NEWS DIGEST, EVENING
27 Feb. 2020:
02 Rajjab 1441: Vol: 12, No: 143
*DELHI VIOLENCE*
Death toll at 38, SITs formed to probe delhi clashes, 130 arrested
New Delhi: Two SIT have been formed to investigate the rampant violence
in parts of Delhi over the contentious citizenship law since Sunday that has
left over 38 dead and over 200 injured.SIT's will be lead by two Deputy
Commissioners who, with their teams, will investigate the relentless violence
that has consumed northeast Delhi since Sunday. Unruly mobs armed with sticks,
stones and guns have been roaming the streets defying police orders vandalising
property and attacking residents of the area.Over 130 people have been arrested
so far and 48 FIRs filed in connection with the violence, which Delhi police
say, is now under control. Delhi police, which reports to the Home Ministry,
has come under severe criticism for delay in action in filing FIRs was also
hauled up by the High Court.Alleging a large-scale conspiracy behind the
violence, police sources said over 50 mobile phones seized from the accused
indicated both groups of rioters may have used WhatsApp to incite violence and
organise themselves. The violence, which has left several neighbourhoods
looking like war zones, also led to the postponement of CBSE board exams for
four days in the northeast and other affected areas.ndtv
Delhi Violence: Death Toll at 38, Two SITs Formed to Probe Cases
SIT to probe violence, death toll
now at 38
4 burnt mosques in 48 hours show Delhi riots are about religion, not CAA:
HuffPost India
New Delhi;As graphic images of crowds of men rioting in the national
capital lit up social media platforms this week, one particular clip stood out:
A shaky cellphone video of a man planting a saffron flag atop the minaret of a
mosque in Ashok Nagar, a neighbourhood in northeast Delhi.For generations of
Indians, both Hindu and Muslim, the image immediately evoked the iconic 1992
image of RSS karsevaks atop the dome of Ayodhya’s Babri masjid, shortly before
moque was destroyed.This week’s attack on the Masjid Maula Baksh mosque in
Ashok Nagar, barely weeks after the BJP suffered a landslide defeat in Delhi
state elections, has crystallised what is seen as a now well-trodden path for Modi
and his home minister Amit Shah.On Wednesday, as the city continued to burn
albeit on a lower flame, HuffPost India visited riot-hit neighbourhoods to find
rioters had burnt and vandalised at least 3 mosques and one shrine, or mazaar,
in Ashok Nagar, Gokalpuri and Chand Bagh. Maulana Baksh mosque and Chand mosque
in Ashok Nagar, the Jamia Arabia Madinatul Uloom mosque in Golakpuri, and the
mazaar in Chand Bagh. This is not an
exhaustive list; a report in The Wire noted that a fourth mosque had been burnt
in Mustafabad. The Wire was the first publication to confirm the attack in
Ashok Nagar. The attacks on the mosques make clear that, irrespective of
impression that the clashes in the national capital were between those in
support of or opposition to the controversial new CAA, violence still simmering
in New Delhi has assumed shape of an outright communal riot. These attacks on
religious sites concretely establish how repeated speeches and incitement by
ruling BJP has turned CAA and rumours of a proposed NRC as a means to whip up
Hindu sentiment against spectre of foreign Muslim infiltrators, at a time when
economic growth has ground to a standstill and Modi government looks
increasingly short of answers.“We feel like there is a death in the family,”
said Naseeruddin whose father built Maulana Baksh mosque in Ashok Nagar in
memory of Naseeruddin’s grandfather.7 shops around Maulana Baksh mosque were
also looted and set on fire. On the evening of Monday, a rioting crowd attacked
Jamia Arabia Madinatul Uloom mosque in Gokalpuri —a km from Gokalpuri metro
station.Kareem Khan, a businessman who fled Gokalpuri next morning, said
rioters attacked the mosque once on Monday evening and then returned in the
night to wreak more destruction. Till it was torched, Jamia Arabia Madinatul
Uloom mosque built in 1978 was a touchstone for the local Muslim population who
called it the Jannati masjid. When HuffPost India visited Gokalpuri on
Wednesday morning, the mosque’s delicate marble inlay work is still visible on
the scorched facades, while a saffron flag of conquest planted by the rioters
still fluttered near its dome. Chand mosque built in 1986 is one of two mosques
near Qureshi’s home in Ashok Nagar. The other is Masjid Maula Baksh built in
1974 — the vandalism of which was caught in the now viral video. Both mosques,
Ashok Nagar residents say, were attacked around same time. All that is left on
the inside are blackened walls and hundreds of charred pages from burnt copies
of the Koran.M. Kamrauddin, who lives behind Masjid Maula Baksh in Ashok Nagar,
said that he lost track of how many times he called Jyoti Nagar Police Station
and begged for help. The mob, he said, attacked Masjid Maula Baksh, then shops
around the mosque, including a saloon, a shoe shop and a mobile phone shop, and
then the Muslim homes in the locality.
‘Targeted for being Muslim’: Inside mosque burnt by rioters in worst
Delhi violence for decades:The
Independent UK
3 mosques targeted, school burnt, shops & homes looted: indianexpress
US commission on religious freedom says Delhi violence targeting against
Muslims
Washington:US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has
said that Delhi violence in which over 30 people were killed, was specifically
targeted against the Muslims.Expressing "grave concern over the ongoing
violence taking place in Delhi", USCIRF in a statement said that as
President Donald Trump''s inaugural visit to India winds down, North-East Delhi
has been rocked by deadly rioting, with reports of violence and mobs
specifically targeting Muslims."These incidents are even more concerning
in the context of efforts within India to target and potentially disenfranchise
Muslims across the country, in clear violation of international human rights
standards," USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava said. "According to
reports, several mosques have also been set alight or vandalized. Many Muslim
residents have been forced to flee the area. This unrest comes in the wake of
widespread protests against CAA."The brutal and unchecked violence growing
across Delhi cannot continue," Bhargava said adding that the Indian
government must take swift action to ensure the safety of all of its
citizens."Instead, reports are mounting that the Delhi police have not
intervened in violent attacks against Muslims, and the government is failing in
its duty to protect its citizens."USCIRF Chair Tony Perkins said the
ongoing violence in Delhi and the reported "attacks against Muslims, their
homes and shops, and their houses of worship are greatly disturbing".One
of the essential duties of any responsible government, he said, is to provide
protection and physical security for its citizens, regardless of faith."We
urge the Indian government to take serious efforts to protect Muslims and
others targeted by mob violence."In its annual report last year, USCIRF
classified India as a "Tier 2" country for engaging in or tolerating
religious freedom violations that meet at least one of the elements of the
"systematic, ongoing, egregious standard for designations as a
"country of particular concern (CPC)", under the International
Religious Freedom Act.IANS
Delhi violence: India rejects criticism by US religious freedom panel,
calls it misleading
India has rejected the comments made by United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom about the violent clashes in Delhi, calling
them factually inaccurate and misleading. Ministry of External Affairs, said
the comments made by the commission, as well as by sections of the media and “a
few individuals” appeared to be “aimed at politicising the issue”. Ministry
spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that law enforcement agencies and senior govt
representatives were trying to normalise the situation. “We would urge that
irresponsible comments are not made at this time,” he said.scroll
BJP organising secretary threatens to interfere in US election, then
deletes tweet
While US citizens and institutions are worried over Russian interference
in US Presidential election, a senior RSS leader and BJP’s General Secretary (
Organisation) B.L. Santhosh has held out a threat to influence the election in
favour of Donald Trump.The threat was tweeted by Santhosh following the acerbic
tweet by one of Democratic Party aspirants for the US Presidency, Bernie
Sanders, who is indeed the front runner in the Democratic Primaries. Sanders,
an avowed socialist, had criticised Trump for negotiation defence contracts for
US firms while in India, pointing out that the two countries could have far
more profitably found areas of agreement to fight climate change.Sanders
followed it up with another sharp tweet criticising Indian Prime Minister Modi
and the US President for ignoring the Delhi riots.nationalheraldindia
UN rights chief expresses 'great concern' over CAA, reports of police
inaction, urges leaders to prevent violence
Geneva:UN human rights chief on Thursday voiced “great concern” over
India’s amended citizenship law and reports of “police inaction” in the face of
communal attacks in Delhi, urging political leaders to prevent violence.
