Evening NEWS DIGEST
11 April 2018:23 Rajjab 1439:Vol:9, No:162
INDIA
Kathua chargesheet: In JK child gangrape, rituals, a chilling invite and a police cover-up
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/kathua-chargesheet-in-jk-child-gangrape-rituals-a-chilling-invite-and-a-police-cover-up-5132283/
New Delhi: 8-year-old was gangraped thrice inside Devasthan or prayer hall, after the mastermind had “performed rituals”. One of the rapists was called from Meerut to “satisfy his lust”. The girl was confined using sedatives, then strangled and hit on the head twice with a stone — “in order to make sure” she was dead. But not before another accused, a police personnel, asked the others to “wait because he wanted to rape” her one last time.And all this, to “dislodge” a group of Bakherwal Muslim nomads from Rasana village in Kathua near Jammu.These are just some of the chilling details in 18-page chargesheet filed Monday by J&K Police’s Crime Branch against the 8 accused in the rape and murder of the girl who went missing from near her house in Rasana on Jan.10 — her body was found 7 days later in the forests nearby.In the days that followed, the chargesheet states, the accused paid Rs 1.5 lakh as a bribe to local policemen who knew where the girl was kept and helped cover up the crime initially.The killing had sparked outrage across J&K with Govt handing over the case to the Crime Branch following protests from the Bakherwal community. The case took a communal turn in Kathua, where an outfit called Hindu Ekta Manch was set up by politicians in support of the accused. Among those who backed the Manch were Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, 2 BJP ministers in CM Mehbooba Mufti’s Cabinet.According to chargesheet, the mastermind behind the rape and murder is retired revenue official Sanji Ram who is among the eight arrested, along with his son Vishal Jangotra and nephew, believed to be a juvenile. Crime Branch had also arrested SPOs Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar, a Rasana resident Parvesh Kumar, Assistant Sub Inspector Anand Dutta and Head Constable Tilak Raj in the case. Dutta and Raj were arrested on charges of attempting to destroy evidence.According to the chargesheet, the girl’s father Mohd Yousuf lodged a complaint on Jan12 at Hiranagar station that his daughter who “had gone for grazing horses in the nearby forest at about 1230 hrs on Jan.10” had not returned. A FIR was lodged and police arrested Ram’s nephew, leading to allegations of a cover-up by Bakherwal community. On Jan.22, the case was transferred to Crime Branch.The chargesheet states that Ram masterminded the conspiracy to kidnap and, later rape and kill the girl. It states that he made SPO Khajuria and the juvenile a “part of the conspiracy and assigned them tasks separately and individually”.indianexpress
Kathua chargesheet reveals gory details of how 8-year-old was raped, bludgeoned
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kathua-chargesheet-reveals-gory-details-of-how-8-yr-old-was-raped-bludgeoned/story-UNKVij0yKD6FGWbGSdgu9O.html
Kathua rape, murder case was a plot to dislodge Muslim Bakarwal community: J&K Police chargesheet
https://scroll.in/article/875143/kathua-rape-murder-case-was-a-plot-to-dislodge-muslim-bakarwal-community-j-k-police-chargesheet
Raped, sedated, raped 'one last time': Chilling details from Kathua chargesheet
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/raped-sedated-raped-one-last-time-chilling-details-from-kathua-chargesheet-1209875-2018-04-11
Omar on Kathua rape-murder: ‘Act against on BJP ministers who emboldened lawyers’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/omar-on-kathua-rape-murder-act-against-on-bjp-ministers-who-emboldened-lawyers-5132358/
Srinagar: Hours after J&K Police registered a case against lawyers who tried to prevent Crime Branch officials from filing a chargesheet in the Kathua rape and murder case, National Conference working president Omar Abdullah said that lawyers got emboldened by actions of two ministers in PDP-BJP coalition Govt in the state and asked the Govt whether action will be taken against them.NC also demanded transfer of the case from Kathua to any other court for a free and fair trial in the backdrop of lawyers’ protests.indianexpress
Unnao alleged rape: BJP MLA holds grip on village, so girl who alleged rape has to hide
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttar-pradesh-bjp-mla-kuldeep-singh-sengar-holds-grip-on-village-so-girl-who-alleged-rape-has-to-hide-5132286/
Unnao:The uproar over the death in custody of the father of a 17-year-old girl who alleged she had been raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar saw UP police arrest Atul Singh, the MLA’s brother. On Tuesday, he became the fifth person to be held — and sent to judicial custody — in connection with the brutal assault on the girl’s father that led to his death early Monday. Police also promised to question MLA as part of their probe.But such is the clout of Sengar and his family, so complete their grip on the village of Makhi, barely 15 km from Unnao, that the girl and her family have refused to return home, saying they fear for their lives.“Following a request made by the victim’s family, I have arranged accommodation for them in Unnao,”DM said.Girl’s mother, who was waiting at the residence of DM, said: “We will not return to the village until the situation is normal. MLA and his associates must be planning something. No one in the village will dare support us. No one will raise his voice against MLA and his family. They hold all administrative posts in the village.”MLA’s wife, Sangeeta Singh Sengar, is Unnao zila panchayat head while Atul Singh’s wife Archana Singh is village pradhan.indianexpress
Unnao rape case: SIT probe only about custodial death, not gangrape
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/unnao-rape-case-sit-probe-only-about-custodial-death-not-gangrape
SIT of UP Police has begun investigating Unnao rape case, and the custodial death of the rape victim’s father. SIT team visited the victim's village on Wednesday and inquired about her and her family members. But their inquiries were only about the custodial death, and not about the gangrape.The police have arrested Atul Sengar, the brother of the accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar. Cases were filed under IPC Sections 323 (causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult). Later, Section 302 for murder was added to his FIR.SIT team, led by the ADG of Lucknow Zone, Rajiv Krishna, stayed with the family for a long time. Later ADG Rajiv Krishna said, "We are investigating every aspect. By the evening, interim report will be sent to the state Govt ."nationalheraldindia
Video: days before his custodial death, Unnao teen’s father had named BJP MLA’S brother for assault
http://caravandaily.com/portal/video-days-before-his-custodial-death-unnao-teens-father-had-named-bjp-mlas-brother-for-assault/
