05 March 2020:
09 Rajjab 1441: Vol: 12, No: 149
*DELHI VIOLENCE*
Khamenei threatens India of 'isolation' from Islamic world, calls on
India to stop 'massacre of Muslims'
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, on Thursday, threatened India of isolation from the Islamic world
over the recent violence in Delhi. In a tweet, Khomeini asked New Delhi to
'confront extremist Hindus' and 'stop the massacre of Muslims'. "The
hearts of Muslims all over the world are grieving over the massacre of Muslims
in India. The govt of India should confront extremist Hindus & their
parties & stop the massacre of Muslims in order to prevent India’s
isolation from the world of Islam," Khamenei said in a tweet. Khamenei's
remarks come just two days after India expressed strong displeasure over the
comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif over the violence in Delhi. In
a tweet on Monday, Zarif had condemned the "wave of organised violence
against Indian Muslims". Critical comments from the Supreme Leader
coincided with Tuesday's large protest held outside Embassy of India in Tehran
that was organised by several student groups. India summoned Ambassador of Iran
Ali Chegeni on Tuesday and described
Zarif's comments as "selective and tendentious".Apart from
Zarif and Khamenei, Mohammed Baghair
Qalibaf, leader of the hardline block
that swept the recent parliamentary election in Iran, also condemned the
violence in Delhi. Qalibaf described the killings that took place in Indian
capital between Feb.24-26 as "heinous and brutal" and called upon the
"revolutionary youth" of Iran and other countries to "reach out
to the Indian Muslims and break the silence over it".Iran's latest
reaction to the violence in Delhi comes as a surprise given that Tehran and New
Delhi have been sharing 'friendly' ties over the past few years. In fact,
notwithstanding US sanctions on Iranian oil imports, India continued to export
oil from Iran. The two countries are also working on the development of Chabahar
port, a strategically located port in Gulf nation.Ministry of External Affairs
is yet to comment on Khamenei's remarks.TimesNow/the hindu
'Confront extremist Hindus': Khamenei slams Modi govt as Delhi riots
strain India-Iran ties
More 'apartheid cities' seen in India after deadly Delhi riots: Experts
warn
India risks greater segregation in its cities after deadly riots in
Delhi last week, with minority and poor people likely to be blocked from
accessing housing in desirable neighbourhoods, human rights experts said on
Thursday.The capital city of more than 20 million people is likely to now see
greater segmentation along religious lines as has happened in other Indian
cities, such as Mumbai and Ahmedabad, said Miloon Kothari, a housing and human
rights expert.“We generally see greater ghettoisation in a city after a riot
because of fear and insecurity, with city authorities themselves sometimes
reorganising neighbourhoods that entrench that segregation,” he said.“Apartheid
cities are being created due to political, planning and gentrification processes
that divide communities further, impoverish the poor, and makes it easier to
target vulnerable communities again.”“Muslim poor especially ... choose to live
in all-Muslim neighbourhoods because they feel insecure,” Darshani Mahadevia, a
professor at Ahmedabad University said on the sidelines of a land conference in
Delhi."Segregation keeps the communal pot boiling for political reasons
also," she said, citing a law in the western state of Gujarat that
restricts here Muslims and Hindus from selling property to each other in areas
deemed as sensitive.The choice between living in a "ghetto or mixed
neighbourhood" was a difficult one for many Muslims, writer and journalist
Ghazala Wahab said on Twitter here this week.Families often had to weigh the
risk of their home being torched against a better life, said Wahab, whose own
family moved to a more modern “Hindu” area from a ghetto - where conditions had
since worsened.Thomson Reuters Foundation
Systemic Hindutva violence waged on Muslims sanctioned by BJP govt:
Indian-Origin British MP
Britain’s youngest sitting MP Nadia Whittome, a person of Indian origin,
questioned her government on the language used to describe the violence in
Delhi as UK Parliament discussed the issue on Wednesday. Whittome, a Labour
Party MP, brought this up as several
members of UK Parliament criticised the Indian government for the violence and
asked the British government to take action.Whittome asked,“Will the government
join me in rejecting the language of riots, clashes, protest and communal
violence, when this is in fact a continuation of sustained and systemic
Hindutva violence on Muslims and many ethnic minorities in India that is
sanctioned by Modi’s BJP government?”Minister of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Office, Nigel Adams, responded saying, “UK gov had long regarded
protest as a legitimate means of raising issues and part of democratic society,
but any allegations of human rights abuses are very concerning. We Believe they
should be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently.”Adams told the
House of Commons that the events in Delhi were “very concerning” and that UK
was monitoring the violence and developments around CAA “closely”, TOI
reported.Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi said that the mob violence in Delhi
brought back memories of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and that the persecution of
Indian Muslims was “utterly intolerable”. Tory MP Nusrat Ghani asked the
minister to make sure the concerns of MPs were relayed to Indian authorities,
“including the brutality that seems to have been meted out by those who should
be enforcing the law, which was covered by BBC Monday,”report
said.huffingtonpost
‘Events in Delhi last week very concerning’: UK on north-east Delhi
violence
India rejects global criticism of CAA, Delhi violence; calls comments
‘irresponsible’
India today once again rejected criticism of CAA and the communal
violence in New Delhi, saying international bodies and foreign leaders should
not make “irresponsible comments” on these matters.Over the past few weeks,
Indian government has faced sharp criticism from bodies such as USCIRF and UN
human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on the citizenship law and the violence in
New Delhi.Leaders of countries such as Turkey, Iran and Malaysia too have
reiterated their criticism of these issues even though India had described
their past remarks on these matters as interference in the country’s internal
matters.“We have seen certain comments made on the recent incidents of violence
in Delhi. At this stage, we would like to highlight that the situation is fast
returning to normal,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told
a news briefing.“At this sensitive time, we would urge people not to make any
irresponsible comments and not to be influenced by selective and
unsubstantiated narrative on the matter,” he added.HT
Delhi violence incite global criticism, India faces diplomatic heat
Erdogan's 'factually inaccurate' remarks on Delhi violence driven by his
political agenda: MEA
India today termed Turkish
President Tayyip Erdogan's remarks on Delhi violence as "factually
inaccurate" and "driven by his own political agenda".New Delhi
made a 'strong demarche" to Ankara's ambassador over remarks made by