Updating the ongoing 43rd Session of Human Rights Council in Geneva on human
rights developments around the world, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Michelle Bachelet also spoke about the situation in J&K. She said CAA
adopted last year by India’s Parliament was of “great concern”. “Indians in
huge numbers, and from all communities, have expressed - in a mostly peaceful
manner - their opposition to the Act, and support for the country’s long
tradition of secularism,” she said. “I am concerned by reports of police
inaction in the face of attacks against Muslims by other groups, as well as
previous reports of excessive use of force by police against peaceful
protesters.“This has now widened into broader inter-communal attacks, with 34
people killed since Sunday. I appeal to all political leaders to prevent
violence,” said the former Chilean president. In her statement on Jammu and
Kashmir, Bachelet said some political leaders had been released and ordinary
life may be returning to normal in some respects in the region.She, however,
said as many as 800 people were reportedly in detention, including political
leaders and activists. “Schools, businesses and livelihoods have been disrupted
by the continued heavy military presence, and no steps have been taken to
address allegations of excessive use of force and other serious human rights
violations by security forces,” she said. “Indian government has partially
restored mobile and internet services, after an important decision by the
Indian Supreme Court, but authorities continue to impose excessive restrictions
on the use of social media,” she said in her statement. PTI
UN chief 'very saddened' by casualties in Delhi violence
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is "very saddened" by
the casualties in the communal clashes in northeast Delhi and calls for maximum
restraint for violence to be avoided, his spokesperson said.Guterres' spokesman
Stephane Dujarric during a daily briefing in UN said, "He's very saddened
by the reports of casualties following the protests in Delhi, and as he has
done in similar circumstances, he calls for maximum restraint and for violence
to be avoided."Dujarric was responding to a question on whether the
Secretary General has any comment on the riots in parts of New Delhi and if he
has communicated with the Indian Government.Earlier, Dujarric had said that
Guterres is closely following the situation in New Delhi and stressed that
demonstrators should be allowed to demonstrate peacefully and security forces
should show restraint.PTI
Turkey President Erdogan Denounces "Massacres" Committed
Against Muslims In India
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan
hit out Thursday against "massacres" of Muslims in India after
communal violence in New Delhi."India right now has become a country where
massacres are widespread. What massacres? Massacres of Muslims. By who?
Hindus," President Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara.He accused the
mobs attacking Muslims of hurting children studying in private tuition centres
with "metal sticks as if to kill" them."How will these people
make global peace possible? It is impossible. When making speeches -- since
they have a large population -- they say 'we are strong' but that is not
strength," Erdogan added.AFP
OIC asks Modi govt to book perpetrators of anti-Muslim violence in Delhi
New Delhi: Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) today condemned the
violence in New Delhi in the last few days.In a statement, OIC said it
"condemns the recent and alarming violence against Muslims in India,
resulting in the death and injury of innocent people and the arson and
vandalism of mosques and Muslim-owned properties".Calling the violence
"heinous", the organization extended its condolences to the families
of the victims. OIC asked Modi government to bring the "instigators and
perpetrators of anti-Muslim violence to justice and to ensure the safety and
security of all its Muslim citizens and the protection of Islamic holy places
across the country".IANS
Delhi violence: India asks OIC not to ‘make irresponsible statements’
India has condemned the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for its
criticism of the Delhi violence and its allegation of discrimination against
Muslims. “The statements which have come out of OIC are factually inaccurate,
they are selective, they are misleading,” Ministry of External Affairs
Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. “There is an effort on the ground, to restore
normalcy, to create confidence. We urge these bodies not to indulge in
irresponsible statements at this sensitive time.”scroll
'Failure Of Leadership': Bernie Sanders On Trump's Delhi Riots Response
A day after US lawmakers reacted sharply to violence in the Indian
capital, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders accused US President
Donald Trump of failing on the issue of human rights.Slamming US president,
Sanders said Trump's statement regarding the violence in New Delhi during his
India visit was a "failure of leadership". Asked about incidents of
violence during his India visit, US president had said, "As far as the
individual attacks, I heard about it, but I didn't discuss that with him
(Modi). That's up to India."Reacting to the issue, Sanders on Wednesday
tweeted, "Over 200 million Muslims call India home. Widespread anti-Muslim
mob violence has killed at least 27 and injured many more. Trump responds by
saying 'That's up to India'. This is a failure of leadership on human
rights."Sanders is second Democratic presidential nominee after Senator
Elizabeth Warren to speak against violence over CAA in New Delhi. Apart from
the Democratic presidential candidate, other influential senators too expressed
concern over the developments on Wednesday."We are alarmed by the recent
violence in New Delhi. We continue to support an open dialogue on issues of
significant concern in order to advance our vital long-term relationship,"
Senator Mark Warner from Democratic Party and John Cornyn from GOP said.PTI
Protests in US cities against Delhi violence
Washington:Protests have been planned in the 4 US cities of Chicago,
Atlanta, San Francisco and New York on Friday against the violence in New
Delhi.The protests have been organised by a group named South Asian Students
Against Fascism under the banner of "Emergency! Stop State Sanctioned
Violence in India", American Bazaar said in the report.Participants will
gather in front of Indian Consulates in the four cities.The organising group
calls itself a movement of South Asian students who are together in the fight
against fascism, religious intolerance and polarization.-IANS
Hollywood Actor John Cusack Condemns Delhi Violence, says “This is fascism'
Apart from Bollywood celebrities commenting on violence in Northeast
Delhi, Hollywood actor John Cusack has also tweeted reacting to the same. He
shared a video an injured man, and wrote, “This is fascism - while trump modi
declare they themselves the state - Delhi burns. Savage crackdown widens - no
achievable goal except humiliation and terror -@IndiaAboriginal:
@LastWeekTonight See what happened in India.”In another tweet, he shared a
picture of a news article and wrote, “I know- @fjriwlpq: Hey @johncusack this
is what's happening in India right now #DelhiRiots.”Apart from the two tweets,
2012 actor shared multiple tweets by journalists and news organisations, about
the violence erupted in the capital.
US, France, Russia issue alert for their citizens in Delhi
US, France and Russia have issued a security alert for their citizens in
the national capital after violent clashes in North-East Delhi in the last
couple of days.US Embassy in New Delhi in its security advisory asked the US
citizens in India to "exercise caution in light of violent
demonstrations" in North-East Delhi and "avoid all areas where
protests are being held".After the US, France and Russia also issued similar
security advisories to their citizens who are presently in India.IANS
Hindu American Foundation seeks arrest of those behind Delhi violence
New Yor:Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has condemned the violence in
Delhi that resulted in deaths and the destruction of places of worship and
called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible regardless of their
religious affiliation."We urge all those making inflammatory statements to
take stock of the destructive impact of their words and cease," HAF
Executive Director Suhag Shukla said."We strongly condemn the violence,
loss of life, and destruction of places of worship in India this week. There is
no religious, historical, or political justification possible for what is
happening in New Delhi," she said.IANS
'They brought batons inside the mosque': Victims recount Delhi's worst
sectarian violence in decades:CNN
New Delhi:Abdul Samar was praying at a mosque in the northeast of
India's capital on Tuesday evening when protesters stormed in brandishing
weapons, attacking worshipers and setting the building ablaze.The mob descended
on the mosque in Ashok Nagar neighborhood of New Delhi chanting praises to a
Hindu deity, Jai Shri Ram, before beating up the imam and killing the muezzin,
who was leading the call to prayer, Samar told CNN."They brought batons
and stones inside the mosque and the people outside had guns as well. We had to
stop praying and run away," Samar, whose eye was severely injured in the
attack, said.Protesters hoisted a saffron flag, associated with Hindu far-right
groups, from the mosque's blackened minaret. The flag was only removed
Wednesday morning after a CNN team asked police why it was still hanging
there.Eyewitnesses told CNN that angry mobs targeted Muslim areas overnight on
Tuesday, burning and looting homes and shops. Authorities deployed tear gas to
disperse crowds, as protesters hurled stones and set surrounding property on
fire, according to police. Lawyer Suroor Mander said that pellet bullets were
also used by police.Khurseed Alam, a rickshaw driver who lived next to the
mosque in Ashok Nagar, said that Modi's campaign promises of a prosperous
future have proven empty. His family home, where he lived with 10 of his relatives,
was burned by the mob, along with 3 other Muslim homes and neighboring
shops.Asana Begum was hiding with several other families in a nearby house as
the mob tore through the area. She said that policemen eventually took them to
safety, but when they returned home, nothing was left.
