19 Feb. 2020:
24 Jamadi-2, 1441: Vol: 12, No: 136
*anti-CAA,NRC-NPR stir*
UN Chief Guterres expresses concern over CAA, says risk of statelessness
for 2 million Muslims,
Just a week ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to New Delhi, UN's
Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern for the Muslims in
India.Before concluding his Pakistan visit today, UN chief in an interview to
Pak paper Dawn commented on India's CAA. The Dawn quoted Guterres as saying
that there was a "risk of statelessness for 2 million Muslims excluded by
the divisive CAA passed by the Indian Parliament."Guterres, when asked
whether he was concerned about new laws in India during an interview, said,
"Of course (I am concerned). Because this is an area in which the relevant
UN body is quite active.""The present High Commissioner for Refugees
is quite active to this situation like many others like this. Because there is
a risk of statelessness created by those national laws," UN
Secretary-General said."It is absolutely essential when a nationality law
is changed, the statelessness is prevented. Because when the basic right of
anyone anywhere is to have a country that a person calls his, then everything
should be done in order to avoid statelessness," he said.Guterres also
told Dawn that he was personally concerned about the rising discrimination
against the minorities in India. nationalheraldindia/PTI
Necessary to prevent statelessness when nationality laws are changed: UN
chief on CAA-NRC
UN chief flags statelessness risk due to CAA, says reports of abuse in
J&K must be taken seriously
Shaheen Bagh protests:We will find solution,say SC-appointed
interlocutors as dialogue with protesters hit several roadblocks, to visit tomorrow
again
The Supreme Court-appointed mediation panel went to Shaheen Bagh today
in an effort to come to an understanding with the protesters who have been holding
sit-in protests at a public road for over 60 days now. However, the difficult
process of trying to communicate with a leaderless protest that has now
burgeoned into a massive movement, hit several speed bumps on the way.The
mediators will again try to break the ice with the protesters tomorrow, as the
panel has time till Sunday before the next hearing of the SC.At the onset,
senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, who is also a member of the panel arrived hopeful
of reaching a solution through dialogue. "We have come here on the orders
of SC. We hope to speak to everyone. We hope to resolve the matter with
everybody's cooperation. We hope to speak to everyone. There are no favorites
and we hope to resolve the matter inside with everyone's cooperation,"
Hegde said. He said that the Wednesday's discussions were just a start and the
process will continue on a daily basis till 23 Feb.On Twitter, Shaheen Bagh
organisers said,"We are grateful to senior advocates Sadhana Ramachandran
and Sanjay Hegde for starting the mediation process in Shaheen Bagh main tent.
As per their guidance, we look forward to continuing this dialogue over the
coming days."Ramachandran, said that she remains hopeful of a mutually
acceptable solution to the issue.The mediators hit their first roadblock when
they approached the protest site in the midst of a huge commotion. Several
attempts to interact with the crowd appeared to fall short as the interlocutors
were unable to communicate due to the noise.After several appeals for silence, interlocutors
were able to command the crowd's attention. Hegde started off by reading out
the SC's order for protesters while Ramachandran translated the order in
Hindi.She said that she hopes that the protesters and mediators can come to a
common ground. "We will find a solution that will be an example for not
just India but the entire world," she added.Ramachandran said, "We
are here hear you out. We wish to hear everyone out. But it is important for us
to tell you that whatever may happen your right to protest will remain
protected. However, we are here because one person's right to protest should
not hinder another person's right to commute."The protesters were opposed
to this point as they asserted that school buses and ambulances have been
allowed to pass, but their "protest is also important".Another
sticking point in their efforts to interact with the protesters was when the
interlocutors tried to get the media to vacate the tent so that the mediation
process can proceed in private. However, the protesters told the interlocutors
that they want to speak to them in the presence of media.In the ensuing
confusion, most media channels shut out the live feed but reporters were still
able to send out updates via social media.Once the dialogue process started,
the women of Shaheen Bagh spoke at length about their plight and their grudges.
Some complained that the simple housewives who were speaking up for their
rights were being name called by the ruling party leaders and pro-CAA voices.
Others were disappointed because the government had made no efforts to engage
with them. Meanwhile, the protesters resolutely defended their points and
refused to vacate the protest site. When Hegde suggested that they should reach
a solution in which Shaheen Bagh can be opened, without, ending the protest, he
was met with a huge and resounding 'No' from the protesters.One of women in cried
responded, "If we get up, who will protect us from assaulters. While we
are here, nobody tried to engage with us, if we vacate this area government
will forget us completely."Hegde was touched by the points raised by
protesters. "After listening to you, I am reminded of one line, liberty
lies in hearts of people like you who walk holding constitution. You are hope
for freedom to live," he said.firstpost
Wajahat Habibullah missing from 1st meet with Shaheen Bagh protesters
New Delhi:While two of three Supreme Court appointed interlocutors
reached Shaheen Bagh on Wednesday, the third interlocutor former CIC Wajahat
Habibullah skipped meet with protesters for reasons unknown. Habibullah on
Tuesday had claimed that he had not got any official word for his inclusion in
the team of interlocutors, which is being seen as a reason for his absence from
the meet.Though he was unavailable for comments, as calls made to him went
unanswered.-IANS
Shaheen Bagh interlocutors meet protesters: What is mediation, does it
work?
No discussion on Shaheen Bagh: Kejriwal after meeting Amit Shah
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said there was on discussion on Shaheen Bagh
during his meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah. Kejriwal met Shah at North
Block today, 3 days after taking charge as CM.“Met Hon’ble Home Minister Sh
Amit Shah ji. Had a very good and fruitful meeting. Discussed several issues
related to Delhi. Both of us agreed that we will work together for development
of Delhi,” Kejriwal tweeted after the meeting.indianexpress
UIDAI says notices to 127 people in Hyderabad has nothing to do with
citizenship
After media reports and social media outburst over UIDAI’s letter to 127
persons in Hyderabad, asking them to provide documents to prove their Indian
citizenship, the central agency has now passed the buck to Telangana police. UIDAI
said that letters were issued after the police approached UIDAI’s Regional
Office in Hyderabad, reportedly stating that 127 persons have obtained Aadhaar
on false pretences and that a preliminary investigation found that they were
“illegal immigrants who were not qualified to obtain an Aadhaar number”.In a
clarification statement, the agency, which manages the data procurement for
Aadhaar in the country, said that the notices have nothing to do with the
Indian citizenship of the 127 persons and that the cancellation of Aadhaar
number is in no way related to their nationality. UIDAI, in their press
statement, claimed that media reports “were not presented in correct
perspective and Aadhaar has got nothing to do with the citizenship issue as
such”. “Aadhaar is not a document of citizenship and UIDAI has been mandated
under the Aadhaar Act to ascertain residency of a person in India for 182 days
prior to applying for Aadhaar. Also, the Supreme Court of India, in its
landmark decision, has directed UIDAI not to issue Aadhaar to illegal
immigrants,” the statement read. TNM on Monday had reported that the lawyer
representing one of the persons who received the letter from UIDAI, 40-year-old
Sattar Khan, was planning to approach Telangana High Court to challenge UIDAI’s
authority to summon citizens and question their citizenship. The lawyer had
said that the agency could only deactivate Aadhaar and did not have the legal
right to ask the person to prove their citizenship. The notice had asked Sattar
to provide original documents to prove his Indian citizenship and if not an
Indian national, to prove that he entered the country legally.Sattar Khan is an
auto driver by profession and has been a resident of Hyderabad since his
childhood, Muzaferullah Khan, his lawyer said. His family and siblings are all
residents of Hyderabad and have their ration cards and voter ID cards. “This
person is 100% Indian, his father worked with a state-owned PSU and his mother
is a pensioner,” Muzaferullah had earlier told TNM. The letters sent out to 127
persons in Hyderabad on February 3 alleged that these persons had obtained the
Aadhaar card through false pretences and they were asked to report at a hall on
Feb.20. However, UIDAI has now shifted this hearing date to May this year.UIDAI
reasoned that it may take these persons “some more time to collect the original
documents that they had submitted for obtaining Aadhaar, as informed by state
police.”thenewsminute
127 'Illegal Immigrants' in Hyd Served Notices, Aadhaar Authority
Clarifies it's Got Nothing to Do with Citizenship
In bad faith, biased exercise of powers: Owaisi hits out on Aadhaar
body’s notice to 127 in Hyderabad
Hyderabad:AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has hit out at the central
government after a row erupted over the Aadhaar authorities summoning a man in
Hyderabad and asking him to prove his 'citizenship'.Reacting to Aadhaar nodal
agency clarification that notices to 127 people have nothing to do with
citizenship, Owaisi accused UIDAI of bias and asked how many of the 127 listed
are Muslim and Dalit."First, @UIDAI has no power to verify citizenship. It
has few powers to look into some cases of Aadhaar being granted incorrectly
(rules 27 & 28)," Asaduddin Owaisi wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
Owaisi alleged that the UIDAI did not follow due procedure and abused its
powers, which he said resulted in panic among people.India Today
Defying Madras HC orders, thousands march to Secretariat in demand for
resolution against CAA
Members of Federation of Tamil Nadu Islamic and Political Organisations
gathered in front of Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai today to protest against the
CAA, The Hindu reported. The protestors gathered at the site despite the Madras
High Court order prohibiting them from carrying out a demonstration. There was
heavy police deployment in the area on Wednesday morning. The protestors sought
to march to Tamil Nadu Secretariat to press for their demand that Assembly pass
a resolution against CAA, NRC and NPR.The road to the secretariat and the War
Memorial was blocked. Traffic restrictions were enforced on Wallajah Road. The
police deployed 5 drones to monitor the situation on the road.The anti-CAA
protesters at Old Washermenpet in Chennai, who have organised a sit-in over the
last five days, said they will defy the court’s order to march to Fort St
George, which houses the Assembly. “Though support is understandably thin in
the morning, it begins to swell as the day progresses, peaking in the evening
and at night,” an organiser said. The police had baton charged the protestors
on February 14, alleging that they pelted stones. This led to protests across
Tamil Nadu the next day.Over 3,000 people took part in a march in Tiruchirappalli
on Wednesday, shouting slogans against the Citizenship Amendment Act and
asserting that they would not show their documents to government officials.
