Evening NEWS DIGEST
15 Oct.2017: 24 Muharram 1439:Vol:9, No:20
INDIA
Bypoll: Congress wrests Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat from BJP by records 1.93 lakh vote margin, claims victory a mandate over policies of PM Modi
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/gurdaspur-bypoll-bjp-punjab-congress-wins-claims-victory-a-mandate-over-sunil-jakhar-policies-of-pm-modi-4891599/
Amritsar:Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar has won Gurdaspur by-election with huge margin of 1,93,219 votes defeating BJP candidate Sawarn Singh Salaria.Jakhar got 4,99,752 votes against 3,06,553 votes casted for runner up Salaria. AAP candidate Suresh Khajuria couldn’t save his security deposit with a total of 23,579 votes that he got. Jakhar’s victory margin is also huge as voter turnout was only 56% against 70% witnessed in 2014 polls on the same seat when Vinod Khanna defeated Congress candidate Partap Singh Bajwa with a margin of 1.36 lakh votes. Seat was vacant after Khanna’s death earlier this year.The record for biggest margin of victory on this seat uptil now was with former Congress MP Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder who won with a margin of 1.51 lakh votes in 1980.Jakhar won all 10 assembly constituencies that fall in Gurdaspur parliamentary seat which was won by BJP candidate Vinod Khanna in 2014. Congress had won 8 of these 10 seats in 2017 assembly elections. Gurdaspur is a Hindu dominating parliamentary constituency and the Congress candidate had also asked for votes for the alleged falliure of Union Govt on demonisation and GST issues.Congress candidate was always a favorite in this election, however, the big margin of victory could turn out to be an embarrassment for BJP.After winning elections, Jakhar said “I had said it from the very first day that this election will be a mandate on the policies of Union Govt led by Modi. People have vent their anger against demonitisation and GST by making me an MP with a huge margin of votes. I had asked people to vote for me against BJP’s economic and communal agenda. People have responded to my call and it has sent a clear message to the Union Govt on behalf of the whole country that people are fed up of its policies and it is time for change.” Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh said Gurdaspur result once again showed that the Congress was on the path of revival across the country. “Party’s recent victory in several university students’ union elections and its resounding win in the Maharashtra civic polls just two days ago were clear indicators that party’s fortunes were on the upswing and the result of Gurdaspur bypoll further strengthened its prospects for 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” he added. indianexpress
Congress' Sunil Jakhar wins Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by 1,93,219 votes; UDF retains Vengara by 23,310 votes
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/oct/15/bypoll-results-congress-sunil-jakhar-wins-gurdaspur-lok-sabha-by-193219-votes-udf-retains-venga-1674631.html
Muslim League retains Kerala assembly seat in bypoll
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/muslim-league-retains-kerala-assembly-seat-in-bypoll/story-Z0Vu1rfAgR07jsWC70a3WL.html
Muslim League candidate KNA Khader defeated his CPI(M) rival PP Bhasheer by more than 23,000 votes to retain Vengara assembly seat in Muslim-dominated Malappuram district, according to results that came on Sunday.The seat fell vacant after incumbent Muslim League leader PK Kunhalikuty was elected to the Lok Sabha in a by-election.The margin for the assembly by-poll is smaller than 2016 victory, when the League won by more than 38,000 votes. SDPI, the political wing of fundamentalist outfit PFI, emerged third, cutting into League votes considerably and pushing BJP candidate to a humiliating fourth.SDPI fielded the advocate of Shafin Jahan, the Muslim youth who married Hindu woman Akhila Ashokan, or Hadiya Jehan as she came to be known after she converted, in the by-election. SDPI capitalised on the issue to cut into the League’s share.“The ruling LDF used its Govt machinery and dropped the solar bombshell on the polling day but they failed to make any dent,” said KNA Khader.HT
Bad Spell for ABVP Continues as Samajwadi Chatra Sabha Wins Allahabad University Student Elections
http://www.news18.com/news/india/bad-spell-for-abvp-continues-as-samajwadi-chatra-sabha-wins-allahabad-university-student-elections-1546981.html
Lucknow: The bad spell for RSS-affiliated student body organization ABVP continues with yet another electoral loss. After being routed out of JNU and Delhi University in back-to-back elections, now they have been defeated by the Samajwadi Party students’ wing in the Allahabad University students’ union elections.Samajwadi Chatra Sabha (SCS) has won 4 out of 5 seats in the Allahabad University elections. SP National President Akhilesh Yadav congratulated the newly elected leaders in a tweet and thanked all students for the mandate.The results on Saturday declared that SCS candidates had won the seats of Chairman, Vice-President, Joint Minister and Cultural Secretary, whereas ABVP won the General Secretary post. Around 45.50% students cast their votes between 8am and 2pm.Chatra Sabha members were jubilant after massive victory and having stripped ABVP leaders from AU students’ body posts. Newly-elected President of Allahabad University Students’ Union, Avnish Yadav, who hails from a family of a farmers said that his win signifies that the people are not happy with the right-wing politics. News18
Anti-BJP parties register hat-trick including routing BJP from Gurdaspur
http://www.merinews.com/article/anti-bjp-parties-register-a-hat-trick-including-routing-the-bjp-from-gurdaspur/15927597.shtml
How Modi repackaged old announcements as his ‘Diwali bonanza’ for Bihar: Catch news
http://www.catchnews.com/politics-news/how-modi-repackaged-old-announcements-as-his-diwali-bonanza-for-bihar-85664.html
