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Evening NEWS DIGEST
19 June 2017: 23 Ramazan 1438: Vol: 8, No:221
INDIA
BJP's Prez pick Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind once said 'Islam & Christianity are alien to nation' also opposed quota for backward minorities
http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/06/19/bjps-presidential-candidate-once-said-islam-and-christianity-a_a_22489388/
BJP's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind has opposed reservation in Govt for backward sections of religious minorities in India, and described Islam and Christianity as "alien to the nation."In 2009, the Ranganath Misra commission had recommended 10 % reservation for Muslims and 5% for other minorities in Govt jobs and favored Scheduled Caste status for Dalits in all religions. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi in 2010, Kovind, who hails from the Dalit community, said, "No, that is not possible," and called for scrapping the Ranganath Misra commission report.An IANS report carried Kovind's remarks which he made in his capacity as the national spokesperson for the BJP. "Including Muslims and Christians in the Scheduled Castes category will be unconstitutional," he said.Kovind, presently the governor of Bihar, is a two-term member of the Rajya Sabha. BJP president Amit Shah today announced that the 71-year-old leader is the party's candidate to become the 14th president of India. He served as the chief of the BJP's Scheduled Caste Morcha from 1998 to 2002.By choosing Kovind, political analysts believe, the BJP hopes to continue to bolster its credentials in the Dalit community.On Twitter, PM Narendra Modi said, "I am sure Shri Ram Nath Kovind will make an exceptional President & continue to be a strong voice for the poor, downtrodden & marginalised." West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asked, "In order to support someone, we must know the person. Who is this candidate?"Back in 2010, when asked how Sikh Dalits had quota privilege but not Muslims and Christians, Kovind said, "Islam and Christianity are alien to the nation."Presently, quota privilege is extended to Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist Dalits. India has long been grappling with the question of extending reservation to Dalit Christians and Muslims under the category of Scheduled Caste.Making his case against quotas for Muslims and Christians in 2010, Kovind had argued that Dalit Christians and Muslims get better education in convent schools."The educational level of Scheduled Caste children remains much lower than that of convert Dalits and Muslims. The children of converts will grab major share of reservation in Govt jobs. They would become eligible to contest elections on seats reserved for Scheduled Castes. This would encourage conversion and fatally destroy the fabric of Indian society," he said. huffingtonpost
TRS, TDP support BJP’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind; Cong unhappy on not being consulted
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/trs-tdp-pledge-support-for-bjp-s-presidential-candidate-ram-nath-kovind-cong-maintains-uneasy-quiet/story-nGibR6doHVkJ1pgCtMsAgP.html
New Delhi: A clutch of regional parties from southern India backed Bihar governor Ram Nath Kovind for India’s next President on Monday as the Congress expressed its disappointment at not being consulted before the Dalit leader’s name was finalised.Minutes after Kovind candidature was announced by BJP chief Amit Shah, TRS backed Kovind. The party has 11 seats in the Lok Sabha, 3 in the Rajya Sabha and 63 in the state assembly.“Even Amma would have supported the BJP and so will we,” said Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai, who is with CM Edapaddi Palaniswami’s faction. PM Narendra Modi has spoken to the Tamil Nadu CM, who commands the support of 36 MPs in the Lok Sabha, 10 in the Rajya Sabha and 122 MLAs in the assembly. Another faction of the AIADMK – AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) – also indicated it will also back the BJP’s choice.TDP of AP– an ally of the NDA – also pledged its support for the Dalit leader. The party has 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha, six in the Rajya Sabha and 102 MLAs in the assembly.HT
Ram Nath Kovind is BJP's presidential pick: know about Dalit leader from UP
http://www.firstpost.com/india/ramnath-kovind-is-bjps-presidential-pick-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-dalit-leader-form-up-3712909.html
BJP names Bihar governor, Dalit leader Ram Nath Kovind as presidential candidate
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bihar-governor-and-dalit-leader-ram-nath-kovind-is-nda-s-presidential-candidate-bjp-chief-amit-shah/story-1x2AphQCM3IuNC9hchnO3K.html
Presidential election: Kovind’s nomination matter of happiness, says Nitish Kumar
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/presidential-election-ram-nath-kovinds-nomination-matter-of-happiness-says-nitish-kumar-4711660/
New Delhi: Reacting to the surprise announcement of Governor Ram Nath Kovind as the NDA’s pick for the presidential election, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said the nomination is a matter of happiness for him. He, however, did not reveal if would support Kovind’s candidature.It would have been better if NDA had announced a non-political Dalit name, says Mayawati on Ram Nath Kovind’s nominationIt would have been better if NDA had announced a non-political Dalit name, says Mayawati on Ram Nath Kovind’s nomination.
