*05 Jan 2020: 09
Jamadi-1, 1441: Vol: 12, No: 100
anti-citizenship act stir
We’ll push Amit Shah out: Sanjay Raut at anti- CAA meeting in Mumbai
organised by Jamaat e-Islamic Hind
Mumbai: Shiv Sena politician and Saamna editor Sanjay Raut said on
Saturday that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) should be opposed because it
is against Hindus too and 30% Hindus will suffer when it is clubbed with NRC.Speaking
at a symposium held by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) at Marathi Patrakar Sangh,
Raut tried to allay fears among Muslims about the CAA, NPR and NRC. Using the
popular Bollywood dialogue “Jo dar gaya so mar gaya”, Raut told the
predominantly Muslim audience to get out of the fear syndrome. “We in
Maharashtra just showed that we don’t fear anyone. We want you too to get out
of fear,” he said.Referring to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, Raut said
he would often say that the country belonged to all. “We all are one and this
country belongs to every Indian who is loyal to the country,” he said.Without
naming Union home minister Amit Shah, who declared on Friday that he would not
budge an inch on CAA, Raut said: “You say you will not budge an inch. We will
push you out.”He said many in the media wondered if he would really attend a
function held by the Jamaat-e-Islami. He said he had no problem attending the
event as “we all are brothers and the programme is being held at Marathi
Patrakar Sangh”.Opposing a call by Justice (retired) Kolse Patil to “25 crore
Muslims” to come on the streets against the CAA, NPR and NRC, Raut said people
must not get divided in numbers.Senior counsel Mihir Desai and Yusuf Muchchala
discussed how the CAA was against the spirit of constitution as it
“discriminated” among citizens in the name of religion and after it is followed
by NPR and NRC, all Indians will suffer.TOI
Shiv Sena Responds To Amit Shah's 'Won't Rollback CAA' Challenge, Says
'We Will Make You'
Sanjay Raut, at CAA meeting in Mumbai organised by Jamaat e-Islamic
Hind, says 'Daro mat' is Maharashtra's lesson to India
Maharashtra’s lesson to nation, do not be afraid: Sanjay Raut to CAA
protesters
People must stand together against divisive laws: Raut on Citizenship
Act
100,0000 attend Hyderabad protest against citizenship law:Reuters
Hyderabad:Over 100,000 protesters have taken part in a peaceful march in
the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, chanting slogans against Narendra Modi’s
new citizenship law.The protest, labelled Million March, was organised by an
umbrella group of Muslim and civil society organisations. Demonstrators were
still entering the protest site late on Saturday afternoon, according to a
Reuters witness, despite police saying no march would be allowed and that
permission had only been granted for a 1,000-person gathering. Indian govt has
faced weeks of acrimonious and, at times, violent protests against the CAA,
which was passed by Modi’s government in Dec. Hyderabad protesters held
placards with slogans including “withdraw CAA immediately”, and “India’s only
religion is secularism”. Reuters witness said the protest remained peaceful. Protests
against the CAA also went ahead in several other Indian cities on Saturday,
with hundreds turning out in cities in the southern state of Karnataka. Hundreds
of people gathered at a rally in the tech hub of Bengaluru, with some accusing
Modi’s govt of trying to divide India along communal lines, to distract from a
sharp domestic economic slowdown and job losses.theguardian
Conspiracy to foil protests
defeated, say protesters at Hyderabad’s million march’
Hyderabad: Hundreds of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of
Hyderabad on Saturday to condemn the recent amendment to the Citizenship Act
and the alleged attempt to implement NRC nationwide. The ‘million march’
protest was called by the Joint Action Committee against CAA, NRC and NPR. JAC
resolved to boycott NPR and NRC and announced, “We will not submit any
documents to prove our nationality.”JAC convener Mushtaq Malik said the
agitation will continue until the Union government revokes the amendments
carried out to the Citizenship Act and drops the idea to carry out the NRC
exercise.He claimed that a political conspiracy was hatched to foil the
‘million march,’ but the public had defeated the conspiracy by attending in
thousands without political and religious affiliation. Moulana Hamid Mohammed
Khan, president, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Telangana, said that citizens will
collectively ensure that the country remains secular. He said that PM Narendra
Modi and home minister Amit Shah should understand the pulse of the people
failing which they will face public wrath. Congress leader V. Hanumanth Rao
said the country belongs to people of all faiths, who are living together. It
is the BJP that wants to divide people on religious lines. He said he was
astonished that although TRS voted against the CAB in the Parliament, CM K.
