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Evening NEWS DIGEST
18 Aug. 2016: 13 Dzulqa'dah 37: Vol:7, No:141
INDIA
After sedition accusation, Amnesty International closes offices, postpones events: Reuters
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Amnesty-India-closes-offices-postpones-events-after-sedition-accusation/articleshow/53752057.cms
New Delhi: Amnesty International India has temporarily closed its offices and postponed events aimed at raising awareness of rights abuses over safety concerns for its staff after the charity was accused of sedition by protesters, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.Political activists held demonstrations against the rights group on Tuesday and Wednesday, accusing it of inciting hatred against the state during an event it hosted on abuses by Indian security forces in the troubled Kashmir region. "The allegations mentioned in the complaint are without any basis. The event was an open door event and people were coming and going. No staff members were involved," said Himanshi Matta, Amnesty International India's spokeswoman in India."They are preventing the families of victims of human rights violations in J&K from having their stories heard. And preventing civil society organisations from enabling these families to exercise their constitutional right to justice."Following protests by hundreds of right-wing activists in Bengaluru on Tuesday and in Delhi on Wednesday, Matta said the charity had decided to temporarily close its main office in the city, as well smaller ones in Pune, New Delhi and Chennai.The seminar - aimed at raising awareness over the lack of justice for families of victims in Kashmir - was planned to take place in Mumbai and New Delhi next week, but has been postponed due to security concerns for the families and staff, she added.Rights groups have for years accused Indian forces battling a separatist insurgency in Kashmir and parts of northeast India of violating civilian rights through a controversial law which gives them sweeping powers to search, arrest or shoot people.
Amnesty India asks employees to work from home
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/amnestyabvp-row-amnesty-india-asks-employees-to-work-from-home/article9002766.ece?homepage=true
Space for civil society and dissent in India is shrinking: Amnesty India chief
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/space-for-civil-society-and-dissent-in-india-is-shrinking-amnesty-india-chief/story-99QW7jXxBPH6envntfs0RO.html
Sedition law being misused,review all cases:plea in SC
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sedition-law-being-misused-review-all-cases-plea-in-sc-2981801/
New Delhi: A PIL was filed Wednesday in the Supreme Court seeking a review of all the cases filed under the sedition charge and to make approval from the DGP or Commissioner of Police a must before lodging an FIR for sedition.Complaining against “blatant” misuse of sedition law by successive governments despite the Constitution bench’s decision on narrowing down its scope 54 years ago, NGO Common Cause has requested the top court to lay down extensive guidelines to prevent “arbitrary” arrest of people in such cases. The petition has sought direction for strict compliance with the apex court’s ruling in Kedarnath vs State of Bihar (1962) case. Court had held in this case that only those acts which involved incitement to violence or violence constituted a seditious act under Section124A of the IPC.“In carrying out arrests and slapping charges, the police and the governments have rarely, if ever, respected this restriction. Successive govts have blatantly used Section 124A to stifle the voice of dissent and to further their political goals,” the petition, to be argued by advocate Prashant Bhushan, stated.Citing NCRB report, it pointed out that 47 cases of sedition were filed in 2014 alone, with a total of 58 people being arrested in connection with these cases. But the govt has managed only one conviction. Petition listed cases lodged against noted writer Arundhati Roy, cartoonist Assem Trivedi, civil rights activist Binayak Sen, 67 Kashmiri students in UP, actor Aamir Khan, Tamil folk singer S Kovan and JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar to “threaten” them.Indianexpress
NGO moves Supreme Court over sedition law, says it harasses students, intellectuals
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/53742069.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
FIR against Amnesty: Rahul Gandhi steps in, Congress says no ground for sedition case
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/fir-against-amnesty-rahul-gandhi-steps-in-congress-says-no-ground-for-sedition-case-2981853/
New Delhi: After Bengaluru police registered an FIR on charges of sedition against representatives of Amnesty International India on an ABVP complaint, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi stepped in, reflecting the unease in the party over the development. Rahul got in touch with Digvijaya Singh,AICC in-charge of Cong-ruled Karnataka, who then conveyed to CM Siddaramaiah that a case of sedition was not made out.Singh spoke to Chief Minister, who assured him that “no arrests would be made pending investigation”. “It is obligatory on the part of the police to file an FIR if there is a complaint. Even if you want to file an FIR against the PM, you can do that. But then the preliminary enquiry is held. In this case, there is no question of any sedition charge,” Singh said. Singh said there was a need to review the sedition clause in the IPC. indian express