PM Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar shared a stage for the first time after the latter’s return to the National Democratic Alliance.Modi unveiled projects worth Rs 3,700 crore billing it as Diwali bonanza for Bihar.While there was ample display of camaraderie between the 2 leaders, Modi did cause an embarrassment to Bihar CM when he sidestepped his request of granting central status to the Patna University. There was lot of buzz surrounding Modi’s visit to Bihar which came months after Kumar walked out of Grand Alliance.While Modi used the projects to tom-tom his Govt commitment towards development of the state, the fact is that a large chunk of the projects were approved much before the JD-U’s return to NDA. Speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Patna University, Kumar heaped lavish praise on Modi and said: “People of Bihar hope that you will give central university status to Patna University".Choosing to ignore Kumar’s request, Modi insisted that the varsity should look beyond central university status.Lamenting that no Indian university figured among top 500 global institutes, Modi said Govt has come up with a scheme to turn 10 private and 10 public universities into world-class. The scheme would involve spending Rs 10,000 crore in the next five years for the purpose.Incidentally the scheme of 20 world class institutions which Modi endorsed has been announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley in his 2016-17 budget.In fact the center is said to have been working on the proposal as early as December 2015, much before Jaitley had made the announcement.Despite HRD ministry’s repeated claims, the Govt is yet to make headway in the project. Opposition RJD grabbed the opportunity to get back at former ally JD-U over Modi’s snub to Kumar. “Modi has shown the mirror to Nitish Kumar and he should learn to be happy with that,” RJD national vice president Shivanand Tiwari was quoted as saying. Later at an event in Mokama, Modi laid the foundation stone for several infrastructure projects: four sewerage projects under Namami Gange programme and four National Highway projects. The combined outlay for all these projects is over Rs. 3700 crore.Incidentally, the projects were awarded in March 2017 much ahead of Kumar’s return to NDA.Also the four laning of Bakhtiyarpur-Mokama section of NH-31 was part of PM’s package for Bihar in 2015. catchnews
SC to hear plea challenging Govt. move to link bank accounts, mobiles to Aadhaar
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-to-hear-plea-challenging-govt-move-to-link-bank-accounts-mobiles-to-aadhaar/article19865574.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi:The Supreme Court will hear a petition challenging the Govt move to link bank accounts and mobile phones with Aadhaar numbers, saying it violates the fundamental right to privacy and equates citizens, including the elderly, women and students, with money launderers.The petition filed by activist Dr. Kalyani Menon Sen has challenged Rule 2(b) of the Prevention of Money-laundering (Maintenance of Records) Second Amendment Rules, 2017 for mandatory submission of Aadhaar number for individual clients, companies, partnership firms and trusts for opening of bank accounts, maintaining existing bank accounts, making financial transactions of above ₹ 50,000 and crediting foreign remittance into ‘small accounts’. Existing bank account holders have been directed to furnish Aadhaar numbers by Dec.31, 2017.Non-compliance would render the bank accounts concerned “in-operational indefinitely” subject to submission of the Aadhaar Number and the PAN.“Non-compliance incurs the same liability as Section 5 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (for involvement in money laundering), that is rendering the concerned bank account in-operational. Present and potential bank account holders, who do not wish to part with their biometric information, are therefore treated on par with alleged offenders under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),” Ms. Menon, represented by advocate Vipin Nair, submitted.The petition challenges the Department of Telecom on March 23, 2017 making it mandatory for all mobile phone holders to link their mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar. Thehindu
Aadhaar-SIM linking fraud: How this man lost Rs 1.3 lakh from his salary account is a big lesson for all of us
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/aadhaar-sim-linking-fraud-how-this-man-lost-rs-1-3-lakh-from-his-salary-account-is-a-big-lesson-for-all-of-us/894488/
This story gives a big lesson to all of us.Rs 1.3 lakh fraud allegedly happened in the name of linking Aadhaar with SIM. According to one Shashwat Gupta, he lost Rs 1.3 lakhs from his ICICI Bank salary account due to Aadhaar-SIM linking fraud. Shashwat Gupta has written a detailed post on his Facebook account sharing what really happened and how he lost Rs 1.3 lakh from his salary account; the money he had saved for using during the worst times of his life. Shashwat also questioned about the security of his ICICI account. He is demanding that ICICI Bank should refund every single penny which he lost in this incident.Shashwat has tagged these profiles in the post too. “ICICI Bank Arun Jaitley Ravi Shankar Prasad Digital India Piyush Goyal Reserve Bank of India Narendra Modi #fraud #ICICIBank Aditi Mallick TOI, TIMES NOW, HT, MumbaiMirror DNA India Airtel India My Malishka DailyO Mumbai Police” financialexpress
Decision on Haj committee recommendations soon:Naqvi
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/decision-on-haj-review-committee-recommendations-soon-says-naqvi/story-Wdqwgrw4QrOzcKHOegg59K.html
New Delhi:Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said that his ministry would soon take a “positive decision” about the recommendations made by the Haj review committee for formulating the new Haj policy.“We have got the recommendations as also some objections to a few recommendations. Some of these are very valid points. We will soon take a positive decision regarding this,” Naqvi said after a delegation of the Haj Committee of India members met him and handed over a resolution.IANS
Criticism of Haj policy recommendations on women invalid: Review committee member Kamal Farooqi
http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/criticism-haj-policy-recommendations-women-invalid-review-committee-member-70032
