NEWS DIGEST, MID-DAY
23 April 2018:06 Shaban 1439:Vol:10, No:05
INDIA
Venkaiah rejects 'untenable' impeachment motion against CJI, says it undermines judiciary's independence
https://www.news18.com/news/india/venkaiah-naidu-rejects-oppositions-impeachment-motion-against-chief-justice-of-india-dipak-misra-1726261.html
Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu today rejected the impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra by seven opposition parties.“The motion presented by the MPs indicates a mere suspicion, conjecture or an assumption in the Prasad Education Trust case. The same does not constitute proof beyond a reasonable doubt required to make out a case of proved misbehavior,” says the order by Naidu.The order said the conversation between third parties with dubious credentials cannot themselves constitute material evidence against CJI. "Going through the allegations mentioned in the notice, I am of the view they are neither tenable nor admissable. Allegations emerging from case have a serious tendency of undermining the independence of the judiciary," it added.On Sunday, Naidu had cut short his visit to Hyderabad and returned to the national capital to set in motion the process of consultations after an impeachment notice was filed against CJI.news18
“This is an internal matter to be resolved by SC itself”: Why VP Naidu Rejected Motion For CJI’s Impeachment?
http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/2/13606/This-Is-An-Internal-Matter-To-Be-Resolved-By-SC-Itself-Here-Is-Why-VP-Venkaiah-Naidu-Rejected-The-Motion-For-CJIs-Impeachment-Read-Order
Vice-President has no power to reject CJI impeachment notice:Prashant Bhushan
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/vice-president-naidu-has-no-power-to-reject-cji-impeachment-notice-says-prashant-bhushan-1217979-2018-04-23
After Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu rejected the notice to impeach CJI Dipak Misra, eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan tweeted that Naidu does not possess the powers to do so and can only check if the notice is procedurally correct."What!! VP Naidu rejects impeachment motion against CJI signed by 64 RS MPs! On what grounds? He has no power to say that charges are not made out. That's for the inquiry committee of 3 judges. He only has to see if it's signed by 50 MPs & possibly if charges are of misbehaviour," Bhushan tweeted.Several other political leaders also voiced their concern over the matter. Congress leader PL Punia said that his party will talk to legal experts and decide on its next move."This is a really important matter. We don't know what was the reason for the rejection. Congress and other opposition parties will talk to some legal experts and take the next step," he said.Congress leaders Kapil sibal, Randeep Surjewala, Vivek Tankha and KTS Tulsi are scheduled to hold a press conference later today over Naidu rejecting the impeachment notice.indiatoday
CJI impeachment notice rejected: Cong calls it fight between ‘forces rejecting’ & ‘voices rescuing’ democracy
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/cji-dipak-misra-impeachment-venkaiah-naidu-rejects-motion-reactions-5148031/
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday hit out at Rajya Sabha chairperson and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu for rejecting the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and said he was not surprised by the latter’s decision. Singhvi said, “Expectedly, Sh Naidu rejected imp’ment motion. Unexpectedly, he did so within one day of returning from outstn. Hopefully, the alacrity was not intended to render infructuous calls for CJI to stop Admn work.“The reaction came minutes after Naidu rejected the notice saying it lacked ‘substantial merit’. Seven Opposition parties, led by the Congress, had sought the impeachment of CJI Dipak Misra accusing him of corruption, misusing his authority and failing to protect the independence of the judiciary. Leaders of the seven parties met with Vice-President Naidu last week and handed over a notice bearing signatures of 64 MPs and seven former MPs, who recently retired. Trinamool Congress and the DMK were not part of the move.indianexpress
Congress criticises Naidu’s move to reject notice seeking CJI removal
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/congress-criticises-venkaiah-naidu-s-move-to-reject-notice-seeking-cji-removal/story-0u6Oe8kS9J2Ya88LrhfKdM.html
CJI impeachment: Kapil Sibal says will not appear in court of CJI Misra from today
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/chief-justice-impeachment-kapil-sibal-will-not-appear-court-cji-dipak-misra-congress-5147829/
Senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal said he will not appear in the court of CJI Dipak Misra, whose removal he and 63 others have sought, for the remainder of the judge’s term. Sibal, who has a roaring practice in the Supreme Court and many important matters in CJI’s court,said,“I will not appear in the CJI’s court from tomorrow onwards… till he retires, because that is consistent with the highest standards of my profession.” Sibal clarified, “If he (CJI) continues (in office) till he retires, and if an inquiry is set up, till he recuses. We believe in maintaining standards.”Sibal said this when asked why his colleague at the Bar, former minister P Chidambaram and some other party leaders had not signed the notice for the motion which had been presented to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu. “We did not even ask Chidambaram to sign because there are cases pending and I am there his counsel,” Sibal replied. He added, “In fact, it is a great loss for him because I cannot appear anymore in that court.” indianexpress
CJI impeachment: We had two choices: to let rot fester… or (to) address it, says Kapil Sibal
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/cji-impeachment-kapil-sibal-dipak-misra-judge-loya-ayodhya-case-congress-bjp-5147731/
VHP man says he cancelled cab ride because his driver is Muslim, Ola reiterates their 'platform is secular'
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-twitter-ola-muslim-jihadi-cancel-vhp-2607440
Recently, a post by a Twitter user Abhishek Mishra, who claims in his bio to be associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad went viral after he claimed that he had cancelled his Ola cab ride because the driver was Muslim.The verified Twitter user, who claims to be a “Hindutva Thinker’, and is followed by major establishemnt figures including Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Power Minister Piyush Goyal and Culture Minister Dr Mahesh Sharma, wrote on Twitter: “Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi People.” He later defended himself writing that it was ‘freedom to choose’.He further wrote: “People starts attack on me. Can I have no right to choose? If they can run a campaign against Hanuman ji poster on cab, defamed Hindus and Hindus god in Kathua incident then they must be prepared for reply.”His tweet was condemned by a host of Twitter users including the likes of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Delhi Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee. Shashi Tharoor wrote: “I remember an India where people who thought this way would have been ostracized rather than admired &"followed". We need to #BringIndiannessBack.”Many users also asked Twitter to suspend him for the ‘hate speech’, asked Ola to ban him, while others asked him to boycott cars and automobiles since they used petrol/diesel from Saudi Arabia.dnaindia
"Cancelled Ola Cab As Driver Muslim": Man Followed By Ministers On Twitter
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cancelled-ola-cab-as-driver-muslim-says-man-followed-by-ministers-on-twitter-1841140
Haryana: 14-yr-old girl belonging to minority community kidnapped, gang-raped near temple
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/14-year-old-girl-kidnapped-gang-raped-in-yamunanagar-4-booked/articleshow/63870487.cms
Chandigarh: A 14-year-old girl belonging to a minority community was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped by four boys in a village in Yamunanagar district.The incident occurred on April 17 when the girl was sleeping at her home and her parents had gone to Jathalana mandi for work.4 accused barged into her house and took her to a dharamshala where they took turns to rape her. Later, the accused dumped the girl outside her village in the morning.The entire incident came to the light on Saturday evening, when girl’s parents informed the Jathlana police about her ordeal. Girl's mother said that all the accused are from the same village and they had threatened her daughter of dire consequences if she revealed the incident to anybody. Inspector Sheelawanti of Women Police Station said that a case of POCSO Act, kidnapping and gang-rape has been registered against the accused."Soon after receiving the complaint, the girl was medically examined. She is confirmed to have been subjected to abuse. Rest we have rushed the police parties to check possible hideouts of the accused," she said."Let our teams arrest the accused only then we shall be in the position to elaborate upon their role. Secondly, as far as place of occurrence is concerned, this was an old dharamshala building and had a small temple, This place was hardly used by villagers, hence accused apparently took her there," she said. Notably, the incident comes just two days after an 8-year-old tribal girl was allegedly raped by her uncle in a village falling under the Narnaund police station of Hisar.
