28 Jan 2020: 02
Jamadi-2, 1441: Vol: 12, No: 117
*INDIA*
Law Ministry Said Modi Govt’s Route To Pass Electoral Bonds Was Illegal
But Signed Off Anyway
New Delhi:Ministry of Law and Justice signed off on the Narendra Modi
govt’s decision to hastily pass the controversial electoral bond scheme by
bypassing the Rajya Sabha, despite putting on record that Govt’s strategy was
illegal and unconstitutional, documents obtained by HuffPost India establish.In
a 2-page note, the law ministry said this illegal step was a one-off exception
and urged the Modi Govt to “avoid considering this practice as a precedent”,
the documents reviewed by HuffPost India show.Worse, crucial official
deliberations on allowing even shell companies to secretly donate unlimited
funds to political parties were simply not recorded in official meeting
minutes. The deliberations were characterised as “informal discussions” between
unnamed officials. This is illegal as it violates a 2013 Supreme Court
judgement on how official minutes must be recorded, and breaches the Manual of
Office Procedure of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Ministry
of Personnel reports directly to PM Modi. Further, minutes of official meetings
allowing even shell companies to secretly donate to political parties under the
scheme were not recorded. This is illegal as per a Supreme Court order from
2013 on how official minutes must be recorded, and breaches Manual of Office
Procedure of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Ministry reports
directly to PM Narendra Modi.huffingtonpost
‘Modi govt changed law, Jaitley bypassed Rajya Sabha to pass illegal
electoral bonds scheme’
17 Gujarat riots convicts get bail, Supreme Court orders social service
New Delhi: 17 people convicted in a 2002 Gujarat riots case have been
granted bail on the condition that they will shift to neighbouring MP and do
community service. The convicts, who were serving life terms for burning alive
33 Muslims, have to do "social and spiritual services", said the
court today.A Supreme Court bench led by CJI SA Bobde asked MP administration
to find them work and divided the convicts into 2 groups. One group will stay
in Indore and the other in Jabalpur, said 3 judges. District legal authorities
in Indore and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh have been asked to ensure that the
convicts do six hours of community service daily. The state legal services
authority has also been asked to file a compliance report and also regularly
report on their conduct. The case involves the massacre of 33 Muslims at
Sardarpura village in the riots that swept through Gujarat in 2002. Muslims,
hiding in a house, were burnt alive by a mob. At least 1,000 people, mostly
Muslims, were killed in the three-day violence.ndtv
Sabarimala review: SC fixes 10-day period for hearing issues of
discrimination against women at religious places
The Supreme Court Tuesday fixed a 10-day time period for wrapping up
proceedings in the matter relating to discrimination against women at religious
places, including Kerala’s Sabarimala temple. A bench headed by CJI S A Bobde
said questions to be dealt with would be purely legal in nature, and,
therefore, it would not take over 10 days to conclude the hearing.“It cannot
take over 10 days. Even if someone wants more time, it cannot be given,” stated
9-judge bench. The court’s observation came after Solicitor General Tushar
Mehta mentioned before the apex court that all the counsels of various parties
could not frame the common legal questions to be considered by the nine-judge
bench.The bench then asked Mehta to furnish issues dealt by lawyers in the
meeting.A total of 60 petitions were filed in SC for hearing by a nine-judge
Constitution bench headed by CJI Bobde.indianexpress
Scribe moves Supreme Court seeking entry of Muslim women for prayers in
mosque
New Delhi: A senior journalist moved the Supreme Court on Monday seeking
impleadment in a batch of petitions seeking a direction to permit the Muslim
Women to enter and offer prayers inside mosque. 9-judge bench is likely to take
up for hearing these petitions in the first week of Feb. Petitioner Ziya Us
Salam, currently associated with a leading magazine, had sought impleadment in
the petition filed by Yasmeen Zuber Ahmad Peerzade and said that neither the
Quran nor the Hadith bars or prohibits the entry of Muslim women in
mosques."That, neither the Quran nor the Hadith bars or prohibits the
entry of Muslim women in mosques. In fact, in Quran at nearly 60 places, Allah
asks both men and women to "establish" prayer, as opposed to merely
offering prayer. Praying in isolation does not amount to establishing
prayer," he said in his petition filed through advocate Farrukh
Rasheed.PTI
Nirbhaya convict claims sex assault, solitary in jail days before
hanging
One of the four Nirbhaya case convicts to be hanged on February 1 has
challenged the rejection of his mercy request citing "non-application of
mind" by the President of India. The Supreme Court will announce its
decision on the convict's petition tomorrow. Convict Mukesh Singh's lawyer
argued before the Supreme Court today that all records were not sent to
President Ram Nath Kovind, so his decision to reject mercy was "arbitrary
and malafide". The Supreme Court rejected his request to show documents to
the President that he claimed would prove he was "beaten and sexually
assaulted" in jail.Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Kumar Sharma and Akshay
Kumar are to hang on Saturday at 6 am.NDTV
*anti-citizenship act stir*
JNU student Sharjeel Imam arrested after 'surrendering' in Bihar on
Sedition Charges
New Delhi: JNU student Sharjeel Imam, who has had cases filed against
him for sedition in five different states, has been arrested by Delhi Police on
Tuesday. According to Imam’s lawyers, he surrendered to the police in
Jehanabad, Bihar. “He will be brought to Delhi for production before the
magistrate. He has full faith in the legal system and is fully cooperating with
the investigation,” the lawyers said in a statement.PhD student at the
university’s Centre for Historical Studies has been booked for speeches made
during protests against the CAA.“We have arrested Sharjeel Imam from
Jehanabad,” Rajesh Deo, deputy commissioner of police, Crime Branch, told PTI.
The force had deployed five teams to locate Imam, a resident of Bihar. Raids
were conducted in Mumbai, Patna and Delhi. Earlier in the day, Imam’s younger
brother was taken in by police for questioning.In the speech in question, Imam
told the crowd that no political formation had ever stood with Muslims and
believing that the constitution would emancipate Muslims was “a suicidal
thought”, and that they must “use the anger productively”.“If we have five lakh
people with us, we can cut off the Northeast from India. If not permanently,
for one or two months. Put rubble on tracks and roads….Assam aur India katke
alag ho jaaye, tabhi ye humari baat sunenge (Once Assam is cut off, then only
they will listen to us)… We can do that because Chicken’s Neck corridor (connecting
Northeast to rest of India) is dominated by Muslims.”Imam has since clarified
that he was only calling for the blockade of roads. “I was saying we should try
to peacefully block roads wherever possible. In that context, I said you have
to block roads going to Assam. It was basically a call for chakka jam,” he said.
Police in Assam, UP, Arunachal, Manipur and Delhi have filed sedition cases
against Imam. In Assam, FIR also includes sections of UAPA.Imam’s mother has
since released a statement to the media alleging that the police were
threatening and harassing her family. “He was calling for a ‘chakkajam‘ (road
blockade). He is just a kid and not capable of instigating people for
secession,” she added.thewire
Sharjeel Imam Surrenders in Bihar: Is He A Terrorist or Scapegoat?
