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Evening NEWS DIGEST
12 July 2017: 17 Shawwal 1438: Vol: 8, No:235
INDIA: LYNCHING & MOB VIOLENCE
Govt’s Assurances Against Mob-Lynchings Have Shown No Impact On Ground: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
https://www.scoopwhoop.com/govts-assurances-against-moblynchings-have-shown-no-impact-on-ground-says/#.7nf3loone
New Delhi: Muslim religious body Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has asked Govt that its assurances of not tolerating repeated mob attacks on minorities, Dalits and other groups, is showing no impact on ground. Asking Govt to feel the "seriousness and grave nature" of the issue, the religious body also demanded "firm political, legal and administrative steps" on the part of authorities. "People of the country feel that these assaulters (sic) are related both ideologically and organizationally with the ruling class and this relationship has further emboldened them. In such a situation, the responsibility of the Govt increases even further," Syed Jalaluddin Umri, Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind said during a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday. Lauding the efforts of civil society members and other groups who came out to protest against the spate of recent killings at the hands of mobs, the JIH has also supported the proposal of activists group 'National Campaign Against Mob Lynching' of creating a law against mob-lynchings. "We support these justice-loving people. We must spread this voice of truth and justice and the entire country should stand behind the victims and become united against oppression...The Govt must give a loud and clear message that oppression and violence will not be tolerated and people who take law in their own hands will face strict punishment," Umri told a gathering of reporters. JIH, one of largest Muslim organizations in India, also appealed Muslim youth to "avoid any emotional reactions" in the current atmosphere of the country. "They[Muslim youth] should not get depressed and lose heart. They should avoid being instigated and avoid giving any emotional reactions. Communal elements want Muslims to either get disheartened or lose hope or should become isolated from the mainstream in this country."JIH press meet was also attended by 22-year-old Iftikhar Alam, a mechanic who was recently thrashed by a mob in south Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan on the suspicion of being a cattle-thief."I along with a driver of the company where we work were passing through the area on the night of July 7 and it was raining very heavily. When we reached the Madanpur Khadar, a concrete mixer truck blocked our way. After honking several times, the truck didn't move and the driver asked me to get down to ask the driver to let us pass. As soon as I reached the spot, a group of locals from the neighbourhood slum area began raining blows on me. They were carrying sticks and iron rods. They also broke the window pane of our vehicle but the driver managed to flee," Alam, who used the support of two men to walk properly, said, while narrating the incident. According to Alam, the group of men, who were 20-25 in number, dragged him inside the settlement area and accused him of being a cattle thief. "They also asked my name. When they came to know that I was a Muslim, they began to beat me even more. They called me a Pakistani. I was tied up and beaten with sticks on my soles. I still can't put full weight of my body on feet. Unhon ne kaha petrol daal ke jala do isko (They also said to pour petrol on him and burn him)...When they thought I was dead, they called up police and told them that they have caught a cattle thief," Alam, who was hospitalized for 3 days in Jeewan Hospital, alleged. Alam, who works with J. Kumar construction company, also alleged that one of his co-workers Sandeep slapped him in police station and asked him to not mention the cattle angle. Ehsan Alam, Iftikhar's elder brother, alleged that police booked the accused under "lenient" sections of 323,341 of IPC. scoopwhoop
Civil society, Muslim groups across Maharashtra demand special act for protection against lynching
http://www.firstpost.com/india/civil-society-muslim-groups-across-maharashtra-demand-special-act-for-protection-against-lynching-3804201.html
Due to regular mob lynching and attacks on vulnerable groups especially Muslims on the suspicion of carrying or transporting beef, several Muslim organisations and civil society groups across Maharashtra are demanding a strict act like the SC/CT (Atrocities Act) for the protection of the community.3 peace rallies demanding the formation of this new act have already taken place in Pune, Latur and Solapur, and a fourth one is scheduled to take in Pune on 15 July.Though focussed mostly on the incidents of violence committed against Muslims, these rallies have received support not just from Muslim organisations like Jamat-e-Islami but also from civil society groups as well as Marath organisations.On Wednesday, 20 organisations including Muslims, Dalits, and Marath organisations like the Sambhaji Brigade took part in a peace rally in Solapur, where they walked from Hutatma Chowk in the city to the Collector's office. The rally which saw more than 500 people from different religions and sections concluded with the organisers giving a letter to the district collector demanding the formulation of an act to protect Muslims from attacks. A similar rally was held on 5 July in Latur city in Marathwada and in Pune on 7 July.One of the organisers of the Aman Rally in Solapur which took place on Wednesday is Sadiq Shaikh, father of Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh, a techie who was beaten to death by a Hindu group in 2014. firstpost
MASUKA team detained, not allowed pledge against mob lynching
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/masuka-team-detained-not-allowed-pledge-against-mob-lynching
New Delhi: The leaders and volunteers of MASUKA team were detained at Vijay Chowk a short while ago when they were to make a pledge on the Constitution against the growing culture of mob violence and mob lynching.Those detained include civil rights activist and main brain behind MASUKA Tehseen Poonawalla and his lawyer brother and political activist Shehzad Poonawalla besides over 50 youths and social activists. They have been kept at the Parliament Street Police Station.Some journalists covering the event were also detained at Vijay Chowk.Vijay Chowk is one of the areas in the vicinity of the Parliament House where no public gathering or demonstration is allowed.IndiaTomorrow
Hisar: Shahi Imam slapped by Bajrang Dal goons, forced to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’
http://www.siasat.com/news/watch-shahi-imam-slapped-bajrang-dal-goons-forced-say-bharat-mata-ki-jai-1210698/
Hisar: A group of 100-125 Bajrang Dal activists resorted to ‘goonism’ and assaulted the Shahi Imam of a mosque for not raising ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ slogan.The incident took place near a mosque at Lahoriya Chowk in Haryana’s Hisar town on Tuesday during a Bajrang Dal protest against the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims.The mob passing through the chowk stopped in front of the Mosque and repeatedly raised slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’.As the victim, Abid Hussain, was returning after offering namaz stepped out of a Mosque, the Bajrang Dal goons pressurized the imam to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’.In the video, the mob can be seen repeatedly asking Hussain to raise the slogan and when he refused to obliged, they blew slaps and abuses on him.Ali, a resident of Rajiv Nagar has filed a complaint with the police against the unidentified people an dthe main accused has been arrested.According to ABP news, one of the workers while speaking to media said, “No Hindu is safe in a Muslim dominant area”. He further asserted “We wouldn’t let any Muslim live here and would ensure they are kicked out”.
