16 Jan 2020: 20
Jamadi-1, 1441: Vol: 12, No: 109
*anti-citizenship act stir*
Home ministry 'fact-checks' report suggesting Aadhaar or passport
required for NPR, but confusion over 'voluntary' furnishing of ID prevails
Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday clarified that the
authorities will not ask for any documents during the house-to-house survey for
updating National Population Register and that information provided by
individuals would be accepted and recorded. Ministry of Home Affairs
Spokesperson tweeted:"As quoted in a news item, "Have Aadhar,
Passpot? You will have to share details for NPR...Voter id, DL Info also
Mandatory", gives a wrong impression that these documents would have to be
compulsorily given for NPR exercise. Such a connotation is not
correct.@TOIIndiaNews". The ministry added: "It is reiterated that NO
DOCUMENTS WOULD BE ASKED BY THE ENUMERATORS FOR THE NPR EXERCISE. If the
respondents want to present documents for verification, they are free to do so.
There would be no compulsion from the side of the enumerators."The
clarification came in response to a TOI story claiming that those who possess
documents like an Aadhaar card or passport must furnish them during the process
of NPR, whereas those who do not possess these documents in the first place,
won't be asked to provide such details. The article quoted sources to make this
claim and further added that this cleared a prevailing impression that a
respondent can choose not to provide information relating to the documents even
if it is readily available.However, it is on the latter count that the MHA
clarification fails to clear the ambiguity. As also pointed out by several
Twitter users in response to the government's tweet, the MHA says nothing about
whether an individual has the right to withhold the information despite
possessing those documents. And if so, what are the consequences of choosing
not to share the documents.As pointed out by TOI, there does exist a rarely
invoked law — Rule 17 of the Citizenship Rules, 2003 — that fines a person up
to Rs 1,000, and a jail term of and jail up to three year, if they purposely
give wrong information or withhold facts. It is not clear whether this law will
be applicable/ invoked in case a citizen chooses not to disclose Aadhaar or
passport details.firstpost
Before starting NPR, 'last-minute changes in pretest form possible' as
per requirements:home ministry
NPR 2020 | Aadhaar, passport holders must share details: Home Ministry
PAN column dropped from NPR ‘after 30-lakh sample tests’
The column on PAN will not figure in NPR enumeration that begins on
April 1. The decision was taken after test results showed that majority of
respondents were reluctant to share it.“73 districts were covered in the test,
where samples of nearly 30 lakh individuals were collected. In 80% cases,
respondents provided details voluntarily but were hesitant to share PAN
details, following which we decided to drop the column in NPR,” a senior
official said.economictimes
Aadhaar, passport details to be shared during NPR? No clarity from MHA
yet
Ahead of Census, NPR exercise roll out in April, Centre starts
preparations
As the government gets ready to
roll out its Census and NPR exercise in April 2020, home ministry is set to
take stock of the situation on Friday. Senior officials in the ministry will
meet chief secretaries of states and Census directors.Minister of state for
home affairs Nityanand Rai and home secretary A.K Bhalla will meet chief
secretaries in the national capital to discuss census and NPR exercise amid
uncertainties over the documentation process for NPR.While the Centre will
start its preparations, non-BJP ruling states plan to strongly oppose NPR
exercise. livemint
States, UTs except Bengal and Kerala notified NPR much before CAA:
Sources
Assam: Those applying for citizenship under CAA may get window of just 3
months
Centre may give a relatively
smaller window of just three months to those who want to apply for Indian
citizenship in Assam under the newly-enacted CAA, officials said today.Some
Assam specific provisions are expected to be incorporated in the rules to be
issued for the implementation of the CAA.There is a possibility of giving a
smaller window of just three months for those living in Assam to apply under
the CAA, an official, privy to the development, said.The move came in view of
the continuing protests against the CAA in Assam where protests have been going
on since the legislation was passed by Parliament in Dec. CAA rules are
expected to be issued in next 2 weeks, official said.PTI
Yogi’s drive to identify to identify non-Muslim immigrants under CAA
runs into problems
The drive initiated by Uttar Pradesh's Yogi Adityanath government to
identify non-Muslim immigrants in the state seems to have run into rough
weather. In Pilibhit, where the maximum number of about 35,000 illegal
immigrants has been identified, it has now been found that information is being
sought by the state government on an unverified document. A large number of
families from Bangladesh settled here several decades ago.The survey began last
month even before the bill was notified. Moreover, the feedback email on
questionnaire is a Gmail ID -- citizenshipup@gmail.com -- which is not a
government server.It is not known how the state government is drawing up the
lists without having the verification criteria.After the report was put up by a
news website, Home Department officials feigned complete ignorance about the
issue.A spokesman said: "This was an unofficial and preliminary exercise
to assess the number of illegal migrants in the state. The document is meant to
collect basic beneficiary information. No list of potential beneficiaries has
yet been sent to Delhi."The document has eight columns asking for name,
father's name, place of stay in India, and where did they come from and when.
It does not mention any requirement of proof, or documents.DM of Pilibhit
claimed they are checking documents of the refugees, but denied any knowledge
of the unsigned document.IANS
CAA: Adityanath's Govt Used Unsigned Document To Make List Of 32,000
Refugees, Says Report
UP: 33 charged for provoking children to pelt stones amid anti-CAA protests
Muzaffarnagar : SIT probing the anti-CAA violence in Uttar Pradesh has
charged 33 arrested people for provoking children to pelt stones during the
protests here against the amended law.According to an official, an additional
charge under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, has been imposed on 33 people who
were arrested earlier for allegedly indulging in violence during the clashes
that broke out here on December 20 last year during protests against the
CAA.The section was added after receiving permission from CJM Ravikant Yadav. Meanwhile,
35 of 46 people from whom the government had sought replies for their alleged
involvement in arson and loss of public property during the protests have
denied their participation in the incidents.PTI
Investigate UP Police for using ‘excessive and unlawful force’ during
CAA protests:International Commission of Jurists
International Commission of Jurists, a global human rights organisation,
has called on the Modi government to investigate “the use of excessive and
unlawful force by UP police against demonstrators” protesting against CAA. At
least 19 people were killed in the state during last month’s protests – most of
them from firearm injuries.In a briefing paper, the rights organisation said
first-hand interviews with witnesses and victims had allowed it to establish
that the police used “unnecessary, excessive and indiscriminate” force to quell
the demonstrations.“The high death toll of peaceful protestors in UP highlights
the use of excessive force by police, in contravention of international
standards of policing and human rights,” said ICJ Secretary General Sam Zarifi.
“The state and federal govs must investigate any death or injury that occurs
during protests by law enforcement officials and to ensure access to justice to
victims and their families.”It said many
people had reported that they had not been able to get their medico-legal
certificates and “victims’ families reported inability to access postmortem
reports”.scroll
As women sit-in continues, over 200 booked in Prayagraj
Lucknow :An FIR was registered against 19 people, and over 200
unidentified others, over an indefinite dharna being organised by women against
the new citizenship law at Mansoor Ali Park in Prayagraj. One of the organisers
of the sit-in, Sarah Ahmed (26), is among those named in FIR.The sit-in began
on Sunday afternoon in Prayagraj and the ongoing agitation has seen mainly
women protesters.“When we reached Park on Sunday, there were 60-70 women and
around 200 men raising slogans and holding placards against the new law. The
people there were told about Section 144 being in place. They were asked to
disperse, but they did not listen,” states the complaint lodged by the
police.Station House Officer, Roshan Lal, said no arrests had been made yet.