The criticism of certain recommendations of the review committee on the new Haj policy -- including that of women performing Haj without 'mehram' -- is not valid, a vocal member of the committee has said.Kamal Farooqi, a member of the committee, said the criticism is not valid as in some schools of Islamic jurisprudence, women can travel without a mehram -- her husband or a male relative like her father, brother and paternal and maternal uncles."In the Hanafi sect, women are not allowed to travel without a mehram for Haj and otherwise. But in some other schools, and in Shias, it is allowed. A woman can perform Haj alone if there is no mehram," Farooqi told IANS."But when we are forming a Haj policy, we are forming it for Muslims of all schools of jurisprudence, not just for Hanafis," he said, stressing that he himself is a Hanafi Muslim. "And above all, this condition is not binding on anyone. Nobody is forcing women to travel alone if they don't want to."He explained that as per Saudi Arabian rules, a woman below 45 years of age cannot travel with a 'namehram' -- the opposite of mehram."It is totally opposite of Hanafis' stand. They allow women to travel alone, but not with a namehram. So the Saudi govt, in my view, should have no problem in allowing women above 45 years to perform Haj in a group of four," Farooqi said.He said the committee travelled across the country as well as to Saudi Arabia and consulted a large number of stakeholders and scholars of different schools of thought before finalising their recommendations.Shia scholar Maulana Kalbe Jawad Naqvi has welcomed the recommendation."As per our maslak (sect) a woman can perform Haj alone. So the recommendation, if accepted, will allow Shia women to perform Haj all by themselves if they want," Naqvi told IANS.He said that for those who do not want to travel without a mehram, the rule is not binding."We cannot understand the purpose of this recommendation because as per Islamic Shariat a woman cannot travel alone without a mehram," Maulana Niaz Farooqui of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind told IANS.He added that apart from the Shariat prohibition, the safety and security of women during the travel and stay in a foreign country are also an issue." Govt can make a policy but those who follow Shariat will not go without mehram," he said.Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Maulana Ahmed Bukhari, too condemned the recommendation and said that an important diktat of Shariat was being ignored to garner some popularity.IANS
For Najeeb’s distraught mother, there is no end to hope
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/for-najeeb-ahmad-s-distraught-mother-there-is-no-end-to-hope/story-yYn15eQHqP80pPkUfPDdoI.html
Delhi: Every night as the lane outside her house in UP’s Badaun town quietens, Fatima Nafees remains awake. Lying down on a bed in the room which is closest to the main door of the house, she waits for a knock in the hope of seeing her son return.Her sleepless nights come with the hope that her son Najeeb Ahmad will return someday.It is this hope that drives her to continue her regular travels to the National Capital in a ten-hour, 275-km bus journey from Badaun to participate in protests and press conferences.Najeeb, a biotechnology student at Delhi’s JNU, went missing from the campus, a year ago, following a reported scuffle inside the hostel with members from RSS-backed ABVP.Nafees, 48, has been the face of the majority of protests organised in Delhi and other cities to find Najeeb. The struggle has taken a toll on Nafees and her family which include her husband, three sons and a daughter.Her husband Nafees Ahmad does not keep well and largely restricts himself to prayers.“Every time I leave for Delhi, I prepare food for at least two days and store it. One of my sons comes with me and the other one stays at home to take care of his father. We can only afford to take a bus to Delhi even though it takes far longer compared to travelling by a car,” she says.The family has no stable income and is dependent on the savings from a plot that Nafees had sold recently. A round trip to Delhi in a bus for Nafees and her son costs over ₹2,000.“My eldest son Mujeeb was about to get a job when Najeeb went missing, but now he is busy looking for his brother. I am managing the expenses using savings from the plot I sold. But now that money is almost over. I hope Mujeeb gets a job soon, otherwise things will become difficult for us,” she says.If it’s not enough that they’re told constantly that there is no trace of Najeeb, the family says they also have to deal with comments about him on social media. Najeeb’s brother Mujeeb says he regularly comes across posts claiming that Najeeb has gone to Syria and joined ISIS.“There is so much of slander on social media. People write posts and comment without any proof. It impacts us. I used to take screenshots and send it to the crime branch officials. But I never tell ammi (mom) about these comments,” says Mujeeb.The family says they are disappointed with the police and CBI probe. “It is only when I make a call that CBI officials talk to me. Even during court hearings the CBI investigation officer doesn’t come, only their lawyers come,” she alleges.She may be disappointed, but that has not dashed hopes yet. Nafees is aware of what many others think — Najeeb may never come back — but she refuses to give up.HT
1 year after Najeeb went missing, CBI still clueless
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/one-year-after-najeeb-went-missing-from-jnu-cbi-still-clueless/article19865532.ece?homepage=true
28 Indians are killed by animals everyday: Health ministry
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/28-indians-are-killed-by-animals-everyday-health-ministry-report/story-DJbEudOfnlKQ28bclH90RO.html
Mumbai:Dogs, snakes, cattle and wild animals killed 4,192 people in India between April and August this year, reveals data from the ministry of health and family welfare. This means an average of 28 people died every day across the country in 5 months.While Madhya Pradesh had the most deaths (792), West Bengal and Maharastra were second and third with 576 and 439 deaths. In Maharashtra, 27 of the deaths were in urban areas. Between April 2016 and March 2017, the number of deaths owing to animal attacks across the country was 7,556, and Maharashtra accounted for 651 of these deaths. In Maharashtra, Amravati district had the maximum cases (47) followed by Mumbai and Pune, which had 26 deaths each.In Mumbai, this year, there have been two snake bite deaths – one in July, when a 20-year-old woman died after being bitten while she was asleep and the second in October, when a six-year old boy living in Aarey Milk Colony died after being bitten while playing with friends. Also, on July 22, a 2-year-old from Aarey was killed by a leopard. hindustantimes
