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Evening NEWS DIGEST
09 July 2017: 14 Shawwal 1438: Vol: 8, No:232
INDIA
Muslims 'Educationally Most Disadvantaged' Among Minorities: Panel
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/muslims-educationally-most-disadvantaged-among-minorities-panel-1722519
New Delhi:Muslims are the "educationally most disadvantaged community" among the minorities, a panel formed by a Govt -funded agency has said, advocating a 3-tier model to tackle the educational backwardness. The panel has recommended that the communities be empowered through a 3-tier model of institutions--central schools, community colleges and national institutes. It suggests creation of infrastructure to proffer education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels by opening 211 schools, 25 community colleges and five national institutes.It has suggested the proposed schools could follow the Kendriya Vidyalaya or Navodaya Vidyalaya pattern while the community colleges may be based on open access model.When contacted, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told PTI recommendations are in line with the Govt campaign to empower the minorities educationally. "We are currently studying the report. We will figure out the components which can be easily implemented. We will try to implement the do-ables from the next academic year," he added.On Dec29 last year, the Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) had formed the 11-member committee with Afzal Amanullah, ex-secretary with the Govt , as its convenor.MAEF is a non-profit and non-political social services organisation funded by the ministry."The educationally most disadvantaged community among minorities in India are the Muslims. They are lagging behind in literacy, enrolments and in successful completion of courses at primary, secondary and tertiary levels," the committee has observed in the report."We feel the 3-tier model...would have a very positive and salutary effect in tackling the educational backwardness of the minorities and getting their children into the mainstream where they become proud contributors to the development of our nation," it said.The committee has suggested national institutes-- different from the university system and IITs/IIMs-- should be established through an Act of Parliament.It has proposed establishing 211 central schools: one in each minority concentrated block of the 167 identified minority-dominant and concentrated districts.The remaining 44 are proposed to be established in minority-dominant and concentrated cities.The schools should have sufficient infrastructure like buildings, classrooms, library, laboratory and facilities such as mess, it has recommended.They will be co-educational, will give free education and follow CBSE curriculum from class I to XII with 3 streams of education - arts, science and commerce.PTI/NDTV
3-tier model required to tackle educational backwardness in Muslim community: Panel
http://www.newsnation.in/india-news/3-tier-model-required-to-cure-educational-disadvantage-in-muslim-community-panel-article-176482.html
RSS ideologue MS Golwalkar’s views on nationalism need to be put in right perspective: HRD body
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/modi-mohan-bhagwat-rss-ideologue-ms-golwalkars-views-on-nationalism-need-to-be-put-in-right-perspective-hrd-body-4742602/
New Delhi:RSS ideologue MS Golwalkar’s views on nationalism have been “misunderstood and maligned” and need to be put in “correct” perspective, according to a body affiliated to the HRD ministry. PM Narendra Modi referred to Golwalkar, the second RSS chief, as “Poojniya Guru Ji” in his book–“Jyotipunj”–in which he tells the life stories of 16 men who inspired him. Indian Council for Philosophical Research (ICPR), set up by the HRD ministry to promote research in philosophy and assist projects in the field, believes that Golwalkar’s views on nationalism have been misunderstood and maligned by his adversaries. A seminar titled “Concepts of Nation and Nationalism in the thoughts of MS Golwalkar” will be organised probably next month.The council has invited entries from scholars till July 27 following which a date for the seminar will be decided. “The seminar aims at putting the views of Golwalkar in correct perspective since he has been much misunderstood and maligned by his adversaries. He was a champion of robust nationalism. indianexpress
Debunkers of fake news, videos on IS recruits, Jharkhand child traffickers, playing Holi with cow blood, RSS man being murdered, burning alive girl for not wearing burqa
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fake-news-warriors-meet-the-people-who-debunk-fake-news-one-post-at-a-time/story-eLOYOfvrTMzn5AfuCfCRUP.html
In Kerala’s Kasargod district, Islamic State is luring young Hindus with money. IS has a rate card which carries the amount – 1 lakh to 7 lakh – given to IS recruits to convert Hindu girls. The rates are Rs.5 lakh for a Hindu Brahmin girl, ~ 7 lakh rupees for a Sikh Punjabi girl and Rs. 4.5 lakh for a Hindu Kshatriya girl.At least, this is according to a report broadcasted on a national English news channel in June. The basis of the ‘rate card’ was a fake WhatsApp message which had been doing the rounds for more than a year.It was one of the many distorted stories that were shared on social media and one which the news channel fell for.Apart from influencing the political discourse and triggering communal violence, these stories – often in the form of image with text written on it – can result in explosive situations when circulated in an already charged atmosphere. For more than 2 months, villagers in Jharkhand, a child trafficking hub, were receiving WhatsApp messages carrying pictures of purported details of child traffickers including their attire. The result? In May, villagers lynched 7 men to death mistaking them for kidnappers.It is in this backdrop that organisations such as AltNews, Boom and SM Hoaxslayer have taken it upon themselves to call out fake news.They monitor social media to identify information which prima facie appears false, verify it and if the information is fake, relay the correction.It was an AltNews investigation that found out the truth about the IS rate card while Boom ran a reverse search to prove that the image of man and a little girl with blood on their faces, with accompanying text saying that they were making India secular by playing Holi with the blood of a cow, was actually a picture from Egypt. With the surge of digital platforms and the penetration of smartphones, fake news reaches many more people than before. Which means that by the time websites debunk fake news, proving that an image or video is flawed, it has already been shared and believed by thousands of people. In Aug.2016, Pratik Sinha, Ahmedabad-based techie and founder of the website truthofgujarat participated in a long march on foot from Ahmedabad to Una to protest the flogging of Dalit men. Concerned to see that there was hardly any media coverage of the march, Sinha, and a friend decided to launch a digital outlet to talk about people’s issues. Debunking fake news was one of the objectives of the site. When they eventually launched AltNews in Feb.this year, their posts on fake news attracted far more attention than the other features of the site. Since then, they have done numerous fake news breaks.