Protestors also gathered near Thoothukudi district collector’s office. A march
to the collectorate was organised in Coimbatore. A bench of Justices M
Sathyanaraya and R Hemalatha of the Madras High Court had on Tuesday issued an
injunction till March 11, restraining the Federation of Tamil Nadu Islamic and
Political Organisations and its allied associations from organising the
agitation on Wednesday, News18 reported. scroll
Chennai anti-CAA march live : Thousands march to Secretariat in demand
for resolution against CAA
Anti-CAA Chennai protest live |
Long march to Secretariat curtailed at Chepauk stadium
Amid anti-CAA protest, TN CM announces 50% subsidy for
"Ulemas" to buy 2-wheelers,hikes pension
Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami today announced a 50 per cent subsidy for
'Ulemas' to buy new two-wheelers and doubled their pension by increasing the
payout to Rs 3,000 from the present Rs 1,500.Making a statement in the
Assembly, Palaniswami said as of now Rs 1,500 pension was being given to Ulemas
such as Pesh Imam, Mothinar, Arabic teacher and Mujawar. Indigent, they had
retired after serving Waqf institutions in Tamil Nadu, he said. Ulema are the
guardians and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam."The pension for
Ulemas will be increased to Rs 3,000 from Rs 1,500," he said amid thumping
of desks. There are 2,814 Waqf institutions in Tamil Nadu and Ulemas working in
such registered entities will be provided a subsidy of Rs 25,000 or 50 per cent
of the vehicle cost, whichever is lower to buy new 2 wheelers, he said.Also,
the government will allocate Rs 15 crore for building a new 'Haj House' here in
a land that will be assigned by Tamil Nadu Waqf Board, he added.PTI
Deliberate attempt to cover up Mangaluru police excesses, pics show cops
throwing stones at crowd, HC gives bail to 21 people
Bengaluru: Noting that there was a deliberate attempt to cover up police
excesses by implicating innocent persons at whim, Karnataka High Court on Tuesday
granted conditional bail to 21 people who were allegedly involved in violence
during the protests against CAA in Mangaluru.Allowing the bail petitions of
Ashik and 20 others from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, Justice John
Michael Cunha said the overzealousness of the police is also evident from the
fact that FIRs were registered under Section 307 of IPC against the persons
killed by the police themselves.“In an offence involving a large number of
people, the identity and participation of each accused must be fixed with
reasonable certainty. In the present cases, the identity appears to have been
fixed on the basis of their affiliation to PFI and they being members of the
Muslim community. Though it is stated that the involvement of the petitioners
is captured in CCTV footage and photographs, no such material is produced
before the court showing the presence of any of the petitioners at the spot,
armed with deadly weapons,” judge noted. In the statement of objections filed
by State Public Prosecutor-I, it was stated that there was a hint of Muslim
youths holding protest on Dec 19,
opposing the implementation of CAA. Prohibitory orders were clamped in
that connection. This assertion indicated that the common object of the
assembly was to oppose the implementation of CAA and NRC which, by itself, was
not an “unlawful object”, the judge pointed out. Justice Cunha also said the
material collected by the investigators did not contain any specific evidence
regarding the presence of any of the petitioners at the spot. On the other
hand, omnibus allegations were made against the Muslim crowd of 1,500-2,000,
alleging that they were armed with weapons like stones, soda bottles and glass
pieces. The photographs produced by SPP depicted that hardly any member of
crowd were armed with weapons, except one of them holding a bottle. In none of
these photographs, police station or policemen were seen in the vicinity, the
judge noted. “On the other hand,
photographs produced by the petitioners show that the policemen themselves were
pelting stones at crowd,” judge observed.newindianexpress
Bidar Sedition Case: Students Were 'Counselled' by Police, Not
Interrogated, State Tells Karnataka HC
Bengaluru: 17 students of Shaheen School in Bidar were
"counselled" by the police and neither interrogated nor questioned as
per provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, the state told Karnataka High Court
today.Submitting the state's report, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi argued
that the petitioner had filed the case simply based on newspaper reports,
requesting the bench to dismiss the petition. He also told the court that the
police had examined a total of 17 students -- 7 students who participated in
the play and 10 who watched it. News18
Poet, editor Held Over Recitation of Anti-CAA Poem at Govt Function in
Karnataka, bail garnted
Koppal: Principal Civil (Junior Division) and JMFC Court at Gangavathi
in Koppal district granted bail on Wednesday to Siraj Bisaralli and Rajabaxi
HV, who were booked in connection with recitation of a poem that criticised CAA
and NRC at government-sponsored event last month and taken into custody on
Tuesday.Maulasab Nadaf, the judge, granted the bail to them after they executed
a personal bond for a sum of ₹50,000 with a surety for a like sum to the
satisfaction of the Jurisdictional Magistrate. Bisaralli, a Koppal-based poet
and journalist, was booked for reciting the poem at Anegundi Utsav on January 9
and Rajabaxi, editor of kannadanet.com,
for sharing the recitation on a social media platform. Bisaralli and
Rajabaxi were absconding to avoid arrest since January 24 when the case was
booked against them following a complaint by BJP Yuva Morcha general secretary
Shivakumar Arikeri. They surrendered before the court on Tuesday and moved an
interim bail. As many as 30 advocates, including Anees Pasha, R. Jagannath,
Koteshwar Rao, Srinivas Kumar, Ansad Palya and R. K Desai, appeared for the
accused. The court rejected their bail and handed them over to police custody for
interrogation for a day. They were again produced before the court at 3.30 pm
today and granted bail at about 4.30 pm. Bisaralli told The Hindu that the
State’s attempt to suppress his freedom of speech by slapping a case did not
shake him, but strengthened him further.thehindu
Kashmiri students sedition case: Opposition leaders question Karnataka
Police’s re-arrest move
Opposition leaders in Karnataka questioned BJP-ruled state government on
re-arrest of 3 Kashmiri engineering students facing sedition charges in
Hubballi city of Dharwad district. Police had arrested the students of KLE IT
first on Saturday after college filed a complaint about a video in which they
allegedly said “Pakistan zindabad”. They were released on Sunday due to
insufficient evidence, but rearrested on Monday.JDS leader Basavaraj Horatti
asked why the three were released in the first place. “Who ordered the police
to release those accused of being anti-nationals without producing them in
court?” he said in Legislative Council on Tuesday. “BJP needs to answer
this.”Congress’ Karnataka head Dinesh Gundu Rao said: “Those who raised
‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans have been released on bail, and now they have been
arrested again due to pressure from right-wing groups. Is this child’s play?’’
