*07 DEC. 2019: 09 Rabius Sani 1441:
Vol: 12, No: 76*
*INDIA- RAPE & ENCOUNTER*
Was Hyderabad encounter 'fake'? Telangana HC orders preservation of
bodies till Dec 9
A group of human right activists
on Friday wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court seeking
its intervention into the alleged extra-judicial killing of four persons
accused of raping and murdering a veterinary doctor. "Mumbai based lawyers, including me
filed a letter petition before CJI, National Human Rights Commission of India,
Telangana HC and DGP demanding registration of FIR against police personnel for
killing four accused in custody in the name of encounter," advocate Gunratna
Sadavarte told ANI."This is absolute violation of rule of law and
constitutional guarantees. We request the court to immediately monitor the case
to ensure that the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court are followed and send
its own observer to elicit on the ground facts surrounding the encounter,"
the letter read.It also sought direction to Telangana DGP to pass the order to
preserve the bodies of four accused.The letter also demanded the formation of a
special team of autopsy surgeons to undertake independent video graphing of the
post mortem. "We seek the formation of a special team of forensic experts
to undertake an independent examination."Taking cognizance of letter
Telangana High Court on Friday directed authorities to preserve, till December
9, the bodies of all 4 accused gunned down by police near Shadnagar town during
investigation into woman veterinarian's gang-rape and murder.The court issued
the direction after an emergency hearing late Friday evening. Various human
rights and women's organisations made a representation in the office of Chief
Justice, requesting judicial intervention into what they called
"extra-judicial killings" of the four accused. The matter will come
up for hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice RS Chauhan on Dec. 9. One
of the human rights activists, Devi, told ANI that the "brutal
killing" did not bring justice to victim or security to women."...it
is too early to judge that they were the culprits, how can we trust
police?" asked Sandhya Rani, one of the activists who wrote to Chief
Justice of Telangana HC.Sandhya Rani, one of the activists who wrote to Chief
Justice of Telangana High Court over #TelanganaEncounter: It was a barbaric
rape & murder, we also demand severe punishment for real culprits but it is
too early to judge that they were the culprits, how can we trust
police?"You [the police] did not go by the book and showed your true
insensitive colours. To cover it up, you went for the brutal killing. This did
not bring justice to the victim or security to women across the country. We
want judicial enquiry into the encounter case by an unbiased agency as per the
law," Devi said. While, the encounter triggered a chorus of praise from
people across the country who saw it as speedy justice, concerns were also
raised over it being alleged custodial killing."People are welcoming the
killing because they have lost trust in the rule of law. Justice in this
country is always delayed. On average, rape cases take five years in the
courts," rued Devi. She added that the people are "mistrustful"
of the police system and do not have faith that justice will be imparted to the
victim.freepressjournal
As Hyderabad Encounter Questions Mount, HC Wants Video of Killed
Suspects' Post-Mortems
Hyderabad: Uneasy calm covers village of 3 of 4 accused
Gudigandla:There is an uneasy calm at Gudigandla, a village around 45 km
from Mahbubnagar. It is marked by unusual presence of police and curious
onlookers who are trying to get a glimpse of happenings near three houses. The
houses are of Jollu Shiva, Jollu Naveen and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, three
of the four accused in the Disha case who were killed by police in an exchange
of fire on Friday.Off the Raichur-Mahbubnagar road, a dirt road over an open
drainage leads to the house of Chennakeshavulu. At the outset, Renuka, his
18-year-old wife, seems calm. But as soon as Chennakeshavulu's name or incident
is mentioned, she breaks down.Renuka, an orphan who is pregnant, is shocked at
the death of Chennakeshavulu. She says, “How can they (police) kill anybody
before they are taken to court? I don't know all this. I only want my
husband.”Before she was informed of the exchange of fire by locals and some
media persons, she was under the impression that Chennakeshavulu would
eventually return home.“If this had not happened, he would have been in jail.
At least, he would have been alive. Many people have committed such crimes, so
why my husband was killed. I just want him to come back,” she cries as she
continues to question what the future holds for her.A 10-minute drive from
Gudigandla leads to Jakkulare. This is where the prime accused in the Disha
case, Mohammed Arif’s parents live in their single-room dwelling. Villagers say
Arif’s parents Hussain and Molan Bee are engaged in agricultural work.A few
irregular-shaped stepping stones lead to their house. While Arif’s father does
not wish to speak, his mother, who is sobbing, sits on her haunches on the
floor outside their home comforted by locals.“I heard from the others he was
killed. I don’t know anything. He just came home one day and said that the
lorry was being driven and that a woman died. He told us to go to sleep and
then he slept. The police came after midnight and they took him away. Who will
feed me now? What will I do? I don’t know anything,” she says.thehindu
Hyderabad rape-murder case: ‘Could have been in jail, given dog food…
Did you have to kill them?’
Hyderabad: NHRC team begins probe into ‘encounter’ of accused in vet
rape-murder case
Hyderabad:A day after National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) ordered an
inquiry, a team from the human rights body Saturday began on-the-spot investigation
into the police “encounter” in which the four accused in the rape and murder of
a Hyderabad woman veterinarian were shot dead by Telangana police Friday
morning. According to PTI, the team also visited the hospital where the bodies
of the accused were kept after post-mortem. The bodies of the accused have been
asked to be preserved by the Telangana High Court till December 9. The apex
human rights body in the country had earlier said the encounter was a matter of
concern and needed to be investigated carefully. “Commission is of the opinion
that this matter is required to be probed very carefully. Accordingly, it has
asked its Director General (Investigation) to immediately send a team for a
fact-finding, on-the-spot investigation into the matter,” the NHRC had said.
