Evening NEWS DIGEST
18 July 2017: 23 Shawwal 1438: Vol: 8, No:240
INDIA
Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's passport revoked
http://www.abplive.in/india-news/islamic-preacher-zakir-naiks-passport-revoked-553430
Mumbai: The external affairs ministry has revoked the passport of Zakir Naik."Mumbai Regional Passport Office has approved the NIA's request to revoke Zakir Naik's passport," a spokesperson for the anti-terror agency said today.The 51-year-old televangelist, who is currently abroad, is being probed by the NIA for charges related to terror and money laundering.Naik had his passport renewed in January last year and it was valid for 10 years.He was served a show-cause notice by the passport authorities asking as to why his travel document should not be revoked.PTI
Mayawati resigns as Rajya Sabha MP in protest over Dalit atrocities
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mayawati-resign-rajya-sabha-mp-dalit/1/1004921.html
New Delhi:Upset over not being allowed to raise various incidents of violence against Dalits and other minorities, BSP chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today resigned from Rajya Sabha.Mayawati met Rajya Sabha Speaker PJ Kurien and discussed the issue and tendered her resignation. "When the ruling parties do not give me time to speak then it is appropriate for me to resign," Mayawati said.Earlier in the day, Mayawati had told Kurien that if she is not allowed to speak on Dalit atrocities she will resign. The Speaker had asked her to cut short her impromptu speech in the House. Mayawati later walked out of Rajya Sabha in protest. Accusing the BJP of being anti-Dalit and anti-minorities, Mayawati said, "Since the BJP has come to power, there has been atrocities on Dalits, minorities starting from Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad, then the Gau Rakshaks (cow vigilantes).""And then in UP with EVM tampering," she went on, repeating her earlier allegation of the tampering of the voting machines in the high-stakes Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. Led by Satish Mishra, BSP leaders also raised slogans in Rajya Sabha against "anti-Dalit policies" of the Narendra Modi government. They jumped into the Well of the House shouting: "Dalit virodhi yeh sarkar nahi chalegi, nahi chalegi"(anti-dalit government will not be tolerated). Mayawati's term in the Upper House was till April next year. IndiaToday
'Not allowed to speak' on anti-Dalit violence, Mayawati resigns from Rajya Sabha
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/not-allowed-to-speak-on-anti-dalit-violence-mayawati-resigns-from-rajya-sabha/articleshow/59649861.cms
Mayawati’s resignation from Rajya Sabha unlikely to be accepted as letter breaks parliamentary procedure
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mayawati-resigns-from-rajya-sabha-for-not-being-allowed-to-raise-issue-of-dalit-atrocities/story-ScX8GKjcxRgrVUGRLtDzWK.html
The resignation of Mayawati, a Dalit leader and a former chief minister of UP, may not be accepted since it does not follow a prescribed format, but her move could her score a political point by projecting herself as a champion of the Dalit cause.HT
RS to witness a short duration discussion tomorrow on mob lynching
http://www.catchnews.com/national-news/rs-to-witness-a-short-duration-discussion-tomorrow-on-mob-lynching-72429.html
A short duration discussion on cases of mob lynching will be held in Rajya Sabha tomorrow. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were earlier today adjourned following protests by the opposition parties.Congress Party earlier on Monday gave a notice in the Rajya Sabha, requesting discussion on repeated incidents of lynching and atrocities unleashed on Dalits and minorities.ANI
9-judge Supreme Court bench to decide whether right to privacy is fundamental
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/aadhar-card-nine-judge-supreme-court-bench-to-decide-whether-right-to-privacy-is-fundamental-4756016/
New Delhi :The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred to a nine-judge constitution bench the question whether right to privacy is a fundamental right on which hinges the challenge to the validity of the Aadhaar scheme. Referring the matter to the larger bench, a 5-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar said that hearing in the matter will commence on Wednesday.Justice Khehar said the bench will decide “whether there is no right of privacy in the Indian Constitution”. The apex court said that the nine-judge bench will also examine the correctness of the position taken by a eight-judge bench in 1954, and subsequently by a six-judge bench in 1962.The court said both in 1954 and 1962, the benches had held that privacy is a not a fundamental right. However, after the mid-1970s, benches of two and three -judges had consistently taken the position that privacy is a fundamental right.PTI
INDIA-CHINA PAK & J&K
Don’t use ‘trespass’ as ‘policy tool’ to realise ‘political targets’, China tells India
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/dont-use-trespass-to-realise-political-targets-china-tells-india/article19302355.ece?homepage=true
Beijing: India should not use “trespass” into the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector as a “policy tool” to achieve its “political targets”, China said on Tuesday.While asking New Delhi to immediately withdraw its troops to avoid any escalation of the situation, the Chinese foreign ministry also said it was in “close communication” with foreign missions in Beijing on the standoff with India, but refused to confirm whether it held a special briefing for them on the issue.“Since the illegal trespass by Indian border personnel, many foreign diplomats in China felt shocked about this and [wanted] to confirm whether it was true,” ministry spokesman Lu Kang said when asked about the reported briefing.“The Chinese side maintains close communication with the foreign diplomatic missions on the issues they are interested,” Mr. Kang said.China reportedly held a “closed door briefing” last week and conveyed their side of the story on the standoff near the Bhutan tri-junction.PTI