“We keep track of social media. We also keep getting messages from people asking us to verify forwards which do not appear genuine to them,” says Sinha. “Thirdly, we look for virality of an item on social media. For example, during PM Modi’s visit to the US last month, his loyalists circulated a video claiming that it was Modi’s cavalcade in US. Video went viral. We checked and found that it was footage of Barack Obama’s entourage from 2010,” says Sinha.Another emerging pattern is the appearance of a fake video coinciding with a major political event in the country. When the mainstream media was debating the Left versus RSS battle in Kerala, a fake video went viral showing a man being stabbed multiple times. The video claimed that it was an RSS worker being murdered by a Left worker. In fact, it was a video from Mexico.People getting lynched by mobs is one very visible consequence of fake news. But that’s not the only impact. Sinha recalls a 4-minute video that was supposedly of a Hindu Marwari girl from AP married to a Muslim man; she was being beaten up and burnt alive by a few people belonging to the Muslim community, all because she was apparently not wearing a burqa. It is actually a video from Guatemala. In 2014, Govindraj Ethiraj, ex-editor-in-chief of Bloomberg TV India, started the not-for-profit platform, Factchecker.in to fact-check policy-level news. HT
W.Bengal communal riots: BJP MLA asks Hindus to respond like they did in Gujarat
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/west-bengal-communal-clashes-mamta-banerjee-bjp-mla-raja-singh-asks-hindus-to-respond-similar-to-2002-gujarat-riots-4742537/
New Delhi: With West Bengal’s Baduria and Basirhat on the boil, BJP MLA H Raja Singh urged members of the Hindu community in the state to “respond in the same way” as Hindus in Gujarat did in 2002. In a video message posted on Twitter, the MLA from Hyderabad can be heard seen saying, “Today, Hindus are not safe in the West Bengal state. Hindus in Bengal should respond to people involved in communal violence as Hindus in Gujarat did. Otherwise, soon Bengal will turn into Bangladesh.” He also asks “Bengal Tigers” to awake and unite in order to protect themselves.Raja Singh also blamed the West Bengal Govt for failing to control the tense situation in the state and alleged that they are supporting those who are spreading communalism. “The state Govt is supporting those who are spreading communalism. I want to appeal to those who are secular that if you want Bengal’s Hindus to be safe and secure then you have to be more aware. If you failed to attain security in the state then you will also face the consequences like Hindus in Kashmir faced, will also be banished like Kashmiri Hindus,” he added. indian express
Bengal Riots: Muslims Raise Money To Help Hindu Neighbours Rebuild Their Gutted Shops
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/bengal-riots-muslims-raise-money-to-help-hindu-neighbours-rebulild-their-gutted-/299518
Amid uneasy calm that prevails in West Bengal's Basirhat, North 24 Paraganas district, following communal clashes this week, Muslims have come forward to raise money to help Hindu neighbours rebuild their gutted shops and businesses. As many as 100 shops and homes were vandalised in Basirhat.The communal clashes broke out on Tuesday over an objectionable Facebook post by a 17-year-old boy. A violent mob put up road blockades at several places and attacked members of the other community, besides destroying many shops.“Even after the demolition of the Babri mosque, our town remained peaceful. What happened since Tuesday was not right. Some outsiders and some of our local boys are to blame. But now we are pooling money for our Hindu neighbours. We want them to forget the losses and start afresh,” Gaji, a local businessman, said.Ajay Pal, a shopkeeper, said he lost goods worth more than Rs 15,000 when hundreds of people came and ransacked his shop.“They took away everything. I do not know why. My neighbours and Muslim friends are now offering me money to restart my business. I will take a decision soon,” he told the newspaper.Basirhat and Baduria have been calm since Thursday. According to the daily, a couple of peace meetings have been held in Basirhat, at which leaders of both communities and police were present. out look india
When Muslims were attacked for saving Hindus, &Hindus took Muslims to hospitals: Stories of compassion, love and respect emerge from riot-hit Bengal
http://twocircles.net/2017jul08/412615.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
W.Bengal's Basirhat riot: How Muslims pooled money to help Hindus targetted by rioters
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/baduria-basirhat-riot-how-muslims-pooled-money-to-help-hindus-targetted-by-rioters-west-bengal-mamata-banerjee-trinamool-bjp/755604/
Series of meetings held in violence-hit W. Bengal town to soothe tempers
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/basirhat-violence-series-of-meetings-held-in-violence-hit-west-bengal-town-to-soothe-tempers-4742212/
2 weeks after Junaid’s lynching, no one from his village has boarded a train
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/two-weeks-after-junaid-s-lynching-no-one-from-his-village-has-boarded-a-train/story-fScltufNlC9R0anyKPGT3L.html