The team is also likely to visit the encounter site at Chattanpalli village and
also the place where woman was allegedly raped.indianexpress
Justice must never take form of revenge: CJI Bobde a day after Hyderabad
‘encounter’
New Delhi :A day after Telangana Police killed all the four accused in
the November 27 rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in an exchange of fire,
Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde pointed out that the “justice must
never take the form of revenge”.“Recent events in the country has sparked off
the old debate with new vigour. There is no doubt that the criminal justice
system must reconsider its position and attitude towards time, laxity, and the
eventual time it takes to dispose of the criminal matter,” CJI Bobde said while
addressing a gathering in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur. “But I don’t think justice can
ever be and ought to be instant, and justice must never ever take the form of
revenge. I believe justice loses its character of justice if it becomes
revenge.”New Delhi indianexpress
Nitish Kumar blames porn sites for rapes, would write to the Centre
seeking ban
Gopalganj:Blaming porn sites for the rising incidence of sexual crimes
against women, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday urged the Centre to
ban all such internet platforms which proffered voyeuristic pleasure through
video clips of rapes purportedly filmed by the perpetrators
themselves.Referring to the infamous rape and murder case of Hyderabad after
which a couple of similar incidents have been reported from Buxar and
Samastipur districts, Kumar said he was planning to write a letter to the
centre seeking a complete ban on such sites across the country.PTI
Happiness over Hyderabad encounter shows people have lost faith in
justice system: Kejriwal
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that people are
“expressing happiness and satisfaction” over the police encounter of the four
persons accused of rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Telangana because
they are “agitated” over such incidents taking place across the country. He
also expressed concern over “loss of trust” in the criminal justice
system.“People across the country are agitated over reports of horrible rape
and murder incidents happening across the country. People are in anger over
rape cases that have come to light of late - whether it is Unnao or
Hyderabad.That’s a reason why people are expressing happiness and satisfaction
over the police encounter in Hyderabad,” said Kejriwal on the sidelines of an
event.He further said, “It is also something to be worried about, the way people
have lost their faith in the criminal justice system. This demands
introspection and all governments must come forward and work together towards
strengthening the criminal justice system and investigating agencies.”HT
Unnao rape victim succumbs to burn injuries at Delhi’s Safdarjung
Hospital
New Delhi:23-year-old Unnao rape survivor, who was airlifted to Delhi
and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital after she was set on fire by five
persons on December 5, succumbed to her injuries on Dec.6 night.Dr. Shalabh
Kumar, HOD (Burns and Plastic), Safdarjung Hospital, said, “She suffered
cardiac arrest at 11.10 p.m. We tried to resuscitate her, but she could not
survive and at 11.40 p.m. she died.”Dr. Kumar said that petrol had been used by
the assailants to set her on fire and as a result she suffered 90% burns. The
woman’s mother, sister and brother were in the hospital and have been informed,
he added.On Dec 5, woman was airlifted to Delhi from a hospital in Lucknow for
further treatment. She was attacked outside Sindupur village in Unnao district
in Uttar Pradesh when she was on her way to a court in Rae Bareli to attend a
hearing in the rape case.During the treatment, she told doctors at Safdurjung
repeatedly not to let the accused go free. She asked the doctors if she would
make it out alive and pleaded with them, “Save me....I want to live.”thehindu
Live: Massive protest in Unnao, Delhi over rape victim's death
Delhi: People from all walks of lives took out a candlelight march from
Raj Ghat to India Gate in the national capital on Saturday, demanding justice
for the Unnao rape victim, who breathed her last on Friday after she was set
ablaze while on her way for a court hearing in the Uttar Pradesh town.Protests
were held on Saturday evening as UP ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Kamal
Rani Varun along with local BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj reached the village of the Unnao
gangrape victim to meet her family.TOI
UP Police gets active, thrashes
Cong youth workers protesting Unnao rape
With 86 Rapes, 185 Sex assaults In 2019, Unnao Becomes UP's "Rape
Capital": Report
Unnao: With 86 rape cases having been reported in Unnao from January to
November this year, this district now qualifies to be known as the "rape
capital" of Uttar Pradesh.Unnao, with a population of about 31 lakhs, is
located about 63 km from Lucknow and around 25 km from Kanpur.According to reports,
185 cases of sexual harassment of women have also been reported from this
district during the same period.Some of the prominent cases, apart from that of
Kuldeep Sengar and the Thursday's incident in which the rape victim was set
ablaze, are the rape of a woman in Purwa for which FIR was lodged on November 1
this year.IANS
103 suspected criminals killed in encounters in 2 years:UP police
UP police have killed 103 suspected criminals in alleged encounters over
a period of more than two years.This was the claim made by the State police in
response to taunts by BSP chief Mayawati that the police in Uttar Pradesh were
keeping criminals as “State guests.”Ms. Mayawati on Friday, while hailing the
police encounter of the four accused in the Hyderabad rape and murder case as
“praiseworthy,” had called on UP police to change and “take inspiration” from
their counterparts in the Telangana capital.In a response to this on Twitter,
the State police claimed it had killed “103 criminals”, while 1,859 were
injured in 5,178 “police engagements in the last more than 2 years,” which
corresponds to the time period of the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in
U.P. since March 2017. The police also said that 17,745 criminals surrendered
or cancelled their own bails to go to jail during the period.thehindu
"Now nobody can touch me": Rape-accused Nithyananda in viral
video
New Delhi: Self-declared godman Nithyananda, who has been accused of
rape and sexual abuse, surfaced in a video recently, declaring that
"nobody can touch me" and that no court can prosecute him. The
controversial figure is wanted by Gujarat Police in a case of kidnapping and
wrongful confinement of children at his Ahmedabad ashram."I will show my
integrity to you by revealing the reality and truth to you. Now nobody can
touch me, I can tell you the truth - I am Param Shiva. Understand? No stupid
court can prosecute me for revealing the truth. I am Param Shiva," says
Nithyananda, wearing a rust-coloured turban and robe.The undated video has been
in wide circulation on social media since November 22. Nithyananda appears to
be giving a sermon from an undisclosed location."By being here you
declared your integrity and allegiance to me... I promise you, no more death
for you all," he is seen telling his followers.41-year-old recently
announced that his "country" is called Kailaasa, and is the
"biggest Hindu nation" without boundaries.On Friday, the government
cancelled his passport and rejected his application for a fresh one. Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also said that it has sensitised all its
missions and posts abroad about locating Nithyananda.Asked about reports that he
has founded his own country, Kumar said, "Setting up a website is
different from setting up a nation."ndtv
*BABRI MASJID CASE*
Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict failure of justice, say AIMPLB backed 7
review pleas
New Delhi: The judgment of the Supreme Court in the Ayodhya matter has
resulted in the failure of justice by sanctioning serious illegalities, at
least 7 separate review petitions filed in the Supreme Court on Friday said.