Rape survivor sends video to president, CJI against Yogi govt’s move to withdraw case against ex-BJP MP, minister
http://caravandaily.com/portal/rape-survivor-sends-video-to-president-cji-against-yogi-govts-move-to-withdraw-case-against-ex-bjp-mp-minister/
Lucknow:While a teenage rape survivor from Unnao district has been running from pillar to post in the Yogi Adityanath Govt seeking arrest of the accused local BJP MLA Kuldip Singh Sengar, a 39-year-old rape survivor from Badaun has sent both video message and written complaint to the President of India and CJI against the Yogi Govt ’s move to withdraw the rape case she had filed against former three-time BJP MP and union minister Swami Chinamayanand in 2011.In the video message sent on Tuesday to President Ram Nath Kovind, UP Governor Ram Naik and Chief Justice of India Deepak Mishra, she has sought justice.“BJP’s slogan is ‘Beti ke samman me, BJP maidan me’, but the same party is taking an initiative to withdraw my case without even waiting for the court order. I have submitted an affidavit in the court seeking an arrest warrant against the accused,’ TOI has quoted the rape survivor woman as saying in the video. Rape case against Chinmayanand was filed at Shahjahanpur Kotwali police station in 2011 and police had filed a charge-sheet against him next year. However, Swami, three-time former BJP MP who was Union Home Minister for State in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Govt , managed to get a stay on his arrest from the Allahabad High Court and the case is still pending there.caravandaily
Survivor sends video to President, UP governor, CJI seeking justice
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bareilly/-as-govt-moves-to-withdraw-rape-case-against-former-min-survivor-sends-video-to-prez-guv-cji-seeking-justice/articleshow/63703057.cms
UP Wakf Board says Shah Jahan gave it Taj ownership, SC asks for papers
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/taj-ownership-dispute-sc-asks-waqf-board-for-documents-signed-by-shah-jahan/story-oNzsObb1owaKuBHrou3XcK.html
Agra:UP Sunni Wakf Board, which is battling Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for ownership of Taj Mahal, was on Tuesday asked by the Supreme Court to produce documents signed by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to prove its claim over the monument. The board has a week to produce the signatures of the emperor who died in 1666, almost 18 years after the monument he built in the memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, was completed.Hearing a 2010 appeal filed by the ASI, the court directed the board to produce documents in support of its claim that none other than Shah Jahan declared the Taj a wakf property.“Who in India will believe it belongs to the wakf board? These kind of issues must not waste the time of the Supreme Court,” a bench led by CJI Dipak Misra told the board.Wakf is an endowment of land or property by a Muslim for a religious, educational or charitable purpose.In 2010, ASI had petitioned the court against the wakf board’s July 2005 decision ordering that the Taj be registered as the latter’s property. There is a stay on the order.Appearing for the board, senior advocate VV Giri said Shah Jahan executed a wakfnama in favour of the board, a submission challenged by ASI. “Then you show us the original deed executed by Shah Jahan. Show us the signature,” the bench shot back, granting a week’s time on Giri’s request.CJI Misra, however, had a few questions for the board.“How did he (Shah Jahan) sign the wakfnama? He was in jail and used to view the monument while in custody,” the country’s top judge said.The bench also reminded the board that 17th century monument and other heritage structures built by the Mughals passed on to the British after the end of the Mughal rule. After Independence, the monuments vested with Govt and were being managed by ASI. ASI advocate ADN Rao said there was no wakfnama. HT
Wakf board’s Taj Mahal claim draws SC retort
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/wakf-boards-taj-mahal-claim-draws-sc-retort-5132407/
Sohrabuddin encounter case: 2 witnesses deny CBI’s abduction theory, say ‘10-12 days before Prajapati’s arrest, he was at our home’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sohrabuddin-case-two-witnesses-deny-cbis-abduction-theory-10-12-days-before-prajapatis-arrest-he-was-at-our-home-5132147/
Mumbai: Denying their statement made before CBI in 2011 in connection to the Sohrabuddin Shaikh alleged fake encounter case, 2 prosecution witnesses on Tuesday told the court that Tulsiram Prajapati — Sohrabuddin’s associate, who was allegedly killed in 2006 — had stayed at their home in Bhilwara for “10 to 12 days” before he was arrested by the Udaipur police in Rajasthan on Nov.29, 2005. CBI has claimed that Prajapati was abducted along with Sohrabuddin and his wife Kausarbi from a luxury bus on Nov.23, 2005 by policemen from Gujarat while they were on way to Sangli from Hyderabad. Sohrabuddin was killed in a staged encounter on Nov.26, 2005 in Gujarat, subsequent to which, Kausarbi was also killed. Prajapati, a witness to the abduction, was killed on Dec.26, 2006, also in a staged encounter, the agency had alleged.The witnesses on Tuesday contradicted CBI’s case that the three were abducted at the same time from the bus by alleging that Prajapati was then at their home. CBI had maintained that Prajapati was present in the bus on Nov.23 before his arrest 6 days later.Special Public Prosecutor BP Raju, however, did not declare the two witnesses hostile.On Tuesday, a father-son duo from Rajasthan, deposed as prosecution witnesses 68 and 69. The father told the court that he had built a house in Bhilwara in Rajasthan in 2004, where he lived along with his wife and 2 sons. In 2005, he was transferred to Udaipur and while he relocated, he visited his family every few weeks in Bhilwara.He added that in March 2005, one room in their house was let out to a man claiming to be Samir Prajapati, who started a vegetable business there. “In November 2005… it was the end of the month, I received a call in Udaipur from my wife. She said that Samir has been arrested and that his real na-me was Tulsiram. The police told her that he was wanted for murder,” witness told the court. Son, who was present at the time of Prajapati’s arrest in Bhilwara in 2005, told the court that towards the end of Nov.2005,Prajapati was residing at their home. Defense advocate Wahab Khan asked the witness, “Was Prajapati at home for over 15 days?” witness promptly replied in the positive. The witness added that Prajapati was home for over 15 days before his arrest in 2005.indianexpress
Prajapati alleged fake encounter case: Witness fails to appear in court
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sohrabuddin-encounter-witness-in-prajapati-encounter-case-fails-to-appear-in-court-5132162/
“Modi govt responsible for my death”: Maharashtra farmer commits suicide
http://twocircles.net/2018apr10/422460.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