Amid Delhi violence, a Hindu bride weds in a Muslim neighbourhood
New Delhi: As deadly clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups rocked
parts of Delhi this week, the family of a young Hindu woman living in a
Muslim-majority area was forced to cancel her wedding.Dressed in her wedding
finery, her hands laced maroon with henna and her skin cleansed with turmeric,
23-year-old Savitri Prasad said she was weeping in her home as violent mobs
battled outside on Tuesday, which was to have been her wedding day.But
Savitri's father then organised the wedding for the following day, saying his
Muslim neighbours were family and he was comforted by their presence."My
Muslim brothers are protecting me today," Savitri told a Reuters team that
visited the house on the day of the ceremony, breaking down again as her family
and neighbours comforted her.The rituals took place at Savitri's home, a small
brick building in a narrow alley in the Chand Bagh district. Steps away, the
main street looked like a war zone, with cars and shops vandalised, a Muslim
shrine torched and the area littered with rocks used in pitched battles between
mobs on both sides.Her father Bhoday Prasad said he has lived in the area for
years alongside Muslims without any trouble.Muslim neighbours gathered to offer
blessings as the groom arrived and the wedding rituals took place, with a Hindu
priest reciting holy verses and the groom and bride taking the rounds of a
small pyre set up inside the house."We live peacefully with our Hindu
brothers," said Aamir Malik, who was standing guard with several other men
outside the home. "We are everything for them. It's been like that. We are
here for them.""Today, none of our relatives could attend my
daughter's wedding," said Bhoday Prasad. "But our Muslim neighbours
are here. They are our family."manoramaonline
Akali Dal MP Gujral Writes To Delhi Police Commissioner, Says Police
Didn’t Act On His Complaint
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner
Amulya Patnaik and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, accusing the Delhi
Police of inaction while dealing with complaints during the violent clashes in
northeast Delhi.Gujral said police took no action on his request for assistance
to 16 Muslims who were trapped inside a house near Gonda Chowk in Delhi’s
Maujpur on Wednesday night, while a mob was trying to break in.“I immediately
called 100 to lodge a complaint, and gave the police officer the phone number
of the gentleman who called me. I explained the urgency of the situation and
told the operator that I am a Member of Parliament. At 11:43 pm, I received a
confirmation from Delhi Police that my complaint had been received along with
reference number 946603. However, much to my disappointment, no action was
taken on my complaint and those 16 individuals received no assistance
whatsoever from the Delhi Police,” Gujral wrote.Gujral, whose party is a BJP
ally, said the 16 Muslims managed to escape only because some Hindus came to
their rescue."If this is the situation when a MP makes a complaint
personally, it is not surprising that certain parts of Delhi continue to burn
while police stands by apathetically," he wrote.outlookindia
The map shows riots broke out in areas where BJP won in Delhi Assembly
elections
The deadly Delhi riots that have claimed so far 30 lives and witnessed
the loss of property, looting, arson and unprecedented religious violence in
the capital city in the last many decades, has a direct correlation with the
political ambitions of the saffron party, feel observers.After four days of
mayhem, while normalcy seems to be returning to the ground, it has come to the
fore that North-East Delhi which has a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims,
and where people have lived in harmony for decades, the BJP won maximum seats
in the recently concluded Delhi Assembly election.Out of the 7 seats that BJP
won in the election, five seats fall in the northeast region of the city – the
epicentre of communal riots, across the Yamuna river. No wonder, observers feel that there is a
direct correlation between the BJP’s victory and the communal riots in the
area.The map given below is enough to establish a relation between the two. The
saffron points in the map of Delhi depict the seats BJP won the election from
and the black dots in the adjacent map show areas worst hit by the communal
violence.nationalheraldindia
'The Biases Are Clear, I Am Afraid For My India': Student Who Covered Delhi
Riots
Day after Justice S Muralidhar transferred, Delhi High Court adjourns Delhi
Riots case till 13 April
Just hours after the central government summarily transferred Justice S
Muralidhar to the Punjab High Court, A Delhi High Court Bench comprising Chief
Justice DN Patel and Justice Hari Shankar adjourned the matter till 13 April.
This despite lawyer Colin Gonsalves pleading for an order directing police to
register FIRs against politicians who made hate speeches.On Wednesday, on his
last day in the Delhi High Court, Justice Muralidhar had directed the Delhi
Police to inform the court within a day on the filing of FIRs of politicians
guilty of making hate speeches. They included BJP leader Anurag Thakur, Parvesh
Verma, Abhay Verma and Kapil Mishra.On Thursday, setting all arguments made by
Gonsalves aside, the Delhi High Court gave four weeks of time to the Centre to
file a counter affidavit in the present matter. Gonsalves, according to Livelaw
website, said that 10-12 people were dying every day adding that a closer date
would be appreciated.Making a desperate plea, Gonsalves had said, “Please don’t
wait even for a day. Kindly order for registration of FIR. The question of
arrest can be decided tomorrow.”Justice Muralidhar on Wednesday had made
scathing observations against the Delhi Police and Solicitor General Tushar
Mehta, for the deteriorating law and order in Delhi where 25 people have been
killed in the ongoing riots.
jantakareporter
HC Judge Who Pulled Up Delhi Police Over Riots Shunted Out by Modi Govt
Justice Muralidhar transfer: Rahul Gandhi remembers Judge Loya, Priyanka
calls it shameful
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday said it was “sad
and shameful” that Justice S Muralidhar of the Delhi High Court was transferred
to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.“The midnight transfer of Justice
Muralidhar isn’t shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly
sad & shameful. Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright
judiciary, the government’s attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith
are deplorable,” tweeted Priyanka Gandhi.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi,
meanwhile, tweeted: “Remembering the brave Judge Loya, who wasn’t
transferred.”nationalheraldindia
Rs 10 lakh for kin of deceased, Rs 5 lakh for those who lost homes:
Kejriwal announces relief package
Delhi Chief Minister today announced that Rs 10 lakh each will be
provided to the kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the
minors who died in the Delhi violence.Rs 5 lakh each will be given to those who
have been permanently disabled and Rs 2 lakh each will be given to those who
were severely injured. People who sustained minor injuries will be given Rs
20,000 each.Delhi government said that Rs 3 lakh each will be given to those
who have been orphaned in the Delhi riots.Arvind Kejriwal said that a sum of Rs
5 lakh each will be provided to those whose houses were completely burnt. Rs 1
lakh each will be given to tenants for their lost belongings and Rs 4 lakh each
to the house owners. Rs 2.5 lakh each will be given to those whose houses have
sustained substantial damages but not burnt down completely.Kejriwal said that
Rs 5 lakh each will be given to those whose shop have been gutted and Rs 25,000
each as immediate relief to those whose homes have been totally destroyed.If a
person has lost an animal in the Delhi riots, they will be given Rs 5,000 for
every animal they have lost.Rs 25,000 each for damages to rickshaw has been
promised by the Delhi government along with Rs 50,000 each for damages to
e-rickshaws."Delhi government to bear expenses of treatment of those
injured in riots and admitted to private hospitals," Kejriwal
said.indiatoday
At Delhi’s Shiv Vihar, Hindu family protect Muslims from Hindutva mob
violence
Muslim families who were hiding in houses of Hindu families at Delhi’s Shiv
Vihar to save themselves from anti-Muslim violence of the Hindutva mob since
Tuesday were rescued and admitted to Hospitals in the northeast Delhi.Maktoob
met a family who was protected by their Hindu neighbor from Hindutva mob
violence. Asif’s family was rescued from Shiv Vihar on Wednesday night by a
group of students. Their house was torched. They were hiding in a Hindu
family’s house for the past two days. Hindutva mobs have attacked the house
once they came to know Muslims were hidden in the house. They had a narrow
escape.Rescuers say the insufficiency of forces delays help for affected
families.maktoobmedia
The wire Ground Report: In Mustafabad, Delhi Riots Sow Seeds of Distrust
Between Hindus and Muslims
New Delhi: The streets of Mustafabad bore a deserted look on Wednesday.
Paramilitary troops and Delhi police personnel aggressively pushed onlookers
back to their homes, even as a cloud of gloom pervaded the locality. It was
clearly a curfew-like situation; shops were shut, most of them had anyway been
burnt, people were worried about their food stock getting over. That tension
was palpable would only be an understatement. Hindus and Muslims, who have
stayed together in harmony for years, have suddenly become extremely fearful of
each other.Mustafabad, adjoining Brijpuri, Shiv Vihar and Bhagirathi Vihar, on
the Loni border in northeast Delhi were few of the worst riot-affected areas.