Kovind is from RSS ranks, Opposition must put up candidate: CPI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/kovind-is-from-rss-ranks-opposition-must-put-up-candidate-cpi/articleshow/59217936.cms
Hyderabad:Opposition parties must put up their candidate against Ram Nath Kovind, named by BJP as the NDA's candidate for the post of president, as he is from the ranks of RSS, CPI said.He is also from RSS ranks. He was president of Dalit BJP Morcha...Sangh Pariwar organisation. Definitely, we will put up a candidate. Anybody from RSS...we will fight,"CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said.PTI
Dalits, Muslims must join hands to confront Hindutva fascism – Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani
http://caravandaily.com/portal/mob-lynching-a-wake-up-call-to-demand-a-special-law-says-young-dalit-leader-jignesh-mevani/
Meet Jignesh Mevani, the fast rising Dalit leader from Gujarat. Incidents of violence against Dalits in Gujarat stirred Jignesh Mevani’s conscience when he decided to do something to change things. The young activist, who came to prominence after the flogging of Dalits in Una, Gujarat, also threatens the traditional Dalit leadership like that of Ram Vilas Paswan, Ramdas Athawale and Udit Raj, who have joined the saffron bandwagon. In conversation with Caravan Daily, he discusses rising attacks on Dalits and Muslims and calls for unified strategy to confront the threat of Hindutva fascism.He said, "Unfortunately, a little section of Dalits has been saffronized which had participated in 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim riots. Being a Dalit, my head bows in shame for this. However, there is a growing realization within all Dalit sections that we should not become a pawn into the hands of castiest and Hindutva forces. We should save us from saffronization, otherwise we will be foot soldiers of the enemy camp.We will make efforts that secularism remains intact and our people uphold secular values steadfastly. You saw during the Una agitation, Muslims and Dalits came together in Gujarat. It sent a positive message across the country. But much more is needed to strengthen this unity and we will make all efforts in this direction."caravandaily
CBI team goes to JNU to probe Najeeb's disappearance
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/cbi-team-goes-to-jnu-to-probe-najeeb-ahmeds-disappearance/articleshow/59216478.cms
New Delhi: A CBI team on Monday visited JNU to probe the mysterious disappearance of Najeeb Ahmed, a student who had gone missing from his hostel on Oct.16, 2016. The team is looking into allegations of a scuffle between Ahmed and ABVP students in JNU's Mahi-Mandvi hostel and the circumstances that may have led to it as well as other events that preceded his disappearance.It is likely to meet the suspects and people whose names have cropped up in the matter, sources said.Najeeb's mother Fatima Nafees recently met CBI officers who are investigating the case. timesofindia
2 farmers commit suicide in MP, toll rises to 15 since Mandsaur firing: hindustantimes
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/another-farmer-commits-suicide-in-mp-toll-rises-to-14-since-mandsaur-firing/story-Y2i8TBx9LF6xdAq6D8hUPP.html
Bhopal/Sehore: 2 farmers allegedly committed suicide in separate incidents in Madhya Pradesh during the past 24 hours, official said on Monday, as BJP Govt struggled to contain a growing farm crisis in one of India’s foodbowl states.Officials said one 55-year-old farmer hanged himself in Sehore, the home district of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while a 35-year-old farmer ended his life in Vidisha on Sunday night.The latest incidents took the total number of agriculture-related suicides in the state to 15 since June 6 farmers’ protests in Mandsaur, demanding loan waivers and better prices for their produce.Family members said Bansi Lal Meena, who allegedly committed suicide on Monday, had taken loans from a bank and local money lenders. Sehore is barely 40 km from capital Bhopal.Meena’s son Manoj said his father was suffering from tension due to heavy loan burden.
Aarguments on quantum of punishment to Abu Salem, others till Tuesday: indianexpress
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/1993-mumbai-blasts-case-abu-salem-arguments-on-quantum-of-punishment-adjourned-4711338/
New Delhi: TADA court has adjourned the arguments on quantum of punishment in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case for Tuesday in which Abu Salem and 5 others have been convicted, reported ANI. The court rejected defence lawyer Abdul Wahab’s application requesting two weeks’ time to prepare the arguments on the quantum of sentence.Wahab had moved an application before the court for permission to examine three witnesses for defence of his client, Feroz Khan. While the court accepted the application and allowed him to examine the witnesses, it did not grant him two weeks for preparation of arguments stating the urgency of the matter. Meanwhile, CBI lawyer said he will argue for extreme punishment for convicts in the case. Besides Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Abu Salem, Taher Merchant, Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, Karimullah Khan and Riyaz Siddiqui – were convicted in the case on Friday on charges of criminal conspiracy.
2006 Mumbai train blasts: Kin of 12 convicts plan to meet families of 189 victims to prove their innocence
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/kin-of-711-mumbai-train-blast-convicts-plan-to-meet-families-of-189-victims/
Mumbai: Family members of the 12 men convicted in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case have joined hands to formalise a campaign to prove the latter’s “innocence”.On 11th anniversary of the blasts, group plans to launch a website to highlight “legal discrepancies” in the case.“Many people feel these men are guilty because they do not know the details of the case. Our aim behind launching this website is to bring in public domain the massive discrepancies in this case,” said Abdul Wahid, a teacher and the lone man to be acquitted in the case.“Many people feel these men are guilty because they do not know the details of the case. Our aim behind launching this website is to bring in public domain the massive discrepancies in this case,” said Abdul Wahid, a teacher and the lone man to be acquitted in the case.The group meeting up regularly at a small flat in Mira Road, for Iftar during the ongoing month of Ramzan also plans to visit the families of the 189 victims of the blasts to apprise them of the “details”.“They have lost their loved ones and I realise the anger they must have against people who they believe have committed that heinous crime. Our aim of meeting them is to tell them the reality of the case and show them how these men were framed and how their families have suffered for the past decade,”said Wahid. indianexpress
Rajasthan lynching case: Autopsy reveals Zafar Khan died due to cardio respiratory failure
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajasthan-lynching-case-autopsy-reveals-zafar-khan-died-due-to-cardio-respiratory-failure/story-dPNjs2kPIbRHrq09LeWqXM.html
