07 March 2020:
11 Rajjab 1441: Vol: 12, No: 150
*DELHI VIOLENCE*
After strong criticism, Modi govt revokes suspension of Malayalam
channels MediaOne, Asianet News over Delhi violence coverage
After an arbitrary move by Modi govt to ban 2 Malayalam News channels
Asianet News and MediaOne on Friday night, by Saturday 2 am the ban on Asianet
News was revoked. Soon after by 9.25 am, the ban on MediaOne was also lifted.
The revocation came after strong protests by BJP critics on social media about
the ban and the preferential treatment given to Asianet after the ban. Several
called it govt’s version of NRC for news channels. Asianet is promoted by
businessman and BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, while MediaOne, the TV arm of
Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited, whose newspaper has a wide readership among
Malayalis in Gulf, is owned by mostly Muslim Ideal Publication Trust. The order
passed by Information and Broadcasting ministry stated that both news channels
violated Cable TV Network Rules 1994. The blackout, ordered without
establishing any inaccuracy in reportage but based on rules dealing with
communal strife, drew comparisons with the Emergency-era clampdown on freedom
of expression. The ministry of I&B alleged Asianet News and Media One were
"biased" and critical of RSS and Delhi Police.Both have been accused
of highlighting “attack on places of worship”, “siding towards a particular
community” and alleging “police inaction”.In addition, Asianet has been faulted
for reporting that “riots continued in Delhi and death toll has reached 10”,
that “hundreds of shops, houses and vehicles were set on fire”, that “rioters
were firing at each other” and that the “rioters were attacking people after
asking their religion”.Against Media One, the additional charges are that it
“seems to be critical towards Delhi police and RSS” and “questions RSS”, and
that it focuses on “vandalism of CAA supporters”. Nowhere does the ministry’s
order say that reporting by either channel was factually incorrect. Both
channels have defended their coverage. Group Editor of Madhyamam-MediaOne, O
Abdurahman said, “A week earlier, we had gotten a show cause to which we had
responded. I&B ministry did not respond to the notice, instead they
suddenly announced the ban. And just as suddenly they lifted the ban around
9.30 am on Saturday morning. We believe it happened because of pressure on
social media and protests on the ground. We have not apologised for our
coverage. Freedom of the press is one of the basic tenets of our democracy.
People will not tolerate the ban on a channel without any specific issue. The
reporter Hasannul Banna was reporting what he saw.” Banna, a journalist who was
named in the ministry’s order, said he had only told the channel what he saw
and was not reporting for Media One. “I narrated what I saw when the channel
called me. Someone was firing at the crowd from the top of a building on Jan.
24,” Banna said. “I didn’t say who fired because I don’t know. But this kind of
a reaction by the government is very unfortunate,” he added. MediaOne channel
issued a statement on the order. "This is a blatant attack against free
and fair reporting. The ministry order mentioned that our reporting has
violated cable TV Act. This is something but an order to stop free and fair
journalism. MediaOne will fight legally against this unprecedented and
undemocratic action imposed by I&B Ministry," signed CL Thomas,
Editor-in-Chief of MediaOne TV. The news of ban against these 2 channels saw a
stream of criticism by politicians of all hues except BJP. Several people got
out on the streets to protest late on Friday night. Leaders of both CPI(M) and
Congress slammed the move by BJP govt.“How on earth can Malayalam channels
inflame communal passions in Delhi? Whereas the truly vicious propaganda
channels like Ré-pubic & TimesCow continue their brazen distortions
w/impunity,” stated Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP. Supporting him, Congress MP P
Chidambaram stated, “The Ministry of I&B plays the roles of Prosecutor,
Jury and Judge. This is a travesty of justice. All media entities should
protest vehemently. The govt must scrap the shut down order forthwith.”nationalheraldindia/
theweek/ telegraphindia
Govt. Lifts Ban on Malayalam TV Channels After Facing Strong Criticism
Protests erupt in Kerala over Centre’s move to ban two Malayalam news
channels
Central govt’s decision to ban 2 Malayalam news channels for their
coverage of the New Delhi riots triggered a flurry of protests in Kerala on
Saturday.Chief Minister Pinarayi condemned the move and said in a Facebook post
that it reflected a dangerous trend that presaged an era of political and
religious intolerance.Vijayan said an undeclared emergency prevailed in India.
Centre had infringed on independent journalism. It wanted civil society to fall
in line with its divisive political agenda. Centre had sent an unequivocal
message. “Anyone who dares criticise RSS will earn the Centre’s ire”, he
said.The Constitution guarantees citizens to air their opinion fearlessly.
Hence, no entity was above criticism in a democratic polity. “Is RSS a holy
organisation that is above reproach? Is there such a rule in the country?” he
asked. Vijayan said journalists had demonstrated against the ban. However, no
sound of protest had come from the association of media owners, he said. The
people had a right to know what is happening in the country and journalists
must inform them. By banning two media organisations, the Centre has trespassed
on the rights of both groups. RSS has a history of using intimidation as a tool
to cow down opponents. It has now used it against the independent media, the
judiciary and in Parliament.Kerala Union of Working Journalists took out a
march to General Post Office in Thiruvananthapuram to protest ban.thehindu
‘Dark day for democracy’: Kerala journalists protest govt ban on
Asianet, MediaOne
'Freedom Of Press Absolutely Essential': Javadekar On Revoking Ban Two
Kerala News Channels
Union I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar has said the Centre has lifted
the ban on two Malayalam news channels."Our basic thought process is that
the freedom of press is absolutely essential in the democratic set up and that
is the commitment of the Modi government," Javadekar said.Referring to the
Emergency, Javadekar said the freedom of press was suppressed in those days.
"We went to jails against that and we secured the freedom of press,"
he added.outlookindia
Kapil Sibal Throws "Changing Status Quo" Question At PM Modi
New Delhi: Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his
"critics do not want to change status quo" comment, Congress leader
Kapil Sibal asked Prime Minister if "banning TV channels critical to RSS,
detaining citizens critical of the government, remaining silent while Delhi
burns and using sedition laws to silence people indicate to changing the status
quo"."Modiji says: We want to change the status quo, our critics
don't want it. Modiji is: 1) Banning TV channels critical of RSS 2) Detaining
citizens critical of government 3) Remaining silent while Delhi burns 4) Using
sedition laws to silence people. Changing the status quo?" Mr Sibal
tweeted.ndtv
Shocking and Shameful That PM, CM Not Visiting Violence-Hit Delhi Areas:
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
NEW DELHI: Large-scale violence was orchestrated and over 50 people were
killed and thousands rendered homeless in northeast Delhi, just a few
kilometres from Prime Minister’s office and residence, but neither the PM nor
the Chief Minister have yet visited the affected areas; this is very shocking
and shameful, said Jamaat-e-Islami Hind here on Saturday.“Over 50 people have
been killed and hundreds injured and hundreds of homes, shops were looted and
torched and thousands of people became homeless. This all happened just a few
kilometres from the PMO. It is very shocking and shameful that Prime Minister
and Chief Minister are not yet visiting the affected people,” said Jamaat’s
national president Syed Sadatullah Hussaini.Around two weeks have passed since
the violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has neither condemned the violence
nor condoled the deaths. Three days after the violence, PM had posted a tweet
in which he had appealed to people "to maintain peace and
brotherhood." Addressing its monthly press conference, Jamaat chief
demanded a high-level probe by the Delhi Minorities Commission because, he
said, there are several allegations about passive or active involvement of
police personnel also in 3-day long violence, and therefore only SIT probe is
not sufficient. Addressing the press
conference, Jamaat’s Vice President Mohammad Salim Engineer said that what
happened in the northeast Delhi “cannot be called clashes between two groups or
communal riots. It was a planned attack and rioters were trained.”They have
distributed thousands of food kits and cooked food packets among victims. The
volunteers rescued 30 injured persons and got them admitted at Al Shifa
hospital, run by sister organization of Jamaat in Jamia Nagar in South Delhi.