In Haryana, teenager gang-raped; they smashed her head and left her unconscious
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-haryana-teenager-gang-raped-they-smashed-her-head-and-left-her-unconscious-1841353
Haryana: Minor sexually assaulted in Yamunanagar
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/haryana-mino=====r-sexually-assaulted-in-yamunanagar-118042300062_1.html
Man who fought polls on BJP ticket held for sexually assaulting minor girl in train
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/man-who-fought-polls-on-bjp-ticket-held-for-sexually-assaulting-minor-girl-in-train-1217911-2018-04-23
A man associated with BJP leader was arrested for sexually assaulting a minor in a train running between Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai.Prem Anand, an advocate, was arrested by the Erode Railway Police under POCSO Act after the minor girl complained about Anand's assault. Anand was the BJP candidate for RK Nagar constituency of North Chennai in 2006.Police said that the alleged victim shouted and woke her parents up, after which they complained to authorities. Anand, however, threatened the family of dire consequences, claiming he had big clout in the BJP and was connected to several RSS leaders.The railway police was, however, firm and promptly arrested him.indiatoday
6-year-old raped, strangled, left to die in Odisha school
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/cuttack/6-year-old-raped-strangled-left-to-die-in-odisha-school/articleshow/63876233.cms
Bhubaneswar: A 6-year-old girl was raped, strangulated and left inside a school campus at Jagannathpur village in Cuttack district on Saturday, with the accused presuming her to be dead, police said on Sunday.The girl had gone to purchase biscuits in her village but when she did not return after some time and there was a power cut, her family members along with some villagers set out to look for her."After a frantic search for over an hour, the girl was found lying unconscious and without clothes inside the school campus with blood oozing from her head and mouth," the police said.She was immediately rushed to a nearby private nursing home from where she was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Salepur sub-divisional police officer P K Jena said.PTI
Sometimes rapes can't be stopped, why make a "big deal":Union Minister
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/why-make-a-big-deal-union-ministers-message-on-child-rape-1841027
New Delhi: As the nation seethed over the gangrape and murder of an 8-year-old child, Union minister Santosh Gangwar stepped into controversy today, saying while such instances were unfortunate, they cannot be stopped sometimes and one "should not make a big deal out of it". "In such a huge country, if one or two such cases are reported, one should not make a big deal out of it," the minister said. "Such incidents are really unfortunate, but sometimes it is difficult to control these cases... Govt is active," added the Gangwar, the junior minister in finance department.ndtv
Jamaat welcomes govt move for death penalty to rapists
http://theindianawaaz.com/jamaat-welcomes-govt-move-for-death-penalty-to-rapists/
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has welcomed the government’s move to bring an ordinance awarding death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years. The Secretary General of Jamaat, Muhammad Salim Engineer said: “we welcome the government ordinance awarding death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years. We support Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 as it allows the setting up of new fast-track courts and installation of special forensic kits in all police stations and hospitals to expedite investigation in rape cases. Jamaat feels that capital punishment is necessary to deliver justice to the victim and also act as a deterrent for such heinous crimes. It has been demanding death penalty for every rapist irrespective of the age of the victim’’. He said: “we demand a complete ban on alcohol and pornographic videos, as they too aid and abet the growing incidents of crime against women. Jamaat had taken a similar position at the time of Nirbhaya gang rape and recommended capital punishment for the rapists in its submission to Justice Verma Committee that was constituted to recommend amendments to the Criminal Law so as to provide for quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals convicted for rape.” theindianawaaz
Nirbhaya’s father: Ordinance a show for 2019 election, hang all rapists
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/ordinance-general-elections-all-rape-convicts-should-be-hanged-nirbhayas-father
Although the Modi government is patting itself on the back for bringing an amendment in POCSO law provisioning for death penalty for those convicted of raping children below the age of 12 via an ordinance on April 21, the government’s decision has been termed as political by the father of the Delhi gangrape victim. Nirbhaya’s father said the government has taken this decision keeping in mind the next general elections in 2019.Nirbhaya’s father said there was no point in making a provision for death sentence only in case of rape of a child below 12 years. He held that a rape is a rape, whether it is of a child or of an adult. He demanded life imprisonment or death sentence for all rape convicts.Nirbhaya’s mother too demanded that life sentence or death penalty be given to all those convicted of rape. She said, “A provision has been made to give death penalty for rapists of girls below 12 years of age. This is a good step but what about those girls who are older? There is no more heinous crime than rape, there is no larger pain. Every rapist should be hanged.”nationalheraldindia
DCW Chief Maliwal ends hunger strike on day 10, expresses gratitude to the govt