Jaipur: CPI-ML worker who was allegedly lynched by civic sanitation workers in Rajasthan “died due to cardio respiratory failure”, his post-mortem examination report has revealed, a police official said on Monday.Zafar Khan was killed on Friday when he tried to stop the civic body workers from photographing women defecating in the open in Pratapgarh district.“The report which came late on Sunday evening points out that the tentative cause of death is cardio respiratory failure,” Pratapgarh’s superintendent of police Shivraj Meena told IANS.However, the final cause of death would be known only after the Forensic Science Laboratory results and reports of the viscera are received, he said.IANS
No threat to annual Amarnath Yatra: Ali Shah Geelani
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/no-threat-to-annual-amarnath-yatra-syed-ali-shah-geelani-4711904/
Srinagar:Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said that there was no threat to the annual Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin later this month, stressing that the pilgrims were “our revered guests”, who would be received as per the age-old traditions.“The terror threat to the upcoming yatra is a brazen lie and aimed at maligning the freedom movement. Kashmiris are not against any religion or its followers. However, they are pursuing a legitimate struggle for their fundamental rights,” he said in a statement issued here late last night. Geelani said the people of Kashmir while continuing with the age-old tradition of providing the best hospitality to the pilgrims, have always been friendly and generous to the visitors, particularly the Amarnath yatris.“The yatra has been going on for decades and the people here have treated the pilgrims with unique hospitality. They have always been hospitable, decent and received the pilgrims as their guests,” he said. He assured the pilgrims that there was no threat to them and alleged that the reports of threat were the “adverse propaganda launched by the Indian media”.PTI
Army assaults Shopian village a 2nd time in 3 nights: Kashmir Reader
http://kashmirreader.com/2017/06/18/army-assaults-shopian-village-second-time-three-nights/
Shopian: Army soldiers revisited Turkwangam in the middle of the night to inflict more injuries and damage and humiliation on a village they had attacked just three nights before. Twenty-five persons have been reported to be injured, at least 10 of them suffering fractures in their legs and arms, in the brutal assault carried out by soldiers past Friday midnight.Fayaz Ahmad Lone, a resident of the village, told Kashmir Reader that at least 20 army soldiers barged into his house at 2am. He said they assaulted every family member who was inside the house.“They beat us indiscriminately,” he said.“My wife and my sister-in-law have fractures in their arm and leg. The soldiers hammered me on the head with gun butts. They beat my wife and sister-in-law with metal rods and gun butts.”Seven women from the village had fractures or severe injuries due to the assault. A 50-year-old woman was seen crying from the pain of her injuries.Family members of Ghulam Hassan Dar told Kashmir Reader that about 30 soldiers barged into their house and beat them for an hour. “They left two of my sons with fractures. They used gun butts and metal rods to beat us. We cried for help but no one could come, as the forces had laid a siege outside our house,” said the wife of Ghulam Hassan.
‘Not enough fighter jets is akin to playing cricket with just 7 players’: Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa flags concern
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/air-chief-marshal-b-s-dhanoa-flags-concern-not-enough-fighter-jets-is-akin-to-playing-cricket-with-just-7-players-indian-air-force-4710860/
New Delhi: Highlighting the shortfall in the number of fighter squadrons in IAF as a challenge to “dominat[ing] a 2-front conflict”, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has said “it is akin to a cricket team playing with seven players instead of 11”. The Chief of the Indian Air Force also said that while the IAF is ready for the use of air power against Pakistan in response to a terrorist attack, it is an option that has to be exercised by the Govt. In an interview to Indian Express, Air Chief asserted that the IAF has the capability, and is in a position to strike against the Maoists, as and when it is cleared to do so by the Govt — but that he does not envisage any air attacks in India’s own territory.IAF’s authorised strength of 42 fighter squadrons “is the minimum strength necessary to dominate a 2-front conflict”, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said. The currently has 32 fighter squadrons, and is tasked with tackling a 2-front collusive threat from China and Pakistan. The “reduced numbers place a severe handicap akin to a cricket team playing with 7 players instead of 11,” Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said. “Though we are operating under challenging conditions, we have devised mitigating strategies,” he added.Indian Express
Fear of communal tensions in Jammu after provocative slogans raised outside a Mosque
http://twocircles.net/2017jun19/411603.html
Jammu: Tension gripped Jammu after a group of miscreants shouted provocative slogans outside the mosque while people were offering “Taraweeh” prayers on Thursday, June 15.The slogans came from youth on bikes outside Ustad Mohallah mosque after the India cricket team’s win over Bangladesh in Champions Trophy semi final match on Thursday.“We were offering Taraweeh and suddenly there were loud slogans coming from outside. They were abusing us and asking us to come outside. Our people exercised maximum restraint, otherwise it could have turned into a major incident,” Abrar Ahmed, a resident of Ustad Mohallah told TCN.Later, a group of people from the minority community went to police station Pacca Danga to register the complaint, but their pleas remained unheard as no officer was present on the duty.“There was no one in the police station apart from few who were sleeping,” said Abrar.The following morning, the delegation visited Additional Deputy Commissioner Jammu with the grievances. After non satisfactory attitude of district administration, the people held a protest.TwoCircles
‘You live in India but sing praises of Pakistan’: Shia cleric lashes out at Kashmiri separatist Mirwaiz
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/you-live-in-india-but-sing-praises-of-pakistan-shia-cleric-yasoob-abbas-lashes-out-at-kashmiri-separatist-mirwaiz-farooq-4711179/
New Delhi: Shia cleric Yasoob Abbas on Monday lashed out at Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Farooq after the latter congratulated Pakistan’s cricket team for their win against India in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday. “Rehte Hindustan mein ho, marna, dafnana Hindustan ki zameen mein hona hai aur geet Pakistan ke ga rahe ho? (You live in India. You will die and be buried in Indian soil but you sing praises of Pakistan?),”Abbas was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Farooq, after Pakistan’s victory, had taken to Twitter and said: “Fireworks all around, feels like an early Eid here. Better team took the day. Congratulations team Pakistan.” indianexpress