Chandrasekhar Rao was tight-lipped on this issue. Former member of Rajya Sabha
Syed Aziz Pasha said that people are coming out of their houses to protect the
Constitution and the country’s secular fabric. ormer minister Mr Mohammed Ali
Shabbir said Hyderabadis showed that they were not behind when it came to
protesting against draconian laws that are aimed at splitting the nation. Dr N. Kumar of BAMCEF contended that the main
motto behind the NRC was in enslaving people from SC,ST and other deprived
communities and threatening Muslims.deccanchronicle
Hyd Million March: Sea of people turn up at Dharna Chowk to protest
against CAA, NRC
Muslims Organize Huge Protests Across India, Challenging Modi:New York
Times
Delhi Police denied it, but internal probe finds 2 of their personnel
fired during Jamia protests
New Delhi :Investigation into violence during protests against the CAA
at New Friends Colony on December 15 has revealed that 3 bullets were fired by
two police personnel in front of an ACP-rank officer— contrary to Delhi Police
claims that not a single bullet was fired by them during the clashes.This finds
a mention in a “case diary” prepared by officers of the Southeast district
police, Indian Express has learnt.Hours after the protest, two students of
Jamia Millia Islamia, identified as Ajaz Ahmad (20) and Mohammed Shoaib (23),
were admitted at Safdarjung Hospital, and a third, identified as Mohd Taimin
(23), to Holy Family Hospital, with each alleging that he had received a bullet
injury. Their claims were also recorded in the hospital’s MLC (medico-legal
case) reports.Police had, however, denied firing a single bullet. “MLC report
from Holy Family states that there’s an alleged history of a gunshot wound.
This was written based on the statement of the injured. We have not fired
bullets at any student. Any foreign body like metal or plastic could have
caused injury. Two injured at Safdarjung too alleged gunshot injuries, but if
anyone would have been shot at, the ambulance would take them to Holy Family or
Fortis, which are the closest,” DCP (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal had said at the
time.Sources have now said that following December 15 clashes, police personnel
from the Southeast district were asked by senior officers whether any of them
had fired bullets. All of them said they hadn’t. On December 18, however, a
video, purportedly showing two police personnel firing and a third senior
officer standing nearby, went viral.“Southeast district police identified the
personnel as well as ACP, and it was confirmed that firing had, in fact, taken
place,” a source said. The personnel are learnt to have said that they fired in
“self-defence” when some protesters turned violent and they found themselves
cornered.Their statements were then recorded in the case diary. 2 FIRs filed in
connection with the violence at Jamia Nagar and New Friends Colony make no
mention of police firing. Meanwhile, all 3 Jamia students have been discharged
from the hospitals, and SIT is likely to approach them in the coming days to
record their statements.indianexpress
Delhi: Daryaganj police detained 15 Muslim men for rioting during CAA
protests; none of them a vandal; all of them now face prison time
"The right to protest peacefully is an essential feature of our
democracy. Recent weeks have shown that the State is wary of people and
dissent," says Tara Narula, a lawyer who has pro-vided legal assistance to
those detained during anti-CAA protests in the National Capital Region. But
what of those who are not the sort of people Narula describes - neither
dissenters nor active participants in the agitation? Why do they count among
the detainees? And why are they of a particular kind: young, male, Muslim, in
the wrong place at the wrong time?To understand the circumstances under which
some of them were detained, Firstpost examined a FIR in which they feature -
this document (reproduced below) was recorded at Daryaganj Police Station on 21
December, a day after violence broke out in the predominantly Muslim neighbourhood.
FIR takes note of 16 people, 15 of whom are young Muslims. None of the men is
named in the document. Lawyers representing the young men claim that almost all
of them have spent the last ten days in jail for "simply being near a
protest". When the judge asked the investigating officer and public
prosecutor to name 16 detainee, they identified him as Chandrashekar
Azad.Details contained within the FIR pertain to the night of 20 December, when
the protest occurred, and during which these men were picked up. It accuses the
detainees of rioting and damaging public property. It also invokes the
Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, among others, which imposes
punishment of prison time extending up to five years for those held guilty.There
is no evidence that corroborates police testimony describing these 15 young men
as rioting or damaging public property. This is compounded by the fact that FIR
does not even name any of them. It mentions no CCTV footage nor does it offer
material evidence to suggest that the men were in possession of materials
required to set cars ablaze or injure police officials.There is no record of
stones or sticks as having been recovered from the detainees.firspost
Updation of NPR in Bihar to be held between 15 and 28 May; Sushil Modi
dares Bengal, Kerala CMs to not implement exercise
Patna: Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi has said the
updating process of National Population Register (NPR) will be carried out in
the state from 15 May to 28 May this year, notwithstanding West Bengal and
Kerala governments' decision to put the exercise on hold in their respective
states.Bihar senior BJP leader also said administrative and punitive action