“There are 300-400 people still there,” Lal said.Sarah Ahmed, one of the
organisers of the sit-in, said the protesters would not be deterred. “We will
sit here indefinitely or till our demands are met… of revocation of CAA… We
won’t be intimidated. It is our right to hold peaceful protests…”indianexpress
Uttar Pradesh women follow Shaheen Bagh; 'Dharna' against CAA spreads to
smaller towns
Following the footsteps of the indefinite dharna (sit-in) against the
CAA by women at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, Muslim women have embarked upon
'dharnas' at many places in Uttar Pradesh putting the state authorities in a
quandary.On Thursday over two hundred Muslim women embarked on a 'dharna'
against CAA inside Jama Masjid in UP's Rampur town, about 325 kilometres from
here.District police officials tried their best to get the women to call off their
protest but they remained adamant and made it clear that they would continue
their 'dharna' until the CAA was scrapped. 'Dharnas' of the similar kind were
also being held at Kanpur, Bareilly and Deoband towns, reports said. In Kanpur,
people from all walks of life have joined the sit-in, which is held for 3 hours
every day. In Deoband around a thousand Muslim women have embarked on a sit-in
against the CAA at Idgah grounds.Interestingly, all these sit-ins were
organised by the women and there was hardly any presence of politicians though
the latter have extended them support.deccanherald
Muslim women start stir in Rampur to demand release of anti-CAA
protesters
Newly-Convened Alliance Underscores Potential Impact of CAA-NRC on
Dalits, Adivasis
New Delhi: “Modi government has perpetuated exclusion as an ideology;
CAA and NRC are a part of the same
agenda,” said Anil Chamadia, convenor of the newly-formed Alliance Against
CAA-NRC-NPR, which has been contending that the controversial enumeration of
citizens may impact Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs as much as Muslims. At a press
briefing in the national capital, Chamadia announced that Alliance had
organised nation-wide demonstrations against CAA-NRC on the death anniversary
of the Hyderabad Central University student Rohith Vemula on January 17,
2020.“We understand that Rohith Vemula’s forced suicide was a clear case of
institutional murder. We have seen how across campuses of India, Dalits,
Adivasis, OBCs, women, and minorities have been insecure ever since the Modi
government came to power six years ago. Today, if CAA-NRC is implemented,
people of all marginalised communities will be filled with such insecurities,”
he said. Sonajharia Minz, a professor at JNU, said that CAA-NRC and NPR violate
the constitutional doctrine of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and that such
laws can “emerge only out of Manuwadi mindset”. Manuwadi is a common term to
describe people who are influenced by the ancient Hindu text Manusmriti that
standardised the discriminatory caste system based on varnasrama dharma.Delhi
University professor N. Sukumar pointed out that Dalits, Adivasis, and the poor
will be impacted the most by CAA-NRC.thewire
Dalit and tribal rights activist call for withdrawal of CAA in Budget
session
Nationwide human chains against CAA, economic policies on Jan 30
Coming in support of the anti-CAA protesters, students' protests and
economic policies of Modi government, a joint group of over 100 organisations
will organise a human chain across the country on January 30.January 30 marks
the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and hence, coincides with a call by
Opposition partiesIn Delhi, the plan is to organise a human chain at Raj Ghat
though a final decision is not taken yet. While admitting that Delhi is in an
election season, the organisers want parties like Congress and AAP to keep
electoral considerations apart and join the protest in unison to send a message
across the country.Jan Ekta Jan Adhikaar Andolan (JEJAA), which consists of 111
organisations belonging to tribals, students, workers, lawyers and disabled
among others, will also observe January 23, the birth anniversary of Subhash
Chandra Bose, as 'Save Democracy Day' while it will also organise reading of
the Preamble of the Constitution in mass meetings at district level on Jan 26,
Republic Day.JEEJA consists of organisations like Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya
Manch, Progressive Writers Association, National Alliance of People's Movement,
CITU, DYFI, SFI, AISA, AISF, AITUC, All India Bank Employees Association,
Lawyers Collective, NCPRI, All India Forum for Right to Education, All India
Coal Workers' Federation, All India Agriculture Workers Union and Bhoomi
Adhikar Andolan among others.deccanherald
Goa NDA ally resigns from government body in protest of CAA, NRC
Panaji: Vice-chairperson of Goa govt's State Minorities Finance and
Development Corporation and president of the women's wing of the Goa Forward
party, Ashma Sayed, on Wednesday, resigned from the post as a mark of protest
against CAA and NRC, which she claims are aimed at dividing India. Goa Forward
is a member of the pan India NDA.Sayed was appointed as a vice chairperson of
the newly formed corporation aimed at facilitating loans and assistance to
members of the minority communities in Goa in 2018, sometime after the
formation of BJP-led coalition government, which was supported by the Goa
Forward party..IANS
NRC will adversely impact nearly 4 lakh Goans: Alliance against
CAA-NRC-NPR
Panaji: NRC has already caused havoc in Assam and if implemented in Goa,
will adversely affect at least 4 lakh per- sons, mostly belonging to
marginalised sections of the society who don't have any birth certificate to
prove their nationality, said members of newly formed Goa Alliance against
CAA-NCR-NPR, a platfform to create ill effects of 3 citizenships related
Centre's policies."There are around 3.5 to 4 lakh tribals in Goa according
to the 2011 census. Amongst these, nearly 1.5 lakh don't have any birth
certificate as in earli- er days deliveries used to be done by mid-wives at
homes. Official govern- ment identity documents like ration card, Aadhaar Card,
PAN card, voter Identity card all as invalid for proving citizenship. So all
these people who are sans birth certificates, how are they supposed to prove
their nationality?" questioned activist and member of GACNN, Rama
Kankonkar while inter- acting with media. Moreover, of 16 lakh population of
Goa, names of 30 per cent of them have been spelt wrongly on Aadhaar cards.
Fishermen and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders (foreign
citizens of Indian origin al- lowed to work in India indefinitely) will be also
directly affected. "There are 2.5 lakh fishermen in Goa. Many have
migrated to Portugal and now their children are working here with OCI status.
They have land here. This entire NRC and NPR can be used to cancel citizenship
of such people and grab as overseas citizens of India forced to their land.
There are around 4 lakh Portuguges passport holders. They will all get
affected," kankonkar said. Another member of the GACNN Ad vocate Albertina
Almeida said along with NRC-NPR, CAA has the potential make lives of young OCI
card holders more difficult."CAA has the provision of booking OCI card
holders at any pretext and cancel their citizenship. They will be them
classified as doubtful citizens and send them to detention centres. This lethal
combination of NRC-NPR- CAA is not only unconstitutional but also
unethical,"she said. Asif Hussain appealed to citizens to "join
forces to bring pressure to bear on Government to repeal the CAA" and
GACNN has therefore decided to launch a State-wide gomantaktimes.com
Alliance against CAA-NRC-NPR to spread awareness in Goa
Noise around CAA distraction for India: Harman CEO
New Delhi: India needs to protect its data “interests” like US and China
do, albeit without differentiating between Indian and foreign companies, Dinesh
Paliwal, Agraborn CEO of audio products and technology company Harman
International, said.“You can put a very strong wall and fence — that Indian
data cannot be taken out of India as is China’s rule. That’s okay. But, you
cannot say this data belongs to India and only Indian corporations can use it,”
Paliwal told ET in an interview. Paliwal, who is also on the board of US-India
Business Council, said issues such as those concerning abrogation of Article
370 in J&K and CAA have been “misinterpreted” and are a “distraction” for
India.“Of course, a lot of these issues — of Kashmir or CAA — are
misinterpreted and even my children fight with me and ask why are we doing it?