Erdogan on Tuesday. Erdogan last week criticised the Delhi violence. "They're
factually inaccurate, they're driven by his own political agenda. We don't
expect such statements from a Head of State. We made strong demarche with
Turkish Ambassador in Delhi on 3rd March on this," External Affairs
Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said during a briefing.ANI
CAA, NRC could render huge numbers of Indian Muslims stateless: USCIRF members
Washington:Members of a Congress created federal body that monitors
violation of religious freedom abroad expressed concern over India's amended
citizenship laws, saying it could result in "wide-scale
disenfranchisement" of Muslims in the country.Members of US Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) along with an invited panel of experts
convened a hearing mainly focused on India's CAA and Rohingya Muslims issue in
Myanmar to help develop policy recommendations for US govt in response to the
issues. Noting that the right to a nationality is a fundamental human right and
serves as a bedrock for accompanying political and civil rights, USCIRF chair
Tony Perkins said that denying individuals this fundamental recognition not
only strips them of accompanying rights but also denies them the ability to
participate in political process and use legal pathways to seek redress for
discrimination and persecution. Referring to CAA and NRC, Anurima Bhargava,
USCIRF Commissioner, said the recent actions by the Indian government were
troubling."There are fears, however, that this law in conjunction with a
planned NPR and a potential nation-wide NRC, could result in the wide-scale
disenfranchisement of Indian Muslims," she said."This would leave
them vulnerable to prolonged detention, deportation, and violence. We are
already seeing this process being conducted in the northeastern state of
Assam...NRC is a mechanism for identifying illegal migrants in the region,” she
alleged. Bhargava said that many Indians of all faiths have been exercising
their peaceful right of protest to express their opposition to this
law."However, it is with great dismay that we have seen a deadly crackdown
by government authorities against the protestors and recent violence in Delhi
that have targeted Muslim communities,” she said.Gayle Manchin, USCIRF
vice-chair, cited the examples of countries like Vietnam, Bahrain and Kenya to
say that many governments are stripping people of their citizenship simply because
of the faith they practice in clear violation of international human rights
standards.Ashutosh Varshney, Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and
the Social Sciences at Brown University, told Commission that using CAA, NRC
can render stateless a large number of Muslims, even if they were born in India
and have lived in the country for decades, as have their ancestors.“That is an
important reason the protests have not ceased. The protesters can clearly
visualise extreme Muslim marginalisation and its attendant negative
consequences, should NRC become the law of the land," he said. "The
fear is that if the existing Muslim citizens of India are unable to produce
documents of Indian ancestry, which simply can't be ruled out until we know
what documents are required, NRC, using CAA, can easily call them
infiltrators,” he said.That, in turn, will make them an object of internment or
expulsion, and/or deprive them of the right to vote, he said.In contrast, if
the Hindus have a similar documentary deficit, they would neither be interned,
nor expelled, nor disenfranchised. They can simply claim they are welcome only
in a Hindu homeland and persecuted elsewhere in South Asia, which will open the
door for an Indian citizenship for them, Varshney said. Testifying before
USCIRF, Azeem Ibrahim director, Displacement and Migration Program, Center for
Global Policy, and a former Strategic Policy Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister
Imran Khan, reiterated talking point of the Pakistani leader on the CAA and
NRC.PTI
Death Toll in Riots Rises to 53; 654 cases registered 1820 held so far
New Delhi: With the number of deaths touching 53, the communal violence
in Northeast Delhi last week has now become the deadliest riot in the country
since the ones in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 where at least 63 people died.According
to latest information available, 44 people have been declared dead at GTB
hospital, 5 at RML Hospital, 3 at Lok Nayak hospital, and one at Jag Pravesh
Chandra Hospital in the national capital, reported ANI.So far 654 cases have
been registered, 1820 persons have been arrested/ detained. There are 4 cases
of Arms Act.Over 300 people were injured in the violence during which houses,
commercial establishments and vehicles were torched and incidents of
stone-pelting were reported from localities like Chand Bagh, Shiv Vihar and
Jafrabad.HT /news18
At least 102 hit by bullets in Delhi riots: Cops
At least 102 persons were hit by bullets, while 171 suffered injuries
caused by sharp weapons or blunt objects, Delhi Police said in a report to the
government, officials privy to the matter said. It is unclear how many of the
injured died of bullet injuries.The report prepared by Delhi Police mentioned
that at least 500 persons were injured in the riots, the officials cited above
said. Apart from bullet injuries and those by sharp weapons or blunt objects, a
majority of the other case were due to stone pelting or burns.The police
control room received almost 21,000 distress calls between Feb22 and Feb.29,
police mentioned in the report.HT
Delhi riot accused Tahir Hussain arrested, says IB staffer's killing sad
Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, who was absconding after he was
linked to the death of an IB officer in the Delhi violence, has been arrested
after a court dismissed his plea seeking that he be allowed to surrender.
Hussain had earlier told India Today that he was going to surrender before a
Delhi court on Thursday.Hussain surrendered in the court of judge Vishal Ahuja
who dismissed the plea, following which he was taken into custody by the Delhi
Police.Before surrendering in the court, Hussain claimed to be a victim of a
witch hunt. Hussain told India Today that he was innocent and a riot victim
himself. "My family and I ran away from rioters and the police were also
informed about it. On February 24, I left with my family in the presence of
police. The police took possession of the building," Tahir Hussain
added.On the killing of IB staffer, Hussain said Ankit Sharma losing life in
Delhi violence is sad. AAP councillor, however, hoped that an impartial probe
into the case will bring forth the truth.India Today
Tahir Hussain's brother Shah
Alam, named in Chand Bagh violence, absconding
One of the accused in Chand Bagh violence in Delhi last month and step
brother of expelled AAP)Tahir Husaain -- Shah Alam -- has been missing.Shah
Alam has been accused of involvement in the violence in Delhi's Chand Bagh last
month.No FIR has been lodged against it so far. According to Crime Branch sources,
Shah Alam was also present in the building in Chand Bagh when the violence took
place there.Now, the Crime Branch wants to interrogate Shah Alam but he has
been missing.indiatoday
CPIM Moves Delhi HC Asking Police to Reveal Names of Those Arrested in
Delhi Violence
New Delhi: A PIL was moved in the Delhi High Court on Thursday by CPI(M)