The scale of damage to property and lives has been much more than some of the
other localities that witnessed mob violence. At the Mustafabad-Brijpuri
crossing, a mosque, named locally as Farooquiya masjid, which also functioned
as a madrasa for orphans, had been set ablaze by a mob that rampaged through
the colony on Tuesday evening. The acrid air was of the least concern for most
residents who stood outside the mosque’s premises in shock and grief.thewire
Calculated Chaos: The Delhi Riots Are Exactly What CAA Is About:Ajay
Gudavarthy
A mob out for blood: India's CAA protests pit Hindus against
Muslims:Reuters
New Delhi: Mohammad Zubair was on his way home from a local mosque in
northeast New Delhi when he came across a large crowd. He turned towards an
underpass to avoid the commotion; it proved to be a mistake.Within seconds, he
was cowering on the ground surrounded by more than a dozen young men, who began
beating him with wooden sticks and metal rods. Blood flowed from his head,
spattering his clothes. The blows intensified. He thought he would die.Zubair
provided his version of events at a relative's home in another part of the
capital, his head wrapped in bandages."They saw I was alone, they saw my
cap, beard, shalwar kameez (clothes) and saw me as a Muslim," Zubair told
Reuters.Reuters witnesses at a local hospital spoke to both Hindu and Muslim
victims who were injured in the violence.An unconscious Zubair was eventually
dragged to safety by fellow Muslims who came to his aid after throwing stones
to disperse his attackers."I was thinking 'I'm not going to survive
this'," he recalled. "I was remembering my Allah."Reuters
Delhi Violence: Hindu man battles for life after saving 6 Muslim
neighbours from mob
New Delhi: Since 3 days Delhi is under the scanner of communal riots
over the past few days, which initially started as a clash between pro and anti
CAA groups. Amid all the mayhem, there were some who came in support of each
other despite the caste, religion.A Hindu man saved the lives of his six Muslim
neighbours when an unruly mob set their house on fire. When Premkant Baghel saw
his Muslim neighbour’s house being set ablaze he stepped out to help them. He
said the Hindu-Muslim communities live in harmony in Shiv Vihar but the riots
brought out a different side.Miscreants threw petrol bombs and set Muslim homes
on fire. As soon as Baghel got to know about the incident, he went out to save
the lives of people trapped inside the burning house.Baghel put his own life in
danger and saved the lives of six of his neighbours. He suffered injuries
saving his friend’s aged mother who was trapped inside in fire.As per reports,
even as Baghel saved several lives, no one offered a vehicle to take him to a
hospital. The neighbours called an ambulance but the medical vehicle never
reached them. Baghel spent the entire night at his house with 70 per cent burns.In
the morning, he was taken to GTB Hospital, where he was given immediate medical
attention.newsd.in
Delhi violence: AAP leader Tahir Hussain releases video, denies role in
IB officer’s death
AAP leader Tahir Hussain has claimed innocence in a statement of
clarification after allegations were levelled against him for perpetrating
violence in a locality in North East Delhi.Allegations against Hussain emerged
after the body of IB officer Ankit Sharma was found from a drain in North East
Delhi’s Chand Bagh locality.In a video posted on Twitter, Hussain claimed that
news about his involvement was “false and politically motivated”. “Since Kapil
Mishra’s hate speech, the situation in Delhi has deteriorated, with stone
pelting and violence taking place,” he said. “The same happened here [at his
residence] the day before yesterday.” He claimed that a mob had broken the gate
of his office, and climbed onto the building’s roof to carry out the
attacks.Hussain said that he made repeated calls to the police who arrived
after a few hours, and conducted a thorough search of the building. AAP leader
said that police officials asked him and his family to take shelter somewhere
as the building was prone to further attacks. “I don’t know why the police
later moved its force away and then once again the mob returned to launch
attacks from there,” he said. “I am very distressed by what has happened and
want you to know that I am a peaceful Indian Muslim and will always work for
the country and to further Hindu-Muslim relations. Please believe me.”AAP
leader Sanjay Singh defended Hussain on Thursday. “Tahir Hussain has already
given his statement in which he said that he gave all details to police and
media about mob entering his house during the violence,” Singh told ANI.
Police conduct raids to nab Tahir
Hussain, book FIR
After conducting multiple raids at AAP leader Tahir Hussain's house,
Delhi Police has booked an FIR against him under Section 302 (murder), arson
and violence. The case registered in Dayalpur police station and Delhi Police's
Crime Branch will investigate the matter further. The leader, however, said he
has no role in the violence and is innocent.indiatoday
AAP's Tahir Hussain Denies Involvement In Killing Of IB Staffer, Demands
Impartial Probe
Defiant Kapil Mishra Puts Blame On AAP's Tahir Hussain For Delhi Riots
Delhi violence: Mob beats up Muslim rickshaw driver in Ashok Vihar after
asking him his name today
A Muslim e-rickshaw driver, identified as Salman, was accosted and
beaten up by around 50 men on Thursday morning in Lal Bagh in Ashok Vihar area
of Delhi. The accused beat up the victim after asking him his name.“I was
standing in Lal Bagh market,” Salman said. “A boy came up and asked me my name.
I said my name is Salman. The men began to beat me with sticks. I pleaded with
them to let them go, but they locked me up in a room.”Salman said that he
managed to escape from the room by breaking open the door. He said the men then
asked him to bring a knife. He brought the knife and the men made him hold it
in his hand, making him bleed.Salman, who spoke to Scroll.in at a hospital,
received 52 stitches on his head and six in his leg. The e-rickshaw driver said
he was going to get married on March 21.Scroll.in
Broken desks, burnt books, half-charred boards tell sordid tales of
vandalised schools in Delhi:PTI
New Delhi:"Welcome to a very happy school" reads a
half-charred board at a private school in Brijpuri area of North East Delhi
which is now home to broken desks and burnt books after it was vandalised
during the violence. Arun Modern Senior Secondary School, which is over 32
years old, looks no less than a cemetery, say officials, who claim the damage
is estimated to be over Rs 70 lakh."While I am yet to recover from what
has happened at the school, my biggest relief is that children were not in the
premises when this happened. I do not even want to imagine what would have
happened if that was the case," school principal Jyoti Rani told
PTI.Bhisham Sharma, the owner of the school, said the rioters burnt books worth
Rs 70 lakh.Shaheen, parent of a class 7 student of the school said, "Why
did the rioters have to burn down a school which educates students? They are
burning everything else and could have spared schools. What about the children
who are awaiting their final exams? Their year-long effort will go
waste."At Rajdhani Public School in Shiv Vihar, few student bags, crayons
strewn over, half-burnt models that were part of a recently held exhibition and
cut-outs from Republic Day celebrations last month, are among the remains while
the entire library has been burnt.Similar heart-wrenching scenes can be
witnessed in DPR School in the same area.
Testimonies Of Brotherhood From Delhi Neighbourhoods Marred By Clashes:NDTV
Criticism of police grows after mob violence kills over 30 in Delhi:
washingtonpost
Delhi violence: Countrymade guns from West UP, weapons of all shapes
used in riots
New Delhi:The people killed in the Delhi riots over Feb 24 and 25, and
the injured being wheeled in to hospitals in the city, have wounds caused by
bullets, sharp blades, stones, drill bit, blunt objects and burns, doctors at
GTB hospital and Jag Parvesh Chandra hospital said.At least 14 died of gunshot
wounds.The kinds of wounds people have, and eye-witnesses accounts from various
riot-hit spots in north-east Delhi, point to how the mobs that led the communal
riot were heavily armed-- with countrymade pistols, swords, hammers, sickles,
baseball bats, sticks and large stones.Police suspect that the countrymade
pistols used in the clashes may have been brought to Delhi from parts of
western Uttar Pradesh. HT interviewed several masked rioters Monday and Tuesday
who claimed to have come from Uttar Pradesh -- largely areas such as Shamli and
Muzaffarnagar. "Every illegal pistol used in Delhi is smuggled in from
outside,” said a mid-level police officer stationed in Jafrabad who asked not
to be named.Police records also show that criminal gangs in north-east Delhi
have easy access to weapons. According to cases busted by the police as
recently as December, a countrymade pistol is available for ₹3,000-5,000 in
parts of western Uttar Pradesh, such as Meerut, Shamli, and Muzaffarnagar.