Afghan president inaugurates first air corridor with India, bypassing Pakistan
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/afghan-president-inaugurates-first-air-corridor-with-india-bypassing-pakistan/story-tj6N2OVvkYSAdDEF6bV1fL.html
Kabul: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the first Afghanistan-India air corridor during a ceremony at the Kabul International Airport — a direct route that bypasses Pakistan and is meant to improve commerce.Ghani said the aim of the route was to create more opportunities and make Afghanistan an exporter country.His adviser Sediqullah Mujadedi said Afghan agricultural products will for the first time head to India on cargo planes.Mujadedi said the first India-bound flight on Monday included 60 tons of natural plants; a second flight will follow, with 40 tons of dry fruits to be sent form Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province.AP
Kerala road ‘renamed’ Gaza Street, intelligence agencies not amused:HT
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kerala-road-renamed-gaza-street-intelligence-agencies-not-amused/story-N6DKwBjANNMqI70JOqEUKI.html
A Gaza Strip in the heart of Kasargod district? Youngsters in a north Kerala municipality zone have been accused of swapping signboards to “rename” Thuruthi Street as Gaza Street after the contentious strip of land under Palestinian rule.Intelligence agencies are not amused, despite claims that the stretch has been renamed in solidarity with those “targeted” by Israeli authorities.The reason? The street is located near Padanna village, which allegedly witnessed 22 youngsters trooping off to join the Islamic State’s militant army in recent times.Municipal authorities said they haven’t been informed about the street being renamed, despite Kasargod district panchayat president AGC Basheer’s reported presence at the ceremony. Befathima Ibrahim, chairperson of the civic body, said she would look into the matter and rectify the problem at the earliest.A Muslim League leader from the district claimed this was no serious matter. “One needn’t read too much into a prank committed by some youngsters of the area. Unlike UP , we don’t plan to change place names. One has to take it sportingly,” he quipped, citing a beach named after Saddam Hussein in Kozhikode and another road bearing Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi’s name in Malappuram to drive home hs point.HT
Rohingya refugee's Ramzan in Delhi : How to go without when you have nothing: Catch News
http://www.catchnews.com/india-news/a-rohingya-refugee-s-ramzan-how-to-go-without-when-you-have-nothing-66058.html
Delhi: Even as metro construction in South Delhi grinds slowly on, a small community, crammed into a tiny camp on the periphery of the large concrete pillars, goes quietly about its day. The dusty camp, home to some 1,000 Rohingya refugees, is characterised by rows of dingy, tarpaulin-covered huts, scattered piles of garbage, and an unbearable stench from the sewage canal neighbouring the camp. These elements, especially the sewage and the garbage, combine to draw hordes of flies, and, as temperatures in Delhi soar, so does the suffocating atmosphere inside these huts.About 14,000 Rohingyas live in India, with 1,000 of them in Delhi.In Delhi,UN High Commissioner for Refugees-issued refugee cards save the Rohingyas from deportation. However, it does precious little to improve their lives.These refugees are not given even the most basic of amenities, such as healthcare and education.In cramped and unhygienic jhuggis, these refugees face hunger, disease and uncertainty about their future. They drink unsanitary water from the hand pumps, have no toilets and no electricity. Their children don’t go school, but are forced instead to work to support their families.Deprivation, which is practically the norm here, is even more extreme these days though, as the Rohingyas are currently observing the holy month of Ramzan.During the month of Ramzan, when the dinner tables of middle class and affluent Muslims overflow with a rich spread of food and drink, this group of Muslims are, as always, even short of the basic food to fill their fasting bellies. But despite the harsh conditions they have been reduced to, the faithful stay true to the tenets of Islam. In 2003, Abdul Rahman fled from Myanmar with his wife and two children. Sitting on a battered chair outside his jhuggi, beads of sweat drip down his naked torso towards his cotton dhoti. Rahman's wife pours water inside the jhuggi to cool the room. With no electricity to run fans, and little ventilation, if at all, it is their sole respite from the heat.As he complains about the Delhi heat, he casts his mind back to the temperate climate of his homeland where none of the 4 seasons were as extreme. “I have been fasting since my childhood, so I can’t skip fasting. I can tolerate anything to fulfill the commandments of Allah”. says Rahman in a low monotone. Catch news
Fast, or earn a living for family? Dilemma of Muslims involved in physical labour: TCN
http://twocircles.net/2017jun18/411566.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
The period of Ramadan is a time of fasting for Muslims across the world. Ask Akhtar Khan, a 54-year-old resident of Kolkata. Khan rides a rickshaw, and in his own words, “I cannot do fasting in this weather as I have to ride more than 50-60 km every day. Fasting of 6 members at my home depends on my daily earnings and if I also fast, they will not be able to afford a single meal.”The case of Yusuf Mollah and Ramzan Mollah is similar to Khan. Yusuf Mollah is a 60-year-old hawker who recycles plastics, damaged iron, tin, broken glasses from Panapukur village of Rajarhat block, North 24 Parganas. He has to take care of his family of 11 members. “I did fast for 7 days, but I had to leave it because I have to ride my cycle over 80 kms everyday under the scorching sun and it is not possible to do so without eating for someone of my age” Mollah says with regret.Ramzan Mollah, a 68 years old hawker like Yusuf Mollah has to manage his family of seven members. He was forced to stop fasting after six days due to the excessive heat. “I kept my fast every year since I have been an adult, but this year I had to leave it as I travel on my cycle to far off under the scorching sun,” Ramzan said. He added that his three daughters, two sons and his wife are keeping fasting.Adversity brings out the best in a human being. In the case of Ramzan Mollah, Yusuf Mollah and Akhtar Khan, the decision to not observe Roza is simply to ensure that their families have something to eat when they break their fasts.For Ajida Bibi, a 59-year-old widow working as a domestic help, fasting is an integral part of her life and hence, despite working from morning to evening in five homes, she continues to fast. These days, her day begins with offering Namaz and then having Seheri followed by working in all the homes before afternoon. The case of 15-year-old Kerima Khatun is similar. Khatun, from Shankbaha village of Nanoor block, Birbhum, starts her daily journey after sehari and namaz at dawn. She attends her tuitions in a village which is about 3 kms away, returns home and then goes to school in another village which is about 2.5 kms away. After iftar, she attends another tuition in her village.
