Indian mission in Nigeria has approached the African nation’s
authorities for help to ascertain details and rescue abducted Indians. According
to ARX Maritime, which tracks movements of ships, said on its website that the
ship was taken over by pirates on Monday and 19 people on board the vessel were
kidnapped out of which 18 were Indians. Hong Kong-flagged ‘VLCC, NAVE
CONSTELLATION’ was attacked by pirates during the evening hours of December 3
while transiting through Nigeria.PTI
*OTHERS*
Verdict allowing women into Sabarimala not 'final word' as matter
referred to larger bench: CJI Bobde
NEW DELHI; The Supreme Court today said its 2018 verdict allowing entry
of girls and women of all ages into the Ayyappa temple at Kerala's Sabarimala
was not the "final word" as the matter was referred to a larger
bench. The apex court's observation came when senior advocate Indira Jaising,
appearing for a woman devotee, Bindu Ammini, alleged violation of the 2018
verdict and said her client was attacked for her bid to enter the shrine. A
bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) S A Bobde, referring to a recent
verdict of the apex court, said the 2018 judgment was not the final word as the
issue was referred to a seven-judge bench for consideration. "There is (an
order) for a much larger bench to decide the matter. There is no final word as
yet,"the bench said.On Nov.14, a 5-judge Constitution bench headed by then
CJI Ranjan Gogoi, in a 3:2 majority verdict, had referred the pleas seeking a
review of its historic 2018 judgment to a 7-judge bench, along with other
contentious issues of alleged discrimination against Muslim and Parsi women.
PTI
SC upholds Kerala HC order on terms for minority school tag
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea challenging a Kerala High Court
order which held that an educational institution to claim minority status has
be “established and administered” by the minority community, and not merely
administered by it. “In the facts and circumstances of this case, we are not
inclined to entertain this Special Leave Petition…accordingly dismissed,” a
bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hrishikesh Roy ordered on Nov.29. The
bench observed during the hearing that it was clear that under Article 30(1),
for an institution to claim minority status, it has to be both “established and
administered” by the community. The top court was hearing a petition against
the August 5 Kerala HC division bench order quashing an order of National
Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, which had declared Nallur
Narayana Lower Primary School as a minority educational institution.The school
was established in Kozhikode district in 1936 by one Nallur Narayana Menon.
After his death, his son KK Sasidharan took over as manager of the school. In
2005, Sasidharan transferred the management of the school, including its
properties, to one PK Mohammed Hajee. The transfer was approved by the
Assistant Educational Officer and Director of Public Instructions in 2005.
indianexpress
Uddhav Thackeray agrees to withdraw 700 cases related to Bhima Koregaon,
Maratha agitations
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has agreed in principle to
withdraw nearly 700 cases related to the Bhima Koregaon and Maratha
agitations.e State Home Department on Wednesday forwarded a status report to
the Chief Minister recommending him withdrawal of cases which have been
scrutinised by two authorised committees, a Cabinet sub-committee headed by the
Finance Minister and the other headed by the Additional Director General of
Police (Law and Order), who have both scrutinised a numb of cases.However,
while the withdrawal may start in patches, the total process will take nearly
one year to complete, officials said.According to the status report submitted
to Chief Minister, 323 cases for withdrawal are related to Maratha reservation
while another 386 are scrutinised and will be taken back in the Bhima Koregaon
agitation. About 114 cases are of serious nature and cannot be withdrawn yet.
thehindu
Uddhav overturns Fadnavis govt stamp duty waiver to RSS affiliate
Mumbai :In another significant reversal of a decision taken by the
previous BJP-led government, the new Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government overturned
a duty waiver granted to Nagpur-based Research for Resurgence Foundation (RRF),
which is affiliated to RSS.On Sept.9, Devendra Fadnavis-led Cabinet had
approved a proposal exempting the foundation from payment of stamp duty and
registration charges for a property transaction.The RRF is founded by the
Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, which is an offshoot of RSS. According to an
official communication released by the then government, the waiver was for the
purchase of 105 hectares of land in Nagpur’s Katol taluka. But on Wednesday, new
Cabinet under Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray rolled back the move citing the
existing financial strain on the public exchequer. Since the code of conduct
had come into force after the September 9 Cabinet meeting, the minutes of the
meeting were yet to be confirmed. Government sources said that the payable duty
worked out to be around Rs 1.5 crore.Even as the Fadnavis government had
directed officials to go ahead with the decisions without the confirmation of
the minutes, Thackeray had on Tuesday asked authorities to submit all the
decisions that had been taken in that Cabinet meeting for a
review.indianexpress
Rape survivor set on fire on way to court in UP's Unnao
Lucknow: A 23-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, who
had filed a rape case against two men from her village in March, is critical
after she was set on fire this morning by five men outside her village when she
was headed to a local court for hearing in the rape case. All five men,
including the two rape-accused, have been arrested, said police.One of the two
rape accused was on the run and the other one was released on bail last
week.The woman has suffered 90 per cent burn injuries, according to doctors.