http://www.jantakareporter.com/delhi/dcw-chief-swati-maliwal-ends-hunger-strike-on-day-10-expresses-gratitude-to-the-government/181847/
Delhi Women’s Commission President Swati Maliwal ended her hunger strike after 10 days on Sunday. Swati said, “I was fighting alone but then I was supported by people across the country. I think this is a historical victory in independent India. I congratulate everyone on this victory.”Earlier, Swati had announced to end her hunger strike on Saturday hours after the Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to give stringent punishment, including the death penalty, to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years. Swati, who was sitting on a hunger strike at Rajghat since last 10 days, told her supporters on Saturday, “Our demands were made in the Cabinet meeting yesterday. I wholeheartedly thank the central government. Today I will end my fast at 2 o’clock.”jantakareporter
Around 650 academics across world slam Modi over his ‘prolonged silence’ on crimes against women
http://caravandaily.com/portal/around-650-academics-from-india-abroad-criticize-modi-over-his-prolonged-silence-on-crimes-against-women/
New Delhi: Around 650 academics belonging to academic institutions of repute in India and abroad have written a strongly-worded letter to PM Narendra Modi over the recent brutal rapes, political patronage to the culprits and his ‘prolonged silence’ over them.In the open letter on Saturday, 637 academics told the PM Modi that his statements on the “monstrous crimes” of Kathua and Unnao had been “wholly inadequate, platitudinous” and they gave “non-specific assurances of justice” for the victims.“We send you this letter… so that we are not guilty of silence; and so that callousness and cowardice might finally draw the line at the broken body of a little girl and the rape of a young woman”, the academics said in the letter.The signatories to the letter include academicians and scholars from universities across the globe including New York University, Brown University, the Harvard, the Columbia and prominent IITs, among others.Caravan News
After Tiranga rally for Kathua rape accused, now Tiranga Yatra for Ramgarh lynching convicts
http://caravandaily.com/portal/after-tiranga-rally-for-kathua-rape-accused-now-tiranga-yatra-for-ramgarh-lynching-convicts/
Ranchi: In a sign of a growing dangerous pattern to offer Tiranga cover to accused of rape or lynching, a Tiranga rally was taken out in Ramgarh town of Jharkhand in support of the cow vigilantes who were awarded life sentence by a fast-track court for lynching of a 45-year-old Muslim man.Earlier this month, a similar Tiranga rally was taken out in Kathua of J&K in support of the accused of brutal gang-rape and murder of an eight-year-old local tribal girl. The rally was organized after the police filed charge-sheet in the case. A group of right-leaning lawyers had also forcibly tried to block the prosecution team to file the charge-sheet in the court.Three things are common in the 2 Tiranga rallies. One, the organizers got support from local BJP leaders. 2, they were demanding CBI/NIA probe into the incidents saying wrong people were implicated in the case by the local police. Third, in both J&K and Jharkhand, BJP is in power. About two weeks after the court judgment, some local saffron groups, including Hindu Samaj Party and Ramgarh Yuva Sangh, under the leadership of former BJP MLAs, launched a protest demonstration in support of the accused in Ramgarh town.On 10th April, hundreds of BJP supporters took out a Tiranga yatra to demand either a CBI or an NIA probe into Ramgarh lynching case. Caravan News
Christian missionaries a threat to unity of country: BJP MP
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/christian-missionaries-a-threat-to-unity-of-the-country-bjps-ballia-mp-bharat-si/311250
Claiming that Christian missionaries are a threat to the unity and integrity of the country, BJP MP Bharat Singh has accused the Congress party of working on their directives."Christian missionaries control the Congress. Sonia Gandhi, the mother of Congress president Rahul Gandhi works on the directions of these missionaries. These missionaries are a threat for the unity of the country," Singh said while talking to reporters here yesterday. Singh also alleged that the democracy in the north eastern states of the country has "weakened" due to "conversion of people there into Christianity." " North-East is under the influence of Christian missionaries. Democracy has weakened due to conversion of people into Christianity there. The conspiracies hatched by these missionaries are threat for the country," he added.PTI
Constitutional status will help:National Commission for Minorities to seek Constitutional status from govt
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/apr/23/constitutional-status-will-help-national-commission-for-minorities-chief-1805062.html
New Delhi: National Commission for Minorities (NCM) will soon seek more powers by asking for a constitutional status in order to protect rights of minority communities more effectively. If the NCM gets constitutional status, it will be able to act against errant officials who do not attend hearings, follow its order or are found guilty of dereliction of duty, said NCM chairman Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi.As of now, only National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes have constitutional status, giving them powers to act against officials.“We are going to write to the government to give us constitutional status to deal with the problems. Officers don’t attend hearings, and we are not able to safeguard minorities the way we want. The panel should get rights like the commissions dealing with issues relating to SCs and STs,” Rizvi said, adding that he was also going to write to the chief secretaries of states next week to take action against officials who do not attend hearings.At present, the NCM has powers to summon officials, including chief secretaries and director generals of police, but has to rely on departments concerned for action against erring officials. newindianexpress