Ballabhgarh: About 2 weeks after a young Muslim boy was killed on board a train for being a suspected beef eater, the same EMU local between Mathura and Delhi was hurtling down the tracks.A lifeline for residents of Ballabhgarh in Haryana from where 16-year-old Junaid Khan hailed, the train was sparsely crowded. In a compartment sat Junaid’s younger brother Afzal and cousin Faisal along with a few Muslim traders.Everybody was sitting back and engaging in banter until the conversation turned to Junaid’s lynching on June 22. The mood suddenly turned grim.Sabir Ali, a vegetable trader, insisted those behind Junaid’s killing were twisted in their heads. “In my experience, Hindu-Muslim relationship is fine. We live and work next to Hindus. No problems. It is only the politicians who gain from dividing the communities. This cow business is all about votes, right?” he asked. Junaid’s brothers kept quiet but another co-passenger jumped in. “You are totally right,” Kundan Sharma, a middle-aged businessman agreed. “It’s all about politics”.It’s because of this fear that no one in his village, Khandawali, seven km into Ballabhgarh, had got on a train since Junaid’s killing.His father, 50-year-old Jalaluddin Khan, can’t remember when people in his village stopped travelling out of fear last.Junaid’s brothers got on the train this Thursday only in the company of HT reporters.HT
Prime accused in Junaid lynching worked as a security guard in Delhi: Police
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/accused-in-junaid-khan-lynching-being-interrogated-police/story-B5PZzbqrsuaBUlsJpa4WhI.html
Faridabad: The prime accused in the killing of Junaid Khan on-board a Mathura-bound train was working as a security guard in Delhi and has confessed to having stabbed the Muslim youth, a senior police official said on Sunday.The accused, who was on the run since June 22, was arrested on Saturday from Dhule district of Maharashtra.On the claim of the victim’s brothers that they were called “beef eaters” by the accused, Goyal said, “No such thing has come to the fore during the main accused’s questioning so far.”He said the accused, whose identity was being withheld pending completion of some legal procedure, had boarded the train from Shivaji bridge station in Delhi. Replying to a question, Goyal said the main fight had started between the victim and another man Rameshwar, who was earlier arrested in the case. HT
Junaid’s family demands death penalty for accused
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ballabhgarh-lynching-junaid-s-family-demands-death-penalty-for-accused/story-yfhnkE1xRI6GwaOFNX486K.html
Mangaluru: RSS, SDPI workers murder flare-up Bantwal on the boil
http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/news/state/rss-worker-murder-bantwal-on-the-boil/articleshow/59506696.cms
Bangalore: For the last few months, tension has been palpable in several parts of Mangaluru. The epicentre of the flare-up is Bantwal which has witnessed three murders, several stone-pelting incidents, protest rallies, allegations and counter allegations by influential leaders, virulent social media campaigns and transfer of police officers. All this unfolded despite the fact that prohibitory orders, under Section 144 of the CrPc, have been in place in the entire taluk. The biggest flashpoint in the region was the murder of gram panchayat vice-president Jaleel Karopady by unidentified miscreants on April 20. At least 10 suspects were arrested and a case was registered at the Vittal police station. The murder of Ashraf Kalaai, the president of SDPI Ammunje unit, in June was another blow to the region’s stability and peace. The police made several arrests in the case.The last straw was the brutal assault on Sharat Madiwala, 28, an RSS worker, at BC Road last week. He was declared dead on Friday and on Saturday, Bantwal almost came to a standstill. So why has the region been on the boil, especially in the last few months? Suresh Bhat Bakrabail of the Komu Souharda Vedike, an organisation that promotes communal harmony, pointed at the approaching Assembly polls. He told BM: “About 68 incidents of communal tension have already been reported in undivided Dakshina Kannada and Udupi and the sudden spurt of tension in the last two months can be linked to the forthcoming elections. The goal of the BJP is to grab power in Karnataka. Radical Muslim outfits are adding ghee to the fire. There is a breakdown in the law-and-order situation in the district. Despite Section 144 is in place, a huge protest was carried out by RSS. The state govt is doing nothing, but issuing statements.”Bangalore Mirror
A steady build-up of communal tension in Dakshina Kannada
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/a-steady-build-up-of-communal-tension-in-dakshina-kannada/article19241843.ece
RSS worker’s funeral procession turns violent after stone pelting
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2017/jul/09/rss-workers-funeral-procession-turns-violent-following-stone-pelting-1626260.html
Communal tension grips Uttarakhand town after ‘offensive’ FB post on Kedarnath
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/communal-tension-grips-uttarakhand-town-after-offensive-facebook-post-on-kedarnath/story-Tuxf7OyeLqtu7WkTj4D7ZN.html
Dehradun: Communal tension gripped an Uttarakhand town on Sunday as activists of Bajrang Dal and other right-wing organisations vandalised a vegetable shop belonging to family of a minor boy who allegedly posted an ‘offensive’ picture of the Kedarnath shrine on Facebook.Police said additional forces were sent to Satpuli town, in the state’s Garhwal district to prevent further flare-up.According to an eyewitness account, several right-wing activists swooped on the shop and burnt vegetable boxes kept there while shouting pro-Hindu slogans.“They were also searching for the vegetable vendor who had fled the shop,”said Pawan Negi, eyewitness.A Bajrang Dal worker in a video, filmed by an eyewitness, said they will continue the protest unless the culprit is arrested. Satpuli, a quaint town some 150kms from the state capital Dehradun has no history of communal tension in the past.“4 to 5 Muslim families have been living in the town for long without any incident of communal violence,” SP said.HT
Couple seeks divorce after converted husband refuses to follow Islam
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/couple-seeks-divorce-after-husband-refuses-to-follow-islam/articleshow/59506848.cms