A farmer in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra committed suicide and has held Narendra Modi Govt responsible for his death. In his suicide note, the farmer has mentioned the debt and wrote, “I am committing suicide due to the loan burden and Modi Govt is responsible for my suicide.”50-year-old farmer Shankar Bhaurao Chayare, a father of three daughters, swallowed pesticide in his village Rajuwadi of Ghantanji taluka, Yavatmal. According to reports, Chayare first tried to hang himself but could not succeed in doing so, then he swallowed pesticide to give up his life. Soon, he was rushed to the Govt medical college at Yavatmal, but doctors declared him dead at 1.30pm on Tuesday.Yavatmal district is infamous for most farmers suicide. In Sept.2017, a farmer named Prakash Mangaonkar committed suicide after writing “Modi Sarkar” and “Suicide of Debt” on 2 leaves which were found along his dead body. Chayare urged state’s CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir for looking after his family member.Following his death, villagers under alleged leadership of activist Devanand Pawar surrounded the Ghatanji Police Station and raised demand to file an FIR against Narendra Modi. The protestors refused the post-mortem of deceased Chayare until the case is registered.Pawar told Indian Express, “The villagers are determined not to allow post-mortem till the offense is registered. A case of at least abetment to suicide can be immediately registered since the farmer has nearly named Modi to be the man, who has forced him to commit suicide. Don’t the police register such offenses in general in cases where the abettor’s name is mentioned in the suicide note?” TCN
Fascism, Aadhaar, Demonetisation and Justice Loya: Arundhati Roy raises concerns about state of the country
http://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/article/fascism-aadhaar-demonetisation-and-justice-loya-arundhati-roy-raises-concerns-about-state-of-the-country/215788
Booker Prize awardee Arundhati Roy has raised serious concerns about the ‘political dictatorship’ within the country and has urged political thinkers to come together and think of a solution to prevent the dark future staring at the country. “Today, we are living in a situation of extreme communalisation. So, each time we are made to divide ourselves in all sorts of way—along cast, gender, community, ethnicity, language,” said Roy during the first state congress of the Civil Liberties Committee – Telangana on Saturday, according to TOI.She was addressing a session called ‘Hindu fascism and democratic rights’. She also came down heavily on the BJP’s demonetisation move and termed it as “an act of fascism, of a kind that has never been done before ever, anywhere”. TOI reports that the activist author also termed Aadhaar as a new form of surveillance and spoke about how “every individual of a whole nation” is being controlled by this new form of surveillance. She also said that this is leading India on the path of “micro-fascism” and highlighted the oppression of Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis. She also brought up the death of Justice Loya under suspicious circumstances and believes that the Supreme Court’s failure to take an action was unsettling. timesnownews
Manmohan Singh: Atrocities against minorities, Dalits increasing; could harm democracy if unchecked
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/manmohan-singh-atrocities-against-minorities-dalits-increasing-could-harm-democracy-if-unchecked-5133158/
Chandigarh:Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh has insisted that atrocities against minorities and Dalits were on the rise in the country and warned that such incidents could harm democracy if unchecked. Delivering the first SB Rangnekar Memorial lecture at the Panjab University, his alma mater, here, Singh also called for rejection of “divisive policies and politics”.“I need not dwell long on the current deep concern that attempts are being made to divide the Indian people on the basis of religion and caste, language and culture. Atrocities against minorities and Dalits are increasing. If unchecked, these tendencies can only harm our democracy. As a people, we must strongly reject divisive policies and politics,” he said.The former PM , while addressing the gathering on the topic: The Seventieth Anniversary of our Independence – Strengthening the roots of our Democracy, also said a “dangerous and false binary” of choosing between freedom and development was surfacing in the country’s political discourse and that it must be rejected. He expressed concern over the alleged attempts being made to divide people.indianexpress
CJI will decide allocation of cases, constitution of benches: CJI led SC bench rejects PIL
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-dismisses-pil-seeking-framing-of-rules-for-allocation-of-cases-says-cji-has-authority-to-decide/
New Delhi;Dismissing a PIL seeking framing of guidelines for allocation of cases and constitution of benches, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the CJI is “first among equals” and has the constitutional authority to decide the same. A bench comprising CJI Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud dismissed a PIL seeking framing of guidelines for rational and transparent allocation of cases and constitution of benches to hear them.Referring to constitutional schemes, Justice Chandrachud said, “the Chief Justice of India is first among equals and has the authority to decide allocation of cases and setting up of benches”.A week earlier, senior advocate and former law minister Shanti Bhushan had filed PIL in the Supreme Court for clarification on the administrative authority of CJI as the ‘master of roster’ and seeking laying down of principles and procedures to be followed in preparing the roster for allocation of cases to benches.indianexpress
Dismissing Petition as “Scandalous” CJI Led SC Bench Rules: “Chief Justice Is an Institution Himself”
http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/2/13513/Dismissing-Petition-as-Scandalous-CJI-Led-SC-Bench-Rules--Chief-Justice-Is-an-Institution-Himself
Supreme Court rebuts Centre’s arguments on privacy infringement in Aadhaar case
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/supreme-court-rebuts-centre-s-arguments-on-privacy-infringement-in-aadhaar-case/story-Hamv4FEQ42K8K1hWTsOmYJ.html
New Delhi; Supreme Court has rebutted the Centre’s defence that collection of biometric details has not infringed the right to privacy of the citizens even if these were collected before the enactment of a law on Aadhaar in 2016.While the Govt referred to verdicts in two earlier cases relating to privacy and said the top court had then held that privacy was not a fundamental right, the SC bench said the question of privacy was “irrelevant” in these cases. A five-judge bench headed by CJI Dipak Misra has been persistently asking the Centre what would be the status of the biometric details collected between 2010 and 2016 as there was no enabling law empowering UIDAI to collect personal details for Aadhaar registrations.PTI
