*04 Jan 2020: 08
Jamadi-1, 1441: Vol: 12, No: 99
*anti-citizenship act stir*
Home Ministry may not consult states on framing CAA rules
New Delhi:Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is not considering consulting
states over the framing of rules for Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), even
though as many as 6 states have declared they would not implement the law.“The
work on framing rules for CAA is on. Every aspect is being carefully examined.
But we have not sought any suggestions from any state on how these rules are to
be framed. It is not required. Ample consultation has been done before the Act
was passed,” a senior MHA official said.The official added that the ministry
was not waiting for resolution of certain petitions in the Supreme Court
against CAA as the court had not stayed implementation of the Act.Assam CM
Sarbananda Sonowal recently said his Govt had sent some suggestions with regard
to the rules being framed for CAA to MHA. The legislation has been vehemently
opposed in Assam, and there have been widespread protests in the state since
the day it was passed by Parliament.“We have received suggestions from Assam.
But we are not seeking such suggestions from other states. After the Bill is
passed, framing of rules is the domain of govt,” official said. indian express
Why MHA is finding it ‘difficult’ to frame rules to implement
citizenship law
Union home ministry is yet to frame rules to implement the Citizenship
(Amendment) Act (CAA). Senior ministry
officials said on condition of anonymity that defining a process to establish
the identity of those that have faced religious persecution is proving to be
“difficult”. “We are looking into the issue,” said a senior home ministry
official. The law fast-tracks citizenship to persecuted religious minorities,
except Muslims, from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Official, however,
added that the ministry is not waiting for the Supreme Court to rule on various
pleas against CAA. Several petitions were filed challenging the constitutional
validity of the law. “There is no
direction from the court holding back the govt from framing the CAA rules,” official
said.HT
How will you grant citizenship under CAA, HC asks Centre
Govt won't budge an inch on decision to implement CAA: Amit Shah
Jodhpur: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Govt will not
budge an inch on its decision to implement CAA despite the opposition's
"misinformation campaign".Launching an "awareness
programme", he said Congress was misleading Muslims over the Act and
challenged party leader Rahul Gandhi to a discussion "if he has read the law."BJP
will take out 500 rallies across the country, beginning Saturday to reach out
to three crore people, he said.Shah, who is also the BJP president, said the
party had to launch this programme because of the misinformation spread by the
opposition parties on the amended law."Let all these parties come
together. BJP is not going back an inch on the CAA,' he said at the meeting
held in Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's assembly constituency.The home minister
said it is "shameful" that Congress is criticising the sacrifice of
great sons of the country, like Veer Savarkar, for the sake of its vote
bank.The remark comes amid a row over the distribution of a booklet against the
Hindutva icon at a camp held by Congress-affiliated Seva Dal in Madhya Pradesh.
But Shah did not directly refer to it.Opposition parties have criticised the
amendment that allows non-Muslims an easier path to citizenship if they came to
India from three neighbouring countries before 2015 after facing religious
persecution.PTI
Action on J&K to CAA increasingly isolating India: Former foreign
secy Shivshankar Menon
New Delhi :A “cumulative effect of a series of actions” over the past
year —from the Union govt’s treatment of Kashmir to CAA — has made India
“increasingly isolated” from the rest of the world, former Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon said.He said India’s actions may be in violation of Article
2(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that requires
rights of the Covenant “to be applied to all individuals in its territory with
no distinction of any kind,” highlighting that it reads “all individuals”, not
just citizens. Speaking at an event organised by the Constitutional Conduct
Group and Karwan-e-Mohabbat here, Menon said, “What we have achieved in recent
past is to hyphenate our image with Pakistan’s in a fundamental way as
religiously-driven and intolerant states….We have lost India’s ability to be an
example and a model for other countries in the subcontinent…”He said,
“Disengagement or going it alone is not an option, but we seem determined with
actions like this to cut ourselves off and isolate ourselves.”Menon also
questioned Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s decision to cancel a meeting with US
Congress’s foreign affairs committee, which would have also been attended by
Chennai-born US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who has tabled a resolution
critical of CAA. “Rather than attending a meeting and rebutting these charges,
we chose to duck this,” he said. “We have broken the bipartisan consensus that
used to exist in US for the last 25 years.”Menon, who played a critical role in
India-US nuclear deal, cited examples of US Congressional hearings, language on
Kashmir added to US Foreign Appropriations Act for 2020, and the bipartisan
support for the Congressional resolution critical of CAA.He said there has been
“no meaningful international support” for India’s recent actions, barring some
diaspora members and extreme-right Parliamentarians. On the other hand, the
“list of critical voices abroad is quite long,” he said, and named France’s
President Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel.“All
knowledgeable people I have spoken to seem to agree that we seem to be in
violation of our international commitments. For those who say international law
cannot be enforced, we must consider the political and other consequences of
being perceived as violators of international law,” Menon said. indianexpress
India will face international isolation because of NRC-CAA: Ex NSA
Shivshankar Menon
'They do not belong to 6 minorities': After Citizenship Law, centre
shifts focus on deportation of Rohingyas
Jammu: Asserting that the Citizenship Amendment Act was implemented in J&K
the day it was passed by Parliament, Union minister Jitendra Singh has said the
Govt's next move would be regarding the deportation of Rohingya refugees as
they will not be able to secure citizenship under the new law.He demanded a
probe into how the Rohingyas reached and settled down in the northern-most belt
of Jammu after passing through several states from West Bengal. "CAA has
been implemented in J&K the day it was passed (by Parliament). There are no
'ifs' and 'buts', by implementation (of CAA in J&K), what would happen here
is that the next move would be in relation to (the deportation) of
Rohingyas," Singh said at a function here. The minister, who was
addressing the officers of the J&K Govt at a training programme on the
general fund rules here, pointed out that Jammu had a sizable population of
Rohingyas. "What will be the plan of their (Rohingyas') deportation,
Centre is concerned about it. Lists would be prepared. Wherever needed,
biometric identity cards will be given, because the CAA does not give a
leverage to Rohingyas," Singh said."They do not belong to the six
(religious) minorities (who will be given citizenship under the new law). They
do not belong to any of the three (neighbouring) countries (Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Afghanistan)," he said, adding that the Rohingyas came to
the country from Myanmar and hence, they would have to go back.Singh demanded a
probe into the circumstances that led the Rohingyas to travel such a long
distance through several states from Bengal to the northern-most area of Jammu
and settle here.news18
BJP chief Nadda: CAA grants citizenship to non-Muslim refugees
Drumming up support for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), working
president of BJP Jagat Prakash Nadda on Friday said that CAA is aimed at
granting citizenship to non-Muslims who are already living within the borders
of India as refugees.“CAA has been brought to protect and give rights to the
minorities barring Muslims who have already entered India and are living in
refugee camps before Dec. 31, 2014,” said Nadda while addressing BJP’s pro-CAA
rally at Azad Maidan in the city.“Where will Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains,
Parsis and Christians go? They have entered India after facing religious
persecuted in Muslim-majority Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. As they
have been religiously persecuted, we are treating them as our own people and
India will do everything to protect them,” he added.Nadda alleged that the
leaders of the Congress party including its national leader Rahul Gandhi was
‘misleading’ the people and are trying to create ‘confusion’ over the
CAA.navhindtimes
No to CAA: Vijayan asks 11 CMs to go Kerala way, Captain flags security
risk
Kochi: 3 days after Kerala Assembly passed a resolution demanding
scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote letters
Friday to 11 non-BJP CMs, including Nitish Kumar of Bihar who heads a Govt with
BJP as partner, urging them to consider similar steps against the citizenship
law and NPR exercise. Coming out in support of the Kerala Assembly resolution,
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, in an open letter to Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar
Prasad who had advised states opposed to CAA to seek better legal advice,
raised security concerns saying CAA could “be misused for infiltration into our
country, particularly in the border states, converting this misguided
legislation into a national security threat”.In Delhi, CM Arvind Kejriwal said
the “entire country should reject” the law because it will affect “both Hindus
and Muslims” in equal measure. He said the discourse of the country should
primarily be about generating employment, not “throwing people out for failing
to produce birth proof”.indianexpress
CAA 'unnecessary' legislation, will impact both Hindus and Muslims:
Kejriwal
Man lodged in Assam detention camp dies, toll rises to 29
New Delhi :A man lodged in a detention camp for illegal migrants in
Assam died at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Goalpara late
Friday. The man was admitted to the hospital after he fell ill 10 days ago.
With this, 29 people who were lodged in detention centres across the state have
died till now. Nearly 1,000 people are lodged in such centres across the
centre.In October, a 65-year-old man, whose family claims he was mentally
unstable and was lodged in a detention camp, died at the same hospital. A
senior police officer said the deceased, Dulal Paul, a resident of Alisinga
village of Sonitpur district, was admitted to the hospital on September 28. The
officer said Paul had been in the detention centre in Tezpur since October 11,
2017.Currently, Assam has six detention centres but they are housed in district
jails, together they hold 1000-odd people. A seventh centre, is under
construction in Goalpara district.According to Govt data, 28 persons declared
as ‘illegal foreigners’ by Assam’s Foreigners’ Tribunals (FTs) and lodged in
detention camps have died in the last three years.In July, state Parliamentary
Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, replying to the state Assembly on
behalf of CM Sarbananda Sonowal — who also holds the Home portfolio — said a
total of 25 persons have died in the six detention camps of Assam.indianexpress
NRC will come in future but no draft yet:BJP’s Trivedi
New Delhi : BJP wants a nationwide NRC “in future” but a draft of it has
not be prepared yet, party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said on
Friday.According to PTI, Trivedi said in Bhopal, “NRC in Assam was conducted as
per a Supreme Court order. We also believe there should be (nationwide) NRC in
the future. But there is no draft of NRC as of now, so there is no question of
controversy. When it (NRC) will happen, then raise objections; they will be
heard. ”The statement comes a day after Home Minister Amit Shah said that NRC
is not on the Govt’s agenda yet. In an interview to ABP news channel, Shah was
asked whether NRC has been kept in the cold storage; he replied, “Where have I
said that?”The statements encapsulate the uncomfortable position BJP has put
itself into after first harping on pan-India NRC and then attempting a
climbdown after PM Narendra Modi said at a rally in New Delhi last month that
there was no discussion on NRC in the Govt.Shah, however, had repeatedly spoken
about inevitability of a nationwide NRC in the past, and even asked people to
understand the “chronology” – that the NRC would come after CAA.indianexpress
We're 80 %, you're 18; don't oppose CAA: K'taka BJP MLA spews venom
Bellar: A BJP MLA has apparently threatened 'minority' Muslims against
participating in anti-CAA protests, saying that opposing the new Citizenship
Act will not be good for them and they will have to face serious
repercussions."It's just a caution for those who are protesting against
the CAA. We are 80 % and you (Muslims) are 18 %. Imagine what will happen if we
take charge," MLA Somashekar Reddy told a gathering here on
Friday."Beware of the majority when you live in this country. This is our
country. If you want to live here, you will have to, like the Australian PM
said, follow the country's traditions," he added.He said: "So, I warn
you that CAA and NRC are made by Modi and Amith Shah. If you will go against
these acts, it won't be good."Continuing to spew venom, the MLA further
said, "If you wish, you can go to Pakistan. We don't have any issues.