Agra: An interesting case has come up in district family court of Agra, where a couple has filed a divorce petition, as the husband refused to follow Islam and did not like his unborn child practicing it either. Hailing from a very influential family in Agra, the man, a Hindu, is a dealer in luxury vehicles. The woman, who is from Kashmir, is a doctor. They got married in 2012 under section 13 of the Special Marriage Act, conducted by the additional district marriage (finance) of Agra. The marriage was also solemnised as per Islamic civil law and a proper nikahnama was issued by a qazi in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.According to the petition filed by the couple, the woman allegedly did not allow her husband to follow Hindu customs and religion, creating a rift between her mother-in-law and herself. This in turn caused "mental trauma" for the husband as he was unable to handle the situation.Further, the man informed the court of the additional district judge, his wife allegedly coerced him to let their unborn child follow Islam and insisted that he or she should also have a Muslim name, to which the man did not agree.It is interesting to note that, during the marriage, the husband had changed his religion and name for the nikahnama, but later retained his original identity during marriage registration under Special Marriage Act.The two petitioners claimed to the court that both of them made all possible efforts to keep their relationship healthy but they failed, after which the woman left her husband and moved to Hanover, Germany for higher studies.They are now separated. The case was presented on Friday in district family court and the next date of hearing is in Jan.2018.TOI
Delhi: Tughlaq era's Begumpur Mosque lies in ruins, as alcoholics frequent it
http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-tughlaq-era-s-begumpur-mosque-lies-in-ruins-as-alcoholics-frequent-it-2496310
Lying in the heart of Delhi, in Malviya Nagar, Begumpur Mosque, once known as the crown of the Tughlaq era, lies in a state of disrepair and neglect.Locals living around the area complain of inaction by the authorities as rowdy elements continue to harm the site and create a law and order problem in the area.Vikramjit Singh Rooprai,a renowned heritage activist in Delhi said,"Begumpur Mosque, once had a glorious past but today it stands as a mute spectator to young boys, who climb the tall wall to drink alcohol, and then break the bottles on its stairs thus destroying the structure. Our utter disrespect for our heritage shows our awareness level, and how much we care for our past."Activists also pointed out that the mosque area has gradually been encroached upon by villagers from Haryana.A local proudly told DNA that his ancestors lived inside the mosque when hundreds of them came here in 1921.Naturally, the lack of care and encroachment has taken its toll on the mosque.In 1921, a portion of the mosque roof collapsed after which Archaeological Survey of India cleared it from encroachers. Begumpur Mosque is one of the seven mosques said to have been built by Khan-i-Jahan Junan Shah, PM of Firuz Shah Tughlaq between 1326 and 1327.DNA
Hyderabad: Muslim groups protest against Naqvi's silence on killings
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/muslim-groups-protest-against-naqvi-s-silence-on-killings-117070800722_1.html
Hyderabad: Two Muslim organisations staged a protest during the visit by Union Minister for Minorities Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi here on Saturday over his silence on the lynching of Muslims by cow vigilantes.Condemning Naqvi's silence, Tehreek-e-Muslim Shabban (TMS) and Darasgah Jihad-o-Shadat (DJS) tried to stage a sit-in at Haj House.Police arrested the leaders and activists of the two organisations and shifted them to a police station.Mild tension prevailed as TMS President Mushtaq Malik had an argument with the police officers, who refused to allow any protest.Malik told reporters that they wanted to stage a peaceful protest and meet Naqvi to submit a representation over the killings. He said the BJP Govt was allowing the 'gorakshaks' to lynch Muslims in the name of cow protection.-IANS
‘Not in my name’ protest held in Ranchi, memorandum handed over to Jharkhand Governer
http://twocircles.net/2017jul08/412565.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Another episode to the ‘not in my protest’ was added yesterday from Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand. The protest was held against mob lynching incidents which are continuously rising day by day.Even last week, one Muslim was lynched in Ranchi after carcasses of dead cow were found outside of his house. With the massive protest held at Rajbhawan, a memorandum was handed over to the Governor of Jharkhand.Notable names who took part in the protest were of Simon Oraon, Jean Dreze, Ibrar Ahmad, Madhu Mansoori, Dinesh Singh, Harinarayan Singh, Ratan Tirki, Lalit Ojha, Mokhtar Ahmad, Prakash Viplavi, Bhuvneshwar Kevat, Afzal Anees, Tanveer Ahmad, Khalid Saifullah, M A Chaudhary, Mahua Manjhi, Khalid Khalil and Sharique Ansar.TCN
Bijnor blast case: NIA yet to ID deceased as SIMI men
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/bijnor-blast-case-nia-yet-to-id-deceased-as-simi-men-4742224/
Lucknow: While 6 SIMI men wanted in the 2014 Bijnor blast case have been killed in police encounters, NIA, which is set to file a closure report in the case, is yet to confirm whether the deceased were indeed the same SIMI men, whom the MP and UP ATS have already identified as the accused. NIA, which has been probing the case since 2015, is now awaiting a forensic laboratory report in regard to CCTV footage that allegedly had showed 6 men fleeing their rented accommodation after the blast in Bijnor city on Sept.12, 2014. While MP and UP ATS have claimed that photographs of the 6 have matched CCTV footage, NIA has sent the photographs and the video grabs to a forensic lab for tests. “We had sent the CCTV grabs collected from Bijnor police and photographs obtained from MP ATS to the forensic laboratory to get it verified that those who were seen fleeing after the blast in the footages were SIMI men. The report is awaited,” said an NIA officer. Though NIA is set to file a closure report in the case, as none of the 6 are alive to face court proceedings, the lab findings will affect the 5 other accused in the case. The five, including a woman, belong to Bijnor city and face the charge of providing shelter and logistic help to the SIMI operatives. They are all lodged in the Lucknow District Jail. indian express
PMO, NSA tracking impact of Chinese FDI in South Asia
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pmo-nsa-tracking-impact-of-chinese-fdi-in-south-asia/article19242661.ece