Faridabad: 3 Cow vigilantes arrested for assaulting 5 people; Police says doctor’s report states that meat belongs to buffalo
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/faridabad-assault-case-cow-vigilantes-arrested-for-assaulting-two-on-suspicion-of-carrying-beef-4891298/
New Delhi: 3 cow vigilantes were arrested from a village in Faridabad on Sunday morning for allegedly assaulting 5 people, including a minor, on suspicion of carrying cow meat. Police are still on the look out for four others who were allegedly involved in the assault.On Friday morning, six men driving a Swift Dzire waylaid a 14-year-old boy and Azad, a 27-year-old auto driver. Duo were forced to drive to a cremation ground in Faridabad,where they were allegedly assaulted by a group of 15-20 men. 3 relatives of Azad, who rushed to their aid, were allegedly assaulted as well.Police had said cross FIRs were registered in the incident. Police added that the meat was tested and was found to belong to a buffalo. Astha Modi, DCP (NIT), said: “A case had been registered alleging that the men were carrying cow meat,under the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan Act and Gausamvardhan Act.However, a sample was sent for testing, and the veterinary doctor’s report states that the meat belongs to a buffalo.” indianexpress
'Was told to chant jai hanuman': 5 beaten up near Delhi over beef charges
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/5-accused-of-carrying-beef-thrashed-in-faridabad-near-delhi-case-against-them-1762897
Rajasthan police snatch 51 cows of a Muslim family after Hindu activists filed complaint
https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/rajasthan-police-snatch-51-cows-of-a-muslim-family-after-hindu-activists-filed-a-complaint-331693.html
Alwar: 51 cows of a Muslim family in Alwar district have been snatched, allegedly by the police, on a complaint by some Hindu activists, and handed over to a village gaushala. For the past 10 days, the family has been struggling to get back its flock. Police said it had no role in the incident.6 months after Pehlu Khan was lynched, another member of the Meo community has now been labelled the same, allegedly by members of some Hindu organisations.Subba Khan (45) alleged that local police forcibly took away his 51 cows and handed them over to the gaushala following complaints from cow vigilantes. He is now running between SDM office and the police station to get back his cows but to no avail.Police, however, said it had no role in the incident and locals had driven the cows to the gaushala.Nearly 17 calves that were at Khan's house now have to be fed ith milk bottles. He has given an affidavit at the Kishangarh police station as well as SDM office that all the cows were milching and their calves are at his home.Sher Mohammad, Sadar (head) of Meo Panchayat said, "Police claimed it received complaints that Khan was into cow slaughtering.""If he is into cow slaughtering, why the police have not lodged any case against him?said Mohammad.TOI
Beef ban: Bombay HC strikes down prosecution of animal skin dealer
http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/beef-ban-bombay-high-court-strikes-down-prosecution-of-animal-skin-dealer/story-Rx6TQoNMvkogB4zpDYC1pJ.html
Mumbai:Stopping an apparent misuse of the beef ban law, the Bombay high court has struck down criminal proceedings initiated against a Nagpur-based hide and skin dealer, who was booked under provisions of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, 1995.Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Kareem, 62, is a Chindwara Road resident and a registered dealer of the hide and skin of dead animals.He owns a business called Baba Traders. On November 25, 2016, officers attached to Jaripatka police station raided his godown. On finding 4,200 hides and skins and 1,500 tins of processed fat, they booked him under section 9 and 11 of the Act.Police also seized a truck parked in front of his godown. Kareem approached the high court seeking that the first information report registered against him be quashed, saying that he could not be prosecuted under the act as he had not been involved in any cow slaughtering. hindustantimes
UP police book 22 mostly traders, for putting up poster comparing Modi with N.Korean leader Kim
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/up-police-book-22-for-kim-modi-poster/article19862731.ece?homepage=true
Lucknow: UP police have arrested a person and booked 22 others, mostly traders, in Kanpur on charges of likening PM Narendra Modi to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in posters and hoardings. An FIR was registered at the Govind Nagar police station in Kanpur against the traders under Sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the IPC, and Section 32(2) of UP Special Powers Act.Unable to smoothly operate their businesses due to the high circulation of coins in the market post-demonetisation, traders and hawkers in Kanpur had put up posters and hoardings to draw the attention of the Govt after their pleas to the local authorities and branches of the RBI had gone unheeded.On the controversial posters and hoardings, . Kim and Modi were placed on either side, while mentioning that the former would not rest till he destroyed the world, while the latter till he destroyed businesses or trade. “Mein vyapar ko mitake dum lunga [I will not rest till I destroy businesses],” the caption under Modi read in Hindi.The posters also appeal Modi to explain through his ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme what small traders should do with the huge supply of rezgaari (small change).Ashok Verma, Kanpur South SP, said the posters were a “provocation to hurting public sentiments and threat to public order”. thehindu