Rao’s party colleague and former Karnataka minister UT Khader said BJP
government in the state selectively slaps sedition cases against people. He
claimed the students were initially released as they study in a college owned
by the saffron party’s MP. Khader himself has been charged with sedition for
his speech at an anti-CAA rally in Mangaluru.scroll
Kin of Anti-CAA protest victims move court for FIR against UP police
Kanpur: Families of the victims of anti-CAA and NRC protests in Kanpur
have now approached the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate for registering
an FIR against the police.3 persons, all residents of Bubu Purwa area, were
allegedly killed during anti-CAA protest that took place in Kanpur on Dec.20
and 21, Several others were injured in the protests.The police later stated
that the deceased were not killed in police firing, but from firing carried out
by other protesters.However, CCTV footage and the post mortem reports did not
support the police statement.The local administration even issued recovery
notices to the relatives of the deceased persons and also to those who were
injured during the protest.The families of the deceased now want to register an
FIR against the police for killing their kin during the protest.Mohammad Nasir
Khan, the lawyer who filed the petition in the court, said, "The aggrieved
families first approached police for registering FIR against cops, but they
were turned down by the police."Nasir Khan said that when the police failed
to lodge the complaint, the families of those killed decided to approach the
court under Section 156/3 of CrPC, and have demanded an FIR against police
officials under Section 302 and 207 of IPC.IANS
Not a single person died of police bullet during anti-CAA protests,
claims Adityanath and says Marne ke liye aayega to jinda kaise bachega
Lucknow:Not a single person was killed by police bullets during the
protests against CAA on December 19 and 20, and those who died were killed by
the “bullets of rioters”, UP CM Yogi Adityanath stated in the Legislative
Assembly today.At least 23 people died in the violence during the protests,
most of them of bullet injuries.“Agar koi marne ke liye aa hi raha hai toh woh
zinda kahan se ho jaega [If somebody is hell bent on coming to die, how will he
stay alive],” Adityanath said. “Upadravi upadraviyo ki goliyon se hi mare hai
[the rioters died from the bullets fired by other rioters],” he claimed.The
police and the State administration “should be praised” for the work done by
them during the protests as there was no riot reported in the aftermath, he
said.thehindu
Marne ke liye aayega to jinda kaise bachega: Yogi Aadityanath on deaths
during anti-CAA protests
APW moves SC for 100% reverification of NRC process in Assam
Guwahati:Assam Public Works (APW), an NGO whose petition had led to NRC
exercise in Assam, has moved the Supreme Court for a 100% reverification of the
entire process and a probe by a judicial committee to detect discrepancies
involved in updating citizens’ register.In a fresh affidavit filed in the apex
court on Monday, APW alleged that NRC, which was published on August 31, 2019,
left out the names of indigenous persons but included many illegal
foreigners.The final NRC list had the names of four Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen
Bangladesh “jihadis”, who were arrested from Barpeta district, the affidavit
said.The arrested “jihadis”, whose names figured in NRC, were Azharuddin,
Ranjit Ali, Luit Jamiul Jamal and Muqaddir Islam, it added.In the fresh
affidavit, APW also urged that agencies such as CBI, NIA and ED be allowed to
probe alleged misappropriation of funds and irregularities in updating the
citizens’ register by former NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela.It also alleged
that Hajela and software companies engaged in updating NRC indulged in
corruption and malpractices, which made it a “useless document for people of
Assam”.According to APW estimations, around 80 lakh illegal foreigners were
included in final NRC list, he said. Moreover, the names of over 19 lakh people
have been left out of document.PTI
Fear of 'chaos' among minority groups over Clause 6 cut-off
Guwahati:Several minority groups of Assam, including AIUDF, have
expressed concern over reports that the high-power committee on implementation
of Clause 6 of Assam Accord has recommended 1951 as the base year for defining
the indigenous people of the state.The minority groups believe that if the
cut-off date of March 24, 1971, set by the Assam Accord, is violated while
defining the indigenous people of Assam, a massive “chaos” would ensue in the
state.AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam, reacting to reports swirling since
committee chairman Justice (retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma reached Delhi last week,
said such a recommendation might create more problems for the state.All Assam
Minority Students’ Union leader Azizur Rahman said many would suffer if 1951
was made the base year. “Around 35 per cent of the population will be deprived
as neither these people nor the government has sufficient records to prove that
they came or have been living in Assam prior to 1951. There will be a huge
chaos. The base year should be fixed as 1971 as those living in the state prior
to 1971 have already assimilated with the indigenous people of the state and
its language and culture,” he added.telegraphindia
Declared Foreigner, Assam Woman's Story Predicts Citizenship List Effect
Guwahati: A 50-year-old woman living in a remote corner of Assam, who
has trouble feeding her family, has been fighting a lone battle- to prove that
she is a citizen of India. Declared a foreigner by Assam's Foreigners'
Tribunal, Jabeda Begum lost the battle in Gauhati High Court and now, the
Supreme Court looks too far away.Jabeda Begum lives the remotest corner of
Assam -in Baksa district, near Guwahati. She is the only earning member of her
family - her husband Rejak Ali has been ailing for long. The couple had three
daughters, one of whom died in an accident and another one went missing. The
youngest, Asmina, is a student of Class 5.It is Asmina's future that worries
Jabeda Begum the most. With most of her meagre earning being drained by the
legal battle, the little girl sometimes goes to bed hungry. "I am worried
what will happen to them after me... I have lost hope for myself," Jabeda
Begum confided.The woman who is from Goyabari village was declared a foreigner
by Tribunal in 2018. Her regular trips for a year were in vain. The High Court,
citing one of its previous orders, declared the papers she submitted -- land revenue receipt, bank documents and
PAN card -- were not conclusive proof of citizenship.ndtv
Assam: Voter list of 4 years, land records… 15 documents can’t prove
citizenship
Assam govt body for aid to Hindu Bengali-Assamese couples, head says
nothing to do with CAA
Guwahati:A new website aims to financially support marriages between
Hindu Bengali and Assamese communities in Assam. ‘Samanvay’ (samanvayassam.com)
— launched on Sunday by chairman of Assam Linguistic Minority Development Board
(ALMDB) — is a result of the government body’s proposal to “strengthen ties”
between two communities. “It has come to our notice that several
Assamese-Bengali (Hindu) marriages take place here. These couples often face a
lot of trouble, opposition from family etc. Thus, we want to give them
financial aid — be it Rs 40,000 or Rs 50,000,” said Alok Ghose, Chairman,
ALMDB. “We have approached Chief Minister, Finance Minister and the Welfare of
Minorities and Development Minister with our proposal and are hopeful that it
will be included in State Budget 2020-21.” Annual State Budget 2020-21 is
slated to be tabled on March 4. However, Welfare of Minorities and Development
Minister Ranjit Dutta said he had not received any such proposal yet, and could
not comment further.BJP’s Ghose said he was determined to make this work, with
or without the govt’s help. Even as CAA is believed to have widened the rift
between state’s Assamese and Bengali communities, Ghose said his proposal had
“nothing to with CAA or NRC or any politics.” “We thought of it a year back,”
he said. More recently, the updation of NRC, too, has led to festering of the
wound.indianexpress
Anti-CAA protests: AASU’s is a govt agitation, says Medha Patkar
Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar today termed anti-CAA protests
being organized by AASU across Assam as a ‘government agitation.Patkar said
this after meeting Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and RTI activist Akhil
Gogoi in Guwahati Central Jail. Patkar met Gogoi along with noted social
activist Sandeep Pandey, who is the co-founder of Asha for Education. After
meeting KMSS leader, Patkar, winner of Right Livelihood Award in 1991, said,
“The government has pushed AASU in anti-CAA agitation. Akhil Gogoi has been
jailed to stop the agitation launched by the KMSS.”Speaking in the same tune,
Pandey alleged, “When I came to Assam in Dec.2018 when the anti-CAA agitation
was going on, AASU was not visible.”Pandey also said, “AASU’s stir is a
government agitation.”Patkar said, “This govt is more ruthless than British. This
fascist govt has done something which was not done even by the British
government.” Social activists demanded unconditional release of Akhil
Gogoi.nenow.in
Sharjeel Imam to be produced in Guwahati court tomorrow
JNU student Sharjeel Imam will be produced in a Guwahati court on
Thursday.Imam was handed over to Assam police custody by the Patiala House
court earlier today.Imam on Feb.13 was presented before CJM Kamrup through
video conferencing.He was later sent to judicial custody.Imam’s remark during
an anti-CAA protest sparked a major controversy and multiple FIRs were
registered against him.nenow
25 broken CCTVs in Jamia’s Rs 2.66-crore damage bill to HRD
New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia suffered damage to property worth Rs
2.66 crore during police action inside its premises on December 15 last year,
according to an estimate submitted by university to Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD). This included damage to 25 CCTV cameras worth Rs 4.75
lakh.Over last few days, several video clips from Jamia’s CCTV footage have
been released, which show uniformed personnel raining lathis on students as
