NEWS DIGEST, Afternoon
23 Jan. 2019: 16 Jamadiul-I 1440: Vol:11, No:109
INDIA
All allegations of EVM hacking can be verified, so let’s do that: Kapil Sibal
https://theprint.in/politics/kapil-sibals-defence-all-allegations-of-evm-hacking-can-be-verified-so-lets-do-that/181583/
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to order an independent inquiry into allegations made by a US-based ‘cyber expert’, Syed Shuja, who had claimed Monday that 2014 Lok Sabha polls were “rigged”.“I am really surprised at the controversy, because what he said at the press conference may be true, or it may not be true. But what he said sounded like a sci-fi story,” said Sibal, whose presence at the London press conference where the expert made various claims against BJP has attracted controversy.“This is not about BJP, not about the Congress, or any politics, or any political party. It’s about the foundation of our democratic structures, it is about the election process. This is about free and fair elections. Here is a man who has political asylum in US. Why was he given political asylum? Someone has to find out.”Sibal added: “He (Syed) said he worked on a project with ECIL in which 11-13 people worked.Now that’s something that can be verified from ECIL itself. He says on a certain day, and he gives the date, 11 people were shot.This sounds unbelievable! If they were not shot, they should be there on the rolls of that project. Or if it’s over, they will be able to discover where they are.”Asked if the press conference was part of a grand conspiracy by the Congress, as alleged by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Sibal replied: “See, if anybody makes an allegation like this, that ‘I was shot at’ or ‘11 people were killed’, what will the law of the SC say? Automatically, an FIR should be lodged.“Saying it is a Congress conspiracy is a mindless comment, it has no logic to it. Instead of looking at these details and being concerned about the future of the country, and instead of the ECI wondering whether it is true or no, shouldn’t the govt be inquiring?”Asked if he had ever met Syed, Sibal replied in the negative.On whether he was planning to file a case in an Indian court, Sibal said: “Who am I to file a case? I want purity of elections, and I want the ECI to ensure that. They want to file cases (against Syed), let them file cases. But their primary duty is to find out whether this man is telling the truth or not.“Prime facie if you look at these claims, it is difficult to believe them. But the kind of details that have been given and the clarification that he has issued are mind-boggling. They can be easily corroborated. Now it is clear that he has an identity in US. It is clear that he was given political asylum. It is clear he has given the name of 11 persons. He has said exactly what happened, which guest house it took place in.“The government of India should set up an inquiry and ask a sitting judge to find out whether what he is saying is true or not.”But what if Syed’s claims are untrue? “Then they should be dealt with. If they are true, then also they should be dealt with.”Asked what the government can do, Sibal said: “I just expect journalists of this country to investigate and the government of India not to start accusing people. We all should get worried about if this is true, be really worried… that’s all.“Though he has made allegations against BJP, I am not making any allegations. I am not as irresponsible as the Law Minister to make allegations against the Congress. I am saying this is serious and we want action to be taken to find out if this is true or not.”the print
Hindu woman-Muslim man marriage irregular, not valid; child born is legitimate, entitled to father’s property: SC
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/child-marriage-muslim-man-hindu-woman-legitimate-father-property-sc-5551147/
New Delhi:A child born out of a marriage between a Muslim man and a Hindu woman is a legitimate one and is entitled to a share in his father’s property, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.A bench of Justices NV Ramana and Mohan M Shantanagoudar held that though such a marriage was neither valid nor void but an “irregular” one as per Mohammedan law, the child born out of it is legitimate.The court, which delved into Mohammedan law, said, “Thus, based on the above consistent view, we conclude that the marriage of a Muslim man with an idolater or fireworshipper is neither a valid (sahih) nor a void (batil) marriage, but is merely an irregular (fasid) marriage. Any child born out of such wedlock (fasid marriage) is entitled to claim a share in his father’s property.”The bench added that “it would not be out of place to emphasise at this juncture that since Hindus are idol worshippers, which includes worship of physical images/statues through offering of flowers, adornment, etc., it is clear that the marriage of a Hindu female with a Muslim male is not a regular or valid (sahih) marriage, but merely an irregular (fasid) marriage”. Ruling came on a petition in a property dispute between one Shamsudeen, born out of a marriage between a Muslim man, Mohammed Ilias, and a Hindu woman, Valliamma, and his cousins. The trial court and Kerala High Court held Shamsudeen is the legitimate son of Ilias and Valliamma, and is entitled to his share in the property. The cousins, however, contended that his mother was not legally wedded to Ilias and that she was a Hindu by religion at the time of marriage.Dismissing the appeal, the Supreme Court said the conclusions of the trial Court and the High Court “were justified”.indianexpress