NCERT to replace Left textbooks: Tripura CM
http://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/tripura/ncert-to-replace-left-textbooks-tripura-cm-biplab-kumar-deb-5132281/
Agartala:Charging Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) under the previous Left Govt of spreading Marxist propaganda over the last two decades, BJP CM Biplab Kumar Deb Tuesday said his Govt will soon “introduce” NCERT syllabus in the state-run schools. He said the Govt is in the process of “setting up a committee” to discuss adopting NCERT over the state board.Speaking at the first NITI Aayog meet for the Northeast, Deb said he wants quality education and not quantity, considering Tripura’s literacy ratio of 95 % , which is among the country’s highest. In his speech at the Northeast forum, Deb emphasised the importance of “education for all and health for all.”BJP swept Tripura polls last month and ended 25 years of Communist rule in the state winning 43 of 59 seats.“When I say education, I mean quality education and not just numbers.Communists only wanted the people of Tripura to study Mao (Zedong) and forget our Hindu kings. They removed Mahatma Gandhi from textbooks in Govt -run schools. I am going to implement NCERT syllabus in all these schools which will also have chapters on Tripura’s history,” he said.According to Deb, textbooks of Class IX-XII in Tripura featured the Russian and French revolutions, while some had pages devoted to the birth of cricket in England, Nazism and the rise of Adolf Hitler.“Students were being taught Karl Marx and Hitler but nothing about Indian freedom fighters,” he said. Officials also said that references to Rani Laxmibai and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were also absent from textbooks as were chapters on the Constitution.indianexpress
India’s membership to NSG: Delhi works on Beijing to drop objections on n-club entry
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/indias-membership-to-nsg-delhi-works-on-beijing-to-drop-objections-on-nuclear-suppliers-group-club-entry-5132252/
New Delhi:Emboldened by its entry into three of the four multilateral export control regimes over the last two years, India on Tuesday once again reached out to China and tried to convince the interlocutors in Beijing to lift their objections at Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security) Pankaj Sharma met Beijing’s top interlocutor Wang Xun, who heads the disarmament division in the Chinese Govt . Almost two years ago, in June 2016, Wang had blocked the proposal to include India as a member of the elite export control group at a plenary meeting in Seoul.Indian Express has learnt that the talks were “constructive” and “forward-looking”.“There was a lot of candour in the conversation, and it was in the right direction,” said a source, but did not disclose whether there was a breakthrough.In a step forward, the Indian side indicated that both sides emphasised the importance of “bilateral dialogue”. In an official statement issued on Tuesday night, the Indian embassy in Beijing said, “Both sides underlined the importance of the bilateral dialogue as an important mechanism between the 2 countries for consultations on important issues…The delegations exchanged views on various topics of mutual interest, including, developments related to disarmament and non-proliferation at multilateral forums, nuclear issues, role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament as well as outer space.”indianexpress
UN should play its part on Kashmir issue, Pakistan PM tells secretary general
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/un-should-play-its-part-on-kashmir-issue-pakistan-pm-tells-secretary-general/story-KSnPzqM4sxatuwM1WhhIcI.html
Beijing:Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday met UN secretary general Antonio Guterres in China and urged the world body to play its part in stopping “Indian atrocities” in Kashmir and accused New Delhi of “unprovoked ceasefire violations”, which he warned can dangerously escalate the situation along the LoC.According to an official statement from the Pakistan PM ’s Office, Abbasi met Guterres on the sidelines of BOAO Forum for Asia being held in the southern Chinese city of Boao.Abbasi expressed “grave concern” at the “deteriorating situation” in Kashmir, the statement said.He informed the secretary general about the use of pellet guns by Indian forces, it said. “Pakistan seeks a just and peaceful resolution of the dispute, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” Abbasi said.Abbasi also told Guterres about the “deliberate and unprovoked ceasefire violations” by India along LoC and the Working Boundary, resulting in the death of civilians, the statement said.“The situation can escalate dangerously if the Indian side does not put a stop to repeated violations,” he warned.PTI
J-K encounter: Army man killed, 4 civilians die in ensuing clashes
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/j-k-encounter-army-jawan-killed-4-civilians-die-in-ensuing-clashes-118041100936_1.html
Srinagar: 4 civilians were killed and 20 injured as protesters clashed with security personnel in Kulgam district of J&K today while an encounter was on with militants that left one soldier dead and two others wounded, police said.As the news of civilian deaths spread, protests broke out in several areas of north Kashmir including Baramulla, Bandipora and Sopore towns and several security personnel including the station house officer of Baramulla were injured in stone-pelting by protestors, a police official said.Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of the district during the night following information about presence of militants there, the official said. Three soldiers were injured in the initial exchange of fire with the militants out of which Sapper Sada Gunakara Rao (24), a resident of Andhra Pradesh, succumbed to injuries at 92 Base hospital of the Army here.A group of people from Khudwani and adjoining areas started pelting stones on security personnel during the encounter today in order to facilitate the escape of the ultras, the official said, adding 24 civilians were injured in the ensuing violence, four of whom died.PTI
Yasin Malik arrested,separatists call for protest strike in JK
http://caravandaily.com/portal/yasin-malik-arrested-separatists-call-for-protest-strike-in-kashmir/
Srinagar;JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik was detained on Wednesday when he carried out a protest march against civilian killings in Kulgam district.Leaders of the separatist conglomerate, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, meanwhile called for a shutdown in the Kashmir Valley on Thursday and Friday.Addressing a hurriedly called press conference at the JKLF office here, Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer — who spoke to the media over telephone — and Malik alleged that the Indian Govt was engaged in an operation to “wipe out” the people of Kashmir.Mirwaiz Umer said the Modi Govt could go to any extent to ensure that Kashmir becomes a focal point during the 2019 general elections in India.IANS