Centre using ‘caged parrot’ to silence critics: Delhi Govt after CBI questions Satyendar Jain’s wife
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/caged-parrot-cbi-to-silence-critics-delhi-Govt-to-centre-4711643/
New Delhi: After a CBI team questioned Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain’s wife in connection with alleged money laundering, the Delhi Govt on Monday slammed the central Govt for using “caged parrot” CBI in silencing critics.“Another day, another raid! CBI now raids Minister Jain ‘s residence. Centre trying to silence dissenters via caged parrot,” Delhi Govt spokesperson Arunoday Prakash tweeted. “BJP model: You make Mohalla Clinics, save money in projects, (provide) free medicines, tests and surgeries… We (BJP) will keep troubling you with CBI, IT (Income Tax department), ED (Enforcement Directorate),” he added. indianexpress
Letter on linking of land records to Aadhaar is 'fake and mischievous': Govt
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/letter-on-linking-of-land-records-to-aadhaar-is-fake-and-mischievous-Govt/articleshow/59218590.cms?
Govt has clarified that a letter attributed to the Cabinet Secretariat on digitalisation of land records and subsequent linking of land records to Aadhaar is completely fake and mischievous.The said letter is being widely circulated in some sections of social media. The Govt of India has clarified that it has issued no such letter. A police complaint has been filed in this regard and the matter is being investigated.TOI
Gujarat: Mahatma memorial is now Patanjali warehouse; ghee, rugs, banners stored in rooms
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-gujarat-mahatma-gandhi-memorial-is-now-patanjali-warehouse-ghee-rugs-banners-stored-in-rooms-2476145?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news-alert&utm_source=app
Ahmedabad: Until a month ago, a few good minutes spent in Mahatma Gandhi Smruti Khand (memorial) in Old Circuit House, Shahibaug, would be as good as a visit to a sanctum sanctorum. Today, step inside the room and you will have Patanjali ghee, rugs, banners and pamphlets welcoming you!Smruti Khand, which, 95 years ago, was a court room from where the Father of nation was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of sedition, has been turned into a warehouse of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, a company founded by Baba Ramdev.From May 25, of the 28 rooms in the circuit house - the oldest in city - 12 have been given to Patanjali. While it has turned one room, the Smruti Khand, into a store room, the remaining rooms have been occupied by its staff, camping in the city to prepare for the yoga day.Asked how Patanjali was granted the permission to use the room, Chirag Patel, Shahibaug sub-division deputy executive engineer who is in charge of all circuit houses in Ahmedabad city, said, “We don't know who gave them the permission to use it as a warehouse.” Deputy CM Nitin Patel denied any knowledge of Patanjali using Smruti Khand as a store room.The Smruti Khand houses files and documents related to Gandhiji.TCN
By invoking NSA, we want to instil fear in those who kill the cow: UP Deputy CM
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/we-want-to-instil-fear-in-those-who-kill-the-cow/article19099643.ece
Lucknow: Defending the UP Govt’s decision to invoke the National Security Act (NSA) against those involved in cow slaughter and cow smuggling, UP Deputy CM and State BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya tells The Hindu that it is aimed at “instilling fear in the hearts of such people”. He said, "If the NSA is lodged against somebody who smuggles or slaughters cow/cow progeny, I feel that will create fear in another person who is planning to do it. The Govt’s thought behind invoking the NSA in such crimes is to instil fear in the hearts of those who work in this sector that if such incidents happen, harsh action will follow."the hindu
UP Govt to set up cow shelters in jails
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/up-govt-to-set-up-cow-shelters-in-jails-4710830/
Lucknow:UP Govt is working on a proposal to set up gaushalas in jails across the state. Minister of State for Jails Jai Kumar Singh said the department has sought information from all jails about the possibility of setting up cow shelters. He said work for development of a cow shelter has started in Gautam Buddha Nagar jail.Last year,BJP-ruled Haryana had announced setting up gaushalas in its jails. Indian Express
SC issues notice to Centre, MCI over Maulana Jauhar university's plea demanding medical course
http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-249909.html
New Delhi: Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Central Govt and the Medical Council of India (MCI) after hearing a petition by the Maulana Jauhar University challenging the council's decision of non grant of permission to establish a medical college. The apex court has sought their response within three weeks.The petition has sought the permission of medical courses.The trust managing the University, Jauhar Trust, has alleged that due process wasn't followed while rejecting its request.Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan is also one of the trustees in the Jauhar Trust.Khan established the university in 2013 in UP 's Rampur. University had sought permission from the Central Govt and MCI for the medical course this year.ANI
Telangana: Communal elements hoisted Saffron flag at the minaret of Masjid in Jagtiyal, area tense
http://www.siasat.com/news/communal-elements-hoisted-saffron-flag-minaret-masjid-jagtiyal-area-tense-1201625/