I have to explain it to them and tell them to read more (about it),”he
said.economictimes
England, Germany, Switzerland: Anti-CAA protests break barriers, shake
the world
Blackpool in England turns into a ghost town every winter. The
beachfront is deserted once the snow starts to fall. Except for the odd
bachelor party, January is a quiet month. There is no major university here
that manages to grab the attention of foreign students.And so on January 4, as
residents walked onto the high street for a bit of Sunday morning shopping, they
couldn't help but wonder why three students stood in the cold holding a
banner."There aren't many Indians here. But you don't need a large number
to make your stand clear. If you can find even one person to connect over a
common calling, you have your protest," says Sumeet Bose, 33, a merchant
navy officer who is in Blackpool for a short-term course. Bose and his two
classmates stood for three hours in the biting wind to protest against the
proposed CAA and NRC.Over 800 miles away in Switzerland, Harshal Kate, a
29-year-old researcher from Alibaug, attempted to approach the protest entirely
on his own before finding support for his cause online.In Sydney, 60 Indians
distributed flyers that had details of the CAA written down outside a Starbucks
outlet.From the streets of Germany's Munich to the campuses of Colombia
University in New York and Tampere University in Finland to the neighbourhoods
of Cape Town in South Africa, a small but vocal community of young liberals are
standing up against what they feel goes against the very ethos of their
homeland.indiatoday
Amid CAA protests, Chennai Police Commissioner bars protests in city for
15 days
Even as several groups in Chennai continue to protest against CAA, City
Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan promulgated an order prohibiting all
protests, meetings, assemblies etc. for the next 15 dates. Order has been
brought into effect under section 41 of Tamil Nadu City Police Act 1888, which
grants police the “power to regulate assemblies, meetings and processions in
public places.” The order that is passed will not apply to any procession or
demonstration for which permission has already been granted. thenewsminute
Muslim, Dalit leaders go on hunger strike against CAA, NRC in Hubballi
Hubballi:Leaders of Muslim community, Dalit organisations, Congress
Party, and others are staging a hunger strike at Dr BR Ambedkar Circle in
Hubballi, opposing the CAA and NRC. Raising slogans against Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, they demanded the withdrawal
of CAA and not to implement NRC. "India is witnessing such a dictatorship
for the first time. BJP government is trying to divide people into the lines of
religion, through CAA and NRC. This move is a threat for peace and harmony in
the country," said AICC member Shakir Sanadi, who led the protest. Sayed
Tajuddin Quadri, Moulana Niyaz Alam, Moulana Nayimuddin and others took part in
the hunger strike. deccanherald
Khureji In East Delhi Turning To Be Another Shaheen Bagh
New Delhi:Khureji, in East Delhi falling in Krishna Nagar assembly constituency,
is turning to be another Shaheen Bagh
with hundreds of women, mostly Muslim, sitting on round the clock protest,
braving the chilling winter, against CAA since January 13.On Wednesday, senior
Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan and rights activist Ravi Nair from South
SAHRDC also visited the place and addressed the protesters. They asked them to
continue the peaceful protest and assured them that there was no alternative
for the government than taking back the citizenship law as it was unconstitutional
and could not stand the legal scrutiny in a court of law. Unlike Shaheen Bagh
where the police could not muster courage to make a bid to evict the protesters
forcibly, Delhi police tried to remove the protesters by use of force in the
intervening night of January 14 & 15. However, the protesters faced the
police boldly and made them retreat though the police had damaged their tent
erected on the land belonging to Khureji village graveyard and which did not
block traffic. Narrating what happened in the night, activist Khalid Saifi, who
is extending support to the local women activists, said that hundreds of police
personnel led by 12 to 14 police officers including Deputy Commissioner of
Police Amit Sharma along with several inspectors and ACPs descended at the
protest site at 3 am. They asked the women protesters as well as the men
assembled there to leave immediately. The policemen also disconnected the power
supply and began removing the tents. Some of policemen, according to
protesters, were covering their faces. When Saifi and others confronted the
police and asked them the logic behind raiding the protest site at odd hours,
the police reportedly told them that they simply wanted the protest to end. But
a huge crowd of people assembled there after learning police crackdown and
began shouting slogans against the police. Sensing that the situation would go
out of control, Saifi said that policemen immediately left venue.Sayma
Chaudhary, a BA(2nd year) student of Delhi University, said that the crowd at
the protest site increased from 500 to 2,000 now, after the police
crackdown.India Tomorrow
Police detain 30 students protesting against CAA from Turkman Gate area,
Delhi
Around 25-30 students who were protesting against the CAA and alleged
brutality by the police in Jamia Millia Islamia were detained by the Delhi
Police today from Turkman Gate area.The detained students were taken to
Rajinder Nagar police station. The students have alleged that they were
detained forcibly.IANS
Shaheen Bagh: Today rains fail to
dampen the spirit of women protesters
New Delhi:Unseasonal rains on Thursday afternoon in this bone-chilling
cold could not dampen the spirit of the women protesters at the Kalindi
Kunj-Shaheen Bagh Road.Hundreds of women protesting against the CAA continued
their agitation under makeshift tarpaulin tent in the middle of the road
despite the fact that it was leaking from several places. Volunteers extending
support to the protesters fixed the leaks with the help of extra tarpaulin
sheets they managed to arrange from the shops in adjoining Abul Fazal
Enclave.The volunteers also arranged food for the women protesters as they
could not move out of the tents due to the rains. They brought food packets in
an e-rickshaw from a hotel in D-block of Abul Fazal.Women protesters said that
the government might have expected that protesters would leave the venue due to
the rains. “But we are not going to give up the protest till our demand of
scrapping of the dreaded CAA and withdrawal of the proposed NRC is accepted by
Central government”, said the protesters, including septuagenarian Bilqis and
Sarvari, sitting on a wooden bed covered with a cotton mattress and covering
themselves in dupattas and woolen shawls.ormer Rajya Sabha MP Obaidullah Khan
Azmi addressed the Shaheen Bagh protesters in the evening, urging them to
continue their fight against “oppression” of the present government at the
Centre. India Tomorrow
Shaheen Bagh Anti-CAA Women Refuse To Vacate Road, Say Protection of
Constitution Is More Important Than Anything Else
'They tried to stifle the voices of our children': Meet the women
protesters who have been occupying a New Delhi street for a month: CNN
'Women Don’t Give Up.' Why Female Protesters Are at Forefront of India's
Resistance Movement:Time
One Month Into Police Crackdown at Jamia Millia, A Reflection On The
Walls
New Delhi:On December 13 and 15, Jamia Millia Islamia witnessed one of
the largest police crackdowns in its history, with students being attacked
brutally by the Police and paramilitary forces – even those studying in the
library were not spared. Mute spectators to the sad events were the large walls
of the premier central university, helpless in itself. On completion of one
month of the crackdown, a group of students turned artists are helping them to
speak out. As said, a picture can speak thousand times more than words.From
Chandrasekhar Azad of the freedom struggle to Ladeeda Farzana and Aysha Renna,
the sheroes of anti-CAA struggle, the walls of Jamia too speak of resistance.
“Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis axed, burned, mob lynched, forcefully disappeared,
raped, stateless What More?” asks one painting. “May we have courage to speak
up before it’s too late,” says another.Fadil Abdulla, a second year graduation
student at the university, told India Tomorrow that though he is not a
professional artist he feels it to be his moral responsibility to speak out in
all the possible ways he can. “When rulers ignorant of the basic principles of
governance reign the country, it’s the least we can do,” he adds.indiatomorrow
Cops broke my hands, asked me to read kalma: Jamia Millia students
recount Dec 15 ordeal as NHRC probes violence
New Delhi:Amonth after Delhi Police allegedly beat up students inside
Jamia Millia Islamia's campus on December 15, students have demanded strict
action against the force and victims have recounted the ordeal they faced to a
team from NHRC.A 4-member NHRC team visited Jamia on Tuesday and Wednesday, and
recorded statements from students who were injured or witnessed police
brutality inside the university library on December 15.At least 40 students
provided written statements. NHRC team, headed by a DSP-rank officer, will
visit the university again on Thursday and Friday to record statements from
more students, and from university employees and security personnel.Mohd
Mustafa, one of first Jamia students to give his testimony to NHRC, said,
"I broke down while recounting the fateful evening of December 15. I could
have never imagined that those who are meant to protect us will beat us
mercilessly, for no fault of ours.""I told the team of NHRC about how
men in uniform barged into the university library when my friends and I were
completing our project, at around 6 in the evening. They beat up every student
who came in their way. They broke both my hands and I kept pleading them that
I'm not a protestor but a student. I was bleeding but that did not stop the
cops", Mustafa said.Another Jamia student, Shayan Mujeeb, whose legs were
broken in the police's lathi charge, told India Today TV, "I was in my
class when the police barged in with lathis and tear gas shells and started
charging at students. They did not even spare female students".indiatoday
CAA protests: Jamia moves court for registration of FIR against Delhi
Police over Dec. 15 violence
Jamia Millia Islamia will move court for the registration of an FIR
against the Delhi Police in connection with the police action on students in
December last year, university officials said on Wednesday.PTI
FIR on AMU complaint to be filed only if HC directs: Police
Lucknow :Pointing Out that the matter related to violence on the campus
of AMU on December 15 last year was subjudice, Aligarh police said Wednesday
that an FIR into a complaint filed by AMU Tuesday could be registered only
after a court directive.“How can we lodge an FIR when the matter is subjudice
in the High Court? Their [AMU] complaint was against police personnel. The
court has directed for a NHRC inquiry, which is underway. How can we lodge an FIR
in the middle of all this?” said Aligarh SSP Akash Kulhary.On Tuesday, AMU
Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor had said the varsity had lodged a complaint
demanding an FIR against police personnel for entering a university hostel on
December 15 last year. Shafe Kidwai, member and in charge of Public Relations
of AMU, said on Wednesday that the university was exploring “all options”
regarding registration of an FIR. “The matter was discussed and we are seeking
legal opinion too. We are figuring out how to go about it,” said
Kidwai.Meanwhile, the varsity on Wednesday announced that all examinations in
AMU have been postponed.indianexpress
AMU VC meets protesting students, assuages feelings
Aligarh:In an unexpected turn of events, vice chancellor of AMU Prof Tariq
Mansoor today met students sitting on protest on the campus and assured that
the varsity administration was fully committed to providing them security and a
congenial atmosphere .VC, who is facing criticism for allowing police on campus
on the night of December 15, said that police entry was an aberration and the
university should function on its own. VC emphasised that the university
administration was providing all assistance to NHRC team. Expressing deep
regrets, Prof Mansoor said, “I deeply regret that students suffered injuries
and the inconvenience they faced when they were asked to vacate
hostels.”Meanwhile, the protest against CAA continued as teachers under the
banner of AMUTA staged a march on the campus. The students also staged a march
with placards in their hands. The Tricolor was conspicuous in all protests.HT
Only Muslims are Indians by Choice, Rest All are Indians by Chance:
Harsh Mander
Mangaluru:Harsh Mander, former IAS Officer asserted that the nation’s
fight against the fascist forces like BJP and its parent organisation RSS began
over 100 years ago when Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa and led the
freedom movement against the British.He was speaking at anti-CAA, NRC protest
in Mangaluru on Wednesday. Mander added that the fight against CAA and NRC is
also a fight for saving the secular fabric of this country. He added that the
fight began over hundred years ago when organisations like Hindu Mahasabha
popped up with their vision to turn the country into a Hindu country, reports
VarthaBharati. “Do not give, anybody the right to ask you to prove your
citizenship or patriotism towards India, especially to those who never
participated in the freedom movement of this country. Never allow them to ask
you about your citizenship” Harsh said. Harsh said only Muslims are Indians by
choice and people of all the other religions are Indians by chance. He added
that after partition, Muslims had the option to go to Pakistan which was
created on the basis of their interest and based on the principles of their
religion.caravandaily
'Don't forget Gujarat': Hateful slogans at BJP's pro-CAA rally in Kerala
A rally of men can be seen marching through Kozhikode's Kuttiyadi town,
ostensibly attempting to garner support for the contentious CAA. Several
saffron flags with the BJP's lotus stick out from the crowd. However, on
listening in closer, the protesters are hardly chanting pro-CAA slogans.