The review petitions were filed by individuals, who were parties to the case,
on the day marking 27th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid. The
pleas have the backing of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), an
AIMPLB press release said. “The petitions have been filed by 7 litigants. One
petition has 2 petitioners,” said AIMPLB secretary and senior board member
Zafaryab Jilani.The petitioners submitted that the SC verdict took advantage of
the destruction of the mosque to award the title of the disputed land to
Hindus, effectively holding that had the mosque not been destroyed, the
judgment would have ordered it to be destroyed.“The effect of the direction in
the judgment is to destroy the mosque if it still existed. Giving antecedent
title to the Hindus, means that the site belonged to them in 1992. The judgment
thus takes advantage of the destruction of the mosque by in effect holding
that, had the mosque not been destroyed in 1992, this judgment would have
ordered it to be destroyed.” The petitioners said the title could not have been
awarded to Hindu parties based on exclusive possession of the site since it has
been admitted that Muslims entered and prayed there till 1949. HT
48 academicians and activists will move SC against Ayodhya
verdict
New Delhi: At least 48 academicians and activists will file a review
petition in the Supreme Court next week against its verdict on Ram
Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, with economist Prabhat Patnaik as the lead
petitioner.Activist and former IAS officer Harsh Mander, one of the
petitioners, told ThePrint that the petition will be filed before 9 Dec. The
petitioners have demanded that their plea be heard by a full bench of the top
court. Some of the other prominent names behind the fresh petition are
historian Irfan Habib, author Farah Naqvi, sociologist Nandini Sundar, activist
Shabnam Hashmi, poet and scientist Gauhar Raza, author Natasha Badhwar,
activist Aakar Patel, economist Jayati Ghosh, historian Tanika Sarkar, and
retired diplomat and former Aam Aadmi Party member Madhu Bhaduri.The summary of
the petition, which has been accessed with ThePrint, says the verdict treated
the Babri Masjid case as a dispute between the Hindus and Muslims in India.It
further adds that the case was between “self-styled organisations which claim
to represent the sentiments and interests of Hindus and Muslims, but have no
explicit mandate to do so, nor empirical evidence that they enjoy wide support
of people of these faiths”.The verdict also substitutes the names of the
litigating individuals and organisations as “Hindus” or “Muslims”, argues the
petition.“VHP, a militant Hindutva outfit and close affiliate of RSS, does not
represent Hindus at large, any more than Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Board of
Waqf represents India’s Muslims [sic],” it says. “…The Supreme Court has itself
expanded the scope of the case from a Title Suit for ownership and possession
of property to a debate about the faith of Hindus and Muslims… but it has never
heard Hindus and Muslims beyond the petitioners in the case; by doing so it has
given every Indian the right to seek relief of the court on the issue of the
title suit,” it adds.The petition goes on to argue that the Supreme Court had
“erroneously used differential standards of proof for both parties”.“It held
that ‘the Muslims’ had failed to prove that they had exclusive possession of
the inner courtyard, however it was enough in the case for ‘the Hindus’ to show
that they believed that the Ram Janamsthan lay under the central dome of the
mosque,” the petition says. The Print
Babri Masjid demolition anniversary observed across India
NEW DELHI: 27th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition was peacefully
observed in different parts of the country on Friday. 16th century mosque was
razed to ground by a Hindu mob on this day 27 years ago in Ayodhya town of
Uttar Pradesh.Around two dozen civil organizations jointly held a grand event
near the Parliament House in the National Capital. Before the public
conference, hundreds of people of these groups marched from Mandi House to
Jantar Mantar area in the heart of the city, seeking justice both in the
demolition case and title suit involving the Babri Masjid-Ram
Janmabhoomi.Organizers of the Delhi event included: WPI, PFI, United Muslims
Forum, Citizens For Democracy, Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (Delhi), Campus Front
of India, Communist Ghadar Party of India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, CPI (ML) New
Proletarian, NCHRO, New Democratic Party of India, Mazdoor Ekta Committee,
Women India Movement, SDPI, Purogami Mahila Sangathan, Lokpaksh, Students
Islamic Organisation of India, National Women Front, All India Imams’ Council
and Sikh Forum.Representatives of some of these organisations addressed the
gathering. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the verdict of the top
court in Babri Masjid title suit and also demanded punishment to culprits
responsible for demolition of 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on Dec. 6,
1992.Addressing the gathering, Malik Motasim Khan, Community Affairs Secretary
of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said that all sections of the society, including
Muslims and Hindus, as well as the idea of India feel defeated by the verdict
of the Supreme Court.Mohammad Suleman of Indian Union League said: The message
should go to the peace-loving people of the country that the Supreme Court has
delivered judgment in the Babri case, not justice. They should know we are not
satisfied and why we are not satisfied with the verdict. Moreover, when the
Supreme Court has itself said that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was a
criminal act, then the culprits of the demolition should be punished.”Adv.
Shahid Ali of United Muslim Forum said: “The purpose of our program today was
that those responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid should get
punishment. We have been holding this protest for the last 26 years. Now the SC
has also said that the demolition was a criminal act.”Peaceful protest
demonstration was held in Maharashtra also.