Traders held over posters comparing Modi, Kim; say only meant to register grievances
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/traders-held-over-posters-comparing-modi-kim-say-only-meant-to-register-grievances-4890908/
Criticism of govt does not amount to sedition: Soli Sorabjee
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/criticism-of-govt-does-not-amount-to-sedition-soli-sorabjee-4890901/
New Delhi: Stating that the sedition law could not be entirely done away with, former Attorney General of India Soli Sorabjee on Saturday, however, underlined that criticism of the Govt cannot amount to sedition. Speaking at a panel discussion at the launch of the book After Rhetoric — Free Speech and the Consitution of India, written by Mumbai lawyer Abhinav Chandrachud, Sorabjee said, “I don’t think we can do away with it… but the Supreme Court has already toned it down.” He was referring to 1962 Kedarnath Singh case, in which, the Supreme Court had held that the tendency to disturb public order was essential to attract sedition.Sorabjee, however, stressed that the “criticism of Govt however strong, however pungent cannot be sedition.” Indian express
Mumbai: 24 Tejas Express passengers taken ill after eating breakfast, 3 in ICU
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/40-tejas-express-passengers-taken-ill-after-consuming-breakfast/articleshow/61090383.cms
Mumbai: About 24 passengers of Karmali-CST Tejas Express fell ill on Sunday after consuming breakfast served by on-board pantry car operator.The operator is contracted by the IRCTC.Of the 24 passengers, three are in the intensive care unit but an official said there was no risk to their lives.TOI
Minorities, women worst-hit by hate, says Harsh Mander
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/minorities-women-worst-hit-by-hate-says-harsh-mander/article19863966.ece
Mumbai:Former bureaucrat and activist Harsh Mander, who recently concluded a journey across seven States to places hit by communal violence called Karwan-e-Mohabbat, said on Saturday that Muslims, Dalits, adivasis and single women are most affected by hatred and appealed for support to their families.Speaking at a conference on human rights organised by Majlis and the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism at the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, Mander said encounter killing has returned under the guise of lynching in Haryana, western UP and Gujarat. Claiming that the country is riven by hatred and politics, he said, “The battle is not with BJP or RSS; it is with ourselves. There is a message which says, ‘if you belong to a community, you are not safe’, and they are living in fear and hatred.”Recounting a meeting with the family of a victim of hatred who happened to be Muslim, he said the family was convinced they wouldn’t get justice. He cited examples of hate crimes in Assam: in one of them, a man was mutilated and killed, while in another incident, the victim was stabbed 14 times.In Rajasthan, he said, a woman was labelled a witch and stripped in her son’s presence, only because her husband and his brother happened to die within a few days of each other, and their land was facing inheritance issues.The conference was also attended by Manisha Sethi,convener,Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association, said victims of hate crimes are often made out to be guilty, and how a section of people are booked for the literature in their possession. thehindu
Death threats to Kancha Ilaiah and Gauri Lankesh murder raised in US Congress
http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/death-threats-kancha-ilaiah-and-gauri-lankesh-murder-raised-us-congress-70015
The threats received by writer and social scientist Kancha Ilaiah and with murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, found their way to the United States Congress, after a member of the US House of Representatives raised the issues.Harold Trent Franks, from Arizona’s 8th congressional district in the US House of Representatives, raised the two issues on Oct.12, in a speech."The first amendment of our constitution gives us the freedom of speech that we cherish in America. Across the world, Speaker, individual freedom of speech is frequently infringed. A posted critique or just sharing one’s views freely on the internet can be punishable, even by death,” Franks said, Pointing out that Gauri was a staunch critic of the ruling-BJP party in India, Franks spoke about how she was shot to death outside her home.Speaking about Kancha, Franks said, "Just weeks ago, another prominent figure, Professor Kancha Ilaiah, known for critiquing India's caste system, was threatened by a Hindu member of India's Parliament in India.This MP, an ally of current BJP govt, demanded that Kancha be hanged." thenewsminute
We are against cow vigilantism, attacks on Dalits:Guj CM
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/we-are-against-cow-vigilantism-attacks-on-dalits-gujarat-cm/story-u1yXdGnEAByq5kn7VFRjAM.html
Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani on Sunday said his Govt was against cow vigilantism despite ensuring protection for cows.“We do not support those who commit violence in the name of ‘gauraksha’. Action will be taken against those responsible,” Rupani said in a programme organised by India TV.“At the same time, the Govt is ensuring protection of cows for which we have a law, which is the strictest in the country.It also has the provision for life sentence.”Speaking on attacks against Dalits, Rupani said: “It is wrong. Cases are filed immediately and immediate action is taken. It is our responsibility to protect Dalits...We are ensuring safety and welfare of Dalits in Gujarat. That is why they support the BJP.”IANS
Don't marry minor girls, avoid triple talaq: Barelvi clerics
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bareilly/on-clerics-urs-agenda-appeal-to-muslim-men-not-to-marry-minor-girls-give-triple-talaq/articleshow/61084366.cms