Intentionally, we would not send you."He said that the community should
live in harmony with Hindus. "If you will act as enemies, we should also
react like enemies," he said.ANI
‘Sena is now part of secular coalition govt’, says Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind,
after inviting Saamna editor Sanjay Raut to anti-CAA, NRC programme
Why have you chosen this topic?” This was the only question asked by
Saamna editor and Shiv Sena heavyweight Sanjay Raut, when Dr Salim Khan and
Shakir Shaikh of the Jamaat e Islami Hind (JIH) went to invite him as a speaker
for their programme on the ‘relationship between CAA and NRC’ to be held today
at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh. “We told him it was to clear
misconceptions floating around on social media,” Dr Khan told Mumbai Mirror.
“He readily agreed to come.”Both the Jamaat’s decision to invite Raut, and his
presence at a meeting organised by the conservative Muslim religious body has
raised eyebrows. Raut is known for his hard-hitting editorials and column
‘Rokh-Thok’ in the Sena mouthpiece, Saamna, which have on occasion been
stridently anti-Muslim.“The Shiv Sena is now part of the secular coalition Govt,”
said Aslam Ghazi of the JIH in explanation, “why should we not invite him?”
Added Dr Khan, “In my experience, intellectuals are more wary of accepting
invitations from those with whom they have ideological differences, lest they
be labelled.” He said, “Politicians don’t really take such differences into
account, they agree far more readily.” An admirer of Raut’s writing style, Khan
also liked the way Raut boldly defended his party’s decision not to go with the
BJP after the Assembly results. Besides, added Khan, he believed that those
holding differing viewpoints from one’s own should always be invited. “We move
around in circles where we all think alike. Hence some aspects of the issue
just don’t occur to us.” Judging a person through newspaper writings was often
misleading, he said, adding, “Only after you meet the person and discuss with
them, do apprehensions get resolved.”Jamaat’s decision to invite Raut, and his
presence at a meeting organised by the conservative Muslim religious body has
raised eyebrows. JIH has a tradition of inviting speakers with differing
viewpoints, said Ghazi. He himself had invited Sena leaders Wamanrao Mahadik,
the party’s first MLA and former Mayor, and Pramod Navalkar, for his
organisation’s meetings. “Mahadik had called me early in the morning to his
office,” recalled Ghazi. “Waiting for him was an old Muslim couple from Konkan,
from where he hailed. They had brought guavas for him from their village.
Mahadik emerged from his bath, and the first thing he did was touch their
feet.” Ghazi felt we tend to look at politicians just as politicians. “Ideology
is all very well, but first one is a human being,” he said.mumbaimirror
Sanjay Raut to speak at Jamaat’s anti-CAA, NRC function in Mumbai
‘We are against dictatorship’: Thousands gather in Hyderabad to protest
CAA, NRC
Hyderabad :Terming the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed
nationwide NRC as ‘unconstitutional’, thousands of people gathered at Dharna
Chowk in Hyderabad Saturday afternoon to protest against the Union Govt’s
citizenship policies.Under the aegis of Telangana and AP joint action committee
(JAC), over 40 organisations, associations, and unions of students and
professionals came together, calling for united protests to save the
Constitution.Protesters also demanded the state Govt announce that NPR would
not be conducted in Telangana. “We are against dictatorship. We believe in the
Constitution and the secular values of this nation. We want equality, freedom
to live and everything promised to the citizens of this country,” said a
protestor.Earlier, Joint Commissioner of Police P Viswa Prasad clarified that
no rally will be permitted and the permission for the “million march” at Dharna
Chowk is only for a protest meeting between 2 pm and 5 pm.Though police had
said not more than a thousand people would be allowed, the swelling crowds
forced the authorities to open nearby NTR grounds to accommodate the swelling
crowds.Earlier, shops around Patherghatti near Charminar remained shut to
extend support to the day’s protest meeting.indianexpress
CAA Protest Live: Millions arrive at Million March in Hyderabad
'Chandrashekhar Azad may suffer cardiac arrest': Doc's SOS as he alleges
cops denying medical care to Bhim Army chief
New Delhi:The physician of Chandrashekhar Azad flagged serious health
issues of the Bhim Army chief, who was arrested in connection with the violence
in Old Delhi's Daryaganj and sent to 14 days custody in Tihar, on Friday night
requesting Union Home Minister Amit Shah to allow him to be admitted to the
AIIMS for treatment without which he may suffer a sudden cardiac arrest.In a
series of tweets, Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti said that Azad is suffering from a disease
that requires biweekly phlebotomy and has been under treatment for a year. Phlebotomy,
also known as venipuncture, is the act of drawing or removing blood from the
circulatory system through a cut (incision) or puncture in order to obtain a
sample for analysis and diagnosis. It is also done as part of the patient's
treatment for certain blood disorders. It’s an important tool for diagnosing
many medical conditions.“He (Azad) is suffering from a disease which requires
biweekly phlebotomy from AIIMS, New Delhi under Haematology Department from
where he is under treatment from last 1 years. If not done then his blood might
get thicker which may results into sudden cardiac arrest or stroke. I was told
that Chandrashekar bhai repeatedly told Delhi police about his medical
condition in Tihar jail but the police authorities are not allowing him to
visit AIIMS (SIC),” he said in his tweets.Azad was arrested and sent to 14
days' judicial custody and his bail plea was rejected by a Delhi court on Dec.
21. The court further sent 15 others, arrested in connection with the violence
at Daryaganj, to two days' judicial custody.news18
'Kitna bakwas karte ho': Anurag Kashyap asks PM Modi to 'stay silent
instead of speaking nonsense'
Anurag Kashyap, the Bollywood celeb holding the flag against Modi-led
BJP Govt has struck again. Kashyap has been fearlessly vocal in criticising the
current central Govt and the PM for not listening to what the citizens want.
The criticism had started amid the nation-wide CAA and NRC protests.Kahsyap
took to Twitter last night to slam PM Modi on his recent tweet.freepressjournal
Delhi CAA protest: A 3 km march brings Jamia and Shaheen Bagh together
New Delhi :Hundreds of people marched over 3 km with candles in their
hands on Friday evening, to bring together the two most prominent anti-CAA
protest sites of the city — Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh. The call for
the march had been given by the Jamia Coordination Committee, which has been
organising protest events at the gates of the varsity for the last two weeks.
In its call, the committee said the march was “in support of the women
protesting relentlessly day and night at Shaheen Bagh.”Around 6.15 pm, as a
group of hundreds began their march with candles in their hands, the Tricolour
was ubiquitous— painted on the faces of marchers, most of whom were residents
of Jamia Nagar.A group of four friends, all second-year BA students of Jamia,
had pinned their headscarves with Tricolour brooches shaped like the Indian
map.“We got these today. They were given to us by some people before the
march,” one of them said.As the march proceeded through the lanes of Okhla, the
air rang with cries for azadi: “Woh Bismil wali azadi! Woh Gandhi wali azadi!
Ambedkar wali azadi! Akhlaq wali azadi!”indianexpress
PM Modi must hold press conference on CAA, NRC: Najeeb Jung
New Delhi:PM Narendra Modi must hold a press conference to clear the doubts
emanating over the CAA and the proposed all-India NRC, former Lieutenant
Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung said on Friday.Najeeb Jung, who also served as
vice-chancellor of Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University, said students are
out on the roads and if the Modi Govt wants these protests to stop, it must
come clean."There should be a large press conference, maybe attended by PM
Narendra Modi. In it, they should speak out what the issue is," Najeeb
Jung said. "If the govt wants these protests to stop, it must come clean
and explain things. The rumours that are being spread (about CAA and NRC) and
the ongoing protests aren't good for our universities. PM Modi has spoken on
these issues but people are still out on roads protesting."indiatoday
Weeks after campus was stormed, Jamia is fighting back — with some
street art
New Delhi : 3 weeks ago, police personnel armed with lathis charged
after protesters inside gate 4 of Jamia Millia Islamia, allegedly landing blows
on students in the library.Since then, the area outside the university has
become ground zero for protests against the new citizenship law and a proposed
national register of citizens, with many calling it ‘Jamia Square’, reminiscent
of Tahrir Square which was the focal point of the 2011 Egypt revolution.The
campus and Metro pillars along Okhla road are now painted with graffiti
denouncing CAA and NRC, and with words of solidarity with protesters. On
Friday, Shaziah Shamim and her friends from the university began painting an artwork
on a section of the road in front of gate 4.“Our Constitution is being
destroyed,” said 26-year-old of animation student at Jamia, who has been making
artwork on campus ever since protests started.A section of the road starting
from gate 4 is cordoned off for traffic and is painted with political artwork,
which artists began making Thursday afternoon.indianexpress
IIT Kanpur professor at centre of Faiz row is a ‘love jihad’ critic, gau
raksha proponent
New Delhi: IIT Kanpur professor who filed a complaint against students
last month for reciting Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem ‘Hum Dekhenge’
has a history of writing anti-Muslim articles and tweets. Vashi Mant Sharma,
32, who hails from Ghaziabad, has spoken out against ‘love jihad’ and suggested
measures to tackle it. ‘Love jihad’ is a term coined by Hindu fundamentalist
groups, referring to an alleged campaign by Muslim men to convert Hindu girls
in the guise of love.A strong proponent of cow protection or ‘gau raksha’,
Sharma is associated with an organisation called Agniveer, which claims to be
“working both in virtual and real world to promote Vedic Dharma and counter
falsehood”. The website describes Sharma as “a globally renowned energy
scientist and an expert on Islamic terrorism and deradicalisation”. Sharma has
been teaching at IIT Kanpur since 2016, under INSPIRE govt scheme, which allows
a postdoctoral fellow to teach at any Indian institute for 5 years.There are
videos on the Agniveer website in which Sharma is seen explaining ‘love jihad’.