Over 400 members of Tamil Nadu Muslim group arrested for protests on
Ayodhya verdict
Tiruchy: Amid heavy police deployment, over 400 cadre belonging to Tamil
Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) staged a demonstration on Friday in
Tiruchy against the Supreme Court order on the Babri Masjid demolition. Raising
slogans that Dec.6 is a black day in Indian history, TMMK cadre demanded a
reconsideration of the Supreme Court order which awarded the disputed territory
in Ayodhya for construction of the Ram temple.
“It is a place which belonged to Muslims.There was a proper mosque built
in the area, how can they place Hindu idols inside it and claim its the
birthplace of Ram? Even ASI gave no confirmation what was below was a Hindu
structure,” said a protester. With the protest being held without the
permission of police, all cadre involved in the demonstration were
arrested.Similarly, SDPI held a demonstration in the city and 525 were arrested
and lodged in a private wedding hall.newindianexpress
Ayodhya Judgement: ‘Justice, Constitution and India’ Got Defeated
New Delhi:Marking 27th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition in 1992,
prominent social organisations ANHAD and Karwan-e-Mohabbat organised the first
public protest against the Ayodhya verdict here on Friday. The meeting aimed at
erasing an impression that the people, particularly Muslims, have accepted the
Supreme Court judgement on Babri Masjid without any “dissent”.The order of the
court on Masjid-Mandir case came under sharp scrutiny in the meeting as
speakers said that, in the judgement,
‘justice, Constitution and India’ got defeated. They urged the Muslim
community to turn down the offer of five-acre land awarded by the court in lieu
of the mosque land; and reject it with thanks to the government.Caravan Daily
BJP Govt Might Quash Shrines Protection Act, Warns Mani Shankar Aiyar
New Delhi:Congress leader and former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar
has warned that the right-wing BJP ruling India will have no qualms in quashing
the 1991 Protection of Places of Worship Act.He was speaking at a conference
held on Ayodhya judgement at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The conference,
attended by activists, academicians and students, discussed the larger
implications of the Ayodhya verdict. “It took this government only an hour to
tear down Article 370. So, what will prevent this government from repealing the
Protection of Places of Worship Act 1991,” Aiyar asked. He likened the Ayodhya judgement to the verdict
on Afzal Guru by the Supreme Court, and said he did not think that evidence
acted as the basis for the verdict. Instead, the court thought Afzal Guru
should hang to satisfy collective conscience of the society.”caravandaily
BJP contacts clerics, build opinion against review plea
UP BJP will reach out to
prominent Muslim clerics and ulemas in state and exhort them to accept the
Supreme Court verdict favouring construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya with an
open mind, even as All India Muslim Personal Law Board backed Muslim litigants
gear up to file review petition against the verdict.UP BJP has roped in its
minority wing to contact prominent clerics in all districts for the purpose.
Chief of UP BJP minority wing Haider Abbas said reaching out to clerics and
ulemas would ensure the message goes is to a large section of Muslim
population.Abbas said members of the minority wing in various districts have
been asked to begin the exercise as soon as possible.Sources said the minority
wing of BJP will highlight and praise the decision of Sunni Central Waqf Board
of not filing a review petition. " We will have to ensure the construction
of temple," Abbas told TOI.TOI
Gorakhpur:Hindu outfits celebrate demolition of Babri mosque; AIMIM
observes black day
Gorakhpur;Bajrang Dal and VHP here on Friday celebrated 27th anniversary
of the demolition of the Babri mosque as 'Shaurya Diwas' while the AIMIM
observed it as a black day.Members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal gathered at the
Kali temple in the Daudpur area of Gorakhpur, reciting the Hanuman Chalisa.
AIMIM on the other hand demonstrated outside the office of the district
magistrate, seeking punishment for those behind razing of the disputed
structure. Members of AIMIM also handed over a memorandum addressed to the
president to City Magistrate Umesh Mishra in this regard.PTI
*CAB NRC*
Modi govt is sure of its Rajya Sabha numbers again, will table
citizenship bill on Monday
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is all set to introduce the
contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, in Parliament Monday and is
confident of passing it in both the Houses without a hiccup.The bill, which was
approved by the union cabinet on 4 Dec, seeks to grant citizenship to
non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced
religious persecution there.The bill is expected to have a smooth passage in
545-member Lok Sabha, where ruling BJP has 303 members. The government is,
however, also confident of getting the bill passed in 245-member Rajya Sabha
where it has 81 MPs.Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said the
government is confident of passing the bill in both Houses like it did with J-K
Reorganisation Bill, 2019, in August and triple talaq Bill in July. Upper House
currently has 238 members as 7 seats are vacant. BJP claims to have the support
of 130 MPs — above the halfway mark of 119 — as it expects BJD, AIADMK, and
TRS, among others, to vote for the bill. Congress-led opposition, meanwhile,
has the support of 105 members.“Overall, we have numbers in both Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha. There is enough to pass the bill with the help of like-minded
parties,” Joshi said. “We had certain issues with the bill in the past,
particularly about the Northeastern states’ ethnic identity, but Home Minster
(Amit Shah) has addressed this issue in the newly drafted bill. They have
included inner line permit, so we will support,” JD(U) general secretary K.C.