Doklam standoff : India should be ready for all-out confrontation, warns Chinese media:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/doklam-standoff-india-should-get-ready-for-all-out-confrontation-says-chinese-media/story-UVMFYiE6Lf8g8jTCZIv2KI.html
India should get ready for an “all-out confrontation” along the entire stretch of the disputed boundary with China, country’s state media said on Tuesday, threatening to open up new fronts of conflict on the 3,488 km non-demarcated border between the two countries.China isn’t afraid to go to “war” with India and will be ready for a long-term confrontation, the Global Times comment piece said.The threat of new geographical points of conflict being opened up along LAC comes amid People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently carrying out live-fire drills in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) close to Arunachal Pradesh, claimed by China as part of south Tibet. Continuing hostile posturing by China’s state-controlled media is a crucial aspect of Beijing’s overall aggressive stand taken on ongoing military impasse at Donglang across Sikkim border.HT
India poisoning atmosphere for bilateral talks: Chinese daily on Sikkim standoff
http://www.asianage.com/world/south-asia/180717/india-poisoning-atmosphere-for-bilateral-talks-chinese-daily-on-sikkim-standoff.html
China Now Warns of War And "All Out Confrontation" With India:The Citizen
http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/NewsDetail/index/1/11259/China-Now-Warns-of-War-And-All-Out-Confrontation-With-India
China doesn't fear war with India: Chinese daily
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/china-doesn-t-fear-war-with-india-chinese-daily-117071800493_1.html
158 Indian soldiers killed in cross border attack, claims Chinese media
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/158-indian-soldiers-killed-in-cross-border-attack-claims-chinese-media-117071701554_1.html
Beijing: In a bizarre claim, the Chinese media said that at least 158 Indian soldiers were killed and several others injured after China fired rockets across Indian border installations on Monday.This development came after China reportedly indulged in live ammunition drill with a fully equipped brigade in the area today close to Tibet border.Citing a two-minute footage that was broadcast on China Central TV (CCTV), Dunya news reported that the Chiense soldiers attacked Indian posts using rocket launchers, machine guns, and mortars.ANI
Chinese cross border rocket attack kills 158 Indian soldiers, claims Pak Dunya News
http://dunyanews.tv/en/World/397393-Chinese-cross-border-rocket-attack-kills-158-India
Pak media report on China attacking India is fake news: Chinese website
http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/pak-media-report-on-china-attacking-india-is-fake-news-chinese-website-117071801257_1.html
Beijing :China's state-run media on Tuesday rejected as "fake" a Pakistani news report that claimed over 150 Indian soldiers were killed in Sikkim in a Chinese rocket attack."Chinese media outlets have carried out a series of investigations, claiming that the fake news should not be taken seriously," People's Daily Online reported.Chinese mainstream media outlets have denounced Pakistani media's "groundless" report, said the online edition of the ruling Communist Party's mouthpiece.The state-run Global Times also published a report today, calling the Pakistani media report "groundless and fake." Chinese authorities have not yet responded to the report.PTI
India rubbishes Chinese media report claiming its army killed 158 Indian soldiers
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/59644407.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
New Delhi: India has categorically denied reports coming from Chinese media that the Chinese Army killed 158 Indian soldiers and fired rockets across the Sikkim border. This came a day after China's army conducted new drills in Tibet that included targeting enemy aircraft and tanks. "Such reports are utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous. No cognisance should be taken of them by responsible media," Ministry of External Affairs Minsiter official spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. economictimes
India quashes ‘malicious’ reports in Pakistani media claiming China killed 158 Indian soldiers in Sikkim
http://www.firstpost.com/india/india-quashes-malicious-reports-in-pakistani-media-claiming-china-killed-150-indian-soldiers-in-sikkim-3825387.html
India lacks power to challenge China, only ‘shouts about it’: Farooq Abdullah
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-lacks-power-to-challenge-china-only-shouts-about-it-farooq-abdullah/story-U91PeBL9qGxDNl7B10S5dO.html
New Delhi: Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah on Monday asserted that India lacks the power to take China-occupied Kashmir back from Beijing.“In Ladakh, China has occupied the Aksai Chin. We shout about it, but do not have the power to take it back,” Farooq said, adding that the only way to resolve the tension with China is to be friends with them, as war is not a solution.“India should enhance their diplomatic channels and with that they should resolve this matter. China is Pakistan’s friend, had we maintained our friendship with China, they would not have been friends with Pakistan,” he said. He asserted that China’s motive is to make the Karakoram by-pass, which would serve as their silk route and will connect them to the port. Which eventually passes through region occupied by China.ANI
No Pak letter needed for PoK man’s medical visa as region part of India: Sushma
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-pakistan-letter-needed-for-pok-man-s-medical-visa-as-region-part-of-india-sushma/story-i0PWFFPrwrWMtHA8rcLUtL.html