In a video, Sharma is even saying that he now has “an army of good guys” who
can liberate Muslim women by marrying them and get them back to the “path of
dharma”. theprint
Assam govt to write to Centre to ban PFI: Biswa Sarma
Guwahati:Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Govt will
write to centre to ban PFI as outlawed organisation. Assam police is
investigating the role of PFI in the anti CAA violent protest on Dec. 10 and
11.economictimes
BJP accused of spreading lies about SDPI and PFI
Vijayapura: Accusing BJP of spreading canards against organisations such
as SDPI and PFI, Afsar Kodlapet, State general secretary of SDPI, said on
Friday that UP Govt was trying to ban PFI. Addressing presspersons here, he
said that PFI was doing nothing that many other organisation in the country
were in opposing CAA and NRC.“Holding protest against CAA and NRC cannot become
grounds for banning any organisation. If that is the case, then the Govt should
ban every other organisation and party sternly opposing [them],” he
said.Stating that the BJP’s objective was to malign the image of PFI and SDPI
by projecting the organisations in a bad light, Kodlapet asserted that neither
has been involved in any kind of anti-social or anti-national activity.“BJP,
which is making allegations against us, has been in power at the Centre for six
years. So why has it not found any evidence to corroborate its claim? BJP
simply wants to spread lies about these organisations and nothing else,” he
said.thehindu
PFI postpones 5 Jan anti-CAA rally in Murshidabad after Police denies
permission to hold march
Kolkata: PFI was on Friday denied permission for an anti-citizenship law
rally scheduled on Sunday in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, a senior
police officer said.Kerala-based organisation, following the denial of
approval, decided to "postpone its meeting for the time being", PFI
West Bengal general secretary Manirul Sheikh said. "They (PFI) had applied
for permission to hold a rally in Murshidabad district on 5 Jan.However, we
haven't given them approval," police officer said.PTI
Vadodara: 58 people detained for ‘silent protest’ against citizenship
law
Vadodara :Citizens from Vadodara and members of PUCL were detained, on
Friday, for organising a “silent protest” against the newly enacted CAA and
Vadodara city police denying permissions to hold such rallies.A total of 58
people were detained by the police. With their hands tied and mouths covered
with a white cloth, 11 people had gathered at the Sardar Patel statue, Dairy
Den Circle in Sayajigunj, to express their dissent against the citizenship law
in a non-violent way.The police, however, detained them and 47 others including
students, activists and teachers gathered in the area to express their support.
Videos of the detainees singing Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s “Hum Dekhenge” inside the
police headquarters where all the detainees were taken, also emerged.The
detainees were later released in the evening.indianexpress
In Gujarat, school children being forced to write letters of support on
CAA to PMO
School children in Gujarat are being asked to write letters of support
on the CAA to PMO. They were earlier made to send postcards of support on
Triple Talaq.While Gujarat Govt officials have denied having issued any such
instruction, they are said to have been orally communicated by local level BJP
functionaries. Schoolchildren are being asked to copy a text written on the
blackboard in classrooms. A letter in circulation by anonymous sources (see
pic) asks each school to ensure that at least 50 postcards in ‘neat
handwriting’ be sent to the PMO.nationalheraldindia
Gujarat: In support of CAA, BJP asks people to write postcards to PM
Modi and Amit Shah
RSS wings to take message on citizenship law to campuses
New Delhi :To quell opposition from among a section of students against
the CAA and proposed NRC, the RSS has planned a big outreach programme in
colleges and universities across the country, with more than 2,000 seminars,
talks and informal gatherings to be held over the next one month, it is
learnt.indianexpress
Why compare nation with Pak, are you its envoy: Mamata to PM
Kolkata :CM Mamata Banerjee has asked whether PM Narendra Modi had
become an “ambassador of Pakistan” since he is seen “glorifying” the
neighbouring country on most occasions. Banerjee, while addressing party
workers after a rally in North Bengal’s Siliguri against the CAA, also slammed
PM for frequently comparing India with Pakistan.indianexpress
Muslim student wants Babul Supriyo to apologise for his ‘will pack off
to your country’ remark
Kolkata:A verbal spat has erupted between union minister Babul Supriyo
and a Muslim college student in which he has threatened on social media to pack
off the youth to “his own country” for his post seeking to know BJP MP’s
“education level”. Student, Mustafizur Rahman said on Friday that he wanted
nothing but an “unconditional apology” in public from BJP leader. Union minister
returned the fire by accusing Rahman of being a “serial offender” and saying
that he “does not need to apologize to fools”.Supriyo also said that his
comments had nothing to do with the student’s religion. The matter came to
light on Dec.26 when Supriyo shared a post on the social media advocating CAA
and criticised the act of a female JU student, who tore up the first page of
the contentious legislation at the annual convocation of the university while
receiving her gold medal on Dec 24.The next day Rahman commented on Supriyo’s
Facebook post and questioned the educational qualifications of Supriyo and BJP
state president Dilip Ghosh.To this Supriyo retored “Mustafizur Rahaman let me
first pack you off to your country, then will send the reply in post card”. The
comment triggered a wave of protests.PTI
Declare those opposing CAA as anti-Dalit, anti-poor, says Nityanand Rai
New Delhi:A day after Union home minister Amit Shah said that the Govt
will not budge an inch on its decision to implement the Citizenship Amendment
Act, his deputy Nityanand Rai said Saturday anyone opposing the law should be
declared “anti-Dalit and anti-poor.”“Most of the persecuted refugees are OBCs
(other backward class) and Dalits. If anyone opposes Citizenship Amendment Act
or CAA, declare the person anti-Dalit and anti-poor,” ANI quoted Rai, Union
minister of state for home, as saying. HT
Bhopal: No need for CAA, says Shankaracharya Saraswati
Bhopal: Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati said that there was no
need for CAA and NRC in country as central Govt already has enough
Constitutional power to check infiltrators in West Bengal, other boarder line
states.Speaking to the media persons on Friday he said that infiltrators did
not sneak in West Bengal and other state all of a sudden or at one go.Central Govt
can also give citizenship to Hindus who face persecution in other countries
even without CAA. Those who are born in India are citizens of India be it is
Hindus or Muslims, he added.freepressjournal
CAA dubbed unconstitutional as hundreds observe ‘black day’
Ludhiana:Members of the Muslim community organised a protest to observe
“black day” against the CAA and NRC here today. After Friday prayers,
protesters wearing black bands and holding black flags staged a protest against
Narendra Modi-led Central Govt and Yogi Adityanath’s UP Govt outside Jama
Masjid at Field Ganj. While opposing CAA and NRC, they burnt an effigy of BJP Govt
and raised slogans in support of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. Demanding revocation
of CAA, rotesters slammed communal forces for fomenting hatred. Terming the Act
unconstitutional, Punjab Shahi Imam Maulana Habib Ur Rehman Ludhianvi said it
was perhaps for the first time since Independence that attempts were being made
to murder democracy. tribuneindia
With NRC in mind, Telangana waqf board mulls marriage certificate drive
Hyderabad: With concern over a possible NRC growing among many Muslims,
the Telangana State Waqf Board is looking to issue marriage certificates to as
many couples as possible. A marriage certificate was one of the documents
accepted for NRC during the recent drive in Assam.The certificate issued by the
waqf board helps in establishing not only the parenthood but also helps
identify spouses. Besides personal details of the groom and the bride and their
educational qualifications and professions, a Muslim marriage certificate also
includes names of the parents of both groom and bride. It gives the age and
date of birth.Since a waqf board is a statutory body formed under the Central
Waqf Act 1954, the certificates issued by it are valid and accepted for
passport in India and visa by all countries.TOI
Mangaluru police action excessive, targeted Muslims: Fact-finding report
An interim fact-finding report on the anti-CAA protest and subsequent
police firing in Mangaluru on Dec. 19 found that police action "was
excessive, biased and specifically targeted the Muslim community."The
report was compiled by a group of human rights and civil liberty activists from
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and New Delhi belonging to AIPF, PUCL and NCHRO.