New Delhi: In the backdrop of the tense border stand-off in Sikkim with China, the Centre has begun its first ever in-depth assessment of Chinese investments in India’s neighbouring countries. The exercise — being conducted mainly from India’s national security perspective — has been initiated by the PMO and NSA, official sources told The Hindu.Informal discussions have already been held with the concerned Ministries, including the Commerce and Industry Ministry — the nodal body for foreign trade and foreign investment. The Hindu
Sikkim standoff: Indian Army ready for long haul in Dokalam, pitches tents, gets more supplies
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sikkim-standoff-indian-army-seems-ready-for-long-haul-in-dokalam-pitches-tents-gets-more-food-supplies/story-8iiGHeAoX76cEDLELGveuK.html
New Delhi: Indian Army is ready for a long haul in holding onto its position in Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric against India demanding pulling back of its troops.Indian soldiers deployed in the disputed area have pitched in tents, in an indication that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China’s PLA personnel in ending the face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section.A steady line of supplies is being maintained for the soldiers at the site, official sources said, signalling that Indian Army is not going to wilt under any pressure from China.At the same time, they sounded confident of finding a diplomatic solution to the dispute, citing resolution of border skirmishes in the past through diplomacy.PTI
Punjab: 5 booked, 1 arrested for sedition over 2020 pro-Khalistan referendum banners
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pro-khalistan-sikhs-for-punjab-amarinder-singh-Govt -2020-referendum/1/997246.html
Chandigarh:Mohali Police arrested one out of five persons booked for sedition, promoting enmity and criminal conspiracy after provocative hoarding demanding a referendum for Khalistan surfaced at 40 locations in Punjab last week.The arrested person has been identified as Gurpreet Singh, who owns a printing press and is a resident of phase 5, industrial area in Mohali.The co-accused are Khalistani activists of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Jagdeep Singh and Jagjeet Singh from New York. The fifth accused- Harpunit Singh is from Jammu's Nanak Nagar. All have been booked on the orders of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh who has termed the act as 'not worthy of consideration'. india today
8 women among 10 injured after forces fire pellets in Shopian town: Greater Kashmir
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/kashmir/kashmir-eight-women-among-ten-injured-after-forces-fire-pellets-in-shopian-town/254186.html
10 persons, including 8 women, were injured after govt forces fired pellets to break up a demonstration in Shopian town in south Kashmir on Saturday.Witnesses said that forces raided a locality in the town to stop the anthem being played on the public address system of a mosque on the maiden death anniversary of slain Burhan Wani.However, people, mostly women staged a protest to stop the forces from entering the mosque.The forces, they said, fired pellets at the protesters, resulting into injuries to 10 people.
A Kashmiri father’s 17-yr wait to see his daughter who ‘abducted’ by Army
http://twocircles.net/2017jul08/412586.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Doda (J&K): Inside the dilapidated single story mud house with wood and polythene sheets covering the roof, Ghulam Mohammad Butt, 88 opens his steel trunk and brings out an old, torn newspaper. Flipping all the pages, he stops at the last and keeps gazing at the passport size, black and white photograph printed on the Urdu newspaper.“She was my 16-year-old daughter,” he suddenly takes off his gaze from the newspaper and says. “She was kidnapped by the Army men with the help of 2 local Special Police Officers (SPOs),” he adds.A resident of Village Dhar, Dhandal in Kastigarh Tehsil of Doda district, Ghulam is a living witness of the ruthlessness with which security forces exercised their control in this erstwhile district of J&K, when militancy was at its peak in the region.A thin man with an amputated left hand, sporting a white beard, a white skull cap with brown waist coat over a torn white Kurta, Ghulam a herder spends most of his time reading the same local Urdu weekly, “Sada-e-Kohsar” published on April 22, 2003.“Her name was Mumtaza. She had finished her 10th standard in the early months of 2000,” says Ghulam.TCN
Burhan effect: Facebook blocks page of Kashmir magazine, deletes cover of issue
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/burhan-effect-facebook-blocks-page-of-kashmir-magazine-deletes-cover-of-issue/story-FWxU7PnATmZc52jClkkl0O.html
Srinagar: Facebook on Sunday blocked the official page of a local Kashmir weekly and deleted a post of its cover showing slain militant Burhan Wani for not “following community standards”, shocking its editors who demanded immediate restoration of the page.Kashmir Ink, a sister publication of Valley’s leading English daily Greater Kashmir, had shared the cover of their latest issue which has a sketch of Wani and the headline: “Kashmir: A year after Burhan’s death”.The unrest in Kashmir since Wani’s killing on July 8 last year has left more than 100 dead and thousands injured, many blinded by pellets.“The issue, as is evident from the cover, talks about the current situation in Kashmir after a year of an incident which rattled the valley. And whose ripples refuse to ebb still,” said noted political cartoonist Suhail H Naqshbandi, whose sketch of Wani was on the cover.HT
Narasimha Rao was an ideal PM, Babri demolition changed things:Salman Khurshid
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/narasimha-rao-was-an-ideal-pm-babri-demolition-changed-things-says-salman-khurshid/755250/
New Delhi:In a comment that barely any Congress leader has voiced in public, ex External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has described P.V. Narasimha Rao as an ideal Prime Minister, while maintaining that things changed after the demolition of Babri Masjid in Dec.1992.”He (PV Narasimha Rao) was an ideal Prime Minister, who believed in consensus and would talk to everybody but yet not take credit for everything,” the 64-year old politician said on Saturday at South Asia Conclave 2017 in the Capital. He was in conversation with eminent scholar Vinay Sitapati, who has also authored a biography of Rao; author, commentator and former CEO of Procter and Gamble India Gurcharan Das; and T.N. Ninan, Chairman and Editorial Director of Business Standard. The panel was moderated by journalist Barkha Dutt.IANS