Bidar School Authorities Booked for Sedition After Students Perform Play
Against CAA-NRC
Bengaluru: The management of a school in Bidar has been slapped with
sedition charges after its students performed a drama against CAA and NRC on
Sunday. Shaheen Education Institute was on Monday booked, while FIR named head
of school and its management as accused.Besides them, one Mohammed Yousuf Rahim
has been booked for allegedly sharing video of the skit on social media.The
complaint stated that minor children of the institute were were made to stage
the drama, which PM Narendra Modi in a "bad light". The drama also
sent a message that people of one community would have to leave the country if
CAA and NRC were brought into force.A local report stated that ABVP staged a
protest against the institute and submitted a memorandum to the home
minister.news18
No exam at AMU engineering college for 2nd day as protesters block entry
Aligarh: Protesters blocked entry to AMU engineering college today,
preventing the holding of an examination for the second consecutive day.On
Monday, a group of students had blocked the entrance to Zakir Husain College of
Engineering and Technology, prompting the authorities to cancel the
examination.Over 600 students were scheduled to appear for exam.The authorities
were hoping to conduct the examination amid a boycott call by students
demanding the withdrawal of "false FIRs" lodged against them during
anti-CAA protests.AMU Students'' Coordination Committee also moved the court
seeking the lodging of a case against policemen who "indulged" in
excesses against them at Morrison Court hostel and AMU guest house on Dec 15. Lawyer
Asad Hayat, who represented the students'' body, said he filed a petition in
this regard in court of chief judicial magistrate on Monday.AMU spokesman Omar
Peerzada said efforts to persuade the students to end boycott of examinations
were continuing. In a memorandum submitted to AMU engineering college, protesters
said they would continue to boycott the examinations until false FIRs lodged
against them were not withdrawn.A large number of students at AMU Senior
Secondary School(Girls) to boycotted their classes and formed a protest chain
at AMU Women''s College. Over 1,200 students, including those not identified,
have been booked in about a dozen cases connected.PTI
Video: Man carrying gun overpowered by Shaheen Bagh protesters
New Delhi :A man carrying a gun was overpowered by protesters at Shaheen
Bagh on Tuesday after he allegedly brandished the weapon. A video of the
incident has now gone viral on social media.The man, according to ANI, visited
Shaheen Bagh to talk to the protesters and was carrying a licensed gun.The
coordinators of the Shaheen Bagh protest said “armed anti-social elements” have
infiltrated the protest site. “We fear that more right-wing groups could enter
and launch an attack. We appeal to all to join the protest, strengthen our
numbers and prevent any violence,” they tweeted.indianexpress
BJP MP Parvesh Verma Calls women led-peaceful Shaheen Bagh Protesters
'Rapists, Murderers'
New Delhi: Leaders of BJP appear intent on using the peaceful sit-in
protest against the CAA at Shaheen Bagh to communalise the electorate before
the Delhi assembly elections.The latest leader to make blatantly communal and
dangerous accusations about the protest, with no backing, is MP Parvesh Verma.
He called protesters “rapists and murderers”, and said that the people of Delhi
should act now (and vote for BJP) and PM Narendra Modi and home minister Amit
Shah “would not save them later”.“The people of Delhi know that the fire that
was set in Kashmir a few years ago, and the mothers and sisters of Kashmiri
Pandits were raped, that fire then was set in UP, in Hyderabad, in Kerala.
Today that fire has been set in a corner of Delhi [Shaheen Bagh]. Lakhs of
people are collecting there. That fire could reach the houses of Delhi at any
time; it could reach our houses. The people of Delhi need to think through
their decision. These people will enter your houses, they will pick up your
sisters and daughters, rape them and kill them. Today, there is time. Tomorrow
Modiji will not come to save you; tomorrow Amit Shah will not come to save you.
Today there is time. If the people of Delhi wake up now, it will be good. Then
they will stay safe,” Verma has said.thewire
'Will remove Shaheen Bagh protesters, mosques on state land': Delhi BJP
MP Verma's poll promise
Delhi CEO Office sends reports to EC on provocative Statements by
Thakur, Verma
Delhi CEO Office on Tuesday submitted
reports to the Election Commission on "provocative" language used by
BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma while canvassing for party candidates
in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly polls, officials said.During an election
rally here, BJP leader and Union minister Anurag Thakur egged on the crowd to
raise an incendiary slogan -- "traitors should be shot at" -- after
he lashed out at anti-CAA protestors, officials said.PTI
Anti-nationals should get bullet not biryani: Karnataka minister backs
Anurag Thakur
New Delhi:BJP leader Anurag Thakur's controversial chant 'desh ke
gaddaron ko, goli maro sa**n ko' against anti-CAA protesters has found a
supporter within the party.While the slogans chanted by Anurag Thakur at a
rally in Delhi on Monday created an uproar in media and public, Karnataka
minister CT Ravi backed him and said that 'anti-nationals should get bullet not
biryani'.He further categorised people who were raising objections to Thakur's
statement into those who "Opposed death to Terrorists Ajmal Kasab &
Yakub Memon; Supported Tukde Tukde Gang; and Spread lies against CAA".
Delhi Assembly election: From CAA to Shaheen Bagh, BJP hopes to gain
with harder faultlines
From Home Minister Amit Shah’s call to choose BJP to “prevent thousands
of incidents like Shaheen Bagh” to chants of “goli maaro saalon ko” when MoS
Finance Anurag Thakur was at the mic — the party’s aggression reflects its
increasing confidence that it will be able to consolidate Hindu votes in its
favour in the run-up to February 8 Delhi polls. “It’s natural. When others try
to consolidate Muslim votes, Hindus will support us. It’s not BJP that set this
narrative. They (our opponents) have made it Hindu-Muslim vote,” BJP general
secretary and member of the election committee for Delhi polls, Anil Jain,
said.“When (Deputy CM) Manish Sisodia declared his support (for Shaheen Bagh),
he was trying to consolidate Muslim votes. When Arvind Kejriwal said we (BJP)
are backing Pakistan by granting Hindus citizenship, he was terming half of
Delhi as Pakistanis,” Jain said.Jain’s remark comes against the backdrop of the
Delhi polls becoming increasingly polarising and centred around the CAA. In the
last two days, addresses by top leaders at BJP rallies have urged people to
vote for a party that unites the country, and reject those who “break the
country into pieces”. To reinforce this narrative, the central leadership has
asked BJP workers from UP and Bihar to campaign in Delhi.indianexpress
SBI Customers Alert! SBI says update KYC or bank may freeze your
accounts
SBI Bank issued a public notice, published in an English daily on
Sunday, asking its customers to complete their KYC for hassle-free banking
experience. India's largest lender also said that those non-KYC bank accounts
may be freeze by the bank. As per RBI guidelines, Bank has to update KYC of all
customers periodically. Accordingly, notices have been sent to customers where
KYC Updation is due. Customers who have received such notices are requested to
visit the nearest branch of State Bank of India and provide following documents/
information urgently, SBI in its public notice said.SBI in its public notice
also said: Bank may be constrained to freeze accounts which are KYC
Non-Compliant/ overdue for KYC updations if required documents are not provided
before 28.02.20.Meanwhile, as mentioned in the notice, bank has also sent the
message alert to its customer to complete KYC before the last date.The bank has
also mentioned that letters issued by NPR would be valid documents for KYC requirements.Earlier, RBI had revised its KYC
guidelines and made NPR letters a valid document. Before SBI, Central Bank of
India had issued a similar notice. India TV
Nitish Wants Govt to Stick to Old NPR Format Amid Fears Over NRC Link
Jahanabad: Reacting to the arrest of anti-CAA activist activist Sharjeel
Imam, who was slapped sedition charges for allegedly delivering inflammatory
speeches, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said action will be taken against
him as per law.“Whenever someone does something wrong, there is an action
accordingly. No one should go against law. Whatever he said, what action will
be taken is for police and court to decide,” Kumar said. Offering advice to
those protesting against the contentious citizenship law, Bihar CM said, “The
matter of CAA is in the Supreme Court and it will be debated there. If someone
has an issue, they can put it there.” “NPR has been there since 2011, now
happening…it’s not a new thing. New points added in it are likely to create
confusion. Not everyone knows their parents’ birthday... We believe the old
format should continue,” he said.news18
Sushil Modi: ‘Did not anticipate such protests… maybe we were not able
to convince people’'
Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi
speaks on the future of NDA alliance in the state and BJP’s strategy ahead of
Assembly polls. Sushil Modi said, "When our supreme leader has said NRC
won’t be implemented, the matter rests there. We have said several times that
NPR was introduced during UPA rule and its data are used only for Census. It is
not mandatory to answer questions asked in NPR."When asked did they
anticipate such protests against CAA, Deputy CM said, "No. We did not.
