21 JAN. 2020 FLASH NEWS
*anti-citizenship act stir*
*IMF will factor in anti-CAA protests in next assessment for India:
chief economist Gita Gopinath*
International Monetary Fund will take into account the widespread
protests against the amended citizenship law and the proposed National Register
of Citizens in its the next assessment for India in April, organisation’s chief
economist Gita Gopinath told NDTV. She added that the world body will track the
ongoing protests in which 26 people have been killed so far.2019 has ended with
protests on a global scale, most notably in Latin America, West Asia and North
Africa, Hong Kong, and India. Gopinath, however, mentioned only Chile and Hong
Kong.“I have nothing really significant to say [about India],” she said. “It is
something we will follow and we will see what this does in our next assessment
in April.” Protests have been going on in Hong Kong since June last year, and
have not simmered down even though the controversial extradition bill was
withdrawn in Sept.2019.Protestors are demanding an independent investigation
into instances of police brutality; the retraction of the classification of
protestors as “rioters”; amnesty for arrested protestors; and the
implementation of the promised universal suffrage.Gopinath said social cohesion
was very important. As of now, it is important to ensure that nations are
protecting the vulnerable sections and “they are not left behind in the growth
story”, she added. IMF, too, has highlighted a link between “intensifying
social unrest across many countries — reflecting, in some cases, the erosion of
trust in established institutions and lack of representation in governance
structures” — in its World Economic Outlook released in Davos, Switzerland.
IMF To Track India Protests, Assessment In April: Gita Gopinath To NDTV
Have CAA protests impacted India's global image? Here's what IMF chief
economist Gita Gopinath has to say
*3 FIRs Lodged Against Daughters of Noted Poet, 100 Other Women at
Anti-CAA Protest in Lucknow*
Lucknow: Lucknow Police on Tuesday registered 3 FIRs against the women
protesting against the amended citizenship law at the clock tower in Old
Lucknow.Daughters of noted poet Munawwar Rana — Sumaiya Rana and Fauzia Rana —
along with over 100 unidentified women were booked for violating Section 144,
instigating people and using assault or criminal force to deter public
servant.The action comes ahead of Union minister Amit Shah’s rally in support
of the CAA in Lucknow on Tuesday.Meanwhile, the protests against the law also
reached other parts of the city and around 15 women sat on a dharna near a
‘Dargah’ in Ujariaon under Gomti Nagar Police station.However, a police team
rushed to the protest venue and asked the women to leave, informing them about
Section 144 being imposed in the city.The protest at Ghanta Ghar, which started
on Friday evening, continued today with the crowd swelling up despite the
freezing winter.The child rights panel is also monitoring the protest amid
reports of children being involved in the protest.Heavy police presence,
however, was no deterrent to the women carrying the Tricolour at Ghanta
Ghar.The anti-CAA and anti-NRC protests also continued for the eighth day at
Mansoor Ali Park in Roshan Bagh area of Prayagraj.News18
Daughters of renowned poet among 160 women booked for protesting against
CAA, NRC in UP
Akhilesh Yadav's daughter's photo at CAA protest goes viral, Samajwadi
Party says she was taking a walk
Lucknow:Aphotograph of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's daughter
Tina Yadav has gone viral on social media with the claims that she was
participating in an anti-CAA rally in Lucknow. Now the party has issued a
clarification that she was only in the area when someone clicked a selfie with
her.14-year-old Tina Yadav was at the Clock Tower on Sunday, where hundreds of
women were sitting on protest against the citizenship law.Samajwadi Party has
said Tina Yadav had gone for a walk at the Clock Tower, which is close to the
Yadav residence, when someone clicked a selfie with her.SP has rejected reports
of Akhilesh Yadav's daughter joining the ongoing protests against
CAA.indiatoday
Shaheen Bagh protesters open way for school bus to pass through: ‘We too
have children’
New Delhi :Amid complaints against Shaheen Bagh protesters for blocking
the road and causing inconvenience, the protesters Tuesday decided to allow
school vans to pass through the stretch.Sharing a video that shows a school van
passing through the barricades, the Twitter handle of Shaheen Bagh protesters
read: “Dear @DelhiPolice, we too have children of our own, and understand
parents’ worries for their children’s schooling and futures. Many of our
children are still recovering from unfair injuries sustained at JMI. Keeping
schools in mind, we are allowing school vans to cross.”The handle had also
tweeted: “We are allowing school vans to cross through near Kalandi Kunj Park
since schools have reopened.”A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court
seeking directions to the police to ensure smooth traffic flow on Delhi’s
Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch. Delhi Police also appealed to protesters to
vacate the premises, citing “difficulties” faced by school children, commuters
and businesses.The plea in the Supreme Court, filed by advocate Amit Sahni,
urged the SC to direct the monitoring of the situation by a retired judge of SC
or sitting judge of Delhi HC “in order to avoid any further deterioration of
the situation and to circumvent any violence”, and issue any other directions
as may be required.indianexpress
Shaheen Bagh responds to Delhi Police, says been allowing school vans to
pass through
Shaheen Bagh women send defamation notice to BJP IT cell chief Amit
Malviya over paid protest charge
Miffed by the allegation of being paid to sit on protest, the women at
Shaheen Bagh have sent a defamation notice to BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya.