"The condition of the girl who was set on fire and bought here at 10 am is
very serious. She has 90 per cent burn injuries and we are taking utmost care.
A team of doctors are observing her," Dr Ashutosh Dubey, medical
superintendent of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital, told PTI. "We saw her
coming towards us, screaming for help. She had been set on fire. We were
scared. She had walked for nearly one km before she reached us," one of
the eyewitnesses told reporters, adding that they she spoke to cops after one
of them dialed 100 from a mobile phone. She was rushed to a specialised
hospital in Lucknow for further treatment. In March, the woman had filed FIR
against two men from her paternal village in Unnao, accusing them of raping her
and also filming the act. FIR was filed in the neighbouring Rae Bareli district
reportedly after the intervention of a local court."One of the accused was
sent to jail. He was released on bail on Nov 30. 2 men set 23-year-old on fire
to take revenge," he added. The other accused was on the run.ndtv
Hyderabad: Women demand strict measures to check rapes
Hyderabad: Women wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Hyderabad, on Wednesday
demonstrated at Indira Gandhi statue, Necklace Road demanding immediate justice
for Disha.City president of the organisation, Ms Zaheer Fatima said there is a
need to take concrete steps to check such heinous crimes against women.“We
demand total prohibition and removal of vulgar content from social media, films
and advertisements,” she said.Ms Fatima said, “If our Chief Minister desires
that girls should be educated, he has to ensure complete protection of girls
and women so that they can feel secure and can move freely and lead their lives
without fear .”DECCAN CHRONICLE
Aurangabad: Jammat-e-Islam Hind women activists condemn gangrape, murder
of veterinary doctor
Aurangabad: Women activists of the city unit of Jammat-e-Islam Hind
(JIH) on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent gangrape and brutal murder of
a female veterinary doctor in Hyderabad. A delegation of women’s wing of JIH,
led by city organiser Fahimunnissa, submitted a memorandum, addressed to Prime
Minister Narnedra Modi, through district collector Uday Chaudhari, demanding
death penalty to the perpetrators and implementation of their other demands.UNI
VHP wants Amit Shah, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to exclude Muslims from list of
minorities
VHP has demanded that Muslims should be removed from the list of the
minorities in the country. VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal argued that they form
the second-largest community of the country and it was not justified to accord
them the status of minority. Muslims in India form the second largest
population after Hindus. According to the 2011 census, Muslims form 14.2% of the
country’s total population. While India is home to 100 crore Hindus, who form
80% of the population, there are nearly 17 crore Muslims, 4 crore Christians
and 4 crore Sikhs in the country.“Is the second largest community of the
country justified to be called a minority community of the country? Why it
should not be excluded from the list of minorities?” he asked.Bansal said that
this appeasement was being done in the country for long by the political
parties for their vote bank politics. He urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah
and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to do justice by excluding
Muslims from the list of minorities.“This should be rectified immediately,” he
said.financialexpress
Minority Affairs Ministry sanctions over rs 100 crore to AMU Centres
New Delhi: Ministry Minority Affairs has sanctioned Rs 100.99 crore to
AMU for the construction of Boys and Girls hostel at its Off Campus Centres of
Mallapuram (Kerala) and Murshidabad (West Bengal).The amount has been
sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, the flagship program
of MoMA, a statement from the varsity said. The funds have been released on the
proposal submitted to the ministry by AMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Tariq
Mansoor.The Ministry has released first instalments of Rs 30.29 crore for the
academic session 2019-20. The same has been released by the University to
respective Centres, the statement said. The centres at Malappuram in Kerala and
Murshidabad in West Bengal are running MBA, Law and B.Ed courses.ndtv
Mumbai: Terror suspect Gaus back in jail after SC rejects bail order
Mumbai :Less than 6 months after his release from prison on bail,
Mohammad Irfan Gaus is back in jail. A day after the Supreme Court stayed a
Bombay High Court order granting him bail, NIA placed LeT suspect under arrest
on Wednesday.At the Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court on Wednesday
afternoon, Gaus said he was shocked when he learnt of the SC order late Tuesday
night, while he was on a train to Mumbai from his native place Nanded. Gaus is
currently facing trial along with 4 other men — fellow Nanded natives Mohammed