Maybe we were not able to convince people. Also, Opposition parties started
working overtime to spread lies. But we have seen bigger protests against
triple talaq and it finally came through. People are slowly realising the truth
about CAA…"indianexpress
Ambedkar's great grandson calls RSS a 'terrorist organisation', calls
for ban
The great-grandson of BR Ambedkar and President of the Buddhist Society
of India Rajratna Ambedkar called RSS a terrorist organisation.Addressing a
gathering in Karnataka, he also attacked Bhopal BJP MP Pragya Thakur, also an
accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts."A sadhvi sits next to PM Narendra
Modi and says that when the Indian Army ran out of arms and ammunition, RSS
provided more to them. But where did RSS get so much ammunition from?" he
remarked."If ammunition is recovered from a house, won't the residents of
that house be called terrorists? Similarly, an organisation that has so much
[of] arms and ammunition, isn't it a terrorist organisation?" he
said.moneycontrol
Court grants bail to Mysuru woman who held ‘Free Kashmir’ poster at CAA
protest
A court in Mysuru on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Nalini
Balakumar and another student who were arrested for protesting against CAA,
reported Bar and Bench. Balakumar was charged with sedition for holding a
placard that read “Free Kashmir” during an anti-CAA protest at Mysore
University. Additional District and Sessions Judge Jerald Rudolph Mendonca said
alleged offence was not exclusively punishable with death or imprisonment for
life. The court added that Balakumar has no criminal background or any
connection with any banned outfit. The petitioner had immediately accepted that
she had displayed the placard and had explained her stand in the matter, said
the court, adding that she was co-operating with the investigation also.On the
charges of sedition levied against Balakumar, the court said: “This court is of
the firm view that at this stage any person including this court cannot form an
opinion or declare whether the Petitioner has committed the offence of sedition
or not.”scroll
Rajnath: What’s the problem if NRC brought in?
Weeks after PM Narendra Modi assured the country that there has been no
discussion on NRC since his Govt was elected in 2014, Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh on Monday asked why there should be objections to NRC, as every country
has the right to know how many citizens and foreigners are living within its
boundaries. Addressing a rally in Mangaluru, Singh said: “On NRC, I want to ask
you: should every country not know how many citizens live and foreigners live
on its soil? I want to ask, doesn’t a country have the right to know how many
people are its citizens?”As crowd shouted yes, Singh asked: “Phir NRC ban raha
hai isme kya aapatti hai (then what’s objection to NRC?)”indianexpress
Brought CAA to correct 'historical injustice': Modi
New Delhi:PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday said Govt has brought CAA to
correct "historical injustice" and to fulfill the BJP's "old
promise" to religious minorities living in neighbouring countries.Speaking
at Annual PM's NCC Rally, Modi said the problem in J&K persisted since
independence and some families and political parties kept issues in the region
"alive", as a result of which terrorism thrived.He said the present Govt
has been trying to solve decades-old problems plaguing the country. Slamming
Pakistan, PM said the neighbouring country has lost 3 wars but continues to
wage proxy wars against India.He also said that currently, not only J-K, but
other parts of the country are also peaceful and the Govt has managed to
address the aspirations of the northeast region which were neglected for
decades.PTI
EU distances itself from its lawmakers’ anti-CAA move: Not our official
position
With 5 key political groupings in
European Parliament — these range from centre-right to far-left — moving
resolutions slamming India’s CAA, European Union Monday said the opinions
expressed by the European Parliament and its members “do not represent the
official position of EU”.French diplomatic sources underlined that France, a
founding member of EU, considers the new citizenship law an “internal political
matter of India” and that European Parliament is an institution “independent of
member states” and the European Commission.This distancing of the EU and France
from European Parliament, sources said, comes at a time when New Delhi has
diplomatically “engaged” Brussels and European parliamentarians.indian express
'Do Everything to Not Increase Stateless People': Luxembourg FM to
Jaishankar
Amidst concerns over India's new
citizenship act and NRC, Luxembourg, a European Union member, on Tuesday said
it doesn't want to "interfere in the domestic policy" of this country
but has asked New Delhi to "do everything" to not increase stateless
people.This was conveyed by visiting Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn
during talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar."What I said to the
minister (Jaishankar) this morning is 'do everything you can do to not increase
stateless people'. That is something that we have to fight against. Rest
concerns India," Asselborn said during an interactive session at the India
International Centre after his meeting with Jaishankar.PTI
'They're Unaware of Facts': UP Police Urges Families of Women Protesters
to Withdraw Stir
Lucknow: The all woman protest going on at Ghantaghar entered its 12th
day on Tuesday. Lucknow Police till now have registered 6 different FIRs in
connection with Anti CAA protests in various parts of the city. After the woman
protesters were not deterred by the FIR against them, Lucknow Police is now
trying to reach out to the families of the protesters and urging them to
withdraw from protest as they are misinformed about CAA. Sources in the police
department revealed that the families of females who were booked in FIRs for
violation of Section 144 are being approached first to urge the women to
withdraw from protest as they were not completely aware of the CAA. Sources
also suggest these women were joining protests because of misinformation and
were not aware of the facts about CAA. Meanwhile a total of 6 FIRs have been
lodged against anti-CAA protesters in the state capital, out of which 4 are
registered against protesters at Ghantaghar while 2 are registered against the
protesters at Ujariaon in Gomti Nagar area of the state capital. Three members
of Samajwadi Party who were burning effigy of Union Home Minister Amit Shah
outside UP Assembly were also arrested for violation of Section 144 of CrPC.