would be taken against officials if they refuse to carry out the NPR. "The
NPR process in 2020 will be carried out between 1 April to 30 September in the
country. In Bihar it will be done between 15 May and 28 May", Sushil Modi
told reporters.The process of preparing NPR began in 2010 during the UPA regime
which was completed between 1 April to 30 September that year, he said. The
Centre is "updating" the NPR 2010 in 2020 just before the 2021
census, Bihar deputy chief minister said.PTI
‘You always stood for secular India’: JD(U) leader urges Nitish Kumar to
oppose NPR in Bihar
A day after Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi announced that
exercise to collect data for NPR will be held in May, JD(U) leader Pavan K
Varma on Sunday urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to “take a stand” against the
move, which he said, is an attempt to create religious divide.“CAA-NRC combine
is a direct attempt to divide Hindus and Muslims and to create social
instability. You have always stood for a secular India, where there is peace,
respect and goodwill among all its communities. It is for this reason that I
had appealed to you to reconsider the party’s support to the divisive and
discriminatory CAB. I was deeply disappointed when my request when unheeded,” a
letter to the chief minister read.indianexpress
Why did Home Minister not say govt is doing NPR, not NRC: P Chidambaram
Lashing out at the top leadership in the BJP government for making
conflicting statements on National Population Register (NPR)-NRC link, exUnion
Minister P Chidambaram Saturday said if two are not linked, why did the Home
Minister not say that his government has junked the idea of NRC and is doing
only NPR.Talking to ANI, the Congress leader said, “NPR is clearly linked to
NRC. Why did Home Minister not say we are doing NPR, we will not do NRC? Let
them say categorically that NRC is ruled out.”Pointing out that NRC exercise in
Assam which rendered more than 19 lakh people stateless, he said the Congress
government only did NPR to aid the Census 2010 and did not have a bitter
experience like the NRC, ANI stated.indianexpress
Hindutva Cadre Held in Patna Boy Amir Hanzla’s Murder Had Warned of
Godhra 2.0
Nagesh Samrat, who is among 8 arrested in connection with the murder of
18-year-old Amir Hanzla in Patna, had warned protesters of CAA-NRC of a
“return” of Godhra riots.He can be heard saying in a video posted on 17 Dec,
“You have burnt buses and trains. Tomorrow, if Godhra return happens, don’t say
that Modiji is a villain.”Nagesh is the district president of Hindutva outfit,
Hindu Putra Sangathan, which was red-flagged by the police in May, 2019.Besides
being charged with murder of Amir Hanzla, who was last seen at a protest called
by RJD on 21 December near Phulwari Sharif, Samrat and his associates are also
accused of instigating communal riots in the city during the protest through
Facebook lives.Phulwari Sharif SHO, Rafiqur Rehman, told The Quint that Nagesh
Samrat was arrested by the police on 23 December, before Amir’s body was found,
on the charges of rioting and later the murder charge was added to the FIR.
Nagesh is a repeat offender and has been arrested earlier on various charges
including inciting of violence, the police said. Among the others arrested so
far, Vikas Singh is the Patna district youth president of the Hindu Samaj
Party. Santosh Kumar aka Dhelwa is also a part of the outfit. The others
arrested are Raees Paswan, Deepak Mahto and Chaintu Kumar aka Sikandar
Kumar.The Quint
Government Calls Actors For Talk On "Myths, Realities" On
Citizenship Law
Mumbai: Union Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP vice president Jay Panda
have invited a number of Bollywood stars to a closed-door event at a five-star
hotel in Mumbai to discuss "myths and realities" linked to the CAA."The
agenda of the meeting will be to facilitate a discussion on myths and realities
pertaining to the Citizenship Amendment Act," reads the invitation for the
event scheduled for today at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai. "Meeting will be
followed by dinner," it reads.A blockbuster filmmaker and a leading
actress, who asked not to be named, confirmed to NDTV that they have been
invited for the meeting, but will not be attending it.The film industry seems
to be divided on supporting the CAA.While actors like Akshay Kumar and Kangana
Ranaut have been supportive of govt's policies, others like Anurag Kashyap,
Swara Bhasker and Siddharth have been critical of the government led by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.ndtv
Uttar Pradesh becomes first state to shortlist migrants for citizenship
under CAA
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is all set to become the first state in the
country to start the exercise of shortlisting migrants from Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Afghanistan, eligible for citizenship under the new CAA. The
exercise will also identify those who are living illegally in the state. According
to additional chief secretary (home) Avanish Awasthi, all 75 district
magistrates have been asked to track down migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Afghanistan who have settled here for decades, without citizenship.The
official said that though the number of people from Afghanistan living in UP
would be minimal, estimates indicate there would be a substantial number from
Pakistan and Bangladesh, who settled here after being persecuted in their
countries.The presence of migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh has been found
mainly in Lucknow, Hapur, Rampur, Shahjahanpur, Noida and Ghaziabad."The
purpose of compilation of the list is to ensure the state government could
intervene and ensure that 'genuine migrants' become citizens of the country.