Tyagi told ThePrint.Another BJP ally, Akali Dal, which has 3 members, will also
support bill.The government is also hopeful of getting support from AIADMK,
which has 11 members. AIADMK had supported BJP government during the passage of
the J-K Reorganisation and triple talaq bills. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s BJD
had 7 members in the House and is likely to support the bill.Sources said that
in order to appease BJD, BJP even withdrew its nominee, Ashwini Vaisnav,
Thursday from the AIIMS’ governing council election to facilitate the victory
of BJD candidate.Hinting at support for the bill, YSR Congress Party MP
Vijaysai Reddy said: “We have supported the government on certain bills. India
is a big, democratic country and it has certain responsibilities to accommodate
refugees who are not part of their country.” YSRCP has two members in Rajya
Sabha.The government is also hopeful of getting the support of TRS, which has 6
members in the House.A few opposition members, however, told ThePrint that they
don’t have numbers to stall the bill and will demand the government to send the
bill to a Parliamentary select committee for scrutiny.ThePrint
‘War Cry’ in Assam against CAB
Guwahati:Students staged a ‘Ran Hunkar’ or a ‘War Cry’ against the
contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill in the city’s premier Cotton State
University on Friday in which several intellectuals and artistes
participated.All Assam Students’ Union, along with 30 indigenous organisations,
staged protests against the Bill across Assam and burnt the effigies of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister
Sarbananda Sonowal. Eminent academic and intellectual Hiren Gohain; journalist
Ajit Kumar Bhuyan; popular singer, composer and actor Zubeen Garg and singer
Manas Robin were among those who addressed the meet which was attended by
students from different colleges.All speakers were unanimous that CAB cannot be
accepted and the protests will continue till it is withdrawn.“It is heartening
to note that all students’ organisations of the State have protested against
the Bill and students of Cotton State University have raised a war cry against
CAB which threatens the very identity of the indigenous people,” Gohain said.
Garg said that no Assamese can accept the Bill. PTI
Calls of Bandh in Northeast ahead of tabling CAB in Lok Sabha by Govt
With CAB, Centre wants to change demography of northeast: Manipur MP
Govt is trying to alter the demographic profile of the Northeast by
"dumping" outsiders in the volatile region under the garb of the
citizenship bill, a Lok Sabha member from Manipur alleged.Lorho Pfoze of the
Naga People's Front (NPF), which is in alliance with BJP in Manipur, cautioned
the Modi government against passing the CAB in its current form and asked him
to pay heed to emotions and sentiments of the people of northeast."Union
govt views the northeast as a region which harbours a lot of discontent against
the country, particularly because it has not blended with mainland India. This
is why we think that all outsiders would be dumped in the region under the garb
of CAB," Pfoze, who represents outer Manipur constituency, told PTI.PTI
NRC is a conspiracy to target people from UP & Bihar, says AAP, will
hold protest Sunday
New Delhi: The government’s plans to implement NRC across the country is
a “conspiracy” to target people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, senior AAP leader
Sanjay Singh claimed on Saturday.The party will hold a protest on Sunday at the
Jantar Mantar here against BJP-led central government’s plans, he said, adding
that the demonstration will be led by the Aam Aadmi Party’s purvanchali unit
head Gopal Rai.Purvanchalis are people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh
settled in the national capital and they play an important role in any election
here.PTI
*KASHMIR
& SOUTH ASIA*
How communication blackout is forcing young entrepreneurs out of Kashmir
Valley
The office of FastBeetle was buzzing with activity on August 4. It was
business as usual for the company, located in the historic premises of the
Indo-Kashmir Carpet Factory in Srinagar, often referred to as Asia’s largest
carpet factory. Phones rang constantly and the staff were busy replying to the
steady stream of email enquiries. Sheikh Sami Ullah, 28, who has a Bachelor’s
degree in Business Administration, exuded confidence and pride when he spoke
about the success of the venture in the otherwise unpredictable market of
Kashmir. Sami Ullah did not know then that that the Kashmir he knew would
change irrevocably the next day.It was only a year ago that FastBeetle, an
online courier service for local businesses, was founded, but it tasted success
quickly. “We had a modest beginning like any other start-up. However, from just
a dozen merchandises on the web, the online platform grew to market 200-plus
locally made goods in less than a year. The dashboard of customers reflected a
dedicated 15,000 customer base. The turnover touched ₹2 crore in a year,” Sami
Ullah says.As its customer base grew, FastBeetle got the Deputy Commissioner of
Srinagar, Shahid Chaudhary, to launch its mobile application on July 24, 2019.
The start-up tied up with known local apparel brands like Tul Palav and Hangers
and even approached online market giants Flipkart and Amazon for joint future
plans. Soon it opened offices in Baramulla, Anantnag and Sopore. “It was
unbelievable that eight employees and six delivery boys could create such
magic. The future looked safe and secure,” says Sami Ullah, whose father works
in the government.Sami Ullah researched the market for a year before the
company’s launch. “We did not want to launch a start-up only to have it fail.