The arrested student leader of SP youth wing, Pooja Shukla who was detained
from Ghantghar on Saturday was granted bail by court on Monday.On Monday,
member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi
Mahali reached Ghantaghar along with Bishop Gerald Mathias and extended support
to the females protesting against CAA. Earlier Maulana Kalbe Jawwad had also
reached the Ghantaghar and extended his support to the women protesters. Noted
lawyer Zafaryab Jilani had also extended his support to protest by reaching
Ghantaghar. Members of Sikh community had performed Ardas at the protest site
and had urged the Govt to include Muslims as well in the Amended Citizenship
Law. A Hawan was also performed at Ghantaghar in order to urge Govt for roll
back of the controversial citizenship law.News18
CAA, NRC are BJP’s Hindutva project for 2024: Maharashtra’s former CM Chavan
Mumbai :Just as debate rages over the implementation of CAA,
Maharashtra’s former CM and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Monday
labelled CAA, NRC and NPR as components of BJP’s Hindutva project aimed at 2024
Lok Sabha polls.Deviating from the popular narrative of Opposition leaders that
these moves were a diversionary tactic of the ruling party to distract from the
deep crisis faced by the Indian economy, the former CM, who was speaking at
Indian Express Idea Exchange, said that “while this may be a convenient
argument from the Opposition’s point of view, it wasn’t an honest one.”
Elaborating, he said, “It is incorrect to state that BJP had enacted these
measures in haste. The project has been in the works since 2015 when the
passport rules were amended to mention 3 countries and 6 religions. But nobody
looked at it then. Even the media missed it.”indianexpress
I was pushed, hit with chairs, says protestor who shouted anti-CAA
slogans at Amit Shah rally
A 20-year-old protestor who shouted slogans against the CAA at Union
Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Delhi has alleged that he was pushed to the
ground and hit with chairs by people in the audience. The incident took place
in Babarpur Assembly constituency in Delhi on Sunday evening.Harjit Singh shouted
“take back Citizenship Act” during Shah’s speech.“I was immediately pulled from
the back and pushed to the ground by people in the audience,” Singh said. “Some
of them also grabbed chairs to hit me”. Protestor alleged that Delhi Police
coerced him to write a letter saying he was mentally unstable, adding that he
was locked up in police station despite not having committed any crime.scroll
MP BJP MLA opposes CAA: ‘Either you follow the constitution or tear it
off’
Bhopal :Opposing CAA and the proposed NRC, BJP MLA Narayan Tripathi on Tuesday said the
country cannot be divided along religious lines.“Either you follow the
constitution or tear it off because it lays emphasis on secularism and the
country can’t be divided along religious lines. Yet the country is being
divided along religious lines,” Maihar MLA said adding that Muslims in villages
are suspicious and avoid interacting with others. “When getting an Aadhar card
made is difficult for people in rural areas and the poor in urban areas where
will the people get all the documents to prove their citizenship,” he
said.Tripathi, who was previously with the Congress and Samajwadi Party, said
an atmosphere of gruh kalah (domestic strife) was prevailing in the country. No
village, mohalla, or country can enjoy peace if such an atmosphere prevails, he
said.indianexpress
Even some 'RSS people' opposed to CAA: Gopinathan
Panaji:Bureaucrat-turned-activist
Kannan Gopinathan today said even some "RSS people" are convinced CAA
is a bad law but are keeping quiet as the NDA Govt at the Centre is their own
baby. Speaking in Panaji, he further said Modi Govt was behaving like a
"drunken teenager" which needs to be questioned or else it will end
up destroying homes."I was detained twice in UP, kept the whole day,
because they (Govt) do not want questioning (of CAA). I have met so many RSS
people, they also understand this...if you have this conversation, they also
understand the Govt has done something (wrong) and they have been asked to
support it," he claimed. He said the line of thought among these RSS
people (he met) was "just support it (CAA)" as they don't want an
altercation because "Govt is their baby".PTI
CAA Protests : Yechury says parliament also cleared emergency
CPI(M) said that the citizenship
law will continue to face opposition on streets despite Parliament's approval,
just like Emergency was opposed notwithstanding its passage in both Houses.In a
series of tweets, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said those arguing
that CAA cannot be questioned because it has been passed by Parliament must
also remember that Emergency was also cleared by Parliament.PTI
Pooja Bhatt says dissent is greatest form of patriotism: ‘I don’t
support CAA-NRC as it divides my house’
Actor Pooja Bhatt on Monday said dissent is the greatest form of
patriotism and asserted that students protesting against the CAA-NRC acts are
giving the message that ‘the ruling party has actually united us’.Bhatt was
among a host of noted personalties who spoke at a conference organised in the
backdrop of ongoing protests against the CAA and the proposed NRC. The event in
Colaba, south Mumbai, was organised by Parcham Foundation and We People of
Maharashtra.Speakers later submitted a memorandum to Govt representatives, seeking
to know the stand of state authorities on CAA-NRC-NPR within 30 days.HT
‘Ready for talks with PM Modi but Centre must scrap CAA first’: Mamata
A day after West Bengal became the fourth state to pass an assembly
resolution against CAA, CM Banerjee said Tuesday that was she was ready for
talks with PM Narendra Modi on controversial law but the legislation has to be
rolled back first.“I am ready for talks with PM on CAA, but the Centre has to
withdraw the Act first,” PTI quoted her as saying at a protest meet in
Kolkata.HT
Raj Thackeray says he doesn’t back CAA but party's stand against illegal
migrants unchanged
MNS chief Raj Thackeray has made
it clear that he has not endorsed the CAA or NRC.Last week, during a party
rally after releasing a new saffron flag, Thackeray had announced a new
pro-Hindutva line for the party, specifying that illegal migrants need to be
sent back and his party would take out a march to push the demand. However, at
a meeting on Tuesday, he made it clear that his statement at the rally was
misconstrued and that he had only demanded strong and immediate action against
illegal immigrants.“I have never supported CAA. I only said that all illegal
Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims should be sent back immediately. It was
misinterpreted as support to CAA,” Thackeray said at a meeting of party leaders
at his residence.newindianexpress
Illegal refugees returning to Bangladesh after CAA: BSF Official
New Delhi:In the wake of the CAA, illegal immigrants from Bangladesh
have begun to flee India back to their native country, a senior Border Security
Force official said.There is also a drop in the number of Bangladeshi nationals
crossing over to India in the last one month after CAA came into being.BSF
official, posted at BSF Delhi headquarters, claimed that the majority of the
efflux of illegal migrants was happening in the 24 Parganas district in
southern West Bengal.IANS
Karnataka HC grants bail to bangladeshi 'illegal migrant' woman taking
note of CAA provisions
Karnataka High Court, on Monday granted bail to a Bangladeshi Christian
'illegal migrant' taking note of the provisions of Citizenship Amendment
Act.Archona Purnima Pramanik is a Bangladeshi National and a Christian.