In the report, the activists called for a judicial inquiry to be conducted into
the police firing and the police action at Highland Hospital, where the victims
of the firing were taken to. They also called for the suspension of Mangaluru
Police Commissioner PS Harsha and urged the state Govt to provide compensation
of Rs 10 lakh for the victims' families. thenewsminute
Dehradun:Muslims cover mouths with black ribbon in protest against CAA
Dehradun: Hundreds of Muslims wore black ribbons across their mouths
after Friday prayers outside Jama Masjid in Paltan Bazaar area in protest
against the CAA.Some of the demonstrators also tied their hands, to mark the
Muslim community’s helplessness against the Govt’s decision to implement
CAA.“This (mode of protest) was decided after discussing it with some senior
members of our community. We wanted to demonstrate that we aren’t allowed to
express anything and our right (of freedom of speech) has been curtailed. The
current regime doesn’t even want us to speak anything against them. Jama Masjid
can hold hundreds of people at a time and almost everyone protested after the
Friday namaz,” said Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Qasmi, one of the protesters.TOI
CAA-NRC: Families of Arrested Minor and Women Protesters Struggle for
Bail in Bihar
Patna: Parents of five minor children and family members of three women
including one pregnant, who were arrested by Bihar Police during the protests
against CAA-NRC in Aurangabad are running from pillar to post to get them
released on bail. The police have charged them for creating violence during the
protests on Dec. 21 when RJD had called for a shutdown. The families of the
arrested are helpless and claim that those arrested by police were innocent and
that they have been framed in false charges.A total of 46 people were arrested
and jailed by police in Aurangabad after peaceful protests against CAA and NRC
turned violent last month. “Police in its crackdown against those protesting
against CAA and NRC, targeted Muslim populated Maula Shah Ganj, Quraishi
Mohalla, Islam Toli, New Qaji Mohalla and Pathan Toli. They forcibly picked up
and arrested innocent people and also named them as accused in FIR for
attacking police and violence during the shutdown called by RJD,” said Syed
Kaleem (name changed), whose brother is one of those arrested.newsclick.in/
Yashwant Sinha announces Yatra against CAA through six states
Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha today announced a nationwide
`Yatra' (tour) to protest against CAA, NRC and theNPR. The campaign, organised
under the banner of his organisation Rashtra Manch, will be called `Gandhi
Shanti Yatra', Sinha said here. Ex-MP
Shatrughan Sinha and former Gujarat CM Suresh Mehta were also present on this
occasion. Yatra will start at Mumbai's Apollo Bunder on Jan. 9, pass through
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, UP, Harayana and Delhi and cover a distance of
over 3,000 km, Yashwant Sinha said.PTI
*CAA-NRC protests: UP CRACKDOWN*
Dismiss UP CM for unleashing reign of fear through police terror and
barbarism: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
New Delhi:Jamaat-e-Islami Hind today demanded dismissal of UP CM Yogi
Adityanath charging that he “unleashed a reign of fear and distress by
targeting a particular community through the misuse of the state machinery”
during protests against the CAA in the state.Addressing a press conference at
the Jamaat HQRS here, Jamaat’s President Syed Sadatullah Hussaini strongly
condemned the violence and high-handedness of UP police on its own citizens in
the name of controlling the anti-CAA protests.“We reiterate our demand for the
dismissal of the UP CM, Yogi Adityanath, who has failed to discharge his
constitutional obligations and unleashed a reign of fear and distress in UP by
targeting a particular community through the misuse of the state machinery,”
said Jamaat leader. He also condemned
the “revenge” call of UP CM against the protesters.“All these atrocities seem
to be directed towards the Muslim community. The Jamaat leader demanded
constitution of a high-level judicial enquiry by a retired Supreme Court Judge
to investigate charges against the UP police for violence and vandalism. He
also demanded that the panel should also probe if protesters got indulged in
violence and legal actions should be taken against the culprits. But he also
questioned as to why violence during CAA protests took place only in BJP-ruled states.Condemning
the UP administration for claiming compensation for damage of property, Jamaat
said the move is against all norms set by the Supreme Court and demanded that
“this vindictive behavior by the UP Govt against the Muslim community must end.”Briefing
the media about the ground situation in UP, Jamaat’s Community Affairs
Secretary Malik Motasim Khan who was part of a civil fact-finding team that
visited the affected districts in western UP, said: “Even before the protests,
UP police worked to suppress the protests. Clerics were told that CAA is good
and it is not against Muslims.” He further said: “Even we assume that some
people got indulged in violence, will police also unleash violence? Police
denied it opened fire. Does it mean that protesters killed each other?”He also
demanded dismissal of Yogi. “It is in the interest of BJP to remove UP Govt for
upholding the constitution and morality.”
indiatomorrow
JIH seeks judicial probe into alleged police atrocities against anti-CAA
protesters in UP:IANS
Anti-CAA protests: Living in fear of the law and the law enforcers
In UP’s Firozabad, for more than a week after at least 6 people were
shot dead during protests against the CAA, locals living along the bypass near
the Naini and Jatavpuri junctions shut themselves in their homes, too afraid to
venture out.Recalling the day of the killings, Dec.20, Abdul Lateef, a
shopkeeper in Mohammedgunj, where protest is said to have started, said
everything was peaceful till the afternoon prayers. Suddenly, people started throwing
stones and the police allegedly fired at them. Residents claimed that those who
initially indulged in stone-pelting were not locals. Visibly angry,
disappointed, helpless and scared of the police, the residents from near the
protest site in Firozabad said that all those killed during the protest were
not a part of it. In the aftermath of the protests, the measures taken by the
police frightened the people. Drones have been hovering over homes, posters
with pictures of protesters accused of inciting violence have been pasted
across junctions in the area, and heavy police deployment was seen for at least
a week after the deadly day of Dec.20.The dead from Firozabad have been
identified as Navi Jaan (22), Rashid (26), Mohammed Shafeeq (40), Mohammed Haroon
(30), Mukeem (20) and Arman alias Kallu (24). Navi’s father, Mohammed Ayyub,
had called him to inform him of the violent situation and had asked him to come
back home. Navi was rushing back when he was killed, his father said. Rashid
was killed when he was on his way home after collecting his pending dues from a
labour contractor. Haroon was also on his way home after selling his buffalo
for ₹33,000. Mukeem and his paternal uncle Kallu were on their way home from a
bangle manufacturing unit where they worked. “All of us are against what’s
happening with our community in recent times. We have been living in fear. But
my son never protested. He never had the time,” said Arman’s father, Yameen.
When asked if he knew the meaning of CAA and NRC, he said, “I only understand
that we will be asked to prove our identity and show documents from 70 years
ago.” Yameen’s family want Arman’s killing to be probed and no wrong person
held responsible for it.thehindu
UP Police Say 57 Cops Had Bullet Injuries In Clashes. We Found Only
One:NDTV
Lucknow: As many as 21 people were killed in violent protests that broke
out against CAA in UP last month. While many of them died of bullet injuries,
the state police have owned up to firing in just one instance in the western
district of Bijnor.However, the police -- which have been accused of countering
the protests with excessive force and high-handedness -- say that they were
under fire too. UP Govt claims that about 300 police personnel were injured, of
whom 57 suffered bullet injuries. But when asked for details of the policemen
with gunshot wounds, the police top brass didn't seem as forthcoming.One of the
few policemen NDTV managed to trace was Muzaffarnagar SP Satpal Antil, who
still walks around with a bandaged foot. When approached, he showed a
photograph of what appears to be a bullet wound. "I was with my team at
Meenakshi Chowk on Dec. 20 when I was hit. I couldn't understand what happened
at the time, only that I was bleeding a lot," he said.NDTV
Notices Sent To 46 People For Vandalism During Muzaffarnagar Protests:
Official
Muzaffarnagar district adminstration in UP has sent notices to 46 people
for their alleged involvement in damaging public property during anti-CAA
protests.The notices to 46 people have been sent by a panel set up under
additional district magistrate Amit Kumar by the authorities.They have been
told that the authorities found their involvement in alleged vandalism during
the protests against the Citizenship Law on Dec. 20 in the district, Kumar
said.PTI
Varanasi: 8-year-old killed in stampede ‘We don’t have time to protest…
my son was probably curious’
Varanasi :Little is known of how Sageer Ahmad came to be among the dead.
How 8-year-old who was playing on the terrace of his house ended up on the road
below, his blue shirt and pants covered in mud, his slippers missing. The
youngest victim so far in the protests against the CAA, Sageer died in a
stampede on Dec. 20 as police lathicharged protesters at Bajardeeha locality in
Varanasi district.Sageer’s father Wakeel Ahmad, 38, who cooks at Lallan Dhaba
nearby, says, “We are illiterate and do not have enough resources to send our
children to school. They play here and there all day. Every day before leaving
for work, I would see Sageer playing kancha or playing with a ball, or riding
his small, red bicycle on the lane outside. Who would have known that playing
on the streets would take away his life?”Sitting outside the single-room house
that he shares with his family of 10, including his parents, his children, and
his brother’s family, Ahmad says, “Around seven years ago, my wife left me and
my five children. Then a year ago, my 18-year-old daughter, Gausiya Nargis,
died of a long illness. And now, Sageer has gone too.”indianexpress
Those responsible for serving notices on dead, elderly will face action:
Firozabad police
The district police here on Friday said that those responsible for
sending out notices to a dead man and elderly people over violent anti-CAA
protests will be punished. After violent protests on Dec. 20, Firozabad police
sent out notices to at least 200 people asking them to prove they would not be
a threat to peace in the area and furnish a surety of Rs 10 lakh each. Among
those who were served notices were Fasahat Mir Khan and Sufi Ansar Hussain,
both over 90 years and in poor health, and Banne Khan, a resident of Kotla
area, who had died six years ago.PTI
Minor students, orphans, from Madarsa and Saadat hostel still in jail in
Muzaffarnagar
A fortnight after they were arrested by Muzaffarnagar Police, as many as
17 students of Madarsa and Sadaat hostel, many of them minors and orphans, are
still in jail.Even as the police released the principal, Maulana Asad Raza
Hussaini, who was stripped and beaten up so badly that his limbs are in
plasters, the students remain in jail. When NH catches up with the Maulana at
his home, he refuses to speak. “I don’t want anything. Please get the students
released,” he pleads with the political leaders who call on him to
commiserate.Still traumatised, the Maulana keeps wailing, “I failed to protect
orphans in my care…I failed…”.Maulana is an influential and highly respected
resident in the locality. He has been a teacher at the madarsa and is the
caretaker of the Saadat orphanage.nationalheraldindia
2 weeks after anti-CAA violence, kin of Meerut victims still to get
autopsy reports
Meerut:The families of two of the five people killed in Meerut in
violence during the CAA protests on Dec. 20 have accused the authorities of
denying them their post-mortem reports.“My family is still struggling to get
the report,” said Imran, whose brother, Mohsin, was among the five killed. He
added they sought former Congress lawmaker Imran Masood and RLD leader Jayant
Choudhary’s help but nothing happened. Naushad, uncle of Asif who was also
killed in Meerut on Dec. 20, said local police have told them they are yet to
get the report in this case too.“We approached our councillor, ex councillor,
city Congress president and many other leaders over the past 10 days to get the
report but nothing happened,” said Naushad’s neighbour, Muhammad Waseem.Meerut
city Congress president, Zahid Ansari, said the families of some victims met
him to seek his help in getting the reports. “They are living in fear,” he said.HT
Meerut: Families of Victims Killed in Police Firing Still Unable to File
FIRs
In Firozabad, UP Govt Accused of Using Illegitimate and Unchecked
Force:Maitreyi Gupta
Firozabad Police Unable to Explain Presence of Vandals in Videos
'I cannot pay even 5 rupees, forget 50,000. I’d rather go to jail’:
Muslim families in Sambhal respond to notices for damages
In Sambhal, as in Rampur, UP police are reversing a famous Biblical
saying: they are visiting the sins of the children upon their families. Only
the children’s sins haven’t been proven yet and the families don’t have the
means to serve their punishments. Records accessed by Newslaundry show 59
families in Sambhal have been sent notices by the district administration to
cough up Rs 15.35 lakh in damages. All families are Muslim.Newslaundry met the
families of six people named in the Sambhal administration’s list.On Dec.28,
police arrived at Rubina’s house in Sambhal’s Miyan Sarai neighbourhood. They
produced a paper and asked her to sign it. Rubina, who is illiterate, signed.