well as damaging property, including hitting CCTV cameras with lathis, in
university library. Police have maintained that some of videos appear edited
and they are still ascertaining their authenticity. According to estimate
submitted by Jamia, public property worth Rs 2,66,16,390 was damaged in the
violence. The university has specified that the damage “occurred due to Delhi
Police action on Dec.15”. While the university has said security personnel
entered without permission, police maintain they were in pursuit of “rioters”
and entered the premises as a result.Just days after the violence, university
authorities had said that property damage was around Rs 2.5 crore, and that
more detailed calculations would be done. Librarian Tariq Ashraf had then said,
“Most of the damage in the library is due to breaking of glass panes. Some of
the other things damaged are CCTV cameras and tubelights, etc. But thankfully
no books or manuscripts were touched.” Indianexpress
Police action damaged 25 CCTV cameras on campus, Jamia tells MHRD
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind demands Telangana
govt to clear its stand on NPR, NRC
Hyderabad:Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Telangana and Odisha, urged Telangana
government to clear its stand on NPR and NRC, on Tuesday.It also asked the
state to move Supreme Court under the exercise of powers envisaged by the
Constitution under Article 131, to go against the implementation of bills
passed by Central Govt. Hamid Mohammed Khan, state president Jamaat-e-Islami
Hind, appreciated the move taken by the state to vote against CAB in Rajya
Sabha and Lok Sabha. It welcomed the government decision to pass a resolution
in the state assembly against CAA.“The moral values of the Constitution were
protected by the state government. The govt’s decision to pass a resolution in
the assembly is highly appreciated. Similarly, they take a stand on NPR as
well,’’said Khan. He also asked CM K Chandrashekar Rao to take serious note of
the citizen’s doubt regarding NRC and NPR.TOI
Jamaat appeals KCR to boycott NPR,NRC
Rajasthan yet to decide on NPR implementation
Rajasthan government is yet to take a call on implementing NPR in the
state, according to the officials of the directorate of census operations.
According to the directorate, the state government is yet to approve the
proposed dates for conducting the census. Directorate had proposed dates
between May 16 and June 30 for house listing and updating NPR.“We sent
reminders. Discussions are being held at the top level,” said one of the
officials, who didn’t want to be named. So far, 3 states -- Madhya Pradesh,
Kerala and West Bengal -- have told Centre that they have put NPR ‘on hold’.HT
Maoists blow up school building in Bihar's Gaya, leave behind anti- CAA
pamphlets
Suspected Maoists rebels blew up a school building in Bihar's Gaya
district and left behind pamphlets denouncing CAA-NPR-NRC and "fascist BJP
govt", a senior police official said today.Rajeev Mishra, SSP of Gaya,
said nobody was injured in the blast that razed the empty school building in
Banke Bazaar police station area late Tuesday night. A CRPF contingent was
stationed there till recently."A team of 153 Battalion of CRPF had been
camping in the area since March 18 last year when naxals had carried out an
attack ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. They had been putting up at Sonedaha High
School and shifted to their own camp in the thick of jungle nearby,"Mishra
said.Hand-written pamphlets have been recovered from the site which bear
slogans against "Brahminvadi, Hindutvavadi fascist BJP govt," and
question "occupation" of school buildings by security forces. The
pamphlets also urge people to "unite against draconian measures like CAA,
NPR and NRC", SSP added.PTI
'Those who have to go need excuses': Shahnawaz says CAA not behind
Muslim leaders leaving BJP
Indore: Against the backdrop of a string of Muslim leaders quitting BJP
in Madhya Pradesh in protest against CAA, senior party leader Shahnawaz Hussain
said those who wanted to leave need excuses.He also said that "99.99 per
cent" of BJP workers who hail from the minority community support the
CAA."CAA does not apply to 130 crore citizens of India. There is no threat
to citizenship of any Indian by this law," he said.PTI
*J&K AND S. ASIA*
UN chief applauds Pakistan, censures India during Islamabad trip; says reports
of abuse in J&K must be taken seriously: reports
During his 4-day trip to Islamabad UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres
applauded Pakistan for its peace efforts and expressed concern for the Muslims
in India. Before concluding his Pakistan visit on Wednesday, UN chief in an
interview to Pakistani paper Dawn said that he was personally concerned about
the rising discrimination against the minorities in India. The paper claimed
that UN chief said: “All the reports, including two by UN High Commissioner, in
international media, including Amnesty International, HRW and recent
fact-finding reports on Kashmir released in New Delhi, regarding torture,
sexual abuse and incarceration of children as young as 7 by Indian military”,
played an important role in “clarifying exactly what is happening” in Kashmir
and “it is essential that these reports are taken seriously”. While visiting
Pakistan’s Kartarpur Corridor constructed to facilitate the visit by Sikh
pilgrims from India, Guterres praised Pakistan for opening “a symbol of
interfaith harmony.” During his four-day trip, UN chief showed huge admiration
for Pakistan and patted Imran Khan government on its back for its peace
efforts. “For 40 years, Pakistan has sheltered Afghan refugees. I urge the
world to support host countries and show similar leadership in standing with
the refugees. The country has stood in solidarity with the refugees from
Afghanistan for 40 years, showing how generosity is not always proportional to
wealth,” he said.UN Secretary General said that Pakistan is one of most
consistent and reliable contributors to UN peacekeeping efforts around the
world. “I am closely following vital peace efforts in Afghanistan to reduce
violence, especially against civilians. By building regional consensus,
Pakistan’s role in this process remains crucial,” he tweeted. IANS/PTI
With apologies, promise of restoration, Pak govt 'hands over'
200-year-old temple to Hindus
Pakistan government has ‘handed over’ a 200-year-old temple in
Balochistan to the local Hindu community and apologised to them for its illegal
occupation since the 1947 Partition.Following a survey by All Pakistan Hindu
Rights Movement that highlighted that 408 of 428 temples at the time of
Partition “were turned into toy stores, restaurants, government offices and
schools after 1990”, Pakistan government had announced in April 2019 that in
order to promote inter-faith harmony, it would reclaim these temples and
restore them.An India Today report had said then, “From now on, 2 to 3 such
historic and heritage temple complexes will be restored by the government of
Pakistan every year.” Pakistani daily The Nation, reporting the handing over of
the temple to the Hindu community, stated, “The move – hailed by Hindu
community – comes on the heels of an Indian Supreme Court ruling last
Nov.handing over the site of historic Babri Mosque to Hindus for construction
of a temple following a prolonged legal battle.” thewire
Deported UK MP: 'no advance visa cancellation notice was sent or seen by
me'
Even as the Indian government
claimed that Debbie Abrahams’s visa was revoked before her travelling to India
and that she was informed in advance, British MP has asserted that she had not
seen or received any such intimation. Abrahams, who heads British All-party
parliamentary group (APPG) on Kashmir, was deported from India. In an interview
with The Wire from Dubai airport while waiting for her flight to Islamabad,
Abrahams said that she had not received any intimation from the Indian
government that her visa had been revoked before she left UK. “I had not got
any information on my official parliamentary address,” she asserted. Also, she
has not seen any such details if it was sent to her personal address, “as I
have been offline since February 14”.Abrahams pointed out that the visa was
obtained in her official capacity. “I had got it as part of the Greater
Manchester Mayor’s delegation to India… I did not visit finally, but the visa
was there,” said Labour MP.On the decision of the Indian government to revoke
her visa just before arriving in the country, she called the timing
‘perplexing’, coming more than 4 months after she got the visa and just a few
days before her travels. When asked why Indian government, knowing her plans,
cancelled her visa just a few days ahead of her arrival as claimed, she said,
“I have no idea”.Abrahams also noted that none of the airline staff who had
asked to her see her visa documents had expressed any concern.Her initial
written statement had given the flavour of her treatment in Delhi, where she
was marched to a “Deportee cell”. “I felt criminalised,” said Abrahams.“My
passport, which is my property, was handed over to the stewardess, who kept it
in an envelope. When we arrived in Dubai, she did not give it to me, but to the
security officials there,” said Abrahams.Even in Dubai, she was detained and
questioned by security officials as to why she had been deported from India.On
the Indian government’s contention that Abraham’s visa was cancelled as she was
working against India’s national interests, she replied, “Let’s be clear. I am
not anti-India. I have a sister-in-law who is Indian, whose cousin I was
planning to visit in Delhi. My office manager is Indian… This is absolute
nonsense”.“I have been more vocal since the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A
as I think it is a serious issue,” she stated. Abrahams claimed that it was
akin to UK deciding to “abolish the Scottish government and go back to 1992”.“I
will continue to stand for the rights of Kashmiris on both sides of LoC,” she
stated.thewire
Kashmir is 'beautiful', but not conducive for foreign investment, say
envoys after visit
When 25 envoys from Germany, France, Canada, Afghanistan, Czech
Republic, Poland, Hungary and other countries arrived in Srinagar on Feb.12 for
a 2-day visit, there were no protests even though the Valley had observed a
total shutdown day before to commemorate the death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat.