Bareilly:With Sharia and Indian law in apparent disagreement over triple talaq and child marriage, clerics at Dargah Aala Hazrat have decided to ask their followers during Urs-e-Razvi this year to refrain from marrying minor girls and giving triple talaq to their wives. Clerics said that they do not want a situation to arise where people have to choose between Sharia and Indian law. 99th Urs-e-Razvi, the death anniversary of Mujadid Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Qadri, founder of the Barelvi school of Islam, will be observed from Nov.13 to 15. The annual event is likely to be attended by lakhs of people from across the world.Spokesperson of Dargah Aala Hazrat, Mufti Mohammed Salim Noori, told TOI, "As there is disagreement between Sharia and Indian law, it will be a challenge for Muslim men to choose one over another. We do not want people to be confused and hence have come up with the third alternative. We will appeal to our followers to not marry girls below 18 and also refrain from giving triple talaq to their wives."He added, "Today, girls in the community are focusing on their education and are getting married only in their 20s. However, we will still go ahead with the appeal as a precautionary measure."TOI
Nagaland Muslims plan to regulate growth of masjids
http://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/151017/nagaland-muslims-plan-to-regulate-growth-of-masjids.html
Guwahati:In the wake of growing polarisation against Rohingiya, the Muslim Council of Dimapur, an apex body of Muslims in Nagaland, has decided to regulate mushrooming growth of “Pangajana masjids” (temporary mosques) in Nagaland. The working president of the MCD Ahidur Rahman in a statement said that a decision in this regard was taken at a joint meeting of all Jame Masjid (permanent mosques) and Pangajana Masjid (temporary mosques) committees of Dimapur on Sept.17.“Verification and registration of all the masjids would be done to access if at all some are necessary or not and whether proper norms of a masjid are being followed or not,” the MCD stated in a statement. It also urged upon all to cooperate with MCD, in case the council decides to close down some of prayer houses. The decision is significant in the wake of a recent intelligence report of the Nagaland police, which said, “Rohingyas pose a serious threat to the security of Nagaland as around 2,000 local Muslims have volunteered to take up arms against the Nagas if the latter try to drive them out.”The problem started after a section of the media reported that the intelligence branch of the Nagaland police has highlighted a major security threat that Rohingya pose to the national security. The report also claimed that Rohingya are most likely to attack Nagaland.ASIAN AGE
AMU, LSR among institutions, NGOs that have not filed 2015-16 annual returns: MHA
http://www.firstpost.com/india/aligarh-muslim-university-lsr-among-institutions-ngos-that-have-not-filed-2015-16-annual-returns-mha-4144359.html
New Delhi: IIM Kolkata, AMU and Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College for Women are among 4,739 institutions and NGOs that have not disclosed to the Govt their foreign funding and expenditure for 2015 -16, according to the Home Ministry. According to the ministry documents, 4,739 institutions and voluntary organisations have not filed their annual returns for 2015-16, thus failing to submit details of their annual income and expenditure for the year.All these institutions and voluntary organisations are registered under FCRA and it is mandatory for them to file returns every year.Those which have not filed returns for 2015-16 include IIM Kolkata, IIM Lucknow, AMU, Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi College of Engineering, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Delhi, and the Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts, Delhi.Others in the list include Vivekananda Foundation, Mysore, Islamic University of Science & Technology,Pulwama in J&K,Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry,Solan, Himachal, and Nehru Indira Rajiv Memorial Association for Needies, Koraput, Odisha. Modi govt, which has tightened the rules for NGOs, has already cancelled registration of more than 10,000 NGOs in the last three years for alleged non-filing of annual returns as mandated in FCRA.PTI
China delays ambitious high-speed train project in India, Doklam standoff cited as possible reason
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/china-delays-ambitious-high-speed-train-project-in-india-likely-due-to-doklam-standoff-4891637/
An ambitious high-speed train project in south India has been delayed after Chinese railways, that completed a feasibility study a year ago, did not respond, railway officials have said, suggesting that the “lack of response” may be due to the Dokalam standoff.An internal brief of Mobility Directorate on the status of 9 high-speed projects of the railways, accessed by PTI, shows that Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore corridor, a 492 km stretch, lies in limbo because Chinese railways have failed to respond to the ministry’s communique. “Chinese company submitted the final report in November 2016 and after that, the Chinese team has suggested for a face to face interaction. No date has been fixed from their side,” said the note prepared by the Mobility Directorate.On the reason for the delay, the brief states — “lack of response” from Chinese railways. The brief also states that the feasibility study by the China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co Ltd (CREEC) was submitted to the Railway Board in Nov.2016 and after that Chinese company had sought meetings with officials of the Board. However, officials say that the Board has been unable to get in touch with officials ofCREEC despite repeated communications sent to them via mails in the last 6 months. “We have even tried to get in touch with them through their Embassy here, but we are yet to hear from them,” said official.PTI
China understands 'India is no more a weak country': Rajnath
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/china-understands-india-is-no-more-weak-rajnath-singh/articleshow/61089886.cms
Lucknow: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the country's borders were "completely safe" and China has also understood that "India is no more weak" .Rajnath Singh said under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India has become a powerful country and its prestige at the international level has grown."India's borders are completely safe, and China has started to understand that India is no more weak. Its strength has grown," he said.PTI