Then she was handed a notice, which, when read out to her by some neighbours,
sent her into consternation. The notice talks about the recovery of losses to
public property incurred during the protests in Sambhal on Dec. 19 and 20. The
police claim her husband, Kasim, was involved in the protests.“The photo
released by the police carries my husband’s name but the picture is of someone
else. My husband and I went to Sirsi that day, 12 km from Sambhal. Our niece is
hospitalised there. We returned late at night, and he was not involved in the
protests. His name has been inserted by someone else,” Rubina said.“I can’t pay
even five rupees to anyone, forget 50 thousand. I’d rather go to jail. The
world always oppresses the poor,” Rubina said, sobbing.newslaundry.com
SP Promises Pension For Anti-CAA Protestors
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party on Friday promised pension for anti-CAA
protesters if voted to power, drawing a sharp reaction from the ruling BJP who
said it was in the "DNA of that party to honour rioters and
anti-social". Leader of the Opposition in the UP Legislative Assembly, Ram
Govind Chaudhary, said their party would also give compensation to the kin of
those jailed or killed during anti-CAA protests in the state."If our party
comes to power at the Centre and in UP, they (protesters) will be given pension
as they have struggled to save the Constitution and the democracy," said
Chaudhary responding to a question.PTI
Ex IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan detained in UP while enroute to AMU
Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan who quit the services protesting
over the suspension of civil rights in J&K has been detained by the UP
police today. He was detained in Agra while he was traveling to Aligarh to
attend a panel discussion hosted by AMU on Saturday. Kannan was supposed to
address the gathering in AMU on Saturday against the CAA, NRC and NPR, along
with Kavitha Krishnan and other activists. Resident Doctor's Association of AMU
had given a notice of this announcement on Thursday. However, late on Friday he
was informed that the Aligarh district administration had served a notice
asking him not to enter the district or attend the panel discussion as per the
orders of UP Govt. He challenged the notice and decided to go ahead and attend
the panel discussion despite the order after tweeting “I will he going to
Aligarh. Administration is free to do as they deem fit.” “There is no order
that prohibits me from entering Agra. The police here have taken me to a hotel.
They have been continuously trying to take my phone away. If they manage to do
so, I will not be able to contact anyone
in sometime,” he told Indian Express.thenewsminute
Activist Sadaf Jafar,ex IPS officer Darapuri Arrested During Anti-CAA
Protests in Lucknow, Granted Bail
New Delhi: A sessions court in Lucknow on Saturday granted bail to
activist and Congress worker Sadaf Jafar, former IPS officer SR Darapuri, and
10 others in connection with violence during protests against the CAA in UP
last month.Arrested for alleged involvement in the violence during protests in
the state capital on Dec. 19, the court has granted them bail on a personal
bond of Rs 50,000 each. According to the order, UP Police failed to present any
direct evidence against Jafar, Darapuri and the others for their role in
vandalism and arson during the protests. Jafar was arrested on Dec. 19 while
she was live on Facebook from the spot where protests against the amended
citizenship law had gone violent. Police had said she was arrested for her
involvement in clashes. The others whose pleas were heard are Mohd Naseem, Mohd
Shoaib, Nafees, Pawan Rai Ambedkar, Shah Faiz and Mohd Aziz.news18
Anti-CAA protests: Activist Sadaf Jafar, 16 others granted bail by
Lucknow court
CAA protests: Priyanka Gandhi visits Muzaffarnagar, says victims accused
police of ‘reign of terror’
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday made an
unscheduled visit to Muzaffarnagar in UP, to meet the families of those who
were injured or killed in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in the
state, PTI reported.Gandhi arrived in Muzaffarnagar in the morning and met
Maulana Asad Hussaini, who runs madrassa Hoz E Ilmia near Meenakshi Chowk,
where violence erupted during the protests on Dec. 20. After meeting the family
of one of the injured protestors, Gandhi said: “I will stand with you in this
hour of distress.”scroll/HT
UP child rights body seeks action against protesters using minors as
'shield' during anti-CAA Stir
UP State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked all DMs and
police heads in the State to submit a report providing details of persons who
allegedly used minors and teenagers as a “shield” during the violence that took
place in the protests against the CAA. In a letter to DMs and SPs in UP,
UPSCPCR chairperson Vishesh Gupta alleged that in the recent protests, students,
minors and teenagers were used a “shield” to give a “violent shape” to the
protest. “Misleading children and minors to participate in violent protests in
an organised manner is a violation of child rights,” said Mr. Gupta in a letter
dated Jan. 2. This comes amid allegations against the State police that it beat
up children, minors and students, and even detained several of them across the
State. The accusations of police excesses, however, do not find a mention in
the UPSCPCR letter.thehindu
*OTHERS*
Jamaat-e-Islami condemns Nankana violence and murder of Iranian General
Qassem Soleimani
Condemning the violence around the Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) on Saturday demanded strict action by Pakistan Govt
against the perpetrators of this violence. Vice President of the JIH, Engineer
Saleem said “it is the duty of the Govt of Pakistan to ensure the safety,
sanctity and security of the religious site and protect pilgrims and members of
the Sikh community.”At its monthly press briefing President of the JIH,
Sadatullah Hussaini also demanded the dismissal of the UP CM. On rising tension
in the Middle East after US forces killed the top level Iranian General JIH
President said “JIH condemns the US attack and it is direct intervention in the
internal affairs of any sovereign state. It is a broad daylight
murder.”nationalheraldindia
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemns Nankana Sahib incident in Pak: outlookindia
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemns Nankana Sahib incident in Pakistan: indiatoday
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Cites Attack On Pak Gurdwara To
Justify Citizenship Law
New Delhi: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today cited the attack on
the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan as an example of the atrocities that
minorities in the country are subjected to, and asked those opposing the
Citizenship Amendment Act to reconsider their stance."This was a wanton
act of vandalism, stone-pelting and desecration against one of the holiest Sikh
shrines in the world. Those who have taken a stand on the Citizenship Amendment
Act clearly do not realise what they are saying," he said. "As an
Indian and a Sikh, I call those who turn a blind eye to these instances of
injustice and persecution as insensitive, inhuman and certainly not secular."ndtv
'Persecution of minorities continues in Pak, proves CAA is right', says
BJP
BJP has condemned the attacks on Sikhs in Pakistan and said the episode
at Nankana Sahib Gurudwara only proves that the Citizenship Amendment Act
enacted by the Modi Govt is "right"."...Whatever has happened in
Pakistan justifies the necessity of an Act like CAA," BJP leader Meenakshi
Lekhi said here. The episode also "stresses the need for its immediate
implementation", she said.The Pakistan Govt and its agencies are part and
parcel of the process of the discrimination against religious minorities
including Christians and Sikhs, she said."Pakistan now proves that the CAA
is right and it is timely," she said.UNI
Pakistan rejects reports of Gurdwara Nankana Sahib being vandalised by
certain groups, says site was 'untouched and undamaged'
Pakistan has rejected reports that Gurdwara Nanakana Sahib near Lahore
was desecrated by certain groups. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as the
Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is the site where the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru
Nanak, was born. Foreign Office in a midnight statement said the provincial
authorities in the Punjab province have informed that there was a scuffle in
the city of Nankana Sahib on Friday between two Muslim groups.Altercation happened
on a minor incident at a tea-stall and District Administration immediately
intervened and arrested the accused."Attempts to paint this incident as a
communal issue are patently motivated. Most importantly, the Gurdwara remains
untouched and undamaged. All insinuations to the contrary, particularly the
claims of acts of ‘desecration and destruction' and desecration of the holy
place, are not only false but also mischievous,” said the FO.It said the Govt
of Pakistan was committed to upholding law and order and providing security and
protection to the people, especially the minorities.The opening of the
Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is a manifestation of Pakistan's special care extended
to the minorities, in line with the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali
Jinnah, it said.According to some Indian media reports, a mob attack took place
at the shrine. India's External Affairs Ministry said members of the minority
Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy
city of Nankana Sahib.PTI
Muslims left this Punjab village after Partition, Sikhs and Hindus look
after their mosque
Ludhiana: In the skyline of Hedon Bet, it’s hard to miss the imposing
century-old mosque that lies nestled right at the centre of the interior
village in Ludhiana. The crumbling walls of the mosque share their boundaries
with a temple.But it’s not just walls that the mosque shares with the temple.