Allegation against her is that she illegally migrated to India and later she
obtained Indian documents like PAN Card, Aadhaar Card in her name and on the
strength of these documents, she fraudulently obtained an Indian Passport. She
was arrested and is in custody since Nov.2019.livelaw.in
Polio vaccination team mistaken for NPR officials, ‘assaulted’
New Delhi :A Polio vaccination team was assaulted in Meerut’s Lisari
Gate on Sunday evening after it was allegedly mistaken for officials working on
NPR. The incident occurred when the team was taking down details for
vaccinations required in the area. During the questioning, one of locals called
in other people, gheraoed team and attacked them.“A Polio immunisation
programme is being conducted in various parts of the district. The team of
three people reached Lisari Gate’s Lakhipura area and began to take details of
children in households as per due procedure. Some people in the locality
surrounded them suspecting they were there for NPR. The argument between them
escalated and the team was attacked by several locals. We have written a
complaint to the police and a case has been filed,”said Dr Raj Kumar, CMO
Meerut.indianexpress
When anti-CAA Muslim protesters helped a temple procession pass in
Kerala’s Thrissur
Kochi :On Saturday, Thrissur Police in Kerala was faced with a pressing
dilemma when they realised that they had to ensure the smooth conduct of a
temple festival procession through the town at the same time when an anti-CAA
protest by Muslim outfits takes shape.Nearly one lakh people were to assemble
in the popular Swaraj round in Thrissur town as part of an anti-CAA protest.
However, at the same time, the festival procession of the local Bhaktapriyam
temple complete with elephants and percussionists had to pass through the same
area. So when top police officials spoke to organisers on both sides, they got a
response that once again accentuated the state’s unique religious harmony and
amity.Muslim organisers of the anti-CAA protest promised to the police to lend
help to ensure the temple festival procession was carried out smoothly through
the town. indianexpress
Women shouldn’t hit streets against CAA, raise slogans or clench fists: Cleric
Musliyar in Kerala
Kochi :Influential Sunni Muslim cleric Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar
has sparked controversy by advocating that women must not raise slogans, clench
their fists and hit the streets in the ongoing anti-CAA protests across the
country. He made the remarks in an interview to Asianet News, in Kozhikode.When
asked about his opinion on the involvement of women in public protests against
the citizenship law in the state, the cleric responded, “Our view is that women
must not hit the streets, unlike men. They must not clench their fists or raise
slogans. However, when a situation arises where the support of women has to be
declared, then their backing has to be proved, that’s all. Otherwise, they
don’t need to hit the streets for protests.”Aboobacker Musliyar is India’s
Grand Mufti, general secretary of All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama and
chancellor of the Jamia Markaz group of institutions. indianexpress
*J&K AND S. ASIA*
Hope EU resolutions are followed by sanctions: Mehbooba Mufti
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has
expressed hope that resolutions tabled in European Parliament against CAA and
curbs in Kashmir will be followed up with sanctions."Relieved to see EU
parliament pass resolutions against communal CAB & brutal lockdown in
Kashmir. Hope it's followed up with sanctions. GOIs actions are frittering away
all of India's assiduously earned soft power,"a tweet on Mehbooba's
Twitter handle reads."Discriminatory CAB & repressive measures in
Kashmir are India's internal matter only when EU Parliamentarians/international
community condemn such actions. Had they spoken about it in glowing terms, the
same establishment would lap it up," she added.PTI
After bearded photo goes viral, this is BJP’s ‘sincere contribution’ to
Omar Abdullah
New Delhi :Days after a picture of former CM of J&K Omar Abdullah
created buzz on social media, the BJP unit of Tamil Nadu said it was
“disheartened” to see his bearded photo and sent National Conference leader a
pack of razors. The tweet was deleted minutes later.In a tweet, the party said,
“Dear @OmarAbdullah, It’s very disheartening to see you like this while most of
your corrupt friends are enjoying life outside. Kindly accept our sincere
contribution, in case of any assistance feel free to contact ur counterpart
@INCIndia for further help in this regard.” The tweet also included a screenshot of the order, addressed to
Srinagar. On Jan. 25, a picture of Omar Abdullah sporting a greyish-white long
beard emerged on social media. It showed him smiling in a snow-covered jacket
and sporting an unkempt greyish beard.The tweet comes after the Congress
dispatched a copy of the Indian Constitution to PM Narendra Modi as a “gift” on
Republic Day. “Dear PM, the Constitution is reaching you soon. When you get
time off from dividing the country, please do read it. Regards, Congress,” the
tweet read.Earlier on Monday, BJP leader Giriraj Singh took a jibe at the
picture and questioned if article 370 was removed from the valley or was it the
razor?West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also shared picture calling it
‘unfortunate.indianexpress
*ECONOMY & POLITICS*
Almost 75% Farmers Did Not Get All 3 PM Kisan Instalments, a Year After
Implementation
New Delhi: Less than 3 in 10 farmers received the Rs 6,000 that was due
to them in the first full year of the implementation of Centre’s flagship PM
Kisan scheme, according to Govt data obtained by The Wire through RTI. In the
first full year of implementation of the PM Kisan scheme – between Dec.1, 2018
and Nov.30, 2019 – the Modi Govt has only been able to spend 41% of the amount
that it ought to have spent, as only slightly more than 25% of farmers have
received all three instalments under the scheme. These conclusions come from
data obtained by The Wire via RTI Act as well as an analysis of data provided
to parliament by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. thewire
Modi promised 2 cr jobs but 1 cr lost theirs': Ahead of budget, Rahul attacks
govt on economy
New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on PM, senior Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused PM Narendra Modi of tarnished India's image as
country of peace, putting off investors. He added that PM Modi couldn't
understand GST. Addressing a rally in Jaipur, Gandhi said, "It is shameful
that the economic growth has dropped since UPA was in power. Youth are India's
biggest asset, country today is wasting this asset. PM Modi had promised to
create two crore jobs but one crore people lost theirs last year."The
public rally comes ahead of the Union budget scheduled to be presented on Feb.1.
Earlier also Congress leader had alleged that BJP-led Govt has failed on
economic issues and is now distracting the nation through other means.news18
Debt increased by 71% in 5 years, address it in budget: Congress tells
Modi government
Congress today claimed that country's debt increased by over 71 per cent
in the last 5.5 years whereas the per capita GDP rose by only 30 per cent and
asked the Modi government to address concern in this budget.Congress spokesperson
Gourav Vallabh said increase in the rate of per capita debt (10.3 pc) is twice
as compared to the rate of per capita GDP (5.3 per cent) in CAGR terms.PTI
Nothing in data that say we couldn’t be in recession: Abhijit Banerjee
Nobel laureate Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee on Monday said that while there
is nothing in the macroeconomic data that says India couldn't be in a recession,
the final answer was unknown to him in the absence of new, reliable data on the
informal sector where the anecdote suggests "the big slowdown is
in"."If you ask me, could we be in a recession? There is nothing in
data that says we could not be in a recession," Banerjee said during a
session at Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet.IANS
*OTHERS*
Coronavirus toll in China rises to 106, with over 4,000 cases:
Preparations to evacuate Indians from Wuhan underway, say MEA
New Delhi :Ministry of External Affairs Tuesday said Centre has started
preparations to evacuate the Indians stranded in China’s Wuhan, which is the
epicenter of the outbreak of the deadly new coronavirus. This comes as the
death toll in China due to coronavirus rose to 106 as the country continued to
impose restrictions on travel to curb its spread. China’s national health
commission said the number of confirmed cases now stood at 4,515, up from 2,835
a day before. 3 Indian men, who came from China Monday, have been admitted to
RML hospital Delhi. “They walked into the hospital on their own with symptoms
of cold and cough which is similar to the coronavirus outbreak,” Dr Minakshi
Bharadwaj, medical superintendent of the hospital, said.Also, a Tardeo resident
in Mumbai and a Pune resident are among 5 in Maharashtra who are in a
quarantine ward on suspicion of novel coronavirus (nCoV). In Kerala, over 430
people, most of whom returned from Wuhan province, are under observation.
