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Evening NEWS DIGEST
1 Feb.2017: 3 Jamadiul Awwal 1438: Vol:8, No:104
INDIA
Sadhvi Pragya, 7 others acquitted in Malegaon, Samjhauta blasts accused Sunil Joshi murder case:HT
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sadhvi-pragya-thakur-7-others-acquitted-in-ex-rss-pracharak-sunil-joshi-murder-case/story-GlIPyve6WWsFC7ePBl8xsM.html
Dewas: A local court in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas on Wednesday acquitted Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and 7 others accused of killing former RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi. Joshi, a close associate of Sadhvi Pragya, was shot dead on Dec.29, 2007, when he was walking back to his hideout at Chuna Khadan locality in Dewas. Ex-RSS pracharak was on the run for his alleged role in the murder of a tribal Congress leader.He was also allegedly involved in both the Malegaon and Samjhauta blast cases.Those present in the court and their relatives broke down in tears when the judgment was pronounced.Pragya Thakur, who is undergoing treatment in a Bhopal hospital under judicial custody, was not present in the court when the judgment was pronounced. She is also one of the prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.The other accused Lokesh Sharma and Rajendra Chaudhary are in jail in Haryana’s Panchkula in connection with the Samjhauta blast case. Another accused Harshad is also in jail in connection with another case.Other accused Jitendra Sharma, Ramcharan Patel, Vasudev Parmar and Anandraj Kataria are out on bail.
Sadhvi Pragya acquitted in Sunil Joshi murder case
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sadhvi-pragya-acquitted-in-sunil-joshi-murder-case-4502299/
Don’t have recording of conspiracy meeting attended by Sadhvi: NIA
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/dont-have-recording-of-conspiracy-meeting-attended-by-sadhvi-nia-4501259/
Mumbai:In a twist to the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, the NIA has told the Bombay High Court it did not know if recordings or transcripts existed of a conspiracy meeting in Bhopal, as claimed by Maharashtra ATS, to plot the crime which prime accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur allegedly attended. Maharashtra ATS, which earlier probed the case, had alleged in its charge sheets that Thakur attended several conspiracy meetings held by the right wing group Abhinav Bharat in Bhopal, Indore, Faridabad, Dharamkot and Ujjain.It claimed key witnesses had heard Thakur discussing the conspiracy at a closed-door meeting in Bhopal on April 11, 2008, it said. This was the first meeting attended by Thakur, ATS claimed, and said its proceedings as also of such previous and subsequent gatherings, had been recorded and saved by the co-accused Sudhakar Dwivedi on his laptop.ATS recovered the laptop, seized its hard disk for examination at FSL labs, and cited a host of audio and video clips retrieved from it to back its claims.The division bench headed by Justice R V More, which was hearing Thakur’s bail plea today, was informed about the meeting by advocate BA Desai, who appeared for blast victims.When the HC asked NIA to produce the transcript of the recording of the Bhopal meeting, the agency said it was not aware if it existed.Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, representing NIA, the country’s anti-terror probe agency, said it only had the transcripts of an alleged meeting in Faridabad and if any more video recordings or transcripts existed, ATS had failed to hand them over to it. The HC then directed additional public prosecutor Jayesh Yagnik to take instructions from the ATS. Yagnik, on instructions from an ATS officer present in the court, said it had submitted to the lower court a video clip of the Bhopal meeting.The bench ordered the lower court to release, for the High Court’s inspection, copies of 11 CDs, some video clips, and call details that ATS had annexed with charge sheets.HC is likely to resume hearing the matter on Feb.7.PTI
Malegaon blast: Produce video, audio recordings of meetings, says Bombay HC to trial court registry
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/2008-malegaon-blast-produce-video-audio-recordings-of-meetings-says-bombay-hc-to-trial-court-registry/
Delhi HC reserves order on Zakir Naik's petition challenging Home Ministry's ban on his NGO
http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/02/01/delhi-hc-reserves-order-on-zakir-naiks-petition-challenging-hom/
New Delhi:The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on a plea filed by Zakir Naik challenging the ban imposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on his NGO, the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF).The MHA showed confidential documents to the court on the basis of which decision was taken.IRF's legal counsel told the court that the MHA's notification mentioned "chargesheet" against IRF members even though no chargesheet had been filed."MHA passed order on basis of falsehood," he said.However, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said that any information obtained after the notification passed could not be looked into as the basis for ban. During the hearing today, senior advocate Dinesh Mathur, representing IRF, submitted that the MHA notification gives no reason and cites no material for taking such a step as was required by the law laid down by the Supreme Court. IRF also said the immediate ban was imposed without giving it any show cause notice. huffingtonpost /PTI
HC reserves order on Naik's plea challenging ban on IRF
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20170201/3047311.html
Centre defends in HC its decision to ban Zakir Naik’s IRF
http://www.siasat.com/news/centre-defends-hc-decision-ban-zakir-naiks-irf-1122491/
Fake encounter case: Sadiq Jamal’s father files petition in Gujarat HC for Rs 50L compensation
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/jamals-father-files-petition-in-gujarat-hc-for-rs-50l-compensation-4501272/
Ahmedabad; Father of Sadiq Jamal, who was killed in an alleged fake encounter by Ahmedabad police in 2003, has filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court seeking compensation of Rs 50 lakh from the state govt. The court of Justice J B Pardiwala had on Jan. 16 issued notice to the state government.The govt pleader on Tuesday opposed the petition stating that the special CBI court hearing the encounter case is yet to decide whether it was fake, and hence the question of compensation does not arise at this stage. The pleader told the court that CBI is conducting further probe into the matter and trial is going on.Petitioner Jamal Mehtar in a special criminal application filed this month has sought the court’s direction to the state govt to provide him a compensation of Rs 50 lakh as his son was “killed” while in police custody.PTI
Mulund blast: Bombay HC denies bail to Saquib Nachan
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/bombay-hc-denies-bail-to-mulund-blast-convict-saquib-nachan/articleshow/56900354.cms
Mumbai:Bombay high court on Tuesday refused to release a Mulund blast convict Saquib Nachan on bail after observing that that there was no change in circumstances to merit the relief. A POTA court last March had convicted 10 accused including Nachan and acquitted three in the 2002- 2003 blasts which occurred Mumbai Central Vile Parle and Mulund. Nachan’s lawyer Sudeep Pasbola on Tuesday arguing before a bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Amjad Sayed said that Nachan has already completed nine years and two months of the 10-year sentence and given that the appeal may not be heard for at least a couple of years, he ought to be released, before he "walks out of prison in Dec. 2017''.When the court asked him what was the change in circumstances for him to seek bail, he said he had been granted bail last October in another pending case. The court however, observed that the bail granted there was not on merits of the case. timesofindia
PM Modi likely to make first visit to Israel in June-July: India’s Ambassador
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-likely-to-make-first-visit-to-israel-in-june-july-india-s-ambassador/story-d1ReR6VZQPv1NOGlMm9fKK.html
Jerusalem: PM Narendra Modi’s much-anticipated visit to Israel could take place in mid-2017 in what would be the first such tour by an Indian Premier to the Jewish state, as the 2 countries mark 25 years of their diplomatic ties.India’s Ambassador to Israel Pavan Kapoor told news portal ‘Ynet’ about the visit and mentioned about efforts to boost defence cooperation with Israel, which is looking to set up manufacturing units in India under ‘Make in India’ initiative. Informed sources told PTI the dates for Modi’s visit have not been finalised but “it is likely to happen in June-July of 2017.” Modi’s visit is being discussed amid talks of a “close chemistry” between him and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.PTI
UNION BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
Budget: Income tax rates for individuals companies reduced; for individual earning Rs2.5-5 lakh cut to 5%,
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/zSykIuCx17LmSXDN8HB9ZP/Budget-2017-Jaitley-reduces-income-tax-rates-for-individual.html
New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today announced tax sops to individuals and companies in his budget speech. Jaitkey announced a reduction in the tax rate in the income tax slab of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to 5% from 10%.He also announced a reduction in tax rates for small and medium sized companies as part of an earlier promise to gradually reduce these corporate tax rates and phasing out of exemptions given to companies.Tax rate for companies with an annual turnover of upto Rs 50 crore has been brought down to 25% from 30%. This will benefit 96% of the companies, Jaitley said. He also announced a surcharge of 10% on those individuals earning an income between Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore while retaining the surcharge on those earning an income above Rs 1 crore. Basic customs duty on LNG to be reduced from 5% to 2.5%. Making MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) more viable, income tax for smaller firms to be reduced. Tax rate for companies with an annual turnover up to Rs50 crore to be reduced to 25%.Rate of growth in advance tax in personal income tax in last three quarters of this financial year is as high as 34.8%. livemint
Personal income tax proposals in the Budget
http://www.thehindu.com/business/budget/Personal-income-tax-proposals-in-the-Budget/article17127400.ece?homepage=true
Highlights of Union Budget 2017-18
http://www.thehindu.com/business/budget/Highlights-of-Union-Budget-2017-18/article17127298.ece?homepage=true
Jaitley’s budget speech: highlights & reactions
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/FC3OLQnhteJm6qUz6GfEsI/Union-Budget-2017-Live-Budget-presentation-on-schedule-desp.html
Minority Affairs allocation up by 9.6 % ahead of UP polls
http://www.newindianexpress.com/business/union-budget-2017/2017/feb/01/minority-affairs-allocation-up-by-96-percent-ahead-of-up-polls-1565805.html
New Delhi: Union Minority Affairs received Rs 4195 crore in the 2017-18 general budget, a rise of 9.6% from the previous year. In the previous year, the allocation for the Ministry has been Rs 3,827.25 crore in 2016-17.Presenting the budget today Arun Jaitley allocated a hike of Rs 367.75 crores to Minority Affairs budget.The govt has done away with the plan and non-plan heads of the budget instead this expenditure will be outcome based. The budget will be utilised in executing the umbrella schemes for minority communities like - Muslims, Sikhs, Jains Christians and Parsis. newindianexpress
Minorities get only Rs 4,195 cr while SC Rs. 52,393 Cr, ST Rs 31,920 cr in Union Budget 2017
http://viewsheadlines.com/minorities-get-only-rs-4195-cr-while-sc-rs-52393-cr-st-rs-31920-cr-in-union-budget-2017-11531/
Minority communities have been sorely disappointed with the minuscule allocation for the development of minority communities in the country. They were expecting a huge boost in allocation for the new year. But They were let down.But even this minuscule increase didn’t stop Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to praise the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. “After many years,Minority Affairs Ministry Budget increased by more than Rs 395 cr. It is Rs 4195 cr for 2017-18 from Rs 3800 cr in 2016-17” said Naqvi.ViewsHeadlines
Allocation for welfare of SC, ST, minorities to be enhanced Aadhar based smart cards containing health details for senior citizens to be introduced
http://www.business-standard.com/article/government-press-release/allocation-for-welfare-of-sc-st-and-minorities-to-be-enhanced-117020100843_1.html
Govt increases allocation for Dalit,minority communities
http://www.business-standard.com/budget/article/government-increases-allocation-for-dalit-and-minority-communities-117020100656_1.html
Cash donation to parties capped at Rs. 2,000
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/budget/cash-donation-to-parties-capped-at-rs-2000/article9514932.ece
New Delhi: In order to cleanse the political funding system and check black money, Arun Jaitley today proposed to restrict cash donations to political parties from individuals to Rs. 2,000 and introduced an ‘electoral bonds’ scheme.The electoral bonds, which will be issued by notified banks, can be redeemed by recognised political parties within a prescribed time limit.“In accordance with the suggestion made by the Election Commission, the maximum amount of cash donation that a political party can receive will be Rs. 2,000 from one person. Political parties will be entitled to receive donations by cheque or digital mode from their donors,” Jaitley said PTI
Cash dealings above Rs3 lakh banned from April 1:Jaitley
http://indianexpress.com/article/business/budget/union-budget-2017-cash-dealings-above-rs-3-lakh-banned-from-april-1-says-arun-jaitley-4502151/
In a bid to clamp down on black money, Arun Jaitley proposed to ban all cash transactions above Rs 3 lakh effective April 1, 2017. The decision taken is based on the recommendation of the SIT on black money that was set up by the Supreme Court, Jaitley said.He said, “SIT has suggested no cash transaction above Rs 3 lakhs. Govt has accepted this.” indianexpress
Budget gives a major push to Digital Economy; proposes No Cash Transaction above Rs 3 lakh
http://zeenews.india.com/economy/budget-gives-a-major-push-to-digital-economy-proposes-no-cash-transaction-above-rs-3-lakh_1972571.html
Budget 2017: Defence sector gets close to 10% hike
http://www.thehindu.com/business/budget/Budget-2017-Defence-sector-gets-close-to-10-hike/article17127942.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi : Arun Jaitley has allocated Rs. 2,74,114 crore for the Defence sector, an increase of 9.5% compared to the previous year’s. Defence pension is not part of the allocation. The capital budget allocation — meant for new purchases — for the coming financial year is Rs. 86,488 crore, a 10% hike from the previous allocation of Rs 78,586.68 crore.the hindu
Defence Budget increased to Rs. 2.74 lakh crore
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/budget/defence-budget-sees-marginal-increase-to-rs-274-lakh-crore/article9514462.ece
Cabinet approves loan tenure of 20 yrs under credit-linked subsidy scheme in PMAY
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cabinet-approves-loan-tenure-of-20-yrs-under-credit-linked-subsidy-scheme-in-pmay/story-PiVnlVTIAFbV1hrzCiGUaI.html
New Delhi: Union cabinet has approved the extension of tenure of loans under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) vertical of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission from 15 to 20 years and introduced the scheme for middle income group (MIG) category.An allocation of Rs 1,000 crore initially in the budget for 2017-18 at the Budgetary Estimate stage has been made for the proposed CLSS for MIG.The scheme will be named as CLSS for economically weaker sections of society/Lower Income Group (LIG), an official statement said. The cabinet also allowed the Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) that have signed an MoU with the Central Nodal Agencies (CNAs), under the CLSS vertical of PMAY (Urban) to extend the mandate of their MoU to CLSS for MIG with appropriate changes as applicable.IANS
First rail budget merger lays down reform measures
http://www.thehindu.com/business/budget/First-rail-budget-merger-lays-down-reform-measures/article17127436.ece1
New Delhi: 500 railway stations will be made differently-abled friendly by providing lifts and escalators.The first merger of rail Budget with Union Budget presented by Arun Jaitley in Parliament on Wednesday focussed on improving rail safety, pushing digital transactions, listing rail public sector units on stock markets and setting fares competing with other modes of transportation.A rail safety fund, named ‘Rail Sanraksha Kosh’, with a corpus of Rs. 1 lakh crore is proposed to be set up over a period of five years, Jaitley announced. He added that all unmanned railway crossings on broad gauge lines will be eliminated by 2020.He announced the waiver of service charges on e-tickets booked through IRCTC. Earlier, IRCTC used to levy a service charge of Rs 20 on sleeper class and Rs 40 on AC class e-tickets. The service charge waiver may hit Indian Railways’ revenues by Rs 2 crore a day, according to senior Railway Ministry officials. However, IRCTC will be able to raise money from the market as a plan to list the railway PSU on stock markets was announced by Jaitley. Along with IRCTC, Indian Railway Finance Corporation and Ircon will also be listed on stock markets. thehindu
'Tax evasion a way of life': Only 76 lakh Indians showed income of over Rs 5 lakh:Jaitley
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/you-and-taxes/tax-evasion-indias-new-normal-only-76-lakh-indians-showed-income-of-over-rs-5-lakh-says-arun-jaitley/articleshow/56914051.cms
Union Budget 2017: Smartphones may become costlier
http://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/union-budget-2017-smartphones-may-become-expensive/articleshow/56914686.cms
Industry status for affordable housing, easing of capital gains tax norms a big hit with real estate sector
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/industry-status-for-affordable-housing-easing-of-capital-gains-tax-norms-a-big-hit-with-real-estate-sector/articleshow/56913824.cms