The envoys met 3 delegations in Srinagar’s Grand Palace hotel, which is next to
Hari Niwas Palace—now a sub-jail that lodges former CM Omar Abdullah, who along
with former CM Mehbooba Mufti, have been detained under the preventive
detention law.Among the envoys, Tahir Qadiry from Afghanistan was in focus for
his tweets about shikara rides, open shops and Kashmiri hospitality. “SM
(social media) is banned in Kashmir; just curious to know which VPN you are currently using?” reads a reply to
the Afghan envoy’s tweets. As the government restored 2G internet service after
nearly six months, allowing access only to a few sites—no social media—
Kashmiris have resorted to VPN for accessing Facebook and Twitter.“In our
interaction with Kashmiri media outlets, the media people seriously urged the
government to restore internet broadband as it is causing them so much problems
to report and broadcast,”Afghan envoy tweeted.According to the delegates they
met, some of the foreign envoys were curious to know about the evolving
situation since the abrogation of Article 370. When some delegates asked the
Canadian ambassador about plans to invest in Kashmir, he said, “Our government
has made huge investments in different parts of India. But I will not suggest
anyone from Canada to invest in Kashmir due to the situation being unfavourable
here.”Austrian ambassador told a delegation that any company from her country
would be hesitant to invest in Kashmir in the present situation. The ambassador
from Uganda said his country would love to invest in Kashmir, but a “secure
environment is needed” for that. Czech envoy said India should encourage business
houses from India to invest in the Valley before inviting foreign
investors.outlookindia
J&K panchayat polls deferred over security issues
Jammu :Barely 5 days after announcing by-elections to over 12,000 vacant
seats in village panchayats across Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, CEO on
Tuesday evening deferred poll process. Sources cited “security reasons” for the
move. CEO Shailendra Kumar said that by-elections have been deferred for 2-3
weeks, but he did not cite any reasons.However, sources said the decision came
after inputs from Home Department regarding security issues over the next three
to four weeks.Earlier in the day, leaders of major mainstream political
parties, aside from those from BJP, had asked the election authority to defer
bypolls in view of the continued restrictions in place in the region and the
detention of senior leaders.indianexpress
‘All is not well,’ says PDP after J-K panchayat bypolls are deferred
Srinagar: Mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have termed
deferment of panchayat bye-elections a sensible decision especially when top
leaders remain under detention but PDP said postponement indicated that all was
not well in the Union Territory. J&K Pradesh Congress President, Ghulam
Ahmad Mir told HT that the party has been raising several issues about
loopholes in the panchayat polls. “We had identified the loopholes in the
process and they were conveyed to Election Commission, but still polls were
announced last week.” “It is good the polls have been postponed. We contested
elections last time and would have contested this time, but the government
should give us level playing field.’’Mir said that Congress leaders are still
not being allowed to move freely and remain under house arrest, while a
particular group of people are being facilitated for these polls. “We can’t
understand that when general panchayat polls were held on non party basis why
should these bypolls be held on the party basis.’’National Conference
spokesman, Imran Nabi Dar while welcoming the decision to postpone the bypolls,
said that there was large scale uncertainty on ground. “It’s a sensible
decision. There is no point in contesting elections when leaders are in jail
and conducive atmosphere is missing.’’HT
Made Kasab say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ at Metro Junction: Ex Mumbai Police
chief Rakesh Maria in his book
Former Mumbai Police commissioner Rakesh Maria has claimed that he took
Ajmal Kasab to the Metro Junction in Mumbai where the latter had killed police
personnel during the 26/11 attacks and made him say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. He
also said that Kasab was taken to a mosque in the city to show that Muslims
could freely practice their faith in India.In his autobiography Let Me Say It
Now released on Monday, Maria wrote: “The convoy came to the Metro Junction,
the stretch around which the monster had unleashed death just a few days ago,
killing my dear colleagues and innocent fellow citizens… ‘Bend down and touch
the ground with your forehead’,I ordered Kasab. Spooked, he meekly followed my
instructions. Now, say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, I commanded. ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’,
said Kasab. Not satisfied with just once,I made him repeat it
twice.”indianexpress
Was saffron terror plot combined project of Congress, ISI, asks BJP on
Maria's revelations
New Delhi: BJP has slammed the Congress over ex-Mumbai police
commissioner Rakesh Maria's claim that LeT planned to project 26/11 attack as a
case of Hindu terror, saying it raised questions whether the "saffron
terror plot was the combined project of Congress and Pakistan's
ISI".Taking on Congress over the claim, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao
said that for first time in the history of Islamic terrorism the perpetrators
have attempted to mislead people about their identity."This raises serious
questions if the saffron terror plot was the combined project of Congress and
Pakistan's ISI. Around the same time, UPA coined the saffron terror tag and
Rahul Gandhi told US diplomats that India's homegrown groups are a greater
threat to the country then Islamic terror groups," he said.PTI
Chinese ship detained in Gujarat port nearly slipped away to Pakistan
Kandla:Chinese ship, detained in Kandla port for wrongly declaring an
autoclave which can also be used in the manufacture of missiles as a dryer,
almost managed to leave Indian shores on the intervening night of February 4
and 5 for its final destination, Port Qasim in Karachi, Pakistan.On Monday that
the merchant vessel (MV) Da Cui Yun had been detained by Indian customs
officials at Deendayal Port, formerly known as Kandla Port, for allegedly
carrying an autoclave, and also mis-declaring it.Customs officials seized the
suspect cargo from the vessel, which flies a Hong Kong flag, on Monday even
though crew are still on board.HT
*OTHERS*
Ram Mandir Trust elects office-bearers, PM's ex-principal secy Nripendra
Misra to oversee construction committee
New Delhi: Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was elected president and Champat Rai
general secretary of Ram Temple trust at its first meeting here on
Wednesday.The meeting, held at the residence of senior lawyer K Parasaran, also
elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's former principal secretary Nripendra
Misra as the head of the temple construction committee of the Shri Ram
Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust.The meeting was aimed at working out modalities
to speed up the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. It was also decided
to open an account in Ayodhya's State Bank of India branch for donations for
the Ram temple construction, Chanmpat Rai told reporters after the
meeting.Swami Govind Dev Giri of Pune was appointed treasurer of the trust at
the meeting.Among those present were the central government representative,
additional secretary in Home ministry Gyanesh Kumar, UP government's
representative Avinash Awasthy and Ayodhya District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha.