leader Brinda Karat seeking directions to the police to make public the list of
persons arrested in connection with the violence in the northeast Delhi.The
petition has sought that a list of the arrested persons be put up outside the
police control room and police stations in the district and it is updated on a
case-by-case basis.It also urged the court to call for a status report
containing the names and numbers of the persons detained and arrested by Delhi
Police in relation to the violence.news18
Delhi violence: SC refuses to hear victim’s intervention plea in case
against Harsh Mander
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear an intervening plea in
allegations against activist Harsh Mander that he instigated a crowd against
the top court during an anti-CAA protest, PTI reported. The plea was filed by a
victim of the communal violence in North East Delhi.On Wednesday, Delhi Police
had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, seeking initiation of contempt
proceedings against Mander for insulting the court. However, the counsel for
Mander, Karuna Nundy, denied he had made any such comments.Senior advocate
Colin Gonsalves on Thursday told a bench headed by CJI SA Bobde that the victim
wished to intervene in Mander’s case, which is scheduled to be heard by the
Delhi High Court on Friday. “We will not allow you to intervene,” Bobde told
the advocate. Gonsalves said he had seen the video clip where Mander allegedly
said that he has no faith in the Supreme Court and that “real justice will be
done on the streets”, adding that he wanted to place it on record. However,
Bobde rejected his request and said the court had already asked Solicitor
General Tushar Mehta to put the video on record. “We don’t need you in that
proceeding,” he added. The Supreme Court had also transferred all the petitions
related to large-scale communal violence in North East Delhi to the Delhi High
Court. The top court asked the Delhi High Court to take up the matters on March
6.scroll
'Long live Constitution, long live love': Full speech of Harsh Mander,
which govt says 'incited' violence during anti-CAA protests
At Grand Farewell, Justice S Muralidhar Reveals Sequence Of Transfer
New Delhi: Justice S Muralidhar, whose transfer after his sharp
criticism of the police at a hearing on the Delhi violence sparked a political
controversy, was compared to the "Kohinoor" in a moving farewell at
the High Court today."We are losing a most eminent judge who can discuss
any topic of law and decide any type of matter", Delhi High Court Chief
Justice DN Patel said at the ceremony.The government order for Justice
Muralidhar's transfer to the Punjab and Haryana High Court came through on
February 26, hours after he raised questions on the Delhi Police inaction on
hate speeches by BJP leaders and in the violence.According to barandbench.com,
the Secretary of the Delhi High Court Bar Association, Abhijat, said at the
farewell: "The Kohinoor of the High Court will be going a few 100 km
away."In images posted on social media, scores of lawyers in black and
white lined a giant hall and stairways, with senior judges seated around tables
at the centre."When justice has to triumph, it will triumph. Be with the
truth - Justice will be done," Justice Muralidhar said, addressing the
gathering.NDTV
Factory burnt, BJP man says ignored by party because ‘I have Muslim
name’
New Delhi :“I haven’t left BJP yet but I will in a few days if the party
does not reach out to me… Main sadak par aa gaya hoon, phir kaise apne pairon
pe khada hoon?” said Mohammad Atiq, who heads BJP minority cell of Brahmpuri
mandal. A resident of Usmanpur, Atiq’s undergarments factory in Karawal Nagar
was set on fire on the night of February 25. “My neighbour called to tell me
about the fire. I have not yet visited the factory out of fear. My younger
brother’s factory nearby was also set on fire. I hoped the BJP leaders would at
least call, extend help, console me,” said Atiq (45).A father of five, Atiq
said he has been a BJP ground worker for 16-17 years. “I am from Bihar too,
like our Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari. He knows me… But I have a Muslim name,
humein toh paraya hi kar diya,” he said.indianexpress
‘I coloured my sword red’: Meet Delhi rioters who say they killed
Muslims
Hindu rioters spoke openly about inflicting violence on Muslims.The
smile never went off Nishant Kumar’s face. Only his voice quivered with
excitement as he spoke, animatedly with hand gestures, about murdering three
Muslim men on February 25.It was an act of “retaliation”, he insisted.The
previous afternoon – Kumar is certain it was exactly 1 pm – he claimed to have
witnessed a “Mohammadan” mob burn down vehicles in the Yamuna Vihar service
lane that runs parallel to the Wazirabad-Loni road in North East Delhi. He was
at Bhajanpura petrol pump, fuelling up one of his lorries. He owns two of
them.“Main bhaaga us time jaan bachha ke,” said Kumar. “I fled then to save my
life.”The petrol pump was burnt down soon after. Carcasses of vehicles still
lie strewn in the area.Houses and shops were torched in the area. Kumar said he
did not incur any personal loss – yet, he hit the streets. “Aap nahi karoge
aapke area waalon ko koi chedega to?” he reasoned. “Will you not react if
someone goes after your neighbours?” “The Mohammadan was running,” Kumar recalled. “The Hindu public was chasing him.
I was leading the pack.”“I was the first to catch up with him, and hit him with
my rod on his head,” he continued, his voice turning shriller and his hands
mimicking the strike. “Then he fell down, and the public pounced on him after
that…de dhana dhan dhan.”Kumar said he killed two more people in a similar
fashion – striking Muslim men running away from Hindu mobs in the back with his
improvised weapon. “I had to kill three. I did that.”scroll
Delhi Hero: Meet Hindu Man Who Removed The Saffron Flag From A Burnt
Mosque
Ravi Parashar recalls the moment an elderly Muslim cleric with a flowing
white beard turned to the group of Hindus who had gathered near a mosque and
pleaded, “Bhai, could someone help, please?”Abdur Raziq, general secretary of
an Islamic organisation called Jamia Ulama, was asking for help to remove the
statue of Hindu god Hanuman and take down the saffron flag that rioters had
hoisted above Allah Wali Masjidin Karawal Nagar on 25 February, as communal
violence consumed the neighbourhoods of northeast Delhi last week. Parashar,
whose family says he is “soft-hearted,” wanted to volunteer right away, but
hesitated. huffingtonpost
Idea of Plural Neighbourhood Shattered: When Two Neighbours - Mosque and
Naresh Chand's House - Were Torched by Rioters
New Delhi:Walking through the narrow lanes of Shiv Vihar, reported to be
the worst affected neighbourhood in the northeast Delhi violence last month,
one finds clear signs of the idea of plural neighbourhood getting trampled by
rioters. In several lanes, two-three houses, belonging to minority community,
were targeted, looted and torched. But the rioters did not spare the two unique
neighbours – Madina Masjid and Baghel House of Naresh Chand. There is nothing
between the walls of the mosque and Naresh Chand’s house – they are so close
and had been standing in harmony till the evening of February 25. Rioters
torched both.Naresh Chand, in 70s, was sitting on the stairs of his burnt house
adjacent to the burnt mosque when India Tomorrow team reached there on March 3.