The legal notice has demanded an apology and Rs 1 crore in damages from BJP
leader. Protests continue at Shaheen Bagh for the 36th day against Centre's
decision to implement CAA and provisions of NPR. The protesters are angry over
a viral video shared by Malviya, which claimed that the women, who were
protesting against the CAA, were paid Rs 500 per day.The notice has been sent
by the office of advocate Mehmud Pracha who is the legal adviser for the
protesters.Two protesters -- Nafisa Bano of Zakir Nagar and Shahzad Fatma of
Shaheen Bagh -- have sent the notice. They have alleged that since Amit Malviya
is a member of BJP, ruling party in the Center, therefore has a "vested
interest in defaming the mass of protesters".The notice addressed to BJP
leader read, "By making and propagating false allegations against the
protesters and casting aspersions on their motivations, you, the addressee, and
other entities, have not only played a fraud on the general public but have
also attempted to bring disrepute to the protesters who are bringing the
attention of a large number of people on the issues being pressed by this
extraordinary exercise of Constitutional freedom."indiatoday
Protest watch: Digvijaya Singh visits Shaheen Bagh even as police again
urge protestors to disperse
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh met protestors at Delhi’s Shaheen
Bagh, which has become a major centre of continuous protests since last month
against the amendments to the Citizenship Act, the proposed NRC and the NPR.“We’re against CAA, NRC, NPR,”
Singh said at Shaheen Bagh, ANI reported. “These are against Constitution.
We’re against the Centre’s divisive policy. No one has the right to ask for
proof of citizenship from people who chose to live here.” He claimed that he
was asked to deliver a speech by the protestors but refused “as it is not a
political stage”.Singh’s visit came even as the Delhi Police urged the
protestors to unblock the road as parents of schoolchildren allegedly expressed
“deep anxiety” because of upcoming board examinations.
Najeeb Jung on CAA: Include Muslims or remove names of other religions
New Delhi :Amid ongoing protests against CAA, former Delhi lieutenant
governor Najeeb Jung Monday said the legislation required a revamp and should
be made inclusive.“I feel that the CAA needs a revamp. They should either
include Muslims or remove other names (of religions). If Prime Minister
Narendra Modi calls these people and talks, the matter will be resolved,” Jung
said while addressing protesters at Jamia Millia Islamia.Jung questioned the
Centre over not meeting the anti-CAA protesters while saying that former prime
minister Manmohan Singh’s government had met agitators when Anna Hazare-led
anti-corruption movement was going on.Jung also condemned the police action in
the university, besides the violence at JNU and AMU.Jung was one of the 106
personalities who had recently written an open letter, saying that NPR and NRC
were “unnecessary and wasteful exercises” which would cause hardships to the
public.indianexpress
Imposition of NSA in Delhi Aimed at Thwarting Anti-CAA Protests:
Activists
NEW DELHI:Prominent social and human rights activists on Monday
expressed the apprehension that the re-promulgation of National Security Act
(NSA) in the national capital is meant to deter and intimidate the anti-CAA,
NRC and NPR protesters. This was promulgated, after it was noted that there was
no sign of the protests being abated, they said.Activists sensed this was an
attempt to crush citizenship protests. As many as six new Shaheen Bagh-type
protests or sit-in by local women emerged in Trans-Yamuna area (East Delhi).
The draconian law would give unbridled powers to Delhi Police, which had in
recent days brutally attacked protesting students and others on campuses of
JMI, JNU etc and also on people in Daryaganj and other places here.Renowned
civil rights defender, Ravi Nair, slammed the Centre for re-promulgation of the
law in Delhi. Nair is convener of the ‘Alliance against CAA and NRC’ a
broad-based platform of civil society organisations and volunteers that leads
the struggle against the citizenship law. He told Caravan Daily that the Delhi
Police termed the re-promulgation a routine exercise but in the given political
situation, it was not.caravandaily
CAA-NRC: Universities and Other Institutions in Northeast to Observe
‘Shut Down’ on Jan 22
The Supreme Court of India has scheduled its next hearing on the
petitions challenging the CAA for January 22. While the entire country has been
resounding with protests against the amended citizenship act, the students’
groups of universities from the Northeast of India have called for a total shut
down of all universities and colleges in the region on the day of the hearing.A
total of 72 petitions are scheduled to be heard on January 22. Earlier, around
59 petitions were filed in the apex court challenging the constitutional
validity of the amended act.The students’ fraternity of the universities in the
Northeast have called for the bandh as a symbol of protest and urging the
Supreme court that it addresses the negative impacts of CAA on the indigenous people
of the region.Several universities including Gauhati University, Dibrugarh
University, Tezpur University, Assam Women’s University, Assam Agricultural
University of Assam, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) of Meghalaya,
Nagaland University, Rajiv Gandhi University in Arunachal Pradesh have given
the joint call for shut down, as per reports.newsclick
Assam: Prominent personalities including Filmmaker Jahnu Barua, 9 others
write to CJI over CAA stir
Sahitya Akademi awardees Hiren Gohain and Homen Borgohain and eminent
filmmaker Jahnu Barua along with ten other prominent personalities of Assam,
have written to Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde urging him to
deliberate on the prevailing “public outrage and anger in the
country”.Signatories to the letter include scientist Dinesh Chandra Goswami,
Sahitya Akademi awardee Nagen Saikia, former Gauhati University vice-chancellor
Gajendra Nath Talukdar and ex-principals of Cotton College and Gauhati Medical
College, Udayaditya Bharali and N N Barman respectively.The letter was made
available to media on Monday, and it stated that the government has
characterized the ongoing protests across the country as being organized by
“mischievous elements” whereas the “reaction of thousands of people has earned
the sympathy of all right-thinking elements of the society”.newsd.in
Assam villagers donate Rs 80,000 cash and 45,000 kg of paddy to AASU to
fight against CAA
Guwahati:The farmers of about 85 villages in Assam's Dibrugarh district
donated Rs 80,000 cash to the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) to help fund its
legal fight against the CAA.Besides cash, the farmers and residents of the 85
villages under Sasoni mouza of Naharkatia in the oil-rich upper Assam district
also donated 450 quintals of paddy (45,000 kg), which they had grown, to the
AASU.The villagers had handed over the paddy and cash amount to AASU general
secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi during the anti-CAA agitation programme.indiatoday
Assaam: KMSS leader held for CAA violence
Dibrugarh:Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS)’s Dibrugarh unit joint
general secretary Sashi Sensowa was arrested on Monday for “violence and
vandalism” during protests against the CAA in the Upper Assam district.After
