26
DEC. FLASH NEWS (MID DAY)
india:anti-citizenship act
stir
BJP misread mood on citizenship
law, union minister admits:Report
MUMBAI: The government did not anticipate the protests against a new
citizenship law that have raged across the country and is now scrambling to
control the damage, members of the ruling BJP have said.In Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's biggest challenge since taking office in 2014, hundreds of
thousands have protested against the law offering citizenship to immigrants
from non-Muslim minorities who have fled Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
BJP leaders were taken aback by the backlash, some party members told Reuters.
They said they had been prepared for some anger from Muslims, but not
widespread protests that have convulsed most major cities for two weeks.Now the
party and the government are reaching out for help in defusing the crisis to
allies and opponents sidelined when the bill passed earlier this month, the
sources said."I really did not see the protests coming... not just me,
other BJP lawmakers were also unable to predict this kind of anger," Union
Minister Sanjeev Balyan told Reuters.While there is no threat to his big
parliamentary majority, PM Modi's reputation as a master strategist with his
finger on the pulse of the people has taken a hit.Three other BJP lawmakers and
two Union Ministers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were
mobilising party supporters from all walks of life to start community dialogues
and dispel discontent over the law and the register."I believe that the
political math behind the clearance of this law was not taken into
account," said one of Union Ministers, an apparent reference to lack of
consultation with allies and opposition parties."We are all in damage
control mode," said the other Union Minister, adding that BJP and allies
have launched a campaign to explain that the law is not discriminatory.RSS,
which is the ideological parent of the BJP, has also launched a movement across
urban slums to counter opposition to the bill.Analysts say various reasons for
discontent were coalescing."It's evident that people are protesting
against the law and also venting against Modi's autocratic style of
leadership," said Sanjay Kumar, director of research institute the Centre
for Study of Developing Societies. "The economic crisis gives further
incentive... I don't see these protests fading very soon."When PM Modi, a
veteran politician, came to power 5-and-a-half years ago, he promised growth,
jobs and development. But he was criticised for haphazard tax reform and shock
demonetisation of high value currency notes in his first term - which
contributed to an economic slowdown - as well as intolerance for dissent and
ignoring anti-Muslim hate crimes."I feel they can't create jobs and hence
they are passing such a disturbing law," said Ghanshyam Tiwari, a student
protesting in the city of Lucknow this month."For the first time in
India's history a law has been framed on the basis of religion,"
Prithviraj Chavan, a senior Congress leader, told Reuters. "The ruling
party's strategy to make India a Hindu-first nation has backfired."Reuters
Blindspot to backlash: PM Modi
and BJP misread the mood
https://www.cnbctv18.com/politics/blindspot-to-backlash-pm-modi-and-bjp-misread-the-mood-4940401.htm
Media images of ‘National
Population Register 2020 forms’ spark confusion
NEW DELHI:Confusion prevailed after images of forms of ‘National
Population Register (NPR) 2020’ seeking details on “place of birth of father
and mother” started doing the rounds on social media, even though Home Minister
Amit Shah clarified a day ago that there was “no link between NPR and NRC.”A
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) spokesperson told The Hindu that the form or the
schedule to collect data for the NPR has not been finalised yet.Congress leader
Manish Tewari tweeted an image of ‘NPR-2020’ saying that “NPR will be raw Data
of NRC.” “HM @AmitShah says NPR is register of population, NRC is register of
citizens. if that is so how is it relevant to ask whether my parents were born
in India or abroad? See encircled red box. Nothing but elements of NRC being
smuggled into NPR. NPR will be raw Data of NRC,” Mr. Tewari said.