1308 women to perform Haj without male guardians: Naqvi
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/1-308-women-to-perform-haj-without-male-guardians-naqvi-118042200421_1.html
Mumbai:A total of 1,308 women from the country will, for the first time, perform Haj without the company of a 'mahram' or male guardian, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.The minister was in the city to participate in a training programme organised for Haj pilgrims."A total of 1,308 women have applied to go for Haj without a 'mahram'. These women have been exempted from the lottery system and will be allowed to proceed to perform Haj," he told reporters.The minister said that it was the first time that women from India would be going for the pilgrimage without a male guardian.PTI
Ram Temple case: New VHP chief for govt stepping in if SC gives ‘adverse order’
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ram-temple-case-new-vhp-chief-for-govt-stepping-in-if-sc-gives-adverse-order-5147797/
New Delhi:VHP Working President Alok Kumar, who took over from Praveen Togadia recently, has said that in case the Supreme Court gives “adverse” ruling on Ram Temple, they will ask the Centre to step in, as the temple “has to be constructed at Lord Ram’s birthplace”. He said, “We are looking forward to the court decision. We expect it soon and we will win.” But, he added, in case the verdict is “adverse”, since Supreme Court is treating it as a “land dispute”, Parliament has the power to make adequate laws to acquire the property and give it for Ram Temple. “We have merit in our case and we hope to win. But assuming an adverse order, people of this country will ask the government to legislate.”Kumar said the Supreme Court’s judgment on SC/ST Act has caused discontent among Scheduled Castes. “I believe this Act should not be diluted. I am satisfied that the government has opted for a review,” said Kumar.“We have been working on several issues since 1964 (when VHP was formed), such as social harmony, establishing family values, and Ram Temple; they all continue to be relevant,” said Kumar. “But priorities might have changed. Right now, the priority is to work towards social harmony. We are pained how the situation is being exploited by certain groups.”indianexpress
Rohingyas face displacement again in Delhi camp fire
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2018/apr/22/rohingyas-face-displacement-again-in-delhi-refugee-camp-fire-1804914.html
New Delhi: Tasleema does not remember the last time she lived somewhere she could call home. As she fled Arakan in Myanmar to Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh and finally arrived in New Delhi, Tasleema, a member of the besieged Rohingya community, found that she was always on the move.A fire in the only Rohingya camp in Delhi has displaced her again.At least 44 shanties housing Rohingya refugees in southeast Delhi's Sarita Vihar were gutted in a fire early last Sunday. It left 226 Rohingyas, including 100 women and 50 children, homeless once again. Tasleema, 23, was among the 75,000 Rohingyas, the majority of them Muslims, displaced by two waves of violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine in 2012.Thousands of people fled Myanmar then to take refuge in neighbouring countries, including India."I have been on the move since I was 17. My children have been born as refugees and they are growing up seeing one problem after another," she told PTI.The fire that broke out because of a short circuit in the electrical wiring system in the camp spread rapidly and razed it to the ground.No casualties were reported, but the refugees lost all their belongings, including their UNHCR refugee cards which help prevent arbitrary arrests, detention and deportation."The fire spread fast as many of our tents had plastic coverings and the houses that had gas cylinders burst, spreading the fire further," Abu Fazal, another resident of the camp, said.Refugee Amina Begum noted how they had made peace with their situation and were trying to rebuild their lives, but the fire not only destroyed their shanties but also their hope of finally burying the horrors of the past.It is like we have been pushed six years back from where we started," Amina, 28, said.Children in the camp still look for their belongings in the charred debris every day since the fire, she added.The men sleep outside and the women inside some 20 makeshift tents covered with dupattas, clothes and mosquito nets.NGOs representatives said the camps lacked basic services such as sanitation, healthcare, education facilities or drinking water and after the fire the living condition in the shelter had further deteriorated."Children are especially vulnerable to mosquitoes and diseases and the makeshift camp is further increasing their vulnerability," said Syed Azhar, national secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, one of the groups seeking to provide aid to the refugees."The refugees had their own small society inside with small grocery and tailoring shops. Now they have to start from scratch," Azhar said.PTI
Mecca Masjid blast case verdict: CBI failed to produce basic evidence against Aseemanand
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/mecca-masjid-blast-verdict-cbi-failed-to-produce-basic-evidence-against-swami-aseemanand-5147750/