Hyderabad: In Kodmiyal Mandal of Jagtiyal district, situation became tense when the Muslims saw a saffron flag at the entrance of the masjid while returning in the morning after offering Fajar prayer.The news spread in the districts of Kareem Nagar and Jagtiyal like wild fire. Muslims youths started assembling at the Masjid in large numbers. On receiving information, Mr. Kiran Kumar Inspector of Police reached the newly constructed Masjid at Kodmiyal. Muslim youths raised slogans demanding the arrest of the culprits. They refused to remove the flag till the SP of the district arrives. Meanwhile, district SP, Mr. Anant Sharma reached Kodmiyal with a large police force. He negotiated with the local Muslims. A large number of Muslims from Kareem Nagar and Jagtiyal district also reached the place. They staged Rasta Roko program in front of the Masjid. They strongly demanded to arrest the culprits.siasay
WORLD
1 dead in attack outside London mosque, attacker yelled ‘I’ll kill all Muslims’
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/1-dead-as-van-rams-people-outside-london-mosque-attacker-yelled-i-ll-kill-all-muslims/story-pa6bpLRPsiZaFqf3flMoHK.html
London: One man died and 10 others were injured when a man drove a van into worshippers leaving a London mosque after Ramzan prayers early on Monday, the third terror incident in Britain in three months involving a vehicle, after the attacks on Westminster and London bridges.Witnesses said the van driver was a “large white man”, who was apprehended by members of the public soon after the incident near Finsbury Park. He was quoted as shouting: “I want to kill all Muslims.”A man, who was already being given first aid at the scene before the van rammed the pedestrians, has died but police said it was unclear whether his death was directly linked. At least two of the injured are in a very serious condition.After chairing a meeting of the Govt’s emergency committee, called Cobra, PM Theresa May said: “This was an attack on Muslims near their place of worship. And like all terrorism, in whatever form, it shares the same fundamental goal…It is a reminder that terrorism, extremism and hatred take many forms, and our determination to tackle them must be the same whoever is responsible.”May also announced the setting up of a “Commission for Countering Extremism” with statutory status to help fight hatred and extremism in the same way as racism.She said that there had “been far too much tolerance of extremism in our country over many years – and that means extremism of any kind, including Islamophobia. That is why this Govt will act to stamp out extremist and hateful ideology – both across society and on the internet, so it is denied a safe space to grow.”Neil Basu, Scotland Yard’s senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, confirmed it was being treated as a terror incident: “No matter what the motivation proves to be, and we are keeping an open mind, this is being treated as a terrorist attack and the Counter Terrorism Command is investigating.”All the victims were from the Muslim community, Basu said.Witness Abdulrahman Saleh Alamoudi told BuzzFeed News: “This big van just came and went all over us…He (the driver) was screaming...’I’m going to kill all Muslims’.”Sky News reported that the mosque’s imam, Mohammed Mahmoud, prevented the crowd from beating the attacker, aged 48, until police arrived and arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder. The Finsbury Park mosque, is one of the largest in the UK. Muslim Council of Britain said Monday’s attack was the most violent manifestation of Islamophobia in Britain in recent months and called for extra security at places of worship.HT
London mosque attack: driver shouted 'I want to kill all Muslims,' witness says
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/19/several-casualties-reported-after-van-hits-pedestrians-in-north-london
Imam Saves Driver From Angry Mob After Terror Attack
http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/mosque-imam-saves-driver-from-angry-mob-after-terror-attack-1714193
Officials: 17-yr-old Muslim girl assaulted and killed after leaving Virginia mosque
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/fairfax-loudoun-police-searching-for-missing-17-year-old-reported-to-have-been-assaulted/2017/06/18/02e379ac-5466-11e7-a204-ad706461fa4f_story.html?utm_term=.3eb0b4907dd1
Police found remains Sunday thought to be those of a missing Virginia teenager who they say was assaulted and disappeared overnight after leaving a mosque in the Sterling area, and a 22-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the case.The mosque, the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) in Sterling, and relatives identified the girl as 17-year-old Nabra Hassanen of Reston.Fairfax County police identified the man charged with murder in her death as Darwin Martinez Torres of Sterling.According to accounts from police and a mosque official, a group of four or five teens were walking back from breakfast at IHOP early Sunday when they were confronted by a motorist. All but one of the teens ran to the mosque, where the group reported that the girl had been left behind, according to Deputy Aleksandra Kowalski, a spokeswoman for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.“I can’t think of a worse instance to occur than the loss of a 17-year-old on Father’s Day, as the father of a 17-year-old myself,” Loudoun County Sheriff Michael L. Chapman said.Shoyeb Hassan, the co-chair of ADAMS, said that during the last 10 days of Ramadan, the mosque has extra prayers at midnight and 2 a.m., and members frequently go to McDonald’s or the 24-hour IHOP to eat before they start their fast at sunrise, as Nabra and her friends were doing.