Most of them were treated free of cost.indiatomorrow
Delhi violence pre-planned; lives, properties of Muslims specifically
targeted says Jamaat Islami Hind Preident; Jamaat’s relief operations underway
Delhi Police internal report on riots nails Kapil Mishra, Bhim Army
Chief Chandrashekhar Azad
While Delhi Police bore the brunt of being "mute spectators"
during the riots in northeastern parts of the capital recently, it has sprung
back to action and detailed a chronology that led to the Delhi violence. The
police have detailed how BJP leader Kapil Mishra sent text messages to his
followers and Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad mobilized people from minority-dominated
areas to be a part of the riots that have led to death of 53 people so far.The
police's internal report accessed by IANS states that it was pro-CAA protesters
who carried out attack on a Bhim Army vehicle. The Bhim Army activists then
mobilized local people and retaliated.The internal status report on riots in
Delhi states: "On February 22, 2020 around 10:30 p.m. nearly 500 women
began a protest near Jafrabad Metro Station against CAA and NRC. Seeing them,
about 2,000 local youths join the protest."In the report, the police also
stated that they tried to control the situation and roped in Maulana Shameem
and Maulana Dawood for support and contained that situation."On Feb.23
morning, Kapil Mishra and Deepak Singh sent a message to their followers using
social media, calling them to assemble at Maujpur Chowk in favour of CAA and
NRC at 2:30 p.m. and to oppose the protest at Jafrabad," the report
said.The police noted that Mishra accompanied by Deepak Singh arrived at the spot
at 2.30 p.m. and stayed there for almost three hours. "Deepak Singh was
kept away from the spot," stated the report adding, "Bhim Army led by
Chandrashekar had given a call for Bharat Bandh the same day."The police
thereafter explains how rioting began at 5 p.m. the same day."One vehicle
carrying Bhim Army supporters was attacked by pro-CAA supporters at Maujpur
Chowk," the report said.IANS
AAP's Tahir Hussain, Accused In Intel Employee's Murder, Sent To 7-Day
Custody
New Delhi: A Delhi court Friday sent suspended AAP councillor Tahir
Hussain to seven day police custody in connection with the alleged killing of
IB employee Ankit Sharma during the recent violence in northeast Delhi. Delhi
Police said that Tahir Hussain's custodial interrogation was required to
unearth a larger conspiracy, his advocate Mukesh Kalia said. Hussain was
arrested on Thursday after a court in Delhi dismissed his plea seeking to
surrender before it in connection with the case.Hussain had said that he was
willing to join the investigation and wanted to surrender in the case.The
lawyer said Hussain has been falsely implicated in the case and sought
protection for his life and property. As the court dismissed Hussain's plea, a
Delhi Police team, which had already arrived, arrested him and took him into
custody.On the complaint of the father, the police registered an FIR against
Hussain, who has rejected the charge.PTI
“Tahir Hussain is being punished today simply because he’s Muslim”: AAP
MLA Amanatullah
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan has said that his party colleague Tahir Hussain
was facing harassment from the law enforcement agencies in the Delhi carnage
case only because he was a Muslim. Khan, who recently won his assembly election
from Okhla by a huge margin, took to his social media page to make
extraordinary allegations. His allegations came just a day after Hussain was
arrested by the Delhi Police. Amanatullah Khan wrote in Hindi, “Hussain is
being punished today simply because he’s Muslim. Perhaps being a Muslim is the
biggest punishment in India. It’s possible that it will be established in the
coming days that the entire Delhi violence was orchestrated by
him.”jantakareporter
Delhi court extends police custody of Jaffrabad shooter Shahrukh for 3
days
Karkardooma court in Delhi on Saturday extended police custody of
Mohammed Shahrukh for 3 more days. A resident of Jaffrabad in Delhi's North
East district, Shahrukh was arrested from Shamli in Uttar Pradesh earlier this
month. Delhi Police had been on Shahrukh's trail ever since a video of him
waving a gun at a policeman during the recent unrest in the national capital
went viral on social media platforms. Shot during the riots that broke out in
several areas of northeast Delhi, including Jaffrabad, an armed Shahrukh could
be seen charging at a policeman in a fit of rage. A case was registered against
him but Shahrukh remained absconding until recently.indiatoday
SIT arrests 3 other Muslims in connection with Delhi violence after
questioning Tahir Hussain
New Delhi:A SIT comprising of
personnel attached with Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested 3 people in
connection with the recent violence in Delhi's North East district. These
arrests were made after suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain was arrested
from the Rouse Avenue court on Thursday after his surrender plea was rejected
by a judge.3 men have been identified as Tariq Rizvi, Liyakat and Riyasat.
While Tariq was the manager of Tahir Hussain's factory in Kasna and was
arrested from Janki Nagar where he had been hiding since the violence, Liyakat
is a resident of Chand Bagh and is an accused in the riots. Another resident of
Chand Bagh, Riyasat has also been accused of rioting.All 4 men, including Tahir
Hussain, have been arrested on the basis of a complaint registered against them
at the Khajuri Khas police station by one constable Sangram Singh. The men were
arrested on the basis of FIR registered by constable Singh.
Delhi riots: SIT arrests Shehnawaz from Shiv Vihar, claims he was part
of rioters
New Delhi:One of the two SIT formed by the Delhi Police to probe cases
related to the communal riots that broke out in northeast Delhi last month,
killing over 50 people, has arrested a man from Shiv Vihar.SIT claims he was
part of the rioters.The person who was arrested has been identified as Mohammad
Shehnawaz (27). Police claim he is a resident of Shiv Vihar. An FIR was filed
against him at the Gokulpuri police station.Police have accused Shehnawaz of
having pelted stones along with others when riots broke out at a tri-junction
in Shiv Vihar. The police have also claimed that he ransacked and torched
several shops.SIT claimed, "Shahnawaz entered into a book store and a
sweet shop godown at A-29, Chaman Park, Shiv Vihar and torched both the places
along with other rioters."Police said this was the same shop (A-29) from
where the dead body of Dilbar Singh was found on February 26. indiatoday
Delhi court grants bail to Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Gujjar
New Delhi:A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Kapil Baisala
(Gujjar) who opened fire in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area on February 1.The Delhi
Police had opposed the bail plea.Kapil Gujjar, who belongs to East Delhi's
Dallu Pura area, had on February 1 fired three bullets in the air after warning
anti-CAA protesters to disperse.He had also shouted communal slogans.On
February 1, Kapil Gujjar, a 25-year-old resident of a village in the outskirts
of Delhi bordering Noida, had shot twice in the air near the Shaheen Bagh
protest site.After firing the shots he had told media that no one but Hindus
will get what they want in this nation.indiatoday
Delhi: 683 cases registered, 1,983 people detained or held
Delhi Police said on Friday it has registered over 600 cases in
connection with last week''s riots in northeast Delhi, officials said.Out of
683 cases registered, 48 were related to the Arms Act, it said in a
statement.In total, 1,983 people have been either detained or arrested so far
in connection with the communal violence, the police said.Total 251 meetings
with Aman Committee have been conducted across the national capital, a senior
police officer said.PTI
Delhi High Court seeks list of people arrested in Delhi riots
Delhi High Court Friday sought responses from the Delhi government and
the police on a PIL by CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat seeking directions to make
public the list of persons arrested in connection with the recent violence in
the northeast part of the city.A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C
Hari Shankar issued notice to the Delhi government and the police on Karat's
plea which has sought that a list of the arrested persons be put up outside the
police control room and police stations in the district, and should 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 the
Delhi Police in relation to the violence that killed at least 44 people and left
around 200 injured.thehansindia
Delhi riot: HC asks hospitals to Videotape autopsies
Delhi High Court Friday directed all hospitals under the central and
Delhi governments to videograph post-mortems of all persons killed in Northeast
Delhi. The death toll from the riots stands at 53, with over 300 injured.A
bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice I S Mehta also directed all
hospitals to collect and preserve DNA samples of the dead. The bench further
directed government hospitals not to dispose of any unidentified bodies till
the next date of hearing, March 11.indianexpress
People involved in Delhi violence came from places near Meerut,
Ghaziabad: Delhi Police
Those involved in the violence in northeast Delhi that erupted on February
23, had come in from nearby areas of Meerut and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi Police said here on Friday.According to a police source, this information
was revealed in a coordination meeting held at the DCP office in North-East
district between the Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police officials on
Friday.Till Friday the Delhi Police had registered 683 cases, including 48
cases under the Arms Act, in connection with the violence.The police added that
1,983 people have also been either arrested or detained.ANI
Delhi Violence: Waqf Board to Repair Damaged Shops, Homes of All
Communities, Releases Rs 50 Lakh
Delhi Waqf Board has announced to repair all shops and homes damaged
during the three-day long violence in the northeast Delhi last month. Delhi
Waqf Board chairman and MLA Amanatullah Khan released Rs 50 lakh on Friday to
start the repair work.“The Construction Committee of Delhi Waqf Board will
start full repair work of all the torched and damaged shops and homes,
irrespective of which religion their owners belong to. Today I have given Rs 50
lakh to the committee to start the work,” tweeted Khan in Hindi Friday
night.India Tomorrow
I cannot find my father's body,
Delhi's fearful Muslims mourn riot dead:the Guardian
Mohammad Arshad’s body was brought into the courtyard, his lifeless face
covered in a white shroud, the wailing began. 22-year-old house painter, who
had been beloved by his 6 sisters and would always bring them fruit when he
finished work, had died a brutal death 2 days earlier. He had been killed
because he was Muslim.Several of Arshad’s sisters reached out to touch his cold
bruised cheeks. “Please wake up, brother,” they cried. “Wake up. Please open
your eyes.”Arshad’s death is just a small fragment of the devastating legacy of
the riots that engulfed Delhi last week – the worst religious violence in the
capital in decades. For four consecutive days, Hindu mobs of thousands roamed
the streets of north-east Delhi, destroying Muslims’ houses and shops, and
lynching or killing Muslim residents. The bodies of the dead are gradually
being returned to families but the thousands of Muslims who fled their homes in
the riots are mostly still too afraid to go back.While there was retaliation on
both sides, the majority of the violence was carried out against Muslims. A
senior Delhi government health department official told the Guardian that of
the 49 found dead so far from the violence, 35 were Muslim. More bodies were
still being recovered from the drains more than a week on.Last Wednesday had
begun as a normal day for Arshad, who had left for work on his motorcycle
accompanied by two Hindu friends. But in the Delhi neighbourhood of Karaval
Nagar, a mob of around 30 Hindus had descended, demanding to know their
religion. According to a witness, Arshad kept quiet, so the mob forced down his
trousers. On seeing he was circumcised, as is common among Muslims in India,
the mob instantly beat him to death. His bloodied body was later found in a
gutter, his pants still around his ankles.At his funeral on Monday, held in his
uncle’s hometown of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Arshad’s 15-year-old sister
Ayesha broke into a furious, grief-ridden rage and began pointing her finger
angrily at an onlooker she presumed to be Hindu.theguardian
In Delhi’s worst violence in decades, a man watched his brother
burn:washingtonpost
New Delhi:Hours before Anwar Kassar was shot and burned to death, he was
having tea with a neighbor.It was time to leave, the neighbor suggested to him.