This is the first time such a list is being prepared. Citizenship will be
granted according to the new CAA provisions," said Avanish Awasthi.The
state government will also update the Union home ministry on illegal Muslim
migrants in the state and they could be deported to their countries though no
decision has been taken on this yet.IANS
Pak can send spies as Hindus under CAA: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said there is no
guarantee that Pakistan would not send spies as Hindus under the amended
Citizenship Act.Speaking at the fifth town hall meeting, anchored by ABP news
channel, Kejriwal questioned the necessity of the controversial legislation.He
further said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will impact both Hindus and
Muslims and the Centre should first take care of its citizens and then of
people from other countries."There are many questions that need to be
answered like what is the guarantee that Pakistan would not send spies as
Hindus under the amended Citizenship Act," he asked.PTI
‘Absolutely false’: Netflix on free subscription linked to BJP’s missed
call campaign
New Delhi :Video streaming platform Netflix on Saturday denied it was
offering free 6-month subscription as a promotional offer to the first 1000
callers who would dial a phone number being circulated on Twitter and social
media.“This is absolutely fake. If you want free Netflix please use someone
else’s account like the rest of us,” Netflix tweeted with a whiff of
humour.Interestingly, the number being circulated is the same that BJP had
tweeted from its official handle to mobilise support for the CAA, which has
triggered nationwide protests, to the death of more than 25
people.indianexpress
BJP Workers' Desperate Bid to Gain Support for CAA: A Missed Call Number
for Netflix, Lonely Hearts
Himanta Biswa stresses need to save Assam from ‘Miya poetry, Ajmals’
Guwahati :Even as Assam witnesses massive protests against the CAA, in a
show of strength on Saturday, thousands of BJP workers participated in a public
meeting in Guwahati where the party’s top leaders spoke on the new citizenship
law, the Centre’s development work in the region, and the state government’s
commitment towards development and protection of interests of indigenous
communities of Assam. Maintaining that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
promised citizenship to only those “who are already in India”, BJP working
president J P Nadda said, “Lakhs of people had to run to India overnight to
save their land, dignity of their brothers, their family… People who have come
to India, where would they go? India is their home. We will allow them to live
with dignity. We will give them citizenship. This is what CAA has
done.”indianexpress
I never wanted to be an activist, but in current circumstances, I had to
take a stand: Jamia student Ladeeda Farzana at GIO function in Pune
Pune :Ladeeda Farzana, a student of Jamia Millia Islamia who has become
the face of the protests against the CAA and NRC, explained the opposition
against the measures at an event in Pune on Saturday.“Union government has
created Islamophobia in the country, and CAA is an attempt to harm the Muslim
community,” she said at a programme organised by Girls Islamic Organisation
(GIO). She alleged that “fascist govt” was not only against Muslims, but also
after marginalised and oppressed communities. She accused Prime Minister
Narendra Modi of bringing in “draconian Acts” against several marginalised
communities.“This government has created Islamophobia… Amit Shah and Yogi
Adityanath are against the spirit of the Constitution and are discriminating against
Muslims…,’’ said Farzana.“I ask Yogi Adityanath to release the political
prisoners in Uttar Pradesh. I salute all the political prisoners. I also
applaud the protesters who are out on the streets today,” she added.Farzana
said she “never wanted to become an activist”. “I just wanted to be a student.
But with the current acute circumstances, I had to take a stand. It is now my
responsibility to take this stand,” she said.The GIO joined her in raising
slogans against CAA, NRC and NPR.indianexpress
What “kagaz” means in a district where almost 2 in 3 have no assets, 93%
homes have no toilets, over half have no kitchens
Bordered by Maikal hill range in Chhattisgarh to its south, the district
of Dindori in Madhya Pradesh has a tribal population of 64 per cent, with the
Baigas being the most numerous group, according to the 2011 Census. The
district’s Hindu population stands at 86 per cent, while Muslims and Christians
constitute less than 1.5 per cent. More than 5 per cent of the population belongs
to the Scheduled Castes.Less than 80 per cent of the births in the district
between 2010-11 and 2015-16 were registered, according to the National Family
Health Survey 2015-16 (NFHS-IV). However, the actual number of children with
birth certificates may be smaller as registration does not imply that a
certificate was provided at birth.Around 0.08 per cent of the population —
about 546 people in all — reported being homeless, which rules out the
possibility of them being able to furnish any proof of residence. Homes in the
district lack access to basic facilities, with around 93 per cent households
not including a toilet on the premises, and 90 per cent practising open
defecation.Almost 92 per cent of the households do not have a drainage system
for used waste water, and 56.3 per cent do not have a kitchen. Additionally,
about 97 per cent of the households use fuels such as firewood or crop residue
for cooking, making them vulnerable to intestinal and respiratory illnesses.
Only 7.4 per cent have access to drinking water at home. Less than one per cent
have a computer, television set, phone or a vehicle.indianexpress
Sikh Residents Lead Candle March at Jamia Against CAA-NRC
NEW DELHI;Amid protests against the controversial CAA and NRC, this week
saw a Candle March from Gate 7 of Jamia Millia Islamia to Shaheen Bagh. The
march was organised in solidarity with women protesters of Shaheen Bagh.