Instead, they can be heard raising open and violent threats to Muslims.
"Don't forget Gujarat. Keep that in mind before you play," protesters
can be heard shouting in unison.The communal slogans refer to the Gujarat riots
which killed nearly 800 Muslims, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi served as
the state's Chief Minister in 2002.The incident took place during a 'Save the
country' public meet organised by BJP in Kozhikode at 5 pm on Monday. Several
videos of the rally have been posted on social media since. TNM heard the
slogans being raised in the videos and most of them cannot be written about.
thenewsminute
Opposition Questions Silence of SC, Rights Body
NEW DELHI:Several high-profile individuals,
victims of the police high-handedness in UP in the course of the current
protests against CAA and other anti-Constitutional acts of Modi government,
narrated the ordeal they had in recent days, at an event held here. Meanwhile,
Opposition parties questioned silence of
the Supreme Court, NHRC and other
watchdog institutions over “unprecedented” police brutalities” in UP. CPI (M), CPI, RJD and Loktantrik
Janata Dal among other political parties here jointly presented before the
media some high-profile personalities who were roughed up by UP cops. Former UP
IG Police, SR Darapuri, social activist Sadaf Jafar, Prof Pawan Rao Ambedkar
and theatre actor and activist Deepak Kabir shared their harrowing experiences.
They spent almost 3 weeks in police custody after their arrest on December 20
in the course of the protests against the CAA a day ago in Lucknow. Opposition
leaders vowed to bring the guilty cops to book and carry forward the movement
against the new citizenship law. They alleged that the Yogi Adityanath
government has turned Uttar Pradesh into a “police state”. They highlighted the
blatant violations of human rights by BJP-led Yogi govt.76-year-old Darapuri
said despite being a former IG rank police officer, the police violated all his
rights.The former police officer also sensed political vendetta behind his
arrest and said he had been pursuing the fake encounter cases in the
state. Caravan Daily
Anti-CAA Slogans Raised At RSS Outfit's Muslim Clerics Conference
NEW DELHI:Slogans against the controversial CAA were raised at a
conference of Muslim clerics called by RSS outfit Muslim Rashtriya Manch in
support of the law at the Constitution Club of India here on Thursday. RSS
leader Indresh Kumar was present on the stage.As soon as RSS leader Indresh
Kumar went up to the stage and was about to take his chair in the centre,
around one dozen people from among the audience stood up and started raising
slogans against CAA. They went up to the front of the stage and took out
placards from their pockets and shouted slogans, shows a video posted by ANI on
Twitter.The protesters raised these slogans: "Down with Enemies of
Constitution, Withdraw CAA, We Oppose CA".RSS outfit had organized event
called “Rashtriya Ulama Conference” in support of CAA.Some Muslim clerics
sharing stage with RSS leader included Kaukab Mujtaba and Suhaib Qasmi.indiatomorrow
RSS effort to reach out to Muslim clerics on CAA turns out to be damp
squib
Protest against CAA, NRC and NPR in Kerala by GIO
Kochi: A Muslim women's group named "Girls Islamic Organisation of
India" here on Wednesday protested against CAA, NRC and NPR.State
president of GIO, Afeeda Ahmed said, "The movement against CAA started as
a student protest in Delhi. A large number of Muslim students were also present
during the protest there. Here we are holding a three-day protest.''ANI
CAA, NPR and NRC part of a malevolent plan: Teesta Setalvad
Kozhikode: Human rights activist Teesta Setalvad said that CAA, NRC and
NPR were part of a malevolent project which targeted not just Muslims but also
adivasis, dalits, migrant labourers and nomadic tribes in India. Inauguration
the anti-fascist declaration organized at corporation stadium on Wednesday that
was attended by writers, activists and cultural leaders, Teesta said that the
proposed NPR (set to begin in April 2020) was nothing short of the base which
will be converted into NRC.She said that in NPR exercise done by UPA in 2010,
the place and date of birth of one’s parents were not asked as proposed in the
upcoming NPR.TOI
IUML’s 2 pleas in SC: Declare CAA unconstitutional, govt must clear
stance on NRC, NPR
New Delhi : IUML Thursday filed two petitions in the Supreme Court, one
on NRC and NPR processes, and the other challenging the new citizenship
law.IUML sought clarity on the government’s position in relation to the NRC and
NPR processes as there was “widespread confusion and panic among the people”.
In its petition, it quoted “contradictory” statements made by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju and
Industries Minister Prakash Javadekar.“Since 2014, the Ministers of the Union
Respondent including the Hon’ble Prime Minister have been giving contradictory
statements on the NRC and its implementation across the country and its link to
the NPR exercise being carried out across the country,” the petition read.IULM
appealed to the apex court to stay the January 10 notification that brought the
Act into force.indianexpress
Welfare Party Challenges CAA in Supreme Court
New Delhi:Welfare Part of India (WPI) has filed a writ petition in the
Supreme Court challenging the contentious CAA and urged the apex court to
strike it down.Since the CAA was passed by the Parliament on December 11, more
than 60 petitions have been filed against CAA in the Supreme Court. The top
court is likely to hear these petitions on January 22. Filed through its
president Dr. SQR Ilyas, the petition of WPI has sought abrogation of CAA
terming it unconstitutional and discriminatory.India Tomorrow
Over 2 lakh protestors showed up in Mangaluru to oppose the CAA
Over 2 lakh people gathered at a protest against the CAA in Karnataka’s
Mangaluru on Wednesday. The protest was organised primarily by Muslim Central
Committee of the region, the report added.Not only did hundreds of thousands
travel overland, hundreds of people also arrived at the protest site in boats,
journeying from Ullal to Adyar in Mangaluru. Social activists Harsh Mander and
Kannan Gopinathan also participated in the protest.scroll/NDTV
Amarinder Singh seeks a day’s time for resolution on CAA
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday did not rule out the
possibility of bringing a resolution against the amended citizenship law during
the ongoing two-day Assembly session.“Wait till tomorrow,” Singh said when asked by reporters if the
government will bring in a resolution, on the lines of Kerala, against the CAA.