Bajrang Dal men thrash Imam at mosque, force him to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/bajrang-dal-men-thrash-imam-at-mosque-force-him-to-chant-bharat-mata-ki-jai
COMMUNAL VIOLENCE
Media's overblown reports belie deep Hindu-Muslim amity in violence-torn region: Ground report on Basirhat
http://www.firstpost.com/india/basirhat-ground-report-residents-of-violence-torn-region-negotiate-new-communal-faultlines-3799785.html
Basirhat: On the afternoon of 6 July, Probasish Ghosh’s 65-year-old father lay in a hospital bed in West Bengal's Basirhat town, critically wounded and bleeding. Doctors said that his only shot at survival was to be taken to a better hospital in Kolkata, 75 km to the east. As Probasish wheeled his father into an ambulance for the two-hour journey, the hospital superintendent came up to him and asked, “Would you please take along another seriously wounded man? His family is not here and he might not survive here.” Probasish rode the ambulance alternately checking on the wounded men. Probasish’s father, Kartick Chandra Ghosh, passed away the next morning, becoming the only fatality in the sectarian violence that broke out in and around Basirhat following an anti-Islamic Facebook post on 2 July put up allegedly by a Hindu teenager of a nearby village. The other wounded man — Fazlul Sardar — a Muslim, survived. “I am sad that my father died, but grateful that the other man survived,” Probasish told Firstpost. Despite his grief, Probasish makes it a point to call Sardar's family and check on his health.The death of Kartick, who eked out a living by selling dead chicken meat as fish feed, has already become a rallying cry for right-wing Hindu groups. RSS-BJP in West Bengal have portrayed the violence that has occurred since 3 July in the region as an extremist Islamic response from radicalised Muslims.Copy-paste reportage and the commentary it has begat, especially on social media, has built the narrative of a sharp, bitter and perhaps unbridgeable divide between the Hindus and the Muslims. But the emotions on the ground, barring a few, are more like Probasish’s response, reflecting a singular lack of hatred or intense dislike in the two communities for each other. In fact, there is a clear sentiment of Hindu-Muslim amity and brotherhood which clearly predates the controversy.Take the case of Sauvik Sarkar, 17-year-old Hindu teenager, who allegedly put up the offensive Facebook post that triggered the strife. Until his arrest, Sarkar had lived with the family of his father’s older brother, a police sub-inspector, in a village 15km from Basirhat. It has been claimed that hundreds of Muslims descended on their house and set it on fire. But this reporter found their house intact and untouched, flanked by palm and other trees, next to a field of standing crop swaying unconcernedly under a cloudy sky. Its external visage betrayed no signs of arson.The neighbourhood is a mix of Hindu and Muslim homes. Right across is a Hindu household; diagonally, 15 feet across the narrow pathway, a mosque. “Sarkar family has never had any trouble with anyone, Hindu or Muslim, in our area,” Maulana Muhammad Yaseen, the mosque’s imam, told Firstpost.“It is difficult to imagine that this boy did something like this.” The incredulity is evident among other men and women in the village. Their refrain: We have always lived together as Hindus and Muslims without any trouble. “We don’t even lock the mosque,” its caretaker said. “The Muslims partake in our religious festivals,” a Hindu man said. Both Hindus and Muslims vouched that those who attacked the Sarkars’ house were not locals but outsiders.Sauvik’s classmate, a Muslim, who was struggling to accept that Sauvik had put up such an offensive post on Facebook, said, “We have played cricket together since we were children. We are both backbenchers in the same class,” said the boy, whose father, fearing for his safety, didn’t want him identified. “Sauvik never got into any trouble. He never made one remark against the Muslims.”Amirul Islam is a 47-year-old municipality clerk in the village of Magurkhali where Sauvik lived. Islam and Sauvik’s uncle, sub-inspector Bablu Sarkar, have been friends for years. According to Islam, Sauvik lost his mother a few years back. He came to live with his uncle after his father got married again. Sauvik used to regularly come to Islam’s house to play with his nephews in the evenings. “His uncle’s family and I are so close that I can walk into their bedroom and kitchen,” Islam said. “I have never even remotely heard any anti-Muslim or anti-Islamic rants from any one of them.”On 3 July, a day after Sauvik had allegedly put up the Facebook post, Islam was visiting a nearby village on work when he received a frantic call from Bablu Sarkar’s Hindu neighbour, who lives opposite Sarkar’s house. “Come quickly,” the Hindu neighbour told Islam. “There are many Muslims here and they could set the Sarkars' house on fire.” Islam immediately left for his village but found groups of Muslims blocking roads at various places. He recognised none of them and is certain they did not belong to his or the nearby villages. When Islam asked them who are they and what were they doing in his village, whether they can recognise Islam, they pushed him and warned him to “go home”.Islam — who some news reports have wrongly identified as having whisked away Sauvik’s family to safety — also got a call from Sauvik’s cousin, Bablu Sarkar’s son, John. He told Islam that the family had already abandoned their house and implored him to save their house from being vandalised and burned down. Islam bought three locks and reached the Sarkar household nearly two hours later. Together with the Hindu neighbour who lives across the lane, Islam locked the doors and gave the police the keys. “I saw some smoke but I heard that the fire had been put out,” Islam said.Sarkars' Hindu neighbour fully corroborates Islam’s version. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he said he could not recognise any of the Muslims that had surrounded the Sarkar household that evening. “Magurkhali is a small village and everyone knows everyone,” he said. “All those faces were new.” This Hindu neighbour, too, vouches for the Hindu-Muslim relations in his village. “You will be surprised to know that the mosque next to my house stands on land that I donated,” he said. “Property is still in my name and the tax notices still come in my name.”Was the Sarkars’ house set on fire by the mob? “Perhaps at the back of the house, but even if there was fire it was put out quickly” without causing substantial damage.Both Islam and Sarkars’ Hindu neighbour attested to good Hindu-Muslim relations.Surprisingly, local BJP agrees. “Hindus and Muslims have always lived here happily and still do,” said BJP’s Manisha Ghosh, municipal councillor from the village.Muslims too condemn the violence that occurred, like the attack by local Muslims at the police station and the burning of their jeeps. “Muslim leaders, especially the clergy, tried their best to pacify the crowd but they were angry at police inaction as they wanted Sauvik arrested but the police prevaricated,” said Rafikul Islam, a local lawyer and an activist of the Welfare Party of India, which is affiliated with the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. According to him and several others, the violence at the police station occurred after the police refused — and wisely so — to bring Sauvik out and show him and assure the crowd that he has indeed been arrested. “That was absolutely wrong behaviour and every Muslim organisation has condemned it,” he said.Much has also been written about the Hindu temples being attacked in and around Basirhat town. This correspondent sought to locate a place of worship which was vandalised but no one could direct him to any. Tapan Debnath, a BJP municipal councillor in Basirhat, too made a similar claim but failed to provide the address of any temples.At least one Kali temple, in the heart of Basirhat, that was believed to be vandalised, did not appear damaged at all. What has found very little coverage in both social media and the news is the counterattack on Muslims by Hindu mobs. I met 7 victims of such attacks, two of them at their homes in Basirhat and 5 of them at Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, where, they claimed, were brought by RAF, pressed into service to contain the violence.Rejaul Mollah, 24, a fish hawker from near Basirhat, was attacked allegedly by a Hindu mob when he was on his way home. They nearly broke his skull, which had to be stitched up, and his leg, too. “They appeared to be students,” he said from his hospital bed. “They stopped hitting me only after I pretended to be dead.” 28-year-old Shahanur Alam, a house painter, had a similar encounter but was lucky to escape with a couple of deep wounds to his head and a broken arm. Both Mollah and Alam said their attackers forced them to chant “Jai Sri Ram” as they attacked them. Firstpost
In Bengal village, Muslims see B’deshi Hindu migrants as threat
https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/07/12/west-bengal-muslims-and-bangladeshi-hindu-immigrants
Every once in a while, Maulana Mohammad Yaseen Mondal shuts his eyes and lapses into deep thought.And when he speaks, retelling – and reliving – the horrid events of 5 July evening when a mob of his coreligionists descended on a Hindu house in Magurkhali village under Baduria block of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district and set fire to it, he comes up with only one answer:The mosque in Magurkhali village opposite the house where the 17-year-old high school boy and his family were attacked.at 17-year-old boy couldn’t have done it by himself. There has got to be some other force behind that vile Facebook post that degraded Allah, our Nabi, our Rasool.Over a week after Muslims torched the house, sparking riotous mobs to resort to violence in Basirhat and other nearby and far-flung districts of West Bengal, the years of inter-communal tolerance “are over”, says the maulana, adding that the bhratittyo (brotherhood) of the past has suffered a “permanent damage”.Mondal is the imam of the mosque right opposite the house of the 17-year-old high school kid who remains in protective custody of the police. The identity of the boy is not being revealed to safeguard his security. thequint
W. Bengal: BJP IT cell secretary arrested in Asansol for sharing fake image on social media
https://scroll.in/latest/843507/west-bengal-bjp-it-cell-secretary-arrested-in-asansol-for-sharing-fake-image-on-social-media
CID has arrested the BJP’s IT cell secretary from Asansol, West Bengal, for sharing allegedly fake content that was communally sensitive on social media.CID West Bengal confirmed Tarun Sengupta’s arrest on Twitter saying he had shared content that created “communal disharmony”.The charges against him were filed at Suri police station in Birbhum district. Sengupta is the third person since Sunday to have faced action for posting fake images and videos. scroll
BJP Yuva leader warns about 2002… he is not only one
https://www.altnews.in/bjp-yuva-morcha-leader-warns-2002-not-one/
“Hope you all remember what happened in 2002”. A news report about a Muslim doctor and his Hindu compounder spreading message of peace in violence-hit Basirhat has angered a BJP youth leader to go on a communal rant and threaten violence. There is nothing offensive in the news posted by HT on its Facebook but for some reason, Srinivas Raghavan, the General Secretary of a BJP Yuva Morcha has taken great offence to it.Reacting to HT report on a doctor’s appeal for communal harmony, Raghavan said, “I remember what Mahatma Gandhi did. Enough is enough. We will not tolerate this anymore. Hope you all remember what happened in 2002.” When confronted by other users, he continued his rant, talking of “warning you guys”, “go back to your mother country”, “we are waiting to take revenge” (of 17th century rulers), “day is not too far”, and so on.altnews.in altnews
Parrikar interfered, stalled probe, did not take things seriously, only blamed Congress, did not push police for results: GCAF
http://indiascribes.com/parrikar-interfered-and-stalled-police-investigation-did-not-take-things-seriously-only-blamed-congress-and-did-not-push-police-for-results-alleges-gcaf/