Kill top 4 militants by winter: Ajit Doval
http://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/151017/kill-top-four-militants-by-winter-says-ajit-doval.html
New Delhi: In a new counter-terror strategy, NSA Ajit Doval has asked security and intelligence agencies to eliminate at least the top 4 militant commanders operating in Kashmir Valley before the onset of winter. On the basis of detailed inputs and analysis, the IB had, in a recent report to NSA, zeroed in on these top four commanders whose elimination it says would deal a major blow to terror operations in Valley.“We have identified some top militant commanders and if they can be neutralised before the onset of winter season, when mountain passes are closed due to snow and infiltration drops drastically, it would have a major impact on the Valley’s overall security scenario. The security forces have already launched major operations to track down these four main terror commander,” a senior intelligence official said.ASIAN AGE
NIA probe of Bijnor blast: Husna refuses voice test
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-probe-bijnor-blast-accused-refuses-voice-test-4890969/
Lucknow: Bijnor blast accused Husna refused to undergo voice testing as sought by NIA that had a court permission for it. Husna (38) is lodged in Lucknow district jail for allegedly helping 6 SIMI men stay in the district on fake identity before an explosion occurred in their rented accommodation in 2013.The agency had procured the court’s permission for the voice test to ascertain the alleged telephonic conversation between Husna and one of the SIMI men after the blast. UP ATS, before the investigation was transferred to NIA,had put Husna’s cellphone number on surveillance and recorded her conversations soon after the blast took place.“NIA team, with officials of Lucknow-based forensic science labortary, had visited Lucknow district jail on Thursday with court order to collect the voice sample of Husna. She, however, refused to give the voice sample,” said superintendent of jail, PN Pandey.Husna is presently lodged in jail along with her brother Nadeem and 3 others — Raees, Abdulla and Furqan — after ATS had arrested them on charges of providing shelter and logistics help to the 5 SIMI men. indianexpress
India’s 1st Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passes away
http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/india-s-first-olympic-swimmer-shamsher-khan-passes-away-70041
India’s Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passed away from heart failure on Sunday. The 87-year-old is survived by three daughters and two sons.He lived in a small village, Kaithepalle near Repalle in Guntur district.Khan’s daughter-in-law M Roushn said that Khan was ailing from a heart condition. “He complained of chest pain in the morning, before we could reach the hospital, he passed away,”she mourned.Khan was first swimmer to represent India in 1956 Olympics.thenewsminute
WORLD
Starting to develop much better relationship with Pak:Trump
http://www.ptinews.com/news/9153900_Starting-to-develop-much-better-relationship-with-Pak--Trump.html
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said that he has started to develop a much better relationship with Pakistan, a day after Pakistani forces rescued an American-Canadian family from Haqqani network.American citizen Caitlan Coleman and her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle along with their three children were rescued from the Haqqanis on Thursday after an operation by Pakistani forces based on intelligence from the US authorities.The president thanked Pakistani leaders for cooperating with the US on many fronts."Starting to develop a much better relationship with Pakistan and its leaders. I want to thank them for their cooperation on many fronts," Trump said in a tweet yesterday.Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu said: "On this I agree" with Trump."Pakistan is a critical ally in fighting against terrorists," he said in a tweet. Earlier in the day, US Vice President Mike Pence also praised Pakistan in helping the US secure the release its citizens.Pence's comments on Pakistan came as he listed out some of the key achievements of the Trump administration at the international stage."The president is achieving real results on the international stage, as well," he said.PTI
Trump says US, Pak starting real relationship, Delhi takes stock
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/donald-trump-says-us-pakistan-starting-real-relationship-delhi-takes-stock-4890993/
Taliban dismisses Boyle’s claims of murder, rape as ‘Western propaganda’:Reuters
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/taliban-dismisses-boyles-claims-of-murder-rape-as-western-propaganda/article19865668.ece?homepage=true
Peshawar:A Taliban spokesman denied accusations by a Canadian man that one of his children had been murdered and his wife raped while they were being held captive by militants who kidnapped them in Afghanistan in 2012.Joshua Boyle and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, were held by the Haqqani network, a semi-independent wing of the Afghan Taliban, before being rescued by Pakistani troops in northwest Pakistan, near the Afghan border, last week.Boyle told reporters soon after he, his wife and their 3 children returned to Canada on Friday that their captors had murdered a fourth child and had raped his wife.Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid rejected that as propaganda by the Western governments that helped rescue the family.“We strongly reject these fake and fabricated allegations of this Canadian family, now in the hands of the enemy,” he said in a statement sent to media. “Whatever statement the enemy wants to put in their mouth, the family is forced to make it.”Mujahid said the couple was intentionally never separated in order to protect their safety. He also denied that their child had been murdered, but acknowledged that one child became sick and died.“We were in a remote areas without access to a doctor and medications that led the loss of the child,” he said.3 children, all born in captivity, were rescued along with Boyle and Ms Coleman.