‘RSS PM lies to Bharat Mata’:
Rahul Gandhi hits out at Modi over ‘no detention centres’ claim
New Delhi :Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday for his
claim that there were no detention centres in India, former Congress president
Rahul Gandhi alleged that “RSS’s Prime Minister lies to Bharat Mata”. Gandhi
attached a video, which purportedly shows an under-construction detention
centre in Assam. “RSS’s Prime Minister lies to Bharat Mata,” Gandhi said in the
tweet in Hindi with the hashtag ‘Jhoot Jhoot Jhoot (lies, lies,
lies).indianexpress
PM’s ‘no-talks-on-NRC’ remark a
tactical retreat: JD(U)’s Prashant Kishor
JD(U) vice-president Prashant Kishor, who has been critical of the
proposed implementation of nationwide NRC, dubbed the PM’s rhetoric of “Abhi
toh NRC ki koi charcha hi nahi hui hai“, as a “pause and not a full stop”.“The
claim of “Abhi toh NRC ki koi charcha hi nahi hui hain” is nothing but a
tactical retreat in the face of the nationwide protest against #CAA_NRC. It is
a pause and not the full stop,” Kishor wrote on Twitter on
Thursday.indianexpress
Kuwaiti MPs urge help for
Uighurs, Indian Muslims
KUWAIT:Kuwaiti lawmakers have called on their government to intervene to
stop persecution of Muslims in East Turkistan and India. A group of 27 MPs
signed a statement in which they underlined solidarity with Uighur Muslims
against China's systematic campaign against their community. Kuwaiti lawmakers
voiced concern over recent restrictions against Muslims in India.Protests have
erupted in India against a new law granting citizenship to Hindus, Parsis,
Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians -- but not Muslims -- who migrated from
Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.Activists have called the law
discriminatory, fearing that it was aimed at disenfranchising Indian Muslims.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected such claims.Anadolu Agency
Gujarat
scribe Nachiketa Desai, fasting against CAA, thrown out of Sabarmati Ashram,
picked up by police
Sabarmati Ashram is a natural venue for a person moulded in Mahatma
Gandhi’s ideals to sit on a protest against state repression and draconian
laws. It was from here that Gandhi had launched the famous Salt
Satyagrah.Therefore, it was natural for journalist, activist and Gandhian
Nachiketa Desai to sit down in a corner of Bapu’s ashram when he decided to
lodge a peaceful protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the
police brutality unleashed on the protesters in BJP-ruled states including
Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi. Bapu had done innumerable peaceful protests
like this. But what even the colonial British spared Gandhi, the
Constitutionally elected government of Gujarat did not to Nachiketa Desai.On Wednesday
morning, Desai reached the Sabarmati Ashram and sat on a protest fast. As the
word spread, the Ashram management came rushing and bundled Desai out of the
Ashram in no time, not ready to listen to any reasoning from
Desai.nationalheraldindia
Won’t pursue
NRC in Bengal, says State BJP chief in a U-turn
KOLKATA:After repeatedly campaigning for NRC in West Bengal, State BJP
president Dilip Ghosh said on Wednesday the NRC is “a matter of future”,
indicating that the party would not pursue it in Bengal. Exactly a year ago,
Mr. Ghosh told The Hindu that NRC is inevitable in Bengal and the party has publicly
advocated for it. Asked about its implementation, Mr. Ghosh said, “When would
it take place and what would happen is a matter of future.” “NRC was
implemented in Assam owing to a Supreme Court order. Rajiv Gandhi made the
agreement saying they will do the NRC. BJP did not make the agreement [and] it
went to court. On the basis of the court order, it was implemented [in Assam],
this has to be made clear,” Mr. Ghosh told journalists in Jalpaiguri. While
connecting the NRC with Rajiv Gandhi, BJP is now trying to “distance itself
from it and shift the onus on the Congress,” say observers. He clarified that
the Central government will take a call, if need be.“If there is a need for
countrywide NRC, the Central government will think about it,” said BJP MP. Mr.
Ghosh, a senior member of the RSS, always advocated the NRC in Bengal. Even
after last November’s defeat in three Assembly bypolls, he said it is
‘premature’ to hold the NRC responsible for the defeat.thehindu
Parties, ex
officers, activists question Mumbai Police chief remarks defending CAA, NRC
Mumbai:Mumbai police chief Sanjay Barve has raised eyebrows after he
came out in support of the Citizen (Amendment) Act (CAA) and NRC while
addressing preachers from the Muslim community on Wednesday.MAHA Vikas Aaghadi
(MVA) partner NCP, asked him to refrain from making political comments and
focus on law and order. Congress and NCP are completely against the law. Shiv
Sena had voted in favour of the bill in Lok Sabha and walked out of the Rajya
Sabha when it was tabled. CM Uddhav Thackeray has also assured Muslims that the
law will not be implemented in the state and no one has to worry about their
citizenship.According to sources, Mumbai police's intelligence department has
shared inputs about unrest in the Muslim community over CAA and NRC. Following
the inputs, Barve called a meeting with community and religious leaders, during
which he said, "I was born at home and I don't have a birth certificate.