10yrs after Sachar report,Muslims still 3% in IAS, IPS
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ten-years-since-sachar-report-muslims-still-3-in-ias-ips-2982199/
Mumbai:Among its various recommendation for the welfare of Muslims, Sachar Committee had stressed the need for increasing the share of Muslims in IAS and IPS. 10 years on, the share of Muslims among IAS officers has risen marginally while that among IPS officers has fallen.Sachar reported submitted in Nov.2006 had shown that in IPS, there were 128 Muslims, or 4 per cent, among the 3,209 officers serving then. As of Jan.2016, there are 120 Muslim officers, or 3.19 per cent of the 3,754 serving IPS officers. An individual is absorbed into the Union civil services cadre in either of two ways: by clearing UPSC or by being promoted from the state civil service.What has dropped significantly is the share of Muslims among IPS officers who have been promoted to IPS from the state cadre. Seven per cent in 2006, this had fallen to 3.82 per cent in Jan.2016. Out of 912 officers promoted to IPS from the state cadre, Sachar report listed 65 Muslims. In 2016, there were 44 Muslims among the 1,150 IPS promotees.Among IPS officers who took the UPSC route, the share of Muslims has risen. At the time of the Sachar report, there were 63 Muslim officers who made up 2.7% of the 2,297 directly recruited IPS officers. That share is now 2.91%, with 76 Muslims among the 2,604 directly recruited officers.The share of Muslims in IAS, meanwhile, has improved slightly, from 3 per cent at the time of the Sachar report to 3.32 per cent as of Jan.2016— 164 Muslims in a total of 4,926 serving IAS officers.indian express
VK Singh tried to deny me promotion via false charges, malafide intent: Army Chief Dalbir Singh
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/vk-singh-tried-to-deny-me-promotion-via-false-charges-malafide-intent-army-chief-dalbir-singh-2982136/
New Delhi:In the first instance of a serving Army chief speaking out against a predecessor and a serving minister, General Dalbir Singh, Chief of Army Staff, has accused General (retired) V K Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, of trying to stall his promotion “with mysterious design, malafide intent and to arbitrarily punish” him for “extraneous reasons”.In an affidavit submitted in his personal capacity to the Supreme Court Wednesday, General Dalbir Singh has said that in 2012 “I was sought to be victimised by the then COAS” General VK Singh “with the sole purpose of denying me promotion to the appointment of Army Commander”. “False, baseless and imaginary allegations of lapses were levelled against me in the show cause notice” of May19, 2012 and consequent imposition of an “illegal” discipline and vigilance (DV) ban, Army chief has stated in his affidavit.The affidavit was filed in response to a petition moved by Lt.Gen (retd) Ravi Dastane who alleged favouritism in Dalbir Singh’s selection as Army Commander, making him next in line to succeed General Bikram Singh. indian express
VK Singh victimised me, imposed 'illegal' ban: Army chief Dalbir Singh
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/vk-singh-victimised-me-imposed-illegal-ban-army-chief-dalbir-singh/story-JTOVbklRT9jkforZJ9Fp3N.html
BJP member killed for transporting cows in Udupi
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/hindu-jagrana-vedike-activists-attack-two-for-transporting-cow-in-udupi/article9002515.ece?homepage=true
Udupi: A group of activists from Hindu Jagrana Vedike attacked two people alleging that the cows were being transported to an abattoir.One person was killed and another injured when a group of activists belonging to the right wing group Hindu Jagrana Vedike thrashed them for transporting three cows in a van at Kajike near Hebri in Udupi district on Wednesday. The deceased was a member of the local BJP unit.KT Balakrishna, SP, said on Thursday that Praveen Poojary (29) and Akshay (22) were transporting three cows in a van. On receiving information about this, a group of activists belonging to Hindu Jagrana Vedike, stopped their van at Kajike at around 8.30 p.m. and beat them, alleging that the cows were being transported to an abattoir.The injured were then rushed to a hospital in Brahmavar, where Praveen Poojary died. On getting the information about the incident at around 11 pm, police arrested Srikanth and 16 activists of the Hindu Jagran Vedike on charges of assault and murder. A case had presently been booked at Brahmavar police station, Balakrishna said. Thehindu
Tension in Baghpat as 150 kg cow meat seized, 2 arrested
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/tension-in-baghpat-as-150-kg-cow-meat-seized-2-arrested-2983145/