Many others joined and we paid from our pockets to realise the dream. The
Internet was our lifeline,” he says.thehindu
NRI businessman Mubeen Shah, detained in Article 370 crackdown, gets
‘temporary release’
Agra: Dr Mubeen Shah, a NRI businessman detained in the aftermath of
August 5 crackdown on political leaders and businessmen in Jammu and Kashmir,
was “temporarily released” on Saturday.Shah, who is based out of Malaysia,
walked out of Agra Central Jail and was received by his brother Niyaz, who had
been fighting in the Supreme Court to seek his release.Refusing to talk to the
media citing that the case was sub-judice, Niyaz drove away with his brother,
Mubeen, who was detained on Aug.7 and immediately shifted to the central jail
in Agra. The release order issued by Home Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir union
territory said “…govt hereby orders the temporary release of Dr Mubeen
Shah…presently under detention… from Dec.7 to March 6, 2020 subject to conditions
laid down in the bond”.PTI
‘Happy to breathe air of freedom…but same being denied to Kashmir
people’: Chidambaram'
Dubbing the central government “retrograde”, veteran Congress leader P
Chidambaram Saturday said that freedom was being denied to 75 lakh people in
the Kashmir valley.The former Union Minister, who was in Chennai for the first
time after being released from prison after 106 days for his alleged
involvement in the INX media case, also said that he was very happy to breathe
the air of freedom.“But at the same time, in several parts of the nation,
freedom is being snatched away and voices of freedom are being choked…and you
should not forget it at all,” he told reporters.Alleging that freedom is being
denied to people in the Kashmir valley, Chidamabaram said, “As we speak now,
freedom is denied to 75 lakh people in the Kashmir valley,” adding if freedom
of one person was denied, it meant denying it for all the people.“Freedom
cannot be separated, yours is mine and mine is yours and if I do not protect
your freedom, you cannot protect mine,” Chidambaram was quoted as saying by
PTI.Attacking the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, the senior Congress leader
alleged that a “right-wing retrograde (government)” is moving towards “a
fascist type of government that usurped freedom,” adding that the people need
to be more careful.indianexpress
J&K former minister Harsh Dev Singh put under ‘house arrest’ again
Jammu : Two months after he was allowed to move out of his house
following the lifting of restrictions on opposition leaders in Jammu by the
administration, former minister and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party
chairman Harsh Dev Singh was once again put under house arrest at his Gandhi
Nagar residence by UT Police on Friday.The move came after he along with other
party leaders including former MLA Balwant Singh were distributing pamphlets
appealing people to observe bandh on Saturday in protest against the continued
suspension of mobile internet and establishment of the toll plaza on the
Jammu-Kathua national highway at Sarore.While Harsh Dev Singh claimed that he
has been put under house arrest and a police contingent has been deployed
outside his residence to prevent him from moving out, SSP Jammu Tejinder Singh
denied it. The latter, however, admitted that he has been asked to stay indoors
so as to prevent him from disturbing public order.indianexpress
India refuses to meet Nepal PM’s special envoy to discuss Kalapani row
amid souring ties
New Delhi: Modi government has refused to meet Nepal Prime Minister K.P.
Sharma Oli’s special envoy Madhav Kumar Nepal, who was expected to arrive on a
trip to New Delhi earlier this week to discuss the contentious issue of Kalapani.Kalapani
is a 35 square kilometre area, which is claimed by both India and Nepal as an
integral part of their territories — India as part of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh
district and Nepal as part of its Darchula district. Madhav Kumar Nepal, ex PM
of the landlocked country and senior leader of the Nepal Communist Party, was
expected to visit India to discuss the latest row between New Delhi and
Kathmandu over Kalapani, sources told ThePrint.Nepal was planning to visit New
Delhi between 4-5 Dec and wanted to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urge
him to “immediately establish” a foreign secretary-level dialogue mechanism to
settle the border dispute, the sources said. But, they added, the Indian
government refused to meet the special envoy. Nepal eventually cancelled his
plan to come to India.theprint
*OTHERS*
RBI survey shows consumer confidence in India at its lowest since Modi
became PM
Mumbai: Consumer confidence in India dropped to its lowest since at
least 2014, the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.The current
situation index fell to 85.7 in Nov.from 89.4 in Sept., according to the
Reserve Bank of India’s consumer confidence survey, where 100 is the dividing
line between pessimism and optimism. The future expectations gauge — that takes
into account the one-year ahead perceptions — fell to 114.5 from 118.0.The drop
coincides with a deepening slowdown in Asia’s third-largest economy and
increased worries about employment. The yearlong crisis in the shadow-banking
sector has tightened lending, affecting domestic consumption that makes up
about 60% of the nation’s economy. All this contributed to growth cooling to a
new six-year low in the quarter ended Sept.The central bank’s survey was
conducted in 13 big cities and 5,334 households. Consumers were surveyed about
perceptions and expectations on the general economic situation, the jobs
scenario, the overall price situation apart from income and spending.
Instead of gigantic statues, India should build modern schools and
universities: Raghuram Rajan
New Delhi: Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said Hindu nationalism
does not just foment social tensions but also detracts India from its economic
growth. Rajan said the Narendra Modi government is no exception to having a
tendency "to want more power, especially given the social and political
agenda it is focused on".Raghuram Rajan said this in an essay titled 'How
to fix the economy' written for the India Today Magazine.Reflecting on the
socio-political agenda of Modi government, Raghuram Rajan said, "Instead
of building gigantic statues to national or religious heroes, India should
build more modern schools and universities that will open its children's minds,
making them more tolerant and respectful of one another, and helping them hold
their own in the competitive globalised world of tomorrow."Rajan writes
that majoritarianism is popular the world over and India is no exception.
"There is a tendency for those in power to want more control, and this
government is no exception, especially given the social and political agenda it
is focused on...Apart from fomenting social tension, which India can ill
afford, Hindu nationalism will detract from economic growth-which will
exacerbate social tension further," Rajan writes in the essay.India Today
Over 63% votes cast in second phase of polling in Jharkhand
RANCHI:An estimated 63.36% votes were cast on Saturday in the second
phase of election for the Assembly in Jharkhand where one person was killed in
firing by security personnel near a polling booth.The voting figure is likely
to go up as reports from remote places are awaited.Polling in the 20
constituencies had begun at 7 a.m. amid tight security. It ended at 3 p.m. in
18 of them while in the rest two - Jamshedpur (East) and Jamshedpur (West) -
the polling ended at 5 p.m., Election Commission sources said.PTI
Jharkhand elections: In town where Tabrez tied up, beaten, parties avoid
his family
Kharsawan :In June, Kharsawan, a nondescript Jharkhand town about 60 km
west of Jamshedpur, hit the national headlines, and notoriety, when a man named
Tabrez Ansari was reportedly tied to a pole, beaten and forced to say Jai Shri
Ram. Ansari, caught for an alleged act of theft, succumbed to head injuries
four days later.The incident sparked widespread criticism of the state
government’s ostensible administrative lapses, with many political leaders,
including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condemning the incident.Six months on,
as Kharsawan Assembly constituency gets ready to vote in the Vidhan Sabha
elections on Saturday, there is no mention of Ansari by any candidate,
including incumbent Dasrath Ghagrai of JMM and his main opponent, BJP’s Jawahar
Lal Banra.BJP is seeking votes on the promise of double-engine growth – with
governments in both the state and at the Centre – and the JMM’s main plank is
the ruling party’s “anti-tribal decisions and five years of misrule”.After
Ansari’s death, his wife Sahista Parween, 19, has moved to her mother’s home on
the outskirts of Kharsawan. As campaigning ended on Saturday, Sahista said,
“Many political leaders come up to the end of the colony, seeking votes; no one
comes to us. They probably fear that they would lose votes.”Muslim votes are
not a deciding factor in Kharsawan, and the family believes political parties
don’t want to be seen as sympathisers of one community.indianexpress
Delhi CM Kejriwal plans to develop full syllabus on Ambedkar, releases
booklet today
New Delhi:Delhi government introduced a booklet on the life and works of
B R Ambedkar in the curriculum for classes 6 to 8 on Friday.“By describing
Ambedkar just as a leader of Dalits, people have belittled his contribution to
the society,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said while launching the
textbook.“Only a few people know that he contributed to the formation of RBI,
women empowerment, farmers welfare. We want to tell everything to our
children,” he said.The chief minister hoped that private schools will also
incorporate the booklet in their curriculum.”This booklet is just the first
draft. We will refine it, include the suggestions of teachers and students.