Child Born Out Of Marriage Between Muslim Man And A Hindu Woman Entitled To Claim His Father's Property: SC
https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/marriage-between-muslim-man-and-a-hindu-woman-142316
Delhi Government Taking Legal Advice On JNU Chargesheet: Report
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/delhi-government-taking-legal-advice-on-jnu-chargesheet-report-1981779
NEW DELHI: Delhi government is seeking legal advice with regard to granting sanction for prosecution in the JNU sedition case, government sources said on Tuesday.On Saturday, the Aam Aadmi Party government and the Delhi Police traded allegations after a court questioned the department for filing a charge sheet in the sedition case against former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and nine others without procuring the required sanction from authorities.Delhi government sources said there are rules laid down by the court for sanction of prosecution and they will be followed."Rules allow three months time to the government for granting sanction. Delhi Police took three years to file the charge sheet. The government must be allowed due diligence and legal advice at its disposal before taking a decision," a source said.However, if the government consumes the three-month period without taking any decision, the sanction is deemed granted, he said.The Delhi Police had filed the charge sheet in the court on Jan.14, saying sanction for prosecution was pending before the govt."Why did you file (chargesheet) without approval? You don't have a legal department," the court asked police on Saturday.According to the charge sheet, Mr Kumar was leading a procession and supported seditious slogans raised on the JNU campus during an event on Feb.9, 2016.Police also charged former JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans during the event to mark the hanging of Parliament attack mastermind Afzal Guru.PTI
SC Asks States, UTs to Respond to Proposed Law on Custodial Torture
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/sc-asks-states-uts-to-respond-to-proposed-law-on-custodial-torture?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=emailemail&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Indiatomorrownet+%28IndiaTomorrow.net%29
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed states and union territories (UTs) to file their responses to the Centre's proposed law on curbing custodial torture and death. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Sanjiv Khanna gave time till February 11 to respond.If the responses are not filed, then the secretaries of the defaulting states and union territories would have to be personally present in the court on the next date of hearing on February 13, the bench added.Based on the replies, the Centre will file a status report by February 13.The court order came on a PIL by former Union Law Minister Ashwini Kumar seeking enactment of a law to prohibit custodial torture in discharge of India's obligation to the international treaty.It ordered the states to file their response after Attorney General K.K. Venugopal told the court that only eight states and UTs had sent their views."The proposed legislation will have an impact on the states, therefore their views have been sought," Chief Justice Gogoi said. He asked: "Can a state under Article 21 of the Constitution take a stand contrary to the obligations under international treaty?"IANS
Why father of a 3-year-old child ‘returned’ to militancy despite being acquitted by Srinagar HC
http://twocircles.net/2019jan22/428639.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
30-year-old Aaliya is surrounded by relatives, family friends and other well-wishers telling her the glorious tales of her husband, Zeenat-ul-Islam, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on Jan.12. But Aaliya only has her three-year-old daughter’s future in mind. She had thought that the birth of their child would prevent Zeenat from taking the path of militancy, but that was not the case.Zeenat-ul-Islam, according to the local police, was a top militant commander in the Kashmir Valley. He was known for being a cordon breaker and an IED (Improvised explosive device) expert.He was killed along with an aide in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s restive Kulgam district on Jan.12. No wonder, the security forces termed the encounter of Zeenat as “a big blow to militancy” in the Kashmir Valley.The family of Zeenat says their son joined militant ranks for the first time nearly 13 years ago and in 2008, he was arrested for the first time in Sopore under the dreaded Public Safety Act. Over the next 4 years, he spent his time in jail before finally being acquitted, first by the Shopian Court and later the High Court of J&K. In a conversation with TwoCircles.net, Shaftaq Hussain, his lawyer in Srinagar High Court, said, “Police couldn’t prove that he was a militant and he was acquitted first by the Shopian court. The state then challenged the verdict in the honourable High Court and I represented Zeenat during that time. The HC couldn’t find any strong evidence against him and hence, he was released in 2012.”After his release, Zeenat started living a normal life and helped his father in the fruit business. During this period, Zeenat also got married and was blessed with a child.Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net