Punjab’s Congress government had on Tuesday said it will proceed according to
the will of the House on the issue of CAA, NRC and NPR.PTI
People brave rain to attend anti-CAA protest in Delhi University
NEW DELHI:Scores of people attended a protest meeting against the CAA in
the Delhi University’s Arts Faculty on Thursday, which was addressed by social
activists amid heavy police presence.Among those who addressed the crowd were
activist Medha Patkar, Tushar Gandhi, retired judge Kolse Patil, lawyer Karuna
Nundy and journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani. With protesters standing through a
spell of rain and continuing to raise slogans, speakers lauded them for their
determination calling it a “people’s movement” and a fight to “save the
Constitution”.“Your movement would define the future,” said Patil, who attacked
Prime Minister, Home Minister, RSS and the Sangh parivar. He urged students to
read former RSS chief Golwalkar’s works to be able to attack it, to read author
Rana Ayub’s “Gujrat Files” to learn about Gujrat riots. More people must study
social sciences and economics as opposed to mathematics and science, he
said.thehindu
Flash protests in Hyd turn into cat-and-mouse game between cops and protesters
As of Thursday morning, communication through the WhatsApp group
"Flash protest Hyderabad" and similar WhatsApp groups mobilising
protests against the combined impact of the CAA, NPR and NRC processes, have
been stopped. The group admins of these WhatsApp groups fear their
communication over the messaging app is unsafe and have collectively migrated
to an app they feel offers better privacy."We wanted to filter out some
people due to security reasons," said Fahad* one of the organisers, when
asked if they fear police informers. "There has been an information
leakage. We inform the group just 15 minutes before where the flash protest
will happen but a couple of times the police were already at the protest venue
waiting for us. We are not sure who is leaking but are taking measures and just
being careful."In Hyderabad, protesting against CAA-NPR-NRC has become a
cat and mouse game between the protest organisers and the Hyderabad city
police, and at the moment, the protestors seem to be ahead of the cops. thenewsminute
Delhi court grants anticipatory bail to man accused of instigating
violence during Seemapuri protest
A Delhi court today granted
anticipatory bail to a man, who, according to the police, had allegedly
instigated a crowd to pelt stones at cops during a protest against the amended
citizenship law in east Delhi''s Seemapuri. Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev
Kumar Malhotra granted the relief to Haji Tahir, a social worker, on furnishing
a bail bond of Rs 20,000 with one surety of like amount and asked him to join
investigation as and when required by the police.The court further directed him
to not indulge in any activity that may disturb public peace.When the court
asked if there was any evidence to substantiate the allegations, the police
said they do not have any CCTV footage or video clip to show that Tahir
instigated the crowd.Advocates Zakir Raza and Abdul Gaffar, appearing for
Tahir, told court that he has been falsely implicated and he went to the spot
along with SHO and offered roses to the police officials.PTI
*J&K AND S. ASIA*
Modi to Invite Imran Khan to India as Part of SCO Summit This Year, Play
Host if He Comes
New Delhi: India will be inviting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan
for the annual meeting of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) later this year.Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson
Raveesh Kumar confirmed to reporters that the invitation will be sent out to
all members.“India will be hosting the SCO heads of government later this year.
It is held annually at the prime ministers’ level and discusses the SCO’s
program on multilateral and trade cooperation. As per established practice and
procedure in SCO, all eight members of SCO, as well as four observer states,
and other international dialogue partners, will be invited to attend the
meeting,” he said on Thursday at the weekly briefing.SCO has eight members –
India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan – and four observer states, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and
Mongolia.If Khan does accept the invitation, it will be the first time that a
Pakistani will visit India since Nawaz Sharif came to New Delhi for Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in May 2014.thewire
China should reflect on global consensus: MEA day after Beijing pushes for
Kashmir debate at UNSC
India on Thursday hit out at
China for helping Pakistan in trying to raise the Kashmir issue at UNSC, saying
Beijing should seriously reflect on the global consensus and refrain from such
actions in the future.The overwhelming majority of UNSC was of view that it was
not the right forum for such issues, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson
Raveesh Kumar said at a briefing when asked about the developments in New
York."An attempt was made by Pakistan, through a UNSC member, to misuse
the platform," Kumar said. "An overwhelming majority of UNSC was of
the view that the UNSC was not the right forum for such issues and it should be
discussed bilaterally.""Pakistan's attempt to peddle baseless
allegations, showing an alarming scenario, failed as it lacked
credibility," Kumar said. Responding to Beijing raking up the Kashmir
issue, Kumar said, "In our view, China should seriously reflect on this
global consensus, draw the proper lessons, and refrain from taking such action
in the future."news18
UNSC discusses Kashmir situation for 2nd time in 5 months
“Pakistan’s practice of using false pretenses to distract from
addressing the malaise that afflicts it has run its course today,” India’s UN
envoy Syed Akbaruddin told The Hindu after the informal “closed consultations”
at UNSC, the second such meeting in 5 months, had concluded on Wednesday
afternoon. It was learnt that the situation in Kashmir was to be raised at the
meeting.“We are happy that neither the alarmist scenario painted by the
representatives of Pakistan nor any of the baseless allegations made repeatedly
by representatives of Pakistan in UN fora were found to be credible today,”
Akbaruddin said.The ambassador said the discussion was viewed as a “distraction” and that “many friends” had pointed out that bilateral
mechanisms were available to address issues between India and Pakistan.Russia
called for differences between India and Pakistan to be settled bilaterally. “Russia
firmly stands for the normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan,” a
Russian diplomat at the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, tweeted. “We hope that
differences will be settled through bilateral efforts based on 1972 Simla
Agreement and 1999 Lahore Declaration.thehindu
India should support, be part of US-led Taliban peace talks: Former
Afghan President Karzai
Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai said India should support and
be a part of the US-led peace talks with the Taliban.“We support the American
peace process. We hope to make it successful and we hope all countries,
especially our friends in India, should be on board and support the peace
process,” Karzai told ThePrint Thursday.India has made it quite clear in the
last few years that it will not negotiate with the Taliban, and maintained that
a dialogue for negotiations has to be led by the Afghan government.Karzai is in
India to attend the Raisina Dialogue that started Tuesday. arzai also said
Afghanistan hoped the peace process would smoothly continue, and that an
intra-Afghan dialogue would begin soon. Intra-Afghan dialogue is a key feature
in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s proposed 7-point plan. The plan includes the
Afghan government speaking to Taliban, as well as Pakistan and other
stakeholders, after the departure of foreign troops from there.The former
Afghan President added: “It isn’t our war. It isn’t our conflict. It’s somebody
else’s. Why should we be dying fighting someone else’s war? It’s Afghans being
put against another Afghan.”Karzai also said India is an important “friend” of
Afghanistan, but Pakistan is their “brothers” and “we need them for peace in
Afghanistan”.“…We have to convince Pakistan about this…We’ve serious complaints
against the Pakistan government and their military for interfering in
Afghanistan,” he said.Karzai also said Pakistan and Iran are Afghanistan’s
“most influential neighbours”.theprint
Iran calls US arrogant and ignorant, seeks India's help to defuse crisis
in Middle East
New Delhi: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif termed the
situation in the Middle East as dangerous and blamed the United States for its
arrogance and ignorance.They don't know what is happening in the region and
they are arrogant enough not to look for correct answers but simply to be
gun-happy and take absolutely unacceptable and illegal measures, said Zarif
talking to Times Now and called the US arrogant and ignorant.Answering to the