In what can be termed a direct accusation of interference and stalling of police investigation, the Goa Citizens Action Forum (GCAF) – a body of concerned individuals, has squarely blamed Goa CM Manohar Parrikar of mishandling the entire matter of the vandalization of crosses and other religious idols in Goa from day one and called for immediate handing over of the entire case to CBI.According to Josephine Dias of the GCAF, “Even Dy Speaker and Calangute BJP MLA Michael Lobo has accused the police of “not having any clue regarding the identity of the culprits” and “not working“. If the Dy Speaker and senior BJP leader himself says publicly that the police are not working, what does it mean? It means that the hands of the police are tied and the Goa police who are controlled by the Goa CM – who is also the State Home Minister – are either told to go slow and hold back and ‘not investigate efficiently’ or are being restrained so that important clues that could identify the culprits get washed away in the rain. Or maybe the Goa CM does not even want the matter to be investigated at all and is merely putting up a facade to show people that the police are trying to do their best.”IndiaScribes.com
AMARNATH YATRA ATTACK
Kashmiri Muslims defy curfew to rescue Amarnath pilgrims injured in road mishap
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kashmiri-muslims-defy-curfew-to-rescue-amarnath-pilgrims-injured-in-road-mishap/story-0WzbP9dMVKS9M55L1GYuZL.html
Kashmiri Muslims defied curfew on Wednesday to save the lives of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims injured in an accident on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.HT could not independently contact the injured pilgrims, but a video purportedly shot by a news channel is being widely shared on social media. Also, a police officer in the Srinagar control room confirmed that the pilgrims were rescued by Muslim locals.In the video, a pilgrim, who identified himself as Ajit Kumar Arora from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, describes how they were saved by the timely intervention of locals.“After ‘darshan’..., we were stuck at Baltal base camp for two days as the Yatra was suspended due to the prevailing situation. Yesterday night, we left Baltal along with other vehicles in the form of a convoy,” an injured Arora says.It was then that the mini-bus met with an accident, but he managed to crawl out of the wreckage. “I...sought help from the other vehicles carrying pilgrims with which we were travelling, but nobody stopped to help us,” he recalls.He also claims that the army and police personnel in the area did not come to their aid.“I saw a local and asked him for help. Instead of one, 50 people came rushing to help us. They broke the window panes of the bus and saved us. Otherwise we would have died,” Arora says.Curfew has been in force, particularly in south Kashmir, for 5 consecutive days since protests erupted after Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter on Friday. As many as 34 people have been killed in clashes between protestors and security forces, and hundreds have been injured.But the Muslim locals risked their own lives to save the pilgrims, who were taken to a hospital for treatment. “They even ensured our treatment in the hospital,” the pilgrim says.“If you want to learn humanity, learn it from Kashmiris. Don’t talk bad about them, understand them,” Arora exclaims.HT
We are ready to give every drop of blood to save injured yatris:Kashmiri Youth
http://www.fastkashmir.com/2017/07/%E2%80%8Bwe-are-ready-to-give-every-drop-of-blood-to-save-injured-yatriskashmiri-youth/
Kashmiri Muslims defy curfew to rescue Amarnath pilgrims injured in road mishap
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kashmiri-muslims-defy-curfew-to-rescue-amarnath-pilgrims-injured-in-road-mishap/story-0WzbP9dMVKS9M55L1GYuZL.html
On streets of Srinagar and social media, Kashmiris protest against killing of Amarnath pilgrims
https://scroll.in/latest/843418/on-social-media-and-the-streets-of-srinagar-kashmiris-protest-against-killing-of-amarnath-pilgrims
Why Amarnath Yatra terror attack signals crossing of a red line in Kashmir:Muzamil Jaleel's story
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/amarnath-yatra-terror-attack-why-attack-signals-crossing-of-a-red-line-in-kashmir-4744955/
New Delhi:Monday’s attack in Anantnag district on pilgrims returning from the Amarnath shrine is the “crossing” of a new red line for militants in Kashmir. This is the second such strike on Amarnath pilgrims in the Valley since militancy first emerged in 1990. The reason why this pilgrimage has stayed conflict-neutral is because it is seen as an important aspect of the syncretic tradition of Kashmir, which had been severely hit by the circumstances leading to the migration of Kashmiri pandits in 1990.One of the most revered Hindu shrines, Amarnath was discovered by a Muslim shepherd, Buta Malik, in 1850. Malik and his family became custodians of the cave-shrine along with Hindu priests who came from two religious organisations — Dashnami Akhara and Purohit Sabha Mattan.This unique ensemble of faiths turned the pilgrimage spot into a symbol of Kashmir’s centuries-old composite culture and communal harmony.The first attack on this pilgrimage took place in 1993, when Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar announced a ban on the annual yatra. The militant outfit claimed that the attack was in protest against the demolition of Babri Masjid. The Harkat also demanded that the Govt remove security bunkers set up at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.However, the yatra passed of peacefully and the Harkat threat didn’t make a dent. There was also widespread condemnation of the Harkat diktat on the ground in Kashmir — local militant groups did not align with the Harkat, which had been formed by veterans of the Afghan war against USSR.The resentment against Harkat’s ban translated into an atmosphere where the yatra continued unhindered during the peak years of the militancy.In 1999, soon after the Kargil war, Centre’s PIB issued a statement, saying that the “yearning for moksha (salvation) can