Baghpat: Nearly 150 kg meat suspected to be of cow was seized and two persons, including a 60-year-old woman, were arrested in a village, in Baghpat district, triggering tension in the area as right wing Hindu groups staged protests.Acting on a tip off about cow slaughter, a police team raided the house of Nazim in Gauspura village in Singhavali Ahir police station area on Tuesday and recovered 150 kg meat, ASP Aziz-ul Haq said on Thursday.Haq said veterinary doctors suspected it to be meat of “cow or its progeny” and a sample has been sent for laboratory test.PTI
PM Modi's remarks on Balochistan not surprising: Govt official
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/53749564.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
New Delhi: India's humanity does not stop at its border and PM's remarks on Balochistan did not come out of blue as he has been receiving reports on atrocities in that part of Pakistan, a senior govt source remarked on Wednesday. "When PM speaks from the Red Fort it is state of union inside & outside. The issue of Balochistan was there in PM's mind," the source said. "Statement on Balochistan did not come out as blue. We are clearly troubled with human rights violations in Balochistan. What PM said it was an expression of concern. We feel for people inside & outside. My humanity doesn't stop at my border. It was expression of sentiment for suppressed people some distance away," sources said, adding that India has spoken for human rights violation in other parts of the world.economic times
Modi crossed ‘red line’ by talking about Balochistan: Pakistan
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/narendra-modi-crossed-red-line-by-talking-about-balochistan-pakistan/
Islamabad:Pakistan on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi crossed the “red line” by talking about Balochistan and asserted that it will “forcefully” raise the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly session next month.“Prime Minister strongly pleaded the case of Kashmir during General Assembly session last year and we will again forcefully raise the issue,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said.Zakaria, in his weekly news briefing here, also took strong exception to the remarks by Prime Minister Modi on Balochistan. Prime Minister Modi had brought up Pakistani atrocities on people of Balochistan and PoK in his Independence Day speech. “It is the violation of the UN Charter. He (Modi) crossed the red line by talking about Balochistan,” Zakaria said.He alleged that India was involved in subversive activities in Balochistan and Karachi. Zakaria also claimed that India was referring to Balochistan to cover up its human rights violations in Kashmir.Zakaria said Prime Minister Sharif will lead the official delegation at the General Assembly session. He said the UN Secretary General and most of the UN members had already been informed about the “precarious situation” in Kashmir. Zakaria said the UN and international community should remind India that it must fulfil its commitment to give the right of self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as per Security Council resolutions.PTI
NIA sets off to track flow of ‘terror funds’ in Kashmir
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nia-sets-off-to-track-flow-of-terror-funds-in-the-valley/article9000080.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi: NIA has registered a preliminary enquiry to track the flow of funds in several bank accounts in the valley, which are suspected to have been used for financing terrorist and unlawful activities. NIA launched the probe even as the unrest in the valley entered 41st day. “Based on technical inputs, information has been collected that certain bank accounts in J&K have seen huge inflow and outflow of funds during the last few months. These accounts are in names of persons whose income doesn’t warrant such banking transactions,” a NIA spokesperson said. The official said that the information available with the agency also indicates flow of funds into and disbursement there from in bank accounts of some persons of interest in J&K.“To verify the details and to ascertain the end users of the flow of funds, NIA has registered Preliminary Enquiry into the subject and would submit its findings to Home Ministry in due course,” said the official.Running the risk of getting caught by the security and intelligence agencies, the militant organisations and their sympathisers have begun jettisoning the hawala channels for transferring money and are wooing Kashmiris who travel to gulf countries for work, PTI reported. the hindu
CRPF says it has fired over 3000 pellet cartridges in Kashmir since July 8
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/crpf-says-it-has-fired-over-3000-pellet-cartridges-in-kashmir-since-july-8-2982422/
Srinagar: CRPF has fired over 3000 pellet cartridges – each containing 450 metallic balls – in the Valley since July 8 and said it was “difficult” to follow Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) while both the armed forces and protesters are on move during the unrest. Responding to a PIL seeking a ban on pellets, the CRPF told the J-K High Court that 3765 cartridges of .9 number have been fired from the pump action guns since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month. Since a cartridge contains around 450 pellets, it means over 1.3 million pellets have been fired by CRPF on protestors till August 11.