This doesn't mean I will be thrown out of the country. I will prove my
citizenship whenever required. Indians living here legally won't be impacted by
CAA and NRC. If I have nothing to worry about, then how are Muslims going to
lose their citizenship? Misinformation is being spread among Muslims and they
have been misguided about the law."When asked about his remarks blaming
the leftist ideology, he said, "Misconceptions and rumours are there, we
know they are being spread through social media. There are some people trying
to disturb peace and harmony; we know who are they but we are keeping the city
safe." "Barve's job is to maintain law and order in the city. He
should refrain from making political comments. If he said something like this,
it is serious. Our stand is clear that we will not support any law which is
biased towards any religion," said NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik.Reacting
sharply to Barve's comments, former chief minister Ashok Chavan said,
"This is a mass movement by the people of India, the entire country is
protesting against the law; the commissioner's statement is wrong. I want to
know if this is the government's stand."Officers at such high position
should be guarded about what they are saying publicly," said retired IPS
officer, P K Jain. mid-day
People
being misguided in the name of CAA: Mumbai Police chief; says 'illegal
immigrants spreading rumors'
Akhil
Gogoi’s home and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti office in Guwahati raided by NIA
NIA on Thursday conducted searches at the home of Assam peasant leader
and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi, PTI reported.He was arrested by the agency
earlier this month for his alleged role in the recent protests in Assam against
the Citizenship Amendment Act.The agency began searches at Gogoi’s home in
Nizarapur of Chandmari area in Guwahati around 7 am. It also conducted searches
at the Gandhibasti office of the organisation he founded and heads – the
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, according to Northeast Now. The NIA team seized
files relating to Gogoi’s identity cards and bank documents, the report
said.scroll
Won’t
protest:Ahmedabad's Nirma University students made to give undertaking
Ahmedabad :Nirma University’s Institute of Law has sought an undertaking
from a few of its students who took part in a recent protest against the Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) that they would refrain from participating in any protest
in the future.The university also sent an advisory to their parents, asking
them to “counsel” their wards.A few students of Institute of Law from the
Ahmedabad-based private university participated in a protest outside Gandhi
Ashram on December 17. Out of more than a dozen students who participated in
the protest, around five were asked to give the undertaking. They were
identified by the university from pictures published by local
newspapers.indianexpress
"Leaders
Don't Lead Masses In Arson": Army Chief On Citizenship Protests
New Delhi: Army chief Bipin Rawat today criticized violence during
protests over the citizenship law, saying "leaders are not those who lead
masses in arson and violence".General Bipin Rawat, who is due to retire on
December 31, has spoken out against the massive nationwide protests against the
Citizenship Act for the first time. He was speaking at an event in Delhi on
Thursday."Leadership is all about leading. Therefore what is so complex
about leadership, if it's all about leading? Because when you move forward,
everybody follows. It is not that simple. It appears simple, but it's a very
complex phenomenon," the Army chief said at an event.ndtv
CAA-NRC PROTESTS: CRACKDOWN IN UP
Human
Rights Commission Issues Notice To UP Cop Over Police Action On Protesters,
destroying their property, sealing shops
New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice
to the police chief of Uttar Pradesh after receiving various complaints that
allege "violation of human rights" in police action during the
ongoing anti-Citizenship Act protests in the state, officials said.A complaint
was received by NHRC recently, seeking intervention in the alleged incidents of
violation of human rights by the state police."Other complaints were also
received in connection with the matter, which has been taken on record. The
complaint was registered on December 23 and subsequently, a notice was issued
by NHRC to the director-general of police of Uttar Pradesh, seeking a report in
four weeks," a senior official of the rights panel said.The complainant
has alleged that subsequent to the passage of CAA, "There have been many
incidents of human rights violations by the state authorities in Uttar
Pradesh"."Youth have been killed, internet has been suspended, and
the police themselves are destroying public property. The right to peaceful
assembly has also been violated," according to the complaint submitted to
the NHRC.In the complaint, it is also alleged that "police officials have
been destroying property of many individuals and have targeted Muslim
population by sealing their shops".PTI
Anti CAA
protests: “Muslims have only two places, Pakistan or Kabristan”, says UP police
to 72 year old man
Around nearly 30 police officials barged into two-storey house of Haji
Hamid Hasan, a 72-year-old timber trader in Muzaffarnagar town in western Uttar
Pradesh around 11 pm on Friday and went on the rampage. Some officials were in
plainclothes.According to a report in Telegraph, Hassan alleged that he was
assaulted with a rifle butt when he protested and beaten with sticks. Police
official vandalised the house, breaking washbasins, bathroom fittings, bed,
furniture, fridge, washing machine and utensils, he said.“I cried and begged
for mercy but they were very brutal. They told me Muslims have only two places,
Pakistan or Kabristan,” he narrated the ordeal while showing the scene of
destruction inside his house and the injury on his leg.Hasan said that the
rampage continued for 30 to 40 minutes. “After destroying everything, they
looted at gunpoint jewellery and cash of Rs 5 lakh kept in the almirah. I
recently bought the jewellery for the weddings of my two grand-daughters.”