Protesters from various parts of the state joined the march.A representation
from the Sikh community was a highlight of the march. The group of Sikhs shared
candles, posters, slogans and also the pain of the Muslims set against
discriminatory governmental moves like the CAA.The march was urged on by
throngs of onlookers on both sides of the streets. Along with the famous Azaadi
slogan, there were other chants too. Old painful memories were revived. The
participants shouted ‘Ashfaq Zinda, Bismil bhi Zinda, Akhlaque Zinda, Junaid
Zinda, Jamia Zinda’ (Ashfaq, Bismil, Akhlaque, Junaid, Jamia etc are alive.).A
child peeping down from the balcony of a home registered his solidarity with
the protesters by shouting the tail of the slogan.Gurpreet Singh from Amritsar
says, “I am no intellectual but I can understand that the BJP is playing the
majoritarian vote politics.” One of the Sikhs said with palpable disgust, “One
must be blind not to see the BJP’s agenda of Hindu Rashtra.”Caravan Daily
*CAA-NRC protests: UP CRACKDOWN*
Anti-CAA protests: Chidambaram slams UP Police for arresting activists
Sadar Jafar, SR Darapuri, Pavan Rao without any evidence
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday sàid it was
"shameful" that Sadaf Jafar, SR Darapuri and Pavan Rao were arrested
by the Uttar Pradesh Police for violence without any evidence against them.He
also said that it was a shocking admission by the police that there is no
evidence of their involvement."Sadaf Jafar, SR Darapuri and Pavan Rao
Ambedkar released on bail after police ADMITTED no evidence of their
involvement in violence. Shocking admission," he said on Twitter."If
that were so, why did the police arrest them in the first place? And how did
the Magistrate remand them to custody without looking at the evidence," he
asked. "The law says 'find evidence, then arrest'. The reality is 'first
arrest, then search for evidence'. Shameful," Chidambaram tweeted.PTI
UP anti-CAA stir: 10 madrassa students held on charges of violence
during protests in Muzaffarnagar granted bail
Muzaffarnagar: 10 madrassa students held in connection with the violence
that took place during anti-citizenship law protests in the city on 20 December
have been granted bail.The students of Madrassa Hoja Ilmiya were granted bail
by a court on Saturday on the basis of a SIT report that found no evidence
against them.SIT found the students not involved in any serious offence and
withdrew all charges against them except that of violation of prohibitory
orders, the prosecution said. It has been learned that 18 people were released
after being found innocent in the SIT investigation. Over 70 people had been
arrested for violence during the protests against the amended Citizenship Act
in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar.PTI
‘Police thrashed us and said drink urine’: UP madrasa students
Muzaffarnagar: Students of Sadat madrasa, who were picked up by police
after an anti-CAA protest on 20 December, have returned with bruises and
fractured bones, alleging severe police brutality.The madrasa-cum-hostel on the
city’s Arya Samaj Road is run by 72-year-old Maulana Asad Raza Hussaini, and
takes care of nearly 100 students between 15 and 20 years of age, many of whom
are orphans. Hussaini, a prominent Shia cleric in the region, was conferred the
Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman by Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu in Aug.2019.
This is an honour given to scholars for promoting various languages, and in
Hussaini’s case, it was for increasing the reach of the Arabic language. The
police alleged that protesters took shelter in the madrasa, and detained
Hussaini and at least 35 madrasa students.The madrasa management and Hussaini’s
family claim some students are still in police custody.Irfan Haider, 21, who hails
from Sitapur, was one of the students detained by the police and let off
Saturday at around 11 pm. He returned with a fractured right leg and a broken
left arm, and now has to use a wheelchair. “They were ruthless. They beat us
relentlessly.” he alleged. Some students even claimed that the police denied
them water. “They refused to give us water and said that if we are so thirsty,
we should drink their urine,” a student, who didn’t want to be named, said.
Hussaini, who has a fractured arm and injured legs and is bed-ridden, was “in a
pool of blood when we saw him coming out of police custody Friday night”, said
the unnamed relative quoted above.theprint
In Meerut, police say those who died killed by other rioters
Meerut :For 5 people killed in Meerut in the December 20 violence
following protests against the new citizenship law, police say they were
protesters who were killed by other protesters and no separate FIRs were filed
in connection to their deaths.“They are rioters themselves who were shot at by
other rioters. We have videos which show the protesters fired shots and these
were killed by those bullets,” said SSP, City, Ajay Kumar Sahni.The deaths of
Asif, Mohsin, Zaheer , Aleem and Mohammad Asif of Ahmednagar are noted in the
general FIRs that contain details of rioting and no separate FIRs have been
filed. Police officers said families of those killed have not filed separate
complaints with the police.“No separate FIRs needed to be lodged for those
killed because not a single person died from a police bullet,” Sahni said.