arresting Sensowa from his house in Tingkong, the police produced him in court,
which sent him to judicial custody. Later, KMSS’s women’s wing, Nari Mukti
Sangram Samiti, laid siege to the jail here and residents of Tingkong blocked
Rajgarh road, demanding his immediate release. The protesters also shouted
slogans against the government. Traffic was disrupted for an hour after locals
blocked the road.telegraphindia
Mangaluru police firing: People's Tribunal report cites excess by cops,
seeks judicial inquiry
MANGALURU: A People's Tribunal on the police firing on CAA protestors in
Mangaluru on December 19 in its report said that the action of the police
personnel seem to contravene significant limitations on their powers, as
provided for in the Karnataka Police Manual, and has pressed for constitution
of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to probe the incident.People’s Tribunal
comprised of Justice (Retd.) V Gopala Gowda, BT Venkatesh and Sugata
Srinivasaraju which conducted public hearings to hear from all the persons
affected by the police firing on 19th December, came out with the observations
on Tuesday.The panel has observed that imposition of prohibitory orders under
section 144 of CrPC were unwarranted and its imposition on the evening of
December 18 was not effectively communicated to the residents of the
area.newindianexpress
Mangalore Police Issues Notices to Kerala Residents for Anti-CAA
Protests
Around 2,000 people, mostly
Muslims, from Kerala’s Kasaragod district have received summons from the
Mangalore police in connection with the probe into violent anti-CAA protests
that took place on December 19 and left two people dead in police firing,
according to a report in TOI .It appears that a majority of them received
summons on the basis of their cellphone location on the day of the protests.The
summons, issued by an assistant commissioner of police of the Mangaluru city
crime record bureau, mention the date and time for the appearance and caution
against absence, which would be construed as “evading the investigation” and
would invite “further legal procedure”.The district of Kasaragod in Kerala
borders Karnataka and several locals from small towns in the district frequent
Manguluru, which is the biggest city in the vicinity, for a variety of
commercial and household needs.thewire
Muslims collect weapons in mosques instead of praying, says Karnataka
BJP leader Renukacharya at pro-CAA rally
MP Renukacharya, Karnataka Chief Minister’s political adviser has
stirred controversy with his remarks over mosques at a pro-CAA rally in
Karnataka .While addressing the gathering in support of the new citizenship
law, BJP MP said "There are a few traitors who sit in a masjid and write
fatwas. They collect weapons inside the mosque instead of praying. Is this why you
want a Masjid?”He went on to say that he won't hesitate to use the money
allotted to Muslims for Hindus. "I will resort to such politics in my
taluk where the money allotted for Muslims can be used for Hindus. I will put
you [Muslims] in your place and show what politics is," said
Renukacharya.nationalheraldindia
Karnataka BJP leader Renukacharya targets Muslims, says will put them in
their place
VHP workers to spread awareness about CAA
Lucknow: Welcoming the enactment of the CAA by the BJP government at the
Centre, the Marga Darshak Mandal of VHP on Monday unanimously approved a
proposal to help the government in the implementation of the controversial law,
against which protests are being held across the country.As per the resolution,
proposed by Mahamandaleshwar Hariharanand Maharaj, VHP volunteers will help
“spread awareness and remove misconception regarding the CAA”.During the
meeting, sadhus said that there was a need for the amendment to the citizenship
law “as minorities were being discriminated in countries like Bangladesh,
Pakistan or Afganisation because of their religion”, the VHP said.indianexpress
Now, Naseeruddin Shah wants to see PM Modi’s political science degree
Chandigarh:“I don’t have a birth certificate. I cannot produce one. Does
that mean we are all going to be excluded?” asks veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah
to the passing of the CAA. He said he isn’t worried but angry that Indians are
being forced by the ruling party to prove their citizenship. In an interview
with The Wire, the veteran actor asked why his passport, voter’s ID, driver’s
licence and Aadhaar card weren’t enough proof of his citizenship. He said: “I
don’t have a birth certificate. I cannot produce one. Does that mean we are all
going to be excluded? I do not need any reassurances that Muslims don’t need to
be worried. I am not worried. If living here (in India) for 70 years does not
prove me to be an Indian, I don’t know what does. I am not afraid, I am not
anxious, I am angry”. Naseeruddin condemns the violence against the student
protesters.Tribune
'Didn’t Ask Anything Wrong': Kerala Man After Filing RTI Query On PM
Modi’s Citizenship Documents
As protests against the controversial citizenship law continue to rock
the country, a man who filed a RTI query seeking documents of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s citizenship has been at the receiving end of both bouquets and
brickbats. Joshy Kalluveettil, hailing from Thrissur district in Kerala, has
filed an RTI application on January 13 for clarification on the documents for
CAA, which was passed by the Parliament in December last year. Kalluveettil
says that his intention was to clear the air on the law and to seek clarity on
the necessary documents to prove one’s citizenship in the wake of the ongoing
protests against it.“The central government had said that Aadhaar, driving
license, ration card, PAN card or passport could not be used to prove one’s
citizenship. I thought, if we can access the information on PM’s documents, it
will allay the fears of the public on documents. The people of India too could
use the same documents,” he says.outlookindia
Deeply perplexed: JDU leader confronts Nitish Kumar on tie-up with BJP
in Delhi
Amid differences over the new citizenship law, a senior Janata Dal
(United) leader has questioned Nitish Kumar over the party's decision to ally
with the BJP for the upcoming Delhi Assembly poll.In a tweet on Tuesday, senior
JD(U) leader Pavan K Varma posted a photo of the letter written to Bihar Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar where he asked the party chief how an alliance was formed
with the BJP for the Delhi elections."This is the letter I have written to
Nitish Kumar today asking him how the JD(U) has formed an alliance with the BJP
for the Delhi elections, given his own views on the BJP, and the massive
national outrage against the divisive CAA-NPR-NRC scheme," JD(U) leader with
party leader Pavan K Varma said.India Today
Women Take out Massive Rally in AP’s Kurnool against CAA-NRC/NPR
KURNOOL;Amid raging protests, sit-in demonstrations and rallies,
hundreds of women took out a huge rally against CAA, NPR and NRC) in Andhra
Pradesh’s Kurnool on Monday. In a spirited show, the protesters marched from
Osmania College Ground to Collectorate.Addressing their plea to Andhra Pradesh
chief minister Jagmohan Reddy, they said, “NPR karne ki teri zid ko mitade wo
dhool hun main, aakar dekh Jagan sir dukhtar-e-karnool hun mai” (We will thwart
your attempt to carry out the NPR exercise, we are the daughters of Kurnool).