move devotees to the challenging heights of Kashmir and will be a fitting gesture of solidarity with our valiant soldiers who have been fighting the enemy to defend our borders”. But this, too, didn’t bring the yatra on the radar of separatists or militants, and it continued to be mostly insulated from political controversies.However, on Aug.1, 2000, 17 pilgrims were among 25 people killed in a militant attack in Pahalgam, where one of the two base camps of the pilgrimage is situated. Two policemen and six villagers also died as two militants, who were killed in a subsequent encounter, lobbed grenades and resorted to indiscriminate firing.The Govt blamed Lashkar-e-Taiba, and a high-level committee led by the then Corps Commander of 15 Corps in Srinagar was set up to investigate the attack. At the time, the J&K Govt claimed that the attack targeted security forces and was not exclusively aimed at pilgrims, but the killings generated public outrage. This is exactly why there was no attack on the yatra for the last 17 years, even when the situation was volatile in the Valley, especially during the mass protests of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016.Sensing that Monday’s attack had crossed that vital red line in their narrative on Kashmir, the separatists immediately condemned the killings.Later, a joint statement from top separatist leaders — Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik — “expressed deep sorrow and grief over the killing of Amarnath Yatris in Anantnag today and strongly condemned it”. Condemnation has also been pouring in from across the political divide in Kashmir. indian express
Kashmir civil society, traders protest Amarnath attack
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/business/kashmir-civil-society-traders-come-out-to-protest-killing-of-amarnath-yatris/254482.html
Cops or Amarnath pilgrims? Kashmiri newspapers differ on who terrorists targeted
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amarnath-pilgrims-attacked-kashmiri-papers-differ-on-who-the-terrorists-targets-were/story-q6AgGA8WlM6XbFJIhxq6VL.html
Srinagar/New Delhi:Urdu and English papers in Kashmir prominently reported on Tuesday a attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims that left at least 7 people dead and 19 injured, but differed on whether the strike was targeted at killing innocent civilians.“6 Amarnath pilgrims killed in Anantnag attack,” read the lead headline in the Valley’s leading English daily Greater Kashmir. Separate reports on the front page of the newspaper noted the PM ’s condemnation of the attack, strikes called in Jammu and all-round shock and anguish expressed by political circles, from CM Mehbooba Mufti to separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.But the paper reported that the militants hadn’t targeted the bus and that the pilgrims were caught in crossfire.All English papers in the Valley carried comments of the separatist leaders condemning the attack on Page 1.Two prominent Urdu papers took the line that the attack wasn’t targeted at the pilgrims. Kashmir Uzma reported the attack as its lead story, saying six pilgrims killed in attack.Daily Aftab, the largest-circulating Urdu newspaper, carried the story as second lead but gave maximum space to six reports on the attack, carrying them under different headlines. HT
Why bus violated security norms? Unanswered questions
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amarnath-yatra-terror-attack-five-unanswered-questions-kashmir-police-must-grapple-with/story-qQLmYZzBWWDcnotCClRQ2H.html
Was the bus registered with the Amarnath shrine board? If not, why? How did the bus manage to go through multiple security check points despite no registration? Why was the bus allowed to travel after sunset, a violation of standard operating procedure? Why was a police patrol vehicle travelling ahead of unregistered pilgrim bus?Why did the police fail to secure route despite intelligence warnings about possible terror attacks?HT
3 places targeted in just over 5 minutes: How Amarnath attack happened
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amarnath-yatra-attack-terrorists-attacked-3-targets-in-just-over-5-minutes-in-anantnag/story-43DlNaqzXPOHZmudhjVMsM.html
Bus was on road for 3 hours without any checks
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amarnath-yatra-terror-attack-bus-was-on-road-for-3-hours-without-any-checks/story-6i6TXnHZd83ed7p07tpw5L.html
Send gaurakshaks to fight terrorists in Kashmir: Sena
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/send-gaurakshaks-to-fight-terrorists-in-kashmir-sena-4746521/
Mumbai: Gaurakshaks should be sent to fight terrorists in Kashmir, said Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. “Should I now believe that instead of grenades and arms, if beef was found in the bags of these terrorists, not a single one of them would have escaped. We have this entire farce around gauraksha and gaurakshaks. Why don’t you send these rakshaks to take on the terrorists,”he said, while addressing a gathering of Ganesh mandals in the city. Indianexpress
Indian Muslims condemn attack on Amarnath Yatris
http://theindianawaaz.com/indian-muslims-condemn-attack-on-amarnath-yatris/
New Delhi:Several Muslims’ organizations and general Muslims on social meida across the country, have strongly condemned the ghastly attack on Amarnath pilgrims and asked the Govt to find the terrorists so that they could be punished for their heinous crime.President of Muslim Majlis-Mushawarat (AIMMM), apex forum of Muslim organizations and institutions of national eminence Navaid Hamid in a statement termed the incident as heinous crime. “Condemns in strongest words the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in J&K. Heart goes to brieved families”, he said.Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Muhammad Salim Engineer has condemned the AmarnathYatra attack and urged the Govt to find and punish the perpetrators of this heinous crime.In a statement Jamaat the Secretary General Muhammad Salim Engineer said: “we are appalled by the manner in which pilgrims were gunned down while travelling in a bus and we condemn this act unequivocally. We urge the Govt to find and punish those who carried out this act of violence at the earliest”. He said that the Govt should analyze security arrangements for the pilgrimage and if any negligence was found the responsible officers and staff should be penalized.