Should consent be mandatory under Hindu Marriage Act? SC refuses to intervene, grants security to Karnataka woman
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/should-consent-be-mandatory-under-hindu-marriage-act-sc-grants-security-to-karnataka-woman-5132982/
New Delhi:Rejecting her plea seeking striking down of certain provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act on the grounds that the consent of the bride or the groom has not been made mandatory in the law, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Centre to grant security to a Karnataka woman who claimed that her parents had forcibly married her off.26-year-old Karnataka woman, who is presently in Delhi and being assisted by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), had walked away from her husband claiming that her parents had forcibly married her off. The marriage reportedly took place a fortnight ago.During the hearing, the apex court bench comprising CJI Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said that it would treat this petition as a Habeas Corpus plea and would not deal with the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act.indianexpress
Rahul Gandhi praises wedding of 2015 IAS toppers; calls marriage an ‘inspiration amid communal hatred’
http://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/rahul-gandhi-praises-wedding-of-2015-ias-toppers-calls-marriage-an-inspiration-amid-communal-hatred-5132024/
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday praised 2015 batch IAS toppers Tina Dabi and second-rank holder Athar Shafi on Twitter, congratulating the two on their wedding. Gandhi said the couple should be an inspiration for the youth of India amid the ‘growing intolerance and communal hatred’.“Congratulations Tina Dabi & Athar Amir-ul-Shafi, IAS toppers, batch of 2015, on your wedding! May your love grow from strength to strength and may you be an inspiration to all Indians in this age of growing intolerance and communal hatred. God bless you,” Gandhi tweeted.indianexpress
Ambedkar said use of violence to get relief from our pain was justified, but same couldn’t be used in our own rule: RSS chief
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/using-violence-for-relief-from-pain-justified-rss-chief-quotes-ambedkar-5132297/
Ahmedabad:“After the country’s independence, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar had told Constituent Assembly that the use of violence to get relief from our pain was justified but the same couldn’t be used in our own rule,” RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said.Bhagwat was speaking at Pandit Deendayal Auditorium after launching a website on the life of freedom fighter Sardarsinh Rana, a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi.Citing the example of freedom fighters like Chandrashekhar Azad who “showed bravery with their weapons”, Bhagwat said that “there are people in this country who say that they were terrorists. This is unfortunate…”indianexpress
Mecca Masjid blast case verdict on April 16, security to be ramped up
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/mecca-masjid-blast-case-verdict-on-april-16-security-to-be-ramped-up/articleshow/63706477.cms
Hyderabad: 11 years after a powerful pipe bomb ripped through Mecca Masjid during Friday prayers killing 9 persons, judgment day has arrived. Special NIA courtcum-fourth additional metropolitan sessions court will pronounce a verdict on April 16.The judge said the verdict will be out after the conclusion of final arguments between defence counsel and public prosecutor. Police are making elaborate security arrangements on the court premises to prevent any untoward incidents.TOI
Terror groups use social media for coordination: Rajnath
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/terror-groups-use-social-media-for-coordination-rajnath-singh-118041000907_1.html
Hyderabad: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said terrorist groups were using social media networks for spreading their ideology and coordination."Terrorists pose a threat not only to a country but to entire mankind. Today terrorism poses new challenges. You must have seen that it is continuously changing its face." "Where terrorists indulge in barbaric and cruel acts, there social media networks have become a platform for contact points, coordination and made easy to spread their ideology," Singh said at the inauguration of NSG Regional Hub here."Barring J&K, our security forces were successful in containing terrorist activities. Even in J&K, army and other security forces achieved successes during the past few years," he added.Lauding the efforts of NSG in tackling terror activities, Home Minister said, the morale of terrorists was down due to the constant efforts of security forces.PTI
Assam’s Silchar burns with communal clashes over social media messages
https://www.newsx.com/national/silchar-burns-with-communal-clashes-over-social-media-messages
Following the communal clashes that erupted in Silchar in Assam’s Cachar district on Sunday, April 8, authorities deployed two platoons of the CRPF and two platoons of the BSF on Monday. According to police, the clashes spread on Monday after pictures of the injured went viral on social media. In the wake of these rumours, an autorickshaw was set ablaze by some unidentified people at around 11pm in the Rangikhari point area, police said.In the last two days, the entire town has come down as clashes broke out in different parts of the Assam. Another incident of communal clash broke out at Kalibari Char area of Silchar on Sunday night when two parties first pelted stones at each other and vandalised houses. Reports said there had been cases of stone pelting in the past too, but the situation became worst on Sunday night, which eventually took a shape of a brutal clash. It all happened in the area, barely 700 metres from the Silchar Police station, close to the Barak river.According to a report in HT, more than 10 people were severely injured in Sunday’s clashes. Three of them – Noor Islam Laskar, his wife Zamira Begum Laskar and daughter Ayesha Laskar – are from the Kalibari Char area and are recovering at the Silchar Medical College, the police said.According to Cachar SP Rakesh Roushan, two people have been detained for the Monday night incident. Several have been questioned and the situation is now under control. “The situation in the area has been tense since last year when a Hindu girl eloped with a Muslim boy,” Roushan said referring to June 2017 incident which led to a communal clash in the town. While the authorities and members of both the communities had a peace meeting, the local media also tried to lower the heat saying that the messages on social media are just a political agenda and urged people to stop reacting on such messages.NewsX