The trust was set up by the central government.PTI
Ram Mandir Trust Holds First Meet, Construction Date to be Announced in
Fortnight
Cracks appear between right-wing groups hours before Ram temple trust
meet
Hours before very first meeting of Ram Janmabhoomi trust in Delhi, a
controversy has erupted. Hindu Mahasabha has alleged that VHP, RSS and BJP have
"occupied" trust through present government. Calling the present
formation of the trust as "unfair", Hindu Mahasabha Chief Swami
Chakrapani said he is "hurt"."From 1949 we have been fighting
for this cause. We were a party to the case. Other Hindu organisations too
worked for it. But when the Supreme Court gave it's verdict and tasked the
government to form a trust, VHP and Sangh occupied it. This is
unfortunate," he alleged. He added, "The government didn't feel the
necessity to call all the stakeholders and thank them for the role they played
or ask for their suggestions."IANS
Ayodhya: Ram Lalla idols to be shifted out of makeshift temple
Ayodhya: Idols of Ram Lalla which are kept at the sanctum sanctorum of a
makeshift temple here will be shifted as construction of the Ram temple will
begin from the site, Ram Janmabhoomi temple’s chief priest said on Tuesday.
Idols will shifted to a place 200 metres away from makeshift temple, priest
Acharya Satyendra Das said.“The construction of the Ram temple will begin from
‘Garbh Grih’ (sanctum sanctorum),” he said.PTI
We’re not treated very well by India: Trump indicates no major trade
deal on card during Delhi visit
Almost a week ahead of his India visit on Feb.24-25, US President Donald
Trump Tuesday said he is “saving the big deal” with India for later and he
“does not know” if it will be done before the presidential election in
November.“We can have a trade deal with India. But I’m really saving the big
deal for later. We’re doing a very big trade deal with India. We’ll have it. I
don’t know if it’ll be done before the election, but we’ll have a very big deal
with India,” he said. His statement clearly indicated that a major bilateral
trade deal might not be on the cards this time.However, US and India could sign
a “trade package” during the visit, according to PTI.In an apparent
dissatisfaction over US-India trade ties, Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra
Modi but said they were not treated well by India. “We’re not treated very well
by India. I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot,” Trump said.“He told me
we’ll have seven million people between the airport and the event. And the
stadium, I understand, is sort of semi under construction, but it’s going to be
the largest stadium in the world. So it’s going to be very exciting… I hope you
all enjoy it,”US president added.US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer,
point-person for trade negotiations with India, might not accompany Trump to
India. However, officials have not ruled it out altogether.Meanwhile,
cumulative US-India trade in goods and services ($110.9 billion) for first
three quarters of 2019 increased 4.5 per cent with US exports and imports growing
at 4 per cent and five per cent respectively. indianexpress
Modi backtracks on free-trade vow with import curbs in India:Bloomberg
Indo-US trade deal not stuck, India in no rush to sign pact: Govt
sources on Donald Trump comments
New Delhi is not in a rush to sign a trade deal with Washington, sources
in the Indian government said on Wednesday hours after US President Donald
Trump indicated that an Indo-US trade deal might not materialise during his
visit here next week. Responding to Trump's comments, sources in the Indian government
said Delhi, just like Washington, is seeking a "mutually beneficial
deal". "[We] don't want to rush into a trade deal. It is complicated.
We are working on a big trade deal," the sources said.indiatoday
India approves $2.6 billion plan to buy US naval helicopters: Report
India’s cabinet has approved a plan to buy US naval helicopters, a
government source said on Wednesday, without giving details.Reuters reported
this month that India was likely to give final approval to a $2.6 billion deal
for Lockheed Martin helicopters ahead of a visit by US President Donald
Trump.Reuters
Indian employees likely to get worst appraisals in 2020 in a decade:
survey
The employees working in India are likely to get the lowest hike in
salary in a decade, according to a recent survey by Aon Plc.The survey also
revealed that the attrition rate among Indian employees increased a little from
15.8% in 2018 to 16.1% in 2019, caused by involuntary layoffs.Aon Salary
Increase Survey 2020 stated that Indian employees are likely to get an average
salary hike at 9.1% in 2020 which is the lowest since 2009 when the hike was
recorded at 6.6%. The average salary hike first went down after 2011 when
average annual salary hike peaked by 12.6 %. Despite drop in 2020, 2 out of 5
companies in survey showed a double-digit increase in the annual income hike
expecting a positive economic outlook.nationalheraldindia
Queue of most jobless people in India: Twitterati to Trump; 650 persons
in every metre of space?
Manmohan :Govt Does Not Acknowledge the Word 'Slowdown', Corrective
Action Unlikely
New Delhi: Attacking the Modi government on the state of the economy,
former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said the current dispensation
does not acknowledge the word "slowdown" and the real danger is that
if problems are not recognised, then finding credible answers to take
corrective action is unlikely.A ddressing a gathering at the launch of Montek
Singh Ahluwalia's book "Backstage", Singh said the former planning
commission deputy chairman has written about the good as well as the weak
points of UPA government. "I think these issues will be debated and should
be debated because we have today a government that does not acknowledge that
there is such a word as slowdown. I think this is not good for our
country," Singh said.PTI
Govt plan to amend law to link Aadhaar to voters’ list is on track, EC
told
New Delhi:The law ministry is finalising its note on Election Commission
of India proposal to link Aadhaar with voters’ list, a move expected to weed
out duplicate entries and help migrant voters exercise their franchise even
when they live outside the constituency where they are registered as voters,
people familiar with the development said.The ministry communicated this to
senior ECI officials during deliberations held on Tuesday with Chief Election
Commissioner Sunil Arora and election commissioners, Sushil Chandra and Ashok
Lavasa.At meeting, CEC Sunil Arora also stressed on the need to fast-track 40
proposals pending with the latter for electoral reforms, some date back to
2004-05.On the proposal to link the electoral list with the 12-digit biometric
number, the law secretary is said to have given a favourable opinion and
assured ECI that a cabinet note would soon be prepared to change the two laws -
Representation of People’s Act and Aadhaar law. No time-frame was stated by the
ministry officials.HT
Activist seeks thorough probe in CBI judge Loya’s death
A group of citizens on Tuesday demanded a thorough inquiry into the
death of special CBI judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya in 2014.The group has
written a letter to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, seeking a time-bound probe
into death of Loya.Loya, who was hearing the high-profile Sohrabuddin Sheikh
fake encounter case of Gujarat, died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December
1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's
daughter.Social activist Ashok Pai, addressing a press conference on behalf of
the group, also demanded proper compensation for the judge's family, saying he
was on an "official" tour.PTI
CVC selection process corrupted as a member of selection committee was
also applicant:Congress leader
The selection process for appointing the next Central Vigilance
Commissioner (CVC) waded into controversy after the Opposition pointed out that
a member of the search committee for CVC post was also an applicant and was
even shortlisted for it.Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan
Chowdhury, alleged that Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar was a member of the
search committee and turned out to be an applicant for the CVC. Later, Kumar
was even shortlisted for the post of CVC by the search committee which also
included Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba and DoPT Secretary C
Chandramouli.Centre on Tuesday gave a green flag to Secretary to President of
India Sanjay Kothari’s name for CVC post, besides appointing Bimal Julka as the
next CIC, even after the objections from the opposition leader
Chowdhury.Kothari is a 1978-batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre and retired as
DoPT secretary in June 2106. CVC’s post was lying vacant since June 2019.nationalheraldindia/
Indian express
Court pulls up CBI for not conducting lie detector test on Asthana
A special court today pulled up CBI for not conducting a lie detector or
psychological test on its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana in an alleged
bribery case.The court, which had earlier in the day asked the agency to submit
the case diary for examination, also enquired about previous investigating
officer, Ajay Kumar Bassi. CBI submitted that Bassi had been transferred to
Port Blair, but he was currently in Delhi. He was taken off the case after the
then agency chief, Alok Kumar Verma, was shunted out.The next date of hearing
has been fixed for February 28.thehindu
JNU sedition case: Delhi Police reminds Delhi govt on giving prosecution
nod
Delhi Police has written to Delhi government, reminding it about about a
pending request for sanctions to prosecute ex-JNU Students' Union leader
Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and others in a sedition case. Kumar and others
were booked for seditions over anti-India slogans that were allegedly chanting
at an event at the JNU in 2016.Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet accusing
Kumar and others of sedition. The cops are awaiting permission from Delhi