While police insists no bullet was recovered from the bodies of any of the 5
men who died on Dec.20, none of the families of those killed have received a
copy of the post-mortem report yet. Indian Express spoke to the families of at
least two victims and they said that despite follow-ups with local police
station, post-mortem copies were not provided. indianexpress
*OTHERS*
219 infants deaths during December in two of Gujarat’s civil hospitals
Ahmedabad:Even as the deaths of infants are rising in Rajasthan’s Kota
government hospital, their numbers which surfaced from two of Gujarat’s civil
hospitals in Rajkot and Ahmedabad are more shocking: 219 deaths in Dec.In
Rajkot, 134 infants died in December while in Ahmedabad civil hospital there
were 85 deaths in the same month but in last three months, 253 infants died in
the civil hospital, the State’s largest government hospital.The numbers were
more shocking in Rajkot civil hospital; as many as 1,235 infants deaths were
reported in 2019. December saw the highest deaths of new-born babies while with
131 deaths, October saw the second highest in the year.thehindu
Maharashtra portfolios: Ajit Pawar gets Finance, Anil Deshmukh Home
Ministry
Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit
Pawar has got the finance and planning department while his party colleague
Anil Deshmukh is the new Home minister of the State, a senior official said on
Sunday.Besides, first-time Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who is the son of
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has been given charge of the environment,
tourism and protocol departments, he said.Senior Congress leader Balasaheb
Thorat has got the revenue ministry, official added.With this allocation of
portfolios, Sharad Pawar- led NCP has got most of the ‘plum’ ministries.There
were speculations that either Ajit Pawar or Jayant Patil of NCP would get the
Home department, but the portfolio has been allocated to their party colleague
Anil Deshmukh.Earlier, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari approved the allocation
of portfolios as proposed by the chief minister.PTI
Imran Khan condemns Nankana Sahib incident, compares it to ‘anti-Muslim
attacks’ in India
Breaking his silence on the mob attack at Nankana Sahib gurdwara two
days ago, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that such incidents
will “find zero tolerance and protection from the government, including the
police and judiciary”.Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief also immediately
upped the ante against the Modi-led government and accused the Indian police of
leading the “anti-Muslim attacks”.Drawing a comparison between the Nankana
incident and the ongoing nationwide protests against the Citizenship
(Amendment) Act, Khan said, “The major difference between the condemnable
Nankana incident and the ongoing attacks across India on Muslims and other minorities
is this: the former is against my vision and will find zero tolerance &
protection from the government, including the police and judiciary.”Accusing
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS of “targetted attacks against the
Muslims”, the Pakistan leader said, “In contrast, Modi’s RSS vision supports
minorities oppression and the targeted attacks against Muslims are part of this
agenda. RSS goons conducting public lynchings, Muslims being violated by mobs
are all not only supported by the Modi government but Indian police leading
anti-Muslim attacks.”indianexpress
No Sikh threatened, fight was between 2 Muslim groups: Pakistan
Kashmir has been turned into a graveyard, says CPI(M) leader released
from detention
CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Friday accused BJP at the
Centre of turning Kashmir into a “virtual prison” and a graveyard, PTI
reported.Tarigami, who addressed the foundation day programme of party
newspaper Ganashakti in Kolkata, called on the public to “rise in protest
against the oppression of people of Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 and
35A of the Constitution”.Tarigami was placed in detention following India’s
decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status. However,
he was allowed to move out of Kashmir for medical treatment following a Supreme
Court order in Sept. The Modi government had detained many Kashmiri
politicians, including three former chief ministers – National Conference chief
Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti – since August
5.
Kashmir: Shia groups in Kargil, Valley protest Iran commander’s killing
in US strike
Srinagar :The killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani triggered
protests in Shia-dominated Kargil, in Ladakh UT, and Budgam in central Kashmir,
with thousands of people taking to the streets in Kargil to protest against the
US drone strike.The protest rally in Kargil was organised by the powerful Shia
organisation Jamiat-e-Ulema of Kargil. Sheikh Nazirul Mehdi, head of the
Islamia School, said, “The people of Kargil are angry and sad over US attack. Soleimani
had eliminated terrorism from several countries. From his killing, it is clear
that US is in league with terrorists.”indianexpress
US-Iran conflict: Petrol prices touches all-year high of ₹75.54 per
litre in Delhi
NEW DELHI:Petrol in Delhi now costs ₹75.54 per litre — the highest in
more than a year, while a litre of diesel comes for ₹68.51. Petrol and diesel
prices rose for the fourth straight day on Sunday as global oil prices jumped
after the U.S. killed a top Iranian general, fanning fresh fears of conflict in
the crude-rich Middle East.PTI
All eyes on SC judgment on rights of minority institutes
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday will pass an important verdict on
whether the right of minority institutions including madrasas to appoint
teachers could be taken away by the government by adopting a legislative
procedure that aims to uplift the status of the community.A bench of Justices