Muzammil Abdul Gani, Mohammed Sadique Mohammed Farooque, Mohammed Akram
Mohammed Akbar and Mohammed Iliyas Mohammed Akbar — on charges of conspiring to
carry out terror strikes in Nanded and Hyderabad, possessing arms and
influencing young Muslims to take to violence.After his arrest in Aug 2012,
Gaus spent 7 years behind bars before the HC granted him bail this July and
allowed him to finally return to his family. However, neither Gaus nor his
lawyers were aware that NIA had moved the apex court against the HC’s decision,
as they did not receive any notice to argue against the agency’s petition. Defence
lawyer Wahab Khan also moved an application on Wednesday urging the court to
close examination of witnesses and expedite the trial if NIA has no other
witnesses to examine.With the SC also giving NIA liberty to re-arrest Gaus,
32-year-old had no option but to surrender before court. His lawyer, Sharif
Shaikh, immediately submitted an application for surrender to special NIA
court. In it, Shaikh mentioned that the SC had passed its order without giving
Gaus the opportunity to represent himself, which was against the principle of
natural justice. NIA’s Special Public Prosecutor,Prakash Shetty, informed the
court that the agency intended to take Gaus back into its custody immediately.
After considering both arguments, Judge Dinesh A Kothlikar informed NIA to
comply with the SC’s order.Advocate Shahid Nadeem of the Jamiat
Ulama-E-Maharashtra, which provides legal aid to Gaus, said that NIA took
objection to a portion of the surrender application in which Gaus claimed to
have been cheated by the agency. “He meets NIA officials each time he attends
court proceedings but none of them informed him about approaching the SC. We
were required to strike out that portion from our application as the court also
objected to our submission,” he said. The lawyers will require a custody
certificate from the jailor of the prison Gaus is sent to, before filing for bail
at the SC. By his own estimate, Gaus now faces another four-five months in jail
as the court will record statements of the five undertrials before pronouncing
its judgment. indianexpress
*WORLD*
US House to draft impeachment charges against Trump: Speaker Pelosi
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said she
has instructed the House Judiciary Committee to draft articles of impeachment
against President Donald Trump over his effort to pressure Ukraine to
investigate a political rival."The facts are uncontested. The president
abused his power for his own personal political benefit at the expense of our
national security by withholding military aid and (a) crucial Oval Office
meeting in exchange for an announcement of an investigation into his political
rival," Pelosi said in a televised statement."Sadly, but with
confidence and humility, with allegiance to our Founders and our hearts full of
love for America, today I am asking our chairman to proceed with articles of
impeachment," she said, referring to House Judiciary Committee Chairman
Jerrold Nadler. "The president leaves us no choice by to act."Pelosi
made the remarks a day after the Judiciary Committee held a hearing in which
three constitutional law experts called by Democratic politicians said Trump
had engaged in conduct that represents impeachable offences under the
Constitution. A fourth expert called by Republican politicians called
Democratic-led impeachment inquiry rushed and flawed.House Intelligence
Committee this week submitted findings from its inquiry into Trump's push for
Kyiv to launch an investigation related to former Vice President Joe Biden, a
top contender for 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Trump also wanted
Ukraine to look into the discredited theory that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled
in the 2016 US election. Democrats have accused Trump of abusing his power by
withholding $391 million in security aid to Ukraine - a US ally facing Russian
aggression - to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to announce the
investigation.aljazeera
Illegal settlements: Israel starts constructing road in Hebron
Israeli bulldozers have started levelling some 40 hectares
(approximately 99 acres) of Palestinian-owned land north of Hebron.They are
building a bypass road connecting illegal settlements of Hebron to Jerusalem. The
completed road will make it impossible for Palestinian farmers to reach their
land on the other side.aljazeera
Over 600 Pakistani girls 'sold as brides' to China
More than 600 poor Pakistani girls and women were sold as brides to
Chinese men over a period of nearly two years, according to investigations by
authorities in the South Asian nation of 200 million people.A list of 629 girls
and women, obtained by The Associated Press, was compiled by Pakistani
investigators determined to break up trafficking networks exploiting the
country's poor and vulnerable.The list gives the most concrete figure yet for
the number of women caught up in the trafficking schemes since 2018.But since