New Delhi: India will give medical visa to a man from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) without a request letter from Islamabad, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday, reiterating that the disputed region “is an integral part of India”.Swaraj’s announcement came in response to a plea by a 24-year-old PoK resident, Osama Ali, who appealed to the minister to waive the request letter from Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistan prime minister’s advisor on foreign affairs.Ali, who had been diagnosed with a tumour in the liver, is seeking medical treatment at a private hospital in Delhi. “PoK is an integral part of India. Pakistan has illegally occupied it. We are giving him visa. No letter required,” Swaraj said in a tweet, responding to a report in the Indian Express highlighting Ali’s dilemma. The report quoted Ali’s family as saying that Aziz has refused to write a letter to the Indian govt. PoK, a 13,297-square km area with an estimated population of about 4 million, is under Pakistan’s control since 1947 but India says it is part of the state of J&K.Swaraj’s tweet came amid heightened tensions between the neighbours, especially over rising militancy and civilian protests in Kashmir which India says are orchestrated by Pakistan.Though India has been giving medical visa to people from Pakistan, on July 10, Swaraj put out a series of tweets saying the Indian government needs Aziz’s “recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals”. indian express
Pak bans tourists from visiting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after troops drown
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pakistan-bans-tourists-from-visiting-pakistan-occupied-kashmir-after-troops-drown/story-8JfkNXqAyLbZBuQf0JIJcN.html
Muzaffarabad: Pakistan has banned tourists from a valley in Pakistani-occupied part of Kashmir a day after it said four of its soldiers drowned after their vehicle was hit by Indian gunfire and plunged into the Neelum River.Choudhary Mohammad Fareed, a top government official in Neelum, says the “threat” to people is too great and that no new tourists would be able to enter. The stay permits for those already in the valley will not be extended.Picturesque Neelum Valley stretches along the boundary separating the Pakistani-controlled Kashmir and parts of Kashmir in India and draws many tourists.AP
‘Larger debate’ needed on Constitution’s Art.35A which accords spl rights to natives of J&K: Govt tells SC
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/larger-debate-needed-on-constitution-s-article-35a-govt-tells-supreme-court/story-wL93eMNNAC6w8vSyYmbmkL.html
New Delhi: Centre has expressed its reservations in responding to a petition before the Supreme Court that calls for declaring as “unconstitutional” the Article 35A — which grants the Jammu and Kashmir legislature powers to define the state’s “permanent residents”.Attorney general KK Venugopal told the bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar that the NDA government was not keen on filing an affidavit in the case, and wants a “larger debate” on the issue, which it said was a “very sensitive” matter.The attorney general asked the CJI to refer the matter to a larger bench as constitutional issues were involved in the case. The court said a three-judge bench will hear the matter after six weeks.The Article 35A of the Constitution provides special rights and privileges to the “permanent residents” of J&K — a provision which came into effect in 1954 when the the President used the powers conferred on him by Article 370 to introduce the ‘Constitution (Application to J&K) Order 1954’. hindustantimes
IS supporters create Kashmir group to step up presence in India:HT report
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/islamic-state-supporters-create-kashmir-group-to-step-up-presence-in-india-give-instructions-on-nice-like-attack/story-5DMUzpbw8ge7EB1pIlKJYO.html
New Delhi:At a time when the Islamic State is being squeezed out of its strongholds such as Mosul in Iraq, members and supporters of the group have stepped up efforts to gain a toehold in India by creating a group focussed on Jammu and Kashmir.The group – Ansarul Khilafah Jammu Kashmir – has an active channel on the encrypted messaging service Telegram that is used to disseminate the usual IS propaganda along with manuals for making weapons and planning and carrying out attacks.In recent weeks, the channel has featured a call to Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel to defy their officers and direct their weapons at the “enemy of Muslims and Islam”. On July 5, the group put out detailed instructions on how IS supporters “on the ground in Kashmir” and “present at the clashes against the Enemies of Islam” could prepare for attacks.On Monday, the group put out instructions in Hindi on how attacks could be carried out with large trucks, such as the ones in Nice France and the German capital Berlin last year, along with potential targets.The group’s emergence has coincided with the increasing adoption of Islamic State banners and flags by disaffected youngsters of Kashmir during the unrest that followed killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani a year ago.Indian security officials insist the IS has no real presence in the Kashmir Valley and they also point to the fact that the group has not so far claimed responsibility for an attack anywhere in India. However, they acknowledge the group led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has no dearth of sympathisers, including in Kashmir.Amarnath Amarasingam, a senior research fellow at the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue who is one of the world’s leading experts in tracking the IS’ online activity, told HT the terror group “definitely has an interest in South Asia, and is trying to plant a stronger hold there”.