After a few years, we will be able to develop a full syllabus on Ambedkar,
which can be taught in every school of the country,” he said.Deputy Chief
Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said Ambedkar
could not be taught just in the form of a biography.PTI
CBI books sitting Allahabad high court judge SN Shukla in bribery case
New Delhi: CBI has registered a case against sitting Allahabad high
court judge Justice Shri Narayan Shukla alleging that he accepted bribe in lieu
of giving a favourable order for a Lucknow-based medical college. Prasad
Institute of Medical Sciences was disbarred from taking admissions by
government in May 2017. Justice Shukla has been named as prime accused along
with retired Odisha high court judge IM Quddusi, who was earlier arrested in
Sept.2017, and four other private persons in the matter. After registering the
latest case in its larger alleged “judicial corruption” probe on Thursday, CBI
teams on Friday morning raided residences of Justice Shukla in Lucknow, Justice
Quddusi’s residence in Delhi and five other places and recovered several
incriminating documents related to investments and financial transactions.HT
Statue of Unity surpasses daily average footfall at Statue of Liberty
New Delhi:In just over a year of its unveiling, Statue of Unity has
surpassed the footfall at 133-year-old Statue of Liberty in US, with an average
of over 15,000 tourists visiting the monument in Gujarat daily. “With 74 per
cent increase over the daily average of the first year, that is, Nov.1, 2018 to
Oct.31, 2019, daily average of 15,036 is now registered in the first month of
this second year. “This has further increased to 22,430 on weekend days. Statue
of Liberty of New York, attracts around 10,000 visitors a day!” a statement by
Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd said.Statue of Unity is a statue of
Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of the country. With a height of 182
metres, it is the world’s tallest statue.PTI
'Childhood conversion': HC saves Christian woman stuck with Muslim name
KOCHI: The has come to the aid of a woman who was born a Christian but
her name and religion were changed to Islam by her father when he got
‘converted’ while she was a school student.The father had later deserted the
family, leaving behind Islamic names for his wife and child in the child’s
educational records.A division bench comprising justices AM Shaffique and TV
Anilkumar considered an appeal filed by the state government challenging
justice Anu Sivaraman’s judgment allowing the woman from Manjeri in Malappuram
to change her name and religion in SSLC book.Government had argued before the
division bench that changing woman’s caste and religion and her father’s name, which
were wrongly recorded in SSLC book, are not permitted as per Kerala Education
Rules or the relevant government order.TOI
*WORLD*
First round of resurrected US-Taliban peace talks open in Qatar
US has resumed talks with the Taliban in Qatar, three months after
President Donald Trump abruptly halted diplomatic efforts that could end the
US's longest war.US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Saturday held the first
official talks since September with the Afghan group in Qatar's capital, Doha,
a US State Department spokesperson said.The renewed talks were expected to pave
the way for direct talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul and,
ultimately, a possible peace agreement after over 18 years of war."US
rejoined talks today in Doha. The focus of discussion will be reduction of
violence that leads to intra-Afghan negotiations and a ceasefire," said
spokesperson.The meetings in Doha, where the Taliban maintains a political
office, follow several days of talks in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, where
Khalilzad met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Taliban has so far refused direct
talks with Ghani, calling him a "US puppet".During a surprise
Thanksgiving Day visit to a US military base in Afghanistan last month, Trump
said the Taliban "wants to make a deal".Even during the stall in
talks, Khalilzad has in recent weeks made a whistle-stop tour of nations with a
stake in Afghan peace, including Pakistan.He recently arranged a captive swap
in which the Taliban released an American and an Australian academic whom they
had held hostage for three years.Meanwhile, the US military in its daily report
said overnight on Saturday that US air attacks killed 37 members of the armed
group and operations by Afghan National Security Forces killed 22 other
rebels.Taliban, which now holds sway over nearly half of Afghanistan, has
continued to carry out near-daily attacks against military outposts throughout
the country.Trump has expressed frustration with US's longest war, repeatedly
saying he wants to bring the estimated 12,000 American soldiers home and
calling on Afghanistan's own police and military to step up.Meanwhile, the
Afghan government is embroiled in a fresh election standoff. Presidential polls
on Sept.28 ended in accusations of misconduct and corruption, with no results
yet announced.aljazeera
Afghans leave Iran in thousands as economy worsens
Thousands of Afghan workers and refugees are leaving Iran each week
because of the dire economic situation caused by United States sanctions.They
say rising prices and the falling value of the Iranian rial makes it impossible
to survive.For some Afghans, the desperation for work now outweighs the dangers
they once ran from.aljazeera
US lawmakers snub Trump with ‘two-state’ resolution on Palestine
New York: US lawmakers passed a resolution affirming support for a
two-state solution to the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians on Friday
in a move seen as a rebuff to the Trump administration’s pro-Israel policies.