Hyderabad: CBI, which investigated the Mecca Masjid blast case before the NIA took over in April 2011, failed to produce even basic evidence to prove its case against Swami Aseemanand. It failed to show that Aseemanand and Shaik Abdul Kaleem, to whom he allegedly confessed in prison, were in the same jail at the same time. Also, it failed to give the date on which Aseemanand expressed his desire to confess before a magistrate.The verdict by NIA court judge K Ravinder Reddy on April 16, acquitting all the accused, reveals glaring loopholes in the CBI’s case.The judge also observed that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Devender Gupta, another accused, was communal because he was an RSS pracharak. CBI also failed to validate Call Data Records as the investigation officer did not examine the service providers. The prosecution also could not explain why the investigating officer was in a hurry to record Aseemanand’s confession before a court in New Delhi when he could have done so in Hyderabad.indianexpress
Masjid blast case verdict: Court questioned NIA’s claim that Aseemanand confessed
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/mecca-masjid-blast-case-verdict-court-doubted-nias-claim-of-aseemanands-confession-5147034/
Malegaon blast case: Trial to be conducted by new judge
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/malegaon-blast-2008-case-trial-to-be-conducted-by-new-judge-5147745/
Mumbai;The trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case will be presided over by additional sessions judge V S Padalkar. A Union Home Ministry notification issued last week announced his appointment on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.In December 2017, the previous judge S D Tekale was transferred to Uttan’s Maharashtra Judicial Academy, in what authorities claimed was a routine transfer. In the same month before his tenure ended, he passed an order on the discharge applications filed by all accused, including Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit. He was presiding over the case since 2015. Since the past few months, the case is being heard as an additional charge by other judges till the notification was in process with only formal dates being given.indianexpress
Simultaneous elections: Constitutional changes major hurdles, says Law Commission chairman
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/simultaneous-elections-constitutional-changes-major-hurdles-says-law-commission-chairman-5147779/
New Delhi:The Chairman of the Law Commission of India, former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice (retd.) BS Chauhan believes that the biggest legal challenge in holding simultaneous elections is the need for major constitutional amendments. He said he was still grappling with the vexed issue of the Tenth Schedule, containing the anti-defection law, which can’t be made redundant to give assemblies or Parliament a fixed full-term.Justice Chauhan said the reference from Law Ministry to start working on points of law over a proposal for ‘simultaneous elections’ came to him “a few days ago”. But he emphasised that “we have been working on this as an academic exercise ever since Law Day on November 25, 2017, when the Prime Minister brought this up in his speech as the way forward.”Chauhan said that “we have not gone into the desirability of the exercise… That would be for politicians and others to decide; we are just trying to sort out the legal aspects… About four constitutional amendments and then amendments to the RPA (Representation of the People Act) would be needed too.”indianexpress
Congress’ ‘Save the Constitution’ campaign: reaches out to Dalits over dilution of SC/ST Act, targets BJP
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/congress-save-the-constitution-campaign-rahul-gandhi-dalits-live-updates-5147959/?#liveblogstart
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is set to launch a ‘Save the Constitution’ national campaign today against the BJP-led government under PM Narendra Modi for “systematically destroying the Indian Constitution and attacks on the Dalits”.In a statement, the Congress has said, “BJP-RSS combine is set to dismantle the social security available for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections. RSS ideology attacks the basic structure of Indian Constitution.”indianexpress
Ahmedabad: Muslim, Dalit outfits to hold Jan Akrosh Rally
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/muslim-dalit-outfits-to-hold-jan-akrosh-rally/articleshow/63873300.cms
Ahmedabad: To protest against the recent rape horrors in the country, various Muslim and Dalit organizations will come together to hold the Jan Akrosh Rally in Shahibaug on Monday evening. These organizations include Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM) led by Jignesh Mevani, Alpsankhyak Adhikar Manch, Dalit Muslim Ekta Manch, and Hamari Avaaz Hamara Adhikar forum. The rally is likely to turn massive as the organizers started spreading the word on various social media platforms. People from across the state are likely to participate in the rally.Jignesh Mevani, independent MLA from Vadgam and convener of RDAM, said that the public rally was the need of the hour because PM Narendra Modi and other top leaders of the ruling BJP were silent over the horrors. He said, “Shockingly, the BJP is either ruling or is in alliance in those states. This speaks volumes about the deteriorating law and order situation in the BJP-ruled states. So we will hold a rally to wake up the sleeping government.”Kaleem Siddiqui of Dalit-Muslim Ekta Manch said that the rally is an attempt to show unity between Muslims and Dalits. “Every moment of each passing day, someone somewhere is holding a protest against the horrors,” said Siddiqui. He said that a march will be organized from Namaste Circle in Shahibaug to RTO circle. “People are registering their protest through candlelight marches and with slogans against the regime,” he said. “It has become necessary to give expression to this akrosh.”TOI