“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of all the victims and deepest sympathies with the injured. We stand together with them in this hour of grief” he said while hoping that the Govt will heighten the security measures for enhanced safety of the pilgrims and there will not be any more casualties or incidents during the remaining yatra’’. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has also condemned the dastardly attack on the Yatris. “The attack on Amarnath yatris has caused great pain to us. We condemn this cowardly terrorist attack and express our deep condolences to the families of the dead and prayers for injured,” said, Jamiat General Secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani.theindianawaaz
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemns attack on Amarnath Yatra
http://www.bilkulonline.com/jamaat-e-islami-hind-condemns-attack-on-amarnath-yatra-pilgrims-15197/
Agra: Muslims call Amarnath terror attack a 'satanic act'
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amarnath-yatra-attack-terror-attack-satanic-act-called-by-muslims/1/1000138.html
Bus operator not registered with any travel body
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amarnath-yatra-attack-bus-operator-not-registered-with-any-travel-body/story-hg7tPuSOBw1SMzuWnnup1N.html
Amarnath: Muslim community in Mumbai condemn attack
http://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/amarnath-terror-attack-muslim-community-in-mumbai-condemn-the-attack/1101187
Jamiat condemns Amarnath Yatra attack, states Kashmiris have deep economical, traditional attachment with Yatris
http://twocircles.net/2017jul11/412775.html
Yatri bus killings not a terror attack:The fact that the ill-fated bus was caught in a crossfire between militants & police confirmed by J&K police to reporters:The Cynic
http://www.dailyo.in/politics/amarnath-yatra-crossfire-terror-attack-kashmir-bjp-pilgrims/story/1/18316.html?sr=fbia
Amarnath terror attack: ‘Kashmiri Islamist terrorists killed Hindu pilgrims’ narrative is flawed: Abhishek Saha,HT
http://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/amarnath-terror-attack-kashmiri-islamist-terrorists-killed-hindu-pilgrims-narrative-is-flawed/story-mEEmEMH1qdjGoETfVhxSrL.html
If Kashmiriyat wanes, what could take its place?Suhas Palshikar
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/a-vacuum-in-the-valley-amarnath-yatra-terrorist-attack-jk-unrest-4746357/
OTHER
Muslims not pleased with Yogi Govt's Minority Welfare funding in budget
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/yogi-adityanath-uttar-pradesh-budget-minority-welfare-budget-muslims-in-up/1/1000454.html
Agra:Modi and Yogi Govt share the common slogan of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas', but the way UP CM Yogi Adityanath has curbed the Minority Welfare budget in his first annual budget presented in the assembly, the Muslims are feeling cheated. Senior Muslim leader of Agra Mohd. Sharif Kale said that the Yogi Govt has reduced the Minority Welfare budget by Rs 580 crores this year compared to the Akhilesh Yadav Govt , which has made the Muslims lose hope of anything good coming out of this BJP Govt in UP. He said that the Yogi Govt has allotted just Rs 2475.61 crores for the minorities and this has disheartened the Muslims who were hoping the 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' was not just a slogan.Social activist Kamran Qureshi said that the Yogi Govt has allotted Rs 791.83 crores for the minority students, while another 150 crores are allotted to arrange for the fee shortfall. Similarly, for the upgradation and modernization of Madarsas, Yogi Govt has allotted only Rs 394 crores, which is too less. Even earlier, the minority students could not get scholarships due to lack of funds and this situation has not improved even now. India today
Taj Mahal left out of UP budget heritage plan, Yogi govt draws ire
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-govt-can-ignore-it-taj-mahal-left-out-of-adityanath-govt-s-budget-sparking-criticism/story-sHK6FLGqVvHpb3deQ3utOO.html
Lucknow: Taj Mahal is one of the 7 wonders of the world, an Unesco world heritage site that draws millions of tourists from across the globe and earns the Govt crores in revenue. But the 16th-century structure isn’t part of UP’s cultural heritage, according to the Yogi Adityanath Govt ’s first state budget presented on Tuesday. The move has invited criticism by academics.The annual budget for 2017-2018 makes no mention of Taj Mahal in the special section ‘Hamari Sanskritik Virasat’ (Our Cultural Heritage) incorporated in the finance minister’s 63-page speech. India today
In this MP village, mothers sign contracts and send kids to join Delhi’s wedding robbery gangs:HT
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/rent-a-thief-delhi-s-wedding-robbery-gangs-go-to-this-mp-village-to-recruit-children/story-mKPBsbcfLHq8n0RwYOsMEP.html
Rajgarh;A garbage-strewn bumpy road looks odd among a row of double-storey houses, women decked up in gold jewellery, young men riding costly bikes and children playing games on tablets and showing off their new iPhones.But as impressive are the houses from outside, they are as minimalist inside. The floors are paved with tiles but there is no furniture. There are French window panes but no curtains. There are dining areas but no tables. Instead, piles of sacks are bundled together on top of earthen pots.And the oddity continues. Residents of this village, Kadiya, in Pachor district of Rajgarh, MP, 300 km from Bhopal, are notorious for ‘renting’ their children to ‘Band, Baja, Barat’ gangs, which steal from glitzy weddings in Metropolitan cities such as Delhi. Investigations in various cases have led police to the village, where parents sign bondage agreements with the gang members to send their children with them in return for an annual fee of Rs 2- 5 lakh.