BJP corporator proposes mandatory Yoga, Surya Namaskar in Mumbai Municipal schools including Urdu medium
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/bjp-corporator-proposes-mandatory-yoga-surya-namaskar-in-bmc-schools-2982200/
Mumbai: A BJP corporator has moved a proposal to make Yoga and Surya Namaskar mandatory in schools run by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). While a discussion on the proposal is awaited, Shiv Sena, larger party in the BMC, said it believed training in martial arts would be more welcome. The proposal is expected to be hotly opposed by the Samajwadi Party, which has said this would amount to “mixing of education and religion”. BJP corporator from Mulund Samita Kamble moved the proposal a fortnight ago, saying Yoga and Suryanamaskar would help students of the 1,285 BMC schools maintain fitness. “Yoga is a world renowned exercise for fitness. Surya Namaskar is also categorised under Yoga. Kamble said she wanted to make these exercises mandatory in all civic schools, including the nearly 400 Urdu-medium ones. SP has already raised its objection to the proposal, which is slated for discussion at the BMC’s general body meeting on Aug.23.Shiv Sena, which controls the BMC, said it would be better to offer martial arts training to students than Yoga and Suryanamaskar. indian express
Kashmir unrest: 30-year-old lecturer beaten to death, toll reaches 66
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/kashmir-30-year-old-lecturer-beaten-to-death-tolls-reaches-66-2982722/
Srinagar: A civilian was beaten to death by Army in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, taking the toll of people killed since July 8, to 66. Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered an FIR into the killing.Shabir Ahmad Mangoo, a 30-year-old contractual lecturer, was killed when army raided Sharshali village in Khrew and beat the youth in the village.“He (Shabir) was brought dead to hospital,” Block Medical Officer (BMO) Pampore, Dr Saba told The Indian Express. “He was brought to hospital by police and he had external injuries on face and chest”. Dr Saba said that Shabir’s body was brought to hospital around 5.30 in the morning and was then taken back by the police.Police has admitted that Shabir was killed when raided the village in Khrew. indianexpress
Farooq Khan: From J&K cop to BJP leader to charge of UT Lakshadweep
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/farooq-khan-from-jk-cop-to-bjp-leader-to-charge-of-ut-2982143/
New Delhi: Newly appointed Lakshadweep administrator Farooq Khan, 61, is a retired IPS officer who led anti-militancy operations in Kashmir. He led the police action that led to the clearing of the Hazratbal shrine in 1996. The 1994-batch IPS officer retired in 2013 in the rank of inspector general of police.Khan joined the BJP ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir elections last year. Dogri-speaking Punjabi Muslim was subsequently given charge of the BJP’s minority morcha and the party’s affairs in Nagaland. Last year, Khan had said that the RSS is the “cleanest” organisation whose “leaders have given up worldly things”. indianexpress
Muslim youth killed, tension in Muzaffarnagar; 2 arrested
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/muslim-youth-killed-tension-in-muzaffarnagar-2-arrested-2981986/
Agra, Meerut: A Muslim youth was shot dead, allegedly by the uncle of his Hindu girlfriend, in Muzaffarnagar district on Tuesday night, leading to communal tension in the area. According to the police, the body of Mohd Nazim, 21, was found inside the girl’s house in Vehalna village, under Kotwali police station. At about 1:30 am on Wednesday, the girl’s father, Arvind Kumar, reportedly called up the police to inform that they had shot a thief.“We rushed to the spot to find the body. What raised suspicion was the fact that the youth was in his undergarments. We interrogated all the family members individually,” said Muzaffarnagar SSP Deepak Kumar. “The girl, about 20 years old, then told us that she was in love with the youth, and her uncle, Pradeep, had killed him after finding the two together in her room,” he said.While the girl’s family claimed Nazim had entered their house forcibly, the victim’s family said the girl’s brother had called him. Nazim’s father, Mohammad Nasir, told the police that he was not aware of the relationship between his son and the girl.Nazim’s uncle, Wahid, claimed the girl’s cousin, Praveen, had called the victim to his house at around midnight on Tuesday to repair his truck. “Wahid told us that Praveen and Nazim had a heated exchange a few days ago over pending bills for vehicle repair. The boy’s family owns a vehicle repair shop while the girl’s family runs a transport business. Wahid said Praveen’s family owed them about Rs 50,000,” said SSP Kumar. indianexpress