It also shares its ethos and history.Not a single Muslim has lived in this
Punjab village since Partition. But the mosque, which lies abandoned since the
cataclysmic 1947 event, is taken care of by Sikhs and Hindu villagers. To them,
the place of faith is sacred.“It’s the house of God. And we are happy and
blessed to take care of it. Every day, we light lamps here. On Thursdays, we cook
parsad and distribute it,”said Prem Singh, 54-year-old Sikh resident of the
village.Singh said he took over the caretaker responsibilities of the mosque in
2009 from a Sufi saint who took care of the mosque for decades.“I don’t read or
write Urdu. I don’t know anything from the Quran. But before that Saint died,
he made me remember some sentences which I think are from the Quran. I recite
these in a loud voice every morning and evening in the mosque. It’s a place of
worship and I am blessed I do this duty,” said Singh.theprint
Special provisions likely for J&K residents in jobs, land rights
Centre is all set to provide protection to domiciles of J&K in Govt
jobs, educational institutions and land rights, a senior Govt official said on
Friday.Centre is exploring the option of implementing the mandatory requirement
of continuous stay in the region for a minimum of 15 years before applying for
a job in Govt sector and admissions in schools and colleges in Union Territory
of J&K.On August 6, Centre had revoked the special status of J&K under
Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution. 2 provisions of the
Constitution that were revoked, let J&K legislature decide the “permanent
residents” of the State, prohibiting a non-J&K resident from buying
property in the State and ensuring job reservation for its residents.Official
said special provisions were being examined on the lines of Himachal and
Uttarakhand. The provisions pertain to regulating ownership and transfer of
land to conserve the limited resources available for development.The
regulations also ensure that the State preserves its unique identity.There are
12 States including Himachal where provisions of special status under Article
371 of the Constitution apply.thehindu
J&K: NC leader urges Govt to provide clarity on Jobs, land,
delimitation
National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana urged the Govt
to clear the ambiguities on jobs, land and delimitation in Jammu & Kashmir.“Absence
of any authorized Govt declaration on these sensitive issues coupled with
rhetorical statements and assurances by Jammu based BJP leaders on policy
matters bereft of any constitutional authority have led to confusion and
created apprehensions and misgivings in the minds of the locals of J&K
particularly the youth,” he said. He also urged the Govt to come up with a
pragmatic mechanism to address these important matters in tandem with the
sentiments and emotions of people of J&K.indianexpress
No one called ex-JK CMs ‘anti-national’, decision on their release by UT
admin: Amit Shah
New Delhi:No one in the Govt has ever called the three detained former CMs
of the erstwhile state of J&K “anti-national”, Home Minister Amit Shah has
said, adding that a decision on their release will be taken by the
administration of the union territory.Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and
Mehbooba Mufti had to be detained for “some time” after they made provocative
statements, the home minister said on Thursday night while addressing an event
organised by media outlet ABP News.“Please see the statements made by them,
like the entire country will be on fire if Article 370 was touched…In the
backdrop of these statements, a professional decision was taken to keep them
under detention for sometime,” Shah said at the news summit.PTI
RSS Ideologue for Removing ‘Secular’ from Constitution Preamble
NEW DELHI: “Sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic” is how
India is referred to in the preamble of the Constitution. However, J.
Nandakumar, a key RSS leader and All India Convenor Prajna Pravah, a Sangh
offshoot, wants India to reconsider the inclusion of the word “secular”,
claiming secularism is a “western, Semitic concept”. In an exclusive interview
to IANS, Nandakumar said: “Secularism is a western, Semitic concept. It came
into existence in the West. It was actually against Papal dominance.”He argued
that India does not need a secular ethos as the nation has moved “way beyond
secularism” since it believes in universal acceptance as against the western
concept of tolerance. RSS functionary on Thursday released a book here named
“Hindutva in the changing times”. The book launch event was also attended by
senior RSS functionary Krishna Gopal.IANS
Constitution Draft Was Prepared By A "Brahmin": Gujarat
Speaker Trivedi
Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi on Friday claimed that Dr BR
Ambedkar had given the credit for preparation of the draft of the Constitution
to BN Rau, who was a Brahmin.Speaking at the inauguration of the second edition
of 'Mega Brahmin Business Summit' in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, he said that eight out
of nine Indian Nobel winners, including economist Abhijit Banerjee, were
Brahmins."Do you know that constitutions of 60 countries were studied and
then our draft Constitution was prepared? Do you know who presented that draft
to Dr BR Ambedkar? We all take Dr BR Ambedkar's name with respect when it comes
to the Constitution. However, in his (Dr Ambedkar's) own words, the draft was
prepared by BN Rau -- Benegal Narsing Rau -- a Brahmin," he said at the
event, also attended by CM Vijay Rupani."History tells us that Brahmins
always stand behind and promote others. It was BN Rau who kept Dr Ambedkar
ahead of him. We are proud of Dr Ambedkar because he admitted this during his
speech in the Constituent Assembly on Nov.25, 1949," Mr Trivedi added.PTI
NCP leader Nawab Malik calls for withdrawal of Seva Dal's booklet on
Savarkar
Mumbai: NCP, a key Congress ally, on Saturday called for the withdrawal
of a controversial Seva Dal booklet which claims that Hindutva ideologue
Vinayak Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse were in a
physical relationship.NCP's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said that since
Savarkar was not alive, it was wrong to make such a claim.Hindi booklet, titled
"Veer Savarkar, Kitne 'Veer'?", was distributed at a camp of Seva
Dal, a frontal organisation of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh recently.The
booklet also questions Savarkar's credentials as a patriot and his reputation
for valour. It also claimed that Savarkar received money from the British after
he was released from Andaman's Cellular Jail.indiatoday
Minister Abdul Sattar hasn’t resigned, will meet Uddhav Thackeray: Shiv
Sena
Mumbai: Shiv Sena on Saturday dismissed reports that Abdul Sattar, one
of its ministers in the coalition Govt in Maharashtra has resigned and said he
will be meeting party boss and CM Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday.Sattar, an MLA
from Sillod in Aurangabad district had switched over from the Congress to the
Sena before Assembly elections. People familiar with the developments said he
was unhappy with the party leadership for being made minister of state and not
given a cabinet berth. He was also said to be angry over the party’s stand to
support Congress for the election of Aurangabad district council
president.Earlier Saturday morning, there was speculation about minister’s
status after he reportedly resigned at being overlooked for a Cabinet berth.HT
Tensions Brew Within UP Police After Leak of Letter Alleging Bribery
Racket on Transfers
New Delhi: Tensions are brewing with the UP police after Noida senior
superintendent of police Vaibhav Krishna held a press conference to allege that
he had been “morphed” to sex chat videos after he complained to the CM’s office
about a bribery racket around police postings.Krishna has said that he has
given CMO recordings of phone conversations between police officers in charge
of postings and journalists acting as middlemen for the transfer seekers,
according to Telegraph. Krishna, however, has not named any of the police
officials involved or said where the recordings came from.On Friday morning, a
number of journalists received a copy of the letter Krishna sent CMO. The
letter mentions that details of graft had emerged during the investigation of a
case in which four people, some claiming to be journalists, were arrested in
Noida on August 23, 2019.UP DGP O.P. Singh on Friday said an explanation has
been sought from Krishna on the leaking of his purported confidential letter to
the state Govt.At a hurriedly convened press conference in Lucknow, the
Director General of Police said SSP Noida has been given 15 days to explain
whether he had flouted service rules by leaking out the missive. Singh said the
Inspector General of Meerut Range has been asked to investigate the matter.
DGP, however, declined to comment on the contents of the leaked letter.thewire
Communal clash in Bengal town: ‘We are shattered, he was the lone
earning member…his killers must be punished’
West Bengal :Nearly a kilometre from the Duttapukur market area, where
the body of 30-year-old Asadul Islam was found inside a local club, triggering
communal clashes on New Year’s Eve in the town, his wife is trying to come to
terms with his death.“We are shattered. He was the only breadearner. I have to
take care of my 13-year-old son. Those who killed him must be punished. I
appeal to the state Govt for help. How will we live?” said Roushanara
Bibi.According to police, the club had organised a fair in Duttapukur where
Islam had put up a stall. He was allegedly beaten up by members of the club
after he had a fight with a woman buyer Tuesday. The woman had alleged that
Islam assaulted her.“For the past two years, he has been setting up stall at
the fair… We got a call Tuesday afternoon that some people were beating him up.
We rushed to the spot but could not find him at the ground. Later, someone
opened the gates of the club and I saw his body, with a rope around his neck,”
said Islam’s brother Masud Ahmed, who plies an autorickshaw.indianexpress
DMK, Allies Defeat Ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu's Rural Civic polls
Chennai: In a closely fought contest in polls to rural civic bodies in
27 districts in Tamil Nadu, the opposition DMK and its allies emerged winners,
relegating AIADMK to the second spot.The runner-up finish by a ruling party in
local body polls is seen as a setback, but AIADMK, which came a close second
overall, put up a brave face asserting the results showed the party was
regaining the “love and support” of the people after being routed in Lok Sabha
polls eight months ago. DMK said it has posted a “massive victory,” despite the
ruling party’s alleged misuse of power and results showed the people’s ‘hate’
for AIADMK.The polls, held after a gap of eight years, is the first local body
elections since the demise of the towering Dravidian leaders J. Jayalalithaa
and M. Karunanidhi.PTI
Kota infant deaths: Toll rises to 107, central govt team visits J K Lon
hospital
New Delhi:The death toll of infants at J K Lon Govt hospital in
Rajasthan’s Kota rose to 107 Saturday, of which 100 had died in Dec., ANI
reported. And of those 100, 10 had died within 48 hours — between Dec. 23 and
24.A Central Govt team arrived at the hospital earlier today to conduct an
inspection. Lok Sabha Speaker and MP from Kota, Om Birla, also met the family
members of one of the deceased infants. “I met some families of the infants who
passed away in JK Lon hospital. We are standing with these families in this
hour of grief. I have written twice to Rajasthan CM, suggesting steps to
improve medical facilities,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.indianexpress
UP: 1,000 children died in Gorakhpur in past 12 months, says Akhilesh
Lucknow :Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday alleged that
in the past one year, nearly 1,000 children died in Gorakhpur due to negligence
of doctors, a claim which the Govt termed as “false allegations” “CM is worried
about children dying in Kota. But in the past 12 months, more than 1,000
children have died in Gorakhpur. When will he worry about that? And, the most
inhuman deed has been that doctors knew that the children had a disease, but on
directions of the Govt, so that statistics are kept intact, the children were
not given medicines for Japanese encephalitis (JE)… In the coming days (on
Monday), we will release a list of names of children who died,” Akhilesh said
in Lucknow.indianexpress
Social media posts: Mangaluru police tweets out notices, includes
sedition charge
Mangaluru police have issued
notices to 23 Twitter and Facebook account holders and arrested two people for
posting inflammatory content on social media. Interestingly, all the notices
have been posted on the Twitter handle of the Mangaluru cyber police station
and include sections like 124A of the IPC pertaining to sedition.“A case is
registered against you wherein you have posted an inflammatory post on social
media. The said post is inciting tension which may result /resulting in breach
of public peace and order, promoting enmity between groups on religious lines.