Violence had broken out between Hindus and Muslims nearby, and rumors flew
about mobs targeting Muslims. But Anwar said he wasn’t going anywhere, his
neighbor recalled: Even though he and his brother were the only Muslim family
on the block, this was his home of more than 30 years, and whatever would
happen was his fate.Later that day, dozens of men pulled Anwar, 58, out of his
home, shot him and threw him into a fire in broad daylight, said two witnesses,
one of whom was his younger brother Saleem Kassar, 52. Hidden by a Hindu
neighbor, he watched it happen from a third-floor window.More than 10 days have
passed since Delhi descended into violence on a scale not seen in decades, and
the full measure of the bloodshed is still emerging. The majority of those killed were Muslims,
many shot, hacked or burned to death.Saleem Kassar recalled seeing a mob of a
few hundred people, most of them wearing helmets, armed with sticks, swords and
small pistols. He heard shouts of “Jai Shri Ram,” or “Victory to Lord Ram,” a
rallying cry of Hindu nationalists and the ruling party.Then he watched,
helpless with terror, as Anwar was killed.
During Delhi Violence, Rioters Torched Even Medical Stores
NEW DELHI:During 3–day long violence in dozen-odd areas of the northeast
Delhi last month, rioters torched not only hundreds of homes and vehicles but
also medical stores.Ashrafi Dawakhana on the main road of Moonga Nagar near
Chand Bagh was set afire by a mob of rioters around midnight on February 24. A
look inside the completely gutted medical store gives an idea about the massive
fire with which rioters were torching homes and shops for whole two days in the
area.“My shop was torched around 12:30 am, in the intervening night of Feb
24-25. My shop was closed at that time. Ashrafi Dawakhana was written on the
board of the shop. I estimate my loss at around Rs 1.75 crore,” says Mohammad
Hilal while talking to India Tomorrow. This shop would all types of medicines
but it was the main distributor of Hamdard medicines for the entire northeast
Delhi region. “But everything has now turned into ashes,” he says.He informed
that some government officials had come to his shop to assess the damage. “They
have promised Rs 5 lakh. I don’t know when they will give this amount. But how
will this amount help me? It may help some small shops.“There were five
employees in the shop. Now all of them and their families are on the road. They
have lost source of livelihood,” says Hilal, whose elder brother Faizan Ashrafi
would run the shop.India Tomorrow
Afghan protesters decry persecution of Indian Muslims
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/afghan-protesters-decry-persecution-of-indian-muslims/1757371#
KABUL:Protesters took to the streets in various cities of Afghanistan on
Friday against the oppression of Muslims in India.The largest demonstration
against killing of Muslims in the recent New Delhi riots was held in the
western Herat province that borders Iran.A rally participant told Anadolu
Agency the protesters burnt Indian flags and raised slogans against Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while urging Muslims across the world to unite
against the injustice. Mujeeb Rehman Ansari, a prayer leader at a local mosque,
led the demonstration.Similar rallies were held in other major urban centers of
Afghanistan, including a protest by a leftist party in the capital
Kabul.Anadolu Agency
Former SC Judges Visit Riot Affected AreasIn Delhi, Justice Kurian
Joseph Urges Legal Service Authorities To Start Help Desk
Justice Kurian Joseph, Justice Vikramjith Sen and Justice AK Patnaik
have visited the riot affected areas in Delhi today to ascertain the prevailing
condition there.Justice Kurian Joseph told Live Law that the situation therein
is very shocking. "We went there to ascertain the prevailing situation
there, and not to check who is culpable. We have seen people who lost their
homes, those who lost their valuables, their vehicles etc.. The situation is
relief camps is worse. People there are afraid to return to homes.", he
said.He has also requested the Legal Service Authorities to start a help desk
by organizing lawyers, whose presence at those relief camps will give assurance
to the riot victims.Justice Joseph also urged V-Cs of the Law Universities in
Delhi to send the students to these places to do volunteer service where they
could learn more about the Constitution values, the duties of the State
etc.They need to understand that India is not about a religion, caste, race or
language, but Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (world is one family), he said. Live Law
3 dead bodies found at different places near Shaheen Bagh, police
engaged in investigation: ourbitcoinnews report
New Delhi: 3 bodies were recovered from three different places on Friday
in Shaheen Bagh area of Delhi. All three cases are being investigated.
According to the police, at present no suspicious thing has been seen in all
three cases. Postmortem of the dead bodies will be done on Saturday. District
Deputy Commissioner of Police R.P. Meena gave this information to IANS on
Friday night. He said, 'The first case of finding the dead body came to
cognizance at around 12:30 pm. The age of the deceased is about 35 years. This
body was floating on the banks of river Yamuna.After investigation, the body
was identified as Madan Thapa son Manveer Thapa, resident of Ashok Nagar Delhi.
It is learned that the disappearance of Madan Thapa was lodged at Hari Nagar
police station on 3 February 2020. No trace of injury has been found on the
dead body.In the second case, a dead body was found around 3:30 pm. The
estimated age of the deceased is 40 years. The body could not be identified
till late Friday night. The body has been kept safe in the postmortem house for
identification and then postmortem. The body was found in the Shaheen Bagh F
block near the drain behind Mother Dairy. Another body was also found in this
area. Railway police is investigating this third body.
From the Station to the Streets, Justice Muralidhar Gets a Warm Welcome
in Chandigarh
New Delhi: Hours after receiving an extraordinary farewell from the
Delhi Bar Association, Justice S. Muralidhar was received in Chandigarh with a
rousing welcome by several members of Bar Council of the Punjab and Haryana
high court on March 5 night.Speaking to The Wire from Chandigarh, Karanjit
Singh, the chairman of the Bar Council of the Punjab and Haryana high court,
said, “I myself was present at the railway station on March 5 night to receive
him. Altogether we were about 50 of us. We have also put up 2 banners in
Chandigarh to welcome him.”Singh said, “[People from] Punjab and Haryana are
always known for their hospitality, so receiving him at the railway station was
to convey to him that he is welcome. There is nothing wrong in it.”Photos
shared by lawyer and council member Amarbir Singh Salar on Twitter showed a
number of lawyers welcoming a smiling justice with bouquets. A welcome banner
from “Lawyers from Punjab and Haryana High Court” could also be seen.The
banners put up by the council stated: “Delhi’s Loss – Punjab’s Gain”.thewire
*anti-CAA,NRC-NPR stir*
Bidar Court Says Play on CAA by School Students Was Not Seditious
The district and sessions court
in Bidar has ruled that the play staged by some children of Shaheen Urdu Medium
School against CAA does not amount to sedition. Principal District and Sessions
Court made the observation while granting anticipatory bail to five members of
the school, citing lack of material for a prima facie case of sedition.Granting
bail, district judge Managoli Premavathi observed, “What the children have
expressed is that they will have to leave the country if they do not produce
the documents and except that, there is nothing to show that the school has
committed the offence of sedition.”The dialogue ‘does not lead to hate or
contempt towards the government’, the judge said, according to reports. “The
drama has not caused any disharmony in the society,” the judge stated in her
order. Section 124A of the IPC, which deals with sedition, says that “whoever
brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to
excite disaffection towards… the government shall be punished with imprisonment
for life…”. The case caught the public eye after two women – the mother of an
11-year-old student and a teacher at the school – were arrested on charges of
sedition over a play staged in the school on January 21. Nazbunnissa, the
mother of a student who delivered dialogues about Prime Minister Narendra Modi
in the play, and Fareeda Begum, the head teacher of the school’s primary
section were arrested based on a complaint by a right-wing activist alleging
sedition. “In the country, there are rallies and protests for and against CAA,
NRC and, as a citizen, everybody has the right to express disapprobation of the
measures of the government with a view to obtain their alteration by lawful
means. The dialogues were expressed during the course of enacting a play in the
school,” judge said.thewire/ indian express
CAA protest: Bidar court says no sedition in school play, grants bail to
all
SC Stays Karnataka HC Order Granting Bail to 21 Detained During
Mangaluru CAA Protest
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Karnataka high court
order granting bail to 21 PFI members accused of indulging in violence at
Mangaluru on December 19 during anti-CAA protests.The high court had on
February 17 granted bail to the accused on the pleas filed by Mohammed Ashik
and 20 others hailing from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka.A
bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices B.R. Gavai and Surya
Kant issued notice to the accused after taking note of the appeal filed by Karnataka
government against the grant of bail by the high court.“Issue notice. In the
meantime, there shall be an ad-interim stay of operation of the impugned
judgment and order passed by the High Court if the respondents-accused are
still in custody,” the bench ordered.The high court, while granting bail, had
said that the records produced indicate that the “identity of the accused
involved in the alleged incident appear to have been fixed on the basis of
their affiliation to PFI and they being members of the Muslim community”.PTI
Arunachal Police Interrogates Sharjeel Imam in Sedition Case
Itanagar: The crime branch sleuths of Arunachal Pradesh Police have been
interrogating Sharjeel Imam, a JNU research scholar arrested on sedition
charges in January, a senior police officer informed here on Friday.The police
had on January 26 registered a case at crime branch police station here in
connection with a video footage where Imam was purportedly heard instigating
people to cut-off Assam and the northeastern states from India by blocking rail
and road connections. Imam was brought to the state capital on Thursday and the
crime branch has been interrogating him since then, DIG (Crime) V.J. Chandran
said.During preliminary interrogation, he admitted that he had made the speech
that is circulating on social media, the DIG said.PTI
Indian agencies point to Pak link in anti-CAA protests: HT report
New Delhi: The government has specific evidence that Pakistan’s deep
state played a part in amplifying anti CAA protests all over country through
funding and direction, even as Islamabad has made an all out effort to equate
Delhi riots with 2002 Gujarat riots at the ongoing meeting of UN Human Rights
Council at Geneva.HT learns that Indian intelligence agencies have picked up
cross-country electronic chatter where people believed to be Pakistani
operatives are berating their sources for not organizing enough crowds for
anti-CAA protests on March 3-4 despite the funding at their disposal. In one
such call, heard by HT, the handler curses his contact and adds that he has to
explain the lack of crowds to his higher ups. While the context of the call is
clear, HT cannot establish when it was made, or the identity of the 2 speakers.
ht
UP Erects Hoardings With Names, Photos of Anti-CAA Protesters
New Delhi: In what seems to be a move to publicly name and shame those
who participated in December protests in Lucknow against CAA – and possibly
jeopardise their lives at the hands of miscreants – BJP government in Uttar
Pradesh has put up hoardings with the photos and home addresses of those it
blames for the violence seen at strategic traffic points in the capital city.In
February, the state government had issued notices to the 28 persons whose faces
feature in the hoardings, including political activist and Congress member
Sadaf Jafar, retired police office S.R. Darapuri, activist Mohammad Shoaib and
poet Deepak Kabir. The notice sought the payment of more than Rs 63 lakh from
them for allegedly damaging public property within 30 days. If they failed to
do so, their property would be attached by the administration.Jafar and some
others had then told media persons that they would challenge the notices served
to them in court. Both Shoaib and Darapuri responded to the recovery notices
saying that they had been put under house arrest at that time and could not
have been present at the site.According to an NDTV report, a source in the
office of UP chief minister said that the hoardings had been put up on
Adityanath’s instructions. After violence broke out last December in Lucknow
and other parts of the state, Adityanath had declared that his government would
take “revenge” and attach the property of anyone involved in it. The police had
video graphed people who had attended the protests in addition to identifying
some protesters through closed-circuit cameras. Hundreds of people were
arrested and accused of fomenting violence.thewire/NDTV
UP: Students Marching With Slogans of Peace Arrested by Police in
Fatehpur district
New Delhi: A group of eight students was arrested in Fatehpur district
by Uttar Pradesh police during a ‘non-violent peace march’.The ‘Nagrik
Satyagraha Padyatra’ began on February 2 from Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur and is
scheduled to culminate in Delhi in March. The objective of the march is to
‘spread the message of peace’ and to attempt to ‘reduce divisions and hatred’
in society.The police have said in FIR that they were told by ‘informers’ that
a group of people will be walking towards mosques in Fatehpur with the
‘intention of disrupting peace’. The ‘informers’ also said that the students
will distribute pamphlets to people gathered for prayers, according to the case
diary. The police or the ‘informers’ did not detail what the pamphlets would
contain.In a pamphlet that the students had prepared, and The Wire has seen,
they attempt to highlight the importance of sticking to the principles of
Mahatma Gandhi ‘in times of hatred’.thewire
Mumbai Bagh: Police Pull off Tarp Used to Shield Protesters From Sun in
Dawn 'Attack'
Mumbai: Women anti-CAA protesters at Mumbai Bagh have accused the city
police of using force and attacking them late at night after they had fallen
asleep. The incident, according to the protesters, occurred at around 4 am on
March 6. While the Mumbai police have claimed that no such incident took place,
several videos of women protesters crying and fainting in the aftermath have
since been circulated.The reasons for the attack, the protesters say, was a
thin blue tarpaulin sheet they had put up a day before to protect the site from
the sun. “It has been exceptionally sunny over the past few days and women have
been exhausted sitting here every day in the sun. Some of us thought it would
better to protect ourselves and invested in a small sheet. At night, however,
the police team came and beat some of us. They also confiscated the sheet,”
said Barira, one of the protesters, who has been at the protest site in
Mumbai’s Morland Road since January 26, when it began.thewire
Social tension threatening to char the soul of the nation: Manmohan
Singh
In the wake of Delhi riots that have claimed over 54 lives so far and
the deepening economic crisis, former PM Manmohan Singh made a heartfelt appeal
to the nation, asserting that the rising social tension among communities is
threatening to char the soul of the nation.In a column written for The Hindu, former
Prime Minister says, “With no checks, the fire of social tensions is rapidly
spreading across the nation and threatens to char the soul of our nation. It
can only be extinguished by the same people that lit it”.“It is both futile and
puerile to point to past instances of such violence in India’s history to
justify the present violence in the country. Every act of sectarian violence is
a blemish on Mahatma Gandhi’s India.”Appealing to Prime Minister to convince
the nation not through words but deeds, Singh highlighted that India was facing
a 3-pronged challenge of coronavirus, economic slowdown and protests and riots
across the country.“Prime Minister Narendra Modi must convince the nation, not
merely through words but by deeds, that he is cognisant of the dangers we face
and reassure the nation that he can help us tide over this as smoothly as we
can,” wrote Singh. Expressing his apprehensions, Manmohan Singh said that he
worries that the “potent combination” of social disharmony, economic slowdown
and global health epidemic “may not only rupture the soul of India but also
diminish our global standing as an economic and democratic power in the
world”.nationalheraldindia
Jailed Peasant Leader Akhil Gogoi's Health Deteriorates, Activists
Express Concerns
Guwahati: Assam based farmers’ organisation Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti
(KMSS) leader and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi, who has been lodged in jail since
December 27, under UAPA, has been seriously unwell for some weeks.Between
February 29 and March 6, the Guwahati jail authorities have brought him to
Guwahati Medical College (GMC) twice for treatment.Local news channels have
aired video clips of a frail Gogoi brought to the hospital on a wheelchair for
some days now. It has raised considerable concern over his health, leading a
number of activists from the state to sit on dharna in Guwahati, demanding his
unconditional release.Gogoi has been a sharp critic of the BJP-led Assam
government and of the party’s ideological fount, the RSS. He was at the
forefront of the protests against the CAA in the state when he was arrested by
the NIA under the charge of being a ‘Maoist’.thewire
Show me a country that says everybody is welcome: Jaishankar on CAA
No country in the world says everybody is welcome, External Affairs
Minister S. Jaishankar said on Saturday, hitting out at those criticising India
over the CAA. Jaishankar criticised UNHRC for its criticism on the situation in
Jammu and Kashmir, saying its director had been wrong previously too and one
should look at UN body’s past record on handling the Kashmir issue.“We have
tried to reduce the number of stateless people through this legislation. That
should be appreciated,” he said when asked about the CAA at a media event in
New Delhi. “We have done it in a way that we do not create a bigger problem for
ourselves.”“Everybody, when they look at citizenship, have a context and has a
criterion. Show me a country in the world which says everybody in the world is
welcome. Nobody says that,” Minister said.Asked about UNHRC director not
agreeing with India on the Kashmir issue, Jaishankar said: “UNHRC director has
been wrong before.PTI
Status of non-tribals in Meghalaya similar to that of Kashmiri Pandits
in 1991:Governor Roy
Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy said the status of non-tribal people in
the violence-hit hill State was similar to that of Kashmiri Pandits in 1991.3
people were killed and several others injured in violence at Ichamati of East
Khasi Hills on February 28 following a meeting the Khasi Students’ Union had
convened to discuss CAA and Inner Line Permit, a temporary travel document
needed for outsiders to visit four other states in the northeast.“I saw the
need to repeatedly talk to ministers and senior civil servants of the State.
The non-tribals in the State were in a thoroughly demoralised state and I got
the impression their position and status is something like that of the Kashmiri
Pandits of 1991 when they had to leave the Kashmir Valley,” Roy told newspersons in Meghalaya capital
Shillong on Friday.There have been sporadic incidents of violence, including
the stabbing of non-tribal people in Shillong since February 28. Night curfew
continues to be imposed in parts of Shillong and other affected areas of East
Khasi Hills district.thehindu
After Saying CAA Is 'Internal Matter', Centre Withholds Info on It
Citing Foreign Ties
New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) headed by Amit Shah has been
reluctant to share information on the CAA and the questions on citizenship that
have arisen around the Act. In several RTI applications filed by The Wire, the
MHA has denied information on tenuous grounds and in some cases delayed its
response beyond the time stipulated under the RTI Act, 2005. For instance, in an RTI application the
reporters had filed on December 25, 2019, we had asked for information
pertaining to the process of passing of CAA in the parliament. Specifically, we
asked for photocopies of all files, including file notings, correspondences and
records which were part of the process. The designated central public
information officer B.C. Joshi responded in a letter dated Feb.29, denying us
information. Joshi argued that India’s relations with foreign states could be
affected if this information is made public. MHA also sent the same response to
a separate RTI filed by The Wire that sought to inspect all files pertaining to
the CAA’s approval by Union Cabinet. As Akshay Deshmane of Huffpost has
reported, he also received the same response in the same words, when he sought
to inspect all files relating to CAA. While defending CAA in January, Modi
reprimanded opposition parties for not speaking out against Pakistan and the
alleged atrocities against minorities in Pakistan.He also offered advice to
citizens of India who have been protesting against the CAA, and once again
brought up Pakistan. Thewire
Those who preach for refugees’ rights are opposing CAA meant for
refugees: PM Modi
New Delhi :Facing criticism from within and outside the country over CAA,
PN Narendra Modi Friday hit out at those who “preach for rights of refugees the
world over” but are opposing the CAA that is giving citizenship to persecuted
minorities of neighbouring nations.Speaking at the Global Business Summit in
New Delhi, Modi underlined his government’s “conviction to break status quo”,
while defending contentious laws, including the Triple Talaq, abrogating
Article 370 and amending the Citizenship Act.“There is nothing wrong with
talking the right things. But these people have a particular hatred for people
who are doing the right things,” he said. “So when changes are brought in
status quo, they see this as disruptions,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
CAA protests: Madras HC keeps in abeyance order to police to act against
protesters
Chennai :A day after it directed Tirupur police to ensure that no more
agitations in support of or against CAA are allowed without police permission,
the Madras High Court on Friday decided to keep the order in abeyance till
March 11.A division bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice Krishnan
Ramaswamy had passed Thursday’s order on a petition filed by K Gopinath, a
lawyer and president of a Hindu outfit.The same bench on Friday ruled that the
interim order be kept in abeyance after submissions by senior lawyers raised
questions on Gopinath’s credentials. They also argued that Thursday’s interim
order should not have been issued without without hearing arguments of the
peaceful anti-CAA protesters.indianexpress
CAA is against constitution, laws should not be made on basis of
religion; Bhim Army chief
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad has taunted Bahujan Samaj Party
chief Mayawati saying that she has lost her way. He also said that one will
have to work for the larger interest of the society to bring about equality.
Only the speeches cannot improve the condition of the Dalits, their
participation in power must increase.In an interview with IANS, Chandrashekhar
said: "Members of minority community, Dalits and backward classes are
being targeted in the country. Their rights are being taken away. Our workers
want that they too should get equal share in political power. Keeping this in
mind, we are going to form a new political party on March 15. Their (Dalits)
issues will have to be raised. Mere speeches will not work for Bahujan society,
one has to raise voice in their favour. They should get a share in
power."IANS
SC agrees to hear journalist's plea challenging CAA, issues notice to
Centre
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea challenging the
constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act filed by an
activist.A bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde and justices BR Gavai and
Surya Kant issued notice to the Centre on activist Saket Gokhale's plea and
tagged them along with over 160 petitions challenging the CAA which are listed
for hearing this month.The CAA, which was notified on January 10, grants Indian
citizenship to non-Muslim minorities -- Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and
Christian -- who migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh
till December 31, 2014, following religious persecution.PTI
63 villages in Odisha to pass resolutions against CAA
63 tribal villages in Odisha’s Ganjam district are planning to pass
resolutions in gram sabhas against NPR, NRC and CAA.These villages are expected
to get the resolutions passed by March 15, which will be sent to Odisha Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik and Ganjam District Collector. The resolutions will
urge the Odisha government to pass a resolution in the Assembly against these
‘anti-people’ laws of the Centre.Organisations like Jan Jagran Abhiyan (JJA),
Ganjam Zilla Gramsabha Samity (GZGS), Marjyadara Saha Banchibara Abhiyan (MSBA)
that are opposing the NPR, the NRC, and the CAA have played a major role in
motivating these tribals to conduct special gram sabha meetings.
*Coronavirus*
Coronavirus Outbreak: 3 more positive cases reported in India, total
tally reaches 34
The new coronavirus has infected more than 1,00,000 across the world,
including 33 people in India, and more countries are reporting their first
cases. As the virus continues its global march, the director-general of the
World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told the global community
on March 5 that the time had come to "pull out all the stops" to
tackle the outbreak. First detected in China, the coronavirus causes a disease
known as Covid-19, and the fatality rate reported by WHO is 3.4 per cent. In
India, members of Parliament debated the government's response to the outbreak
here as a week of washouts drew to a close. Stay tuned to this live blog for
the latest updates. According to reports, there are no new positive cases of
coronavirus in Kerala as of now.However, 637 people have been kept under
observation and 20 have been released from quarantine today. Three more
coronavirus cases were reported in India -- 2 from Ladakh, and one from Tamil
Nadu. With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to
34. Uttar Pradesh government has exempted its employees from using the
biometric system to mark their attendance till March 31 in view of coronavirus,
an official said on Saturday.As a precautionary measure to control the spread
of coronavirus in Karnataka, the state government has planned to suspend
biometric attendance for the time-being at its offices, also in corporate and
IT companies, Medical Education Minister DrK Sudhakarsaid on
Saturday.indiatoday
Death toll in Iran rises to 145; Iran lawmaker dies from coronavirus
The death toll in Iran from the coronavirus has climbed to 145, the
country’s Health Ministry announced on today, Anadolu Agency reports.As many as
21 more people died of the COVID-19 disease as 1,076 new cases were reported
across the country in the last 24 hours, spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a
news conference in the capital Tehran. The latest figure brought the total
number of infections to 5,823, said Jahanpour.Most of the new cases, he added,
were in the provinces of Tehran, Qom, Gilan, Isfahan, Alborz, Markazi, and
Qazvin.Earlier on Saturday, Iranian lawmaker Fatemeh Rahbar died from the
virus.Rahber, a member of the Islamic Coalition Party, was hospitalized and
taken to intensive care on Thursday, where she died.She was one of many public
officials fighting the virus, including including a vice president, dozes of
other members of parliament, and the deputy health minister.Turkey, where there
are no confirmed cases of coronavirus, last month closed its land borders and
suspended air travel to Iran.Besides Italy and South Korea, Iran is the
worst-affected country since the outbreak of the disease in China last
December.
Coronavirus cases top 100,000 as China exports dip
The number of cases from the new coronavirus has topped 100,000
worldwide as official Chinese data showed a significant hit to the country's
exports after the outbreak caused massive disruptions to business operations
and economic activity.WHO called the spread of the virus "deeply
concerning" as a wave of countries reported on Saturday their first cases
of the COVID-19 disease, which has now killed nearly 3,500 people and infected
more than 100,000 across 92 nations and territories.In South Korea, authorities
reported hundreds of new cases of infections on Saturday, bringing the total
above 7,000, while the United States was battling to contain an outbreak on the
Grand Princess cruise ship where 21 people have tested positive for the virus. Aljazeera
Satellite images reveal emptying famed sites, from Saudi to Iran
Empty public squares, a ghostly train station and deserted holy sites -
a series of striking satellite images have revealed the impact of the
coronavirus epidemic on some of the world's busiest spaces.The aerial
photographs, released by Colorado-based space technology firm Maxar
Technologies, show normally bustling spots from Mecca to Beijing thinned of
people.One image shows a handful of pilgrims circling the granite Kaaba at
Mecca's Great Mosque - a sacred site usually thronged with worshippers from
every corner of the Muslim world.Saudi Arabian authorities have suspended the
year-round "Umrah" pilgrimage to Islam's holiest place, in a bid to
stop the spread of the virus which has killed more than 3,000 people
worldwide.Umrah, which can be completed in a few hours, is a pilgrimage that
can be undertaken at any time of year, unlike the much more intensive and
time-consuming Hajj - one of the five pillars of Islam performed during a few
specific days each year.The move was in line with the "precautionary
measures taken by Saudi authorities to prevent the spread of the virus" in
the Gulf state, the official Saudi Press Agency said.Last week, Saudi Arabia
said it was preventing foreigners from reaching the holy city of Mecca and the
Kaaba, the building at the centre of the Great Mosque. It also said travel was
suspended to Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina.This year's Hajj, which
usually brings about three million people to Mecca, is expected to take place
from July 28 to August 2. Authorities have not yet announced any restrictive
measures; more than 60,000 people have applied to participate in this year's
event already.An image above the Hazrat Masumeh Shrine in Qom shows one of
Iran's most hallowed places virtually empty as its famed golden dome shimmers
in the sunlight.Streets and courtyards around the shrine are similarly
vacant.Iran is struggling to contain the virus, with a rising number of cases
and deaths each day. As of Friday evening, those totalled 4,744 and 124,
respectively.Friday prayers in all provincial capitals have been
halted.Elsewhere, Tiananmen square lives up to its name as the Gate of Heavenly
Peace, with only a couple of dozen cars passing by and no pedestrians to be
seen.aljazeera
*J&K,
SOUTH ASIA & india *
‘UN human rights body has been wrong on J&K, skirts issue of
cross-border terror’: S Jaishankar
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday criticised UN Human
Rights Council for expressing concern about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,
saying the organisation’s position on Kashmir has been wrong in the past as well,
PTI reported. The minister made the remark in response to a query at Economic
Times Global Business Summit held in Delhi. Jaishankar’s statement comes days
after United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet
expressed “great concern” over alleged violation of human rights in Jammu and
Kashmir.When asked about Bachelet’s position on Kashmir, Jaishankar said that
the director has been “wrong before”. “UNHRC skirts around cross-border
terrorism as if it has nothing to do with country next door,” he added,
referring to Pakistan. “Please understand where they are coming from – look at
UNHRC’s record – how they handled Kashmir issue in past.”
Taliban is biggest gainer, India key loser from Trump's Deal:Ex envoy to
Afghan Rakesh Sood
One of India’s most distinguished former ambassadors to Afghanistan, who
thereafter also served as ambassador in Nepal and France, Rakesh Sood, has
said: “Taliban is the biggest gainer and India a key loser from Trump’s Taliban
deal. Afghanistan’s future is bleak”. Sood says that the biggest loser is the
Afghan people and,in particular, that age group of the population who were
either born after the Taliban lost power in 2001 or came of age after that
year. The Taliban’s refusal to accept Afghanistan’s constitution, democracy and
civil liberties places in danger the environment and culture in which this
demographic age group grew up.In a 40-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The
Wire, Sood said that when political talks start on Monday between the Taliban
and the Afghan government it will be a weak Afghan government that will be
negotiating. This weakness is underlined by the fact that the US has pointedly
not congratulated President Ashraf Ghani on his re-election. Since then, of
course, US President Donald Trump has even begun to speculate about the
possibility of the Taliban taking over in Kabul. The second reason for weakness
on the Afghan government side is the split between Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf
Ghani. Although Abdullah has ceased to be CEO, he is challenging Ghani’s
election and has threatened to form a parallel government. All of this will put
Afghan government side at a disadvantage when they sit down opposite the
Taliban for talks.Speaking about India, Sood said that there were several
critical senses in which India was a key loser in terms of the outcome of President
Trump’s Taliban deal. First, this deal strengthens Pakistan and Taliban and,
therefore, will create an adverse environment on India’s western borders.
Second, the weakening of the Ghani govt – which may also soon cease to exist –
and the possibility of a Taliban government means that India will have a
considerably diminished role to play in Afghanistan’s development. Not only
will India be less welcome if the Taliban come to power but the insecurity and
instability in that country will be another disincentive.thewire
Pakistan does not want any security role for India in Afghan, says New
Delhi always plays 'spoiler' in Kabul
Islamabad: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said Pakistan does
not want any security role for India in Afghanistan as he accused New Delhi of
playing the role of a "spoiler" in the war-torn country, according to
a media report.After months of negotiations, US and Taliban signed a landmark
peace deal in Qatari capital Doha on Saturday, effectively drawing curtains on
US' 18-year war in Afghanistan since 2001.Qureshi said that Pakistan neither
desires “any security role of India in Afghanistan”nor wants presence of
militant organisations — Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State — in the landlocked
country, The Nation reported. The foreign minister told Upper House that India
had always played role of a spoiler, the report said."There were spoilers
in the past and they are even today, within and outside Afghanistan, who want
to get their own objectives," Qureshi said.Qureshi on Sunday also warned
that "spoilers" could try to sabotage peace process in Afghanistan. He
also said that Pakistan wanted to resolve all issues with Afghanistan
bilaterally.Reiterating that Pakistan was never part of the peace talks and
their role “has always been and will always be” that of a facilitator, the
minister said Pakistan cannot give guarantee or take responsibility to peace in
Afghanistan.PTI
Delimitation Commission for J&K, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal, Nagaland
Formed
New Delhi: The government on Friday constituted a Delimitation
Commission, to be headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai,
to redraw Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies of the Union Territory Jammu
and Kashmir and the northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur
and Nagaland, a law ministry notification said.Election Commissioner Sushil
Chandra and state election commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir and the four
states will be the ex-officio members, it said.The Commission will delimit the
constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the provisions of the
Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, and of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur
and Nagaland in accordance with the provisions of the Delimitation Act, 2002,
the notification said.Delimitation is the process of fixing limits or boundaries
of territorial constituencies in a country or a province with a legislative
body. The appointment of Justice (retd) Desai will be for a period of one year
or till further orders, whichever is earlier, the notification said.thewire
Pulwama attack: NIA arrests two more persons for allegedly procuring
chemicals, sheltering militants
NIA on Friday arrested two more persons, including the one who procured
chemicals online for making the Improvised Explosive Device that was detonated
during the attack on soldiers in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.An unidentified
official of NIA said the organisation arrested Waiz-ul-Islam, 19, of Srinagar’s
Bagh-e-Mehtab locality and Mohammad Abbass Rather, 32, of Hakripora village in
Pulwama district.scroll
J&K 'Apni Party' to Be Launched by Ex-PDP Leader Altaf Bukhari on
Sunday
Srinagar: A new political party called the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Apni (own)
Party’ (JKAP) will be launched on Sunday and will be led by former state
finance minister Syed Altaf Bukhari, with a primary aim of proving “relief to
people who have been facing uncertainty since August 5 last year”.This will be
the first political activity in Jammu and Kashmir after August 5 last year, the
day the Centre withdrew the special status of the erstwhile state and
bifurcated it into Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.“Yes, I
am in politics accidentally but my idea of politics is different — I believe
that it is a place where you can serve people to the best of your abilities,”
said businessman-turned-politician Bukhari, who was part of PDP till he
distanced himself from Mehbooba Mufti, whose government was reduced to minority
after BJP withdrew support in June 2018.There were differences between Mufti
and Bukhari over the functioning of the PDP.thewire
UK Court Says Indian Special Forces Helped Dubai Ruler Abduct His
Daughter on High Seas
New Delhi: In a ruling about the future arrangements of the Dubai
ruler’s two youngest children, a UK family court judgment has ruled that the
account of the abduction of another daughter of his, Sheikha Latifa by Indian
special forces commandos, is accurate and not contradicted by the father.In
April 2019, Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, the UAE prime minister’s second
official wife, fled to London with her 12-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son.
A month later, the Emir of Dubai began legal action in the UK seeking the
return of the children to Dubai.During these legal proceedings, one of the
allegations made by Princess Haya was that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum had masterminded the abduction of two of his eldest daughters from
another marriage, Sheikha Shamsa and Sheikha Latifa.While Shamsa had been
allegedly abducted from the UK in August 2000, the Emir had apparently
orchestrated the forcible return of Latifa twice – once in 2002 from Oman and
then from near the coast of India in 2018.The family judge gave a fact-finding
judgment which went into the issues that were brought by Princess Haya as being
relevant to the determination of the final arrangement for the two children.
The fact-finding judgment was handed over on December 11, 2019, but was made
public only on Thursday. thewire
*ECONOMY*
In biggest privatisation drive, Govt invites bids for sale of Bharat
Petroleum Corp Ltd
New Delhi :In the country’s biggest ever privatisation drive, the
government on Saturday invited bids for the sale of its entire 52.98 per cent
stake in India’s second biggest oil refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd
(BPCL).Expressions of interest for the strategic sale of BPCL have been invited
by May 2, as per the bid document by the Department of Investment and Public
Asset Management (DIPAM).“The Government of India is proposing strategic
disinvestment of its entire shareholding in BPCL comprising of 114.91 crore
equity shares, which constitutes 52.98% of BPCL’s equity share capital along
with transfer of management control to a strategic buyer (except BPCL’s equity
shareholding of 61.65% in Numaligarh Refinery Limited),” it said.NRL stake will
be sold to a state-owned oil and gas firm.The bidding will be a two-stage
affair, with qualified bidders in the first expression of interest (EoI) phase
being asked to make a financial bid in the second round.PSUs “are not eligible
to participate” in the privatisation, the offer document said.Any private
company having a networth of USD 10 billion is eligible for bidding and
consortium of no more than four firms will be allowed to bid, it said.As per
the bidding criteria, the lead member of the consortium must hold 40 per cent
stake and others must have a minimum networth of USD 1 billion.PTI
This Gujarat co withdrew Rs 265 cr, hours before RBI moratorium on Yes
Bank
On Thursday, RBI restricted withdrawals from Yes Bank to Rs 50,000 per
depositor Vadodara Smart City Development Company, a Special Purpose Vehicle
(SPV) of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), withdrew Rs 265 crore from
Yes Bank a day before the RBI imposed a moratorium, an official said on
Friday.On Thursday, RBI restricted withdrawals from Yes Bank to Rs 50,000 per
depositor due to the private lender's precarious financial situation.Sudhir
Patel, chief executive officer of SPV and deputy municipal commissioner of the VMC,
said the amount had been received from the Centre as part of a grant under the
Smart City Mission and deposited with a local Yes Bank branch.It was withdrawn
two days ago considering the problems faced by Yes Bank and transferred to a
new account at Bank of Baroda, he informed.PTI
ED raids 3 more places in Delhi,Mumbai, investigates Yes Bank founder
Rana Kapoor's daughters
Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday continued questioning Yes Bank
founder Rana Kapoor in connection with a money laundering probe against him and
others, officials said.The ED raided three more locations in Delhi and Mumbai
on Saturday.Sources say, three more locations are being raided by the ED in
Delhi and Mumbai. The agency has been already conducting raids at the residence
of Rana Kapoor in Mumbai since Friday night.Apart from Rana Kapoor, family
members including Rana Kapoor's daughters -- Rakhee Kapoor Tandon, Roshni
Kapoor and Radha Kapoor -- are also being investigated.All three daughters of
Rana Kapoor are also being investigated by the ED.indiatoday
No ATM Or Net Banking- Bank Withdrawal Only Option For Yes Bank
Customers
New Delhi: Panicked Yes Bank customers were seen queuing up at the
bank's ATMs at various locations, but to no avail as most of the
money-dispensing machines have no cash, after the Reserve Bank placed the
crisis-hit lender under a moratorium.However, many a customers said they were
able to withdraw the stipulated amount of Rs 50,000 through cheques at Yes Bank
branches.Customers are also facing trouble because net banking services are not
working and some even complained that their credit cards are also not
working.As the Reserve Bank has superseded the board of the private sector
lender on a precarious financial condition and has appointed a former SBI
executive as its administrator, customers cannot withdraw more than Rs 50,000
under the moratorium period till April 3, 2020.Several customers at a bank
branch in central Delhi said they faced no problem while withdrawing the sum of
Rs 50,000 through cheques.