question of whether India can play a constructive role in the region the
Iranian foreign minister called New Delhi an important player with an important
presence in Chabahar.The Iranian foreign minister is in Delhi to participate in
the 'Raisina Dialogue'.Zarif’s statement comes after he met Prime Minister
Narendra Modi today where the latter said that India has a strong interest in
peace, security and stability in the region.timesnownews
Jaishankar discusses evolving situation in Gulf, progress of Chabahar
port with Iranian counterpart
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Iranian
counterpart Javad Zarif on Thursday held extensive talks on fast-evolving
situation in the Gulf region in the wake of frayed ties between Iran and the US
over killing of Commander Qasem Soleimani.In the meeting over breakfast, Zarif
apprised Jaishankar about the overall situation and Tehran’s position over
it.It is learnt that the two ministers also deliberated on various aspects of
bilateral ties between India and Iran including progress of the Chabahar port
project.HT
US-led Indo-Pacific bloc divisive: Russia minister
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday strongly criticised
US-led Indo-Pacific initiative, calling it a “divisive approach” to disrupt
existing regional structures and contain China’s influence in the region.“Why
call it Indo-Pacific? The answer is to contain China. Indian friends are smart
enough to understand the trap. We should not be divisive,” Lavrov said at the
ongoing Raisina Dialogue. “We have to be careful with the terminology, which
looks benign but might be something else.” Russian minister also slammed the US
for what he called disregarding international rules and norms while selectively
talking about rules-based global order for its self-interests.indianexpress
Trump didn't know India-China share border, Modi was shocked: New book
US President Donald Trump once left Prime Minister Narendra Modi shocked
and concerned by telling him India and China didn't share a border, a new book
by two Pulitzer-winning journalists claims."It's not like you've got China
on your border," Trump told Modi, and the Indian premier's eyes
"bulged out in surprise", Washington Post journalists Phillip Rucker
and Carol Leonning report in A Very Stable Genius, according to the US
newspaper.The book's title is a shout-out to Trump's own description of his
mental acumen.Rucker and Leonning write that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
expression "gradually shifted, from shock and concern to resignation"
after Trump's remarks, and that one of the US president's aides felt Modi
probably "left that meeting and said, 'This is not a serious man. I cannot
count on this man as a partner'," the Post reports.indiatoday
Bipin Rawat Advocates Putting Young Kashmiri Children in
'De-Radicalisation Camps'
New Delhi: Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue 2020 here, chief of defence
staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat pointed a finger at nations that sponsored
terror and urged the international community to isolate them.But he also
suggested a controversial remedy for dealing with Kashmiri children influenced
by “radicalisation”: that they be “put in de-radicalisation camps”.“Terrorism
is here to stay so long as there are states that will sponsor terrorism and use
terrorists as proxies, make weapons and funding available for them. The war on
terror is not ending, it is something which is going to continue, we will have
to live with it until we understand and get to the roots of terrorism,” he
said. Rawat also said that terrorism can be put to an end only by waging a war
against it as the US did after the attacks on 9/11. “We have to bring an end to
terrorism and that can only happen the way Americans started after 9/11, they
said let’s go on a spree on the global war on terror. To do that you need to
isolate the terrorists, anybody who is sponsoring terrorism has to be taken to
task,” he added.However, US is still fighting those wars in Afghanistan and
Iraq, almost 20 years after the 9/11 attacks and many experts question the
impact it has had on combating terror. Candidates for the US presidential
election have described these wars as “endless” and are debating ways for the
country to exit the region. A recent report said that apart from resulting in
thousands of deaths, the wars have cost the US more than $6 trillion.Rawat also
said that online radicalisation could be checked if the right persons were
targeted.Asked whether he supported negotiations with the Taliban, he said
peace talks should be initiated with everybody provided they give up the
“weapon of terrorism”.Rawat also denied allegations of the Indian military
being “heavy-handed” and claimed the forces used pellet guns “sparingly”,
according to a report in News18. “Radicalisation can be countered. We saw it
happening in Kashmir… Today, we see that young children are also being
radicalised. They need to be identified and then we need to put them in
de-radicalisation camps. The Indian army has not been using hard tactics…
Pellet guns are a non-lethal practice. It is sparingly used,” Rawat said,
speaking at the event.
Young Children Being Radicalised, Need to Identify & Put Them in
De-radicalisation Camps: Bipin Rawat
Role of Davinder Singh in Parliament attack will be probed, says J&K
DGP
Srinagar:Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbagh Singh has said that the security
agencies would probe the role of arrested DSP Davinder Singh in the Parliament
attack case.“If during the investigation, anything regarding the (Parliamant)
attack is established, it will be looked into too. His previous activities will
be probed,” DGP Singh said in a press conference in Jammu.thehindu
J&K: 5 more Kashmiri political leaders released from detention
J&K administration on Thursday released five more Kashmiri political
leaders from detention, Scroll.in has learnt. They have been detained at MLA
Hostel in Srinagar since August 5. 5 leaders were identified as Peoples
Democratic Party leader Nizamuddin Bhat, National Conference leaders Showkat
Ganai, Salman Sagar, Altaf Kaloo and Mukhtar Bandh.With this release, 21
leaders of various parties in Kashmir are still in detention at MLA hostel.
scroll
‘Why send propagandists?’: Congress asks Centre on plan to send 36 Union
ministers for J&K visit
Congress today attacked the Centre over its decision to send 36 Union
ministers to J&K, questioning the need for this if everything was normal in
the region. “Amit Shah says all is normal in Kashmir,” Congress leader Kapil
Sibal tweeted. “If so, why send 36 propagandists to Kashmir?Why not allow
non-propagandists to go and understand the situation prevailing there?”Congress
spokesperson Manish Tewari tweeted that sending 36 ministers to Kashmir was a
sign of panic, not normalcy. “Abrogating Article 370 was a blunder & no
quick fixes will work, Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great
fall; All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together
again,” he said quoting a famous poem.scroll
Police bust JeM module in Srinagar, say terror attack averted ahead of
Republic Day
J&K police said on January 16
that it averted a major militant attack ahead of the Republic Day in Kashmir by
arresting five militants of the JeM in Srinagar, and recovered arms and
ammunition.“A body vest fitted with shrapnel and bar bearings, besides a huge
quantity of explosive material, was recovered from the arrested persons,” DIG
of police V. K. Birdi said.Those arrested were identified as Aijaz Ahmed
Sheikh, Umar Hameed Sheikh, Imtiyaz Ahmed Chikla alias Imran, Sahil Farooq
Gojri and Naseer Ahmed Mir, all residents of Srinagar.thehindu
*OTHERS*
Kerala Catholic
Church taking right-wing stand on ‘Love Jihad’ and CAA: Reformists
The statement by Syro Malabar Catholic Church synod – the high profile
meeting of its Bishops – that ‘Love Jihad’ was real and was used to target
Christian women has drawn flak from reformist groups within the church. The
reformists groups allege that the statement made by the top leaders of the
church instilling discord between religions was part of a hidden agenda. The groups allege that the top leaders of the
church are trying to divert people’s attention from real problems by raking up
the love jihad bogey. Reformist groups have come out saying that the church is
shooting in the dark by generalising a few incidents.“There might be a few
cases, but we do not agree to the generalisations made by the synod that there
is a hidden agenda to convert Christian girls by a particular religion.
Inter-religious marriages have been happening in the past also, it is not right
to say everyone is part of such controversial cases. Just like the right wing,
the Church is trying to create a Christian communal feeling,” says Riju
Kanjookaran, general secretary of Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency (AMT),
speaking to TNM.Joint Christian Council, another reformist group, also stated
that it does not agree with the Syro Malabar Church’s statement on love jihad.