“Whether it happens is another matter. The interest in Kashmir is very old amongst jihadists, just like their interest in Palestine is old. For them, anywhere they see Muslims suffering is a potential theatre of jihad, a place to send help and fight back,” he said.There is a precedent of IS-linked terrorists in India forming a group named Ansarul Khilafah. Last Oct, NIA busted a group of 6 men from Kerala’s Kannur district who formed “Ansarul Khilafah Kerala” and were using Telegram to coordinate and plot IS-style attacks. The men, led by Manseed alias Omar al-Hindi, were reportedly radicalised online.Amarasingam said such groups are “usually a mixture” of IS members based in countries such as Syria and disparate sympathisers. “Some groups definitely have people who are in direct communication with IS operatives in Syria, and they often transfer money, share logistics and tactics, and also communicate attack claims for IS to release. Other groups are strictly made up of fanboys,” he added.On Sunday, the Telegram channel of Ansarul Khilafah Jammu Kashmir was replete with tributes to Sajad Gilkar, a slain terrorist whose body was wrapped in the IS flag at his funeral in Srinagar on Wednesday. It featured a photo of Gilkar standing before a brick wall with the graffiti “ISIS Town” and described him as a mujahid who lived by the “flag of tawhid” even though say he was linked to Hizbul Mujahideen.Since the group was created on Telegram on June 2, it has shared among its more than 100 members a number of manuals that provide information on handling weapons commonly used by terrorists, such as AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, and on making suicide vests and car bombs. These include the “Open Source Jihad Trainer” and the “Book of Terror”.In another message posted on July 7, the group called on Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel to “distance yourselves from aiding Kuffar and their agents with Muslim names (CM etc and your officers)” and “declare your disobedience to the commands of the taghut (your leaders and officers)”.It also called on the police not to target terrorists and, using Quranic verses, asked them direct their “weapons at the enemy of Muslims and Islam”. HT
Indian Army jawan shoots dead Major after officer reprimands him for using cellphone on duty in Kashmir
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indian-army-jawan-shoots-dead-major-after-officer-reprimands-him-for-using-cellphone-on-duty-in-kashmir/story-XC0MJoDuRnNKCvnUnmOIkM.html
New Delhi: Angry over being ticked off for using cellphone on duty, an army jawan posted in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri sector on Tuesday pumped 5 bullets into a major, killing him on the spot. Major Shikhar Thapa belonged to 71 Armoured Regiment but was attached to 8 Rashtriya Rifles, the army’s elite counter-insurgency unit deployed in Uri, close to the LoC, an army spokesperson said, confirming the fratricidal killing.HT has learnt that Thapa pulled up the jawan, whose identify is not known, and told him he would be reported to the commanding officer for using mobile phone while on duty in a sensitive area. The phone was damaged while being confiscated, which led to an argument after which the jawan shot the officer with his AK-47 rifle at around 12.15am.
India will be watching how US punishes Iran for ‘malign behaviour’
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/india-will-be-watching-how-us-punishes-iran-for-malign-behaviour/story-SOTgXa22SgT4TVHf5m8nNO.html
Washington: Donald Trump administration may not dump the Iran deal as the President had promised as a candidate but, in a move India will be tracking closely, it will enforce it more strictly and hold Teheran accountable for its “malign behaviour”.The administration was working on a “strategy that will address the totality” of Iran’s actions, which will not be focussed narrowly on the implementation by Teheran of its end of the deal, a senior Trump administration official said Monday. The term “malign behaviour/activity” was used for Iran’s purported support of terrorism and proliferation, hostility to Israel, support of the Assad government in Syria and the “arbitrary detention of foreigners” including Americans.Though not surprised, New Delhi will be watching closely for signs of resumption of the sanctions that the Obama administration had deployed against Teheran and which had compelled India to drastically cut its crude oil imports from Iran, a long-time supplier and ally.More significantly perhaps, New Delhi will be worried about the potential impact of renewed US-Iran hostilities on its plans for co-development of Chabahar port in Iran that is key to India’s push for strategic and trade links into landlocked Afghanistan and beyond into Central Asia.Under an agreement signed with Teheran in 2016, a year after the Iran deal, India is contracted to develop parts of the port but has faced problems finding suppliers for the machinery and equipment needed, specially from western manufacturers anxious about impending sanctions from Trump administration, in line with the president’s poll promises.For now though, Trump administration appears prepared to stay with the deal as it gave congress the executive branch’s quarterly certification Monday of Teheran’s adherence of its end of the deal as required by law instead of stating, as it could have, it was rescinding the agreement.HT
OTHER
State legislatures have ‘exclusive’ powers to enact laws on cattle protection: Govt
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/state-legislatures-have-exclusive-powers-to-enact-laws-on-cattle-protection-govt-4756714/
State legislatures have “exclusive” powers to enact laws for preservation of cattle, the government told the Rajya Sabha Tuesday when asked what it proposed to do in response to the Rajasthan High Court’s suggestion to declare cow a national animal. Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said in a written reply that the Government of India was not a respondent to the case hearing which the Rajasthan High Court advised the state to declare cow a national animal.“Rajasthan High Court vide order dated 31.5.2017 advised that cow should be declared a national animal and directed the state government of Rajasthan to take steps for preservation and conservation of cows and for declaring cow as a national animal.“It is learnt that government of India was not a respondent to this case,” Harsh Vardhan said.He was asked whether the Rajasthan High Court had recently advised that cow should be declared a national animal and what action the government proposed to take on it.PTI