government on prosecuting the case.Earlier today, a Delhi court directed the
Delhi government to file a status report till April 3 on the issue of sanctions
to prosecute Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a sedition case.CMM Purushottam
Pathak also directed Police to send a reminder to city government seeking
requisite sanctions to prosecute Kumar.The court passed the directions after
police submitted that permission to prosecute Kumar and others has not been
granted yet and the letter requesting sanction is pending with the Delhi
government.India Today
Police probe into JNU violence nears end, chargesheet soon
About one-and-a-half months after
the violence on JNU campus, Delhi Police sources say they have started winding
up the probe. Over a hundred people have been questioned and the police are in
the process of working out the final sequence of events, based on different
versions given to them. Sources said a chargesheet will be ready soon for
filing.JNU authorities are, however, yet to complete their parallel
investigation into the violence. Registrar Pramod Kumar said the committee
formed to investigate the January 5 incident has had one meeting so far “and
will have a few more meetings before they submit the report to the
administration”.An officer said that all the people involved, including
outsiders who figured in a TV channel sting, were called for questioning and
their versions recorded.TOI
BJP MLA booked for raping woman in Uttar Pradesh
Bhadohi:An FIR was lodged against BJP MLA Ravindra Nath Tripathi and 6
others here today for allegedly raping a woman repeatedly for a month in 2017,
police said.The woman, 40, lodged a complaint on February 10, they said.She
also claimed that she got pregnant and was forced to undergo abortion, he
said.PTI
Madhya Pradesh: 8 Christians acquitted of forced conversion and
kidnapping charges
A sessions court in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam town on Tuesday acquitted 8
Christians accused of kidnapping 60 children for fraudulent religious
conversion. The case dates back to May 22, 2017 when they were escorting 60
children from Adivasi Christian families to a religious retreat in Nagpur,
Maharashtra. They were detained by the railway police in Ratlam, who registered
a case of kidnapping and forced conversion against them.One of the accused was
a minor – 15 years old – when he was arrested. He had been charged under
Juvenile Justice Act. Another claimed to be 17, though the police charged him
as an adult. The police had released the children within three or four days,
and two women in 11 days, but the rest got bail only at the end of
August.scroll
Karnataka MLAs’ late-night meeting triggers speculation of rebellion in
BJP
Close on the heels of Cabinet expansion, some senior disgruntled MLAs of
BJP appear to have raised banner of revolt against CM B.S. Yediyurappa.Some of
the party’s old-timers met at residence of senior leader and Industries
Minister Jagadish Shettar in Bengaluru on Monday night to express their
displeasure with the “functioning style” of Yediyurappa.This comes days after
an anonymous letter was released seeking replacement of Yediyurappa citing
alleged age-related health issues. But the disgruntled leaders are learnt to
have decided against precipitating the matter till March-end as they do not
want the budget session to be affected.thehindu
Kerala: Protesting Congress workers serve beef curry outside Kozhikode
police station
Kochi :Workers from Kerala unit of Congress Tuesday served beef curry
and bread outside the Mukkam police station in Kozhikode district. This was in
protest of Kerala Police Academy’s decision to drop beef dishes from its
canteen menu.Academy Director B Sandhya, ADGP, however, said the decision was
taken to provide healthy food to police trainees, and that there were no
political or social connotations.She called controversy a “media creation”.
“Not only beef, but mutton is also not included in the new menu issued. The
menu was prepared according to the directions of the dieticians,” she said.The
row erupted weeks after the Kerala Tourism department tweeted a photograph of
local delicacy ‘Beef Ularthiyathu (beef fry)’, with a link to the recipe on its
website. Indianexpress/PTI
Kerala: Muslim couple marries off their foster Hindu daughter in temple
ceremony
A family in a village in Kerala held the wedding of their daughter with
the usual pomp and traditional rituals. When 22-year-old Rajeswari’s wedding
was fixed with Visnuprasad, her parents wished for a very simple thing. They
wanted it to be held in a temple where they could enter and witness the
wedding.Bhagwati Temple in Kanhangad in Kasaragod district opened the doors for
the proud parents—P Abdullah and Khadeeja—on Sunday. Besides many Muslim and
Hindu families, several leaders of Muslim League and BJP—including its Kasargod
district unit secretary A Velaydhan—were also present during the
ceremony.Abdullah and Khadeeja had brought Rajeswari into their homes when she
was 10 years old.HT
Matrimonial disputes: 2 Masjid officials asked to appear in MP
Jabalpur:MP High Court has directed 2 functionaries of the Darul Qaza
Masajid Committee in Bhopal to appear before it on Wednesday to explain why
they continue to hear matrimonial disputes despite the court's order against
the practice. A division bench of Justices Sanjay Yadav and Atul Sreedharan was
on Monday hearing a contempt petition filed by Bhopal-based social activist
Mohammad Waseem Khan.The HC directives restricting the committee from hearing
matrimonial disputes came on a PIL filed in 2009 by Mohammad Zahir Khan Koti,
petitioner Mohammad Waseem Khan's counsel Mohammad Adil Usmani told PTI.The HC
directed the committee's secretary SM Salman and Qazi Mushtaq Ali Nadvi to
appear before it on Wednesday in the contempt case to explain why they
continued to hear matrimonial disputes, including issues related to divorce and
maintenance, Usmani said.PTI
Burqa is an essential part in Islam: AIMIM leader Waris Pathan
AIMIM leader Waris Pathan on Monday said that the burqa is an essential
part of Islam and that no one forces Muslim women to wear it. However, Twitter
trolled the former MLA for his comment.It started with a tweet from author
Taslima Nasreen.Pathan slammed Nasreen for her statement. AIMIM leader said
that she should change her name and let people know that she was no longer a Muslim
by her religious practice. He tweeted, "Madam you first of all change your
name and let people know you are no longer a Muslim by your religious
practice.He added, "Burqa (HIJAB) is an essential part in Islam which our
mothers & sisters wear it by their own concern no one force them. You are
slave of those people who hate us."freepressjournal
*WORLD*
Erdogan threatens 'imminent' Turkish operation in Syria
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch an operation
in Syria's Idlib region by the end of the month if Damascus fails to withdraw
behind Turkish military positions."An operation in Idlib is
imminent," Erdogan told his party's legislators in Parliament on
Wednesday. "We are counting down, we are making our final
warnings".Russia - the Syrian government's main ally in the nearly 9-year
war - responded by saying any Turkish offensive against Syrian forces in Idlib
would be the "worst scenario"."If we are talking about an
operation against the legitimate authorities of the Syrian Republic and armed
forces of the Syrian republic this would, of course, be the worst
scenario," said Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, adding Russia and
Turkey were staying in contact to prevent tensions escalating further.Ankara,
which backs several rebel groups in northwest Syria, has been outraged since
recent Syrian government attacks in Idlib province killed 13 Turkish military
personnel in two weeks.Erdogan said talks with Russia over the last remaining
rebel stronghold in Syria had failed to end in agreement and warned a military
operation was just a "matter of time".He said Turkey was determined
to make Idlib a secure zone "no matter the cost", even as talks
continue with Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's
forces."We will not leave Idlib to [Syrian] regime, which does not
understand our country's determination, and to those encouraging it," said
Erdogan.About 900,000 people have been forced from their homes and shelters in
less than three months, including some 500,000 children, since Syrian
government troops renewed the offensive on the region.Erdogan's announcement
comes a day after dire warnings by United Nations officials who warned of a
humanitarian disaster in northwest Syria. Nearly 300 civilians have been killed
in attacks this year in the region, with 93 percent of the deaths caused by
Syrian and Russian forces, according to UN's human rights chief.aljazeera
Flights land at Aleppo airport for first time in 8 ys
Syria’s Aleppo International Airport has resumed civilian flights for
the first time in almost nine years, with the first inbound flight from the
capital, Damascus, landing today. Earlier in the day, Syrian Tourist Minister Bishr
Al-Yazigi and Transport Minister Ali Hammoud officially re-opened the airport
to the public.The second largest terminal in Syria was opened after recent
military victories by the Syrian army with the help of Russian air force which
reclaimed the entire countryside of Aleppo in addition to exerting complete
control over main Damascus-Aleppo Highway from Turkish-backed opposition
groups. middleeastmonitor
Russia carries out ‘more than 120’ air strikes against Aleppo
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed on Tuesday that Russian jet
fighters have carried out more than 120 air strikes against Aleppo in just one
week, Egypt’s Youm 7 newspaper has reported.The rights group also said that
Syrian regime forces have widened their operations in the rural areas
surrounding the city. The regime forces, the group explained, fired rockets
towards several areas targeted by the Russian jets. According to Youm 7, the
Syrian regime has expanded its operations in Aleppo, taking several villages
around the city after forcing the Levant Liberation Committee and other
opposition groups out of the area.