Arun Mishra and U U Lalit will deliver its verdict on the issue while deciding
constitutional validity of West Bengal Madrasah Service Commission Act, 2008,
under which the appointment of teachers in madrasas was to be decided by a
commission. As per the Act, a Commission was constituted and section 8 of it
says that notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time
being in force or in any contract, custom or usage to the contrary, it shall be
the duty of the Commission to select and recommend persons to be appointed to
the vacant posts of teachers. The case and the ruling can help settle an
ambiguity in the law as while governments that fund or aid minority
institutions can recommend guidelines for appointments, but till now, they have
not been able to make the placements themselves.TOI
Delhi: Civic body names portion of historic Qudsiya Bagh after Maharana
Pratap
New Delhi;Aportion of the Mughal-era Qudsiya Bagh, which has a statue of
Maharana Pratap, has been named after the legendary Mewar king, officials said
on Saturday.The move by the BJP-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC)
comes ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls.18th century-era garden named after
Queen Qudsiya was once a splendid place with a grand mosque, ceremonial gates
and other structures.Located in Kashmere Gate area, it is spread over nearly 36
acres and the upkeep is done by the NDMC, a senior official said."A
portion of the Qudsiya Bagh having the equestrian statue of Maharana Pratap has
been named after the king. The entire park will still be called Qudsiya
Bagh," the official said.PTI
*WORLD*
Soleimani funeral under way in Iran:Tens of thousands gather for funeral
Funeral processions to honour Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran's elite
Quds Force who was killed in a US air strike in Baghdad, have begun in the
Iranian city of Ahvaz early on Sunday, hours after his remains arrived from
Iraq.Soleimani was killed along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of
Iraq's PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), an Iran-backed umbrella organisation
comprising several militias. Several other people were also killed in Friday's
attack.Iran's army chief said that Washington lacked the "courage" to
initiate a conflict, after US President Donald Trump threatened to hit dozens
of taregts inside the Islamic republic. "I doubt they have the courage to
initiate" a conflict in which the Americans threatened to strike 52
targets, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said, quoted by IRNA. aljazeera
Saudi 'not consulted' over Soleimani killing: source
Saudi Arabia was not consulted over the US air strike that killed
Soleimani, as the kingdom sought to defuse soaring regional tensions, a Saudi
official told AFP, requesting anonymity."The kingdom of Saudi Arabia was
not consulted regarding the US strike," the official said."In light
of the rapid developments, the kingdom stresses the importance of exercising
restraint to guard against all acts that may lead to escalation, with severe
consequences," the official added. aljazeera
As Iran Slams Trump's 'Big Lie' Blaming Soleimani for 2012 Delhi Terror
Attack, It's a Tightrope Walk for India
New Delhi: As the death of Major General Qasem Soleimani, head of Iran’s
elite Qud’s Force, marks an unprecedented escalation in the standoff between
Washington and Tehran, India found itself in the crosshairs amid the careening
crisis, after US President Donald Trump blamed the deceased leader for
orchestrating a spate of terror attacks, including one in Delhi. S Defense
Department said it killed the 62-year-old Soleimani because he “was actively
developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and
throughout the region." It also accused Soleimani of approving
orchestrated violent protests at the US Embassy in Baghdad.Trump justified the
killing of Iran’s most revered leader, who was also the mastermind of its
interventions across the Middle East, saying he was responsible for several
terror attacks and was planning more.However, Iran’s Ambassador to India Ali
Chegeni strongly denied the allegations. “Trump can say anything he likes. But
this is a big lie. General Soleimani was a soldier, he was not involved in the
targeting of innocents anywhere,” Chegeni was quoted in a report by The
Hindu.Iranian diplomat accused US president for attempting to cover US action
of killing an official from Tehran while he was visiting Iraq after travelling
to Syria for “anti-terrorism consultations”.Chegeni further condemned Trump’s
decision of killing of Gen Soleimani, accusing US of resorting to “state
terrorism”.Talking about India’s role, the diplomat said he expected Iran’s
“reliable friend” would condemn the assassination of “an official who was on a
visit to another country on official invitation.”news18
US will bomb 52 Iranian sites if Tehran attacks Americans, warns Donald
Trump
US President Donald Trump has cautioned Iran saying that his
administration is targeting “52 Iranian sites” that will be hit “very fast and
very hard” if Tehran planned any attacks on Americans or Washington’s assets.
His comments came after Iran vowed to take revenge for the assassination of
Iranian General Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad airport early on Friday in an air
strike by the US.“Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA
assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had
just killed an American, and badly wounded many others, not to mention all of
the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of
Iranian protestors,” he tweeted. “Let this serve as a warning that if Iran
strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites
(representing 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a
very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture, and those
targets, and Iran itself, will be hit very fast and very hard,” he wrote.