the time it was put together in June, the investigators' aggressive drive
against the networks has largely ground to a halt.Officials with knowledge of
the investigations say this is because of pressure from government officials
fearful of hurting Pakistan's lucrative ties to Beijing.The biggest case
against traffickers has fallen apart. In October, a court in Faisalabad
acquitted 31 Chinese nationals charged in connection with trafficking.Several
of the women who had initially been interviewed by police refused to testify
because they were either threatened or bribed into silence, according to a
court official and a police investigator familiar with the case.At the same
time, the government has sought to curtail investigations, putting
"immense pressure" on officials from Federal Investigation Agency
pursuing trafficking networks, said Saleem Iqbal, a Christian activist who has
helped parents rescue several young girls from China and prevented others from
being sent there. Several senior officials familiar with events said
investigations into trafficking have slowed, the investigators are frustrated,
and Pakistani media have been pushed to curb their reporting on
trafficking.China's foreign ministry said it was unaware of the list.AP
Shocked Afghans hold candlelight vigil for slain Japanese doctor
Afghans across the country are shocked at the killing of Japanese
physician Tetsu Nakamura, who was fatally shot along with five other Afghans
during in a roadside attack on Wednesday in the eastern province of Nangarhar.A
candlelight vigil has been planned in capital Kabul later today.73-year-old
physician, who had been in Afghanistan since 2008, took the lead in water
projects in rural areas. His services to the people earned him the nickname
''Uncle Murad".Hundreds of social media posts expressed sorrow and outrage
over the attack in the South Asian country. He began treating Afghan refugees
who were pouring over the border in the wake of 1979 Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan, which led to him opening a clinic in that country in 1991.The
Taliban group issued a statement soon after the shooting, denying
responsibility for the attack. Police say their investigation is still looking
for those behind the attack.aljazeera
Pentagon denies US mulling 14,000 more troops for Middle East
Pentagon has denied a report that United States was weighing sending up
to 14,000 more troops to the Middle East in the face of a perceived threat from
Iran.The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday reported the possible deployment
would include "dozens" more ships and double the number of troops
added to the US forces in the region since the beginning of this year, citing
unnamed US officials.The newspaper said US President Donald Trump could make a
decision on the troop boost as early as this month.But the Pentagon disputed
the accuracy of the report.aljazeera
Erdogan opens Europe's first 'eco-mosque' in Cambridge
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/erdogan-open-europe-eco-mosque-cambridge-191205130418897.html
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has officially opened the
Cambridge Central Mosque in the east of England.Described as Europe's first
eco-mosque, the facility is equipped with solar panels, relies on green energy
and aims for a zero-carbon footprint.It first opened to the public in
April."I think this place of worship will be the best answer to the rising
anti-Islamism," Erdogan said, according to Anadolu Agency.British Muslim
singer Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, is among the patrons of the
mosque and arrived for the inuaguration ceremony earlier on Thursday.Several
other donors contributed to the mosque's development, including the Turkish
government and Qatar National Fund.aljazeera
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
Citizenship Bill: The Communal Aftershocks That Shook India's Neighbours
Post Babri:Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty
RBI policy: Central bank’s pessimistic GDP growth forecast, rate pause
put ball in Modi govt’s court:Dinesh Unnikrishnan
Why Citizenship Bill endangers the very people it claims to help:Samrat
X
Prof. Avijit Pathak: ‘Language is not a prisoner of religion’:ZIYA US
SALAM
Shame! 80 lac Indians searched Hyderabad gang rape video on a porn site:
abplive
Sharad Pawar could be the anchor for opposition unity in the days
ahead:Neerja Chowdhury
A Mughal prince (Dara Shukoh) and the pandits of Benares: Supriya Gandhi
The current economic slowdown needs a multi-pronged response: Saugata
Bhattacharya
In Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Tough Rules For Overseas Indians (OCI)
Exclusive: Not Just WhatsApp, Snooping Attack on Indian Activists Was
Through Email Too: Sukanya Shantha
Did Amit Shah lie on Rajoana’s death sentence commutation?Faraz Ahmad
Maharashtra government must probe the motive behind Bhima-Koregaon
cases, Judge Loya’s death:Herald View
Compiled
and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 9:02 PM).*
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