"India To Become Bigger Than China Eventually": Raghuram Rajan
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-to-become-bigger-than-china-eventually-raghuram-rajan-1981685
DAVOS: India will eventually surpass China in economic size and will be in a better position to create the infrastructure being promised by the Chinese side in South Asian countries, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said.Addressing a session on Strategic Outlook for South Asia, Rajan said Indian economy would continue to grow while growth rate is slowing down in China."Historically, India had a bigger role in the region but China has now grown much bigger than India and has presented itself as a counter balance to India in the region," Rajan said at the WEF Annual Meeting 2019."India will become bigger than China eventually as China would slow down and India would continue to grow. So India will be in a better position to create the infrastructure in the region which China is promising today. But this competition is good for the region and it will benefit for sure," he said.The comments assume significance with China working on a lot of infrastructure projects across the region, including in Nepal and in Pakistan.In 2017, India became the sixth largest economy with a GDP of USD 2.59 trillion while China was the second larges with a GDP of USD 12.23 trillion, as per World Bank data.At the same session, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli cited collaboration with China as well as India as reasons for his country's economic growth.Rajan said there is an opportunity to create regional companies, and cited as an example that someone can just study how people in South Asia borrow and that would be great insight for banks.He also asked industries to work towards convincing their governments for taking the necessary steps.PTI
Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians need not be afraid: Amit Shah in Bengal
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/hindus-sikhs-buddhists-and-christians-need-not-be-afraid-of-nrc-amit-shah-in-bengal-5551146/
Kolkata :Kicking off his party’s campaign in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections, BJP president Amit Shah Tuesday accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of “misleading” people on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and said Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh refugees in the state “need not be afraid” because the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill has been brought to grant them citizenship.Speaking at a rally in Malda, Shah targeted the TMC: “They are very fond of infiltrators. To expel the infiltrators, NRC was brought but they misled the people of Bengal by saying Bengalis will be driven out. I want to assure all refugees living in Bengal — Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh — that they need not be afraid . We have brought the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to grant citizenship to each and every Hindu Bangladeshi. No one will be left out. Whether the person is a Buddhist, Sikh or Christian. Those who have been oppressed and have come from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh will be granted citizenship by the BJP’s Narendra Modi government.”indianexpress
All Bengali refugees will be given citizenship under the Citizenship Bill: Amit Shah
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/all-bengali-refugees-will-be-given-citizenship-under-the-citizenship-bill-says-amit-shah/articleshow/67640447.cms
Owaisi May Contest from One Seat in UP in Addition to Hyderabad
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/asaduddin-owaisi-may-contest-from-one-seat-in-up-in-addition-to-hyderabad-2010175.html
Lucknow: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi may contest the Lok Sabha elections from one constituency in Uttar Pradesh in addition to the Hyderabad seat, which he currently holds. Speaking to News18, UP unit chief of AIMIM, Shaukat Ali, said the party is planning to contest on at least 50 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, and Owaisi may be one of the contenders. He, however, refused to speculate on which seat the AIMIM chief may pick.AIMIM also took a jibe at the electoral alliance between BSP supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that both parties consider Muslim leadership to be “untouchable” and that the community has “suffered” under both their rules. Ali also questioned the addition of the Rashtriya Lok Dal to the SP-BSP alliance.“Alliance is giving place to RLD which represents a mere 4% population of the Jat community, while Muslims who constitute around 22% population of the state has been ignored. It shows that SP-BSP alliance considers Muslims as untouchable. It should not be forgotten that AIMIM is a much bigger political party than the RLD,” Ali said.news18
Many Muslim leaders join Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/many-muslim-leaders-join-pspl.html