scroll
Dozens killed in attack on military academy in Libya's Tripoli
At least 28 people have been killed in an attack on a military academy
in the Libyan capital, the health minister of the Tripoli-based government
said."An air raid on the military school of Tripoli killed 28 cadets and
injured dozens more," Amin al-Hashemi, spokesman for the health ministry
of the Government of National Accord (GNA), said on Saturday. At the time of
the strike the cadets were gathered on a parade ground before going to their
dormitories, he added.Tripoli, which is under the control of the
internationally recognised GNA, has since April faced an offensive by military
commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is aligned with a
rival government based in eastern Libya.aljazeera
Jordan: Massive rally against gas deal with Israel
Thousands of Jordanians participated in a massive rally to drop the gas
agreement signed with Israel in 2016 on Friday.This comes as a part of the
popular demands, which started in the early days of the signing of the
agreement, and only 2 days after Amman and Tel Aviv announced the start of
experimental operations of gas pumping.The rally commenced in front of Grand
Husseini Mosque, in Amman, reaching Nakheel Square, amid a heavy security
presence. Participants in the march, called for by Islamic movement, alongside
various youth, partisan and union parties, raised slogans condemning the
agreement and criticising Jordanian govt.The slogans displayed stated: “The gas
agreement is occupation,” “The enemy’s gas is occupation,” and “We will not
normalise, we will not be subjugated … The people of Jordan are not for sale,”
as well as “Down to all projects to suppress the Palestinian
cause.”middleeastmonitor
Hamas visits new Algeria ambassador to Lebanon
Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas on Friday visited the new
Algerian ambassador to Lebanon, Abdel-Karim Al-Rakaybe, Safa News Agency
reported.Al-Rakaybe received the delegation, headed by its representative in
Lebanon, Ahmed Abdul-Hadi, in the headquarters of the embassy in Beirut.The
Hamas delegation passed on the greetings of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, to
the new ambassador, congratulating him and passing on his hopes for his
success.Both sides discussed the latest developments related to the Palestinian
cause, as well as the situation of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.They
also discussed the issue of the US ‘deal of the century’ and its dangers to the
Palestinians and Palestinian issue.MEMO
Poland president will not attend Holocaust conference in Israel
Polish President Andrzej Duda has cancelled his participation in the
World Holocaust Forum taking place in Israel, in protest against Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s accusation that the Poles cooperated with
Hitler.According to Gazeta Wyborcza, a daily polish newspaper, the reason for
cancelling the visit is that one of the main speakers is Putin, who recently
accused Poland of sharing responsibility for the outbreak of World War II and
accused it of being anti-Semitic. The event is dedicated to the 75th
anniversary of the liberation of the German Auschwitz concentration camp.Gazeta
Wyborcza reported the head of Duda’s chancellery, Krzysztof Szczerski, as
stating: “The scenario in which Putin is the main guest speaker in Yad Vashem
gives him opportunity to continue his offensive and untruthful statements about
the course and causes of World War II, and that is unacceptable to
us.”middleeastmonitor
Australian Muslims join Christians in a public prayer for rain in
bushfire and drought-ravaged areas
A group of Muslim worshipers have come together in a park to pray for
rain amid the worsening drought and bushfire crisis.More than 50 men, women and
children gathered at Bonython Park in Adelaide on Sunday to ask for rain to be
sent to Australia's struggling farmers and victims of the bushfires.Priest
Patrick McInerney, from the centre for Christian and Muslim Relations, joined
the worshipers for prayer.'Today I joined with my Muslim sisters and brothers
in Adelaide in prayer for rain,' he said. 'My friend, Professor Mohamad
Abdalla, gave the khutbah (sermon) emphasising repentance and reliance on God
who is Merciful Provider.'The service comes a day after pilot Dick Lang, 78,
and his 43-year-old son, Clayton, a surgeon, were killed in bushfires on
Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia.The pair had been out
fighting the blaze and were returning to a family property when they became
trapped.dailymail
New bushfire flares in southeast Australia as toll mounts to 24, damage
assessment begins
Adangerous fire flared up in southeastern Australia on Sunday even as
cooler conditions elsewhere allowed authorities to begin assessing damage from
heatwave-spurred blazes that swept through two states on Saturday. Tens of
thousands of homes in both NSW and Victoria states were without power on Sunday
as a large-scale military and police effort continued to provide supplies and
evacuate thousands of people who have been trapped for days in coastal towns by
the fires.The death of a 47-year old man who was defending a friend's rural
property in NSW took the national toll this season to 24.AP
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
Nine myths about India and Indians that the CAA-NRC protests have
busted:Joe Athialy
Interview | Akhil Gogoi's Wife: This Time, His Arrest Felt 'Somewhat
Different'
Reading the Signs:CAA protest poster :Benita Fernando
Jawaharlal Nehru’s warnings on communal forces continue to be valid
:Arun Sharma
Sudhir Mishra: “Talk to the students, the problem has not been created
by the present government”
Mirza Ismail, ‘serial Diwan’ who made industrial Bangalore beautiful,
painted Jaipur
Congress must start looking for a new leader who will stand up for
values that the party professes:Tavleen Singh
Constitution breached every day, denying millions of people minimum
social, economic and political justice:P Chidambaram
Out of my mind: Now is the moment for Sabka Vishwa:Meghnad Desai
Government doing exact opposite
of what’s needed to revive economy: Jayati Ghosh
* Compiled
and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 2:29 PM).*
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment