NEWS DIGEST EVENING
11 JULY 2020: 19 Zualqada 1441: Vol: 12, No: 251
*INDIA- ISLAMOPHOBIA, HUMAN RIGHTS & OTHERS*
The questions left
unanswered: ‘links’ with police, politicians
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/vikas-dubey-links-with-police-politicians-6500132/
After the failed
police raid on July 3, questions were raised about gangster Vikas Dubey’s
alleged links with some in the police department, as well as politicians across
parties. These questions will remain unanswered now.In a purported video
circulated on social media, Dubey is heard naming two BJP MLAs, and saying that
he has links with them and some other local party leaders. Photographs of Dubey
with a senior Congress leader also surfaced on social media.There were also
photographs of a local businessman in Kanpur, who was allegedly Dubey’s close
aide and handled his finances, with former Kanpur SSP Anant Deo Tiwari. This
businessman, who once owned a tea shop, is now in police custody. On July 7,
Tiwari was transferred to the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) in Moradabad
sector, following reports of a purported letter written to him by Deputy SP
Devendra Kumar Mishra on the alleged links between Dubey and a local police
station head. Mishra was among the eight policemen killed in the raid in Bikru
village on July 3. The reported letter, which also warned of a serious
incident, could not be found in official records.The station officer of
Chaubeypur, Vinay Tiwari, and Sub-Inspector Krishna Kumar Sharma, who are suspected
to have tipped off Dubey on the raid to arrest him, have been arrested on
charges of conspiracy. Earlier this week, all the 68 personnel posted at the
Chaubeypur police station were removed.Besides the local Chaubeypur police
station, Dubey was also reported to have links with police personnel at the
Shivrajpur, Bilhaur and Bithoor police stations in Kanpur Nagar and Shivli
police station in Kanpur Dehat.In 2001, he is alleged to have chased a BJP
leader, Santosh Shukla, who then had minister of state rank in UP, inside
Shivli police station and shot him dead in broad daylight. The licence of the
rifle which he allegedly used has not been cancelled till date. Four years
later, Dubey was acquitted; the gunner and personal staff of the murdered man gave
statements in Dubey’s favour.
Vikas Dubey encounter:
Oppn parties slam UP govt, seek judicial investigation
Raising questions over
the encounter killing of gangster Vikas Dubey, opposition Congress and BSP on
Friday demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, while the Samajwadi Party
said the accident, which police said prompted Dubey to attempt escape, leading
to the encounter, was an effort to save the Uttar Pradesh government from
toppling, lest facts came to light.Maintaining that the BJP has turned Uttar
Pradesh into “Apradh Pradesh (crime province)”, Congress general secretary
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Congress demands an inquiry into the Kanpur
incident by a sitting judge of Supreme Court. “The reality of people who
nurtured and helped the likes of Vikas Dubey flourish should be exposed.
Justice will not be done until this nexus is exposed,” she said.BSP chief
Mayawati said, “There should be an inquiry under supervision of the Supreme
Court into the Kanpur incident as well as the encounter of Vikas Dubey…” She said
a high-level inquiry is necessary to ensure justice for families of the eight
policemen killed by Dubey’s gang in Kanpur, as also to probe the politics-crime
nexus.Questioning the way the police vehicle carrying Dubey met with an
accident, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “Dar asal yeh car nahi palti hai; raaz
khulne se sarkar palatne se bach gayi hai (actually, the car did not topple. It
was an effort to save the government, which would have toppled if facts came to
light).”In a video message, Priyanka said: “The government’s own figures show
that UP is number one in crimes against children, Dalits, women, illegal arms
and weapons, murders.” Maintaining that criminals such as Dubey flourished in
such atmosphere, she said, “They have big businesses and commit crimes with
impunity. The entire state knows that they receive protection from the people
in power.” After Dubey’s encounter, she said, “how can we assure the families
of the eight slain policemen that they are getting justice…that their martyrdom
has not gone in vain?”
Opposition Questions
Gangster Vikas Dubey's Encounter, Says It Was Stage-Managed To Bury The Secrets
Vikas Dubey killing:
Trinamool Congress says ‘justice killed’ in UP, CPM calls it ‘cold-blooded
murder’ by cops
TMC MP Mahua Moitra on
Friday launched an attack against the Uttar Pradesh government over the killing
of gangster Vikas Dubey, alleging that justice is the “only thing killed” in
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s “encounter raj”.Dubey was killed in an
encounter earlier in the day, after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain
in Madhya Pradesh to Kanpur in UP met with an accident at Bhaunti area of
Kanpur district.“It is the job of the courts to deliver justice. It is the job
of the police to deliver the accused. Shocking that India under @BJP has
confused the two. Only thing killed in Yogiji’s “encounter Raj” is justice!”
said Moitra in a tweet.CPM MP Mohammed Salim described it as a “cold blooded
murder”.“The Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg trials too tried to brush off
their culpability on their superior officers. The criminal-politican nexus of
BJP which was on the verge of getting exposed has now vanished in
#VikasDubeyEncounter,” added the CPM leader.
Maharashtra lawyer
seeks urgent hearing in Supreme Court on Vikas Dubey death
In a written
communication to the Supreme Court on Saturday, advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay
sought an “extremely urgent” hearing, saying the U.P. police had made its
intention clear to kill “everyone related to Vikas Dubey” without ascertaining
whether they were in anyway associated with the July 3 ambush of a police team
and murder of eight police officers at Bikru village.“Vikas Dubey was arrested
on July 9 from Ujjain, M.P. and his custody was obtained by U.P. police. In the
petition itself, it was apprehended that there is every possibility of U.P.
police resorting to kill Vikas Dubey in fake encounter during his transit and
eventually, this happened and he was also killed in fake encounter,” the letter
to the Supreme Court said.It said there was apprehension that “the manner in
which U.P. police has resorted to kill every one related to Vikas Dubey without
ascertaining their involvement in the alleged crime or otherwise, it is
axiomatic that the U.P. police and administration have no fear, faith and
respect for law and judiciary and they have become law unto themselves and
police is taking the country towards ‘Talibanisation’ which cannot be
countenanced at any cost”.
Encounter impunity on
record: 74 probes complete in UP, police get clean chit in all
Following guidelines
laid down by the Supreme Court in a 2014 case, the Uttar Pradesh government
will hold an inquiry into the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey who was shot dead
by policemen who said he tried to flee while being moved from Madhya
Pradesh.The outcome of that inquiry is anybody’s guess.For, as per records,
Dubey is the 119th accused to have been killed in what police called
cross-firing since the Yogi Adityanath government took charge in March
2017.Magisterial inquiries have been completed in 74 encounter cases where
deaths occurred and the police have got a clean chit in all. In as many as 61
cases, closure reports filed by the police have been accepted by the court.
Man shot in leg during
Delhi riots, High Court says must compensate fast
The Delhi High Court
has directed the Delhi government to immediately process the application for
compensation by a victim of the Northeast Delhi riots, who sustained a gunshot
injury to the leg. “There is no doubt that the petitioner (Shaan Mohd) has suffered
a serious injury. There is no reason for any delay in releasing the
compensation,” Justice Prathiba M Singh said. It directed that the
“petitioner’s application may be processed in accordance with the requisite
procedure and upon satisfaction, compensation in terms of the scheme shall be
released to the petitioner within a period of 10 days” from July 8. “If the SDM
office finds any deficiency in the petitioner’s application, the same shall be
communicated to the petitioner by July 10,” the order reads.
Delhi riots: Two
employees of suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain two are the key witnesses
against him
Two key witnesses in a
case of communal violence in north east Delhi in which suspended AAP Councillor
Tahir Hussain was booked as one of the main accused, were employed under him
and saw him talking to several persons in a “very secretive” manner before the
start of the riots on February 24, a charge sheet filed by Delhi Police in a
court here has said.Girish Pal and Rahul Kasana said in their statements to the
police that on February 24 they were present in the office of Hussain in
Khajuri Khas area.“In the afternoon, they saw several persons gathered at the
ground floor of the house of Tahir Hussain and he was talking with them in a
very secretive manner and accused Shah Alam, Irshad, Abid, Arshad Pradhan,
Rashid and Shadab were also present there along with other unknown persons,”
the charge sheet said.PTI
‘I am sorry’: KCR on
damage to mosque, temple during secretariat demolition
Telangana chief
minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday expressed regret over the damage caused
to two mosques and a temple in the premises of Telangana secretariat which is
being demolished to pave way for the construction of a new official complex. “I
am sorry about the incident. This happened unexpectedly. It should not have
happened. The government’s intention is to build a new secretariat complex by
demolishing the old buildings without causing any damage to the temple or the
mosques,” an official release from chief minister’s office quoting KCR said.
The demolition of two mosques - Masjid Dafaatir-e-Muatamadi and Masjid-e-Hashmi
and Nalla Pochamma temple, a Hindu shrine, which had been part of the
secretariat complex for decades - kicked up a controversy evoking protests from
the religious groups. Muslim groups strongly protested the demolition of
mosques without consulting the Islamic religious heads. “One cannot shift the
mosque from its original place. Once a mosque, always a mosque,” Hamid Mohammad
Khan, president of Jamaat-e-Islami, Telangana chapter, told Hindustan
Times.Leaders of the United Muslim Forum led by MIM president MP Asaduddin
Owaisi, condemned the demolition of two mosques in the premises of the old
secretariat in Hyderabad and demanded their immediate reconstruction.Meanwhile,
the state high court on Friday stayed the demolition of secretariat buildings
till Monday and asked the government to submit the details of permissions
obtained for demolition.
Less than 1% of OBC
castes corner 50% reservation benefits, 20% get none, govt panel finds
New Delhi: Just about
40 of 5,000-6,000 castes/communities among the OBCs (other backward classes) —
which constitute less than 1 per cent — have cornered 50 per cent of the reservation
benefits in admissions to central educational institutions and recruitment to
central services, a panel constituted by the government has found. According to
the panel, formed to examine the sub-categorisation of OBCs in October 2017,
around 20 per cent of OBC communities did not get any quota benefit between
2014 and 2018. The findings were shared with ThePrint by the members of the
panel, whose mandate requires it to look at the distribution of reservation
benefits at the central level. Led by retired Delhi High Court chief justice G.
Rohini, the commission got its ninth extension, for six months, on 24 June.
Delhi riots: No relief
to Sharjeel Imam from HC
Delhi high court
granted no relief to former JNU student Sharjeel Imam as it dismissed his
petition challenging the trial court's order granting more time to complete the
probe against him and also seeking default bail in a case pertaining to
inflammatory speech during the anti-CAA protests. A single judge bench of the
high court presided by Justice V Kameshwar Rao turned down the petition filed
by Imam through advocates Bhavook Chauhan, Surabhi Dhar and Ahmed Ibrahim had
also sought court's direction to release Imam on default bail under section
167(2) of the CrPC. The high court had on June 25 reserved its order on
petition filed by Imam after hearing the matter at length through video
conferencing.Senior advocate Rebecca John who was appearing for Imam opposed
the submissions of the ASG and submitted that due to the delay in
investigation, her client is suffering. "There is no parity between them
(police) and me, I am the one who suffers consequences," John argued.IANS
Delhi riots: Court
dismisses anticipatory bail pleas of man in 3 cases
During the hearing
held through video conferencing, Special Public Prosecutor Saleem Ahmed told
the court that according to details of the charge sheets, the complainants in
the three cases have individually identified Raj to be allegedly part of the
mob which had vandalised their houses in Shastri Park area. The complainants
Abdul Nazir, Mohd Irshad and Mehboob Hassan have clearly identified separately
that Raj was allegedly also a member of an unlawful assembly which had
vandalised several houses of the locality in village old Garhi Mendu, the
counsel noted.PTI
Fast track disbursal
of relief to Delhi riot victims: Govt to Northeast DM
New Delhi: Amid
reports of Northeast Delhi riot victims still waiting for compensation amount
promised to them, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia called the district
magistrate and divisional commissioner for a meeting on Friday and issued
directions to immediately disburse the funds, said a Delhi government
official.Shashi Kaushal, DM (Northeast), confirmed that she received a note
from Sisodia and said the administration will follow it and disburse funds. “We
are checking our applications and compensating people for their losses. A lot
of families have also not filed applications. We are looking into the matter,”
she said. As per the note, in a lot of cases, compensation was sanctioned but
the amount wasn’t credited. The note also mentions that the DM office must look
into the forms that were filed but couldn’t be submitted at SDM office, and
forms that were submitted but haven’t been verified. The note asks the district
authorities to provide a status report on the issues raised and a timeline to
provide compensation to those eligible as quickly as possible.
20 Congress MLAs say
BJP trying to topple Ashok Gehlot govt, saffron party hits back
A day after more than
20 Congress MLAs in Rajasthan accused the opposition BJP of trying to bring
down the Ashok Gehlot-led government, the saffron party on Saturday said the
Grand Old Party was simply trying to divert the attention from its
‘mismanagement’ in handling the Covid-19 crisis. It added that the Congress was
blaming BJP for internal feuds with the party.“After failing to handle the
Covid-19 crisis and being unsuccessful in every front of the governance since
the past one-and-half-years, the Congress is now blaming us with baseless
allegations to divert the attention of the public. It actually reflects the
internal feud within the Congress party and how they don’t trust their own
MLAs,” state BJP president Satish Poonia said.Late on Friday night, 24 Congress
MLAs had alleged that the saffron party was trying to bring down the Congress
government in the state through horse trading and other corrupt practices.
BJP offering MLAs Rs
10-15 crore to topple my govt, says Ashok Gehlot
Two arrested in Rajasthan
for offering money to MLAs, topple government
The Special Operations
Group of Rajasthan Police has arrested two persons in an alleged bid to topple
the Ashok Gehlot led Congress government by breaking away Congress and
Independent MLAs by offering them Rs 20-25 crores each. As per FIR, lodged by
the SOG in this regard on Friday evening and SOG had taken two numbers on
surveillance to check smuggling of illegal weapons and explosive substances.
“From the conversation on these numbers, it appears that attempts are being
made to topple the government, and preparations were completed before the Rajya
Sabha elections. In the conversation, it is said that Chief Minister and Deputy
Chief Minister are having a fight; in such a situation, the ruling party MLAs
and independent MLAs can be broken away to topple the government and a new CM
will be put in place,” states the FIR.
Karnataka mulls ban on
cow slaughter, beef consumption after Covid-19 situation eases
Karnataka is planning
to ban cow slaughter as well as the sale and consumption of beef by bringing
Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation Bill, 2012.“Many states have
passed the Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill. We are preparing to implement it in
Karnataka as well. The state government will soon implement a ban on cow
slaughter, sale and consumption of beef on the lines of many other states,”
said Prabhu Chauhan, the state’s Animal Husbandry Minister.Anti-Cow Slaughter
Act is already in place in several states like Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh among others.Last month, the Yogi Adityanath-led
Uttar Pradesh government passed a draft ordinance to prevent cow slaughter,
providing maximum rigorous imprisonment of 10 years and a fine up to Rs 5 lakh.
*INDO-PAK,
J&K & SOUTH ASIA*
India-China ties will be
reset after LAC stand-off, says former NSA Shivshankar Menon
India and China must fully reset ties, says former National Security
Advisor Shivshankar Menon, cautioning that any move to allow buffer zones,
mutual pullouts and suspending patrols at the Line of Actual Control sends out
the wrong message that both sides are equally responsible for the aggression.
He said, " Well, I think there’s no question that, after this, India-China
relations will be reset. I think there’s no going back to the situation before
[Ladakh stand-off]. I do think this has been building up for some time, that
India-China relations have been getting more and more adversarial for some
years before this. But certainly what China did this time: pressing forward on
multiple points along the LAC, then changing the definition of what she claims
to be the LAC, the deaths for the first time since 1975 [in June 15 Galwan
clash]. All this, I think, represents a significant change in Chinese behaviour
and actually calls into question the whole structure of agreements and
confidence-building measures that were put in place since 1988 and with the
1993 agreement, which had kept the peace on the border for some time.It’s been
very hard to be too specific because, frankly, both governments’ strategic
communication has been abysmal. There’s a lot of spin, a lot of leaks, a lot of
motivated articles in the press. But there’s very little authoritative
commentary by the government and even what they say, they then backtrack,
clarify etc. So, it is difficult at this stage to comment on the particular
details of what is happening and what has happened in the last few months. But
this is still a crisis. I don’t see this as having been solved yet or being
behind us. And I am sure that India-China relations will have to be reset after
this."
Decoupling trade ties to hurt both, says China envoy
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/decoupling-trade-ties-to-hurt-both-says-china-envoy-6500090/
As the border working mechanism reviewed the situation on the ground in
Ladakh and the “progress made” in disengagement of troops along the Line of
Actual Control, Beijing’s envoy to New Delhi Friday said “the so-called
‘decoupling’ of China-India economic and trade relations” will “only harm
others without benefit to oneself, and it will eventually hurt oneself as
well”.Ambassador Sun Weidong, in a statement released by the Chinese embassy on
its website, said the two countries “should meet each other halfway” to “overcome”
the “complex situation” in ties and “turn it around as soon as possible”. He
said both should be “partners rather than opponents or adversaries”.While
calling for building “mutual trust” and “need to respect and accommodate mutual
core interests and major concern”, he also said both must “adhere to the
principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs”.
'Government Misleading
Media on Chinese Disengagement Along LAC'
https://thewire.in/security/government-misleading-media-on-chinese-disengagement-along-lac
New Delhi: He may be a lone voice but Ajai Shukla, one of India’s most
highly regarded defence reporters, has repeatedly insisted that the Modi
government has made misleading claims about the extent of Chinese disengagement
at various points along the LAC in Ladakh where China’s Peoples Liberation Army
has been in a stand-off with the Indian Army.In an interview to The Wire on
Saturday morning, Colonel Ajai Shukla, who is the strategic affairs editor at
Business Standard, says: “China’s People’s Liberation Army has refused to
withdraw” in the Hot Springs area and at “Gogra Heights … about 1,500 soldiers
from either side are in confrontation.”Shukla says he’s “very confident” of his
claim there’s been no disengagement at Hot Springs and Gogra. He says multiple
sources have given him this information and that he has gone beyond army
sources to speak to others to verify and ascertain what he calls the truth.
Perpetrators of heinous terror attacks continue to enjoy 'state
hospitality' in Pak: India at UN
India has slammed Pakistan for not acting on the concrete evidences
shared by it on several terrorist attacks, including the 1993 Mumbai serial
blasts and the 2008 Mumbai attack and pointed out that the perpetrators of
these heinous crimes, though proscribed by the UN, continue to enjoy
"state hospitality" in the country. Mahaveer Singhvi, head of the
Indian delegation, made the comments at a webinar during the ongoing virtual
Counter-Terrorism Week.
*CORONAVIRUS- LOCKDOWN*
BJP Prevents
Parliamentary Panel From Scrutinising PM-CARES Fund
https://thewire.in/government/bjp-prevents-parliamentary-panel-from-scrutinising-pm-cares-fund
New Delhi: Despite
concerns raised by various political parties around the Narendra Modi
government allegedly using the PM CARES Fund for pushing the BJP’s cause during
COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament on Friday
failed to reach a consensus on examining the government’s role during the
pandemic or in utilising the Fund.Earlier, The Wire had also reported on how
the Modi government has been vehemently blocking RTI queries seeking more
information on the fund’s donors and users. Citing a controversial Supreme
Court statement, the Prime Minister’s Office refused to part with the details.
In response to a query filed by a Greater Noida-based activist Vikrant Togad in
April, that asked 12 questions, the PMO had refused to furnish information
about the fund saying: “It is not open to the applicant under the RTI Act to
bundle a series of requests into one application unless these requests are
treated separately and paid for accordingly.”Now in parliament too, the
government does not seem keen to provide any information to the PAC that
scrutinises key reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General and has
deliberated on important issues such as 2G spectrum allocation in the past.On
Friday, when the committee met for the first time after the pandemic broke out
to discuss the government’s response to COVID-19, its chairman and Leader of
Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, urged the members to act in the
interest of the nation to arrive at a consensus. But according to NDTV, members
of the BJP, who were present in large numbers, opposed the move and tried to
stall the proceedings that sought to scrutinise the Centre’s actions.They also
found support in Biju Janata Dal leader Bhartuhari Mahtani. From the
opposition, whose members were largely outnumbered, T.R. Balu of the DMK was
vocal in his support for the Chowdhury’s prop
India Coronavirus
Updates: Over 8 lakh cases, death toll crosses 22000
Just four days after
it crossed the 7-lakh mark, India Covid-19 tally on Saturday zoomed past the
8-lakh mark on Saturday with a record rise in 27,114 fresh cases in the last 24
hours. The country’s death toll, which is the eighth-worst in the world,
climbed to 22,123 with 519 fatalities in the last 24 hours. According to Union health ministry data on
Saturday, the number of recoveries stands at 5,15,385 while there are 2,83,407
active cases.Meanwhile, ICMR has said that as many as 1,13,07,002 coronavirus
samples have been tested so far, of which 2,82,511 samples were tested on
Friday. (Follow coronavirus India LIVE updates). Amid a surge, Kerala, Pune and
most recently Uttar Pradesh have reintroduced fresh restrictions. States like
Goa have ruled out the possibility of a new lockdown amid the economic
“unlocking”.
Another record
increase: UP lockdown in force, no let up in case rise
Uttar Pradesh on
Friday reported its highest single-day spike in Covid-19 infections as an
addition of 1,338 cases took the tally to 33,700. The state health department
also reported 27 deaths, which pushed up its toll to 889.The record jump in
cases came on a day the state implemented 55-hour restrictions from 10 pm. This
increase was also the fourth straight 1,000-plus jump this week. The previous
highest daily spike in cases, 1,332, was recorded on July 7. Most of the latest
deaths, seven, were reported from Kanpur Nagar, which is among the
worst-affected districts, followed by three in Lucknow. Varanasi, Gonda, and
Jhansi reported two cases each, while one fatality each occurred in Meerut,
Saharanpur, Azamgarh, Prayagraj, Mathura, Sultanpur, Rae Bareli, Hardoi,
Jalaun, Mirzapur and Hathras districts. Till date, most fatalities have
occurred in Agra (93), followed by Meeut (86), and Kanpur Nagar (78).
Lockdown in Guwahati
extended till July 19
Assam government on
Saturday extended lockdown that was implemented in the Kamrup Metropolitan
district — which includes Guwahati city — till July 19 to curb the spread of
Covid-19.Earlier today, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had informed
Assam Chief Secretary of this decision and said that a week would be enough to
bring the Covid-19 situation under control in Guwahati. Total Covid-19 cases in
Assam now stand at 15,556.
Nagaland extends
lockdown till July 31
The Nagaland
government has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the state till July
31, and charge fees for COVID-19 tests and stay at quarantine centres at a
later stage, PTI reported. The ongoing lockdown in the state, which was
supposed to be lifted on July 16, was extended for another 15 days at a meeting
of the High Powered Committee (HPC) on COVID-19 on Friday.Government spokesperson
on COVID-19 and Planning and Coordination Minister Neiba Kronu told PTI that
the HPC, headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, took the decision after
reviewing the existing measures and the rising cases of coronavirus in the
state.
Meghalaya declares two-day
total lockdown in Shillong after rise in cases
On Saturday, the
government of Meghalaya announced that it would be declaring lockdown in
Shillong City for two days.“The Government has decided to observe the next two
working days i.e on the 13 & 14th of July, 2020 as Total #Lockdown in the
Shillong City agglomeration” tweeted Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
Complete Lockdown in Bengaluru from 8pm on
July 14 to Morning of July 22
A complete lockdown will be imposed in
Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts from 8pm on July 14 to 5 am on July 22 in
view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the state. Essential services
have been exempted from the lockdown, said a statement from the Karnataka Chief
Minister's Office (CMO) today.
No deaths in home
isolation in July, finds Delhi govt study on coronavirus management
Zero deaths were
reported in home isolation of novel coronavirus patients in Delhi in the first
week of July. At the same time, the total number of daily deaths in the
national capital is also in decline. These are the findings of the Delhi
government's recent study of Covid-19 management. Chief Minister Arvind
Kejriwal had directed the Delhi government's Health Department to study all
coronavirus-related deaths in last fortnight to understand what steps could be
taken to further reduce casualties.In turn, the Health Department presented its
findings to the CM on July 10.As per the findings, a total of 691 patients
succumbed to Covid-19 in Delhi between June 24 and July 8. This means that
Delhi witnessed an average of 46 COVID-related deaths during these two weeks.
Each of these deaths was studied and analysed by the Health Department and its
findings furnished in the report.
WHO chief praises
efforts to control Covid-19 in Mumbai’s Dharavi slum
World Health
Organisation has praised the efforts taken to contain the spread of the
COVID-19 in Dharavi, one of the world’s largest slums, underscoring the need
for community engagement along with national unity and global solidarity to
turn the pandemic around. Dharavi, which is located in India’s commercial
capital Mumbai, is spread over an area of 2.5 square kilometres and has a
population of 650,000. People live in shanties and dilapidated buildings with
narrow lanes and open sewers. The first COVID-19 patient in Dharavi was found
on April 1, nearly three weeks after Mumbai recorded its maiden positive case
on March 11.PTI
Delhi Court Grants
Bail to 82 Bangladeshi Tablighi Jamaat Members
https://thewire.in/law/delhi-court-grants-bail-to-82-bangladeshi-tablighi-jamaat-members
On Friday, a Delhi
court granted bail to 82 foreign nationals from Bangladesh who were charged for
attending Tablighi Jamaat congregation. The foreigners had allegedly violated visa
norms such as indulging in illegal missionary activities and violating
government guidelines issued in the wake of COVID.Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
Gurmohina Kaur granted relief to the foreigners on furnishing a personal bond
of Rs 10,000 each.Till date, the court has granted bail to 371 foreign
nationals from 31 different countries, who were charge-sheeted in the case.In
June, the police had filed 59 charge sheets, including supplementary, against
956 foreigners belonging to 36 different countries.
Tablighi case: Delhi
Court allows 11 Saudis to return home
A Delhi court Friday
allowed 11 foreigners from Saudi Arabia to return to their country, after they
accepted mild charges under the plea bargain process related to various
violations, including in visa norms, while attending the Tablighi Jamaat
congregation during the Covid-19 lockdown.The order was passed by Chief
Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur, who allowed the 11 men to be deported back
to their country after noting that their plea
Gurugram: Court orders
safe return of Muslim foreign nationals kept in Nuh for 3 months
GURUGRAM: 57 Muslim
foreign nationals Tablighi Jamaat congregation without required permission in
their visas. Their passports and visas were also seized.The court of additional
sessions judge of Nuh, Prashant Rana, in its July 6 order, observed that there
is no documentary evidence that the accused were conducting such events in any
village and directed the district administration to ensure their safe return to
their respective countries.On May 22, the trial court had struck down all the
charges slapped on them by the police except one under section 188 (disobedience
to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC, and ordered a fine of
Rs 1,000 each. Offering relief to these men, the court upheld this decision by
the trial court.“All the witnesses of the prosecution itself, say that the
accused were found inside a hostel and were lodged there. The same does not
amount to violation of any condition of their tourist visa. The accused had
permission to visit India, travel across the country and stay here, in a legal
manner, which they did. Hence, no offence under sections 14(B) and 14(C) of
Foreigners Act, 1946 was made,” read the order. In its observation, the court
said offences under sections 269 and 270 of the IPC were added merely on the
basis of apprehensions and imaginations of the investigating officer. The court
observed that none of the accused knew they had coronavirus infection.
Following their medico-legal examination after FIR was registered, nine of them
were found to be coronavirus positive.
‘If gardens have been
opened, why disallow religious gatherings’: Kashmir clerics ask Govt
Srinagar: Muslim
clergy on Friday lambasted the government for disallowing congregations in
mosques and other religious places at a time when gardens and parks have been
thrown open for public.“Ironically, congregations in mosques and religious
places are disallowed by the authorities citing COVID, but they have opened up
gardens, parks, and tourist spots for people. What is unfortunate is that
people are visiting these places oblivious of the dangers to their family and
the society at large,” said Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of
religions and socio-religious organizations.
Forced to Return from
Gulf, Migrants in Kerala Are Wondering What Comes Next
https://thewire.in/labour/kerala-migrants-gulf-covid-19
Kochi: On May 7,
Kerala waited with bated breath for the first Vande Bharat repatriation flight
from Abu Dhabi to land at the Cochin International Airport. At 10:57 pm, Air
India touched down on the runway with 177 Malayalis. Television cameras zoomed
into the arrival terminal exit to catch a glimpse of the first passenger to
step out of those glass doors. What was his or her story? Terminated from his
company or expiry of job visa? Pre-existing medical conditions or a wife who is
pregnant? COVID-positive or not? Whatever be the reason, the expat has got to
be relieved to return, for sure.That was two months ago. Today, his sense of
relief has been replaced by something more sinister. The compulsory quarantine
period is over; the voluntary self-isolation week is also complete. It’s not
the likelihood of mortality that’s worrying him now. He’s faced with a deeper,
disturbing fear – what next?“We knew things were turning for the worse when my
salary payment started to get delayed from February itself,” says Shelton Das,
36, who was working in the sales section of a prominent real estate company in
Doha. “My wife, who is a nurse, also had February’s salary pending. Once
COVID-19 struck, her clinic cut down her hours and days of work. It was an
excuse to reduce her salary. My company terminated five of us within a week
after that. We were stuck with two kids aged 4.5 and 1.5 years, my
mother-in-law was also staying with us. We had already booked our tickets home
for the summer in April. But that got cancelled without refund. The second
time, friends and family back home wired the money to us. Even the vehicle I
owned in Doha there was no time to sell, so I transferred the ownership to a
friend of mine.”
All Delhi state
varsity exams cancelled: Manish Sisodia
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/all-delhi-state-varsity-exams-cancelled-manish-sisodia
Delhi government on
Saturday decided to cancel all the examinations in the state universities in
view of the coronavirus pandemic.Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that
the degree will be awarded to the students based on evaluation parameters
decided by the universities.
COVID-19 pandemic has
left 147 million people unemployed globally: Study
Researchers, including
one of Indian-origin, have revealed that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
has made 147 million people unemployed, adding that the global consumption loss
due to the COVID-19 amounts to an estimated $3.8 trillion.Beyond its health
effects, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns have resulted in major
social and economic losses worldwide, the researchers said.While some regions,
such as China and the US, have experienced greater direct economic effects than
others, the entire world economy has been impacted through international trade
links."Our study highlights the interconnected nature of international
supply chains, with observable global spillover effects across a range of
industry sectors, such as manufacturing, tourism and transport," said
study researcher Arunima Malik from the University of Sydney in Australia.
Supreme Court upholds
Congress leader’s bail order on condition he will not use social media
The Supreme Court
issued notice to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on a petition by
Congress leader Sachin Choudhary, challenging the conditions imposed on him for
grant of bail, Bar and Bench reported. Choudhary, who faces criminal charges
for holding a press conference in violation of lockdown regulations, was
ordered by the Allahabad High Court not to use social media till his trial
ends.“What is wrong with an order asking you not to use social media?” Bobde
asked Choudhary. “If a court can order an accused to stay away from a gun, it
can similarly ask you to stay away from social media.”At the press conference,
Choudhary had targeted the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government for
allegedly mishandling the coronavirus pandemic. The politician from Amroha also
used social media to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister
Adityanath.
Arunachal Pradesh: Six
suspected NSCN (IM) militants killed in gunfight with security forces
Six suspected
militants belonging to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah,
or NSCN (IM), separatist group were killed in a gunfight with security forces
in Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district on Saturday.A team comprising the
Indian Army, the Assam Rifles and the Arunachal Pradesh Police launched a
search operation in Nginu village after receiving information about the
presence of militants in the area, Defence Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel
Sumit K Sharma said in a statement.Sharma added that militants began firing at
the security personnel, forcing them to retaliate. “In the ensuing firefight,
six cadres were neutralised while one soldier of Assam Rifles has been
injured,” Sharma added. “The troops also recovered six rifles and ammunition,
IEDs
Muslims offer 330 quintal wheat for langar at
Golden Temple
Amritsar:AMRITSAR Muslims from Malerkotla town
on Friday offered 330 quintals of wheat to Guru Ram Das Langar, the community
kitchen of Golden Temple here. The delegation that brought the foodgrain was
led by Sikh-Muslim Sanjha Manch president Nasir Akhtar. They paid obeisance at
Darbar Sahib and also met acting Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh. They
also partook of langar at the community kitchen.For offering the wheat, Golden
Temple chief manager Mukhtiar Singh and additional manager Rajinder Singh Ruby
honoured the delegation members with siropas. “Cooperation between Sikhs and
Muslims has prevailed since the times of Gurus. There is a dire need of
enhancing the same,” said Akhtar, who was accompanied by Anwar Khan, Shabir
Khan, Mohammad Arphan, Mohammad Liyakat, Sadaq Ali and Mohammad Hanif.