The march was organised under the banner of the National Women’s Front
(NWF).Addressing the protesters, an NWF leader said, “Allah will rescue us from
the tyranny of Modi as He the Almighty had liberated Bani Israel (Jews) from
Pharaoh (Ancient Egyptian tyranny ruler). We are not going to back down unless
and until this black law (CAA) is repealed.”caravandaily
*ECONOMY*
India responsible for 80% of
slashed global growth estimate: IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath
Davos:As IMF cut down global growth forecasts owing to the economic
slowdown in India and other emerging markets, the chief economist of Gita
Gopinath said that India was primarily responsible for the downgrade in global
growth.India Today News Director Rahul Kanwal spoke to Gita Gopinath at the
ongoing 50th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.Speaking
about the lowered world growth estimates, Gopinath said, "We have
projected global growth at 2.9 per cent for 2019 and 3.3 per cent for 2020
which is 0.1 percentage point lower than the October estimates. The vast
majority of it comes from our downgrade for India which was quite significant
for both years."When asked the extent to which the economic slowdown in
India had impacted global forecasts, Gita Gopinath said, "Simple
calculation says it would be over 80 per cent."IMF on Monday also lowered
India's economic growth estimate for the current fiscal to 4.8 per cent. When
asked about the slashed projections, Gita Gopinath said, "The first two
quarters of India came in weaker than we projected. One sector where we are
seeing the most stress is the financial sector -- the non-bank financial
corporations. We have seen a sharp decline in credit growth and a weakened
business sentiment. All this led to the revised numbers."According to
Gopinath, the biggest task before government is to restimulate growth without
furthering non-performing assets (NPAs) problem.indiatoday
'India Needs Investment': IMF's Gita Gopinath On Snub To Jeff Bezos
'Must Prepare Ourselves for Attack on Gita Gopinath': Chidambaram Warns
as IMF Trims Growth Estimate
New Delhi:Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on
Tuesday said an attack on IMF and its chief economist Gita Gopinath was in the
offing after the body trimmed India’s growth estimate.Taking to Twitter,
Chidambaram said: "IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath was one of the first
to denounce demonetisation. I suppose we must prepare ourselves for an attack
by government ministers on the IMF and Dr Gita Gopinath.”He also said the
revision was "window dressing" and was likely to go even lower.The
Congress leader has been a staunch critic of the Narendra Modi government’s
economic policies. He had earlier said if unemployment rises and incomes
decline, there is a danger of youth and students "exploding in
anger"."The nation is engrossed with the anti-CAA, anti-NPR protests.
Both present a clear and present danger," Chidambaram had said.Chidambaram
had also attacked the government over rising consumer price index (CPI)
inflation.news18
FM Sitharaman may push for ₹30K cr interim dividend from RBI to meet low
revenue generation, slowdown
Finance Ministry is likely to push for ₹25,000-30,000 crore interim
dividend from RBI, for the third time in a row, to check slippages in the
fiscal deficit of 3.3 per cent in 2019-20.The central bank and government may
touch upon the issue when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will meet RBI
Governor Shaktikanta Das at post Budget Vision customary meeting.Government has
a Budget estimate of ₹90,000 crore dividend from RBI in FY20. RBI follows a
fiscal of July-June. The interim dividend of the RBI's total dividend for
2019-20 (July-June) can help the government check 3.3 per cent fiscal deficit
target slippage.In the past RBI has paid a total ₹38,000 crore as interim
dividend (₹28,000 crore in FY19 and ₹10,000 crore in FY18)."If the RBI
board recommends, then it will be the third time when interim payout will be
given to the government," said sources.The central bank had paid ₹28,000
crore as interim dividend from its 2018-19 fiscal accounts (July-June) in
February, which helped the government contain deficit at 3.4 per cent in the
last fiscal.IANS
2000 notes make 56 percent of total fake currency, Gujarat being the hub
2000 notes introduced after demonetisation, on 8 November 2016 have
become the major culprit of counterfeit currency.While ₹1,000 and ₹500
banknotes were banned overnight, the government introduced new banknotes with
denominations of ₹2,000 and ₹500.It said these banknotes have additional
security features which would make them difficult to be copied by
counterfeiters, hence check the menace of fake currency.But three yea₹on,
government's own data show that a note with higher value actually helped the
rackets operating in counterfeit currency.Latest reports of NCRB reveal that, ₹2,000
banknotes comprised 56 per cent of all fake currency seized in India after
demonetisation.NCRB's latest annual report titled 'Crime in India' reveals that
in 2017 and 2018, law enforcing agencies seized Fake India Currency Note (FICN)
worth ₹46.06 crore.Analysis of the two NCRB reports further reveals that ₹2,000
notes contribute maximum to the value of seized fake
currency.nationalheraldindia
*OTHERS*
Disqualification of lawmakers: SC asks Parliament to rethink Speaker’s
powers, suggests independent body
New Delhi :The Supreme Court Tuesday suggested the setting up of an
independent mechanism to take decisions regarding the disqualification of
members of legislative assemblies. A bench headed by Justice RF Nariman left it
to Parliament to rethink whether the Speaker of the House, also a member of a
political party, should have power to disqualify MLAs.The apex court was
hearing a petition filed by Congress leaders seeking the disqualification of
MLA T Shyamkumar Singh from the Manipur Assembly under the anti-defection law.