Will ensure there is no shortage of beef in Goa, says CM Manohar Parrikar, Congress makes fun
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/goa/cm-maohar-parrikars-comments-ensuring-no-shortage-of-beef-in-goa-hilarious-rajiv-shukla-4756471/
New Delhi:Goa CM Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said that he is going to ensure there is no shortage of beef in the state. Speaking in the Goa Assembly, he said, “We have not closed the option of getting meat from Belgaum (in Karnataka) or some other place to ensure that there is no shortage.” “I can assure the inspection of beef, coming from neighbouring states, will be done by proper doctors or those authorised for it,” he said.Parrikar also said that around 2,000 kg of beef was slaughtered daily at the state’s only legal abattoir, the Goa Meat Complex, at Ponda, around 40 km from Panaji. “The rest (of the beef demand) is met by Karnataka,” Parrikar said. “The government does not have any intention to restrict bringing animals for slaughter at the Goa Meat Complex from the neighbouring state.” added the CM. indianexpress
MHA asks states to file FIRs over violence in name of cow protection
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/mha-asks-states-to-file-firs-over-violence-in-name-of-cow-protection-4756215/
New Delhi :The Centre has asked state governments to compulsorily register FIRs in all “untoward incidents” happening in the name of cow protection, the Lok Sabha was informed today.Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said the responsibility to maintain law and order, protect life and property and incidents of attacks on cattle traders, beef eaters, Muslims, Dalits and dairy farmers rests primarily with the state governments.An advisory with regard to untoward incidents over cattle, disturbance of law and order by miscreants in the name of cow protection, compulsory registration of an FIR for cognisable offences irrespective of territorial jurisdiction, and making available a copy of the FIR has been issued to states/UTs, he said replying to a written question.PTI
Indian Americans express outrage over mob lynchings in India through protests across US
http://twocircles.net/2017jul17/413097.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organizations across the United States and various coalition partners held protests in three cities across the US, to express their outrage over the growing mob rule against minorities in India and the policies of the government that are emboldening such forces. Protests were held in Washington DC, San Diego and San Jose on July 16. A fourth protest in New York city is scheduled on July 23, 2017.These protests are similar to the ’Not in My Name’ protests that have been held across various cities in India. Besides the AJA coalition, the protests in San Jose were jointly organized with the ’Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice’. The South Asia Solidarity Initiative (SASI), will be part of the protests in New York City on July 23. twocircles
Gopal Gandhi justifies effort to save Yakub Memon, says death penalty is wrong
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/gopal-gandhi-justifies-effort-to-save-yakub-memon-says-death-penalty-is-wrong-4756231/
New Delhi:Opposition vice presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi justified his efforts to save Yakub Memon, a convict in the Mumbai blast case from the gallows. He said that the practice of capital punishment was medieval and wrong. Gandhi faced criticism from the ruling party but said that he takes Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar as his inspiration and they were against death penalty and wanted to abolish it.In the presence of former prime minister Manmohan Singh and top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Tuesday, filed his nomination papers. JD (U)’s Sharad Yadav, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, NCP’s Tariq Anwar and Praful Patel, NC’s Farooq Abdullah and DMK’s Kanimozhi were also present.indianexpress
Venkaiah Naidu resigns: Smriti Irani gets I&B, Narendra Tomar Urban Ministry
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/venkaiah-naidu-resigns-smriti-irani-gets-ib-narendra-tomar-urban-ministry-4755753/
New Delhi:With Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu resigning from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet, Smriti Irani was given additional charge of the Information & Broadcast Ministry and Narendra Tomar was made the Minister for Urban Development. Tomar is currently the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Irani is the incumbent Minister for Textiles. In a Cabinet reshuffle in 2016, both the Union Ministers lost their portfolios. Irani was replaced by Prakash Javedekar as the HRD Minister and Piyush Goyal replaced Tomar and was given additional charge of Minister of Mines.On Monday, Naidu was picked as the NDA nominee for the vice presidential election in August. The decision to nominate Naidu was taken at the BJP parliamentary party meeting. PM Modi was reportedly not inclined on allowing Naidu to leave his Cabinet. However, Amit Shah pushed his nomination saying the party needs an experienced hand in the Rajya Sabha.He was accompanied by PM Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and veteran leaders Murli Manohar Joshi and LK Advani on Tuesday to file his nomination papers at the Parliament. Leaders from the AIADMK, TRS and Shiv Sena were also present when Naidu filed his papers. indian express
Azadi Kooch Concludes Today: 50 years later, 7 Dalit families in Banaskantha to get their land back
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/azadi-kooch-concludes-today-50-years-later-7-dalit-families-in-banaskantha-to-get-their-land-back-4755498/