My comparison between Burka and Trishul was ill-chosen, chastisement I received for it is merited: guha
http://caravandaily.com/portal/my-comparison-between-burka-and-trishul-was-ill-chosen-chastisement-i-received-for-it-is-merited-ramchandra-guha/
New Delhi: More than two weeks after his article Liberals, sadly wherein he had compared Burka with Trishul created a storm in the media and social media and he received perhaps harshest criticism of his life, not by just common people, but also by academicians, writers and scholars, historian Ramchandra Guha on Tuesday admitted that “My comparison (between Burka and Trishul) was ill-chosen, and chastisement I received for it is merited.”In his new article Burdens of the past, published on 10th April in the same The Indian Express where his last controversial article was published on 24th March, Guha says: “…I have caused controversy by terming the burka “reactionary” and “antediluvian”, and by comparing (not equating) it to the trishul. Apart from (at last count) 14 responses in this newspaper, there has been an array of critical commentary in social media and in other newspapers and websites.”“My comparison was ill-chosen, and the chastisement I received for it is merited. I also agree that the headscarf and the skull-cap are akin to the turban and the vibhooti, markers of religious identity that should not offend anyone when displayed in public,” he writes.In the 24th March article, Guha had written: “Many people, this writer among them, object to Hindus flaunting saffron robes and trishuls at rallies. While a burka may not be a weapon, in a symbolic sense it is akin to a trishul. It represents the most reactionary, antediluvian aspects of the faith. To object to its display in public is a mark not of intolerance, but of liberalism and emancipation.”In the new article, after admitting his comparison between Burka and Trishul was ill-chosen, Guha, however, wrote that he agrees entirely with Dr BR Ambedkar that “the burka is a mark of suppression, of women from men, and also of separation, of Muslims from non-Muslims. If you hide your face from me, how can we be partners in a shared political project? The burka is deeply inimical to fraternity, a quality that Ambedkar emphasised was vital to the creation of a democratic society.”Caravan Daily
Adani’s Jharkhand Plant an Attempt to Prop up Struggling Australia Project: Report
https://thewire.in/energy/adanis-godda-plant-an-attempt-to-prop-up-struggling-australia-project-report
New Delhi: Adani Group’s Godda power project in Jharkhand may be a “financially unviable prop” due to the high price of Australian coal that it plans to use and the fact that its electricity will be too expensive for Bangladesh – which intends to buy power from the project under a long-term contract – according to a new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), a well-known US-based energy research body.The initial pact signed by the two sides apparently allows project developer Adani Power to pass on full fuel cost to electricity buyer (Bangladesh).Significantly, Adani’s mega power plant in Mundra, Gujarat too has become unviable due to the high cost of imported coal. After the Supreme Court rejected compensatory tariff for the project last year, the plant’s enterprise value has fallen drastically, rendering the investment dud. Adani group plans to ship coal from its Australian mine to fire the 1,600 MW Godda project in Jharkhand, which is currently under implementation. According to the IEEFA report, the delivered cost of coal supply for the project is estimated at $90-100 a tonne, which is on the higher side for the Indian power market.More crucially, the Godda power proposal appears to be an attempt by the Adani Group to prop up its struggling Carmichael coal project in Australia, while locking Bangladesh into an expensive, long-term and emissions-intensive source of electricity for decades to come, says the report.thewire
Zuckerberg’s Facebook will do “everything” to ensure “fair polls” in India
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/international/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-will-do-everything-to-ensure-fair-polls-in-india
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that the social networking giant would “do everything possible” to ensure fair polling in India and other countries, amid widespread allegations over the company’s alleged role in influencing the American presidential vote in 2016. The assurance by Zuckerberg came at a US Senate hearing on Tuesday."2018 is an important year for the whole world. Several countries like India, Pakistan will have elections. We'll do everything possible to ensure these elections are safe," Zuckerberg said in the joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees in Washington.nationalheraldindia
Karnataka election 2018: Muslims want Cong to give community one seat in each district
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/muslims-want-cong-to-give-community-one-seat-in-each-district/articleshow/63706803.cms
Bengaluru: A group of Muslim leaders from Karnataka on Tuesday demanded that the Congress party reserve at least one constituency in each district of the state for Muslim candidates.Banking on the sizeable 12% Muslim population in these constituencies, a group led by former MP K Rahman Khan held a meeting with the party’s central election committee members in New Delhi to convince senior leaders as to why Muslims should get a better deal this time.“The high voter turnout from Muslim strongholds could be a game-changer for Congress. We are demanding tickets from our community from those areas where our candidates are in a position to win,” said a Congress leader. They also reeled out statistics to suggest Muslim candidates can win 28 seats in the state, provided they are given a chance to contest.The committee interacted with select Dalit leaders from the state, who sought more tickets for Madigas. Dalit community in Karnataka is divided broadly into Holeyas, the right-wing faction, and Madigas, the left-leaning side, who have dealt with worst caste atrocities.timesofindia
Case against Dainik Jagran’s ‘biased’ coverage in Delhi assembly
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/case-against-dainik-jagrans-biased-coverage-in-delhi-assembly-insult-to-examine
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Tuesday referred to the Privileges Committee a case against Hindi daily Dainik Jagran for “insulting” the Vidhan Sabha in its reports and for “biased” coverage of the House proceedings.AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj brought up the issue in the House saying: “This newspaper has been misleading the people with its biased coverage of the House proceedings. They have been insulting the Assembly.”The party's rebel MLA Kapil Mishra objected to this and asked for a discussion.As the Speaker and various MLAs objected to his stand, Mishra said he would complain to Lt Governor Anil Baijal about it.ians