The said case is under investigation,” read the notices on twitter posted by
the handle @CCPSMangaluru. Mangaluru cybercrime, economic offences, and
narcotics (CEN) Inspector Girish said, “Two people identified Mohideen Hameez
and Abubakar Siddique been arrested in connection with spreading communal
hatred through inciting messages.”indianexpress
Kerala leads the way, again: Mosque set to host Hindu wedding
As religious intolerance and biases are on a rise in the country, a
mosque in Kerala is setting an example through a heartening gesture. On Jan.19,
Cheravally Muslim Jamath Committee in Kayamkulam in Kerala's Alappuzha district
will host a Hindu wedding in the mosque's premises.Anju, daughter of Cheravally
natives Bindu and Ashokan, and Sarath, who hails from Krishnapuram, will tie knot
between 11:30am and 12:30pm. After death of Ashokan two years ago, Bindu has
been struggling with financial liabilities and was staying at a rented house
with her three children. As she was struggling to source money to conduct
daughter Anju's wedding, her neighbour, a Jamaath secretary, suggested she
approach Jamaath committee. Bindu did not worry about religious differences
when she sought help, and Jamaath committee was open to help. One of the
members offered to bear the wedding expenses. Believers, who came for Friday
prayers last week, were informed about this and they too lent their support.theweek
*WORLD*
Thousands of mourners join Qassem Soleimani funeral in Baghdad; Iran
vows revenge for top general's killing
Thousands of mourners have joined the formal funeral processions for
Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi
al-Muhandis and six others killed in a US air strike in Iraq's capital,
Baghdad.Dressed in black and raising flags of the powerful paramilitary
umbrella group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces or PMF), large
crowds first gathered near the Shia shrine of Kadhimiyya in Baghdad to pay
their respects to the dead.Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force and mastermind of its regional
influence, was killed early on Friday near Baghdad's international airport in
an air strike ordered by US President Donald Trump.Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu
Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was also killed in the attack.The
attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the
US embassy in Baghdad, angry at US air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah - a
member of umbrella organisation - positions in Iraq and Syria. Al-Muhandis had
been among the crowds of PMF members and supporters.The mourners, most of whom
are supporters of the PMF, will then march through the Green Zone where Govt
offices and foreign embassies, including the US embassy, are based.Iraq's PM
Adel Abdul Mahdi - who stepped down in November after to mass protests but who remains in office in a caretaker
capacity, attended the funeral processions. Also attending were several
powerful Shia leaders including former PM Nouri al-Maliki, who now leads the
State of Law Coalition and has close ties with Iran. Shia scholar Ammar
al-Hakim, leader of Hikma parliamentary bloc, and Faleh Fayyad, head of the
Hashd al-Shaabi, were also at the processions. Mohannad Hussein, media
representative of PMF, which organised the funeral processions, told Al Jazeera
that the crowds will end their march at Hurriya Square in central Baghdad for
members of the public to pay their final respects before the bodies are taken
to the holy Shia city of Karbala where funeral prayers will be held later on
Saturday.Karbala is the base of Iraq's top Shia leader Grand Ayatollah Ali
al-Sistani who condemned the US attack and called on all parties to exercise
restraint.Iran is observing three days of national mourning in honour of
Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure
in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei promised to exact "harsh
revenge" for the targeted killing.Iraq is poised for a tense period ahead,
according to analysts, as top Shia leaders - many of whom are expected to
attend the processions - warned of repercussions following the attack.aljazeera
New air raid on Hashd convoy in Iraq as US-Iran tensions soar
A new air raid targeting a convoy of an Iran-backed militia has killed
at least six people, according to local media, a day after a drone attack by
the United States killed top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, at Baghdad
airport.Iraq's state television said the attack took place along Taji Road
north of the capital Baghdad, but did not name the targeted figure.Hashd
al-Shaabi, also known as PMF, said the air raid hit a convoy of medics, adding
that none of its top leaders were killed.An Iraqi army source said six people
were killed and three wounded, Reuters news agency reported. Iraqi state
television reported that the air raid was carried by the United
States.aljazeera
World reacts to US killing of Iran's Qassem Soleimani in Iraq
International leaders have called for restraint and de-escalation
following the assassination of Iran's top general, ordered by US President
Donald Trump, as Iran's allies warned the killing could lead to conflict.
Turkey
The Turkish foreign ministry said the assassination of Soleimani would
increase insecurity and instability in the region. In a written statement, the
ministry said it was deeply concerned by the rising tensions between the US and
Iran, and that turning Iraq into an arena for conflict would harm peace and
stability in the region. "Turkey has always been against foreign
interventions, assassinations and sectarian conflicts in the region," the
ministry said.
Hamas
Hamas, the Palestinian group that administers the besieged Gaza Strip, issued
a statement saying "Soleimani was one of the leading Iranian army
officials who had an important role in supporting the Palestinian
resistance"."We condemn these continued American crimes sowing
tensions in the region in service of the Israeli enemy," it said.The
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group offered its condolences to the Iraqi
people for the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, describing him as one of the
symbols of Iraqi liberation from the US occupation."This Iraq, which will
always remain disobedient to American hegemony and control, will always remain
Arab with its fighters and greater than the occupation," a PIJ statement
said.
Iraq
Iraqi caretaker PM Adel Abdul Mahdi condemned the attack, calling it an
"aggression" on Iraq that would "spark a devastating
war"."The assassination of an Iraqi military commander is an
aggression on Iraq as a state, Govt and people," Abdul Mahdi said in a
statement.He added that the attack was also a "flagrant violation of the
conditions authorising the presence of US troops" on Iraqi soil.
Syria
The Syrian Govt accused Washington of trying to fuel conflict in the
Middle East.Syria is "certain that this cowardly US aggression ... will
only strengthen determination to follow in the path of the resistance's
martyred leaders," a foreign ministry official was quoted as saying by the
state SANA.The official described the killings as "a serious escalation of
the situation" in the region and accused the US of resorting to "the
methods of criminal gangs".
Russia
Moscow warned that the assassination of Soleimani would increase
tensions across the Middle East."The killing of Soleimani ... was an
adventurist step that will increase tensions throughout the region," RIA
Novosti and TASS quoted the foreign ministry as saying. "We express our
sincere condolences to the Iranian people."
United Nations
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned by the recent
rise in tensions in the Middle East, his spokesperson said in a
statement."The secretary-general has consistently advocated for
de-escalation in the Gulf," Farhan Haq said. "This is a moment in
which leaders must exercise maximum restraint. The world cannot afford another
war in the Gulf."
China
China appealed for restraint from all sides, "especially
US"."We urge the relevant sides, especially the United States, to
remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalating tensions,"
foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily news briefing.
Israel
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the US had the right to defend itself
by killing Soleimani."Just as Israel has the right of self-defence, the
United States has exactly the same right," Netanyahu said in a statement.
Germany
Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer urged restraint and
de-escalation."We are at a dangerous point of escalation. It is now
important through prudence and restraint to contribute to de-escalation,"
Demmer said.
United Kingdom
British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dominic Raab urged all
parties to de-escalate. "We have always recognised the aggressive threat
posed by the Iranian Quds force led by Qassem Soleimani. Following his death,
we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our
interests," Raab said in a statement.
France
France's priority is to stabilise the Middle East, French Secretary of
State for European Affairs Amelie de Montchalin told RTL radio."What is
happening is what we feared: Tensions between US and Iran are increasing,"
Montchalin said. "The priority is to stabilise the region."
Iran General Contributed To "Terror Plots As Far Away As
Delhi": Trump
Los Angeles: Defending the killing of top Iranian commander in a US
strike, President Donald Trump on Friday said the "reign of terror is
over" and claimed Qasem Soleimani had contributed to "terrorist plots
as far away as New Delhi and London." General Soleimani, the head of
Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was
killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport on Friday.