Hasan said as reported by Telegraph.Fatima, Hasan’s wife had hid up in a room
with their two granddaughters, Ruqaiya Parveen, a postgraduate in science, and
Mubashira Parveen, a graduate.Telegraph
Meerut
police crackdown: Relatives aghast as FIR names 3 dead
MEERUT:“I was offering namaaz at around 3 p.m. on Friday when incessant
firing in the vicinity interrupted me. I immediately rushed downstairs to
enquire whether my son Mohsin had returned home,” recalls Nafeesa Parveen of
the fateful Friday.An hour later Mohammad Mohsin, 28, was found lying outside a
local restaurant barely 300 metres away from home, bleeding profusely in
Meerut’s Lisari Gate area. He had allegedly sustained a bullet injury in the
police crackdown on protesters against CAA.According to eyewitnesses and
residents of Lisari Gate, a large crowd had gathered outside the Baghwali
mosque in the area after Friday prayers to demonstrate against the CAA, when
policemen lathi-charged them. The protesters retaliated by throwing stones at
the police, who responded with rubber bullets, tear gas shells and subsequently
live rounds of fire. THE wire
Citizenship
Act protests: UP Police release reward posters, videos of suspects involved in
violence
Uttar Pradesh Police have put out a series of reward posters and videos
to identify those allegedly involved in the protests against the Citizenship
Amendment Act last week, NDTV reported.In one of the videos taken in Meerut, a
man in a blue jacket is seen walking around with a gun. The police said they
retailated because of the attacks they faced from “violent mobs” between
December 19 and 21. They have also announced a reward of Rs 25,000 each for
information on 3 wanted persons in Kanpur, Firozabad and Mau, according to Indian
Express.In Mau district, police have released a poster carrying photographs of
110 people. These people were allegedly involved in the violence when vehicles
were set on fire and stones were thrown at police. “3 FIRs were lodged in
connection with the incident in which 21 people have been arrested so far,” Mau
SP Anurag Arya told the newspaper. “We identified 110 other miscreants involved
in the violence. Since we have no information about these 110 people, we
released posters carrying their photographs.”scroll
Across UP,
police use protest photos to churn out ‘reward posters’ of suspects
College
teacher suspended, varsity student expelled for anti-CAA protests
Lucknow: A PG college teacher was suspended for allegedly mobilising
people for a protest against the citizenship (amendment) act (CAA) on the
campus.Confirming the news, Shia PG College manager S Abbas Murtaza Samshi said
on Wednesday the action was taken against contractual teacher Robin Verma on
basis of media reports that Verma was arrested by Lucknow police and sent to
jail. Verma was among 285 protesters who took part in the anti-CAA protest on
December 19.Murtaza further said the college had formed a three-member
committee comprising principal Prof Talat Hussain Naqvi, chief proctor Dr MH
Zaidi and head of zoology department Dr TS Naqvi, which will obtain record from
the district administration. Thereafter, it will be tabled before Shia PG
College management for final action.A copy of the suspension order was sent to
the regional higher education officer, Lucknow, the registrar, Lucknow
University and the DM and the SSP, Lucknow.HT
AMU appoints student seriously injured in 15 Dec
violence as assistant professor on compassionate grounds
AMU has decided to appoint research scholar Mohammad Tariq, who suffered
severe hand injury during 15 December violence on the campus, as an ad-hoc assistant
professor in the Department of Chemistry on "compassionate
grounds".According to his friends, who are now looking after him at trauma
centre, Tariq is the future breadwinner of his family as he has an aged father,
unwell mother and six other siblings to look after. Tariq belongs to a nearby
city of Firozabad from a family of daily wage earners.Asked to get a photograph
of him clicked, Tariq refused, saying "I don't want my mother, who is a
heart patient, to know the extent of my injuries".Recalling the sequence
of events, which took place on that fateful night, Tariq said, "I do not
want to say anything beyond the fact that I was not part of the protest but all