Meanwhile, about 45 Indian medical students at Jianghan University School of
Medicine in Wuhan, who are stranded in their hostels, have sought immediate
help from Indian authorities. Top sources in Air India said the airline has
kept one of its 423-seater jumbo plane ready in Mumbai for the evacuation. Countries
across the world are scrambling to detect and control the virus, as authorities
try to evacuate their nationals from China. Health officials in US Tuesday said
at least 110 people were being evaluated for possible infection in the country,
NYT reported. indianexpress
A talk to demonise Muslims: Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee
Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, Nobel laureate and Ford Foundation
International Professor of Economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
has said the talk from “the fringes of the ruling party” about the Muslim
demography “is really just a way to demonise a population”.“I don’t think there
is any real fear that there is going to be a Muslim takeover of India,” he said
at the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet in association with Victoria Memorial
Hall and The Telegraph. Banerjee’s conversation with author Udayan Mukherjee
mostly centred on the ideas thrown up by the book, Good Economics for Hard
Times, which the economist co-authored with fellow Nobel laureate and his wife
Esther Duflo. He said, "The minorities are actually minorities. They are
not anywhere close to being dominant.So the idea that we need to be mindful of
the minorities — the talk that you hear at least from the fringes of the ruling
party about the demographic of the Muslim population — this is really just a
way to demonise a population. Like the African Americans and Mexicans in US, minorities
are relatively economically and educationally deprived, with much better-off
economically powerful majority.Whenever these fears are stoked, you could
imagine a context when these are two equal groups, and you worry about the
other group becoming too powerful. This is just not realistic here… (it) is
constructing a narrative that has no basis in reality. I don’t think there is
any real fear that there is going to be a Muslim takeover of India." Telegraph
20 times Pak-Canadian Tarek Fatah has tweeted fake news – often with a
communal bite
A prominent name on social media, Tarek Fatah is an active Twitter user
with over 600,000 followers. But on many occasions, the Pakistani-Canadian
writer has been found circulating misinformation along communal lines,
particularly targeting Indian Muslims. A matter of even more concern is Fatah’s
failure to take down misleading tweets despite being made aware of the
misinformation. In fact, in the latest spree, he took an extra effort to ensure
that his followers remain misled.On Jan. 25, Fatah tweeted a video of
burqa-clad people dancing to a Bollywood number. “Could someone confirm if this
video is from #CAA_NRCProtests at #ShaheenBagh or nor?” he asked. There are
enough hints in the video which suggest that it does not represent protests at
Shaheen Bagh against CAA and NRC.The group is dancing around a woman dressed as
a bride. Ironically, Fatah had tweeted the same video three years ago, twice.
When he was criticised for his latest message, Fatah quietly took down his
tweet from August 2017. However, he failed to do so for the same for the video
he tweeted in May 2017.scroll
Tarek Fatah – A case study of unrelenting divisive misinformation
282 deaths in last 4 years: How Swachh Bharat Mission failed India’s
manual scavengers
Days after Bombay High Court expressed its concern over growing deaths
of manual scavengers in Maharashtra while hearing a PIL on the issue, India’s
commercial capital was once again a mute witness to the death of 3 sanitation
workers in a housing society’s septic tank. Sadly, this was not a one-off
tragedy. Nearly 7 years after legislation of - ‘Prohibition of Employment as
Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act (Manual Scavengers Act) 2013,’
deaths of sanitation workers due to asphyxiation inside sewers and septic tanks
continue to be reported with an unfailing regularity from across India.Union
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), in a reply to a question by
NCP’s Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan, revealed that 282 sanitation workers have
died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in the country between 2016 and
November 2019. The highest number of deaths, 40 was recorded in Tamil Nadu
followed by Haryana, which recorded 31 deaths in manholes. Delhi and Gujarat
recorded 30 deaths each followed by Maharashtra and UP, each recording 27
deaths. While the year 2016 accounted for 50 deaths, 83 sanitation workers died
due to suffocation in septic tanks and sewers in 2017 and 66 deaths were
recorded in 2018. Till Nov.2019, the death count reported from across the
country stood at 83. theprint
US alert for India: 25,000 child porn cases uploaded in 5 months
Mumbai:Over 25,000 cases of suspected child pornography material were
uploaded across social media platforms in India in the last 5 months, according
to reports shared by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
in US with NCRB.A Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official said that the reports
show Delhi topping the list when it comes to uploading Child Sexual Abuse
Material (CSAM). Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP and West Bengal are the other top
states, official said.indianexpress
Centre ready to hold peace talks with ULFA (I): Himanta Biswa Sarma
A day after the Bodo pact was signed, senior Assam minister Himanta
Biswa Sarma today said that Centre is willing to hold peace talks with ULFA (Independent)
faction and appealed to its leader Paresh Barua to come to the negotiating
table.Sarma, who is also North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor, told
reporters that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had clearly said on Monday that if
the anti-talk ULFA (I) faction is ready for negotiations, then “the Centre is
more than willing to hold dialogue with them for the sake of permanent peace in
Assam and Northeast.”indianexpress
1984 Bhopal gas tragedy: Justice Bhat recuses from hearing Centre’s plea
for additional funds
New Delhi :The Supreme Court Tuesday said CJI S A Bobde will take a call
on the composition of the bench for hearing the matter relating to the 1984
Bhopal gas tragedy after Justice S Ravindra Bhat recused himself from hearing
the plea, saying he had appeared for the Centre as a lawyer earlier in the
matter. Centre’s plea seeks Rs 7,844 crore additionals fund from successor
firms of US-based Union Carbide Corporation for providing compensation to
victims.A five-judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra adjourned the hearing
till Wednesday. “We will not take it up today. We are waiting for CJI’s order,”
said the bench also comprising Justices Indira Banerjee, Vineet Saran, M R Shah
and Bhat.“I had appeared for the Union of India in the matter when union had
sought review,” said Justice Bhatt as he expressed his unwillingness to be part
of the bench to hear the matter.indianexpress
Congress govt in Madhya Pradesh announces plan to build ‘grand’ Sita
temple in Sri Lanka
Bhopal : Congress Govt in Madhya Pradesh on Monday announced that a
grand temple of Sita will be built in Sri Lanka at a place where she is
believed to have withstood agnipariksha – trial by fire – near what is
present-day Nuwara Eliya, in central highlands of the island-nation.The idea
was conceived by the previous BJP Govt under Shivraj Singh Chouhan nearly a
decade ago but the project did not take off. Chouhan had claimed to have laid
the foundation stone for the proposed temple during his visit to Lanka. The
then BJP Govt had claimed that it had received all mandatory
clearances.indianexpress
One more held for Jharkhand massacre, 16 arrested so far
Ranchi:One more person has been arrested in connection with the killing
of seven people allegedly by ‘Pathalgarhi’ movement supporters at Burugulikera
village in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district last week, taking the total
number of arrests to 16, police said today.27-year-old Martin Logma was
arrested on Monday and produced before a local court in Chakradharpur, which
sent him to 14-days judicial custody, an official release said.The other 15
accused, aged between 19 and 60 years, were arrested on Sunday and charged with
murder and rioting, among others, it said.PTI
FIR against over 50 people after Greater Noida villagers attack cops,
break windows of four govt vehicles during Jewar airport land acquisition drive
Noida: Over 50 people were booked on Monday for rioting and assaulting
policemen and a sub-divisional magistrate during a land acquisition drive in
Greater Noida for upcoming Jewar airport, police said.A team of the district administration
had gone to Dayanatpur village to acquire land for the project when a clash
broke out between them and the villagers, the police said. "SDM Jewar,
Gunja Singh, and three policemen suffered minor injuries in the clash, while
windows of four Govt vehicles were damaged during stone pelting," a police
official said.An FIR has been registered at the Jewar police station following
a complaint by the sub-divisional magistrate, the official said.