Democratic-led House of Representatives voted 226 to 188 for the non-binding
resolution that refers to decades of US policy against Israeli
settlement-building on Palestinian land and its “moves toward unilateral
annexation of territory”.The document has been viewed as a snub to President
Donald Trump, a Republican, who has reversed decades of US policy by
recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, shifting US embassy there
the next year, and cutting US cashflows to Palestinians.California Democrat
Alan Lowenthal, who introduced the document to the House earlier this year,
tweeted that he was “proud” to secure backing from some Republicans to a
resolution that affirms “our support for a two-state solution between Israelis
and Palestinians”.“We took a stand for a just peace which safeguards human
rights and security, and stands against unilateral annexation and settlement
expansion,” Lowenthal wrote to his 32,000 Twitter followers shortly after H.
RES. 326 was passed.Anadolu Agency
Abbas opposed to opening of US field hospital in Gaza
Ramallah: Palestinian leader said he would not allow a US field hospital
to open in the Gaza Strip. “Such steps show that Deal of Century is being
realized section by section,” Mahmud Abbas said at a meeting of Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO) in Ramallah.Deal of Century is US President
Donald Trump’s backchannel plan to reach peace between the Palestinians and
Israel.Funded by American NGO, Friend Ships, the hospital is planned to be
opened in northern Gaza near the Israeli border.Anadolu Agency
Tensions flare as unidentified gunmen kill protesters in Baghdad
Iraqi officials have raised Friday's death toll to at least 20 after a
bloody night of attacks by unidentified gunmen that targeted anti-government
demonstrators near the main protest camp in Baghdad.More than 130 others were
also wounded by gunfire and stabbings near Tahrir Square, the main protest camp
in the Iraqi capital, AP reported, citing health and security officials who
spoke on condition of anonymity.It was the most violent flare-up in the capital
for weeks and came a week after parliament accepted Adel Abdul Mahdi's
resignation following two months of huge protests demanding his departure and
the overhaul of the country's political system.Gunmen on pick-up trucks late on
Friday attacked a large building near al-Sinak bridge where anti-government
protesters had been camped out for weeks, witnesses told the AFP.aljazeera
Mysterious Israeli-based group is using Facebook pages to spread fake
news and target politicians
A Guardian investigation finds that a 'mysterious' Israeli-based group
is coordinating with over 21 Facebook pages to spread fake news.The group has
over a million followers and even makes money from digital advertising.It has
come under the scanner for targeting two US politicians, Rashida Tlaib and
Ilhan Omar — members of 'the squad' — with posts islamophobic posts.It's just
another day at Facebook as a mysterious Israeli-based Facebook group used 21
different pages on the social networking platform to spread fake Islamophobic
news.An investigation by the Guardian finds that not only does the group have
over a million followers helping circulate thousands of fake news posts that go
out every week — but it's also making money off of it.The more traffic the
pages generate, the more revenue they gain from digital advertising. And,
they've been at it for over 2 years. Their pages aren't restricted to the US
but span to other countries like Australia, the UK, Canada, Israel, and
Nigeria.Most of the posts by the Israeli-based group are aimed at amplifying
Ismaphobia by focusing on celebrating comments from far-right parties while
disparaging Muslim and left-wing politicians. Similarly, BBC's investigation
found the ' hyper-nationalism' was behind the fake news menace in India last
year. The group in question been targetting 2
US politicians in particular — Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar — who are the first
Muslim women to serve in US Congress. They're both known as members of ' the
squad', a group of progressive women of color in US politics.businessinsider.in
Norway to distribute 10,000 Qurans to fight racism
Stockholm:Norway's Muslim associations have announced they would
distribute 10,000 Qurans with Norwegian translations in an effort to fight
racism and hate.It will be a collaboration with the Islam Literature
Association and the Minhaj-ul-Quran mosque, the Norwegian Muslim Arts and
Culture Association reported. The decision came after an extreme right-wing
group tried to burn a copy of the Muslim holy book during a protest in
Kristiansand, a city populated with migrants.Stop the Islamization of Norway
(SION) members were prevented from the desecrating by police, however, the
group’s leader threw the Quran in the garbage.Turkey, Pakistan, Iran reacted
strongly to Nov. 16 incident by issuing their formal condemnations."We
want to respond to negative actions by spreading love and knowledge as taught
by the Holy Quran," said Muslim Arts and Culture Association in a
statement that indicated the Qurans would be handed out via the
Internet.Turkey's Ambassador to Oslo Fazli Corman said his office closely
follows developments that concern the welfare of Norway’s Muslim community. Corman said just before the incident in
Kristiansand, Justice and Immigration Minister Joran Kallmyr said the burning
of the Quran is considered freedom of speech and told the police not to ban any
burning of the Quran.After receiving reactions from Muslim community, Kallmyr
held a meeting with Islam Council of Norway." Anadolu Agency
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
Encounters should not be encouraged by political leadership:Julio
Ribeiro
Why CAB-plus-NRC fantasy is BJP’s next Ram Mandir-plus-Article 370
gambit:SHEKHAR GUPTA
As India becomes de facto Hindu Rashtra, BJP looks for new ways to
polarise voters:SHIVAM VIJ
Citizenship Bill can be another Article 370. If only Left would stop its
wrong noise:SESHADRI CHARI
Third ‘encounter’ of non-Maoists in Telangana in 10 years, two led by
same cop
Ambedkar’s legacy is being re-engineered to suit the Hindutva
agenda:Badri Narayan
Centre Continuing to Push 'Anti-People Agenda’ in Parliament: PUDR
Report
Hyderabad encounter: On our way to becoming a mobocracy?Zafar Agha
Proposed citizenship law is immoral, will unleash a legally-sanctioned
regime of discrimination:Gautam Bhatia
Compiled
and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:50 PM).*
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