Afghanistan: Taliban retake valley from security forces
http://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/afghanistan-taliban-retake-valley-from-security-forces/935763
KABUL:Taliban in Afghanistan on Saturday regained control over a strategically important valley in the north that had been reclaimed by security forces after intense clashes two months ago. Mohammad Noor Rahmani, head of the Sar-e-Pul council of the province which includes Mirza Olang Valley, said that after 2 days of clashes with security forces, the Taliban have taken control of the valley.Meanwhile, local Lemar TV quoted Gen. Khalil Dastyar, provincial police chief, saying the security forces had taken a “strategic retreat.”Taliban stormed this part of the province in the Sayad district on Thursday.Afghan Air Force carried out air raids to push back the militants.Anadolu
Tony Blair: ‘We were wrong to boycott Hamas after its election win’
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/14/tony-blair-hamas-gaza-boycott-wrong?CMP=share_btn_fb
Tony Blair has said for the first time that he and other world leaders were wrong to yield to Israeli pressure to impose an immediate boycott of Hamas after the Islamic faction won Palestinian elections in 2006.As PM at the time, Blair offered strong support for the decision – driven by the George W Bush White House – to halt aid to, and cut off relations with, the newly elected Hamas-led Palestinian Authority unless it agreed to recognise Israel, renounce violence and abide by previous agreements between its Fatah predecessors and Israel. The ultimatum was rejected by Hamas. The elections were judged free and fair by international monitors. Blair, who became envoy of the Middle East quartet – composed of the US, EU, UN and Russia – after leaving Downing Street, now says the international community should have tried to “pull Hamas into a dialogue”. The boycott and Israel’s economic blockade of Gaza, which began the following year, are still in force today. A UN report two years ago said the combined effects of the blockade and the three military offensives conducted in Gaza by Israel since 2009 could make the territory “uninhabitable” by 2020. Humanitarian conditions have worsened markedly since the report was written.Interviewed for a new book Gaza: Preparing for Dawn, out later this month, Blair said: “In retrospect I think we should have, right at the very beginning, tried to pull [Hamas] into a dialogue and shifted their positions. I think that’s where I would be in retrospect.“But obviously it was very difficult, the Israelis were very opposed to it. But you know we could have probably worked out a way whereby we did – which in fact we ended up doing anyway, informally.”Blair did not elaborate on subsequent “informal” dealings with Hamas but he appears to be referring to clandestine contacts between MI6 and Hamas representatives during and possibly after the kidnap of BBC journalist Alan Johnston by an extreme fundamentalist group in 2007. The kidnappers eventually released Johnston after heavy pressure from the Hamas de facto government. theguardian
Truck targets busy street in Mogadishu killing 189; over 200 injured
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/death-toll-from-blast-in-somalias-capital-rises-to-53/article19865128.ece?homepage=true
Mogadishu:The death toll from the most powerful bomb blast witnessed in Somalia’s capital rose to 189 with more than 200 injured, making it the deadliest single attack ever in the Horn of Africa nation, police and hospital sources said Sunday.Doctors struggled to assist horrifically wounded victims, many burnt beyond recognition. Officials feared the toll would continue to climb from Saturday's truck bomb that targeted a busy street near key ministries.Ambulance sirens still echoed across the city as bewildered families wandered in the rubble of buildings, looking for missing relatives. “In our 10-year experience as the first responder in Mogadishu, we haven't seen anything like this,” the Aamin Ambulance service tweeted.AFP
German official's proposal for Muslim holidays gets rejected
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/german-officials-proposal-for-muslim-holidays-gets-rejected/1167725
Berlin:A senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's party has been rebuked by his own political allies for suggesting that Germany might introduce public holidays to celebrate the Islamic religion.Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told a party rally in northern Germany this week that he was willing to discuss Islamic holidays in areas with large Muslim populations.There are an estimated 4.7 million Muslims in Germany.Alexander Dobrindt, who also belongs to Merkel's conservative Union bloc, told the daily Bild on Saturday that he was against Islamic holidays: "Our Christian heritage isn't up for negotiation."Merkel's center-right Christian Democrats and their Bavaria-only sister party have been losing voters to the nationalist Alternative for Germany, which campaigns against Islam and large-scale Muslim immigration. outlookindia
14,000 lone children among Rohingya refugees: Bangla
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/14-000-lone-children-among-rohingya-refugees-bangladesh/story-cORosVLv8ny4Tvka64Vw6N.html
Nearly 14,000 children who have lost one or both parents are among the more than half a million Rohingya refugees who crossed in Bangladesh to escape violence in Myanmar, an official said Sunday.UN says 536,000 mainly Rohingya refugees have arrived from Myanmar’s strife-torn Rakhine state since August 25, the majority of them children.Bangladesh’s social services department said 13,751 children without a parent or parents were identified in a survey of the crowded refugee camps along its border, where charities warn that a humanitarian crisis is unfolding.AFP
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
There is a psychological reason why right-wing supporters are openly uncivil, abusive and misogynistic: Ashok Swain, professor at Sweden's University
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/there-is-a-psychological-reason-why-right-wing-supporters-are-openly-uncivil-abu/303050
UAE planned to invade Qatar with Blackwater-linked mercenaries: Report
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-planned-invade-qatar-blackwater-linked-mercenaries-report-1742295879
Indian Govt is not doing enough to tackle the sale of unapproved antibiotics: Patricia McGettigan, London, Allyson Pollock, Professor at Newcastle University
http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/indian-government-not-doing-enough-tackle-sale-unapproved-antibiotics-70038
Assam’s Muslims are living at the mercy of the mob, the unknown assailant and a partisan state: Harsh Mander
https://scroll.in/article/853744/how-assams-muslims-are-living-at-the-mercy-of-the-mob-the-unknown-assailant-and-a-partisan-state
Chicken: Most meat animals are raised with assistance of daily doses of antibiotics. By 2050, antibiotic resistance will cause staggering 10 million deaths a year
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/oct/13/can-never-eat-chicken-again-antibiotic-resistance?CMP=share_btn_tw
Trump shows Modi how to take an about-turn on Pak:Jyoti Malhotra
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/donald-trump-shows-narendra-modi-how-to-take-an-about-turn-on-pakistan-4889937/
Kerala Dalit priests: ‘Any Hindu can be a Brahmin’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-dalit-priests-government-temples-any-hindu-can-be-a-brahmin-4890673/
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:21 PM)
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