"Thirty-four people have been named in the FIR, while another 20-25
unidentified people have been booked," he added.PTI
*WORLD*
US air crash in Afghanistan may have killed top CIA official: Iranian
media
American surveillance plane that crashed in Afghanistan’s Ghazni
province on Monday may have killed Michael D’Andreas, CIA’s head for Iran,
Iranian media has reported.Iran Front Page news website (IFPNews) has reported,
quoting Russian intelligence sources, that the plane served as Mr. Andreas’
mobile command post.It said the Afghan Taliban was in possession of ‘documents’
apparently recovered from the wreckage of the plane. On Monday, Taliban claimed
that US aircraft had been “brought down” in the Ghazni province, but did not
appear to take direct responsibility for the alleged attack.“The plane, which
was on an intelligence mission, was brought down in Sado Khel area of Deh Yak
district of Ghazni province,” said Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.Taliban
social media accounts have also posted unverified footage of the wreckage with
distinct US Air Force markings. Video shows a burnt out Bombardier E-11A plane,
extensively used for electronic surveillance by U.S. Air Force in
Afghanistan.Analysts point out that in case it could be established that the
plane was shot down by the Taliban, it could ruin prospects of a revived
dialogue between the US and the militant group, essential for the withdrawal of
US forces from Afghanistan — a key campaign issue for Donald Trump’s seeking
his second term in office. Unsurprisingly, US military spokesman Colonel Sonny
Leggett said in a statement, “While the cause of crash is under investigation,
there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire.”Andreas “who was
responsible for assassination of Iran’s top commander Lieutenant General Qasem
Soleimani, was apparently among officers on board the plane,” it said quoting
the Veterans Today website of Russia.thehindu
US military confirms Afghan crash but disputes plane shot down
Afghan police officers killed in Taliban 'insider' attack
At least 11 Afghan police officers have been killed after Taliban
fighters stormed a police base in Pul-e Khumri, the capital of Baghlan
province, local Govt officials told AP today.The fighters first overran a
checkpoint near the base late on Monday and were apparently able to breach the compound
with ease because a sympathetic policeman opened a door for them.Details were
provided by Mahbobullah Ghafari, a Baghlan provincial councilman. A local
police official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed
to brief reporters about the attack, also gave same account.A spokesman for the
Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, however, put the death toll at 17, adding that one
officer was taken hostage. The group has, at times, exaggerated its
claims.aljazeera
Trump plan will 'finish off Palestinian cause', PM warns
Palestinian leaders have decried US President Donald Trump's plan for
the Middle East as an effort to "finish of the Palestinian
cause".Trump on Monday held separate meetings with right-wing Israeli PM
Benjamin Netanyahu and his election rival, Benny Gantz, in Washington, DC over
his long-delayed proposal that has been kept secret."We reject it and we
demand the international community not be a partner to it because it
contradicts basics of international law and inalienable Palestinian
rights,"Palestinian PM Mohammad Shtayyeh said."It is nothing but a
plan to finish off the Palestinian cause."Palestinian leaders say they
were not invited to Washington and no plan can work without them. Meanwhile,
Palestinian Authority called on ambassadors of Arab and Muslim countries to
boycott the event where plan is expected to be unveiled.aljazeera
Trump meeting lends PR boost to political rival of Israel’s Netanyahu
A Washington visit by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss a
long-awaited Middle East peace plan lent a surprise boost on Monday to his main
political rival, who secured a separate meeting with US President Donald Trump,
Reuters reports.Ex-general Benny Gantz deadlocked with Netanyahu in 2 elections
last year, triggering another ballot for March. Both men were invited to the
unveiling, scheduled for Tuesday, of Trump’s blueprint for Israeli-Palestinian
peace.A US official said Netanyahu had wanted Gantz to escort him to White
House, telegraphing to many Israelis the challenger’s subordination to the
four-term conservative Likud party incumbent.Netanyahu “would have preferred to
have Gantz down in the audience” as the PM stands alongside Trump during the
peace plan’s announcement today, official said.middleeastmonitor
Netanyahu drops request for immunity on corruption charges
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is withdrawing his bid for
parliamentary immunity from prosecution on corruption charges, paving the way
for a trial to begin.Israel's longest-serving PM issued a statement on Facebook
on Tuesday saying the immunity proceedings in parliament would have been a
"circus" and he did not want to take part in a "dirty
game"."I informed the Knesset speaker that I am withdrawing my immunity
request," Netanyahu said. Israel's parliament, the Knesset, had been set
to convene to discuss the formation of a committee to debate the PM's request
for immunity from prosecution on Tuesday.The Knesset was widely expected to
reject the request, which would have dealt Netanyahu a blow ahead of a
parliamentary election scheduled for March 2 - the third national vote in less
than a year. Netanyahu's Likud party was planning to boycott the
session.aljazeera
Israel ‘has uncovered Hamas spy cell’ in Tel Aviv
Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, claimed on Monday to have
uncovered and arrested members of a Hamas spy cell operating in Tel Aviv. The
group is accused of recording military and Iron Dome missile defence locations,
Israeli media reported. According to Ynet News, the cell was asked to record the
sites where Palestinian rockets landed during Israel’s military offensive
against the Gaza Strip in November. Shin Bet said that three people were
involved, and that two of them hold Israeli identity documents while the third,
who was not arrested, does not. The two were named as Rajab Daka, aged 24, and
Rami Al-Amudi, 30.Daka is married and one of five siblings. He is accused of
making notes about security sites, including military bases, police facilities,
Iron Dome locations, information about Israeli security and the places where
Palestinian rockets landed. He was indicted on charges of contacting a foreign
agent, aiding the enemy during war, membership of a terrorist organisation and
aiding a terrorist organisation.middleeastmonitor
Israeli passport holders cannot visit: Saudi minister
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said Israelis were not welcome to visit
the kingdom after Israel decreed that Israeli citizens could visit Saudi under
certain circumstances, CNN reported.“Our policy is fixed. We do not have
relations with the state of Israel and Israeli passport holders cannot visit
the kingdom at the current time,” US broadcaster quoted Prince Faisal bin
Farhan as saying.A statement from Israel’s interior minister on Sunday said
Israelis – if invited and permitted by Saudi authorities – would be allowed to
travel there for religious reasons on pilgrimage or for up to 9 days for
business reasons such as investment or meetings.MEMO
Iran Parliament introduces motion to leave nuclear proliferation treaty
A motion for Iran to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons was introduced in Iran's parliament on Tuesday, the
parliament's news site ICANA reported.The report did not say when parliament
might vote on the motion. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the
highest authority in the Islamic Republic, makes the final decisions regarding
the country's nuclear policy.REUTER
Libya conflict: At least 11 gov't soldiers killed near Misrata
Fighting has erupted again in the area near the strategic western city
of Misrata, as renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar's forces advance
towards it.At least 11 Govt soldiers were killed and 100 others injured.This
shatters a fragile ceasefire agreed to earlier this month, undoing the work of
world leaders who tried to broker talks between Libya's rival Govts.