While speaking, he had tears in his eyes.Nasruddin Khan lives in Gali No. 18 of
Shiv Vihar. He would run business of biscuits and other bakery items on the
ground floor of the house and would live on the first floor. The rioters first torched a marriage hall in
front of my house. We were in house. The rioters then broke open our gate,
looted the valuables and then torched the house,” said Khan.indiatomorrow
Delhi riots: AMU medical college doctors to donate Rs 25 lakh to victims
Resident Doctors Association
(RDA) of the medical college in AMU has decided to donate Rs 25 lakh for
victims of the communal violence in Delhi.Junior doctors and senior resident
doctors of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College have decided to contribute at least
one day's salary for all riot victims irrespective of their community. RDA
president Mohammad Hamza said money would be distributed through the finance
officer of the university for relief and rehabilitation of the affected
people.PTI
*anti-CAA,NRC-NPR stir*
Pleas challenging CAA to be heard after Sabarimala reference case:SC
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday said it will hear pleas
challenging the constitutional validity of the CAA after arguments in the
Sabarimala reference matter are over.A bench headed by CJI S A Bobde said this
after senior advocate Kapil Sibal sought urgent hearing of CAA matters while
stating that the Centre has not filed a reply in the matter so far.He said the
case needs to be listed for hearing at an early date so that it is does not
become infructuous.Attorney General K K Venugopal told the bench, also
comprising justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, that the Centre would be filing a
reply in a few days.Sibal said some interim orders are required to be passed in
the case.The apex court said it would consider this and granted liberty to
Sibal to mention the matter again after the Holi break.A nine-judge bench is
re-examining various religious issues, including the entry of women into Sabarimala
temple and mosques.While hearing a batch of petitions, the top court had on
January 22 made it clear that the operation of CAA will not be stayed and gave
the government four weeks to respond to the pleas challenging the CAA.PTI
Supreme Court asks for pleas challenging CAA to be mentioned after Holi
break
Parents’ place of birth query in NPR aimed at completing data for households:
Home Ministry
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
has informed a Parliamentary panel that it proposes to collect details on
additional questions such as “date and place of birth of parents” in NPR to
“facilitate back end data processing and making the data items of date and
place of birth complete for all household[s]”.Responding to a question by
parliamentary committee members on new questions in NPR form, MHA officials
submitted that “during the updation of NPR 2020, it is proposed to collect data
on some additional items like place of last residence, mother tongue, Aadhaar
number (voluntary), mobile number, passport (Indian passport holder), voter ID
card, driving license number, date and place of birth of father and mother”,
according to the panel’s report placed in Parliament on Thursday. NPR
questionnaire used in 2010 and 2015 had 14 columns. final NPR form for the year
2020 has not been made public yet.On the rationale behind collecting details on
date and place of birth of parents, Ministry officials observed, “the date and
place of birth of parents were collected in NPR 2010 as well for all parents
who were enumerated within the household. For parents living elsewhere or
expired at the time of enumeration, only the names of parents were collected.
To facilitate back end data processing and making the data items of date and
place of birth complete for all household[s], the details of parents are being
collected in a more comprehensive manner in NPR 2020.” Parliamentary Committee
on Home Affairs headed by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said there is a
lot of dissatisfaction and fear among the people regarding upcoming NPR and
Census.Ministry also said there was a need to update NPR to “incorporate the
changes due to birth, death and migration.” It said “Aadhar is individual data
whereas NPR contains family wise data.”
Modi govt to go ahead with NPR using new questions, says they were present
in 2010 too
Modi govt caught contradicting itself on CAA in RTI response
An “internal matter of India” in which “no foreign party has any locus
standi”—this is how Modi govt’s external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar
framed India’s public response to an intervention application filed in the
Supreme Court by Michelle Bachelet, UNHCHR, in connection with the controversial
CAA on Tuesday. This response was in keeping with Modi government’s officially
stated position that CAA is purely an “internal matter” of India. However,
barely a day before this strongly-worded public statement was issued, an
official in another ministry of Modi govt denied an application filed by this
reporter under RTI act to peruse files relating to the drafting of CAA law by
claiming that the files are related to “policy on grant of citizenship to
foreigner nationals” and “disclosure of such information may prejudicially
affect relation with foreign states”. B C Joshi, the Director rank official in
Amit Shah-led MHA and the designated central public information officer who
responded to this application, did not give any explanation about how
disclosing information relating to an “internal matter of India” will
“prejudicially affect” its relations with foreign countries. HuffPost India has emailed him seeking
clarification and this report will be updated if he responds. Ex-CIC
Yashovardhan Azad, retired last year after adjudicating 2nd appeals
relating to tens of thousands of RTI applications which sought information
about issues linked with internal security and other areas of administration.
Azad said the information should have been disclosed and that a wrong reason
was given to prohibit disclosure of information under RTI act. “I am surprised
that such a responsible ministry like MHA has CPIOs who don’t even know the
basics of the act...8(1)(a) is wrongly used. That has no relevance here.
Because this law is about foreign citizens, basically about the Hindus staying
in these three countries, it is not about foreign governments at all. No
question of showing any kind of an adverse relation with a foreign state,” he
said. huffingtonpost
Maharashtra detention centre is for foreigners awaiting deportation, no
connection with CAA, NRC: state home ministry
Mumbai:No detention centre is coming up in Maharashtra in connection
with implementation of CAA and NRC, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh told
Legislative Council on Thursday.Deshmukh gave this information in a written
reply in response to a question by Sharad Ranpise (Congress).“No detention
centre is coming up anywhere in the State in connection with rolling out of CAA
and NRC,” he told Upper House.However, Union Home Ministry in the past asked
the State government to set-up a temporary facility to house foreign nationals
awaiting deportation, he said.“Those foreign nationals who have served their
jail sentences after conviction would be kept in such a detention centre until
their nationality is proved and they are deported,” NCP Minister said.There are
directives for constructing a temporary detention centre at Nerul in Navi
Mumbai. The govt has also requested CIDCO (a State-run city planning agency) to
allot 3 acres of land for setting up a permanent infrastructure for same,Deshmukh
said.PTI
Maharashtra panel to study CAA, NPR headed by Sena minister
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has appointed a cabinet
sub-committee to study the controversial citizenship law, CAA and NPR on
Thursday, said ANI.The committee comprising of six members will be headed by
state minister and Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab and will have two representative
ministers from each of the three coalition partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi
(MVA) government in the state.HT
Maharashtra: BJP suspends 2 leaders for anti-CAA/NRC activity, sends out
a message
Mumabi: The State unit of BJP said it would take disciplinary action
against party workers found participating in activities against the CAA and
NRC. The move followed the suspension of two functionaries from drought-hit
Marathwada on Wednesday. BJP suspended Balasaheb Ganesh Rokde, city president
of Palam municipal council, and Vinod Haribhau Borade, city president of Selu
city council, both in Parbhani district, for moving an anti-CAA/NRC resolution
in their respective local bodies.thehindu
Calcutta HC Stays Centre's 'Leave India Notice' to Polish Student over
Participation in Anti-CAA Rally
Calcutta High Court on Thursday
stayed Centre’s notice asking a Polish student at Jadavpur University to leave
India for allegedly participating in a protest rally against the CAA in