“There are few incidents but these are rare. We can’t generalise and call it
love jihad. In every religion there are a few bad persons but we cannot
generalise a religion based on them,” says Felix J Pulloodan, working president
of the council.AMT alleges that those raising the controversial claims are
involved in various cases related to the church. “We’re also part of the church,
but common believers like us never make these claims. It is the top officials
who constantly try to divert the people’s attention in order to cover up other
pressing matters,” Riju says. It is not only in the 'love jihad' issue that the
church agrees with the right wing. Even when it came to CAA, Kerala Catholic
Bishops' Council supported BJP government.A recent newspaper column by Father
Varghese Vallikkatt, spokesperson and secretary of the Kerala Catholic Bishops'
Council, also underlines the church’s pro-BJP stand in supporting
CAA.Expressing KCBC’s clear allegiance to BJP, Fr Varghese also adds that “no
other party except BJP has understood or taken a stand on how to tackle
political Islam”.Riju and others say such a stand exposed the selfish stand of
the church's leaders.Syro Malabar chief Cardinal Alencherry recently received
severe criticism for accepting BJP’s pro-CAA pamphlet.thenewsminute
End quota of Dalits embracing Islam, Christianity: VHP-backed body urges
PM
VHP-backed Akhil Bharatiya Sant
Samiti has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end reservation granted to
Dalits and OBCs who have embraced Islam or Christianity. In a letter to the PM,
general secretary of the Samiti Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said Dalits and
OBCs were being converted into Christianity and Islam under a conspiracy. He
said religious conversions amongst Dalits exposes the hypocrisy of Muslims and
Christians who claim that they believe in social equality and that there is no
casteism in their religions.TOI
Nirbhaya case: Execution of convicts put off for indefinite period of
time
Mukesh Kumar, one of the four convicts on death row in the Nirbhaya
gang-rape and murder case, moved the Patiala House Court on Wednesday apprising
it about the pendency of his mercy petition before the President of India,
following the Delhi High Court refusal to interfere with the death warrant
issued against all the four convicts.Following this, the court on Thursday
directed Tihar jail authorities to file a proper report by Friday about the
status of the scheduled execution after the jail authorities said they have
written to the Delhi government on the issue in view of pending remedies
available to the convicts.Mukesh filed the mercy petition on Wednesday evening
after the Supreme Court rejected his curative petition. This has effectively put
off the execution — originally fixed at 7 AM on January 22 as per a Delhi court
order pronounced on January 7 — of the four convicts for an indefinite period
of time because of the way the system works.As per Sunil Gupta, former law
officer at Tihar Jail in Delhi, there is a prescribed procedure for dealing
with a mercy petition filed by a convict on death row. “After a convict files a
mercy petition, the concerned jail superintendent sends it to Delhi govt, along
with a letter, stating the stay on execution till the time the government takes
a final decision on mercy petition,” he said.nationalheraldindia
As court stays death penalty, Nirbhaya's mother wants convicts to be
hanged on Jan 22
Odisha: Akali Dal condemns attack on Sikh businessman in front of police
in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar: As opposition BJP and Congress slammed the commissionerate
police over Tuesday’s brutal assault on businessman Parvinder Pal Singh in the
presence of police in Laxmisagar area, Akali Dal on Wednesday came down heavily
on the police inaction and negligence.In a tweet, Akali Dal’s national
spokesperson Manjider S Sirsa said Singh was attacked as latter had opposed
recent demolition of Mangu mutt in Puri. “Shocked and angry to see such a
merciless hate attack on Amritdhari Sikh Parvinder Pal Singh ji in
Bhubaneshwar; the attack looks planned and with full support of local
administration. Singh was attacked cos he protested against demolition of Sikh
Heritage Mangu Mutt in Puri. I condemn this attack which is a blot on Indian
democracy & appeal to Odisha police to take action against culprits,”
tweeted Sirsa. TOI
Ground report: In Telangana's Bhainsa, uneasy calm prevails after clash
An uneasy calm prevails around Bhainsa town in Telangana as the streets
remain largely empty, barring the presence of police and other security personnel.
Locals have grouped at the corners of streets or by 'chabutras' and speak in
hushed tones.It has been less than 24 hours, since clashes broke out in the
town over a petty issue, which escalated rapidly and led to arguments between
members of Hindu and Muslim communities, followed by assault, stone-pelting and
arson.On the ground, locals from both communities have seen their vehicles
burnt, homes vandalised, and in some cases, valuables looted. On Sunday
evening, around 20-30 km between Bhainsa and Nirmal, a huge religious gathering
was held. This was attended by members of the Muslim community from all parts
of erstwhile Adilabad district and neighbouring Maharashtra as well.That same
night, few Muslim youths were riding their motorcycles and allegedly created a
ruckus in Koraba galli, which led to a few Hindu youth stepping out of their
homes. A confrontation ensued and soon violence broke out. Soon, more people
from both sides gathered as several calls were made. According to police
sources on the ground, around 150 people faced off, and stone pelting took
place.It was also alleged that some plastic material and bottles filled with
petrol were used to spark a fire, randomly targeting vehicles that were parked
outside households.thenewsminute
Situation peaceful in Telangana's Bhainsa town after clash, 61 detained
so far
SC rejects telecom firms' plea for relief on govt dues
India’s top court on Thursday rejected petitions by mobile operators
including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea seeking a review of its order to pay
a bulk of nearly $13 billion in dues to government.The Supreme Court late last
year upheld a demand by the country’s telecoms department that wireless
carriers pay 920 billion rupees ($12.98 billion) in overdue levies and
interest, a decision that almost threatens the survival of Vodafone Idea.Reuters
Malaysia talks to India over palm curbs as wider trade dispute looms
Malaysia is talking to the Indian
government and trade officials in a bid to resolve concerns over New Delhi’s
new palm oil import restrictions, a minister in Kuala Lumpur said on Thursday
amid a trade spat between the countries.India’s Hindu nationalist government
has repeatedly objected to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaking
out against recent policies which critics say discriminate against Muslims.
Malaysia is a Muslim-majority nation.Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing
sources, that New Delhi could also restrict imports of petroleum, aluminium
ingots, liquefied natural gas, computer parts and microprocessors from
Malaysia.However, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said New
Delhi had not imposed any curbs on imports from Malaysia and Turkey, and that
the government was not contemplating any restrictions on the two countries. In
some good news for Malaysian palm sellers, Bangladesh’s farm minister told
Reuters his country was open to buying more from Malaysia if it offers
competitive rates.Reuters
Economic Slowdown: Govt Budgets Are Extremely Dishonest Now, Says
Economist Laveesh Bhandari
NEW DELHI:To help India tide over the economic slowdown, the Narendra
Modi government needs to do five things, says economist and entrepreneur
Laveesh Bhandari: present an honest budget which reveals the full extent of the
fiscal deficit; ensure that government departments make payments they owe to
other private and government entities on time; do away with the notion that the
rupee’s exchange rate needs to be stable; discontinue import duties to protect
domestic industry; and avoid indulging in a spending spree. The empirical
economist, who was among the economists and businessmen invited by NITI Aayog
recently to attend a meeting presided over by Modi for discussing the economic
slowdown, told HuffPost India in an interview, “I think the first thing which
is really critical is to recognise that the government budgets are extremely
dishonest as of now. It has gotten so bad that even parts of the government may
not be knowing what is really happening.”huffingtonpost
Slowdown pangs: India’s December exports fall, imports down 8.83%
The sluggish global economy, along with the domestic slowdown, dented
India's external trade as both exports and imports showed a downtrend in
December.India's exports fell by 1.80 per cent in December on a year-on-year
basis to $27.36 billion from $27.86 billion reported for the corresponding
period of the previous year.However, on a sequential basis, exports were higher
than the $25.98 billion worth of merchandise that were shipped out in
November.IANS
BJP’s 2,410 crore income is 2/3rd of 6 national parties
Ruling BJP has shown the highest income amongst the political parties at
₹2,410.08 crore during the financial year 2018-19, which forms 65.16 per cent
of the total income of six national parties put together. According to analysis
of income and expenditure of national political parties for FY 2018-19 by ADR,
BJP declared a total income of ₹2,410.08 crores but spent only 41.71 per cent
(₹1,005.33 crores) of the total income. While the Congress total income was
₹918.03 crore of which the party spent 51.19 per cent (₹469.92 crore).Six
national parties (BJP, Congress, CPM, BSP, Trinamool and CPI) have declared a
total income of ₹3,698.66 cr, collected from all over India.Congress declared
the second-highest income of ₹918.03 crore which forms 24.82 per cent of total
income of 6 national parties.nationalheraldindia
Himachal IG Zaidi suspended in Kotkhai custodial death case
Shimla :Himachal government has again suspended Inspector General of
Police ZH Zaidi, DGP Sitaram Mardi said Thursday but refused to disclose the
reason for suspension.When asked why Zaidi was suspended, DGP said he has been
suspended by the home secretary, “talk to him to know the reason why he was
suspended”. Zaidi was posted as CEO of the state wakf board.Previously, Zaidi