Delhi's Hauz Khas Village on terror outfits' radar, say intelligence reports; police on high alert
http://www.firstpost.com/india/delhis-hauz-khas-village-on-terror-outfits-radar-say-intelligence-reports-police-on-high-alert-3791703.html
New Delhi: Delhi Police have tightened security in the popular Hauz Khas Village (HKV) following intelligence inputs about possible targeting of foreign visitors by terror outfits.Restaurateurs, however, alleged that these measures were aimed at harassing them and harming their business. They have alleged that though they were allowed to run their restaurants till 1 am, the police personnel start coming in at 11 pm and pester them to shut down. They even claimed the police were mulling banning ladies' nights in pubs and bars at HKV, a charge denied by the police.PTI
Post Israel, external affairs ministry bridges the ‘Gulf’, plans website in Arabic
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/post-israel-external-affairs-ministry-bridges-the-gulf-plans-website-in-arabic/story-3Pz1hqViRDyJsbonc0geMN.html
New Delhi:The external affairs ministry’s website will soon be available in Arabic too — after French and Spanish — in a bid to reach out to the Arab world following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s celebrated visit to Israel.The ministry has started the hunt for an agency to run its portal in Arabic. Apart the usual content of ministry — speeches, briefings and other documents — the site will also have articles written in Arabic on India and its foreign relations.Arab nations are of key importance to India. Over 8 million Indians work in the region and India is dependent on Gulf nations for its energy security.HT
Beef not banned in Goa, tourists can eat whatever they like: Minister
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/beef-not-banned-in-goa-tourists-can-eat-whatever-they-like-minister/story-7gqwzuglwjioRFiiSVBpqM.html
Kolkata:Goa tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Sunday said tourists would get whatever dishes they want in the state, and the Centre’s notification banning the sale of cattle for slaughter has had no impact on the tourism sector in Goa.“Beef is not banned in Goa. Tourists would get whatever they want to eat. They can eat whatever they like,” Ajgaonkar said at the Travel and Tourism Fair organised in Kolkata.“In Goa, Hindus, Muslims, Catholics are staying together for many years. An environment of communal harmony prevails there,” he said.The minister also said the tourism sector in Goa has had no hiccups after the implementation of the GST.IANS
Ayurveda expert made ministry Secy has RSS links, owns clinics
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ayurveda-expert-made-ministry-secy-has-rss-links-owns-clinics-4742265/
New Delhi:IN WHAT may be the first instance of lateral entry into a secretary-level position from outside the civil service, the Govt has appointed Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, a former vice-chancellor of Jamnagar-based Gujarat Ayurveda University, as special secretary, Ministry of AYUSH. The only other case of lateral entry at this high level in the NDA Govt is of Parameswaran Iyer, an IAS officer who was brought out of retirement to be made Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary. Kotecha, an ayurvedic doctor, has been appointed for three years. His wife Mita teaches at the National Institute of Ayurveda in Jaipur. Kotecha, 54, calls himself an “entrepreneurial Gujarati”, the son of illiterate parents. His first business venture was inaugurated by Narendra Modi, then a BJP general secretary. indian express
Toll in Azamgarh liquor tragedy climbs to 18
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/toll-in-azamgarh-liquor-tragedy-climbs-to-18/story-74SUuwX8KC8cA2HoKDCIlJ.html
Varanasi:The toll in the liquor tragedy in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh rose to 18 with 8 more men dying on Saturday but the administration has confirmed only 12 deaths. DM CB Singh has ordered a probe into the tragedy.HT
A rise in birthrate among Muslims will change Kerala’s demography: Ex-state police chief
https://scroll.in/article/843190/a-rise-in-birthrate-among-muslims-will-change-keralas-demography-says-former-state-police-chief
Former Kerala Police chief TP Senkumar has said that the rise in child birthrates among Muslims will change the demography of the state. “The Muslim community accounts for 42% of the childbirths in Kerala these days,” he said in the interview with Samakalika Malayalam Varika on Saturday. “Remember, the Muslim population is just 27%, in the state. This will change Kerala’s demography.”He pointed out that the birth rate among Hindus, who constitute 54% of the population, is below 48%, while that among Christians, who form 19.5% of the population, is 15%. Senkumar reasoned that population of the Christian community has not dropped despite registering a lower birthrate. “For they are resorting to conversion,” he said.He made the statement barely a week after his retirement from the state police chief’s post. scroll
Congress’ shift towards Lalu alters equations within Bihar’s ruling grand alliance
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/congress-shift-towards-lalu-alters-equations-within-bihar-s-ruling-grand-alliance/story-zoCdBXT9Ct7BSkVTIL8SKJ.html
Patna: Congress’ unequivocal backing for RJD chief Lalu Prasad on the issue of the CBI raids on his premises, on Friday, appeared to mark a shift in the stand of the party which had shown a clear inclination towards the chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD (U) in terms of the equations within the ruling grand alliance.BPCC chief Ashok Chaudhary and Congress legislature party leader Sadanand Singh,known for their proximity with Kumar, visited Prasad’s residence after the raids, reportedly on the directive of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership.Not only did they express solidarity with the RJD chief but also expressed their support for his younger son Tejashwi, who is under pressure from the opposition BJP to resign as deputy CM after the CBI named him in an FIR in the ‘land for railways hotels’ case.HT