Mumbai suburb Muslim dominated Padgha, with Arabic footprints, saw Muslim women in freedom struggle
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/postcard-from-a-mumbai-village-padgha-with-arabic-footprints-saw-muslim-women-in-freedom-struggle-2981776/
For the last decade, Borivli Padgha located 53 km north of Mumbai has been intertwined in news and public perception as a centre of subversive activities. The quaint little village along with its narrow winding alleys and century-old houses also has a surprisingly large role in the country’s cultural and independence history.Tucked away off the bustling Mumbai-Agra Highway, Padgha first found its mention in the annals of history during the reign of the Shilahara dynasty. The feudal clan had established itself in northern and southern Konkan, present-day Mumbai and southern Maharashtra and governed the area between the seventh and the tenth century.Inhabited by a largely indigenous population, the village had its first tryst with Arabs who would land at Bhiwandi port for trade. Over a period of time, the Arabs had set up a base along the shoreline. A small settlement of these Arab traders came up at Borivli, adjoining Padgha, sometime in the 12th century which has now transformed into 7,000-population village with a 95%Muslim population.“Our ancestors were probably Arabs who used to trade along the Mumbai coast and settled down here with the local population. It may look small but this village has played vital role in almost all ages, including the country’s independence movement,” Nasir Mulla,a septuagenarian, who was born on the cusp of Pakistan and India’s independence days, said.Old timers say local Muslim women had played a stellar role during the independence movement, when the ladies stepped out of their houses during the freedom movement to burn a huge bonfire of British goods in Borivli’s public square.“Agitation was mainly of Muslim women who had invited Sarojini Naidu for the protest. A huge bonfire of British goods was raised in the centre of the village. It was an event that almost all the old timers talked about,” Nasir said.Its residents have also played a strong role in promoting education in the area setting up schools around the village.This political and social awareness among people is also the reason why the village was a fertile ground for Muslim activism with communists and Islamists all finding a place in the small village.This year,4 residents from village were convicted by a sessions court on charges of terrorism.indian express
WORLD
Boy in the ambulance: shocking image emerges of Syrian child pulled from Aleppo rubble
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/18/boy-in-the-ambulance-image-emerges-syrian-child-aleppo-rubble
A photograph of a boy sitting dazed and bloodied in the back of an ambulance after surviving a regime airstrike in Aleppo has highlighted the desperation of the Syrian civil war and the struggle for control of the city. The child is reported to be 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh, one of five children injured late on Wednesday by a military strike on the city, scene of the most decisive battle in the war.The image shows him covered head to toe with dust and so disoriented that he seems barely aware of an open wound on his forehead. Sources on the ground said his condition is now stable.The startling image is a still from a video filmed and circulated by the Aleppo Media Centre. The anti-government activist group has been contacted to confirm details about when and where the footage was shot.The group posted the clip to YouTube late on Wednesday local time, shortly after Omran was injured. It shows the boy being lifted from the rubble of a damaged building and taken to the ambulance. A local doctor told the Telegraph’s Middle East correspondent that four other children, one woman and two young men were also hurt in the attack on the rebel-held Qaterji neighbourhood. Omran was treated for his head injury at the M10 hospital and released later that night. The Telegraph reported that about 12 other children, all under the age of 15, had been treated there on Wednesday.The image has been shared thousands of times by people on social media, including the International Rescue Committee president and former UK foreign secretary, David Miliband. The initial photo of Omran tweeted by the Telegraph reporter Raf Sanchez had been retweeted more than 12,000 times.theguardian
Image of injured Aleppo boy encapsulates horrors of Syria war
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/injured-aleppo-boy-is-latest-symbol-of-horrors-of-syria-war/article9002902.ece?homepage=true
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 5:42 PM)