India’s censors now won’t allow the word ‘cow’ into a Harvard economist’s documentary: washingtonpost
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/07/12/indias-censors-now-wont-allow-the-word-cow-into-a-harvard-economists-documentary/?utm_term=.6880830f88f6
He may have won a Nobel Prize, but renowned Harvard economist Amartya Sen is not allowed to say the word “cow” in a new documentary, India’s movie censorship board has ruled. The documentary, called “Argumentative Indian,” is named after a book of essays written by Sen that dwells (rather ironically) on India’s long history of intellectual pluralism and public debate. Movie will not get a license for public screenings in India unless the cuts are implemented. Censors have not said why word “cow” is objectionable. Documentary at one point talks about Hindu nationalist, self-styled cow protectors who attack people, mainly Muslims, for carrying or eating beef.Hindus consider cow to be sacred. Director Suman Ghosh sasid that censorship “underlines relevance of documentary in which Sen highlights growing intolerance in India.”
ISIS suspect from Kerala arrested at Delhi airport: PTI
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/suspected-isis-operative-arrested-at-indira-gandhi-international-airport-4747255/
New Delhi : An Indian national from Kerala, an ISIS suspect was recently arrested from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, PTI reported. Shahjahan Velluva (32), a native of Kannur in Kerala, who had been deported from Turkey twice, was appended by Special Cell of Delhi Police after CIA informed it of his arrival.The intelligence agencies questioned him about other ISIS operatives in the country and his links with them, an official told PTI, on the condition of anonymity.
China says willing to play ‘constructive role’ over Kashmir
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/china-says-willing-to-play-constructive-role-over-kashmir-4747474/
Beijing;China said on Wednesday that it was willing to play a “constructive role” in improving relations between India and Pakistan, especially after the increased hostility along the LoC, saying the situation in Kashmir has attracted “international” attention. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said India and Pakistan are important South Asian countries but the “situation in Kashmir has attracted the attention of the international community.” India has maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter with Pakistan, and that there is no scope for a third party mediation.Chinese comments aimed at getting involved in Indo-Pak tensions come at a time the armies of India and China are locked in a standoff in Doklam area in the Sikkim section.Expressing concern over the tension between India and Pakistan, Geng said “the conflict occurred near the Line of Control of Kashmir. This will not only harm the peace and stability of the two countries but also the peace and tranquillity of the region.”PTI
WORLD
Gaza conditions 'unlivable' 10 years into siege: UN
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/living-conditions-worsen-10-year-gaza-siege-170712045047448.html
A report by the UN says living conditions in the Gaza Strip have worsened in 10 years since the territory was blockaded by Israel.The report, which was published on Tuesday and titled "Gaza - 10 years later", says that key indicators identified in an earlier 2012 UN report, such as declining incomes, healthcare, education and electricity have deteriorated yet further. UN said that real GDP per capita in Gaza has decreased while provision of urgently needed health services has continued to decline.The report also finds that Gaza's only water source is predicted to be "irreversibly-depleted" by 2020, unless immediate action is taken."Gaza has continued on its trajectory of de-development, in many cases even faster than we had originally projected," said Robert Piper, UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities. "When you're down to two hours of power a day and you have 60% youth unemployment rates ... that unlivability threshold has been passed quite a long time ago."Piper said that while continuous humanitarian assistance, particularly through UN services, is helping to slow this descent, the downward direction remains clear."I see this extraordinarily inhuman and unjust process of strangling gradually two million civilians in Gaza that really pose a threat to nobody," he added. Aljazeera
Israel closes Gaza’s only commercial crossing
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170712-israel-closes-gazas-only-commercial-crossing/
Israeli occupation authorities closed the Karm Abu Salem crossing, the only commercial junction to the Gaza Strip, Quds Press reported.The Palestinian public relations director of the crossing, which is also known by its Israeli name Kerem Shalom, Fadi Al-Mughier said the Israeli occupation authorities had prevented the entry of the trucks which transfer goods into the Strip.Speaking to Quds Press, Al-Mughier said Israel did not give reasons for the closure. middleeastmonitor
Israel will not slow settlement construction to kick-start peace talks
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170712-israel-will-not-slow-settlement-construction-to-kick-start-peace-talks/
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has denied Arab media reports claiming that Tel Aviv had agreed to slow the construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank to kick-start the peace process.PMO denied reports today by Al Hayat Arabic daily which claimed that White House special envoy Jason Greenblatt and senior Israeli and Palestinian Authority leaders had secured backing for new final status agreement talks, including assurances from Israel that construction in the occupied West Bank would be slowed during negotiations with the PA. middleeastmonitor
2 Palestinians killed in Israeli army raid in Jenin
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/palestinians-killed-israeli-army-raid-jenin-170712064835675.html
2 Palestinian men were shot dead during clashes with Israeli army in Jenin refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank, Palestinian medical and security sources said.Sa'ad Salah, 21, was shot in the head and killed on the spot, according to a source in a Jenin hospital, while 17-yr-old Aws Salameh succumbed to his wounds at the hospital. aljazeera
China sends troops to Djibouti for opening of military base
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/china-sends-troops-to-djibouti-for-opening-of-military-base-4746749/