Nagaland crisis: Ex- CM Zeliang stakes claim to form govt
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/nagaland-crisis-former-cm-zeliang-stakes-claim-to-form-govt/articleshow/59514266.cms
Guwahati: Striking back at dissidents in lightning speed, Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Sunday dropped four cabinet ministers, who have also been suspended from the Naga Peoples Front along with six others, including former chief minister TR Zeliang. Liezietsu recanted soon after Zeliang wrote to governor PB Acharya staking claim to form the government with support of 41 MLAs.According to a notification from Nagaland cabinet secretariat, the dropped members of the cabinet are home minister Y Patton, National Highways and Political Affairs minister G Kaito Aye, Environment and Forest minister lmkong L lmchen and power minister C Kipili Sangtam. timesofindia
WORLD
Iraq announces ‘victory’ over IS, claims recapture of Mosul: Indian Express
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/iraq-announces-victory-over-islamic-state-claims-recapture-of-mosul-4742981/
New Delhi: Iraq’s PM Haider al-Abadi on Sunday declared that the city of Mosul has been completely reclaimed from the clutches of Islamic State. “commander in chief of the armed forces (PM) Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people for the great victory,” said a statement from his office. The latest development brought an end to three years of jihadist rule in the city, where thousands of civilians were killed and nearly one million people were displaced after the battle for Mosul left large parts of the city in ruins.The ISIS terror outfit had vowed to “fight to the death” in Mosul, however, Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool stated that 30 militants had been killed when they were attempting to flee by swimming across the River Tigris that bisects the city. The battle has also resulted in a heavy toll on Iraq’s security forces. As per the US Dept of Defense, the elite Counter Terrorism Service had incurred 40 percent losses.
Iraqi city freed from ISIS: Kin of Punjabis stuck in Mosul want Centre to evacuate them soon: HT
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/iraqi-city-freed-from-isis-kin-of-punjabis-stuck-in-mosul-want-govt-to-evacuate-them-soon/story-bm3pryPuYghW4EJssT1zUL.html
Amritsar: With the Iraqi forces freeing Mosul from ISIS, a glimmer of hope has emerged for the families from Punjab and elsewhere who are waiting for the return of 39 youths the terror group kidnapped in June 2014.As most of the youths, who have not made any contact with their families ever since, belong to Punjab, their families here now want the Indian Govt to take urgent measures to bring them back.Gurpinder Kaur of Bhoewal village in Amritsar, whose brother Manjinder Singh is among those stuck in Mosul, said, “If the Iraqi forces have really succeeded in getting Mosul free from the ISIS, it is a great news for us. Now, the Indian Govt should not take even 24 hours to act and get back them back as soon as possible.” These families have already met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj at least 12 times to seek her intervention. HT
Trump says it’s ‘time to move forward’ with Russia
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/trump-says-its-time-to-move-forward-with-russia/article19245314.ece
Washington: Trump avoids the question of whether he accepts Putin’s denial that Russia was responsible for meddling in the 2016 election.US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that “it is time to move forward in working constructively with Russia” after his lengthy meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Germany. But he still avoided the question of whether he accepts Putin’s denial that Russia was responsible for meddling in the 2016 election.Speaking in a series of early morning tweets after returning the night before from a world leaders’ summit in Germany, Trump said that he “strongly pressed” Putin twice over Russian meddling during their lengthy meeting Friday.AP
Qatar to seek compensation for damages from Arab blockade
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/59515333.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Doha: Qatar's Govt said Sunday it is forming a committee to pursue compensation for damages stemming from its isolation by four Arab countries. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties and severed air, land and sea links with natural gas-rich Qatar last month, accusing it of a list of grievances including supporting extremism. Qatar has denied the allegations, and has characterized the bloc's ultimatums as an affront to its sovereignty. Qatari Public Prosecutor Ali Al-Marri told reporters in the Qatari capital, Doha, that the committee will handle claims made by private companies, public institutions and individuals. AP
‘Saudi is strengthening Iran’
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170709-saudi-arabia-is-strengthening-iran/
Saudi Arabia’s policies in the Middle East, in particular it’s month long siege of neighbouring Qatar is strengthening Iran, Foreign Policy said in an option piece yesterday.The news site warned that the kingdom’s policies, which are backed by US President Donald Trump, are benefitting Iran because they are weakening Saudi Arabia’s position in the region.“Regardless of what the US does, sharply increasing the vitriol towards Iran while at the same time laying siege to fellow GCC member Qatar will likely weaken the Saudi position.” Middleeastmonitor
Mahmoud Abbas, Sissi meet amid likely Gaza shakeup
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/egyptian-palestinian-leaders-meet-amid-likely-gaza-shakeup/story-k8S7ZrMMudsmUmpqaDXtYO.html
Cairo:Egyptian and Palestinian leaders have met amid signs of a rapprochement between Cairo and the Islamic militant Hamas group that could shake up Gaza’s political landscape and sideline the Palestinian president.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt’s Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi met Sunday. Officials close to Abbas said Palestinian leader had requested the meeting to seek clarifications on what appears to be an emerging power-sharing agreement between Gaza’s Hamas rulers and an exiled Abbas rival, ex-Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan.Under the deal — parts of which have been confirmed by other parties involved — Hamas would retain control over Gaza’s security, while Dahlan would eventually return to Gaza and handle its foreign relations.AP