Singh had contested the 2017 Manipur Assembly elections on a Congress ticket
but was later sworn in as a minister of BJP-led coalition government. The SC
has given the Manipur Speaker four weeks to decide on the petition, after which
it granted the petitioners, Md Fajur Rahim and K Meghachandra, the liberty to approach it again if a
decision was not taken.Manipur High Court had earlier disposed of their
petitions, and refused to pass any order citing shortfalls of its jurisdiction
under the tenth schedule.indianexpress
Home Ministry Confirms It Has No Information On ‘Tukde Tukde’ Gang,
Activist To Explore Legal Options
Union Home Ministry on Monday confirmed that it has no information on
‘tukde tukde’ gang, a term which has been frequently used by Prime Minister,
Home Minister and other union ministers. Replying to an RTI query by activist
Saket Gokhale, the ministry said that it did not possess information regarding
the term.Responding to the ministry’s reply, Gokhale said that the Home
Minister and the Home ministry are contradicting each other and he will take
the matter to Election Commission.“Mr Shah has been using this term repeatedly
during election rallies. This is something the EC should examine because home
minister and home ministry are contradicting each other,” Gokhale told
Outlook.Talking about the further course of action, Gokhale said that he will
send notices to both Home Minister and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, who made
a remark on the ‘tukde tukde’ gang during a TV interview on January 6.“I will
be sending a notice to both ministers for clarification on their remarks,” he
said.Gokhale’s RTI application also sought information on definition of 'tukde
tukde gang' as identified by Ministry of Home Affairs and whether a standard
operating procedure (SOP) has been drawn up to identify the gang. The term came
into wide usage in 2016 after it was alleged that some students raised
‘anti-India slogans’ in JNU. Now that the Home Ministry admitted this term
doesn’t exist, there should be push back from people against it, says
Gokhale.PTI
Assam Rifles jawan booked for molesting and assaulting lady IPS officer
Imphal :A woman IPS officer on duty was allegedly assaulted and molested
by an Assam Rifles (AR) rifleman at a check post near Moreh, a town on the
border of India and Myanmar in Tengnoupal district, on Sunday.An FIR was lodged
against the rifleman, PK Pandey, following a formal complaint by the officer.
The victim is posted as the sub-divisional police officer in a district in the
state.Manipur DGP L M Khaute said, “It is an unfortunate incident. We have
informed Assam Rifles authorities. The victim has also lodged a complaint.”The
victim, in her complaint, said the incident took place when she was on her way
back after an official visit to Moreh with uniformed escorts.“We offered to
search ourselves and the vehicle, but he (Pandey) was not interested and
started physically assaulting and molesting me. When my escorts tried to
intervene, he started thrashing and beating them,” said the victim’s complaint.
HC Gives Karnataka Govt Two Months Time to Review Ban on Tipu Jayanti
Karnataka high court has granted eight weeks time to the state
government to reconsider its decision to cancel state celebrations of Tipu
Jayanti, the birth anniversary of 18th-century Mysuru king Tipu Sultan,
according to a report in the Deccan Herald.A division bench of Chief Justice
Abhay S. Oka heard a batch of public interest litigation petitions filed by
various organisations seeking to quash the order by the government cancelling
Tipu Jayanti celebrations.The bench was hearing a PIL petition filed by Bilal
Ali Shah, who claims to be Tipu Sultan’s descendant, and two organisations,
Tipu Sultan United Front and Tipu Rashtreeya Seva Sangha, Bengaluru, who had
challenged the cancellation of Tipu Jayanti as a state event.The bench granted
8 weeks time to the state government and deferred the case to March 18.thewire
Tipu Sultan chapters to be retained in Karnataka textbooks next academic
year
Chapters on Tipu Sultan, the 18th century King of Mysore, will be
retained in state textbooks for the next academic year (2020-21) but Chief
Minister BS Yediyurappa-led government will form a committee that would take a
decision to add both the positive and negative sides of Tipu Sultan in
textbooks.In October 2019, Madikeri BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan had approached
Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar, demanding the removal
of lessons on Tipu Sultan from school textbooks. He had alleged the chapters
“contain wrong information”, and that “Tipu was not a freedom fighter”.
Following this, the minister had sought a report on Ranjan’s proposal from
Managing Director of Karnataka Textbook Society (KTBS).On Monday, Kumar said,
“There will be no changes in chapters on Tipu Sultan in state syllabus
textbooks for the coming academic year, but we have decided to form a
comprehensive committee which will go through both positive and negative sides
of Tipu.”indianexpress
Don't spin Mangaluru bomb incident, HD Kumaraswamy tells Karnataka govt.
BJP asks: Why cry for jihadis?