To distract 4-yr-old daughter, a Syrian father teaches her to laugh
every time a bomb drops
Salwa, a 3-year-old girl from the Northwest Syrian province of Idlib,
has only ever known war. But thanks to her father, now when she hears the sound
of a bomb, she laughs.In a video that has gone viral on social media, Salwa can
be seen seated on a sofa with her father. “Is that a plane or is it a shell?”
the father asks. “A shell,” Salwa
responds. “It'll fall now, and we can laugh," he adds.As the sound of a
blast fills the video, toddler jumps into laughter and father encourages her,
laughing along. "That's funny, right? A shell?" he says with a smile
on his face. As Salwa looks the other way, his smile fades away. 32-year-old
Abdullah al-Mohamed, who along with his family had been forced to flee from his
home in Saraqeb, said he devised the private game to help his daughter overcome
her fear after bombings intensified in Dec.outlookindia
Somalia: Al-Shabab fighters attack military bases
Al-Shabab has attacked two Somali military bases using an
explosive-laden vehicle driven by a suicide bomber along with dozens of
heavily-armed fighters.At least 12 Somali soldiers were killed in the attack on
Wednesday, and the attackers briefly captured a base southwest of the capital,
officials said, underscoring the group's ability to launch attacks despite a
government offensive.aljazeera
Sanders: US cannot 'ignore the needs of the Palestinian people'
Senator Bernie Sanders says the United States must be
"pro-Palestinian" as much as "pro-Israeli" and described
the Israeli government as "right-wing" and
"racist".Speaking during a meeting in Nevada on Tuesday, Democratic frontrunner
for US presidency said: "To be for the Israeli people and to be for peace
in the Middle East does not mean that we have to support right-wing, racist
governments that currently exist in Israel".Sanders also spoke about the
humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip, where the youth unemployment
rate is about 70 percent."Take a look at what's going on in Gaza right
now. You got youth unemployment, 70 percent, you know people can't even leave
the area," he said.aljazeera
Israel plans settlement on land Trump earmarked for Palestine state
Israeli housing ministry filed a request on 9 February for the
construction of 9,000 houses in occupied East Jerusalem, on land marked as
Palestinian in US President Donald Trump’s “deal of the century”, watchdog
Peace Now reported.If approved, the homes will be built on land between the
Palestinian neighbourhoods of Kafr ‘Aqab, Qalandiya and Al-Ram in East
Jerusalem, and on the site of the Atarot Airport, which has been out of use
since the Second Intifada in 2000.middleeastmonitor
Afghan presidential poll: Ghani declared winner
Incumbent President Ashraf Ghani has been declared the winner of
Afghanistan's presidential election, almost 5 months after the voting took
place amid a low turnout due to the threat of violence and concerns over
electoral fraud. Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced that Ghani
garnered 50.64 percent of the vote on Sept.28 of last year, beating Chief
Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who secured 39.52 percent of votes. Later,
Abdullah contested the final results and pledged to form his own parallel
government.Originally scheduled to be announced on Oct.19, the results were
repeatedly delayed, with IEC officials citing technical issues, allegations of
fraud and protests from candidates. Following the announcement of results,
Ghani appeared among supporters in Kabul, where he emphasised the importance of
peace talks with the Taliban, saying his winning team will bring peace to the
country."It's time to make Afghanistan united," he said, urging the
armed group to participate in the democratic process. Aljazeera
Afghan runner-up bars electoral officials from leaving country
Kabul, Afghanistan - Afghan leader Abdullah Abdullah has issued a decree
barring all election commission workers from leaving the country a day after he
was declared runner-up in the presidential elections. Independent Election
Commission (IEC) announced on Tuesday that incumbent President Ashraf Ghani won
the election but Abdullah contested the much-delayed results.Abdullah, who
still serves as the country’s chief executive, also announced the establishment
of his own government on Tuesday precipitating a political crisis at a time
when the US and Taliban armed group are on the verge of striking a peace
deal.According to Abdullah's campaign team, the order was issued after reports
of election commission workers trying to flee the country, with what they claim
was assistance from the presidential palace.Despite declaring the formation of
an "inclusive government", Abdullah's decree came from the Office of
the Chief Executive, the post he was given as part of an agreement reached with
Ghani in 2014 following allegations of widespread fraud and corruption in those
polls.The order has raised fresh concerns ahead of a planned reduction in
violence between the Taliban, and the US and Afghan forces, which is slated to
take effect next week, and would be the first step towards bringing Afghan and
Taliban officials together to discuss potential peace for the first time since
2001.aljazeera
Saudi Govt Daily claims MB Founder Hassan Al-Bana Worked For Nazis: MEMRI
report
The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Muslim Brotherhood (MB) escalates
day by day. As part of this conflict, the Saudi media is waging a media
campaign against the organization and the countries that support it, that is,
Qatar and Turkey. Thus, on Feb.14, Saudi
government daily 'Okaz published a lengthy feature article, headlined "The
Nazi Brotherhood," about MB founder Hassan Al-Bana's and Jerusalem mufti
Haj Amin Al-Husseini's connections with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi leadership
during World War II.memri
Ivanka Trump Sparks Outrage on socail media For Wearing Hijab During Her
Visit To Mosque In UAE
US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka wore a hijab during her
visit to UAE and many accused her of showing “fake support” to Muslim
community. Images of Ivanka, also a senior adviser to the President, wearing a
hijab while visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque sparked backlash
online.Ivanka arrived in UAE to deliver a keynote address at the two-day Global
Women’s Forum in Dubai. During the keynote address, she boasted about American
women leading in every aspect of society but the images of her visit to the
mosque created a stir online and she was slammed by critics as well as Trump’s
supporters.Trump supporters said that Ivanka should have protested and taken a
stand against hijab instead of trying to appease Muslim leaders. They opined
that it was “major mistake” to wear hijab even if she did it inside a
mosque.republicworld
Coronavirus outbreak: Death toll in China reaches 2,000, number of cases
fall for second day
New coronavirus cases in the Chinese province at the epicenter of the
outbreak fell for a second straight day, but deaths rose after WHO had
cautioned there was not yet enough data to know if epidemic had slowed.Hubei
reported 1,693 new cases as of Tuesday, down from 1,807 the previous day and
the lowest number in the province since February 11. But deaths rose by 132, up
from 93 the previous day. The latest figures bring the total number of cases in
China to over 74,000 with about 2,000 deaths.The head of a leading hospital in
China's central city of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated,
died of the disease, becoming one of the most prominent victims since the novel
virus first appeared at the end of last year.Reuters
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
India has long granted citizenship to refugees; CAA is just a step
towards a Hindu Rashtra:Maansi Verma
How Trump Visit Could Leverage CAA And Kashmir Against PM Modi:Maya
Mirchandani
Even if we disagree with Sharjeel Imam’s statements, it is important to
stand up for his right to speak:Apoorvanand
Shocking ‘words of wisdom’ from Indian gurus and Hindutva brigade:
Gulfnews
Shaheen Bagh is a movement for democracy and peace, the protesters shun
extremist ideology, writes AMU professor Syed Raza
Watch | A Makeshift School at Shaheen Bagh is Keeping Children
Engaged:Haris Jeelani Toogo
With Notices to 'Illegal Immigrants', UIDAI Raises 2 Key Questions
When will India's economic slowdown end?Prabhash K Dutta
'We Look to Our Leaders for Moral Clarity': An Open Letter to Arvind
Kejriwal:Rohit Kumar
Assam government decision on madrasas and ‘tols’ creates a row:Ashis
Biswas/IPA
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released
at: 6:10 PM).
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