Israel minister denies ‘breakthrough’ in talks with Hamas to swap prisoners
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/israel-minister-denies-breakthrough-in-talks-with-hamas-to-swap-prisoners/story-EW9c4HN8NcGon9tl4yQRLI.html
Jerusalem: Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Sunday denied reports of a “breakthrough” in talks with Hamas over returning Israeli citizens and bodies of soldiers held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.According to Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, Israel and Hamas were on the brink of an initial deal in which the Islamist Gaza rulers would provide information over the missing Israelis in return for the release of groups of prisoners.2 Israeli soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, are believed to have been killed in the 2014 war in Gaza and their remains held by Hamas.Three Israeli civilians, all said to be mentally unstable, are also believed to have entered Gaza and to be held by Hamas.They include Avera Mengistu, an Israeli Jew of Ethiopian descent, and two Muslim Bedouins, Hisham Al-Sayed and Juma Abu Ghanima.AFP
Ceasefire goes into effect in southwest Syria
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/syria-ceasefire-deraa-suweida-quneitra-170709074305852.html
A ceasefire has come into force in southwest Syria after a deal was brokered by the US, Russia and Jordan.The truce began at midday on Sunday, in the provinces of Deraa, Suweida and Quneitra in the southwest, along the Jordanian border.A monitoring group said there have been no air strikes or clashes since the ceasefire started. UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "calm was prevailing" in the area.A rebel official in Deraa city, speaking to Reuters news agency, also said there had been no significant fighting.Al Jazeera's Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from the Turkey-Syria border town of Gaziantep, said the focus on the southern region is down to worries by US allies in the region..Al Jazeera
Pakistan: 600 vehicles arrive for US troops in Afghanistan
http://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-600-vehicles-arrive-for-us-troops-in-afghanistan/857509
Karachi:A vessel carrying 600 military trucks to be transported to the US forces stationed in neighboring Afghanistan has recently docked at Pakistan's southern Karachi port- another sign that the US has no immediate plans to leave war-stricken country-, local media reported on Sunday. The consignment- the first in last 6 months- arrived late last month, and will be delivered to US forces based in Afghanistan via Pakistan's northeastern Torkham, and southwestern Chaman crossings, local English Daily Dawn reported quoting official documents.
Indian-origin Muslim convert arrested for making false statements to join US military
http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world-indian-origin-muslim-convert-arrested-for-making-false-statements-to-join-us-military-390112
27-year-old Shivam Patel, an Indian-origin Muslim convert, has been arrested in the US for lying in his application to join the US military. Shivam Patel had voiced support for the Islamic State and had searched online for ways to join the terror group. Patel, a resident of Norfolk, was charged for not disclosing on his application to join the Army that he had travelled to China or Jordan.He claimed he had not gone anywhere outside the US in the past 7 years, except for a family trip to India in 2011-12, a report in Virginian Pilot said, quoting a court affidavit.According to the affidavit, Patel – who converted to Islam several years ago – had travelled to China in July 2016 to teach English. While there, he had expressed displeasure to his father about how that country treated Muslims, it said. Patel was sent back to the US by his employer but he travelled to Jordan instead where he was arrested and eventually deported.His parents spoke with the FBI about their son after learning he was in Jordanian custody and said he had become “obsessed with Islam.” An investigation of Patel’s room and computers disclosed evidence that he had downloaded three copies of an online magazine produced by the Islamic State and searched for how to join the group. On one occasion, he had talked about wanting to become a martyr but suggested his “jihad” might not be violent.On another occasion, speaking to an undercover agent, Patel expressed desire to do something “bigger, better and more purposeful,” like dying for Allah, the report added. He told the agent about his desire to see a holy war between Muslims and non-Muslims.“He sang an Islamic State fight song to the source and recalled making a replica of the group’s flag, which he wanted to replace his neighbour’s American flag with,” the report said.
FLASH: NEWS & VIEWS
Not SC’s business to hear matters of personal laws: justice A M Ahmadi
http://caravandaily.com/portal/not-supreme-courts-business-to-hear-matters-of-personal-laws-justice-am-ahmadi/
Modi's Israel visit: Memories of a journalist's visits to the Jewish State: Saeed Naqvi, IANS
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/modi-s-israel-visit-memories-of-a-journalist-s-visits-to-the-jewish-state-comment-117070800213_1.html
The Aligarh connection:Rana Safvi
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/the-aligarh-connection/article19241453.ece
By reacting to provocation, Indian Muslims are falling into a well-laid trap:Tariq Hasan for TCN
http://twocircles.net/2017jul08/412582.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Mob lynching: All India Momin Conference writes to Modi, questions ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’
http://twocircles.net/2017jul08/412620.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
A year after Burhan Wani: No policy towards Kashmir is the policy:Nirupama Subramanian
http://indianexpress.com/article/beyond-the-news/hizbul-mujahideen-militant-burhan-wani-mohammed-ayub-pandit-pdp-bjp-a-year-after-burhan-wani-no-policy-towards-kashmir-is-the-policy-4742772/
Ahmedabad founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in 15th century declared Heritage City by UNESCO
http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/ahmedabad-s-unesco-tag-proves-heritage-sites-are-assets-not-a-burden-117070900531_1.html
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:51 PM)