city.The order, passed by Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, stayed Kamil
Siedcynski’s deportation till March 18 when the court will pass an order on the
student’s petition.Siedczynski, a final-year Masters’ student in Department of
Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University, was served a ‘Leave India
Notice’ dated Feb.14 from Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in
Kolkata. FRRO falls under ambit of MHA.In her February 27 response to FRRO,
Siedczynski dismissed the allegations, saying she had no intention to actively
participate in the rally organised at the Ram Lila Maidan on December 19 last
year.“I came there driven by sheer curiosity, as everyone in my department
(both students and teachers) are actively engaged in different kinds of
cultural, artistic, social and political activities. Only in the beginning when
a group of students from Jadavpur University started singing, I walked close by
them for a few minutes,” she wrote. “Then when they told me to raise slogans
and hold posters, I refused and remained detached. Instead I was roaming around
on my own, being busy taking pictures, exactly like a few more foreigners whom
I met that day.”news18
Body asks Urs devotees to support anti-CAA stir in Ajmer Dargah
Jaipur: The ongoing annual 808 Urs in Ajmer dargah has a message for its
lakhs of devotees. Local Samvidhan Bachao Samiti (SBS), including khadim
(priest) community, is appealing devotees through banners and posters to
support anti-CAA, NPR and NRC peaceful protest in their respective cities.9-day
Urs attended by lakhs of devotees from across the country is one of the biggest
Muslim annual congregation is concluding on Thursday. The poster reads,
"It is an appeal to the devotees coming to Ajmer Sharif that they should
hold anti-CAA, NPR and NRC protest in huge numbers and continue till the
Central government rolls back the black law."While distributing posters to
devotees, Arif Hussein, member of SBS Ajmer says that devotees should take a
clear message from Ajmer that they should continue to raise their voice against
the oppressors.SBS is joined by the Anjuman Moinia Fakhria Zadgan (an apex body
of khadims or priests).Interestingly, dargah committee, a body under the
Central government's chairman Amin Pathan has extended its support to CAA
inviting the ire of the devotees.TOI
Madras High Court directs DGP to act against both pro & anti-CAA
protesters in TN
Madras High Court on Thursday, directed the Director General of Police
to see to it that no more agitations, either for or against the CAA, take place
in the State in public places without valid permission.Justices M.M. Sundresh
and Krishnan Ramasamy said there was no point in the police merely registering
FIRs against the protesters without taking further steps to alleviate the
inconvenience faced by schoolchildren and others.The orders were passed on a
public interest litigation petition filed by Hindu Munnetra Kazhagam head K.
Gopinath, also an advocate from Tiruppur, complaining about anti CAA protesters
squatting on public roads and not allowing free movement of traffic.thehindu
Rajinikanth interacts with his outfit, says will help ‘Muslims meet
Modi, Shah over CAA’
Chennai :Amid speculations that he would indicate a timeline to float
his political party, actor Rajinikanth met the district secretaries of Rajini
Makkal Mandram (Rajini People’s Form), the launchpad to his proposed outfit, at
the Raghavendra Mandapam in Chennai on Thursday.The meeting began around 10:30
am. Though only the district secretaries had been invited for the meeting, RMM
functionaries and the superstar’s fans gathered in huge numbers outside the
venue.Afterwards, Rajinikanth addressed reporters at his residence in Poes
Garden. The actor said while the meeting went smoothly, he was disappointed
with one thing, which he would reveal later. “I met the district secretaries
after a year. They had a lot of questions and I answered them all. We shared a
lot of things, they are satisfied with the discussions. I, however, am not
satisfied with one thing. I was disappointed, but I won’t be able to share what
it is now. I will explain that later,” Rajinikanth said.indianexpress
Telangana to pass anti-CAA resolution in Budget session
Telangana Legislative Assembly is
expected to pass a resolution against CAA during the Budget session beginning
on Friday.Voicing opposition to the amended citizenship law, the state cabinet
had on February 16 urged the Union government to abrogate the CAA.February 16
Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, had said it
felt the CAA would lead to discrimination on the basis of religion while
granting citizenship, thus jeopardising secularism as envisaged in the
Constitution.PTI
Nitish’s stand on NPR, NRC dents anti-CAA protest in Gaya
GAYA: The crowd at the ongoing anti-CAA protest at the Shantibagh has
significantly thinned following CM Nitish Kumar’s stand on NPR-NRC and the
subsequent resolution passed by the Bihar assembly. On their part, the protest
organisers continue to hold ground. The opinion makers stand divided on the
future strategy and the need to revisit the agitational course. Shantibagh 24x7
dharna began on 29 December’2019.Conceding that the foot fall at the dharna
venue has registered a decline, Satish Kumar, joint convener of the Samvidhan
Bachao Morcha, the forum established in the wake of the CAA, attributed it to
some ‘confusion’ caused by the CM’s announcement. According to Kumar, a section
of the people aggrieved by the CAA-NPR-CAA fall out was ‘temporarily’ taken for
a ride by the CM.TOI
Former Solicitor General Harish
Salve: CAA is necessary, not meant to send Muslims out of India
Former Solicitor General Harish Salve expressing his opinion in favour
of CAA said the principle of equality does not mean that every law must have
universal application.Salve in an article in a leading national daily said the
principle of equality would not result in taking away the power of making
classification from the state."If a law deals equally with members of a
defined class, it is not open to the charge of denial of equal protection on
the ground that it has no application to other persons," said Salve citing
that CAA''s avowed objective is to enable conferment of Indian citizenship upon
members of minority communities who hail from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and
Pakistan.IANS
*Coronavirus*
Coronavirus cases in India rise to 30 as Ghaziabad man tests positive
for Covid-19
New Delhi:The total number of people tested positive for coronavirus
(Covid-19) in India is now at 30. This number includes the first three cases
reported from Kerala where students were diagnosed with the infection, treated
and discharged. This means that there are only 27 active cases of the virus in
India at the moment.3 cases reported from Delhi-NCR, two being that of males
who recently travelled to Italy and another who returned from Iran, have also
been included in this list of 30 patients. In addition, six acquaintances of
the Delhi-based man with a travel history of Italy have tested positive for
Covid-19. One positive case has also been reported from Telangana of an
individual who recently travelled to Dubai. The single largest report of
individuals being infected with the virus has come to light from Rajasthan
where 16 Italian tourists and their Indian driver tested positive for the
coronavirus.On Thursday, a man from Ghaziabad who recently visited Iran was
diagnosed with a confirmed case of Covid-19 taking total number of individuals
tested positive for the virus to 30. A total of 6,49,452 passengers have been
screened at airports across the country from 6,550 flights as of March 5. In
addition to this, 29,607 people have been kept under the Integrated Disease Surveillance
Program (IDSP) to prevent the curb of the coronavirus.indiatoday
Coronavirus threat reschedules India-EU Summit, PM Modi cancels visit:
MEA
New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not got to Belgium’s capital
Brussels for the India-EU Summit which has been deferred due to the coronavirus
outbreak, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.“As far as
India-EU Summit is concerned which PM Modi had to attend, the health
authorities of both the countries suggested that travelling must not take place
at present. So, it has been decided that Summit will be rescheduled on a
mutually convenient date,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a press
briefing.HT
Coronavirus Threat: Delhi govt orders closure of all primary schools
till March 31
New Delhi:In the wake of coronavirus threat, Delhi government ordered the
closure of all primary schools in the state till March 31.All government,
aided, private, MCD and NDMC schools will remain closed till March 31 to
prevent the possibility of spread of COVID- 19 among children.Delhi deputy
chief minister Manish Sisodia tweeted,” As a precautionary measure to prevent
the possibility of spread of COVID-19 amongst our children, Delhi Govt has
directed immediate closure of all primary schools (Govt/ aided/
private/MCD/NDMC) till 31/3/20.”