Shootings kill or injure 19 US children each day; boys,teens and blacks most at risk: Study
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/shootings-kill-or-injure-19-us-children-each-day-boys-teens-and-blacks-most-at-risk-study/story-FtCBjE5rijySJCCsqv4TyM.html
Chicago:Shootings kill or injure at least 19 US children each day, with boys, teenagers and blacks most at risk, according to a Govt study that paints a bleak portrait of persistent violence. The analysis of 2002-14 US data is billed as the most comprehensive study on the topic. While it mostly confirms previously released information, it underscores why researchers view gun violence as a public health crisis.The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention involves children and teens through age 17. It was compiled by analysing death certificates and emergency room reports. Among the findings published Monday in the journal Pediatrics:—The yearly toll is nearly 1,300 deaths and almost 6,000 non-fatal gunshot wounds — most of them intentional.—Most deaths result from homicides and suicides, while assaults caused most of the non-fatal injuries.—The annual death rate is nearly 2 out of 100,000 children — the rate is double for blacks — while non-fatal gunshot wounds injure almost 8 out of 100,000 kids each year.—Suicides increased from 2007-14, from 325 to 532. The suicide rate increased 60% over those years to 1.6% per 100,000. One-third of these kids were depressed and most had experienced a recent crisis, including relationship breakups and problems at school.—Homicides fell from 2007-14, from 1,038 to 699, the rate dropping by 36% to less than 1 per 100,000.AP
GULF DIPLOMATIC CRISIS
Gulf crisis: Bahrain orders Qatar troops fighting Islamic State to leave the country
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/gulf-crisis-bahrain-orders-qatar-troops-fighting-islamic-state-to-leave-the-country/story-WrYbAqZFMXtfQUVIEShStM.html
Doha:Bahrain has ordered Qatari troops serving with a coalition fighting the Islamic State group to leave its territory, a source with knowledge of the situation said on Sunday.The soldiers, part of the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) which is headquartered in Bahrain, had been asked to leave the coalition and may depart within the next 48 hours, the source told AFP. “Bahrainis told the US general in command of the base that Qatari soldiers must leave,” the source said on condition of anonymity.“They are still in the base but likely to leave within the next two days.”AFP
Qatar FM: We won't negotiate until blockade is lifted
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/qatar-fm-won-negotiate-blockade-lifted-170619135028966.html
Qatar will not negotiate with Arab states that have cut economic and travel ties with it unless they reverse their measures and lift the blockade, its foreign minister said, ruling out discussions over Qatar's internal affairs including Al Jazeera TV."Qatar is under blockade, there is no negotiation. They have to lift the blockade to start negotiations," Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said."Until now we didn't see any progress about lifting the blockade, which is the precondition for anything to move forward." aljazeera
UAE: Qatar's isolation may 'last years'
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/anwar-gargash-qatar-isolation-years-170619104939521.html
Qatar's diplomatic isolation could "last years", a UAE minister has said during a visit to Paris. The comments by Anwar Gargash, UAE state minister for foreign affairs, accusing Qatar of "supporting jihadists", come as the deadline for Qataris to leave 2 Arab Gulf countries - expires. aljazeera
Palestine Scholars: Qatar stood by Gaza when nobody else did
https://english.palinfo.com/news/2017/6/18/Palestine-Scholars-Qatar-stood-by-Gaza-when-nobody-else-did
Gaza(PIC):Head of the Palestine Scholars Association, Dr Marwan Abu Ras, lauded Qatar’s pro-Palestine position and stressed Palestinians’ support for the Govt and people of Qatar.“We are here today, in the blockaded Gaza Strip, to tell the world that our sole enemies are the Israeli colonizers who forced us out of our own and only lands,” said Abu Ras. “It is high time Arabs and Muslims combined forces in the face of the Israeli occupation.”“We, Palestine Scholars, hail all those who have rallied round the Palestinian people and Gaza. We are most grateful to Qatar which has left its stamp in every street and at every home in besieged Gaza,” he said.“Our homes have been lit, infrastructure rehabilitated, and hospitals equipped thanks to Qatar,” added Abu Ras as he paid tribute to the Qatari Govt and NGOs.
Senior Iranian official visits Qatar
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170619-senior-iranian-official-visits-qatar/
A senior Iranian official has visited Doha and met with Qatari officials to discuss the Arab blockade on the Gulf state, Iranian news agency IRNA reported.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasimi, said Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, Hussein Gabri Ansari, paid a short visit to Qatar where he met with Qatari officials and exchanged views on bilateral relations and international issues.In an interview with IRNA yesterday, Qasimi stressed that Iran always seeks unity and solidarity among the Islamic world and helps establish the foundations of peace and security in the region, adding that this visit comes in continuation of previous consultations with Qatari officials. middleeastmonitor
Activists circulate Saudi ruling that the Muslim Brotherhood is among ‘righteous Islamic groups’
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170619-activists-circulate-saudi-ruling-that-the-muslim-brotherhood-is-among-righteous-islamic-groups/
Activists on social media are circulating a legal opinion (fatwa) by late Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz, in which the former Mufti of Saudi Arabia stated his position on the Muslim Brotherhood. Bin Baz served as the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia from 1992 until his death in 1999.The question to which Bin Baz responded was: “In the Muslim world today, there are several groups and methods, Sufism for example, in addition to the Tablighi Jamaat, Muslim Brotherhood, Sunnis and Shia. How can we know the groups which abide by the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet?”Bin Baz issued his fatwa in his role as chairman of Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Iftaa in Saudi Arabia. In Fatwa 6250 he said: “The most righteous Islamic groups and the closest to the teachings of the Prophet are Ahl Al-Sunnah, including Ahl Al-Hadith, Jamaat Ansar Al-Sunna and then comes the Muslim Brotherhood. In general, all of the Islamic groups can be right or wrong at times, so you need to collaborate with them when doing the right thing and avoid the errors they make. I advise all Muslims to cooperate in order to achieve righteousness and piety.”