Mangaluru:BJP on Tuesday came down strongly on HD Kumaraswamy's after he
said Karnataka government shouldn't spin a recent bomb scare at Mangaluru
airport to its advantage.On Monday, a low-intensity explosive device was
removed from the airport and defused safely in an open field. Anil Pandey, DIG
(operations), CISF, said the explosive didn't have a trigger mechanism.When the
airport was being sanitised in the afternoon, it received a threat call about a
bomb aboard an IndiGo flight, IANS reported. But a search found nothing
"objectionable", an official said.Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai
said his government would "identify the anti-national forces who want to
terrorise people and create panic". HD Kumaraswamy, a senior leader in the
opposition JD(S) party, said it shouldn't be difficult to find those
responsible, and claimed the police had asked for a month, ANI
reported.Kumaraswamy said the government shouldn't give the story a
"different spin" later, and accused it of creating "a situation
of conflict" between different communities, the news agency reported.BJP,
on its part, accused him of blaming the police for the bomb and asked:
"Why cry for jihadis?"India Today
Basic demand on fee hike met, calls for JNU VC’s removal now not
reasonable: HRD Minister Pokhriyal
New Delhi :Asserting that the basic demand of JNU students on the issue
of hostel fee hike has been met, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’
on Tuesday said that the calls for the removal of the university’s
Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar are now not reasonable.“The basic demand of
students about the hostel fees hike has been met. The calls for JNU VC’s
removal now are not reasonable, removing anybody is not the solution,” he said
in an interview to PTI.“Over 80 per cent students have already registered for
the winter semester. The students who want to study should not be disturbed. If
our universities have to excel in global competition, we need to rise above
these issues,” said the minister.Asserting that the CAA is not aimed at taking
away anybody’s citizenship, the minister appealed to students “to explain this
to those misleading public on the issue and indulging in petty
politics”.indianexpress
JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh Accuses ABVP Of Beating Up Student
New Delhi: Over a fortnight after the violence on JNU campus, the
university's Students Union President Aishe Ghosh alleged on Monday that a
student has been beaten up by ABVP members, a charge denied by the
RSS-affiliated students' body."An unfortunate incident of ragging against
students of BA second year is being shown as a case of ABVP violence against
the person accused of ragging," the ABVP claimed.According to sources,
Raghib Akram, a resident of Narmada Hostel, was beaten up by some students. The
reason was that he had reportedly not allowed them to eat at the Narmada Hostel
mess on Sunday, as they were from a different hostel, the sources said.PTI
Rajiv Gandhi assassination: SC asks TN to inform if decision taken on
convict’s mercy plea
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Tamil Nadu government
to inform whether a decision has been taken by it on a mercy petition of a
convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.The apex court also pulled up
the Centre for filing a similar status report on a probe done by a CBI-led
Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) into unravelling a larger
conspiracy behind the killing of the former prime minister.A bench of Justices
L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta asked the state government to inform the court
about the decision taken by it under Article 161 of the Constitution.The
article gives a governor the power to pardon a person who has been proved
guilty in court.PTI
Kotkhai custodial death case: CBI asks court to cancel IG Zaidi’s bail
Chandigarh :12 days after former Shimla SP Soumya Sambasivan alleged in
court that she was being pressurised by the accused in the Kotkhai custodial
death case, the CBI has moved a plea in the court of Special Judge Dr Sushil
Kumar Garg seeking cancellation accused IG Zahur Haider Zaidi’s bail. The probe
agency also demanded that a non-bailable warrant be issued against him. After
hearing the plea, the court has issued notice to the accused and his counsel
for filing a reply on January 24.In its application, CBI argued that that the
trial Court (then at Shimla) had “imposed certain conditions on accused Zahur
Haider Zaidi while granting him bail”. It said: “One of the condition of
granting of bail was that accused will not temper with prosecution evidence and
will not influence/intimidate prosecution witnesses so as to dissuade them from
submitting/deposing facts/information relating to case to the Court or police
officials/IO. It is pertinent to mention here that the accused Zahur Haider Zaidi
had also undertaken to abide by the aforesaid condition and furnished personal
bond in this regard.”indianexpress
VHP Marga Darshak Mandal Meeting: ‘Build Ram temple from Ram Bhakts’
money, not govt funds’
Lucknow : Over 200 Hindu priests and sadhus, taking part in the “Marga
Darshak Mandal” meeting of VHP in Prayagraj on Monday, called for the
construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya using funds collected from the devotees
or “Ram Bhakts” instead of government funds. They said that while the
government could form a Trust for the construction of Ram temple as per the
Supreme Court’s judgment, no government money should be used for building the
temple.They also expressed hope that the construction of the temple would start
by “Navratra” this year. “The sadhus were of the belief that the government of
the day has people in it who were associated with the Ram Temple movement since
the beginning, and therefore, there is no doubt that soon a trust would be
formed for the construction of the Ram temple. While they felt that a date for
the construction of the temple should be announced soon, it was also felt that
it would be better if it begins during Navratra,” VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal
said.At the meeting, it was decided to organise “Ram Mahotsava” in villages
across the country between March 25 and April 8. Among those present at the
meeting included general secretary of Sadhvi Shakri Parishad, Sadhvi Pragya
Bharti; mahant Suresh Das of Ayodhya; and VHP general secretary Milind Parande.indianexpress
Plea in SC challenges schemes for minorities
New Delhi :Do government schemes for religious minorities violate the
Constitution? On Monday, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice R F Nariman
issued notice to Centre on a plea which raised the question.The plea by six
residents of Uttar Pradesh, who termed themselves as “followers of Sanatan
Vedic Dharam” and “belong to the Hindu community”, said, “State cannot make