that I remember is that I was running at the road near the university
guesthouse when I fell down and the rest is blank."According to doctors,
Tariq's injury was caused due to an explosion. AMU spokesperson Prof Shafey
Kidwai said Tariq is eligible for the post to which he has been appointed as he
fulfils all the requirements and the vice chancellor has special powers to
appoint him on compassionate grounds.firstpost
Activist
Parents Jailed For Citizenship Protest in UP's Varanasi, Baby Ayra At Home
A 14-month-old in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi has been without her activist
parents for a week after they were arrested and jailed last Thursday by Uttar
Pradesh Police for attending a protest against the citizenship law. There has
been controversy over arrests in Varanasi last week over the protests against
the citizenship law.Over 60 people have been arrested in Varanasi for
protesting despite a ban on large gatherings. Among them are well-known
activists Ekta and Ravi Shekhar. They run an NGO called Climate Agenda that focuses
on air pollution.The couple was picked up by the police during a protest
organised by Left groups in the city on December 19. Ayra, their 14-month-old
daughter, is now being taken care of by her relatives at their home.ndtv
OTHERS
"Alliance Talks In Mall, We Never
Knew": BJP's Haryana Ally Faces Revolt
New Delhi: Trouble has erupted for the ruling BJP's Haryana ally
Dushyant Chautala, with a senior leader of his Jannayak Janta Party (JJP)
quitting his party post in a huff. Ram Kumar Gautam, an MLA, resigned on
Wednesday as the party's vice president after going public with his criticism
of Dushyant Chautala.Dushyant Chautala "should not forget that he became
Deputy Chief Minister with the support of his party legislators," said Ram
Kumar Gautam, 73, in a rant against JJP chief whose support helped BJP form
government in Haryana after elections in October delivered a hung
verdict.Dushyant Chautala was called out for joining hands with a party he had
campaigned aggressively against in the election. Videos of him targeting the
BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also circulated on social media.Mr Gautam
said the JJP-BJP alliance was sealed without the knowledge of most leaders of
the party.ndtv
Economic
slowdown puts a question mark on 14 per cent GST compensation
New Delhi :As Centre grapples with lower GST collections, a fresh
tension now engulfs the Union Finance Minister-chaired GST Council with a
certain section questioning the assumption of a 14 per cent “high” revenue
growth rate covered by a compensation mechanism mentioned in GST(Compensation
to States) Act.“With inflation hovering around 4-5 per cent and India’s growth
expected to be 5-6 per cent, it will be difficult for the Union government to
provide compensation to states at 14 per cent annualised rate,” a Finance
Minister of a BJP-ruled state said.With an increase in GST rate ruled out for
now, the focus has shifted to the actual growth rate of taxes collected by
states, but subsumed under GST since July 2017. In the three years preceding
2015-16, the growth rate in taxes for non-special category states was just 8.9
per cent. This is significantly lower than the 14 per cent growth rate assumed
over the 2015-16 base year while committing compensation.Including the special category
states, all-India average tax growth had worked out to 10.6 per cent in the
three years preceding 2015-16.indianexpress
NSUI
workers shout ‘terrorist go back’ to Pragya Thakur in Bhopal, BJP MP to take
legal action
Workers of the National Students’ Union of India, the student wing of
Congress, on Wednesday shouted “terrorist go back” to BJP MP Pragya Singh
Thakur, ANI reported.Thakur went to meet students of Makhanlal Chaturvedi
National University of Journalism and Communication in Bhopal when the incident
took place. Two female students were protesting against the university
administration’s decision to not allow them to take their examinations and
staged a sit-in protest at the college gate from Tuesday, according to HT. The
students said they did not have the required attendance to give their exams due
to an illness.scroll
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