The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi
paramilitary force."The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including
rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen
very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were
carried out at the direction of Soleimani," Trump told reporters at
Mar-a-Lago in Florida."Soleimani made the death of innocent people his
sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and
London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani''s many
atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is
over," he said.Amid escalation of tension with Iran, Trump claimed
Soleimani's killing will not lead to war.PTI
US Sending 3,000 More Troops To Mideast As Reinforcements
United States said Friday it is sending nearly 3,000 more Army troops to
the Mideast in the volatile aftermath of the killing of an Iranian general in a
strike ordered by President Donald Trump.Defense officials, who spoke on
condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet announced by Pentagon,
said the troops are from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North
Carolina.AP
"Have Right To Retaliate": Iran Ambassador To NDTV After US
Air Strike Kills Top General
New Delhi: A country that has been attacked has every right to defend
itself, the Iranian ambassador to India told NDTV on Friday evening, as Middle
East simmers following death of General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of
Iran's Revolutionary Guards, in a US air strike on the Iraqi capital. Describing
General Soleimani as a "champion against terrorism", Dr Ali Chegeni
refused to rule out the possibility of retaliatory strikes against the US and
that the escalation of military action in the region could lead to yet more
conflict in the war-torn region."My Govt has mentioned we are going to
retaliate... yes, it is the legitimate right of every country that has been
attacked to defend itself. It is normal," Dr Chegeni said, pointing out
that US claims that his country was behind strikes on Saudi oil facilities late
last year were never proven.ndtv
As tensions between Iran and US escalate, World War III dominates
Twitter
With Middle East on edge, USMNT training camp in Qatar is called off
With tensions rising in Middle East following killing of a prominent
Iranian military figure, US Soccer Federation on Friday night called off a
men’s national team training camp scheduled to open this weekend in Qatar. “Due
to the developing situation in the region, US Soccer has decided to postpone
traveling to Qatar,” USSF said in a written statement. “We are working with the
Qatar Football Association to find an opportunity in the near future for our
team to experience Qatar’s world-class facilities and
hospitality.”washingtonpost
Saudi calls for restraint after Soleimani killing
Saudi Arabia has called for
restraint after the killing of Iranian Gen Qassem Soleimani.The Kingdom said
the events in Iraq were the result of previous "terrorist acts" and
that Saudi had warned of their repercussions."Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has
followed the events, in fraternal Iraq, which came as a result of the
escalation of tensions and terrorist acts that Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has
denounced and warned against, in the past, of their repercussions."With
knowledge of the operations and threats exposing the security of the region and
the threats posed by terrorist militias that require their cessation, the
Kingdom, in light of the rapid developments, calls for the importance of
self-restraint to ward off all acts that may lead to aggravating the situation,
with unbearable consequences."Kingdom of Saudi reaffirms that the
international community must fulfill its responsibilities to take the necessary
measures to ensure the security and stability of such a vital region, to the
entire world."arabnews
General Soleimani killing: Unease in India over fallout, relations with
US and Iran
Mumbai:Hours after the killing of Iran’s top military commander, General
Qassem Soleimani, in an American drone strike, India said it had “noted that a
senior Iranian leader had been killed by US”, urged restraint and called for
de-escalation.The terse statement masked the deep unease about how far the
ripples from this sharp spike in US-Iran tensions will extend across the
region, and impact India.One part of that question was answered after Iran
warned of retaliation, with jitters on Dalal Street over the potential for an
oil shock. The stock market fell by over a hundred points, but more telling was
the rupee’s 38-paise drop around the same time to Rs 71.74 to US dollar.
India’s oil import bill in 2018-19 was $111.9 billion. And the new geopolitical
tensions could not have come at a worse time, when the economy is crawling at
4.5 % GDP growth in Q2 this fiscal year. With Iran vowing revenge, a possible
widening of US-Iran conflict, from Saudi Arabia to Afghanistan and Pakistan,
will not leave India unaffected. “We have to see what Iran’s options are. There
will be enormous rage in Iran, but how will Iran retaliate? The power
differential between the two is huge. If Iran does retaliate, it will know that
the US will hit back, too,” said Vivek Katju, former diplomat who was in charge
of the Iran desk at the Ministry of External Affairs.indianexpress
Soleimani killing: India urges de-escalation in tensions after US
airstrike
Pakistan: Soleimani killing threatens regional peace
Pakistan on Friday expressed "deep concern" over the killing
of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian elite Quds Force, in a US drone
strike in Iraq. Pakistani Foreign Ministry said the development in the Middle
East has "seriously threatened peace and stability in the
region."Pakistan also called on all concerned parties "to exercise
maximum restraint, engage constructively to deescalate the
situation.""Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are the
fundamental principles of UN Charter, which should be adhered to. It is also
important to avoid unilateral actions and use of force," said Aisha
Farooqui, spokesperson of the foreign ministry.She also urged all parties to
"resolve issues through diplomatic means, following the UN Charter and
international law."Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari also
urged the UN to defuse the situation, adding that killing has escalated
tensions in the region. The minister further said that it was in no one’s
interest to have a war in an already volatile region.Anadolu Agency
US Democratic White House contenders condemn Trump’s strike against Soleimani,
warn of war
Democratic presidential contenders condemned the air strike that killed
prominent Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, saying President Donald
Trump’s decision was reckless and could lead the United States to another war
in the Middle East, Reuters reports.The candidates, vying for the right to
challenge Trump in the Nov.2020 election, questioned whether the
president had a broader strategy in dealing with Iran, and used the action to
highlight their approach to dealing with foreign adversaries.“President Trump
just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox,” former US Vice President Joe
Biden said in a statement.middleeastmonitor
Trump resumes Pak military aid programme with eye on Afghan peace talks
Trump administration on Friday announced the resumption of a training
programme for Pakistan military officials that had been suspended in 2018 along
with all security-related assistance as punishment for its continued refusal to
undertake sustained and verifiable counter-terrorism measures.The resumption of
the relatively low-dollar-value programme was seen by South Asia experts as a
sop to the Pakistani military in exchange for its continued support for the
Afghanistan peace talks that are expected to restart shortly after being ended
abruptly by President Donald Trump last Sept.The announcement of the resumption
of the programme came in a tweet from the state department that was signed off
with initials AGW, which is Alice G Wells, the deputy assistant secretary for
South and Central Asia. HT
Oil prices soar more than 4% after Soleimani killed
Oil prices soared more than four % following claims that US had killed a
top Iranian general, ratcheting up tensions between foes and fuelling fears of
a conflict in the crude-rich region.Brent surged 4.4 % to USD 69.16 and WTI
jumped 4.3 % to 63.84.PTI
Syria: Attacks in Idlib force 44,000 to flee in 4 days
Idlib:Some 44,000 civilians fled Idlib, a de-escalation zone in the
northwestern Syria, over the last four days, a Syrian NGO said on Friday.With latest
developments, the number of civilians who fled Idlib since November has reached
328,000.On Dec. 20, the Assad regime and its allies launched a military
campaign mainly in the cities of Maarat Al-Numan and Saraqib as well as the
surrounding rural areas, capturing 35 residential areas.In the past four days,
some 44,000 civilians out of 428,000 fled as a result of the attacks, Mohammad
Halaj, the head of Syria’s Response Coordination Group, told Anadolu Agency on
Friday.If the attacks intensify again, there is concern that migration will
start in Jabal Al-Zawiya region in southern Idlib, which might cause
displacement of over 250,000 civilians.Anadolu Agency
Haftar issues 'call to arms' over possible Turkey intervention
Renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar has called on Libyans to take
up arms in response to a prospective military intervention from Turkey aimed at
shoring up the UN-recognised Govt in Tripoli.The beleaguered Tripoli-based Govt
of National Accord (GNA), headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, has been under sustained
attack since April by Haftar, whose self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA)
supports a rival administration based in the east of the country.Turkey's
parliament on Thursday approved the deployment of troops to Libya after it
received a request for military support from Sarraj's Govt, which is recognised
by the international community.aljazeera
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood changes course
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood (MB) changed course over determining the
future of its political work when it agreed to cooperate with Mohamed Ali, a
new opposition figure and former army contractor.The move forms a turning point
for the MB in contrast with its approach during the last six years by which it
was accused of causing a rift among Egyptian opposition.Since the overthrow of
Mohamed Morsi, the country's first democratically elected president who died
last June, in the 2013 military coup, group has sought its way out of a dark
tunnel. On Sunday, MB outlined support for document announced by Ali in which
he called for uniting the opposition to topple Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah
al-Sisi.By accepting Ali's document, the group adhered to three points,
including forming new alliances as the document states "cooperation with
loyal people of the homeland" and calling for unification in "one
row" against al-Sisi.The second is MB's affirmation of not taking the
lead, saying it "pledges to continue the struggle with honorable
people" which means not seeking to rule alone, as happened in the
aftermath of the Jan. 2011 uprising that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak.
Anadolu
Indonesian Muslim cleric Yunahar Ilyas dies
Jakarta:Prominent Indonesian Muslim cleric Yunahar Ilyas died due to
kidney failure on the southern island of Java.Ilyas, an influential scholar
from Muhammadiyah organization -- a major Islamic non-Govtal organization --
died on Thursday in the city of Yogyakarta. Born in 1956 in Bukittinggi city of
the West Sumatra province, he obtained two bachelor's degrees from in Ibn
Riyadh University in 1983 and the Imam Bonjol Islamic University in 1984, as
well as a master's degree from Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University in 1996 and a
Ph.D. from the same school in 2004.Ilyas joined the Muhammadiyah in 1986 and
served as chairman of the organization in 2005-2010.Anadolu Agency
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
As repression in India gets worse, notable figures remain silent:Rana
Ayyub, washington post
What is Mr Modi’s plan for India’s Muslims?Sanjeev Sabhlok, TOI
IIT-Kanpur's Crisis Of Conscience And The Faiz Controversy:Brinda Karat,
ndtv
Muslim presence in India is as old as Islam — it’s an insider’s
tale:Seema Chishti
First Pak, & now India, has failed the poet who belongs to both
countries:Khaled Ahmed
Bias exists in survey responses, but also in Govt’s own telling:P C
Mohanan
PM Modi cut his teeth in violent student movement, now he decries damage
to public property:Mani Shankar Aiyar
Indian Muslims have finally found their voice, there’s no going back:
Salman Khurshid
India’s student protests have broken image of national consensus on
Modi’s policies:SHIVAM VIJ
Muslim identity politics over CAA has alienated allies and is
problematic for idea of India:Sreemoy Talukdar
If 'Ma Bharati's Children' Are Linked By Blood, Modi Believes Muslims
Aren’t Real Indians:A. Bimol Akoijam
Genetic Determinism, Pseudoscience Can't Hide the Casteism of Brahmin
Chauvinists:Vasudevan Mukunth
Why the Controversy Around Faiz's 'Hum Dekhenge' Is So Fatuous:Markandey
Katju
Women and students lead the resistance: songs of innocence and
experience to the fore:Amit Sengupta
Who is afraid of students in politics? And who advises students to stay
away from politics ?Gauhar Raza
India protests: Anger over job security and privatisation:Sohail Rahman
Good economics for CAA-NRC times: Banerjee, Duflo's book dispels many of
our beliefs about immigration:Nikita Rana
Don’t polarise by religion: Authorities must listen to the secular and
inclusive message coming from anti CAA-NRC protesters:Pavan K Varma
For the First Time Since Independence, Muslims Have Emerged on to the
Streets:Nizam Pasha
Law made injustice possible in Ayodhya, Hyderabad encounter cases. Will
this happen with CAA too?Kaveri Haritas
Shaheen Bagh: The women occupying Delhi street against citizenship
law:BBC
Compiled
and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 6:25 PM).*
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