Qatar: Arab rift is a ‘publicity stunt’
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170619-qatar-arab-rift-is-a-publicity-stunt/
The actions Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt are taking against Qatar are a “publicity stunt” aimed solely at attacking its image and reputation, a senior Qatari official said in a statement today.As the boycott of the Gulf state enters its third week, Sheikh Saif Bin Ahmed Al-Thani, director of Qatar’s Govt Communications Office, said: “The blockade has been ongoing for two weeks and the blockading nations have offered no formula for resolving the crisis.”It is unfortunate that our neighbours have chosen to invest their time and resources in a baseless propaganda campaign… The blockading nations are using terrorism as a publicity stunt. The four countries accuse Qatar of fomenting instability in the Middle East, funding terrorism and cosying up to Iran, Saudi’s arch rival in the region. Accusations Qatar denies. Middleeastmonitor
OTHERS
Hamas delegation reaches ‘understandings’ with Egypt and meets Dahlan reps
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170619-hamas-delegation-reaches-understandings-with-egypt-and-meets-dahlan-reps/
Hamas has announced that a delegation of its senior officials which visited Cairo last week also met with representatives of ousted Fatah leader Mohamed Dahlan in the Egyptian capital. In a meeting in Gaza on Sunday, senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya briefed journalists on the results of the trip.“The last trip was an extension of several previous visits over 15 months,” explained Al-Hayya, “but it was the most fruitful. We reached understandings that we hope to see implemented on the ground soon.”These understandings include the “regular” opening of the Rafah Border Crossing, facilitating commercial exchange between Gaza and Egypt and facilitating movement of people and fuel. In return, Hamas will increase its security measures on the border with Egypt.When asked about the meeting with Dahlan’s representatives, the Hamas official said that they agreed to “sort out” some of the issues which have emerged since Hamas became the elected Govt of Palestine. Among these is social reconciliation between the families of Hamas and Fatah members who were killed during the chaos which preceded Hamas’s expulsion of Dahlan’s Fatah security forces from Gaza in 2007. In addition, they agreed to activate a social solidarity fund and collect money from unnamed Arab states in order to help the poor in Gaza. middleeastmonitor
Pressure on Hamas will not turn people against it, insists Israeli academic: middleeastmonitor
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170619-pressure-on-hamas-will-not-turn-people-against-it-insists-israeli-academic/
A professor of Middle East Studies at the Moshe Dayan Centre in Tel Aviv has said that increasing the pressure on Hamas will not turn people against the movement, Al-Resalah reported on Sunday. Eyal Zisser gave his opinion in an article for Israel Today, a newspaper close to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Nevertheless, he pointed out that previous experience should teach Israel that continuous pressure on Hamas will necessarily lead to ousting it or helping the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority and Egypt to grab control of the Gaza Strip. “It is true that the Israeli policy towards Gaza is not ideal, but it has proved itself during the past few years,” he added.
Iran and China conduct naval drill in Gulf
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170618-iran-and-china-conduct-naval-drill-in-gulf/
Iran and China began a joint naval exercise in the Gulf on Sunday, IRNA reported.The military drill comes at a time of heightened tension between the Iranian and US military in the Gulf and is likely to be a cause of concern for Washington.
US shoots down Syrian fighter jet near Raqqa, alleges it of bombing coalition forces
http://www.firstpost.com/world/us-shoots-down-syrian-fighter-jet-near-raqqa-alleges-it-of-bombing-coalition-forces-3711371.html
Damascus: An American fighter jet shot down a Syrian warplane that the US-led coalition said attacked its allies in the fight against the Islamic State group in the war-torn country. The escalation comes as Syria's 6-year-old war becomes ever more complex, with US forces and their allies converging on the northern Islamic State bastion of Raqqa in close proximity to Russian-backed regime troops.Further complicating matters, Iran said it launched missile strikes Sunday against "terror bases" in Syria's northeastern Deir Ezzor province in revenge for deadly attacks on its capital claimed by Islamic State.AFP
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
Darjeeling unrest: Here is a history of the Gorkhas and a lazy hamlet called Dorjeling:Kritika Agarwal,
http://indianexpress.com/article/research/darjeeling-unrest-here-is-a-history-of-the-gorkhas-and-a-lazy-hamlet-called-dorjeling-4710333/
Akhilesh too ordered Waqf board dissolution; Supreme Court stayed it: hindustantimes
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/akhilesh-yadav-too-ordered-waqf-board-dissolution-supreme-court-stayed-it/story-JY4l6k3t051whjyTgDmuVJ.html
Modi comes out of the closet with Israel:PR Kumaraswamy, lecturer at JNU, indianexpress
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/pm-narendra-modi-comes-out-of-the-closet-with-israel-4710941/
It’s Cricket, not War;Hamid Mir
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/its-cricket-not-war-champions-trophy-india-vs-pakistan-cricket-match-4711116/
Between the headlines: In 20 yrs, more poultry than cattle:Amitabh Sinha: indianexpress
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/between-the-headlines-in-20-yrs-more-poultry-than-cattle/
How media framed Indian Muslim when Pakistani beat India in a cricket match; Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net
http://twocircles.net/2017jun19/411630.html
Modi govt. will fall if Muslims shun beef for just 6 months: Siasat Feature
http://www.siasat.com/news/modi-govt-will-fall-muslims-shun-beef-just-6-months-1201391/
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:50 PM)