distinction between majority and minority community. The State cannot make any
rule, law or regulation distinguishing religious minorities as a separate
class. The State cannot make any law in the name of minorities beyond the scope
of Article 30 of the Constitution…”The petition, filed through advocate Vishnu
Shankar Jain, pointed out that “none of the notified minority community have
been declared as socially, educationally backward class or economically
depressed class of the citizens” and “therefore, there is no constitutional
sanction for initiating and implementing the impugned schemes”.indianexpress
Court directs govt to take over Azam Khan’s varsity land
Lucknow :Stating that the land sold to Jauhar Trust, headed by
beleaguered SP MP Azam Khan, has flouted the UP Zamindari Abolition and Land
Reforms Act, a Revenue Board court in Prayagraj has directed the government to
take over around 100 bighas of land in Rampur allegedly purchased from 12 Dalit
farmers under coercion. Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, whose chancellor is
Azam Khan, has been built on the land. Established in 2006, the university is
spread over 500 acres.Sections 155-AA and 131-B of the Act bar small
land-owning Dalits from transferring their land to non-Scheduled Castes, and if
they do, it has to be approved by the district administration.“In short, what
is sought to be conveyed is that an institution/society may be a person but
cannot be a person of no caste. The transfer of land in the present case as
such is by Scheduled Caste persons to a person other than a scheduled caste. No
such transfer could have been made by the said scheduled caste persons in
favour of the institution/society (petitioners) that has no caste,” stated the
order.indianexpress
Delhi polls: BJP’s second list out; Sunil Yadav to take on Kejriwal from
New Delhi, Tajinder Bagga fielded from Hari Nagar
BJP on Tuesday released the second list of ten candidates for the Delhi
Assembly polls, fielding spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga from Hari Nagar
constituency. State Yuva Morcha President Sunil Yadav will contest from the New
Delhi constituency against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.According to list,
Ramesh Khanna will be contesting from Rajouri Garden, party’s Purvanchal Morcha
president Manish Singh has been fielded from Delhi Cantt constituency, and Dharamvir
Singh will contest the election from Kalkaji.The list also includes the names
of former East Delhi deputy mayor Sanjay Goyal who will contest from Shahdara,
Sumanlata Shokeen, who would content from Nangloi Jat, Ravindra Chaudhary from
Kasturba Nagar, Kusum Khatri from Mehrauli and Anil Goyal from Krishna
Nagar.The candidates were announced late last night after BJP’s ally SAD)
decided not to contest Delhi polls following differences with the saffron party
over CAA.indianexpress
Delhi polls: Congress fields Parvez Hashmi from Okhla against AAP’s
Amanatullah Khan
New Delhi :Congress on Tuesday released its third list of five
candidates for the Delhi Assembly polls, fielding former Rajya Sabha member
Parvez Hashmi from Okhla constituency against AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, who
is eyeing a second term from the seat. Former Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma is the
party’s nominee from the Vikaspuri seat.The party has fielded Mohinder
Chaudhary from the Mehrauli assembly seat, Parveen Rana from Bijwasan and Jai
Prakash Panwar from the Madipur (SC) seat.Congress had declared 54 names in its
first list and named seven more candidates late Monday night. Among them is
former NSUI president Romesh Sabharwal, who will contest from New Delhi
constituency against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.indianexpress
Rajinikanth on controversial Periyar remark: ‘I cannot apologise’
Chennai :Raising the photostat copy of a magazine page, Tamil actor
Rajinikanth on Tuesday refused to apologise for his comments on a rally taken
out by social reformer Periyar decades ago. Accused of “defaming” Periyar,
Rajinikanth said his comments were based on news reports he had read.On January
14, Rajinikanth, addressing the 50th anniversary-cum-readers’ connect event of
Tamil magazine Thuglak, had claimed that Periyar had taken out a rally in 1971
at Salem in which “effigies of Ram and Sita were paraded without clothes and
garlanded with footwear”. Following his remarks, DVK party filed 6 police complaints
against the actor accusing him of defamation. Dalit party VCK also announced
protests outside Rajinikanth’s house.Talking to the media before his residence
at Poes Garden on Tuesday morning, Rajinikanth showed clippings from magazines
and newspapers to support his claim. “This is Outlook, Hindu group…This report
from 1971 says that effigies were paraded without clothes…This is something I
have read… I cannot apologise for this. Let me politely inform you all that I
cannot apologise, sorry,” he said, adding that one Lakshmana, who took part in
a dharna organised against the rally, also clarified the same.indianexpress
"Rape Cases Will Increase": BJP Leader On 24x7 Malls, Eateries
In Mumbai
Mumbai: Rape cases will increase in Mumbai if shops, malls and
restaurants and movie theaters in the city are allowed to remain open for 24
hours, a Maharashtra BJP leader has said opposing the trial run by Uddhav
Thackeray government set to begin next week. Nightlife is not a "part of
Indian culture", BJP's Raj Purohit has said."I have been protesting
against nightlife in Mumbai for the last five years. it's not a part of Indian
culture. This will lead the youth down on a wrong path and will also lead to an
increase in the number of rape cases, crimes against women," 64-year-old
leader told ANI.ndtv
Dinkar Gupta to continue as Punjab DGP: Punjab and Haryana High court
CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday stayed the order
passed by Chandigarh bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) setting
aside appointment of Punjab DGP, Dinkar Gupta. With this Gupta will continue to
function as Punjab police chief. While staying the January 17 order passed by
CAT Chandigarh, division bench comprising Justice Jaswant Singh and Justice
Sant Prakash has asked Punjab to file affidavit about the material forwarded by
it to UPSC for the selection of DGP. UPSC has also been told to provide details
regarding restrictions regarding number if officers considered for DGP’s
post.Bench has passed these orders while hearing the arguments of DGP Mohammad
Mustafa who had challenged Dinkar Gupta’s appointment, Punjab government and
the counsel for Dinkar Gupta.The case would now come up for hearing on February
26.A specially constituted Chandigarh bench of CAT on Friday quashed the
appointment of Dinkar Gupta as Punjab DGP observing that the entire process
followed in Gupta’s appointment went against provisions outlined by the Supreme