Ahmedabad:Banaskantha district administration has decided to give possession of land to seven Dalit families of Lavara village who had been fighting for it since 1970s. Incidentally, the district administration’s decision comes a day ahead of Dalit leaders’ plan to forcibly take possession of the land as part of the Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM)’s Azadi Kooch march, which is set to conclude in Banaskantha on Tuesday.“Three Dalit families will get possession of the land by tomorrow. The process for giving possession to the remaining four families is on,” Banaskantha District Collector Dileep Rana told The Indian Express. On the timing of giving possession of the land, Rana denied that it had anything to do with Dalits’ march Azadi Kooch. “The work on this had started earlier. In the 1970s, land was given to the Dalit community. I do not know what happened at that time and how they lost the possession of their land. The moment the Dalit families started claiming the land, we started our work to ensure that they get it,” Rana added.Azadi Kooch, a march led by Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch leader Jignesh Mewani to commemorate one year of the Una flogging incident, is set to end at Dhanera town in Banaskantha on Tuesday. indianexpress
After school, Rajasthan varsity to teach Akbar’s Haldighati ‘defeat’ by Maharana Pratap
http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/akbar-defeated-in-haldighati-book-tweaking-history-might-be-included-in-rajasthan-university-s-ma-reading-list/story-SG7hLyW5kyGieVHLoWflFM.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=recommended-for-you
New Delhi: After the revision in class 10 schoolbooks, the University of Rajasthan’s (RU) history department is set to include a book that projects Rajput king Maharana Pratap as a victor in the 1576 Battle of Haldigati against Mughal emperor Akbar’s forces.Historical evidence shows that Pratap had fled the battlefield with more casualties on his side and later continued his guerrilla warfare against the Mughals. The dominant view about the battle so far has been in favour of the Mughal army.But those who dispute the dominant view, including the revised history schoolbook, say that the Mughal army’s failure in capturing or killing Maharana Pratap, its decision to not pursue Pratap’s army after he fled, and Akbar’s displeasure with his generals Man Singh and Asaf Khan prove that Pratap prevailed in the war.School education minister Vasudev Devnani had in March this year questioned Akbar’s victory asking why he attacked Mewar 6 times if he won the battle, and pronounced the Rajput king the victor.The history department of RU, in a meeting of its board of studies last month, decided to include Dr Chandra Shekhar Sharma’s Rashtra-Ratna Maharana Pratap in the list of recommended readings in the paper ‘Rajasthan Through the Ages’ in the second semester of MA History.Sharma’s book, according to the minutes of the meeting, has a fresh interpretation of Maharana Pratap, and projects him as a great freedom fighter, besides projecting him as a victor in the battle of Haldighati.The board also decided to include a topic ‘Debate on the outcome of the Battle of Haldighati’ in the topics to be covered under the paper. The university’s academic council subsequently approved the board’s decisions, which means students shall be studying the revised syllabus from this year onwards. hindustantimes
UP: 32-year-old Naseem shot on son’s first birthday over ‘interfaith marriage’
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/man-shot-on-sons-first-birthday-over-interfaith-marriage/articleshow/59640416.cms
Meerut: A 32-year-old man on his way home with a cake for his son's first birthday was shot dead in Muzaffarnagar on Monday, allegedly targeted for his inter-faith marriage in a restive region that hasn't been the same since the 2013 riots.Naseem Ahmad had married Pinky Kumari in 2015, after threats over their relationship forced the two to elope from their village. They moved to Andhra Pradesh, where the couple had a child. The couple arrived in Muzaffarnagar because Naseem wanted to celebrate their son's first birthday at home.His grieving relatives said it was a risk he should not have taken.Eyewitness Mohammad Qadir recalled the murder: "3 men on a bike suddenly blocked the path of Naseem, who was himself riding a motorcycle. They shot him in the chest from close range and escaped as quickly as they had come."On a complaint filed by Naseem's family, police have lodged an FIR against Pinky's father Rajesh Kumar, her brother Pradeep, and two other unidentified persons. However, no arrests had been made till the filing of this report. Police sources said the murder had triggered communal tension in the region.Soon after the murder, angry villagers blocked traffic and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. Senior cops rushed to the spot in a bid to pacify the crowd, and additional forces were deployed in the area to ensure peace. timesofindia
UP Police on alert for communal tension after Muslim man throws himself under truck
https://scroll.in/latest/844270/up-police-on-alert-for-communal-tension-after-muslim-man-throws-himself-under-truck
Uttar Pradesh Police were put on high alert on Tuesday after they received intelligence that a series of incidents might have been planned to incite communal violence in the state. There was tension in the town of Deoband in Saharanpur district after a Muslim man jumped under a truck carrying Kawarias, Shiva devotees who participate in the annual Kanwar Yatra. The man died on the spot. A video of the incident has been widely shared on social media. In the clip, the man – identified as Wahid from Deoband’s Laheswada locality – appears to deliberately throw himself under the truck. SP of Saharanpur (Rural) Vidya Sagar Mishra told Scroll.in that the police had received the video on WhatsApp. “But its authenticity has yet to be verified,” he said. “It seems like it is just part of a bigger picture. We are interrogating bystanders, but the situation is under control.” scroll
Muzaffarnagar:5 injured in Thakurs, Dalits clash
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/five-injured-in-thakurs-and-dalits-communal-clash-in-muzaffarnagar/766953/
Muzaffarnagar: 5 persons were injured in a clash between two communities at Dukhad village here, police said today. Sanjay, who belonged to the Takhur community, had gone to the Dalit locality for some work where an altercation broke out between him and another man, police said. Soon the situation turned violent as more people from both sides joined them and engaged in brickbats, leaving five of them injured, an official of Khagoliya police station said. He said the injured, Sanjay, Yogender, Vikas, Monti and Sachin, were rushed to a nearby hospital. A case has been lodged by the police and security stepped up in the village, the official said.PTI
Dalits assert right over land; forcibly evicted
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/dalits-assert-right-over-land-forcibly-evicted/article19300655.ece
Madurai:An attempt by around 50 Dalit families from Kuravakudi near Usilampatti to assert their right over more than one acre of land, for which pattas were issued to them in 1998, was thwarted by few caste Hindus claiming to be the land owners, who on Sunday allegedly demolished and burnt the makeshift huts erected by the Dalits. Dalits, who filed a petition in this regard with Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Monday, alleged that the people engaged by the caste Hindus burnt the huts in the presence and support of police personnel from Usilampatti range. However, the police claimed that the land in question, the subject of several litigations over the years, was presently under the control of caste Hindu families since the last ruling of Madurai Bench of Madras High Court in 2016. thehindu
Mangaluru :Muslim Central Committee miffed at not being invited for peace meet
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangaluru/muslim-central-committee-miffed-at-not-being-invited-for-peace-meet/articleshow/59636103.cms
Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Muslim Central Committee on Monday criticised the district administration for not inviting the organization for the peace meeting chaired by district minister B Ramanath Rai.The district administration had held a peace meeting on July 13 after 48 days of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of IPC in district (barring Mangaluru city police commissionerate) following incidents of communal clashes and murders. Though ministers Rai, UT Khader, MLAs K Abhaychandra Jain, B A Mohiuddin Bava and leaders from various organisations took part in the meet and expressed their opinion, major political parties including BJP and JD(S) boycotted the meet.Muslim Central Committee leaders on Monday sought a clarification from deputy commissioner KG Jagadeesha as to why they were not invited for the peace meeting.Committee president KS Mohammed Masood told reporters that the Muslim Central Committee founded in 1968 has around 800 Jamaats under its jurisdiction."Previously, we used to get invitation for all such meetings, but we don't know why we were not invited this time. Officials in the district administration know the significance of our organization that has taken several initiatives to preserve harmony in the region. Former DG and IGP Ajai Kumar Singh also had appreciated the initiatives taken by the committee in a letter in 2010 for resolving a communal issue through dialogues with VHP and Bajranga Dal. It is unfortunate that the district administration has ignored our organization when they held peace meeting recently," Masood said. timesofindia
Nagaland CM Liezietsu hints at stepping down as governor orders floor test
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/nagaland-cm-liezietsu-hints-at-stepping-down/articleshow/59652744.cms
Guwahati: With his back against the wall, Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu, who is currently heading a minority faction of the ruling Naga People's Front, hinted at stepping down tonight before taking the floor test on Wednesday at 9.30 am following a fresh notice from governor PB Acharya.The governor's directive came soon after the Kohima bench of Gauhati High Court cleared the decks for the trust vote to resolve the ongoing crisis over leadership within the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF). timesofindia
SC asks Centre to frame scheme to promote widow remarriage
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sc-asks-centre-to-frame-scheme-to-promote-widow-remarriage/articleshow/59653467.cms
New Delhi: Expressing concern over the plight of widows who are forced to live a life of destitute after being abandoned by family members, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to frame scheme to promote their remarriage to bring them in mainstream society.A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said that although the government had framed many schemes over the years for rehabilitation of widows but it failed to uplift their life and they continued to live a miserable life after being dumped by their family in holy places like Vrindavan. It said that the Centre must take steps to remove the social stigma attached to widowhood and also to rehabilitate them by imparting skills so that they could lead an independent life. timesofindia
4 held for transporting buffalo allegedly for slaughter in Maharashtra
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/four-held-for-transporting-buffalo-allegedly-for-slaughter-in-maharashtra/
Thane:The police have arrested four persons under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act after they were found transporting a buffalo in a vehicle allegedly for slaughter. They were allegedly taking the buffalo to the nearby Bhiwandi township on Monday when they were nabbed at Kalyan city, the police said.PTI
Mohsin Shaikh murder: Salian writes to slain techie’s kin, agrees to take up case as SPP
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/mohsin-shaikh-murder-salian-writes-to-slain-techies-kin-agrees-to-take-up-case-as-spp-4756326/
Pune :Senior lawyer Rohini Salian has written to the family of techie Mohsin Shaikh, agreeing to their request to take up the case of his murder as a special public prosecutor. The family had requested her to take up the case after the sudden withdrawal of advocate Ujjwal Nikam. The state government had cancelled Nikam’s appointment as special public prosecutor (SPP) on May 19, following a request from him. Shaikh was allegedly beaten to death by the members of radical organisation Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) in Pune on June 2 in 2014. indianexpress