Opposition slams Budget, Mamata calls it clueless, actionless, heartless
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/opposition-slams-budget-mamata-calls-it-clueless-actionless-heartless/articleshow/56916257.cms
Over 8 million internal migrants, economic slowdown hits their flow
http://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/over-8-million-internal-migrants-slowdown-hits-their-flow-4501586/
No cash transactions above rs. 3 lakhs: Jaitley
http://profit.ndtv.com/news/budget/article-union-budget-wont-be-moved-over-mps-death-finance-minister-arun-jaitley-is-ready-10-points-1654807
Budget 2017: Income Tax cut by 5% for individuals
http://indianexpress.com/article/business/budget/budget-2017-income-tax-cut-by-5-for-individuals-in-major-relief-to-middle-class-4502115/
Budget 2017: Jaitley's tax relief to demonetisation-hit middle class was a lollypop
http://www.firstpost.com/business/budget-2017-arun-jaitleys-tax-relief-to-demonetisation-hit-middle-class-was-a-lollypop-3241686.html
OTHERS
Ex-Minister E Ahamed dies after cardiac arrest
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/former-minister-e-ahamed-dies-after-suffering-cardiac-arrest-1654771
New Delhi: Ex-Union Minister E Ahamed, who collapsed Tuesday in parliament, has died. He was 78. Ahamed was admitted at Delhi's RML hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest while both houses of parliament were being jointly addressed by President Pranab Mukherjee. At around 2.15 pm, Ahamed was shifted to the RML trauma centre's ICU where he was put on ventilator. Ahamed died at 2:15am at RML hospital."E Ahamed has passed away at 2:15 am. His body has been taken to AIIMS hospital for embalming (a method to preserve a corpse from decaying) as the facility is not available at RML," a senior RML doctor was quoted by PTI.His body will be taken to Kerala later today.News of his death was preceded by high drama as Ahamed's family earlier alleged that they were not allowed to meet him by hospital authorities. NDTV
Congress leader Kharge accuses govt of delaying E Ahamed’s death announcement, terms it ‘inhuman act’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/mallikarjun-kharge-accuses-govt-of-delaying-e-ahameds-death-announcement-terms-it-inhuman-act-4501883/
New Delhi: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the ruling dispensation of deliberately trying to delay senior parliamentarian E Ahamed’s death announcement, suggesting that NDA administration did not want to postpone the Union Budget. Lok Sabha Opposition leader also described these allegations as an “inhuman act”.“In our opinion, including JDU leaders and Deve Gowda, the budget should be postponed,” Kharge told reporters ahead of the presentation of Union Budget. “Govt already knew that he had passed away but they were trying to maybe delay announcement,” he alleged.“It is not March 31, there is a lot of time to present the Budget. Govt can postpone it,” Kharge said further. RJD chief Lalu Prasad, said Union Budget should not be presented.The death of a sitting House member is generally followed by adjournment of the House after obituary references. indian express
Kerala CM slams Centre for presenting Union Budget, showing disrespect to E Ahamed
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-cm-slams-centre-for-presenting-union-budget-after-death-of-e-ahamed-4502232/
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday slammed the Centre for presenting the Union Budget, hours after the death of former Union Minister E Ahmed saying it was “improper, unfortunate and amounted to showing disrespect” to the departed leader. In a statement, the CM said it was in the same Parliament building that Ahamed, a senior sitting member in the Lok Sabha had collapsed on Tuesday. “Presenting budget in the same building within hours after his death was totally improper and unfortunate. The Centre has gone ahead with the budget presentation, hurting the sentiments of the members of the House,” he said.“The act amounted to disrespect to the memories of the deceased and insulting the democratic consciousness of the nation. It was a grave mistake that the govt had gone ahead with the budget presentation at a time when tributes should have been paid to such a senior leader,” he said.PTI
PM Modi visits E Ahamed’s residence, pays last repects
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/pm-modi-condoles-e-ahameds-death-says-his-empowerment-of-muslim-community-will-be-remembered-4501693/
When the Govt "Stopped" the Death of an MP From Being Declared...The Citizen Bureau
http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/NewsDetail/index/1/9832/When-the-Government-Stopped-the-Death-of-an-MP-From-Being-Declared
NEET 2017 not to be conducted in Urdu: Students' Islamic Organisation to move Supreme Court
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/neet-2017/1/871551.html
Urdu, which was earlier supposed to be made a medium for conducting NEET, is not included in the notification released. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2017 which was earlier supposed to be conducted in 8 languages including Hindi, English and Marathi will now have additional 2 more languages - Oriya and Kannada. But the Students' Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India has decided to move Supreme Court as Urdu, which was earlier supposed to be made a medium for conducting NEET is not included in the notification released.According to TOI report, the test will be conducted across 80 cities. "There are about 168 schools in Maharashtra alone. There will be students from other states too whose first language could be Urdu, how can they ignore such a large number of students," said Mohammad Ali, public relations secretary of SIO.Earlier an online petition was organised by the SIO after which Urdu language was likely to become one of the medium of NEET examination. Following these efforts, Maharashtra Health Minister Girish Mahajan had also urged the central govt to think about the same. indiatoday
NEET 2017 in 2 more languages, Urdu excluded
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/neet-2017-in-two-more-languages-urdu-excluded-from-the-process/articleshow/56900130.cms
Protest stepped up for NEET in Urdu
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/aurangabad/protest-stepped-up-for-neet-in-urdu/articleshow/56905737.cms
Court adjourns hearing in 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-court-adjourns-hearing-in-2013-muzaffarnagar-riots-case-2302966
A local court today adjourned its hearing against union minister Sanjiv Balyan and BJP MLAs Sangit Som and Suresh Rana as they failed to appear before it in connection with 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.Additional CJM Jitender Kumar allowed the plea of exemption from presence of Balyan, Som, Rana, BJP MP Bhartendu Singh, VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi, and BJP leader Umesh Malik and adjourned the case till Feb.27.In another riots case, CJM Garima Choudhry adjourned hearing against BJP leader Vikram Saini and others and fixed the next hearing for Feb.14 in connection with a car burning case. PTI
Muzaffarnagar: People apprehensive atmosphere may be vitiated
http://www.newsx.com/national/54368-muzaffarnagar-people-apprehensive-atmosphere-may-be-vitiated
Ishrat encounter accused top cop given extension
http://twocircles.net/2017jan31/403858.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Gandhinagar: Gujarat’s Acting Director General of Police PP Pandey, who is an accused in the killing of Ishrat Jahan and associates in an alleged shootout, was given a three-month extension of service on Tuesday, the day he retired.The state govt’s recommendation to extend Pandey’s services was approved by Union Home Ministry.Besides heading the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Pandey was holding the charge of the Director General of Police of the state. A 1980 batch IPS officer, Pandey was arrested in July 2013 in connection with the killing of Ishrat Jahan, a 18-year-old girl from Mumbra in Mumbai, in the alleged gunfight.IANS
RSS attacking Mehbooba over her anti-national remark puts PDP-BJP alliance in jeopardy
http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rss-attacking-mehbooba-over-her-anti-national-remark-puts-pdp-bjp-alliance-in-jeopardy-3240544.html
J&K BJP has launched a scathing attack on PDP, its coalition partner in the state, targeting CM Mehbooba Mufti for her remarks on Article 370 which has triggered a political storm in the state.The Hindu right-wing party, on Tuesday, demanded the remarks of CM, that those who speak against the Article 370 are "anti-nationals", should be expunged from the records of the state assembly's ongoing budget session.Earlier on Tuesday, a high drama was witnessed in the assembly after the Speaker Kavinder Gupta who describes himself as a "proud RSS man", passed directions to expunge these remarks made by Mehbooba on Monday. firstpost
3 killed in blast at venue of Congress poll rally in Bathinda
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/girl-among-3-killed-in-blast-at-venue-of-congress-poll-rally-in-bathinda-punjab-elections-4501585/
Chandigarh:3 persons, including a minor girl, were killed and 15 others injured in an explosion in a car at the site of an election meeting Tuesday in Bathinda district of Punjab. Police said a pressure cooker had been recovered from the site which had been cordoned off by BSF personnel.The incident took place at Maur Mandi shortly after 8.30 pm, around the time Congress Maur candidate Harminder Singh Jassi wrapped up his campaign speech. indianexpress
Haryana: 40 Dalit families flee Mirchpur after caste clash
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jind/40-dalit-families-flee-mirchpur-after-caste-clash/articleshow/56903934.cms
Rohtak: Almost seven years after Mirchpur witnessed the fury of communal flames, caste violence reared its head again on Monday night at the small village in Haryana's Hisar district. The fresh violence forced around 40 Dalit families to flee their homes. Trouble erupted after some Jat men allegedly thrashed a youth from the Balmiki community, leaving 4 injured, during a cycle show on Monday night. A case under the provisions of the SCST Act has been registered against 15 persons in Narnaund Police Station.Hisar SP Rajender Meena said 4 upper caste men were arrested for the attack on the Dalit youth. The arrested four have been identified as Ram Prasad, Satish, Neelu and Pravesh. Fearing a backlash from Jats, 40 Dalit families, including women and children, left the village on Tuesday morning for nearby Talwandi Rana village. Police and other officials followed the families and tried to persuade them to stay back but to no avail. Later, the administration shifted them to govt officers' mess in Hisar. Mirchpur first hit headlines in 2010, when 70-yearold Tara Chand and his physically-challenged teenage daughter Suman were killed and several houses were burnt by upper caste men following a clash over a trivial issue. Dalits had refused to return to the village after the incident and a court had ordered to deploy CRPF personnel at the village. Rajat Kalsan, state coordinator of National Alliance for Dalit Human Rights, said Monday's incident occurred because the security personnel provided for the village after the 2010 clash were withdrawn. He said his organisation would conduct a fact finding survey and then move the high court, seeking proper rehabilitation of Dalit victims.TOI
Fresh violence triggers another Dalit exodus at Hisar
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/fresh-violence-triggers-another-dalit-exodus-at-hisar-s-mirchpur/357369.html
2010 horror haunts Haryana village again: 6 injured, Dalits plan to leave Mirchpur village
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/haryana-six-dalits-injured-in-mirchpur-clash-4501528/
Law allows animal sacrifice, so nothing wrong with Jallikattu: Centre tells SC
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/law-allows-animal-sacrifice-so-nothing-wrong-with-jallikattu-centre-tells-sc/story-cufhDmRKSsSbhDNQG6j7qJ.html&gws_rd=cr&ei=dNCRWMm3FsfqvAS9t6SQBw
New Delhi:Law allows animal sacrifice in the name of religion and there is nothing wrong in holding Jallikattu, the Centre told the Supreme Court, which on Tuesday refused to stay a recent legislation that overrode the court’s ban on the bull-taming sport.The court didn’t put the new Tamil Nadu law on hold but it came down hard on the state govt for failing to maintain law and order during recent protests.“Goats are sacrificed throughout the country during a festival. This is done because the law -- prevention of cruelty to animals -- permits it to do so,” Centre’s top legal officer Mukul Rohatgi said in a reference to Eid ul Adha as he defended the state govt’s new law.He said the law was conscious that there should not be cruelty to animals. “But, a holistic approach is required to be taken,” he told a bench of justice Dipak Misra and justice RF Nariman.HT
In UP, growing disquiet within RSS & BJP over tickets
http://indianexpress.com/elections/uttar-pradesh-assembly-elections-2017/in-up-growing-disquiet-within-rss-and-bjp-over-whos-got-the-tickets-4501566/
Lucknow:There is growing disquiet within a section of the BJP and the RSS over the allocation of tickets in UP. Torching effigies of party national chief Amit Shah and state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, protests blocking Shah’s vehicle on his recent visit to Lucknow, holding Faizabad BJP MP and party’s district president virtual hostage in Ayodhya — party insiders say this is the first time that such resentment has boiled over so close to the election.RSS has 6 state units in UP and at least 4 of them are said to have expressed their reservations against what they call “arbitrary ticket distribution” to “outsiders and relatives” instead of those who have worked on the ground. indianexpress
India, Pak cannot live in mutual hostility forever: Kulkarni
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-and-pakistan-cannot-live-in-mutual-hostility-forever-sudheendra-kulkarni/
Mumbai:Govts and people in India and Pakistan must work together to normalise ties between the two countries and promote all-round cooperation for mutual benefit as well as for changing the destiny of South Asia, Sudheendra Kulkarni, chairman of Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Mumbai, said at Mumbai. Kulkarni, a peace activist who has been trying to promote India-Pakistan reconciliation, was speaking during the launch of an ‘Indo-Pak peace calendar’ here.PTI
H-1B visa issue: US should carefully calibrate conditions keeping in mind skill storage, says NASSCOM
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/h-1b-visa-issue-donald-trump-indian-it-sector-nasscom-4500890/
New Delhi:In the backdrop of the recent H1-B visa legislation introduced in US House of Representatives, NASSCOM said it will continue to engage with Trump administration both directly and indirectly through Govt of India. While maintaining that the bill will need to go through several legislative discussions at the US Congress and Senate before this can become a law, the industry body said in a statement on Tuesday that their focus would be on highlighting the value contribution of India’s IT sector as a “net creator” of jobs in the US.“Lofgren Bill contains provisions that may prove challenging for the Indian IT sector and will also leave loopholes that will nullify the objective of saving American jobs,” read the statement. indianexpress
Fake Rs. 2,000 notes have 50% of security features
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Fake-Rs.-2000-notes-have-50-of-security-features/article17126077.ece
Kolkata: Counterfeiters have expertly replicated half of the security features of the new Rs. 2000 notes, a consignment of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) seized on the Bangladesh border recently reveals.BSF and NIA intercepted 4 consignments of Rs. 2000 notes between Dec. 2016 and Jan. this year from areas near Malda district.With the quality of the fakes improving over time, the seizure has set alarm bells ringing for intelligence agencies and security forces. thehindu
JNUSU pulled up for ‘disrupting’ meeting
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/JNUSU-pulled-up-for-%E2%80%98disrupting%E2%80%99-meeting/article17126271.ece
New Delhi: JNU Students’ Union was pulled up by the Registrar for allegedly disrupting a meeting related to an admission policy at university. Union members were protesting outside a Standing Committee meeting as a part of the ongoing hunger strike being organised on the campus against a notification of the University Grants Commission that seeks to change the admission criteria for M.Phil and Ph.D courses.“By their violent behaviour, a group of about 50 JNU students are damaging the future of thousands of socially and economically poor students,” JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar said. thehindu
Mob cane-charged after ruckus at Muslim Rashtriya Manch’s meet on Triple Talaq in Jabalpur: timesofindia
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/mob-cane-charged-after-ruckus-at-meet-on-triple-talaq-in-jabalpur/articleshow/56901379.cms
Jabalpur: Hardly a week after a fatwa was issued against a leader of the community for his public statements opposing Triple Talaq, 2 groups clashed on the issue on Tuesday forcing cops to resort to lathicharge to control the situation. The clash took place outside a prominent city hotel where the Muslim Rashtriya Manch organised a meet to discuss the issue of 'triple talaq' in the light of the social, education status and sharia. While the meet was on, a group of protesters reached the venue and tried to disrupt the proceedings leading to an altercation with the hosts.Convener of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, Reshma Hussain, national co-convener Shahnaz Afzal and other officer bearers were present during the function. It was during that time that a group of protesters led by former Congress corporator Azam Khan reached the spot and started protesting.Later Khan was arrested under section 151 and mild force was used to control the situation.Just a week ago, Darul Ulme Ahle Sunnat a religious body from Jabalpur, issued a 'fatwa' against the chairperson of state backward class and minority finance development corporation, SK Muddin calling for his social boycott till he apologises.
Divorced in absentia, woman moves SC
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bareilly/divorced-in-absentia-woman-moves-sc/articleshow/56899337.cms
Saharanpur: The Supreme Court has accepted the petition of a 30-year-old Saharanpur-based resident, Atiya Sabari, who approached the court after her husband gave her triple talaq in her absence. In her petition, Sabari has made Darul Uloom as party alleging that the seminary did not hear her before issuing a fatwa to validate the triple talaq. She also made her husband, in-laws and Union govt parties in her petition. The SC will hear the case on Fe.15.The petition has been moved at a time when a batch of PILs on triple talaq and t he plight of Muslim women is pending with the SC.In her petition, Sabari said she was married to Wajid Ali of Jasoddarpur village in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district on March 25, 2012. timesofindia
WORLD
Israel authorises 3,000 more settler homes in West Bank
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/israel-authorises-3000-settler-homes-west-bank-170201051854191.html
Israel has announced the construction of 3,000 settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, fourth such announcement in less than two weeks since the inauguration of US President Trump. "Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman and PM Benjamin Netanyahu have decided to authorise construction of 3,000 new housing units in Judea-Samaria," the defence ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, using the term Israel uses for the West Bank, a Palestinian territory.Since the Jan.20 inauguration of Trump, Israel has approved the construction of 566 housing units in three settlement areas of occupied East Jerusalem and announced the building of 2,502 more in the West Bank.On Thursday last week, Israeli officials gave final approval for 153 settler homes in East Jerusalem. Aljazerra
Israel begins evacuation of illegal Amona outpost:Aljazerra
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/israeli-begins-evactuation-illegal-amona-outpost-170201105859758.html
Hundreds of Israeli border police have entered a hardline Jewish settlement outpost in the West Bank Wednesday to evict its residents after a court ruled the homes were built on private Palestinian land.Hundreds of officers marched into the Amona outpost near Ramallah, just hours after the Israeli govt announced that another 3,000 more illegal homes would be built in occupied Palestine.The officers' evacuation of Amona marked the end of months of attempts by govt hardliners to legalise the outpost, and the approval over past 2 weeks of nearly 5000 new settler homes elsewhere in the occupied Palestine was widely seen as a move to win their support.
Israeli govt plan to connect illegal settlements with cities
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170201-new-israeli-government-plan-to-connect-illegal-settlements-with-cities/
'Witch hunt' fears as US may outlaw Muslim Brotherhood
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/hunt-fears-ban-muslim-brotherhood-170201014221892.html
US civil liberties groups have slammed plans by members of Congress to proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the legislation, tabled by Republican senators Ted Cruz and Mario Diaz-Balart and supported by the Trump administration, could lead to a "witch hunt".The bill, titled Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, was submitted in Jan.shortly before President Trump took power.It accuses the group of plotting a "grand jihad" to destroy Western civilisation from within. "This potent threat to our civilisation has intensified under the Obama administration due to the wilful blindness of politically correct policies that hamper our safety and security," Cruz said in statement accompanying the bill.He further accused the former US president of overseeing a "detente" with the group, which has renounced violence. aljazeera
Hamas’s power increased due to ‘minister of leaks’, accuses ex-Israeli minister Defence Minister
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170201-hamass-power-increased-due-to-minister-of-leaks-accuses-yaalon/
Ex-Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon has said that Hamas’s power increased due to the continuous leaks of the transcripts of the Israeli cabinet’s security discussions during the military offensive against Gaza in 2014, Safa reported on Tuesday. “Hamas had been deterred for two years [after the 2014 offensive], but the leaks by the ‘minister of leaks’ gave it more power,” Ya’alon wrote on Twitter. He included information reported by the Israeli Channel 2 TV wherein a spokesman for the Islamic movement’s military wing said, “Leaks prove our narrative that we won the battle.”Insisting that the leaks had damaged Israeli security, Ya’alon accused Education Minister Naftali Bennett of being responsible for them.middleeastmonitor
Hamas rejects elections before end of internal split
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170201-hamas-rejects-elections-before-end-of-internal-split/
Hamas has rejected the proposal to hold local elections before reconciliation has been achieved to end the internal political split, Al-Risalah reported. It claimed that setting a date for the elections actually serves the interests of its main rival, Fatah. “The decision to hold the elections was made to meet the interests of Ramallah-based govt run by Fatah at the expense of Palestinian interests and the unity of the Palestinian institutions, said Hamas spokesman. middleeastmonitor
Leaked call between Al-Sisi and minister reveals Saudi support for Qatar against Egypt
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170201-leaked-call-between-al-sisi-and-minister-reveals-saudi-support-for-qatar-against-egypt/
A leaked recording of a telephone call between Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his foreign minister has been broadcast by Mokamileen TV. It revealed the behind-the-scenes diplomatic activity in Egypt following the statement issued by GCC in defence of Qatar. Statement expressed Qatar’s displeasure with the fact that the Egyptian Interior Ministry “mentioned its name” in the bombing of a church in Cairo case.Qatari pressure with Saudi Arabia’s support was the ultimate reason for the issue of a “watered-down and balanced” version of the statement, claimed Egypt.The leak also confirmed the efforts of Kuwait’s Emir,Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to diffuse the tension between Cairo and Riyadh. This first surfaced in October after Egypt voted in favour of a Russian resolution on Syria, to which Saudi Arabia was firmly opposed.middleeastmonitor
Hijab-clad woman harassed in US, asked 'do you have green card'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/hijab-clad-woman-harassed-in-us-asked-do-you-have-green-card/articleshow/56915686.cms
Washington: A hijab-clad woman in the US was allegedly harassed and abused at a cafe by a man who asked her "do you have a green card", the latest in a slew of incidents in which immigrants have been targeted following Donald Trump's 'visa ban' on 7 Muslim nations.A young Muslim-American woman filmed the moment she was harassed and called a b***h after a man took photos of her in an Atlanta coffee shop.Asma Elhuni, 39, noticed the man, news outlets believe to be Rob Koehler, walk into Joe's Coffee Shop and start taking pictures of her as she worked on her laptop.PTI
UAE minister says Trump travel ban not anti-Islam
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/uae-minister-says-trump-travel-ban-not-anti-islam/articleshow/56916363.cms
Abu Dhabi:US President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations is not anti-Islam, the United Arab Emirates foreign minister said on Wednesday.Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, whose country like neighbouring Saudi Arabia is a close ally of Washington, said it was "wrong to say" that the decision by the new US administration was "directed against a particular religion".AFP
Trump picks conservative Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/trump-picks-conservative-neil-gorsuch-supreme-court-170201035528644.html
US President Donald Trump has nominated Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court, picking the 49-year-old to restore the court's conservative majority and shape rulings on divisive issues such as abortion, gun control, the death penalty and religious rights.The Colorado native faces a potentially contentious confirmation battle in the US Senate after Republicans last year refused to consider Democratic President Barack Obama's nominee to fill the vacancy caused by the February 2016 death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia.The Senate's top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, indicated his party would mount a procedural hurdle requiring 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate rather than a simple majority to approve Gorsuch, and expressed "very serious doubts" about the nominee. aljazeera
Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon in 2010: 'Islam is not a religion of peace'
http://www.wcyb.com/news/politics/bannon-in-2010-islam-is-not-a-religion-of-peace/303333906
President Donald Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon once dismissed the notion that Islam is a religion of peace, describing it in a 2010 radio interview as "a religion of submission."Bannon made the comments on "Western Word Radio with Avi Davis," an online right-wing radio station.In the segment, Bannon, who at the time served on the board of Breitbart, criticized former President George W. Bush for what he and fellow guest conservative columnist Diana West described as injecting political correctness into the federal government. Bannon mocked Bush for proclaiming "Islam is a religion of peace."CNN
Travel ban on Muslims to include social media 'vetting'
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/travel-ban-muslims-include-social-media-vetting-170131205425042.html
Travellers to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries singled out for "extreme vetting" will face scrutiny of their social media activity and phone records, the new US Homeland Security secretary has said.John Kelly on Tuesday sought to explain President Donald Trump's travel ban, four days after he issued it with no warning, setting off mass protests, legal challenges and confusion. aljazeera
No 'terrorism' charges for Quebec mosque attack suspect Alexandre Bissonnette
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/quebec-alexandre-bissonnette-charged-murders-170131125704888.html
Authorities in Canada have charged Alexandre Bissonnette, a French-Canadian university student known for his far-right views, over a shooting rampage on a Quebec City mosque that killed six people.Bissonnette faces six counts of first-degree murder and five of attempted murder, but has not been charged with any terrorism-related offences, despite Sunday's attack being widely condemned, including by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, as a "terrorist act" against Muslims.When asked on Tuesday why Bissonnette was not facing terrorism-related charges, Thomas Jacques, a representative of the prosecutor's office, replied: "The charges laid correspond to the evidence available," said. aljazeera
Syrian militias get more US support for IS fight, plan new phase
http://in.reuters.com/article/mideast-crisis-syria-raqqa-idINKBN15F1AQ
US-led coalition fighting Islamic State has boosted support for its Syrian allies, supplying armoured vehicles for the first time as they prepare for a new phase in their campaign to capture Raqqa, a spokesman for the militia said on Tuesday.US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, which is dominated by the Kurdish YPG militia, is waging a campaign to capture Islamic State's base of operations in Raqqa.A Kurdish military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the next phase of the Raqqa campaign would aim to seal off all remaining roads to the city, including the route to Deir al-Zor province, another IS stronghold. SDF is likely to figure prominently in US President Donald Trump's strategy for fighting IS in Syria, where the jihadist group still holds large areas of territory stretching to the Iraqi border.SDF spokesman Talal Silo said the delivery of the armoured vehicles marked a significant improvement in US support and attributed the change to the new administration. Trump says eradicating IS will be one of his biggest priorities.IS is being fought in Syria by 3 sets of enemies:Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria, Syrian govt and its Russian and Iranian-backed militia allies in central and eastern Syria, and the Turkish army and its Syrian rebel allies in a strip of land near the border.Reuters
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:55 PM)