Kumar Vishwas removed from Rajasthan role, AAP appoints his successor
http://www.jantakareporter.com/india/kumar-vishwas-removed-rajasthan-role-aap-appoints-successor/180127/
AAP on Wednesday removed Kumar Vishwas from his role as the party’s Rajasthan in-charge role. The party made the announcement in a special press conference in New Delhi. AAP leader Asutosh said, “Rajasthan’s responsibility has now been handed over to Deepak Bajpai so that he can strengthen the organisation by staying in the state. He will also prepare the strategy for the elections. He will also speak to senior functionaries of the party to decide on the strategy and finalise the list of candidates.”jantakareporter
Delhi: Maulana claims harassment on bus, says he was asked to utter religious slogan
https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/muslim-man-claims-harassment-on-bus-says-he-was-asked-to-utter-religious-slogan-1209943-2018-04-11
New Delhi;A 29-year-old Muslim man has claimed that he was harassed on a bus here by two men who asked him to utter a religious slogan and roughed him up.In his complaint to the police, Maulana Aftab Alam, who teaches at a mosque here, said he was also asked about his nationality by the 2 men.A case has been registered on the complaint of the victim and efforts are on to nab the accused persons, a senior police officer said.Alam, who is a resident of JJ Colony in Bawana, said in his complaint that he was heading home from Shahbad Dairy, outer Delhi, when the incident took place on the night of April 8."The two men of Prahladpur village, aged around 35-40, asked me whether I was an Indian. When I said yes I am an Indian, they asked me to say jai mata di, which I did, but they started roughing me up," Alam said in the complaint.Later, the two men got down at the Prahaladpur bus stand. Alam did not know the duo, the police officer said.PTI
UP Madrasa teaches Sanskrit alongside Urdu
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/100418/up-madrasa-teaches-sanskrit-alongside-urdu-students-say-njoying-l.html
Gorakhpur: India is a land of linguistic diversity with each region and community having its own language and dialects, and UP , which is the largest state in terms of population, is the centre of languages like Hindi, Sanskrit and Urdu. Although, languages find themselves restricted to regions, communities and sections in the state, this seems to be changing now.An initiative has been taken up by Gorakhpur's Darul Uloom Husainia Madrasa where students are being taught Sanskrit in addition to Hindi, English and Urdu.Deccan Chronicle
WORLD
257 killed in Algeria military plane crash
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/algeria-military-plane-crashes-boufarik-airport-reports-180411081014559.html
At least 257 people have been killed after a military plane crashed near the Boufarik airbase outside the Algerian capital, Algiers, according to Algerian state TV.The plane, an Ilyushin Il-76, mostly carried soldiers when it went down shortly after takeoff on Wednesday morning, state TV reported.Algeria's defence ministry was quoted as saying that 247 passengers and 10 crew members were among the dead following the crash. Ennahar TV quoted an Algerian ruling party official as saying that 26 people onboard were members of the Polisario Front, a separatist movement in West Sahara - a territory also claimed by Morocco.Algerie24, a local news website, said the plane was heading to the western Algerian city of Bechar.Images posted on an Algerian website showed thick smoke billowing from the site of the crash, as several people rushed to help. aljazeera
Trump tells Russia to 'get ready' for Syria missile attacks
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/trump-tells-russia-ready-syria-missile-strikes-180411110830819.html
US President Donald Trump told Russia in an early morning tweet to prepare for "nice and new and 'smart!'" missile attacks in Syria after an alleged gas attack on the last rebel stronghold in the country.The tweet came after the Russian ambassador to Lebanon said in an interview on Tuesday with Hezbollah-owned al-Manar TV that "if there is a US missile attack, we - in line with both Putin and Russia's chief of staff's remarks - will shoot down US rockets and even the sources that launched the missiles".Trump further chided Russia for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Wednesday's tweet, saying it "shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"The warnings come as the US and several European countries threatened to use military action against the Syrian Govt and its main ally, Russia, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town of Douma. aljazeera
Russia threatens to shoot down any US missiles fired at Syria
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/russia-threatens-shoot-missiles-fired-syria-180411075522744.html
Russia's ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin has said that his country would respond to any US missiles fired at neighbouring Syria by shooting them down and targeting their launch sites.In an interview with Hezbollah-owned al-Manar TV on Tuesday, Zasypkin said that "if there is a US missile attack, we - in line with both Putin and Russia's chief of staff's remarks - will shoot down US rockets and even the sources that launched the missiles."Russian envoy was referring to comments made by the Russian chief of staff, General Valery Gerasimov, who in March warned that Moscow would shoot down missiles fired towards Syria and would target their launch sites if the attacks threatened members of the Russian army.Gerasimov said his country would use its weapons against the US if it decided to attack Syrian bases in response to a chemical attack, and if US action endangered Russian army personnel in the country.aljazeera
Syria puts forces 'on alert' amid threat of US military action
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/syria-puts-forces-alert-threat-military-action-180410125213183.html
Syrian Govt has put its forces on "high alert" amid the looming threat of a US military response following Saturday's suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town near Damascus.DPA reported on Tuesday that the Syrian army had put all military positions on alert, including airports and all bases, for 72 hours.It said the alert included all army positions and bases in the southern province of Sweida, Aleppo province, Latakia and Deir Az Zor province. Separately, the pro-Govt Al Masdar news website reported that the Russian Navy's Black Sea fleet had also been placed on high alert after a US warship reportedly left Cyprus for Syrian waters.aljazeera
UN deadlock as rival resolutions on Syria attack probe fail
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/russia-vetoes-resolution-syria-chemical-weapons-probe-180410193956669.html