No ATM Or Net Banking- Bank Withdrawal Only Option For Yes Bank
Customers
New Delhi: Panicked Yes Bank customers were seen queuing up at the
bank's ATMs at various locations, but to no avail as most of the
money-dispensing machines have no cash, after the Reserve Bank placed the
crisis-hit lender under a moratorium.However, many a customers said they were
able to withdraw the stipulated amount of Rs 50,000 through cheques at Yes Bank
branches.Customers are also facing trouble because net banking services are not
working and some even complained that their credit cards are also not
working.As the Reserve Bank has superseded the board of the private sector
lender on a precarious financial condition and has appointed a former SBI
executive as its administrator, customers cannot withdraw more than Rs 50,000
under the moratorium period till April 3, 2020.Several customers at a bank
branch in central Delhi said they faced no problem while withdrawing the sum of
Rs 50,000 through cheques.PTI
Yes Bank | In RBI bailout, SBI to pick up 49% stake for ₹2,450 crore
Yes Bank fiasco part of financial mismanagement under BJP govt’s watch:
Chidambaram
Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram
Saturday blamed the BJP government for the Yes Bank fiasco and the
mismanagement of financial institutions under their watch. In a statement to
the media in the national capital, Chidambaram questioned the accountability of
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Centre and asked why the government was
not aware of the bank’s loan-giving spree. “Is no one in the RBI or government
accountable? Which committee or who authorised the grant of new loans after
March 2014? Were not the RBI and government aware that YES Bank was on a
loan-giving spree?” he asked.
Use these debit, credit cards before March 16 else they will get
permanently disabled
If you have a debit or credit card that you have never used so far but
want to retain it, then go out and use it. If you don’t, your card will be
permanently disabled from March 16.This follows a RBI notification that was put
out on January 15.According to the notification, from March 16 online and
contactless transaction facilities would be mandatorily disabled on those debit
or credit cards that have been never used for such services ever before.RBI had
asked all credit and debit card issuers, including banks, to disable online
transactions and contactless payment services of all credit and cards that had
never been used before.indiatoday
*OTHERS*
'Parted Ways With BJP, Not Hindutva': Uddhav Thackeray In Ayodhya
Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on
Saturday said that he had parted ways from the BJP but still believed in the
idea of Hindutva."I parted ways with BJP, not with Hindutva. BJP does not
represent Hindutva. Hindutva and BJP are separate," Thackeray said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister will pay obeisance at the temple and take a
'darshan' of Hanumangarhi. But he is not scheduled to conduct 'Saryu aarti' nor
take part in a public gathering. Speaking in Ayodhya, Thackeray said,
"Today, I want to announce that not from the state govt, but from my
trust, I offer an amount of Rs. 1 crore for the construction of Ram Temple
here. It is just a small contribution from our part."Thackeray said,
"It is an honour for me to come here. When I first came here it was not
known when and how the Ram temple would be built here. I am here to seek
blessings of Ram Lalla. It is my third visit in the last one and a half years.
I will also offer prayers here today."I also wished to take a dip in the
Saryu River, but as you know in the whole world these days there is an outbreak
of coronavirus. And yesterday I urged people of my state to stay away from
crowded areas. So I am not participating in the 'Aarti', but I will come back
for it again," he said.outlookindia
Appoint Shiv Sena member on Ayodhya temple trust: MLA writes to PM Modi
Maharashtra Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik has written a letter to Prime
Minister Narendra Modi seeking appointment of a party leader as a member of the
Ram Temple Trust formed to oversee construction of the temple in
Ayodhya.Sarnaik also invoked Sena founder late Bal Thackeray’s contribution in
the campaigning for the construction of temple.Sarnaik made the demand ahead of
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to the temple town on Saturday.In the 2-page
letter, which Sarnaik said he had sent on Friday, MLA also said that Sena
president Uddhav Thackeray too had campaigned hard for the cause of the
temple.PTI
Bandh observed by Hindu, Muslim outfits in Coimbatore after mosques
attack
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/bandh-observed-by-hindu-muslim-outfits-in-coimbatore/1754955
Coimbatore:Hindu and Muslim outfits observed a dawn-to dusk bandh on
Saturday to condemn the recent attack on a functionary of a saffron oufit and
two mosques here. Almost all shops in the city downed shutters in response to
the bandh call given by Hindu Munnani and Federation of Islamic Organisations.
Hindu Munnani had on Thursday given the shutdown call to protest the attack on
its district secretary Madukkarai Anand by unidentified men on Wednesday night,
while Muslim outfits demanded that those involved in the attack on 2 places of
worship here be arrested. Majority of private buses, autorickshaws and taxis
stayed off roads, while government buses plied as usual with fewer passengers,
police said. Over 2,500 police personnel and armed para military forces were
deployed in and around the city, particularly communally sensitive areas. No
untoward incidents were reported so far, they said. PTI
Groups supporting stirs can’t be barred from foreign funding: SC
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that bandhs and hartals are a
“legitimate means of dissent”, and an organisation which is not directly
related to a political party but supports such activities cannot be deprived of
“its legitimate right of receiving foreign contribution”.The court was hearing
an appeal by Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF), a “registered society involved
in resisting globalisation, combating communalism and defending democracy”,
against the Delhi High Court judgment which dismissed its petition challenging
Sections 5 (1) and 5 (4) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 and
Rules 3 (i), 3 (v) and 3 (vi) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules,
as violative of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.A bench of Justices
L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta read down Rule 3 (vi) of Foreign Contribution
(Regulation) Rules, 2011, and said that “any organisation which supports the
cause of a group of citizens agitating for their rights without a political
goal or objective cannot be penalised by being declared as an organisation of a
political nature”.However, the top court rejected the contention that the
provisions were unconstitutional.
Is the media today a watchdog or a lapdog, asks Hamid Ansari at IPI Award
"Dissent is at a discount,” said former vice president Hamid
Ansari, while presiding over the International Press Institute’s event in New
Delhi on Friday for the presentation of the Award for Excellence in Journalism,
2019. "Decades back, Nani Palkhivala had written about the duty of dissent
as a fundamental obligation of the Indian citizen.Today, dissent is often
considered unpatriotic, anti-national and seditious," he said. Speaking of
the media, he asked, “Does it remain the watchdog of democracy or a mere lapdog
of those who have obtained power to distort a liberal democracy into an
illiberal one?” He emphasised that time
was running out for India, since the world was “recording in meticulous detail
our fall from grace.” He also pointed out that India's ranking in the global
press freedom index had slipped. “We once took pride in the principles of the
Constitution, in rule of law, in the accountability of the executive,
independence of the judiciary [and] in our dedication to the maintenance of our
composite culture. Today, we question many of these in deed if not in word.”