Lucknow:Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL) founder Shivpal Singh Yadav on Tuesday claimed that the 'unholy' alliance between the BSP and SP would not be accepted by the people as leaders of both parties ditched their partners and leaders for vested political interests.Meanwhile on Tuesday, several senior political leaders, including former Rajya Sabha member Mohammad Adeeb, joined the PSPL.Addressing media persons during the joining of several party leaders in Lucknow on Tuesday, Shivpal said that BSP chief Mayawati ditched her rakhi brothers -- Narendra Modi and Lalji Tandon while Akhilesh Yadav backstabbed his father and uncle and joined hands for vested political interests. “This alliance is a 'thugbandhan' to confuse the people and to benefit the BJP," Shivpal alleged.PSPL chief added that talks were underway with secular parties, including the Congress, and new entrant Mohammad Adeeb had been authorised to initiate talks with those parties on behalf of the PSPL.Claiming that his party was gearing up for 2019 Lok Sabha polls and would contest with full vigour, Shivpal said that a committee had been set up to identify potential candidates for the polls with winability as the priority. PSPL chief also criticised the BJP for failing to solve people's problem and claimed that now voters had decided to show them the doors in the elections. "The BJP will be ousted from the Centre in 2019 and from UP in 2022," he said.On Tuesday, several Muslim leaders joined PSPL in presence of Shivpal Yadav and others. They included former RS member and ex-president of AMU Students' Union Mohammad Adeeb, Sunni Ulema Council general secretary Haji Mohammad Salim, former Haj committee member Arshad Mia and former MLA from Azamgarh Hafiz Irshad.daily pioneer
AMU doctors treated devotees at Kumbh Mela
https://www.siasat.com/news/aligarh-muslim-university-doctors-treated-devotees-kumbh-mela-1458835/
Aligarh: Setting an example of communal harmony, 18 PG doctors and 6 UG medical students from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), AMU conducted a free medical health camp from January 17 to 19 at the Kumbh Mela site in Prayagraj, where millions of devotees gathered for a holy dip in the waters at the confluence of the country’s most sacred rivers – the Ganges, the Yamuna and Sarasvati. This was reported by the university website. Under Graduate medical students assisted their seniors. Besides free treatment, they supplied medicines free of cost to thousands of devotees. Around 2 crore devotees attended the Kumbh Mela.The team doctors were greeted warmly by the devotees. Sadhus and saints lauded their work and congratulated them for their remarkable services. A lady doctor was also presented a copy of Bhagwat Gita.siasat
Queen Victoria Freed India From Muslim Terrorists: Hindu Sena
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/queen-victoria-freed-india-from-muslim-terrorists-hindu-sena
In a bizarre and first of its kind invitation that is making rounds on social media, the Hindu Sena invites you to pay tribute to British Queen Victoria on her 118th death anniversary. Why, you ask? Well, according to the invite, “Britishers helped India to get independence in 1857 from foreign Islamic invaders/terrorist and it was India’s 1st independence in true sense.”Queen Victoria adopted the title "Empress of India" from 1 May 1876 until her death on 22 January 1901.When The Quint got in touch with Vishnu Gupta, President of Hindu Sena, he said:"The British rule was the most progressive rules among all. They are the pioneers of development in India. Under their rule, Sati was abolished, freedom of expression was granted, Indian Penal Code was also drafted. If you don’t support the British, why don’t you break these laws and make new ones?" “Queen Victoria united India by bringing hundreds of princely states under one umbrella. She and the British knew that India would become a Muslim state if left to the Mughals. So they divided the country on the basis of religion,” the colonial apologist said.Gupta was also of the view that apart from the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the British did not do anything wrong by India and Indians.Hindu Sena and its cadres lit diyas and showered flowers on Queen Victoria’s photograph at Jantar Mantar.Vishnu Gupta has been in the news for various reasons: he was detained in 2015 for allegedly making a false complaint that beef was being served at the Kerala House canteen in Delhi.thequint
WORLD
5 Muslim Brotherhood members killed in Cairo ‘shootout’
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/5-muslim-brotherhood-members-killed-in-cairo-shootout-/1371662
CAIRO:At least 5 members of Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group were killed in a “shootout” with Egyptian security forces, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.According to a ministry statement, the five slain Brotherhood members had been “planning to carry out a series of terrorist attacks against state institutions and military and police personnel”.“We raided their hideout in Cairo’s Obour City district. All 5 were killed in an ensuing exchange of fire,”ministry added without providing further details.Anadolu Agency has yet to independently verify the ministry's version of events.Egypt has been roiled by violence since the army ousted and imprisoned Mohamed Morsi -- the country’s first freely elected president and a Brotherhood leader -- in a 2013 military coup. In the almost six years since, the authorities have cracked down on political dissent, killing hundreds of Morsi’s supporters and throwing thousands behind bars on trumped-up “violence” charges.Anadolu Agency