Ships carrying Chinese military personnel for Beijing’s first overseas military base, in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, have left China to begin setting up the facility, state news agency Xinhua has reported. Djibouti’s position on the northwestern edge of the Indian Ocean has fuelled worries in India that it would become another of China’s “string of pearls” of military alliances and assets ringing India, including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.China began construction of a logistics base in strategically located Djibouti last year that will resupply naval vessels taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, in particular. This will be China’s first overseas naval base, although Beijing officially terms it a logistics facility. Reuters
Pak Supreme court resumes Sharif 'corruption' hearings
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/pakistan-court-resumes-sharif-corruption-hearings-170710102656521.html
Pakistan's Supreme Court has resumed deliberations in a corruption case that could unseat PM Nawaz Sharif, after investigators tasked with probing the allegations submitted their findings to judges.JIT, consisting of investigators from Pakistan’s police, military and financial regulators, spent 60 days gathering evidence and questioning witnesses about PM’s family’s assets.The investigators have recommended that a case be filed against Sharif in a National Accountability Court after concluding that there were "significant gap[s]" in Sharif's family's ability to account for their assets. "Failure on the part of all respondents to produce the requisite information confirming 'known sources of income' is [...] tantamount to not being able to justify assets and the means of income," read the conclusion of the report, a partial copy of which was obtained by Al Jazeera.Sharif himself appeared before the inquiry on June 15, while his sons Hassan and Hussain were questioned multiple times during the course of proceedings. Maryam Nawaz, Sharif's daughter and political heir apparent, was also questioned. JIT submitted its report, along with two boxes of evidence, to the SC on Monday morning amid tight security. The court adjourned Monday’s proceedings until July 17, when lawyers for both sides will be given a chance to present their arguments on the investigating team's findings. aljazeera
Despite victory over ISIL, fighting continues in Mosul
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/news/2017/07/victory-isil-sporadic-fighting-continues-mosul-170712072520520.html
Sporadic fighting is continuing in Mosul, a day after Iraq's PM declared total victory over the ISIL group.What's left now is the shell of an ancient city, with a traumatised population. Many who fled the violence are living in camps. aljazeera
Can Sushma bring back Mosul’s Indians?N. Subramanian
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/can-sushma-swaraj-bring-back-mosuls-indians-4746515/
GCC crisis: US Secretary Tillerson meets Saudi king, FM
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/gcc-crisis-rex-tillerson-meet-saudi-king-fm-170712034313098.html
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has held talks with Saudi Arabia's King Salman before meeting with his counterparts from the kingdom and the other three Arab states that have imposed a blockade on Qatar. Meeting today brings together foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian coastal city of Jeddah, according to Saudi-owned TV network Al Arabiya.The visit to Jeddah follows meetings in Doha with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. "I think Qatar has been quite clear in its positions, and I think those have been very reasonable," Tillerson said on Tuesday.aljazeera
Man leaves Jesus painting outside mosque in possible hate crime — unaware Muslims love Jesus, too
https://mic.com/articles/181915/man-leaves-jesus-painting-outside-mosque-in-possible-hate-crime-unaware-muslims-love-jesus-too#.P7NtBaLr3
Nassau County Police Dept is investigating a possible hate crime where an unidentified person left a large painting of Jesus hanging on a cross outside the Hillside Islamic Center in Long Island, New York.An employee at Hillside Islamic Center found the painting hanging from the mosque’s fence on Friday, an NCPD spokesman said in an email.Abdul Aziz Bhuyian, the mosque’s president, told Island Now that surveillance footage shows a man riding a bicycle to the center and pulling a shopping cart with the painting just after midnight on Friday. Bhuyian said he is sure the man “wanted to provoke” members of the mosque. “Had he had good intentions, he would have come to us,” Bhuyian said, according to Island Now. “We’re always here.”Jesus is one of most highly regarded prophets in Islam. Since the Holy Quran is written in Arabic, Jesus’ name is translated to Isa ibn Maryam or Jesus, the son of Mary.
Hindu Groups in UK Hit Back at British Govt ’s Plans to Ban Caste-Based Discrimination
https://thewire.in/156080/caste-discrimination-uk-theresa-may/
London: Caste is rearing its ugly head again, this time in an unlikely place – UK. Under pressure from rights groups and sections of civil society, Theresa May Govt has moved to take its first steps towards banning caste-based discrimination in the public sphere. It has called for public opinions on whether caste discrimination will be best tackled by a ban on it through a new law or not, a consultation which will end on September 18, after which the Govt will take a final call. However, the backlash from Hindu organisations, several of them close to the Sangh parivar, has been swift. They are livid at the Govt ’s move and have threatened to derail it with all their might. This has now made the May Govt ’s resolve in banning caste-based discrimination wobbly – it doesn’t want to appear to be taking on these vocal groups.In fact, from at one time promising to ban caste discrimination in 2013, the May Govt has made an about-turn already, by now inviting public opinion on whether such a ban is even required. The Govt ’s reluctance in biting the bullet on caste discrimination is now being seen as the surest sign of the ascent of the Hindu Right in the UK, a rise propelled by the financial clout of its British Hindusupporters and the tacit support of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, the overseas wing of the RSS, the far-right ideological parent of Modi’s BJP. Thewire
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 10:11 AM)