Court in Prakash Singh’s case.The order was passed by CAT on an application
filed by another DGP rank officer Mohammad Mustafa.TOI
CAT quashes Punjab DGP’s appointment: State moves HC seeking stay on
order, hearing today
AP: Police Lathicharge As Protesters Reach Assembly To Oppose Relocating
Capital
Defying prohibitory orders and breaking security cordon by armed
personnel and others, hundreds of farmers and women of Amaravati region on
Monday almost managed to reach Andhra Pradesh Legislature complex protesting
the introduction of bills for relocating the state capital.Caught literally
off-guard, the police resorted to lathicharge to quell the crowd as the key
assembly session was underway just a few meters away.Even as the high drama was
witnessed on the rear side of the complex, Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu
Naidu led his Telugu Desam Party legislators on a foot march a few meters from
the main entrance gate into the assembly.However, the TDP could not organise
the Assembly siege programme as planned due to deployment of a strong posse of
police force.PTI
*J&K AND S. ASIA*
Jammu and Kashmir: Only 5 out of 36 Union ministers to visit three
districts in Valley from today
Only 5 out of 36 Union ministers will be visiting Kashmir from Tuesday
as part of the Centre’s outreach programme, PTI reported. For the next 4 days, Communications,
Electronics & Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Human
Resources Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Minority Affairs
Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik and
Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy will attend eight government
and public programmes. The ministers are expected to educate locals about the
development measures and schemes undertaken by the government for the region.On
Tuesday, Naqvi will visit Faqir Gujri village on the outskirts of Srinagar. He
will lay the foundation stones for a high school in Dara area and for a water
conservation project at Sarband in Harwan area. Reddy will be touring Ganderbal
district for two days visit from Wednesday. On Friday, he will chair a function
at Police Training College in Ganderbal.Prasad will attend a function at Dak
Banglow in Baramulla and inaugurate a sports complex during his 2-day stay
starting Thursday. Naik will attend a function at Sher-i-Kashmir International
Conference Centre in Srinagar on Thursday. Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank
will travel to Harwan and attend a public meeting at the city centre on
Friday.There are a total of 51 trips planned for Jammu, and only 8 for
Srinagar, NDTV reported, citing a list it had accessed. scroll.in
Jammu and Kashmir L-G Murmu invites investors, says communications curbs
will go
NEW DELHI:Highlighting investment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir,
Lieutenant-Governor G.C. Murmu said on Monday that communication restrictions,
including the Internet ban, were “temporary”.The event was held in New Delhi in
the run-up to the first-ever three-day Global Investors’ Summit to be held in
Srinagar and Jammu in April. The summit was to have been held last year, but
was postponed.K.K. Sharma, Adviser to the Lt. Governor, told The Hindu that
Jammu and Kashmir had a huge mining reserve and it was one area that could be
exploited for production. “J&K has reserves of limestone and gypsum that we
can exploit for production. For that, we are revamping the policy;
industrialists from J&K can participate. The land allotment policy will
also be revised. The Internet has been suspended for a limited period, it will
not be long time before it is restored,” he said.thehindu
*WORLD*
'Here to stay', vow Iraqi protesters as deadly violence surges
Iraqi protesters vowed to continue their escalation until demands for an
independent prime minister and snap elections are met, as deadly violence
surged in Baghdad and several key southern cities.Two protesters were killed in
the capital's Tayaran Square in the early hours of Monday after security forces
fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse angry crowds, officials said.
Another protester was killed in Baghdad later in the day.Two died after being
struck by live rounds fired by security forces and the third after a tear gas
canister pierced his neck, they said.Witnesses told Al Jazeera that Yusuf
Sattar, a photojournalist and volunteer paramedic in his 20s, was among the
dead. He was shot in the head by live-fire and died at the scene. aljazeera
3 rockets hit near US embassy in
Baghdad
BAGHDAD:Three rockets hit near US embassy in the Iraqi capital’s
high-security Green Zone, security sources told AFP, with no immediate reports
of casualties.Sirens could be heard across the zone immediately after the
rockets made impact.The United States has blamed Iran-backed paramilitary
groups for a spate of similar attacks in recent months on the Green Zone, but
there has never been a claim of responsibility.AFP
UK PM defeated on Brexit laws for first time since election
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/uk-pm-defeated-brexit-laws-time-election-200120203904808.html
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was defeated in
parliament on Monday for the first time since a December election, with the
upper chamber voting in favour of a move to protect the rights of European
Union citizens in Britain after Brexit.Johnson's Conservative Party won a large
majority in the lower chamber, the House of Commons, at the December 12 vote
and lawmakers there quickly approved the legislation needed to ratify his exit
deal with Brussels earlier this month.The legislation is now passing through
the House of Lords, where the government does not have a majority.While the
upper chamber is not expected to block passage of the bill, it is seeking to
make changes.aljazeera
Myanmar finds war crimes but no genocide in Rohingya crackdown
A commission set up to investigate the 2017 crackdown in Rakhine that
led hundreds of thousands of mostly Muslim Rohingya to flee Myanmar, has
concluded that while some soldiers probably committed war crimes there was no
genocide.Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) released the findings of its
investigation, but not the full report, to the country's president on Monday, a
few days before the United Nations' top court is set to rule on whether to
impose urgent measures to stop the alleged continuing genocide in
Myanmar.aljazeera
Nearly half billion people lack decent jobs: UN
GENEVA:More than 470 million people worldwide are currently unemployed
or underemployed, UN said on Monday, warning that a lack of access to decent
jobs was contributing to social unrest.The global unemployment rate has
remained relatively stable over much of the past decade, according to UN’s
International Labour Organisation.AFP
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