2019 IPI India Award for Excellence in Journalism was given to NDTV for the
channel’s expose, anchored by Nidhi Razdan, of the conspiracy to scuttle the
probe into the Kathua rape and murder.theweek
NDTV Wins Award For Kathua Reports: Full Text Of Nidhi Razdan's Speech
Making terror-accused MP is OK, asking questions is taboo, says Swara
Bhaskar
In a swipe at the BJP, Bollywood actor Swara Bhaskar said in Gwalior on
Friday that sending a terror-accused to Parliament is not considered an anti-
national act, but asking questions is.She was apparently referring to the BJP's
Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, who won Lok
Sabha election from Bhopal in 2019. "Sending a terror accused to
Parliament by making her an MP is not anti-national, but those asking questions
are labeled as traitors," the actor said, speaking at a seminar organised
by the Madhya Pradesh government's Women and Child Welfare Department."I
have the right to vote and like a good citizen I pay my taxes, but when I ask
questions, a case of treason is registered against me," she added.PTI
Pehlu Khan lynching case: Juvenile Justice Board convicts two minors
JAIPUR: Juvenile Justice Board in Alwar has held two minors guilty of
participating in the murder of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan at Behror on
Jaipur-Delhi National Highway in 2017. After the conviction of the teenagers,
Board will pronounce the sentence against them under Juvenile Justice Act on
Saturday.Khan, 55, a dairy farmer from Haryana, was waylaid by a mob of cow
vigilantes on the highway on April 1, 2017, and killed on suspicion that he was
smuggling cows. The Alwar sessions court acquitted 6 accused on August 14, 2019,
giving them the benefit of the doubt on the basis of the police probe. State
govt filed an appeal in Rajasthan High Court against the sessions court’s
verdict after a Special Investigation Team pointed out loopholes in the probe
earlier conducted by four investigating officers. Another juvenile, who is
older than 16, is facing trial as an accused in a court in Behror, where his
case was transferred because of the offence covered in the category of heinous
crimes.Juvenile Justice Board, headed by Principal Magistrate Sarita Dhakad, is
likely to announce the grounds of conviction of the two minors in its order of
sentence on Saturday.thehindu
Relief for Rakesh Asthana as court accepts CBI clean chit
In a huge relief for former CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, a CBI
special court on Saturday took cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the
investigation agency that had given him a clean chit.Rakesh Asthana was removed
from the CBI after a case of bribery and extortion was lodged against him; he
alleged that this was done at the behest of then CBI director Alok Verma.The
court has accepted the chargesheet in which the CBI said no evidence was found
against Rakesh Asthana. But a trial will now start against Manoj Prasad, his
Someshwar Prasad and his father-in-law Sunil Mittal. The CBI chargesheet was
only against Manoj Prasad, but the court found sufficient evidence to pursue
the trial against Someshwar and Mittal.indiatoday
MP: Class 10 paper asks students to spot 'Azad Kashmir' in map, two
suspended
A tricky question in a social science exam paper of Class 10 students in
Madhya Pradesh stoked a major controversy on Saturday.In the question paper, the
students were asked to mark "Azad Kashmir" -- an unofficial term used
interchangeably for PoK -- in the Indian map.After getting the information of
the objectionable question, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress veteran
Kamal Nath ordered an inquiry into the incident.The senior Congress leader said
immediate action must be taken against the person who had set the question
paper.Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education on Saturday
suspended two persons who had set and moderated the Class 10 question paper,
reported ANI.indiatoday
MP: 'Missing' Independent MLA Returns, Says He Supports Kamal Nath
Bhopal: Surendra Singh Shera, one of the four missing MLAs supporting
the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh who went ‘missing’, returned here on
Saturday and stated that he continues to be on the government’s side.The
independent MLA from Burhanpur, who returned by an afternoon flight from Delhi,
also denied that he had been abducted.Congress had alleged that the opposition
BJP was trying to poach its MLAs to bring down the state government.3 Congress
MLAs – Hardeep Singh Dang, Bisahulal Singh, and Raghuraj Kansana – are
reportedly still untraceable.PTI
Free Entry for Women at all Monuments Under ASI on Sunday, Says Culture
Ministry
New Delhi: For the first time, entry will be free for all women visiting
monuments under ASI across the country on International Women’s Day on Sunday,
the culture ministry said.According to an order issued by the ministry, on
March 8, no fee will be charged from women visitors at all the monuments under
the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).PTI
Bhima Koregaon case: SC extends interim protection from arrest for Navlakha,
Teltumbde
The Supreme Court on Friday extended till March 16 the interim
protection from arrest granted to activists Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde
in the Bhima Koregaon case, PTI reported.A bench comprising Justices Arun
Mishra and Indira Banerjee said it will hear on March 16 the appeals filed by Navlakha
and Teltumbde against a Bombay High Court order that rejected their
anticipatory bail pleas.While refusing to grant anticipatory bail to Navlakha
and Teltumbde on February 14, the court had extended their interim protection
from arrest by four weeks so they could approach the top court.scroll
*WORLD*
Saudi detains king's brother, nephew in crackdown: Reports
Saudi Arabia has detained two senior members of the royal family -
Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the younger brother of King Salman, and Mohammed
bin Nayef, the king's nephew - according to reports citing sources with
knowledge of the matter.Wall Street Journal reported the detentions of the two
royals on Friday and said they related to an alleged coup attempt. Bloomberg
also reported the detentions, quoting a source as saying that the pair were
accused of "treason".Mohammed bin Nayef's younger brother, Prince
Nawaf bin Nayef, had also been detained, according to the New York Times.There
was no immediate comment by Saudi authorities.The detentions mark the latest
crackdown by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, King Salman's son and the de
facto ruler of the kingdom.Prince Mohammed, also known as MBS, has moved to
consolidate power since replacing his cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef, as heir to
the throne in 2017. Later that year, he arrested dozens of royals and business
people, in what was billed as a move against corruption that was draining state
coffers.But the crown prince has fuelled resentment among some prominent
branches of the ruling family by tightening his grip on power and some question
his ability to lead following the 2018 murder of prominent journalist Jamal
Khashoggi by Saudi agents and a major attack on Saudi oil infrastructure last
year, sources have told Reuters news agency.The sources said royals seeking to
change the line of succession view Prince Ahmed, King Salman's only surviving
full brother, as a possible choice who would have the support of family
members, the security apparatus and some Western powers. aljazeera
Saudi Crown Prince MBS orders arrest of 3 senior princes including
King’s brother Bin Nayef
PA security services ‘brutally’ arrest Fatah MP in West Bank
On Friday, Palestinian Authority (PA) security services “brutally and
barbarically” arrested Fatah MP Husam Khader from his house in the West Bank
city of Nablus, his daughter, Amira Khader, revealed.On her Twitter page, Amira
Khader announced: “[PA] Protective Security Services broke into our house,
accompanied by the Joint Forces (formed to crackdown on Abbas foes) in Balata
Refugee Camp [in Nablus] and took my father forcefully.”She added: “They took
my father brutally and barbarically. I saw this brutality and barbarism in 2003
and 2011, when the Israeli occupation forces broke into our house and arrested
my father. They attacked me as two armed officers prevented me from moving,
pushed me and beat me.”Abuse, Oppression and Murder: The PA Does Israel’s Dirty
Work in the West Bank Khader’s detention
came following his criticism of PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s criticism of
Palestinian doctors, who have been on industrial strike.
City of London revokes honour granted to Myanmar's Suu Kyi
City of London Corporation (CLC) on Thursday revoked an honour granted
to Aung San Suu Kyi over treatment of minority Rohingya Muslims in
Myanmar.Elected representatives on the body that runs London's historic centre
and financial district voted to revoke the freedom of the city granted to Suu
Kyi 3 years ago.This move in UK followed Suu Kyi's appearance, as Myanmar's
civilian leader, at International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague in
December to personally defend her country against allegations of rape, arson
and mass killings against Rohingya victims.aljazeera
Trump: Taliban could 'possibly' seize power after US troops leave
US President Donald Trump has said the Taliban could
"possibly" overrun US-backed Afghan government after foreign troops
withdraw from the country as part of a deal signed last week. "Countries
have to take care of themselves," Trump told reporters at the White House
on Friday. "You can only hold someone's hand for so long."Asked if
the Taliban could eventually seize power from the current US-backed government,
Trump said it is "not supposed to happen that way but it possibly
will"."We can't be there for the next 20 years. We've been there for
20 years and we've been protecting the country but we can't be there for the
next - eventually, they're going to have to protect themselves," he
said.Trump, who on Tuesday had a "good talk" during a phone call with
a senior Taliban leader, added he did not know if the Afghan government had the
ability to defend itself from fighters after foreign forces pull out. "I
don't know. I can't answer that question," he said. "We'll have to
see what happens."aljazeera
Over dozen ex British soldiers who fought in Afghan kill themselves
within 2 months: independent.co.uk
More than a dozen former British soldiers who fought in Afghanistan have
died by suicide in a short period of time, it has been reported.Times reported
that some 14 former and serving army personnel are thought to have killed
themselves in the past 2 months.MP Johnny Mercer told the newspaper in an
interview he was concerned over the cluster of deaths involving a “specific
unit that served at a specific time in Afghanistan… the bloodiest time”.The
Minister for Defence People and Veterans was referring to veterans involved in
Operation Herrick, which is the codename for all British operations conducted
between 2002 and 2014 in Afghanistan.By the end of 2014, 453 soldiers died
during Operation Herrick. According to Ministry of Defence (MoD), there were 29
coroner-confirmed suicides and open verdict deaths of army personnel who were
previously deployed to Operation Herrick as of February 2018.
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
Delhi Riots, Aftermath: The Tyranny of Majoritarian Politics Is on Full
Display:Monobina Gupta
Why Modi proves strong leaders don’t always bother about good
economics:SHEKHAR GUPTA
Asking Modi’s India to help peace in Palestine shows UN’s incredible
lack of judgement:Nasim Ahmed, middleeastmonitor
Behind Yes Bank Crisis, Indiscriminate and Unbridled Lending That Must
Be Probed:M.K. Venu
CAA Conundrum: Enough Is Enough, Debate the Issues Nationally:Madhav
Godbole
Why Andhra's Jaganmohan Reddy Has Taken a U-Turn on NPR:Gali Nagaraja
Pakistan and Our Fantasies of Violence:Oeendrila Lahiri
Delhi Riots Media Coverage: Govt Ban on Asianet News, Media One Lifted
Ideological Strategy Behind the Delhi Riots:Deepak Sethi
Modi govt’s domestic agenda has begun undercutting its secular foreign
policy:K C Singh,indianexpress
Electoral reverses in Delhi & Jharkhand are pointer to tough road
ahead for NDA in Bihar & West Bengal:Sharad Yadav,indianexpress
In face of Hindu consolidation, AAP, TMC are using symbols of
Hindutva:Rajiv Tuli, indianexpress
United we stand, divided we fall’: Congress needs to make this tired old
cliché its clarion call:Mani Shankar Aiyar,indianexpress
I&B Ministry’s gag order on TV channels belittled its image as
protector of freedom of expression:Mrinal Pande
Delhi Riots: Families Await Missing Persons Amid Delhi Police’s Apathy
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released
at: 7:45 PM).
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