In the shadow of the pyramids, Cairo community split over demolitions
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/shadow-pyramids-cairo-community-split-over-demolitions-981023581
Egyptian authorities arrested 22 people and demolished two properties in a neighbourhood of Cairo on Monday, in a case that has highlighted the issue of informal areas in the Egyptian capital and the peculiar history of the pro-government neighbourhood.Residents of Nazlet al-Samman, a neighbourhood adjacent to the Giza Necropolis, the Great Sphinx and the pyramids, protested on Monday over fears that Giza governorate authorities were pushing to demolish the entire area, despite Egyptian authorities saying that they would only destroy four properties for “building without a license on a heritage site”.Local media said that some inhabitants of Nazlet al-Samman participated in the demolition operation along with the authorities, while some protested after it happened, fearing that their community would meet the same fate as al-Warraq and Maspero.These 2 Cairo neighbourhoods were demolished in 2016 to make way for a private investment project, with Egyptian authorities compensating the inhabitants of Warraq and Maspero below the market value for their properties.The majority of inhabitants in Nazlet al-Samman work in tourism, as many own shops adjacent to the pyramids selling memorabilia and ancient Egyptian clothes or give horseback tours to foreign tourists. Upper storeys of the demolished properties were used as a hostel for tourists.middleeasteye
Deal Done, Pakistan to Get $3 Billion in Bailout Money From UAE to Avoid IMF Help
https://www.news18.com/news/world/pakistan-uae-sign-usd-3-billion-bailout-package-to-boost-economy-2010673.html
Islamabad: Pakistan and the UAE on Tuesday signed a $3 billion bailout package, as part of Abu Dhabi's support to boost the cash-strapped country's dwindling dollar reserves. UAE in December last year had announced to provide $3 billion financial assistance to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia made a similar commitment to help Islamabad successfully overcome international payment crisis and to avoid a stringent International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal. Tuesday's agreement was signed between State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) chief Tariq Bajwa and Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) Director General Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi."UAE has formalized US $3bn deposit in the State Bank of Pakistan. DG ADFD & the Governor SBP inked the agreement at #ADFD Headquarters in Abu Dhabi," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.He said the agreement will help Pakistan achieve financial stability and overcome economic challenges and noted ADFD's support over the years to stimulate Pakistan's economic growth and sustainable development. Speaking on the occasion, Suwaidi said, "The directive to deposit $3 billion with the State Bank of Pakistan aligns with the UAE leadership's keenness to bolster Pakistan's economy, help its government achieve financial stability and overcome economic challenges, and drive comprehensive development in the country."AFP
China Reduces Army by Half; Increases Size of Navy, Air Force in Big Way
https://www.news18.com/news/world/china-reduces-army-by-half-increases-size-of-navy-air-force-in-big-way-2010319.html
Beijing: China's military, the world's largest force, has cut the size of its land-based army by about 50% and significantly boosted its navy and air force as part of an "unprecedented" strategic shift designed to transform People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a comprehensive modern force. 2 million-strong Chinese military has significantly boosted its navy, air force and new strategic units and downsized its land-based army, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported quoting a state-run Xinhua report.In a feature report highlighting the "transformational changes" made by the PLA, Xinhua on Sunday said "this new data is unprecedented in the history of the PLA the army now accounts for less than 50 per cent of the total number of PLA troops; almost half of our non-combatant units have been made redundant, and the number of officers in the PLA has been reduced by 30%."In the last few years, PLA has downsized its military by retrenching three lakh troops under the military reforms initiated by President Xi Jinping. But it still remained the world's largest military with two million personnel in the ranks.The statement indicated that the four other branches of the PLA the navy, air force, rocket force and strategic support force, which is responsible for areas such as cyberwarfare - now together make up more than half of the Chinese military, overtaking the army, which has traditionally been the dominant unit of the PLA.The expansion of the navy in the past few years was massive as China now has one aircraft carrier, another undergoing trial and third in making. Official media reports said China plans to have about five to six aircraft carriers.The rocket force and strategic support force mainly focus on missile warfare.PTI
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Hate Crime In UP: Fear, Distrust, Justice Delayed, Denied:Kunal Purohit
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/hate-crime-in-uttar-pradesh-fear-distrust-justice-delayed-denied
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