Owaisi slams Centre over watch on Muslim youth
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/230418/asaduddin-owaisi-slams-centre-over-watch-on-muslim-youth.html
AIMM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the motive of the Union Home Ministry in gathering information on the reasons of Muslim youth drifting towards banned organizations like the Islamic State. Addressing a public meeting at Udgir in Maharashtra, Owaisi sought to know why only Muslim youth are kept under surveillance as counter radicalisation measures. There are about 17 crore Muslims across India and of these around 10.5 crore are youth, according to latest census. “If 60 of them - including 30 to 40 persons who were living abroad and joined the ISIS - are radicalised, why the government considers it is important to keep the entire community under surveillance? I ask the government, why there is no surveillance by Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division of the Union Home Ministry on the cow vigilantes. It is important to know how they are getting radicalised to such an extent that they are killing people in the name of cow slaughter and beef,” he asked. He further asked, “Are the acts of killing women, distributing swords and even ministers killing people not radicalisation? Radicalisation can happen anywhere. You have to remove the hatred against us.If you want to know how youth get radicalised, then you have to investigate who were the persons who carried out the blasts at Ajmer Shrine and Mecca Masjid." Deccan Chronicle
Sensational revelations by Election Commission’s longest serving legal counsel SK Mendiratta, AAP lashes out at panel
http://www.jantakareporter.com/india/sensational-revelations-by-election-commissions-longest-serving-legal-counsel-sk-mendiratta-aap-lashes-out-at-poll-panel/181816/
SK Mendiratta, the longest serving legal counsel of the Election Commission, has confessed that ‘2 or 3 decisions’ by national poll body has dented its reputation.79-year-old Mendiratta, who’s been with the EC for 53 years, said that the poll panel had not consulted him before recommending the disqualification of 21 AAP MLAs to the President earlier this year.“One of the reasons I decided to come today was to remove that impression. I was not consulted on the opinion given to the President (on the office of profit complaint against AAP MLAs), or on the announcement of elections in Gujarat and Himachal, or when the Karnataka (poll) announcement was made,” Mendiratta said. He also added that ‘Before that, for all the general elections, I was consulted.’He said, “Previously, whenever we issued an order or gave some opinion, we always thought — and it was also my advice to the Commission — that we were handling all these things in a quasi-judicial capacity. And that if an order was issued in quasi-judicial capacity, no authority should go to the court to defend it. That the order should defend itself. Whenever in the past such questions arose, and they asked for my opinion, I said no, let the court decide it. This time I can’t say why they did this, who advised them and who appeared (in court)… It was definitely a deviation from the past.jantakareporter
J-K govt orders closure of coaching centres in Kashmir, triggers anger
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/j-k-govt-orders-closure-of-coaching-centres-in-kashmir-triggers-anger/story-cTIc3aGdWzxGTFIX1EzU2L.html
Srinagar:J&K govt decided to shut coaching centres across Kashmir for the next three months, triggering talk that the move is aimed at keeping students away from street protests. “The order will be issued by tomorrow,” said state education minister Altaf Bukhari.The minister, however, insisted that student protests did not guide the decision. Bukhari announced the decision in Srinagar after chairing a meeting of education officers and principals of higher secondary schools.Schools and colleges across the Valley have seen repeated closures over the last couple of months following protests over the death of civilians during gun battles between security forces and holed up militants. Disruptions were also witnessed this month as students protested over the alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. Parents of several students alleged that the govt was taking revenge on students.HT
Kasganj violence: SIT to file first chargesheet today
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/kasganj-violence-sit-to-file-first-chargesheet-5147862/
Lucknow:A SIT, formed to probe the January 27 communal violence in UPs Kasganj, will file its first chargesheet in the case on Monday. The violence was triggered a day after 22-year-old Abhishek Gupta was killed during a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ to mark the Republic Day.indianexpress
WORLD
Afghanistan: 62 dead in voter registration office blast
https://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/afghanistan-62-dead-in-voter-registration-office-blast/1125060
Kabul:A Sunday morning suicide bombing in the Afghan capital Kabul killed over 60 people trying to register for fall elections, officials confirmed.Waheed Majroh, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said that 62 people had been killed and over 100 were injured.“More than 20 women and children are among the dead," he added.According to Humayon Mohtaat, head of the population census directorate, the attack on a voter registration office took place in Dasht Barchi, western Kabul, outside the protected diplomatic and governmental "green zone".Jawed Hassan, an eye witness, said a large number of civilians, including women and children, had gathered to get identity cards for the upcoming elections due to a shortage of application forms on Saturday.Registration began last week for long-awaited local and parliamentary elections, set for Oct. 20.Anadolu