*WORLD*
World reacts to Turkey
reconverting Hagia Sophia into a mosque
President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan declared Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship on
Friday after a top court ruled the building's conversion to a museum by modern
Turkey's founding statesman was illegal.Erdogan made his announcement, just an
hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to
change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians
and Muslims alike."The decision was taken to hand over the management of
the Ayasofya Mosque ... to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for
worship," the decision signed by Erdogan said.The UNESCO World Heritage
Site in Istanbul, a magnet for tourists worldwide, was first constructed as a
cathedral in the Christian Byzantine Empire but was converted into a mosque
after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Awaiting of decision for
Hagia Sophia trialThe court decision was followed quickly by Erdogan saying
that the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Istanbul would be reopened for Muslim
worship.The Council of State, Turkey's highest administrative court,
unanimously cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision and said Hagia Sophia was
registered as a mosque in its property deeds.The United States, Greece and
church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the status of
the huge sixth-century building, converted into a museum in the early days of
the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Church leaders
The Russian Orthodox
Church expressed dismay at Turkey's decision to revoke the museum status of
Hagia Sophia, accusing it of ignoring voices of millions of
Christians."The concern of millions of Christians has not been
heard," Russian Orthodox Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida said in
comments carried by the Russian news agency Interfax.Previously, Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of some 300 million Orthodox
Christians worldwide and based in Istanbul, said converting it into a mosque
would disappoint Christians and would "fracture" East and West.
UNESCO
UNESCO said its World
Heritage Committee would review Hagia Sophia's status, saying it was
"regrettable that the Turkish decision was not the subject of dialog nor
notification beforehand"."UNESCO calls on the Turkish authorities to
open a dialog without delay in order to avoid a step back from the universal
value of this exceptional heritage whose preservation will be reviewed by the
World Heritage Committee in its next session," the United Nation's
cultural body said in a statement.
The European Union
The European Union's
foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the decision
"regrettable"."The ruling by the Turkish Council of State to
overturn one of modern Turkey's landmark decisions and President Erdogan's
decision to place the monument under the management of the Religious Affairs
Presidency is regrettable," he said in a statement.
Cyprus
Cypriot Foreign
Minister Nikos Christodoulides, a Greek Cypriot, posted on his official Twitter
account that Cyprus "strongly condemns Turkey's actions on Hagia Sophia in
its effort to distract domestic opinion and calls on Turkey to respect its
international obligations".
USA
"We are
disappointed by the decision by the government of Turkey to change the status
of the Hagia Sophia," Morgan Ortagus, State Department spokesperson, said
in a statement."We understand the Turkish Government remains committed to
maintaining access to the Hagia Sophia for all visitors, and look forward to
hearing its plans for continued stewardship of the Hagia Sophia to ensure it
remains accessible without impediment for all."
Greece
Greece branded
Turkey's move an "open provocation to the civilised world"."The
nationalism displayed by Erdogan ... takes his country back six
centuries," Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement.Mendoni
further said the court ruling "absolutely confirms that there is no
independent justice" in Turkey.
Russia
Vladimir Dzhabarov,
deputy head of the foreign affairs committee in the Russian upper house of
parliament, called the action "a mistake"."Turning it into a
mosque will not do anything for the Muslim world. It does not bring nations
together, but on the contrary brings them into collision," he said.
Hamas
Palestinian group
Hamas has welcomed the verdict allowing the opening of Hagia Sophia as a
mosque."Opening of Hagia Sophia to prayer is a proud moment for all
Muslims," said Rafat Murra, head of international press office of Hamas,
in a written statement, quoted by Turkey's Anadolu Agency.Murra stressed that
the decision fell under Turkey's sovereignty rights.
Northern Cyprus
Turkish Republic of
Northern CyprusS(TRNC), recognised only by Turkey, is happy with the opening of
Hagia Sophia as a mosque."Hagia Sophia has been Turkish, a mosque and a
world heritage since 1453. The decision to use it as a mosque, at the same time
to be visited as a museum, is sound and it is pleasing," Prime Minister
Ersin Tatar said.
European Union Says
Turkey's Decision to Make Historic Monument Hagia Sophia Mosque is
'Regrettable'
US sanctions
highest-ranking Chinese official over Uighur Muslims rights
US has imposed
sanctions on the highest-ranking Chinese official yet targeted over alleged
human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority, a move likely to
further ratchet up tensions between Washington and Beijing.Washington
blacklisted Xinjiang region's Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, a member
of China's powerful Politburo, and three other officials. The highly
anticipated action followed months of Washington's hostility toward Beijing
over China's handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak and its tightening grip
on Hong Kong.A senior administration official who briefed reporters after the
announcements described Chen as the highest-ranking Chinese official ever
sanctioned by the United States.The blacklisting is "no joke," he
said. "Not only in terms of symbolic and reputational affect, but it does
have real meaning on a person's ability to move around the world and conduct
business.Reuters
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
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are we up against?
This book recounts the Muslim women’s stir in
Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and its refusal to back down: Ziya Us Salam & Uzma
Ausaf
Shaheen Bagh protests, the Left, Liberals and
Delhi Riots: A Case of Political Hijacking:By M. Yusuf, TwoCircles.net
The creation of Vikas Dubey, who flourished
all these years because of political and police patronage:Julio Ribeiro
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/vikas-dubey-kanpur-encounter-up-police-6499829/
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