Coronavirus: Delhi Govt Advises HoDs, Autonomous Bodies, Municipal
Corporations to Suspend Biometric Attendance
Delhi government today advised head of departments (HoDs), autonomous
bodies and municipal corporations to suspend the biometric attendance system in
the wake of coronavirus outbreak, an official said."A letter has been
written to principal secretaries, secretaries, autonomous bodies and municipal
corporations for the suspension of biometric attendance in view of coronavirus
threat," the official told PTI.One more case of novel coronavirus was
reported in Ghaziabad in the national capital region, taking the total number
in the country to 30 so far, official sources said .PTI
Coronavirus global toll rises to 3,280 across 80 countries; France death
toll rises to 6
The coronavirus outbreak has been reported in over 80 countries, with
the death toll pegged at 3,280 and 95,400 people infected. Of these, China has
reported 3,012 deaths and 80,409 positive cases.WHO Wednesday said the
mortality rate of the virus was 3.4 per cent. In comparison, the severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) killed about 10 per cent of patients infected,
while the seasonal flu’s death rate is 0.1 per cent.After China, South Korea
accounts for the most number of cases at 5,766, with 35 deaths. In Italy,
meanwhile, over 100 deaths have been reported and more than 3,000 people
infected by the virus. Iran has also announced that the death toll as on
Thursday is 107. Iran and Italy have the world’s highest death tolls outside of
China.Besides, almost 300 million students worldwide faced weeks at home with
Italy and India the latest to shut schools over the deadly new coronavirus, as
the IMF urged an all-out global offensive against the epidemic.indianexpress
Coronavirus: Iran reports 15 more deaths, toll goes up to 107
Iran on Thursday reported 15 new deaths from the novel coronavirus,
raising the national toll to 107, and said it would keep schools and
universities closed until early April, reports AFP.
*J&K
AND SOUTH ASIA*
Journalists Continue To Be Harassed, Scribe Used As 'Human
Shield':Kashmir Press Body
Journalist bodies in Kashmir have strongly condemned the harassment of
scribes by the army and police in south Kashmir after a video journalist was
allegedly used as a "human shield" by the army during a raid.The
police and security agencies were previously accused of taking away phones and
cameras of journalists.According to Kashmir Press Club, two cameramen Qayoom
Khan and Qisar Mir, working for CNN-News 18 and TV9 Bharatvarsh, were stopped
by the police from conducting their professional work on March 4 in Pulwama.
Not only this, their camera and two mobile phones were snatched away and
returned after almost 5 hours, Kashmir Press Club (KPC) said.As per the written
testimony submitted by Mir to the KPC, the duo was stopped at 15:30 hours on
Wednesday by a police officer in front of SSP Pulwama when they were on their
professional duties. Mir said that their cameras and phones were snatched by a
police officer when they were covering a raid by a probe agency at Hakripora
Pulwama.outlookindia
THERS
*ECONOMY*
RBI puts Yes Bank under moratorium, withdrawal limit capped at Rs 50,000
RBI Thursday imposed a moratorium on private sector lender Yes Bank and
capped withdrawals at Rs 50,000 until further orders. In a notification, the
central bank cited the “financial position” of the bank “which has undergone a
steady decline” to justify its decision.The board of Yes Bank has also been
superseded with immediate effect, it said in a statement. Former SBI CFO
Prashant Kumar has been appointed as the bank’s administrator.“The bank has
also experienced serious governance issues and practices in the recent years
which have led to steady decline of the bank,” the notification said.RBI
assured the depositors of the bank that their “interest will be fully protected
and there is no need to panic.” The central government is learnt to have
approved a rescue plan for Yes Bank involving a capital injection by a
consortium led by State Bank of India, Bloomberg reported earlier
today.indianexpress
Employees’ Provident Fund interest rate cut to 8.5% for 2019-20, lowest
in 7 years
Retirement fund body EPFO on Thursday lowered interest rate on provident
fund deposits to a seven-year low of 8.5 per cent for the current financial
year.The the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) had provided 8.65
per cent rate of interest on EPF for 2018-19 to its around six crore
subscribers. The decision was taken at a meeting of the the EPFO's apex
decision making body -- the Central Board of Trustee (CBT)."The EPFO has
decided to provide 8.5 per cent interest rate on EPF deposits for 2019-20 in
the CBT meeting today," Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said here after
the meeting.PTI
Economic Survey: Massive dip in Maharashtra’s industrial growth, lowest
since 2013-14
Mumbai :Long-term decline in consumer spending and industrial investment
coupled with the contraction in the country’s manufacturing, capital goods and
consumer durables sector seem to have had an impact on Maharashtra’s industrial
sector, which has grown at the rate of 3.3 per cent in 2019-2020.According to
the Economic Survey, submitted in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, the
industrial sector’s growth rate is substantially lower than both 2018-19 and
2017-18, when it had grown at the rate of 6.9 and 7.6 per cent, respectively.