Egypt MPs call for end to free trade deal with Turkey
Egyptian MPs have again asked the Govt to cancel a 2015 free trade
agreement with Turkey which allows Turkish products into Egypt without custom
duties or tax fees.“Turks use the agreement to flood the market with a lot of
cheap and substandard products,” Farag Amer, head of industry committee,
said.“[They] cause a lot of harm to counterpart local industries, particularly
in the areas of reinforced steel, wood, paper and textile products.”Amer also
complained that Turkey has been hostile towards Egypt.Senior Egyptian officials
called for severing economic ties with Turkey.middleeastmonitor
Algeria’s newspapers: Erdogan’s visit boosts relations and peace in
Libya
The visit of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to Algeria hit the
headlines, as most Govt and private newspapers published reports addressing the
news on Monday. Algerian media unanimously considered Erdogan’s visit as an
essential step towards strengthening economic cooperation and bilateral
coordination between the two countries regarding Libyan file. El Moudjahid, an
Algerian French-language newspaper, titled a report addressing Erdogan’s visit,
on its front page, “An Agreement for Deep Relations.”The paper’s editorial also
stated that the visit gave a new impetus to bilateral cooperation, indicating
that the volume of trade exchange and the goals set by the leadership of the
two countries will allow relations to develop in light of common
interests.middleeastmonitor
Tunisia: Ennahda Movement expand consultations on formation of next Govt
Ennahda Movement called for expanding consultations on the formation of
the next Tunisian Govt to include the various parliamentary blocs, in order to
ensure the formation of a national unity Govt with social and democratic
content.A statement issued by Ennahda Movement (enjoying the majority of seats
in People’s Assembly, 52 seats) said after a meeting held on Monday by the
movement’s Shura Council that “the Council recommends that the Executive Office
prepare for all possibilities, including the early elections, provided the
ongoing holding of the Shura Council.” This meeting was devoted to discussing
the movement’s options after Dr Elyes Fakhfakh has been assigned to form the
new Tunisian Govt. The meeting also called for the prompt completion of
constitutional institutions, on top of which the Constitutional
Court.middleeastmonitor
Why is Pakistan's Pashtun movement under attack? aljazeera
Having risen to prominence as one
of the most strident critics of Pakistan's powerful military, Pashtun Tahaffuz
Movement (PTM) has subsequently faced a sustained campaign of intimidation,
censorship and arrests.The movement, which advocated for the rights of ethnic
Pashtuns affected by Pakistan's war against the Taliban in its northwest, was
formed in 2016 by a group of eight university students in the northwestern city
of Dera Ismail Khan. All 8 hailed from the neighbouring district of South
Waziristan.Led by veterinary sciences student Manzoor Pashteen, they formed the
Mehsud Tahaffuz Movement (MTM), a pressure group seeking to highlight the
struggles of the more half a million people who fled their native South
Waziristan due to the fighting.
Pak Court Rules Musharraf's Trial in Absentia Is Against Principles of
Natural Justice
Lahore: A Pakistani court has ruled that the concept of trial in
absentia is against the golden principles of natural justice as it issued a
detailed judgement on self-exiled former dictator Pervez Musharraf’s petition
challenging his death sentence on charges of high treason.A special court in
Islamabad on December 17 last year handed down the death penalty to 74-year-old
retired general, now based in Dubai, after six years of hearing the
high-profile treason case against him.PTI
Qatari emir accepts PM's resignation, names successor
Qatar's emir has appointed via decree a new PM, according to state
media.Qatar News Agency reported on Tuesday that Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al
Thani had accepted the resignation of PM Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa
Al Thani. The emir named Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani as
the Gulf state's new PM and interior minister.Sheikh Khalid took the oath of
office before the emir, in a ceremony also attended by Deputy Emir Sheikh
Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani.
aljazeera
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
Shaheen Bagh not just a local protest, it’s India’s Tahrir, Taksim
Square: Umar Khalid, theprint
Krishna Menon is so much more than 1962 defeat to China, says biographer
Jairam Ramesh:SAMIRA SOOD , theprint
NPR may unleash regional chauvinism:Narendar Pani
Customers in frying pan as India, Malaysia fight over palm oil:Paran
Balakrishnan
Young and Restless: Anti-CAA Protests Show Muslim Youth Breaking
Traditional Barriers to Carve Out Socio-Political Space:Naushad Khan, news18
On Modi’s watch, steep rise in crime against Christians between 2016 and
2019:Ashlin Mathew
India’s Growth Slump has Uniquely Domestic Causes. Modi’s Budget Must
Address That:M.K. Venu
Anurag Thakur’s Incendiary Speech Is Part of the Sangh Parivar’s Smoke
and Mirrors Show:Sidharth Bhatia
Kashmir's White-List of 301 Govt-Approved Websites Raises Net Neutrality
Concerns:Pallavi Sareen
With Centre's Helping Hand, 'Third Front' in Kashmir Slowly Takes
Shape:Shakir Mir
Thank You Shaheen Bagh Women:Dr SAMINA SALIM | Caravan Daily
Centre faces classic dilemma civil disobedience unfailingly poses:
Whether or not it cracks down, protests will grow:Ashutosh Varshney
Religio-cultural public spheres, ignored by most, are tapped well by
Hindutva groups:Badri Narayan
In European Parliament earlier: Detained seamen, Afzal Guru’s hanging,
Delhi bus gangrape
Delhi polls: Shaheen Bagh’s demonization, gun and Godse Ki Baat:Ashutosh
Sharma
No, Modi & Shah Haven’t Fulfilled ‘Gandhi’s Vision’ Through CAA:Sudheendra
Kulkarni
Jokha Alharthi, Man Booker International Prize winner, on Arabic
literature
BJP Leaders Distort Speech by
Arfa Khanum Sherwani to Attack CAA Protests
In PM Modi, Saudi Prince, Jeff Bezos Friended Wrong Heads: Foreign Media
Media Misreport: Lawyers Kapil Sibal, Indira Jaising, Dushyant Dave
Wrongly Linked With Alleged PFI Support for CAA Stir
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released
at: 3:56 PM).
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