Automatic pistols in these same areas are available for ₹15,000-20,000 per
piece.HT
Delhi violence: Akal Takht chief asks gurdwaras to offer all possible
help to victims
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Wednesday asked gurdwaras in
Delhi to offer all possible help to victims of the violence that has engulfed
parts of the city since Sunday.Condemning the violence, Singh said “the
principle of Sikhism is to take care of any victim who comes for help”. “The
situation in Delhi is serious and so the managements of all Sikh gurdwaras in
Delhi should help the victims of violence in this time of grief, irrespective
of their religion...” he added.scroll
Delhi Riots: Advocates, Scholars, Priests at Mumbai Meet Blame BJP
Leaders for Violence
Mumbai: Representatives of various communities on Thursday blamed a
clutch of BJP leaders, including Union minister Anurag Thakur, for the communal
riots in Delhi. They gathered here to condemn the communal violence in the
national capital over CAA and seek action against the culprits.The
representatives, who announced formation of an alliance against CAA-NRC-NPR,
said besides Thakur, Delhi BJP leaders like Kapil Mishra and Parvesh Verma were
responsible for the mayhem. All three BJP leaders have been accused of giving
hate speeches.Advocate Rakesh Rathod, a representative of the Vanjara
community, said, "The people of Delhi ignored hate and voted for the Aam
Aadmi Party in the name of development (in just held polls). "The Sangh
parivar could not accept this and as a result Delhi is burning in the fire of
hate. We demand that top police officials be suspended and tried in
court."Sachin Kamble of the Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha organisation,
demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister
Amit Shah in the wake of the Delhi riots.Islamic scholar Maulana Ejaz Kashmiri
said, "The Delhi riots are a form of terrorism and rioters are terrorists.
If the country is to develop, riots need to end. Ravi Kumar Stephen, a
Christian priest, expressed solidarity with the riot victims.PTI
National Council of Churches extends help to those in need in Delhi’s
violence-affected area
National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) has condemned the dastardly
attack on the vulnerable and the weak in different locations of northeast Delhi
and appealed to the Churches and Christian Organisations in the vicinity of the
affected areas to respond appropriately to those in need.NCCI released a
statement while expressing the distress on the loss of lives saying “Humanity
has been knocked down one more time. Our houses burnt. Our kindred killed. Our
peace destroyed, and future betrayed. We have not learnt from our past. In what
happened in parts of New Delhi, our national capital, we have been brought down
to ashes once again.”nationalheraldindia
Govt should ensure peace is restored: RSS on Delhi violence
Nagpur :The government should ensure that peace is restored in Delhi,
RSS general secretary Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi said here on Thursday. Joshi
also said nobody has the right to take the law into their hands. “The
government should instill peace in areas where there is ‘ashanti’ (unrest),”
RSS functionary said.PTI
In aftermath of Delhi riots, selfless doctors and good Samaritans at
Al-Hind hospital in Old Mustafabad set example for authorities
Al-Hind hospital, a small clinic with one ward and only fifteen beds, is
open to the victims of riots in the Old Mustafabad region of northeast Delhi.
Initially run as a small clinic, the hospital has now opened up another floor
to accomodate victims. Run by MA Anwar, a local doctor from Mustafabad, the
hospital has admitted over 500 patients within the first two days of riots breaking
out in the northeastern districts of the National Capital. In the absence of
beds, the hospital has arranged for carpets and plastic sheets for
patients.Mustafabad is a Muslim dominated area surrounded by Hindu dominated
areas on all sides such as Bhajanpura, Dayalpura and Gokulpuri. Since the riots
broke out over three days ago, Anwar, who runs the hospital, says he has not
slept. "I hadn't anticipated this kind of thing would happen here. I have
been living here for the past ten years, and nothing communal has happened
before. It's small hospital and we are ill-equipped to handle such a high
casualty rate. I haven't slept in the past two days because I am constantly
attending to patients," Anwar said.According to Anwar, 75 percent of the
patients came with severe bullet and pellet injuries. The rest had suffered
head injuries due to stone pelting in the area.firstpost
Hindu or Muslim?’ Kolkata youths escape mob through sheer luck
“Hindu ya Mohamedan?” For 2 Kolkata youths driving back to Delhi,
instant anger at this question, thrown at them from someone in an armed mob,
quickly turned into fear... fear of getting lynched, trapped inside their car.
Their interrogator had taken away the ignition key, and the mob was baying for
their blood, hurling invectives and trying to get inside.It was sheer luck that
another person gave them back the car key. “Bhago!” he told them. They did.The
duo — businessmen who are childhood friends — was driving back to Delhi after a
holiday in Uttarakhand, when they got caught in mob violence near the UP-Delhi
border on Monday evening. For a few minutes, they stared death in the face.
They managed to escape, but the memory of what happened — and what almost
happened — is terrifying.‘It was like the WhatsApp forwards we get... but it
was terrifyingly real’.My friend Kalim Ahmed from Darga Road and I had gone on
a trek to Nag Tibba off Musoorie and were to return to Delhi on Tuesday,”
recounts Yousuf Anis, 34, a resident of Topsia near Park Circus. “But Kalim felt
unwell on Sunday and we decided to return the following day. There was poor
cellular network in the hills, so we had no idea about the communal flare-up in
Delhi,” he said.TOI
*anti-CAA,NRC-NPR stir*
Bihar assembly passes resolution for caste-based Census in 2021
Bihar Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution for the
second time in just over a year favouring a caste-based census in 2021.Speaker
Vijay Kumar Choudhary made the announcement in the assembly during the
pre-lunch session."... This is an appropriate time when the House should
convey its sentiments to the authorities concerned for a caste-based census...
The proposed census 2021 be conducted on caste basis," Choudhary said.He
said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had made a proposal for a similar resolution
during the debate on adjournment motion on Tuesday on CAA, NRC and NPR in the
assembly, which found support from all other political parties in the House.PTI
KCR decides to put NPR work on hold in Telangana
Hyderabad: The State government
would put on hold NPR work for the time being. It would move a resolution in
the Legislative Assembly urging Centre to implement the old format of NPR,
instead of the revised one proposed for 2020 Census. Sources close to Chief
Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that TRS govt was against the new format of
NPR. Along with a resolution against CAA in Assembly, another resolution
suggesting the Centre to dispense with the new format of NPR too would be
adopted in the forthcoming budget session of the Legislature, the sources said.
The State can take up the census for 45 days between March 1 and Sept.30. Given
this, the government, which has opposed CAA, also wants to buy some time to
take up NPR work. It may be mentioned here that the States like West Bengal and
Kerala have decided to put NPR work on hold.TS too would follow suit, the
sources said. Though the States cannot stop the NPR work, the move to stop all
the activities with regard to NPR would bring some pressure on the Centre to
make some modifications in the new NPR format, the sources added.A senior IAS
officer issuing orders to carry out NPR work when TS has decided to put it on
hold has irked the govt. According to sources, the officer was shunted out of
GAD some time ago. Newindianexpress
NSS survey mistaken for NPR in Hyderabad, surveyors recalled by
officials
Hyderabad: A segment of National
Sample Survey’s (NSS) 78th round being conducted in the city on Wednesday was
met with apprehension from residents who have been on their toes since the
controversy regarding NPR came to the fore. When surveyors reached Old Malakpet
area in the city, locals opposed them saying that there was already a “bad
atmosphere in the country due to CAA-NRC-NPR”. “You very well know the current
atmosphere prevailing in the country. Do you not see the news? Who will give
you information at such a time?” a resident asked surveyors in a video being
circulated on social media. While the surveyors explained that it was not
related to NPR, the man was adamant in his denial to cooperate. “There are
protests everywhere. It will take two to three months for things to become
normal,” the resident is heard saying in the video. Newindianexpress
Two anti-CAA activists arrested by Delhi police were tortured in
custody, allege family members
At least two activists from Delhi’s Khureji Khas area, who were arrested
from an anti-CAA protest site on Wednesday afternoon, have been physically
tortured in judicial custody, according to their family members. They have also
been booked for rioting, attempting to murder a police official, and possessing
and using firearms, which their families and other protesters claim are false
and unsubstantiated charges.The activists, Ishrat Jahan and Khalid Saifi, had
been at the forefront of the Khureji Khas sit-in protest against the
Citizenship Act since it began on January 13. While Ishrat Jahan is a lawyer
and former municipal councillor from the Congress party, Saifi is a businessman
and a well-known local activist with a non-profit platform called United
Against Hate.Both were produced before a magistrate at 10 pm on Wednesday,
along with a third arrested activist, Sabu Ansari. They were then remanded to
14 days of judicial custody in Mandoli jail, where the alleged custodial
torture took place.“When they were produced in court, Khalid was in a
wheelchair with bandages on both his legs,” said Nargis Saifi, Khalid Saifi’s
wife. Ishrat Jahan, meanwhile, had bandages on her hand. “They were both
perfectly healthy when they were arrested, and my husband told me he was
tortured a lot in jail.”According to Nargis and Ishrat Jahan’s sister, Sarwer
Jahan, both activists were at their respective homes at around 1 pm on
Wednesday when they received urgent calls from some protesters present at the
site.scroll
Activist Khalid Saifi, Detained From Khureji Protest Site, Charged With
'Attempt to Murder'
Video Shows Police ‘Breaking CCTV’ Near Khureji Protest Site
No going back on CAA: Union Law Minister Prasad
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar
Prasad on Thursday said there is no question of going back on CAA, but the
government will try to convince people opposing it."After all, why