This is also the lowest growth rate for the industrial sector since 2013-14,
when it had notched a 3.1 per cent growth.indianexpress
*OTHERS*
Over 2.4 lakh cases relating to rape and POCSO pending in courts across
country:govt
The government on Wednesday said that there are over 2.4 lakh pending
cases in courts related to rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences (POCSO) Act across the country till December last year.According to a
written reply in Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Uttar Pradesh
tops the list of states with 66,994 pending rape cases followed by Maharashtra
with 21,691 and 20,511 in West Bengal."As per information received from
High Courts, the status of pending cases related to rape and POCSO Act, as on
December 31, 2019, is 2,44,001," Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
informed the Lower House in response to a query by Janata Dal (United) leader
Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh.In furtherance to, Criminal Law (Amendment) Act,
2018, a scheme was finalized for setting up of 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts
(FTSCs) across the country for expeditious trial and disposal of pending cases
related to Rape and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,
2012, in a time-bound manner under Centrally-Sponsored Scheme.So far, the
Central's share of funds amounting to Rs 99.43 crore has been released during
2019-20 to 27 States/UTs which have so far consented to setting up of 649
number of FTSCs.According to proposed FTSCs, maximum number of 218 courts will
be in Uttar Pradesh, 138 in Maharashtra and 123 in West Bengal.indiatoday
Nirbhaya rape case: Supreme Court to step in on March 23 if convicts are
not hanged on March 20
The Supreme Court on March 5 made it clear that any delay in the
scheduled execution of death sentence of the four Nirbhaya gang-rape case
convicts on March 20 will see the court itself step in on March 23 to promptly
decide the government's appeal for permission to separately hang them to
death.The assurance from a three-judge Bench led by Justice R. Banumathi came
while addressing the government's apprehension that chances are high that one
or other of the four convicts may turn up in court before March 20 with a new
plea and further delay the execution. “I am no astrologer... but they
[convicts] will find something to delay the March 20 execution... I am not in a
hurry to execute them, but the system is suffering when the punishment keeps
getting postponed. The convicts have been taking the system for a ride... Even
now, it has been over two years since their review petitions were dismissed by
the Supreme Court,” Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta submitted.At this juncture,
Justice Banumathi turned to the convicts’ lawyers to come prepared on March 23
as the court would not entertain any requests for adjournment. The court would
examine the government's appeal to hang them separately even if it involves an
“extended hearing” on March 23, Justice Banumathi assured.The Bench was hearing
an appeal filed by Ministry of Home Affairs and the Delhi government for
permission to separately hang those among the four convicts who had exhausted
their remedies in court and before the President.The apex court hearing came
within an hour of a trial court issuing a fresh death warrant to execute the four
men on March 20 at 5.30 a.m. As of now, all the four — Gupta, Mukesh Kumar
Singh, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Kumar Singh — have exhausted their available
legal and constitutional remedies. Gupta may, however, approach the Supreme
Court to challenge the rejection of his mercy plea.thehindu
Tension in Coimbatore after attack on mosques
Coimbatore: Tension prevailed in parts of the city early on Thursday
after two mosques came under attack here, following which security was beefed
up, police said. While a bottle filled with petrol was hurled at a mosque in
Ganapati locality, there were reports of stones being thrown at another place
of worship in Kovaipudur. The incidents came in retaliation to an alleged
attack on a Hindu Munnani worker late on Wednesday night, they said. Madukkarai
Anand, District Secretary of Hindu Munnani, was attacked by some unidentified
people who came on bikes, while he was returning home after participating in a
pro-CAA dharna in the city around 10 PM on Wednesday. A large posse of police
were deployed in sensitive areas to prevent any untoward incidents, even as
Anand was undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital. Investigation is
underway in connection with both the incidents, police said. Meanwhile, Hindu
Munnani called for a one-day bandh on Friday in the district to protest the
attack on its functionary and police inaction to nab the culprits. Talking to
reporters here, Hindu Munnani functionary Kadeswara Subramanian described it as
an "organised" attack to incite violence. He accused DMK, Congress
and Left parties of instigating the members of Muslim community to "take
political advantage" and "indulge" in violence. SDPI petitioned
Police Commissioner, seeking to bring to book those involved in the attack on
the mosques. Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamaat in a release said some people who did
not believe in peace had hurled the petrol bomb on the mosque.PTI
UP: 2 arrested for thrashing 2 youths for spreading a 'false' story of
cow slaughter in Bulandhshar
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday arrested two persons for
thrashing 2 youths and spreading a 'false' story of cow slaughter in
Bulandhshar.The arrests followed the wide circulation of a video showing the
two youths being hit with sticks by a group of at least 6 persons in
Sikandrabad area on March 2. The two had claimed that while assaulting them,
the assaulters accused them of cow slaughter and hurled communal abuses at them
while referring to Delhi violence.While declaring the arrest of 2 of 5 persons
named in FIR, a senior Bulandhshar police officer said accused had “come up with
a false story” of cow slaughter. Bulandhshar ASP Gopal Krishan Chaudhary said
the accused knew of a dead cow lying near a ground where they would often play
cricket. “So they came up with a false story to spoil the atmosphere”, he said,
adding that a police team instantly reached the spot upon hearing about an
assault and alleged cow slaughter. The police recovered the skull of a cow from
the spot while the carcass had been eaten by dogs. After investigation, it was
found that the carcass was five days old and the cow had a “natural death”, the
officer told media.Upon questioning the arrested persons, Chaudhary said, they
mentioned that Pradeep and Sachin had some dispute with 2 youths over payment
at a hotel.The arrested persons were identified as Karan alias Vipin and Badal
alias Vinendra. In one video widely shared on social media, the two youths, one
of them bare-chested, were seen being punched, kicked and hit with a lathi by
the men, later identified as the accused, in an undisclosed location next to a
car bearing a Delhi number plate.Later, in another video, one of them,
identifying himself as Umar, is heard saying the assaulters intercepted their
car and pulled them on the road while they were going to a cold storage. Thehindu
Trouble For Congress In Madhya Pradesh As MLA Hardeep Singh Dang
Resigns; 3 More Missing
Bhopal: One of the four missing Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh has
sent his resignation letter to state assembly Speaker NP Prajapati. In the
letter, Hardeep Dang said despite getting the people's mandate for a second
time, he is constantly being ignored by the party. "None of the ministers
are ready to work as they are part of a corrupt government," his letter
read.Hardeep Dang was one of 10 MLAs who were allegedly spirited away by BJP in
an effort to bring down the government on Tuesday. The Congress said it managed to recover six
of the MLAs from a hotel in Gurgaon, near Delhi, after a late-night rescue
operation on Tuesday.Hardeep Dang, Raghuraj Kansana, Bisahulal Singh and
Independent member Shera Bhaiya remained missing. There were rumours that they
were ensconced at a five-star hotel in BJP-ruled Karnataka, which, last year,
saw the Janata Dal Secular-Congress government crashing after 15 rebels crossed
over to the BJP.
BJP "Kidnapped 14 MLAs" To Destabilise Madhya Pradesh
Government: Congress
Bhopal: Congress, rattled over missing MLAs that could threaten its
wafer-thin majority in Madhya Pradesh, today accused the BJP of
"kidnapping 14 MLAs" to destabilise its government in what it called
"Operation Holi".Congress leaders in Delhi accused the BJP of
attacking it "state by state" and making attempts to topple its governments
closer to elections to the Rajya Sabha or upper house of parliament.