WORLD
Protest calls grow as Israel tightens grip on al-Aqsa
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/protest-calls-grow-israel-grip-al-aqsa-tightens-170718093229422.html
President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party has called for a "Day of Rage" to protest against new security measures introduced by Israel at a Jerusalem site which is holy to both Muslims and Jews.The call follows the implementation of metal detectors and turnstiles at the entrance of al-Aqsa compound after a deadly shootout there on Friday.In that incident, two Israeli security officers died after an alleged attack by three Palestinians - who were themselves killed by Israeli police following the violence.Tensions have soared since Friday. The Red Cross said on Tuesday that at least 50 Palestinians were wounded in overnight clashes with Israeli police remaining near the sacred site, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims.At least four paramedics were injured, and 15 others were hit by rubber bullets, the charity said.The Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements have also called for protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the new security measures. aljazeera
US hits Iran with new economic sanctions
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/hits-iran-economic-sanctions-170718135536529.html
US government has unveiled new economic sanctions against Iran, targeting at least 16 individuals and entities for supporting what it said was "illicit Iranian actors or transnational criminal activity". In a statement issued on Tuesday, the US treasury department said it is imposing the new sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and for contributing to regional tensions.Those sanctioned had backed Iran's military or Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by developing drones and military equipment, producing and maintaining boats, and procuring electronic components, the US said.Others has also "orchestrated the theft of US and Western software programmes" sold to Iran's government, the treasury department said.The US state department had also designated two other Iranian organisations involved in Iran's ballistic missile programme, according to the treasury department.The news comes just a day after the US administration declared that Iran is complying with the nuclear deal, while threatening more sanctions for breaching the "spirit" of the agreement.Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington, DC, said that those listed in the sanctions are now prohibited from using American banking system, and any assets they have in the US would be frozen. aljazeera
Qatar lashes out at UAE over QNA hacking
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/qatar-lashes-uae-qna-hacking-170717141306327.html
Qatar accused the UAE of violating international law after reports suggested Abu Dhabi orchestrated the hacking of the Qatari official news agency and social media sites."The information published in the Washington Post ... revealed the involvement of the UAE and senior Emirati officials in the hacking of Qatar News Agency," Qatar's government communication office said in a statement on Monday. The report "unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place", the statement quoted Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, director of the government communication office, as saying.
Myanmar: UN probe 'can only aggravate' Rakhine tension
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/myanmar-probe-aggravate-rakhine-tension-170718084110899.html
A UN mission investigating allegations of rape, torture and killings of Rohingya Muslims would only "aggravate" troubles in Rakhine state, the security adviser of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi told diplomats.Thaung Tun's comments on Tuesday came less than a month after Myanmar declined to grant visas to three UN-appointed experts who would probe allegations of abuse against the minority by the armed forces."We dissociated ourselves from the decision because we found that it was less than constructive," Thaung Tun told UN officials and diplomats."We feel that that mission can only aggravate the situation on the ground," he said.Aung San Suu Kyi and several high-level Myanmar officials have been painfully reluctant to address the Rohingya issue, and are often criticised for their failure to stem human rights abuses. Aljazeera
Turkish and Kurdish forces clash in northern Syria, tensions rise
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/news/2017/07/tensions-mount-turkish-kurdish-forces-clash-northern-syria-170718065345323.html
Mounting tensions between Kurdish and Turkish troops in northern Syria have threatened to open a new front in the country’s complex war.The two US allies have traded blame over recent clashes in the Kurdish-controlled city of Afrin.YPG fighters say Turkish military deployments in areas under their control amount to a declaration of war.But Ankara considers the YPG an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is outlawed in Turkey.
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
BJP & Church find common ground on ‘Love Jihad’ in Kerala: CPM has called ‘love jihad’ hidden agenda of Sangh in Kerala to use religion as a tool to get minority votes: HT
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/the-bjp-and-the-church-find-common-ground-on-love-jihad-in-kerala/story-krCpAE2YLaxTLxLZuXAnhJ.html
A generation has grown up amid violence. Yet, state can fall back on its heritage of tolerance, confluence:Wajahat Habibullah, indianexpress
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/kashmiriyat-lives-amarnath-terrorist-attack-4755171/
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 9:53 PM)
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