Rival draft resolutions by the US and Russia to set up a new expert body to probe chemical weapons attacks in Syria have both failed to pass at the United Nations Security Council. The votes on Tuesday came amid an escalating war of words between Washington and Moscow and a looming threat of Western military action following a suspected gas attack on the Syrian rebel-held town of Douma on Saturday.Russia first vetoed a US-drafted text to create a mechanism that would have the authority to assign blame for chemical attacks in the war-torn country. 12 council members voted in favour, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting against, and China abstained.In order to pass, a resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the five permanent members: Russia, China, France, Britain or the US.aljazeera
Syria chemical attack: 500 patients had chemical attack symptoms, says WHO
http://www.freepressjournal.in/world/syria-chemical-attack-500-patients-had-chemical-attack-symptoms-says-who/1255469
Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO) said an estimated 500 people went to health facilities with “signs and symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic chemicals” after the attack on the rebel-held town of Douma in Syria at the weekend.It also demanded “unhindered access” to Douma in Syria. The Syrian Govt denies any use of chemical weapons, the Guardian reported.“WHO demands immediate unhindered access to the area to provide care to those affected, to assess the health impacts and to deliver a comprehensive public health response,” Peter Salama, the agency’s Deputy Director General for emergency preparedness and response, said in a statement issued in Geneva.IANS
Anger erupts over video of Palestinian shot by Israeli sniper
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/anger-erupts-video-palestinian-shot-israeli-sniper-180410160058867.html
Palestinian officials and human rights activists have sharply criticised Israeli support for the actions of Israeli snipers filmed celebrating after shooting a Palestinian standing inside the Gaza Strip.In the video clip, which was first posted on Monday and has been widely shared on social media, the soldiers are heard discussing opening fire on what appeared to be Palestinians posing no immediate threat, nor engaging in any hostile acts near the fence.A shooter then appeared to open fire on one, knocking the person to the ground.aljazeera
Myanmar jails soldiers involved in Rohingya massacre
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/myanmar-jails-soldiers-involved-rohingya-massacre-180411051235970.html
Seven Myanmar soldiers have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the massacre of 10 Rohingya men in Rakhine State last September, the army said.The military said in a statement that seven soldiers were "sentenced to 10 years with hard labour at a prison in a remote area" for "contributing and participating in murder".It added that legal proceedings against the police personnel and civilians "involved in the crime" are still under way.aljazeera
Deaths of UK homeless people more than double in 5 years
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/11/deaths-of-uk-homeless-people-more-than-double-in-five-years?CMP=share_btn_fb
The number of homeless people recorded dying on streets or in temporary accommodation has more than doubled over the last five years in the UK, the Guardian can reveal.With people found dead in supermarket car parks, church graveyards and crowded hostels, the number of deaths has risen year on year, from 31 in 2013 to 70 in 2017. At least 230 people have died over that period.The figures compiled by the Guardian, which include an average of more than one death a week in 2017, are likely to be a substantial underestimate, as no part of the UK govt records homeless death statistics at a national level, and local authorities are not required to count rough sleeper deaths.According to the Guardian’s figures, the average age of a rough sleeper at death was 43, nearly half the UK life expectancy. Around 90% of those who died in the last 5 years were men, when the gender was provided.Experts have put the rise down to a rapidly increasing homeless population, rising rents, welfare cuts and lack of social housing, and have called for the Govt to take urgent action to address the root causes of poverty.theguardian
Adulterated alcohol kills 82 in Indonesia
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/adulterated-alcohol-kills-82-in-indonesia-118041101002_1.html
Indonesian authorities said on Wednesday that the number of people dead from consuming homemade adulterated alcohol on Java island has increased to 82 and seven suspects have been arrested in relation to the incident.Deputy Chief of National Police Muhammad Syafruddin said in a Jakarta press conference that 51 people died in West Java province since Friday when the affected were taken to hospitals, Efe news reported.The other 31 dead were from the metropolitan area of the provincial capital Bandung, according to Jakarta police spokesperson Argo Yuwono.IANS
Trump: US-Qatar ties 'work extremely well'
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/trump-qatar-ties-work-extremely-180410135820276.html
US President Donald Trump has praised his country's ties with Qatar as he welcomed the Qatari emir to the White House for talks on a number of issues, including the months-long Gulf diplomatic crisis.Speaking to reporters alongside Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Trump said on Tuesday that the US and Qatar "have been great friends in so many ways" and "are working very well together"."We are working on unity in that part of the Middle East and I think it's working out very well; there are lot of good things happening," added the US president.aljazeera
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
Israel has killed Palestinian child every three days for 18 yrs, reveals shocking statistic
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180407-israel-has-killed-a-palestinian-child-every-three-days-for-18-years-reveals-shocking-statistic/
Kutch, Kathua and Unnao: Crimes against women rising under BJP?Priyanka Chaturvedi
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/kutch-kathua-and-unnao-crimes-against-women-rising-under-bjp-5133088/
Why does BJP say ‘Beti Bachao’ and then do ‘Balatkari Bachao’ – over and over again?KAVITA KRISHNAN
https://theprint.in/opinion/why-does-bjp-say-beti-bachao-and-then-do-balatkari-bachao-over-and-over-again/48905/
Kathua and Unnao: Handling of these two rapes makes a mockery of Nirbhaya protests:HARNIDH KAUR
https://theprint.in/opinion/kathua-and-unnao-handling-of-these-two-rapes-makes-a-mockery-of-nirbhaya-protests/48565/
Bihar: Silence in NDA after attack on Minister Upendra Kushwaha: SOROOR AHMED
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/strange-silence-in-nda-after-attack-on-union-minister-upendra-kushwaha-rlsp-chief
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:27 PM)
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