shouldn't the persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and
Afghanistan be given citizenship in India?" Prasad asked."There is no
question of our going back on the CAA," the minister asserted.PTI
Fight will continue till rollback of CAA, NRC,NPR: Kanhaiya
Patna:CPI leader and ex president of JNSU Kanhaiya Kumar today asserted
that fight for saving constitution would continue till Narendra Modi withdraws
CAA and makes an announcement for not taking any step in contravention of the
spirit of the constitution.Mr Kumar, while addressing a rally at historic
Gandhi Maidan here, after the culmination of "Jan Gan Man" started on
Jan. 30 which covered several parts of the state, said that Modi government had
demolished democratic setup of the country and rolled outlaws like CAA which
was against the spirit of the constitution. It was really a matter of pride
that people from all sections of the society participated in the fight against
CAA, NRC and NPR and women remained at the forefront he added.UNI
CAA, NRC, NPR divisive but we shall show papers:Tripura Jamiat Ulema
Agartala : CAA, NPR and NRC as ‘kala kanoon’ or black law, Tripura state
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Thursday said these laws are tearing up the secular fabric
of India. The organization’s leaders, however, said its members would show
papers during the forthcoming NPR exercise.State Jamiat chief Mufti Tayebur
Rahman said new queries added in the NPR schedule were incorporated due to
devious designs.“Census operations have been going on since 1951. If questions
like birth details of parents weren’t necessary till now, why are they included
now? We believe this is don’t with ulterior motives and devious plans”, Tayebur
Rahman said.However, the clergyman said he or his supporters will not deny
producing documents when officials come to collect information for NPR exercise
since the state government hasn’t boycotted it.indianexpress
‘Donated Land for Bihar Temple in 2017’: Sharjeel Imam’s Family
JNU student Sharjeel Imam may have been booked for sedition but his
family has a very different image in their native village Kako in Bihar's Jehanabad.In
2017-18, Sharjeel Imam’s family donated 1,000 Sq Ft land near NH-110 for the
construction of a temple in Kako. The value of the land today stands at around
Rs 30-35 Lakh.One of the oldest members of the temple committee, Sujeet Kumar
Gupta (42), who also ran a shop in Kako said, Sharjeel Imam’s grandfather was a
landlord and people of every faith and caste worked on his farm.“Those who work
for him had installed a small long idol in his land and started worshipping
here with his permission. Since then, the people started worshipping there,
installing pandals on festivals,” said Gupta.Lala Choudhary, another resident
of Kako, who is closely associated with Sharjeel Imam’s family said they
(family) have always helped people and command respect in the locality.“Years
ago, when we were building a market on our land near the temple and we were
wondering how to find a way so that both (the market and temple) stayed safe
and intact. Everyone agreed that the piece of land had become a centre of faith
and worship so we should donate the land to the temple committee. So, in August
2017, we legally donated the land to the temple committee. Later, a bigger
temple was constructed on that land.”thequint
Musician, Pink Floyd’s founder Roger Waters recites Delhi student Aamir
Aziz’s anti-CAA poem in London
London: “Everything will be remembered, Everything recorded”, Pink Floyd
co-founder and legendary musician Roger Waters said recently as he read out
Delhi student Aamir Aziz’s poem at a protest here and described CAA as
“fascist” and “racist”. 76-year-old singer-lyricist was participating in a
protest last week to demand the release of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange,
who has been in jail in UK since April 2019. A video from the protest showing
Waters reciting the English version of Aziz’s popular poem “Sab Yaad Rakha
Jayega” has been circulating widely on Twitter and other social media
platforms. “This is a young man none of us know, his name is Aamir Aziz. He is
a young poet and activist in Delhi. He is involved in the fight against Modi
and his fascist, racist citizenship law. I will read a little bit from one of
his poems,” the musician said, endorsing the anti-CAA protests and criticising
the Indian Prime Minister. “Roger Waters of #PinkFloyd reads a translation of
Aamir Aziz’ poem “Sab Yaad Rakha Jaayega”, in solidarity with anti-CAA
protestors. The world is watching Delhi, amitshahofficial and @narendramodi.
world is...” wrote Dadlani.tribuneindia
Bengaluru: Anti-CAA violence in Mangaluru - High court grants
conditional bail to 16 accused
Bengaluru:The state high court today granted conditional bail to 16
people who were arrested for alleged involvement in the violence and stone
pelting that occurred during anti-CAA violence in Mangaluru on Dec.19. The
accused, including Suhail and Thamzeel had applied for bail in High court.
Their appeal was upheld by one-member bench of Justice John Michael D’Cunha.
Mangaluru fourth additional district and sessions court had denied bail to the
accused. The one-member bench of justice Cunha had earlier approved the appeal
for bail of 21 people in the same case. The bench had also taken to task the
police with regards to their approach towards the case.
After Delhi riots, uneasy calm prevails in Aligarh, internet suspended
After a communal flare-up in
Delhi, situation remained volatile in western UP district of Aligarh where
district administration extended the curbs on internet services till Thursday
midnight. However, the sources claimed that the curbs may continue in the wake
of Friday prayers.Aligarh City Magistrate Court, meanwhile, issued an arrest
warrant against 100 people in Sasnigate, Kotwali and Delhi gate areas for
raising pro-Pakistan slogans at protests against Citizenship Amendment Act on
Wednesday. Notably, the ongoing anti-CAA stir intensified in the city areas on
Wednesday with woman protestors sitting on dharna and laying a blockade on the
road at Quarsi bypass near Jeevangarh locality for the last 72 hours.An uneasy
calm has been prevailing in the city since Sunday. A number of business
establishments and shops remained closed in sensitive areas, including Upper
Kot, Delhi gate, Turkmangate, Babri Mandi, Bhujpura, Gahs ki Mandi, Shah Jamal
areas.newindianexpress
UP: Fear, anxiety among protesters after Delhi violence
New Delhi: As several parts of North-East Delhi continue to suffer in
the aftermath of communal clashes in the national capital which left 37 dead,
faces of the women of Uttar Pradesh, sitting in protest for 50 days in Lucknow,
Kanpur, Allahabad and Aligarh against CAA and NRC, reflect both sadness and
fear. However, despite living in constant fear of violence and in the knowledge
that they could be removed forcibly at any minute, they have resolved to not
retreat. Sitting in solidarity with the families being killed and targeted, the
protesters at Lucknow and Aligarh say that they have decided to intensify their
agitation till CAA is taken back by BJP-led Central Govt.“They want to scare
us, but they are highly mistaken. When women hit the roads then no government
can scare them. We will not budge till our demands are met,” said Azra, who,
along with few others, has been running a medical camp for the needy, at the
protest site. “In coming days, you will see more protesters joining us,” she
adds. Saher Fatima, a key organiser of the protest at Ujariyaon in the Gomti
Nagar area of Lucknow, mumbles Rahat Indori's sher 'Lagegi aag, to aayenge Ghar
kaii... Zadd mai'. “The impact of what happened in Delhi is clearly visible
here in the protesters of Lucknow. There is no doubt that people here are
living in fear as the riots from Delhi can flare up anywhere – be it Lucknow,
Bihar or Bengal – but we will not move an inch until this government rolls back
this draconian law (CAA)," she says. Meanwhile, a high alert has been
sounded in many cities of Uttar Pradesh including Lucknow, Aligarh and in parts
of Western UP following the violence in Delhi. newsclick
HC notices on injured Jamia student's compensation plea
Delhi High Court today issued
notices on a petition by a Jamia Millia Islamia student for compensation for
injuries allegedly suffered during police action in the Jamia Nagar area here
on December 15.The notices were issued to the central and Delhi governments,
Jamia and the Delhi police after Mohammed Mustafa, through advocate Nabila
Hassan, pleaded for directions to authorities concerned to pay at least Rs 1
crore for his physical and mental agony.The plea also sought court directions
for the registration of an FIR against the Delhi Police over its alleged
brutality on the campus.IANS
Kolkata: Bangladeshi student asked to leave India after she posted
anti-CAA protest photos
A Bangladeshi student at West Bengal’s Visva-Bharati University has been
asked to leave India for taking part in “anti-government activities” after she
posted pictures of anti-Citizenship Act protests on her campus, reported The
Telegraph.The student, Afsara Anika Meem, a first-year student at the
university, was trolled on social media after she posted the photos. One of her
friends claimed that around 250 social media posts described her as an
“anti-national” even though she did not participate in the demonstrations. Her
posts attracted attention from pro-govt trolls who demanded that she be sent
back. scroll
4 students booked under sedititon case in Karnataka, struggles to get
lawyers
Hubballi: A 19-year-old girl and three engineering students from Kashmir
are booked under sedition cases and they are struggling for their legal
representation, despite the Karnataka High Court observing last week that it is
unethical and illegal for lawyers to pass resolutions against representing
anyone in court.19-year-old girl, Amulya Leona Norhoa is a college student and
she is booked under for sedition right after she started a speech with Pakistan
Zindabad at an anti-CAA protest in Bengaluru. On Wednesday, the police took her
at the home of a magistrate for a custody remand after local advocate groups
ensured that she did not find representation in court.newsd.in
*J&K
AND S. ASIA*
J&K: India raps Pakistan at UN, says it can’t lecture others on
human rights violation
India has criticised Pakistan for
raising J&K in UNHRC session, and reiterated that the region “was, is, and
shall forever” remain its integral part. The remarks from Indian diplomat Vikas
Swarup came a day after Pakistan urged the international council to intervene
in the Indian administration’s decision to impose restrictions on communication
in Jammu and Kashmir since the region’s special status was stripped in
August.“It is more than a little ironical that a nation that has become the world’s
leading exporter of terror and violence seeks to lecture others about human
rights,” Swarup, the secretary (west) in MEA said, referring to Pakistan.