RJD drops Shahabuddin from national executive, wife Hina makes entry as
Rabri Devi becomes VP
Patna:Former RJD MP and dreaded gangster Mohammad Shahabuddin who is
presently lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail has failed to find a place in the newly
formed national executive of RJD .The former MP who was a member of the
national executive for past several years has been shown the door and instead
his wife, Hina Shahab, has been inducted into the RJD's topmost forum.According
to sources, Shahabuddin has been kept out of the national executive as per the
wishes of RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav who
is the party's chiefministerial candidate for the upcoming assembly elections
in the state.indiatoday
7 Congress MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for throwing paper at Speaker
7 Congress MPs have been suspended from Lok Sabha for the remaining
period of the Budget session for their gross misconduct after they snatched
papers from the Speaker’s table and utter disregard for House rules.As soon as
the House met at 3 pm following an adjournment, Meenakshi Lekhi, who was
presiding the House, named Gaurav Gogoi, T N Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Manicka
Tagore, Rajmohan Unnithan, Benny Behanan and Gurjeet Singh Aujla.Once a member
is named by the Chair, he or she cannot attend the House for that
day.indiatoday
UP minister directs Ghaziabad officials to file FIR against waqf land
encroachers
Uttar Pradesh waqf minister Mohsin Raza Tuesday said he has directed
Ghaziabad officials to register an FIR against those who have encroached on
waqf land in Ghaziabad. This came after an inquiry by the district minority
welfare officer brought the encroachment to the fore.The minister said his
government has already recommended to CBI an inquiry on all waqf land in the
state.Raza said he had come across the inquiry report sent by Amrita Singh,
district minority welfare officer, Ghaziabad, and have come to know about
large-scale encroachment of waqf land by private persons.HT
*WORLD*
Erdogan, Putin meet with hopes of reaching Idlib ceasefire
Turkish and Russian presidents are meeting in Moscow for talks over a
ceasefire deal amid intensifying fighting between Turkish and Syrian government
forces in Syria's northwestern Idlib province.Last week, Turkey and fighters
aligned to it launched a military operation in the region after at least 33
Turkish soldiers were killed in an air attack by the Russia-backed Syrian
army.Two Turkish soldiers died and several others were wounded on Wednesday in
a fresh Syrian assault, which prompted Ankara to retaliate by striking military
objectives.On Thursday, Russian air raids in Idlib killed 16 civilians,
according to Syrian civil defence group, the White Helmets, while Turkish
defence ministry said 184 Syrian government forces were killed in the last 24
hours. Ankara says its army downed three Syrian planes, destroyed hundreds of
vehicles and equipment, and killed more than 3,000 government soldiers since
the operation was launched on February 27.aljazeera
Tensions escalate in Deraa, 'cradle of Syrian revolution'
Tensions escalated in southern Syria's Deraa province after government
troops and armed volunteers launched a raid against opposition fighters
controlling parts of Al-Sanamayn town.On Monday, after a day of heavy shelling
and fighting led by Fourth Division of Maher al-Assad, brother of Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad, an agreement was brokered by Russia that saw two
dozen opposition fighters leave the town for opposition-held areas in the
country's northwest, local residents told Al Jazeera.
ICC authorises investigation into alleged Afghanistan war crimes
International Criminal Court (ICC) has authorised an investigation into
possible war crimes committed in Afghanistan, which would include allegations
against US, Afghan and Taliban armed fighters."Appeals chamber considers
it appropriate to ... authorise the investigation," said presiding Judge
Piotr Hofmanski on Thursday.The decision, which comes days after US and Taliban
armed group signed a peace deal, overturns a lower court decision and opens the
way for prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to launch a full investigation, despite US
government opposition.US is not a member of the Hague-based court.aljazeera
Fighting in Rakhine, Chin states rages as Myanmar limits internet
Continued fighting between
Myanmar's military and the Arakan Army armed group has left several people dead
in recent days as the government continues a clampdown on the western
region.Activists and journalists have decried the internet blackout the
government has imposed as part of the clampdown as a violation of human
rights.Reports on Tuesday said at least 11 civilians, including five Muslim
Rohingya, had been killed after being caught in the hostilities in Rakhine, a
western state that is home to more than three million people.In a statement,
four United Nations human rights experts also said "credible reports"
showed that more than 1,000 people had been displaced in the 10 days up to
February 18. Myanmar Times also quoted the Rakhine Ethnic Congress as saying
that more than 120,000 have evacuated beginning in November 2018.
Israel demolishes two Palestinian houses in occupied West Bank
Israeli forces have demolished homes of two Palestinians in occupied
West Bank.Walid Hanatsheh and Yazan Mughamis are currently in custody and
facing trial over allegations of carrying out an attack in the West Bank last
year which killed an Israeli citizen and injured another.Witnesses told local
media that armed Israeli vehicles stormed into the town of Birzeit today,
cordoned off the area surrounding Mughamis's house before tearing it
down.Israeli forces used jackhammers to demolish walls of Hanatsheh's apartment
in Ramallah.
More white people arrested over terrorism than any other ethnic group
for second year in a row
The number of white terror suspects being arrested in UK has outstripped
those of Asian appearance for the second year in a row.Official figures showed
that 117 white people were arrested on suspicion of terror offences in 2019,
compared to 111 Asian suspects and 21 black suspects.“The proportion of white
people arrested exceeded the proportion of Asian people arrested for the second
consecutive year, having not done previously since 2004,” a Home Office
document said.The change comes after increased police operations against
far-right extremists, including members of National Action.The neo-Nazi
terrorist group was banned in 2016 but split into factions that operated under
different names, whose members were later arrested in mass raids. Independent UK
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
As the Gujarat Model Goes National, Hindutva Hunts for the 'Enemy in Our
Midst':Jan Breman, thewire
Legacy of Michael Bloomberg's Muslim surveillance programme:Azad Essa,
Nur Ibrahim in New York City
Rights or wrong?: On UN rights body move against CAA:EDITORIAL, thehindu
SC Violates It's Own Resolution In Transfer Of Justice Muralidhar:Prof.
Madabhushi Sridhar Acharyulu
Defence of CAA exposes the moral emptiness of the ruling
dispensation:Alok Rai
Violence in Delhi was part of a familiar playbook?:Omkar Goswami
Domestic demand must play a greater role in India’s growth
story:Jahangir Aziz
No more pretences: Move over ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, enter ‘Goli
Maro…’:nationalheraldindia View
Social cost of Delhi riots: An environment of mistrust between
communities:Ashlin Mathew
Higher education has become a waste of money:Milind Sohoni
UNHRC moves SC on CAA: Easy to mock UN body's hypocrisy, but what's the
impulse that motivates western campaign against India? Sreemoy Talukdar
Fact Check: Do the images show Muslim women pelting stones in Delhi?
Here’s truth: claim, is false
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released
at: 9:53 PM).
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