Thousands rally in Pakistan's Lahore for Pashtun rights
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/thousands-rally-pakistan-lahore-pashtun-rights-180422155842327.html
Islamabad: Thousands of people have attended a rally in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore demanding basic rights for ethnic Pashtun citizens and others.Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), addressed protesters on Sunday, calling for an end to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and other alleged rights abuses committed by Pakistan's military in its war against the Taliban."Pakistan's constitution says that if anyone has committed a crime, arrest them and bring them before the courts within 24 hours," said Pashteen."But thousands of Pashtuns have been killed extrajudicially."aljazeera
What's behind increased killings of Muslim clerics in Yemen?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/whats-increased-killings-clerics-yemen-180423051354008.html
At least 25 Muslim clerics have been murdered in southern Yemen in the past two years.Most of those killed are said to be supporters of the President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his allies.It points to growing rivalries between UAE-backed armed groups and Hadi's forces in the south.aljazeera
Air strikes pound insurgent enclave close to Damascus
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180422-air-strikes-pound-insurgent-enclave-close-to-damascus/
Air strikes pounded a insurgent-held area near Damascus on Sunday, footage broadcast by Syrian state TV stations showed, as the Syrian government stepped up efforts to wipe out the insurgency’s last foothold near the capital.Thick clouds of smoke rose from the al-Hajar al-Aswad area and the sound of jets could be heard in broadcasts from the area just south of Damascus that is controlled by militants from the Daesh and Nusra Front groups.UNRWA, UN agency that cares for Palestinians, said two Palestinian refugee civilians – a father and son – had been killed in their home in the adjacent Palestinian camp of Yarmouk.Thousands of homes had been destroyed in Yarmouk in the last four days of fighting, Chris Gunness, UNRWA spokesman, said.middleeastmonitor
Syria: Qalamoun fighters arrive in Aleppo after evacuation deal
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/syria-qalamoun-fighters-arrive-aleppo-evacuation-deal-180422171944816.html
In northern Syria, rebel fighters from the Qalamoun area have arrived in northern Aleppo as part of one of the evacuation deals negotiated by regime ally, Russia.Many of the fighters belong to the armed group Jaish al-Islam.aljazeera
Israel hints it could hit Iran’s ‘air force’ in Syria
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180422-israel-hints-it-could-hit-irans-air-force-in-syria/
Israel released details on Tuesday about what it described as an Iranian “air force” deployed in neighbouring Syria, including civilian planes suspected of transferring arms, a signal that these could be attacked should tensions with Tehran escalate.Iran, along with Damascus and its big-power backer Russia, blamed Israel for an April 9 air strike on a Syrian air base, T-4, that killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) members. middleeastmonitor
‘Palestinian protesters face 'injuries of unusual severity'
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/msf-palestinian-protesters-face-injuries-unusual-severity-180422161500536.html
Palestinian protesters in Gaza who have been shot by Israeli soldiers have suffered what medical charity Doctors Without Borders calls “devastating injuries of unusual severity”. Medical help group says it has treated more patients this month than in the whole of 2014 when Israel launched its last war in Gaza.At least 39 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds wounded in 4 weeks of protest against Israel’s blockade.aljazeera
Gaza: Mother mourns sons killed by Israeli forces
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/khansaa-gaza-mother-mourns-sons-killed-israeli-forces-180420033927519.html
4 framed pictures of 4 men hang on the wall in the middle of Nawal Abu Hajeela's living room in Shujayea neighbourhood in the Gaza Strip.3 are marked with the words "the heroic martyr" before their names."Those are my sons who were killed," Nawal, also known as Umm Iyad, said.Her oldest son, Iyad, was 41 years old and father to four children when he died after a battle with cancer a year ago.Her three other sons were killed in attacks or armed operations against Israel. aljazeera
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
First step towards dealing with the horror of Kathua is calling hate crime by its name:Nandita Rao
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/call-hate-crime-by-its-name-kathua-rape-case-nirbhaya-5147682/
Amid outrage over Kathua, four rape cases lodged in single day in UP; victims in three are children
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/amid-outrage-over-kathua-four-rape-cases-lodged-in-single-day-in-up-victims-in-three-are-children-5147846/
How Mossad carries out assassinations:by Ali Younes
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/mossad-carries-assassinations-180422152144736.html
From Shopian firing to plea against Section 377, Supreme Court to have busy week:HT
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/from-shopian-firing-to-plea-against-section-377-supreme-court-to-have-busy-week/story-73As466Yy3Fe418E8kET1L.html
Common Prophets of the Jews, Christians, Muslims and Hindus by Bharat Jhunjhunwala: Review— By Sumit Paul
http://www.freepressjournal.in/book-reviews/common-prophets-of-the-jews-christians-muslims-and-hindus-by-bharat-jhunjhunwala/1262414
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 11:23 AM)
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