“Despite Pakistan’s best efforts – over decades – to destabilise this state
through externally instigated terror and a campaign of canards and untruth, the
situation on the ground is quite normal.”India highlighted instances to prove
that people’s rights in Jammu and Kashmir were being upheld, and that
restrictions imposed “solely to ensure the safety of the people from Pakistani
trained terrorist attacks” were removed.On Tuesday, Pakistan Minister for Human
Rights Shireen Mazari had alleged that India continued to violate the human
rights of the Kashmiri people. She alleged that “over six thousand Kashmiri
people, activists... were arrested without due process of law” and demanded
their immediate release. Pakistani minister had added that any “inaction” by
the international community and the council will only “embolden” India to act
with impunity.scroll
Pulwama attack: Court grants bail to one accused after NIA fails to file
chargesheet in time
A NIA court in Delhi has granted bail to an accused in 2019 Pulwama
attack after the agency failed to file a chargesheet against him in the
stipulated time period, Live Law reported on Thursday. The bail was granted on
February 18. The court said that the accused, Yusuf Chopan, was entitled to
statutory bail.The lawyer for the accused moved the bail application on the
grounds that Chopan had been in custody for 180 days. The period for
investigating Chopan’s alleged role in the attack ended on Feb.11. NIA conceded
in court on February 18 that it had not been able to find sufficient evidence
against Chopan to file a chargesheet. However, the agency added that it was
still investigating him. Judge Praveen Singh accepted the accused’s argument
and allowed the bail application, subject to a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a
surety of like amount. Singh also ordered Chopan to cooperate with the
investigation and to present himself before the court whenever required to do
so. The court said that Chopan must not induce or influence any person capable
of providing information about the case, or tamper with the evidence.scroll
Government scraps J&K Bank recruitment process
Acting tough against irregularities in the Jammu and Kashmir Bank
recruitment process, UT Government on Thursday scrapped the process for the
recruitment of 250 probationary officers and 1,200 banking associates. The
recruitment process began in 2018.The bank will initiate and complete the
recruitment against these vacancies afresh in a time-bound manner with 3
months, said Rohit Kansal, official spokesperson of J&K Govt.indianexpress
*OTHERS*
Malegaon blasts: BJP MP Pragya Thakur appears before Mumbai court
Mumbai: One of prime accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, BJP MP
Pragya Singh Thakur on Thursday appeared before a Special NIA Court.This was
her first appearance before Special NIA Court in the past eight months, last
being in June last year.Thakur’s appearance came a day after Special NIA Court
Judge V.S. Padalkar asked all those accused in Malegaon 2008 blast case to
remain present before his court at least once a week pursuant to his order of
May 2019. Significantly, the development took place two days after the Bombay
High Court had frowned over how there was no ‘effective progress’ in the case
and sought an explanation from the National Investigation Agency on the delays
in the lower court.The observations by Acting Chief Justice B.P. Dharmadhikari
and Justice N.R. Borkar came during a hearing of a plea by Samir Kulkarni — one
of the accused in the same case — seeking a speedy trial, and contending that
NIA and other accused were deliberately delaying the court proceedings. Seeking
an explanation on this from NIA, the high court has posted the matter for
further hearing on March 16.IANS
Elgar Parishad: Accused shifted from Pune jail to Mumbai after transfer
of case to NIA court
The accused in the Elgar Parishad case were shifted from a prison in
Pune to Mumbai on Wednesday, days after the National Investigation Agency took
over the inquiry, PTI reported.The accused – Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut,
Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj,
Shoma Sen and Vernon Gonsalves – were arrested in 2018. The seven men were sent
to Arthur Road jail and both women were sent to Byculla prison, an official
said.scroll
Elgaar Parishad case accused doesn’t turn up, Koregaon Bhima inquiry
panel drops her as witness
HC To Hear Case Related To Gyanvapi-masjid Dispute On March 17
Allahabad High Court on Wednesday stayed a lower court's order to
proceed with the hearing of a case related to the Vishwanath mandir-Gyanvapi
masjid dispute and fixed March 17 as the next date of hearing in the case.On
Feb.4, the lower court held that since no interim order was extended in the
last 6 months in writ petition related to the dispute, pending before the
Allahabad High Court, stay is deemed to be vacated as per the decision of the
Supreme Court in "Asian Resurfacing of Road Agencies case" and it can
resume hearing of the case.Justice Ajay Bhanot passed the order in a petition
filed by Anjuman Intazamia Masjid, Varanasi.The petitioner's contention was
that it had earlier filed a plea related to the dispute and the court had
granted a stay order in the case directing the lower court not to proceed in
case pending before it.However, the lower court wrongly interpreted the order
of the Supreme Court and held that since the said order was not extended by the
high court in the last 6 months, therefore, the stay is deemed to be vacated,
and now it can resume hearing of the case, it said.Anjuman Intazamia Masjid had
moved the court challenging orders passed by Additional Districts Judge,
Varanasi, in 1997 and 1998 whereby its application challenging a civil suit
filed by Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Trust had been turned down.republicworld
SP MP Azam Khan, wife, son shifted to Sitapur jail, Akhilesh meets them
Sitapur :A day after surrendering at a Rampur court and being remanded
in judicial custody there, SP MP Azam Khan, his wife and son were on Thursday
shifted to Sitapur jail, where party chief Akhilesh Yadav met them.After
meeting Khan, Yadav said the Samajwadi party MP has been targeted by BJP under
a “political conspiracy”.“I met Azam Sahab. His wife is not well and son also
has an injury in his hand. I hope the jail administration will provide them due
to facilities. After BJP came to power, Azam Khan was targeted. It was a
political conspiracy due to which he was sent to jail. The court will help him,”
he said.PTI
Global Scribes' Body Asks BJP Leaders to Stop Online Harassment of The
Wire's Arfa Khanum
Committee to Protect Journalists released a statement urging BJP leaders
to stop encouraging online vitriol directed at The Wire’s senior editor Arfa
Khanum Sherwani. The committee also asked authorities to ensure that threats
against journalists like her are taken seriously.The Committee highlights the
online behaviour targeting her displayed by the likes of BJP ‘IT Cell’ head
Amit Malviya, party spokesperson Sambit Patra and BJP Mahila Morcha social
media in-charge Priti Gandhi. Malviya was first to share a 42-second clip of
Sherwani speaking, which he alleged showed her discussing the strategy to build
a caliphate. Except that the video had been edited from a much longer speech
which Sherwani had delivered at AMU.Alt News has reported with a fact check
that within context, Sherwani was talking about the necessity to strategise
secular protests, and not giving out a call to build a caliphate.thewire
Rana Ayyub wins McGill Medal for journalistic courage
Mumbai journalist Rana Ayyub has won 2020 McGill Medal for journalistic
courage. Ayyub, who is a contributing writer in the Global Opinions section of
The Washington Post, will receive the medal on April 22 at a ceremony in the
Peyton Anderson Forum at Grady College.“Ayyub is committed to telling the
stories of people who can’t do it on her own, making her an ideal McGill medal
recipient,” Sofia Gratas, McGill Fellow responsible for researching the
nomination said. Director of McGill program, Diane H Murray, said the purpose
of the award was to advance journalistic courage.scroll
*WORLD*
Saudi halts travel to Mecca, Medina over coronavirus as as Middle East
reports 220 cases
Saudi Arabia today halted travel to the holiest sites in Islam over
coronavirus fears just months ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as Middle
East recorded more than 220 confirmed cases.The extraordinary decision by Saudi
Arabia prevents foreigners from reaching the holy city of Mecca and the Kaaba,
the cube-shaped structure the world's 1.8 billion Muslims pray towards 5 times
a day. It also said travel was suspended to Prophet Muhammad's mosque in
Medina.The decision indicated the level of concern about the outbreak
potentially spreading into Saudi Arabia, whose oil-rich monarchy stakes its
legitimacy on protecting Islam's holy sites.The epicentre in the Middle East's
most-affected country, Iran, appears to be in the holy Shia city of Qom, where
a shrine there sees the faithful reach out to kiss and touch it in
reverence."Saudi Arabia renews its support for all international measures
to limit the spread of this virus and urges its citizens to exercise caution
before travelling to countries experiencing coronavirus outbreaks," Saudi
foreign ministry said in a statement announcing the decision.Indonesia's
foreign minister on Thursday urged Saudi to allow its citizens to continue
their Umrah pilgrimage. Indonesia is the world's biggest Muslim-majority country
and it often sends about one million people on the pilgrimage every year to the
kingdom. The virus that causes the illness named COVID-19 has infected more
than 80,000 people globally, mainly in China.The hardest-hit nation in the
Middle East is Iran, where health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said 19
people have died among 139 confirmed cases.aljazeera
Coronavirus: Iran Vice-president Diagnosed with Virus as Death Toll in
Country Jumps to 26
Iran's Vice-president Masoumeh Ebtekar tests positive for coronavirus.