was suspended in 2017 after his arrest in connection with the custodial death
of a Nepalese national in the Gudia rape and murder case and then reinstated in
November last year.Sources said he has been suspended again after IPS officer
Soumya Sambasivan recently told a CBI court in Chandigarh that she was being
pressured by Zaidi to change her statement in the custodial death case.Eight
police personnel, including IG Zaidi and DSP Manoj Joshi, were arrested by CBI
on August 29, 2017, while DW Negi was arrested on November 16, 2017.PTI
MP: School principal suspended for distributing notebooks with Savarkar
image
Congress government in MP has suspended the principal of a
government-run school at Malwasa in Ratlam district after it distributed free
notebooks with Veer Savarkar on its cover.Principal R N Kerawat was suspended
Tuesday night, over two months after the notebooks carrying pictures of the
Hindutva ideologue were distributed to the students of his school by an
organisation, PTI reported.“The divisional commissioner (Ujjain division)
suspended R N Kerawat, principal of Malwasa’s government high school, on
Tuesday on the basis of an inquiry report,” Ratlam district education officer K
C Sharma said.indianexpress
To understand Islam, start by visiting a mosque in Bengaluru
A tweet informing Bengalureans that Sunday, January 19, was being
observed as ‘ Visit my mosque day’ by a charitable trust is being welcomed by
many.The poster says that this is an initiative of the Rahmath Group,
registered in Mumbai. One of the spokespersons of the group, Sadiqh Sailani said,
“We are an NGO and our mission is to serve humanity, irrespective of caste,
creed and religion.Besides packing and distributing fruits to many hospitals,
we conduct Quranic classes, English and computer science classes, spiritual and
meditation classes, distribution of aid to needy families and hold discussions
on areas that need improvement. This Sunday’s programme is for people from all
religions, who have a healthy curiosity about Islam and want to understand the
religion. We will take them on a tour of the Modi Masjid, tell them about our
practices and dispel any misconceptions they may have. This will be followed by
a Q and A session and lunch. We’re also asking invitees what kind of food they
prefer. We have to be sensitive to vegetarians.”bangaloremirror
Tamil Nadu government takeover of Waqf Board challenged, HC orders
notice
Madras high court has ordered notice to the state government on a PIL
moved by a lawyer challenging the decision of the Tamil Nadu government to take
over the administration of Tamil Nadu Waqf Board.Admitting the plea moved by
advocate K Fazlur Rahman, a division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and
Justice R Hemalatha directed the state minorities welfare department to respond
to the plea by February 28.According to the petitioner, the state waqf board
comprises a chairperson, one and not more than two members elected from each of
the electoral colleges consisting of Muslim MPs from the state, Muslim MLAs, Muslim
members of Bar Council of Tamil Nadu.In case there is no Muslim member of the
Bar Council, the state may nominate any senior Muslim advocate from the state,
he added. This apart, the Waqf Act mandates that at all times the number of
elected members of the board shall be more than number of nominated members.TOI
Centre signs new package to permanently settle Mizoram’s Bru migrants in
Tripura
Agartala :Centre Thursday signed a quadrupartite agreement to resolve
the 22-year-old Bru displacement crisis in Tripura and announced that over
30,000 Bru migrants, who are languishing in six relief camps since October
1997, would be settled in the state.The government has also declared Rs 600
crore package for resettling them.Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the
agreement signing ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday evening with Tripura Chief
Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Zoramthanga and leaders of
Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum (MBDPF), the largest forum of Bru
migrants.The agreement would basically redirect the entire package, previously
announced for repatriation to Mizoram, which includes Rs 1.5 lakh housing
assistance to the migrants into three installments: Rs 4 lakh one-time cash
assistance for sustenance to be handed over after 3 years, Rs 5,000 monthly
cash assistance, and free ration for two years to migrants who wish to be
permanently settled in Tripura.indianexpress
*WORLD*
Son of noted Muslim preacher Ahmed Deedat shot in South Africa
A South African activist and son of a deceased prominent Muslim preacher
is fighting for his life in a hospital after he was shot outside a court in the
coastal city of Durban on Wednesday.Police colonel Thembeka Mbele said
65-year-old Yousuf Deedat - son of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat - was shot in the head
as he walked towards the Verulam family court on the outskirts of Durban with
his wife.Mbele said an unknown suspect opened fire, shooting Deedat in the
head. He was later rushed to a hospital for medical attention, while the
suspect fled in a car in an unknown direction."He is in critical condition
in a local hospital. While his injuries remain severe, we remain hopeful for
Deedat's recovery," Deedat's family said in a statement late on
Wednesday.They also requested the family's privacy be respected.Sheikh Ahmed
Deedat, who died in 2005, was a prominent South African Muslim missionary who
held several interfaith public debates with evangelical Christians.He was known
across the world as a respected public speaker and writer who published several
widely-distributed booklets on Islam and Christianity. He was founder of the
Islamic Propagation Centre International, which aims for Islam to be heard and
understood across the world.His son Yousuf is a famous community activist and
Muslim scholar in Durban. Police said they were still investigating the reason
behind his shooting.aljazeera
Syria's war: More than 20 killed in air raids on rebel-held Idlib
At least 21 people have been killed in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province
as Syrian government forces and their Russian allies intensified an air offensive
on the country's northwest, according to rescue workers who operate in
opposition-held areas.A new ceasefire agreement between Russia and Turkey,
which support opposing sides in Syria's conflict that has lasted over eight
years, went into effect on Sunday but violence has continued.Syrian Civil
Defence, also known as the White Helmets, said air raids and barrel bombs on
Wednesday struck a vegetable market in the town of Ariha, as well as repair
workshops in an industrial area, a few hundred metres away from the
market.aljazeera
Rouhani: Iran enriching more uranium than before 2015 deal
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/rouhani-iran-enriching-uranium-2015-deal-200116092747030.html
Iran is enriching more uranium than it did before it agreed to the
landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, President Hassan Rouhani said
on Thursday. Iran has gradually scaled back its commitments under the nuclear
accord - signed with US, China, Russia, Germany, France and the UK - in
retaliation for Washington's withdrawal from the pact in 2018 and its
reimposition of devastating sanctions.aljazeera
Egyptian police detain four Turkish news agency employees in raid
Egyptian police have raided Turkish public news wire Anadolu Agency’s
Cairo office and detained four employees, the agency said in a statement.Anadolu
said that police took the employees, including a Turkish citizen, to an unknown
place early on Wednesday.“They didn’t give any explanation or show any reason
for the detentions,” Anadolu's deputy general manager Metin Mutanoglu said. Turkish
foreign ministry strongly condemned Egypt for detaining Anadolu employees.
Russia gets new PM: Career bureaucrat, longtime chief of tax service,
Mikhail Mishustin never had political ambitions
Moscow: Mikhail Mishustin never had any political ambitions as a career
bureaucrat and his name didn’t came up as a top candidate to become Russia’s
next prime minister.But the 53-year-old Mishustin, the longtime chief of
Russia’s tax service, was tapped for the post by President Vladimir Putin. The
lower house of Russia’s parliament, the Duma, quickly appointed Mishustin as
prime minister on Thursday.Putin put Mishustin’s candidacy forward on Wednesday
night, several hours after Dmitry Medvedev resigned along with the whole
cabinet. Just before that, Putin proposed sweeping changes to the constitution
that could keep him in power well past the end of his term in 2024.As a career
bureaucrat who has been in charge of Russia’s taxes for the past 10 years,
Mishustin has always kept a low profile and stayed away from politics. He
doesn’t belong to a political party and in rare interviews prefers to talk
about innovations in tax administration.AP
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
It is a huge mistake to dismiss the opposition to CAA as anti-national,
anti-Hindu or anti-democratic:C Raj Kumar ,indianexpress
For the Sake of India, Arvind Kejriwal Must Be Re-Elected in Delhi:Avay
Shukla, Rtd. IAS , The Wire
Kashmir: Who Is Police Officer Davinder 'Torture' Singh?Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
| India Tomorrow
'I Felt Like A Jew In Hitler's Germany': Sadaf Jafar On Police Detention
A change of course and heart:After Jamia nightmare, some see rays of
hope:Pheroze L. Vincent , telegraphindia
Not a lone black sheep: Why J&K Police, Army and CAPF will have more
like DSP Davinder Singh:LT GEN H S PANAG
Indian liberals missed mark yet again by protesting ‘la ilaha illallah’
in CAA debate:FATIMA KHAN
SC’s decision not to decide on validity of Kashmir restrictions is not
just deferral, it is abdication:Chintan Chandrachud, indianexpress
Using force to suppress the ‘Other’ cannot lead to peace:Dev Athawale,
indianexpress
Impression that government prioritises non-economic agenda over
development must be addressed:Amartya Lahiri , indianexpress
Centre holds the aces: Frankenstein of NRIC is rea :CP Geevan
RTI Exposes Rampant Sexual Harassment of Women Sportspersons at SAI
Centres:thewire
Time Has Come For India to Recognise Why Assam Protests Against
CAA:thewire
Watch: 'UP Police Kicked and Beat Us in Custody,' Say Activists Arrested
in Lucknow
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released
at: 1:54 PM).
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