Iran earlier reported that the death toll in coronavirus cases rose to
26.news18
119 Indians, 5 Foreigners Brought Back From Coronavirus-Hit Cruise Ship
In Japan
An Air India flight on Thursday brought back to the national capital 119
Indians and 5 foreigners who were on board a coronavirus-hit cruise ship docked
off Yokohama in Japan.The foreigners, who were brought back to India on board
the special Air India flight, included two from Sri Lanka and one each from
Nepal, South Africa and Peru.All the evacuees will undergo a 14-day quarantine
at a medical facility set-up by the Indian Army in Manesar.Three Indian crew members
did not board the special flight and conveyed their wish to continue their stay
onboard the cruise ship to complete the period of extended quarantine put in
place by the government of Japan, a government statement said.PTI
UN demands 'unfettered access' for China Uighur region visit
A team preparing for UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet's possible visit
to the tightly controlled Muslim-majority Chinese region of Xinjiang this year
should be given "unfettered access", she said on Thursday."We
will seek to analyse in-depth the human rights situation in China, including
the situation of members of the Uighur minority," she said, addressing the
UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.Bachelet welcomed the invitation from China
to tour the region but added: "We will continue to request unfettered
access for an advance team in preparation for this proposed
visit."aljazeera
Malaysia's Mahathir says parliament will pick new PM
Malaysia's interim leader Mahathir Mohamad has said parliament will pick
a new prime minister next week following the collapse of the ruling alliance
and snap elections will be called if the vote ends in an impasse.Mahathir, who
met the king earlier on Thursday, said the monarch could not find a candidate
with a clear majority to lead the nation after consulting all 222 legislators
over the last two days.As such, he said, the king decided to have the lower
house of parliament vote on a new leader on March 2."If the lower house
fails to find a person with the majority, then we will have to go for a snap
election," Mahathir told a news conference.A failed bid by Mahathir's
supporters to form a new government without his designated successor, Anwar
Ibrahim, and Mahathir's shock resignation on Monday broke apart the ruling
alliance less than two years after it defeated a corruption-tainted coalition
that had led the country for 61 years. Aljazeera
German court upholds headscarf ban for legal clerks
Germany's highest court on Thursday upheld a ban on headscarves for
Muslim trainee lawyers in courts, finding that the requirement of maintaining
religious neutrality was justified.The Federal Constitutional Court's ruling
came after a Frankfurt-born German-Moroccan legal trainee filed a challenge to
Hesse state's rules. In the western state, trainees who keep their headscarves
on are not allowed to take on tasks in which they may be seen to be acting as
representatives of the judiciary or the state.This means for instance that
headscarf-wearing trainees are not allowed to sit on the judges' bench as they
observe proceedings like other trainees, and must instead sit among courtroom
observers. Likewise, they are unable to lead any courtroom sessions, or take
evidence from witnesses.aljazeera
2 Turkish soldiers killed as Syrian rebels regain key town
Two Turkish soldiers have been killed and two others wounded in an air
strike in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib as Turkey-backed Syrian rebels
regained a key town during heavy fighting. Hours after the seizure of Saraqeb,
Syrian government forces launched a major counterattack. The retaking of
Saraqeb that sits on the highway is a setback for Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad's forces who have scored major gains in a weeks-long Russian-backed
campaign in the last rebel stronghold in Idlib province.The latest casualties
brought the number of Turkish security personnel killed during the
Russian-backed Syrian government offensive in Idlib this month to 19. Over the
past weeks, Turkey sent thousands of troops into the province. Turkey-backed Syrian rebels said on Thursday
they recaptured the strategic town - the first significant reverse for Syrian
army operation that has made swift gains.Three weeks ago, opposition fighters
lost the key northwestern town at the junction of two main highways following
rapid advances by Syrian forces in their bid to retake Idlib.aljazeera
Saudi King Salman hosts rabbi in official residence for first
time:Jerusalem Post
For the first time ever, King of Saudi Arabia last week met with and
hosted a rabbi in his formal residence during an annual meeting of the KAICIID
inter-religious dialogue organization.Rabbi David Rosen of Jerusalem, a leading
figure in interfaith cooperation, is one of the eight members of the KAICIID
board of governors representing the Jewish faith, and was one of those hosted
by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud at his royal palace in Riyadh last Thursday.Rosen
is also an Israeli citizen, making his meeting with the king even more
remarkable.He was one of seven of the board members who met with King Salman,
including KAICIID’s representatives for Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and
Hinduism.According to Rosen, King Salman talked about the changes which Saudi
Arabia is undergoing of late and asserted that the wahhabi kingdom was adopting
a more open form of Islam than that which it has observed in recent decades.
Pak''s fresh bid to combat terrorism allows US to expand trade ties
bilaterally and regionally: Commerce Secretary Ross
Pakistan''s fresh efforts to fight terrorism and promote security is
"affording" US to expand trade between two countries and in the
region, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has said after meeting the country''s
top leadership here. Ross was in Islamabad on Wednesday, a day after US
President Donald Trump concluded his high-profile maiden visit to India, and
called on Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and
Minister of Energy Omar Ayub Khan and others.Building on the productive
discussions between President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran
Khan, "I met with Prime Minister Khan and his economic team today in Islamabad
to explore ways to grow the US-Pakistan trade and investment relationship,
including in the energy and digital sectors," Ross said in a
statement."Deepening our economic ties will provide measurable benefits
for our two nations," Ross said while thanking the Pakistani leaders''
willingness to engage in frank conversations.US Commerce Secretary recalled
President Trump''s statement in New Delhi when he said, "Our relationship
with Pakistan is a very good one."PTI
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
The Guardian view on Delhi’s violence: Modi stoked this fire
Delhi riots neither designed by Modi govt, nor Islamic conspiracy. It’s
far more dangerous:Yogendra Yadav , theprint
A Walk Through Scarred Lanes Of Delhi In The Aftermath Of A Riot:Salik
Ahmad, outlookindia
Scars of violence haunt India’s capital after deadly riots
New Delhi riots leave 35 dead as India balks at US reaction to the
religious violence
Delhi violence: Shooter misidentified as part of mob supporting
CAA:Jignesh Patel, AltNews.in & Pratik Sinha, AltNews.in
Minorities in India are coming to believe that there is a campaign to
make them second-class citizens:Najeeb Jung
India: Culture of impunity boosts rioters to attacks mosques:Shuriah
Niazi
You Have Only Yourself To Blame: Delhi Police Castigated By Its Former
Chief
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released
at: 6:20 PM).
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